Maintaining Ecosystem Health Research Articles

Species Checklist and Diversity of the Herpetofauna of Tun Razak Agricultural Research Center, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia

Herpetofauna represents a significant portion of global biodiversity. Understanding their distribution, ecology, and behavior is essential for conservation efforts. Many reptile and amphibian species are threatened or endangered due to habitat loss, pollution, climate change, and disease. A study was conducted to explore the herpetofauna in Tun Razak Agricultural Research Centre from 22 February 2023 to 17 March 2023 through Visual Encounter Survey (VES), covering four types of habitats; ponds, forest, oil palm and residential. A total of 23 species of herpetofauna were recorded, representing 14 amphibians and nine reptiles. Hylarana erythraea emerged as the most dominant species, followed by Fejervarya limnocharis. These species were found abundantly in ponds due to its suitability for breeding and ample food sources. The presence of these species indicates that the ecosystem has various habitat niches. Most of the species found were globally classified as Least Concern. However, the survey also recorded Ophiophagus Hannah and Cuora amboinensis, listed as Vulnerable and Endangered respectively. The study highlighted the importance of clean water in ponds for frog breeding, as it ensures proper oxygenation and minimizes exposure to harmful substances. Furthermore, the study demonstrated the potential of herpetofauna as a bioindicator, with changes in their populations reflecting environmental changes or disturbances. The species rank abundance curves showed that the oil palm habitat exhibited the highest species evenness, suggesting a balanced distribution of species within the ecosystem. However, further surveys are needed in the area to determine the full extent of herpetofauna composition. Overall, the findings emphasise the necessity of preserving various habitats to support herpetofauna populations while also maintaining ecosystem health and balance for human-animal coexistence.

Multi-Scale Variation in Surface Water Area in the Yellow River Basin (1991–2023) Based on Suspended Particulate Matter Concentration and Water Indexes

Surface water is a crucial part of terrestrial ecosystems and is crucial to maintaining ecosystem health, ensuring social stability, and promoting high-quality regional economic development. The surface water in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) has a high sediment content and spatially heterogeneous sediment distribution, presenting a significant challenge for surface water extraction. In this study, we first analyze the applicability of nine water indexes in the YRB by using the Landsat series images (Landsat 5, 7, 8) and then examine the correlation between the accuracy of the water indexes and suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentrations. On this basis, we propose a surface water extraction method considering the SPM concentrations (SWE-CSPM). Finally, we examine the dynamic variations in the surface water in the YRB at four scales: the global scale, the secondary water resource zoning scale, the provincial scale, and the typical water scale. The results indicate that (1) among the nine water indexes, the MBWI has the highest water extraction accuracy, followed by the AWEInsh and WI2021, while the NDWI has the lowest. (2) Compared with the nine water indexes and the multi-index water extraction rule method (MIWER), the SWE-CSPM can effectively reduce the commission errors of surface water extraction, and the water extraction accuracy is the highest (overall accuracy 95.44%, kappa coefficient 90.62%). (3) At the global scale, the maximum water area of the YRB shows a decreasing trend, but the change amount is small. The permanent water area shows an uptrend, whereas the seasonal water area shows a downtrend year by year. The reason may be that the increase in surface runoff and the construction of reservoir projects have led to the transformation of some seasonal water into permanent water. (4) At the secondary water resource zoning scale, the permanent water area of other secondary water resource zonings shows an increasing trend in different degrees, except for the Interior Drainage Area. (5) At the provincial scale, the permanent water area of all provinces shows an uptrend, while the seasonal water areas show a fluctuating downtrend. The maximum water area of Shandong, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Qinghai increases slowly, while the other provinces show a decreasing trend. (6) At the typical water scale, there are significant differences in the water area variation process in Zhaling Lake, Eling Lake, Wuliangsuhai, Hongjiannao, and Dongping Lake, but the permanent water area and maximum water area of these waters have increased over the past decade. This study offers significant technical support for the dynamic monitoring of surface water and helps to deeply understand the spatiotemporal variations in surface water in the YRB.

Diversity and impact of single-stranded RNA viruses in Czech Heterobasidion populations.

Heterobasidion annosum sensu lato comprises some of the most devastating pathogens of conifers. Exploring virocontrol as a potential strategy to mitigate economic losses caused by these fungi holds promise for the future. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive screening for viruses in 98 H. annosum s.l. specimens from different regions of Czechia aiming to identify viruses inducing hypovirulence. Initial examination for dsRNA presence was followed by RNA-seq analyses using pooled RNA libraries constructed from H. annosum and Heterobasidion parviporum, with diverse bioinformatic pipelines employed for virus discovery. Our study uncovered 25 distinct ssRNA viruses, including two ourmia-like viruses, one mitovirus, one fusarivirus, one tobamo-like virus, one cogu-like virus, one bisegmented narna-like virus and one segment of another narna-like virus, and 17 ambi-like viruses, for which hairpin and hammerhead ribozymes were detected. Coinfections of up to 10 viruses were observed in six Heterobasidion isolates, whereas another six harbored a single virus. Seventy-three percent of the isolates analyzed by RNA-seq were virus-free. These findings show that the virome of Heterobasidion populations in Czechia is highly diverse and differs from that in the boreal region. We further investigated the host effects of certain identified viruses through comparisons of the mycelial growth rate and proteomic analyses and found that certain tested viruses caused growth reductions of up to 22% and significant alterations in the host proteome profile. Their intraspecific transmission rates ranged from 0% to 33%. Further studies are needed to fully understand the biocontrol potential of these viruses in planta.IMPORTANCEHeterobasidion annosum sensu lato is a major pathogen causing significant damage to conifer forests, resulting in substantial economic losses. This study is significant as it explores the potential of using viruses (virocontrol) to combat these fungal pathogens. By identifying and characterizing a diverse array of viruses in H. annosum populations from Czechia, the research opens new avenues for biocontrol strategies. The discovery of 25 distinct ssRNA viruses, some of which reduce fungal growth and alter proteome profiles, suggests that these viruses could be harnessed to mitigate the impact of Heterobasidion. Understanding the interactions between these viruses and their fungal hosts is crucial for developing effective, environmentally friendly methods to protect conifer forests and maintain ecosystem health. This study lays the groundwork for future research on the application of mycoviruses in forest disease management.

Exploring the evolution of ecosystem health and sustainable zoning: A perspective based on the contributions of climate change and human activities

Maintaining ecosystem health (EH) in watersheds is crucial for building a national pattern of ecological security. However, a comprehensive diagnosis of watershed EH and an exploration of its driving mechanisms are still lacking. This study proposed an EH assessment model from a vitality-organization-resilience-service-environment (VORSE) perspective. Taking the Yellow River Basin of Shaanxi Province (YRBS), China, as a research object, the spatiotemporal evolution trend of EH from 2000 to 2020 was quantified. At the same time, we also quantified the respective contributions of climate change (CC) and human activities (HA) to the EH dynamics based on residual analysis. The results showed that EH in the YRBS increased by 11.80 % from 2000 to 2020, and the spatial distribution of the EH was higher in the southern region than in the northern part. At the pixel scale, areas with improving trends accounted for 90.57 % of the YRBS, while 9.43 % deteriorated, with the improving areas mainly in northern Shaanxi and the deteriorating areas in the Guanzhong region. The correlation between the EH and precipitation was primarily positive, while the correlation between the EH and temperature was mainly negative. The residual analysis showed that the contribution rate of CC to EH changes was 78.54 %, while that of HA was 21.46 %, indicating that CC was the dominant driver of EH changes in the YRBS. Specifically, 82.64 % of the improvement in EH was attributed to CC and 17.36 % to HA. Conversely, 65.30 % of the deterioration in EH was attributed to CC and 34.70 % to HA. Furthermore, CC, HA, and CC&HA dominated EH changes in 26.85 %, 3.77 %, and 69.38 % of the YRBS area, respectively. In addition, the Hurst exponent analysis identified six types of future EH development scenarios, each requiring different restoration strategies. This study provides valuable insights for future EH diagnosis, EH restoration efforts, and the formulation of sustainable development goals in other watersheds.

Evaluation of Ecological Sensitivity and Spatial Correlation Analysis of Landscape Patterns in Sanjiangyuan National Park

The Sanjiangyuan region, situated on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, constitutes an exceptionally delicate ecological environment. Alterations in the region’s ecological landscape stem not only from natural factors but also from significant anthropogenic influences, exerting a notable impact on the sustainable economic and social development of the region’s middle and lower reaches. Consequently, investigating changes in the landscape pattern of Sanjiangyuan National Park holds paramount importance for comprehending the formation mechanism of spatial landscape distribution in the area. This study analyzes the ecological sensitivity and landscape pattern of Sanjiangyuan National Park in Qinghai Province, China, utilizing ArcGIS 10.8 and Fragstats 4.2. Employing the bivariate spatial autocorrelation analysis method, the research uncovers the spatial distribution characteristics between ecological sensitivity and landscape pattern, along with their aggregated change traits. The findings reveal that ecological sensitivity areas within the park encompass varying degrees, ranging from extremely sensitive to insensitive. The area of moderately sensitive zones in the Yellow River source region is 7279.67 km2 (39.17%), whereas the corresponding area in the Yangtze River source region is 32,572.34 km2 (36.30%). The eastern and northern parts of the Sanjiangyuan National Park exhibit significant landscape fragmentation. Ecological sensitivity varies markedly across different regions, with the southern and some northern areas showing higher sensitivity. In the Lancang River source park and the southern part of the Yellow River source park, the Largest Patch Index (LPI) and Ecological Sensitivity Index exhibit a high–high (HH) clustering pattern, indicating strong ecological connectivity in these areas. These regions also feature high Total Edge (TE), Number of Patches (NP), Patch Density (PD), and Edge Density (ED), indicating a complex landscape structure and abundant habitat edge areas. The study recommends restoring ecological connectivity in highly fragmented areas and implementing strict protection measures in sensitive regions to maintain ecosystem health and biodiversity. These findings provide a foundation for developing targeted ecological protection measures to enhance ecosystem health and biodiversity conservation in the area. This research aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Climate Action, Life on Land, and Clean Water and Sanitation, by promoting sustainable ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation.

Hydro‐modeling the ecosystem impact of wastewater reuse under climate change: A case study in upper Red River basin, Oklahoma

AbstractWater reuse, as a viable option for water supply, must be implemented to minimize the adverse impacts on stream ecosystems that previously received this wastewater effluent. In the State of Oklahoma (OK), USA, local communities have implemented wastewater reuse, and many seek to expand the reuse programs. This study presents a hydro‐modeling analysis based on the Coupled Routing and Excess STorage with VECtor routing (CREST‐VEC) model focusing on the potential ecosystem impacts and societal benefits of wastewater reuse under climate change in the OK portion of the Red River basin. First, a CREST‐VEC model is established for the upper Red River basin and validated against observed streamflow for a 30‐year historical period (1990–2020). Based on the established model, we then assess the sensitivity of ecosystem impact to various climate change scenarios and hypothetical wastewater reuse scenarios. Results show that dominant effects of climate change cause the annual time below environmental flow to increase in the next 30 years, which constrains the room to implement wastewater reuse. However, at sub‐catchment scale, the analyses identify viable locations for allocating wastewater reuse while maintaining ecosystem health. The results also reveal that wastewater reuse brings about the most societal water benefits at minimal cost of ecosystem health under representative concentration pathway (RCP) 2.6 followed by RCP 4.5 and then RCP 8.5. Overall, the study demonstrates capabilities of the hydro‐modeling framework in developing water management plans facing the changing climate.

Functional trait-based phytoplankton biomass and assemblage analyses in the pre-growing season for comprehensive algal bloom risk assessment

Algal bloom (AB) risk assessment is critical for maintaining ecosystem health and human sustainability. Previous AB risk assessments have focused on the potential occurrence of ABs and related factors in the growing season, whereas their hazards, especially in the pre-growing season, have attracted less attention. Here, we performed a comprehensive AB risk assessment, including water trophic levels, phytoplankton biomass, functional trait-based assemblages, and related environmental factors, in the pre-growing season in Dongting Lake, China. Although mesotrophic water and low phytoplankton biomass suggested low AB potential, toxic taxa, which constituted 13.28% of the phytoplankton biomass, indicated non-negligible AB hazards. NH4+ and water temperature were key factors affecting phytoplankton motility and toxicity. Our study establishes a new paradigm for quantitative AB risk assessment, including both potential AB occurrence and hazards. We emphasize the importance of phytoplankton functional traits for early AB warning and NH4+ reduction for AB control in the pre-growing season.

Urban Forest Resilience: Assessment and Management Strategies for Stressed Trees in Diverse Environments

Variety of trees are found in both urban and wild areas; these trees are indispensable in maintaining ecosystem health and promoting human well-being. However, stressors affect the health of these trees; this makes them face management approaches. In this study, an assessment and management of five (5) different tree species at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge-USA were carried out. The Southern Magnolia, Southern Red Oak, and Live Oak showed symptoms of stress, such as leaning and decay. The identified Loblolly Pine showed symptoms such as bark beetle infestations and resource competition. For each of these species, specific indicators of stress were identified and recommended management approaches. These include the installation of support systems, pruning of diseased branches, soil tillage, and pest control techniques. These practices allow the strengthening of urban forest, which ensures continued health and functioning of our ecosystems.

Short and long-term fire effects on soil C and N in an African savanna

Fires have been an important ecosystem driver in the Earth system for millions of years. It drives ecosystem composition, diversity and structure, thus rendering numerous terrestrial ecosystems dependent on fires for maintaining ecosystem health and functioning. As an important ecological driver in many ecosystems, fires have been shown to lead to substantial impacts on soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N). Although many global studies have looked at either short-term or long-term fire effects on soil C and N, they have contradicting outcomes. This study aimed at investigating the effect of both short- and long-term fire effects on soil C and N, C:N ratios and soil C stocks, as well as how fire-induced changes to vegetation may influence C and N distribution. Soil samples (0–5 cm) were collected under tree and shrub canopies and open, grassy areas from Annual Burn and No Burn (fire exclusion) plots at a 68-year-old long-term fire experiment. Samples were collected pre-burn, 1 m and 1 yr post-fire to determine short-term fire impacts, and from the No burn plot to determine long-term fire impacts (compared to the Annual Burn). Soils were analysed for total C, total N, C:N ratios and C stocks. Our results found that fires led to significantly higher soil C and N within the first month post-fire (p < 0.05) and remained significantly higher even up to a year later. Fires also altered soil total C and N in the long-term which saw decadal increases in C and N due to fire exclusion (p < 0.001). C:N ratios improved shortly after burning to similar C:N ratios seen in the long-term No Burn plot. Even though soil C stocks were greatest in the No Burn plot, there was also an increase in soil C stocks on the Annual Burn plot a month after the fire (p < 0.05). Lastly, trees and shrub were found to increase soil C and N below their canopies compared to open, grass-dominated areas, suggesting further indirect effects of fires on soil C and N by means of changing woody cover. These findings have implications for fire management in African savannas when considering fire suppression policies, bush encroachment and global tree-planting initiatives.

Assessing groundwater quality dynamics in Madhya Pradesh: Chemical contaminants and their temporal patterns

Groundwater is essential for maintaining ecosystem health and overall well-being as a pivotal resource for plants and animals. The increasing public consciousness of the deterioration of groundwater quality has emphasized the significance of undertaking extended evaluations of groundwater water quality, particularly in regions undergoing substantial hydrological alterations. This study primarily aims to investigate the spatio-temporal variations in groundwater quality and evaluate its suitability for potable purposes in the region of Madhya Pradesh. The study combines the Mann-Kendall (MK) test and Sen's Slope (SS) to analyze the changes in groundwater quality of all 51 districts of Madhya Pradesh, India, utilizing 12 water quality indices using MATLAB. Data was sourced from the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) in India from the year 2001–2021. The data was then tested for homogeneity at all 1154 sampling stations using the software XLSTAT. Piper plot clustering characterized the state's groundwater as bicarbonate-calcium-magnesium (HCO3−-Ca2+-Mg2+) type. The study found that the groundwater in the area is heavily impacted by high levels of nitrate and hardness, which is caused by an increase in multivalent cations. The water was classified as ranging from hard to extremely hard, and approximately 25.49% of the state's groundwater has nitrate levels that exceed the acceptable limits. The MK test showed a significant increasing correlation in trends for parameters such as nitrate, sulfate, fluoride, chloride, bicarbonate, total hardness, and electrical conductivity. It also showed a significant decreasing correlation for calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. These results were observed at a confidence level of 95%. The analysis of trends has shown that human-related factors have a considerable effect on the characteristics of groundwater quality. It is therefore recommended that such human-related factors be taken into consideration when developing policies for managing groundwater resources. Consequently, these policies should emphasize the strict enforcement of rules and standards that limit the overuse of fertilizers, ensure the appropriate disposal of municipal solid and liquid wastes, and regulate industrial pollutants.

Microscale advection governs microbial growth and oxygen consumption in macroporous aggregates.

Most microbial life on Earth is found in localized microenvironments that collectively exert a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem health and influencing global biogeochemical cycles. In many habitats such as biofilms in aquatic systems, bacterial flocs in activated sludge, periphyton mats, or particles sinking in the ocean, these microenvironments experience sporadic or continuous flow. Depending on their microscale structure, pores and channels through the microenvironments permit localized flow that shifts the relative importance of diffusive and advective mass transport. How this flow alters nutrient supply, facilitates waste removal, drives the emergence of different microbial niches, and impacts the overall function of the microenvironments remains unclear. Here, we quantify how pores through microenvironments that permit flow can elevate nutrient supply to the resident bacterial community using a microfluidic experimental system and gain further insights from coupled population-based and computational fluid dynamics simulations. We find that the microscale structure determines the relative contribution of advection vs diffusion, and even a modest flow through a pore in the range of 10 µm s-1 can increase the carrying capacity of a microenvironment by 10%. Recognizing the fundamental role that microbial hotspots play in the Earth system, developing frameworks that predict how their heterogeneous morphology and potential interstitial flows change microbial function and collectively alter global scale fluxes is critical.IMPORTANCEMicrobial life is a key driver of global biogeochemical cycles. Similar to the distribution of humans on Earth, they are often not homogeneously distributed in nature but occur in dense clusters that resemble microbial cities. Within and around these clusters, diffusion is often assumed as the sole mass-transfer process that dictates nutrient supply and waste removal. In many natural and engineered systems such as biofilms in aquatic environments, aggregates in bioremediation, or flocs in wastewater treatment plants, these clusters are exposed to flow that elevates mass transfer, a process that is often overlooked. In this study, we show that advective fluxes can increase the local growth of bacteria in a single microenvironment by up to 50% and shape their metabolism by disrupting localized anoxia or supplying nutrients at different rates. Collectively, advection-enhanced mass transport may thus regulate important biogeochemical transformations in both natural and engineered environments.

Effects of land-use intensity on vegetation dynamics across elevation in Savanna Grassland, Southern Ethiopia

The rangeland ecosystem is currently one of the area’s most sensitive to biodiversity because of both natural and human effects. There is still much to learn about the sustainable management of dry and semi-arid rangelands in order to protect their rich biodiversity resources. This is due to the uncertain indirect effects of environmental factors, such as dryness, on vegetation species, which are mediated by shifting both living and non-living components. The purpose of this project was to ascertain the effects of land use intensity (LUI) on the various species of rangeland flora along the elevation gradient in the Borana Rangeland. We gathered a total of 37 plant species, comprising 22 grasses, 7 graminoids, and 8 forbs, from the nine sampling locations, which were exposed to LUI and included three locations within each elevation range of 500–900, 1000–1400, and 1500–1900 m.a.s.l. At every sampling site, we evaluated the dynamics of the plant species, taking into account their diversity, richness, percentage of undesirable species, and properties of the soil. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the effects of LUI on the different vegetation species along the elevation gradient. We found that the density and diversity of vegetative species decreased and the fraction of undesired species increased as elevation climbed (from lower to higher). Because of the heavy livestock grazing, these impacts were substantially linked with high LUI at lower elevations. According to our research, the complex relationships between elevation gradient and LUI have a big influence on the diversity and density of the flora. This demonstrates that we need to account for environmental gradients in order to generalize LUI's effects on rangeland biodiversity. This study sheds important light on the complex interactions between vegetation dynamics and LUI in savanna grasslands. To create practical strategies for maintaining ecosystem health and biodiversity in the Southern Ethiopian Savanna Grasslands, policymakers, environmentalists, and land managers should take these findings into account.

Accounting for spatial coupling to assess the interactions between human well-being and environmental performance

Understanding the spatio-temporal interactions between ecosystem services (ESs) and the progress of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is crucial in arid regions due to the more intense conflicts between human well-being and environmental performance. However, the interactions over distance and their spatial connectivity network among regions are often neglected, influencing the advancements in policy making especially in arid basin. Here a comprehensive framework that integrated ESs and SDGs was proposed to assess the spatial coupling between human well-being and environmental performance within and across regions in the Heihe River Basin (HRB), the second largest inland river basin in China. Then the Random Forests method was employed to identify the key driving factors of the interactions. The results are as follows: (1) The coupling that accounts for both local and distant effects was higher than that only considers local effects. The interactions of all regions that considered both were more balanced, suggesting that spatial interactions among regions promoted the supplies of ES and the progress of SDGs. (2) The midstream of HRB formed a stronger spatial connectivity network. (3) Land use intensity, population density, and water scarcity showed a strong influence on the interactions. This study provides targeted suggestions to guide sustainable development for better human well-being while maintaining ecosystem health for better environmental performance.

Pattern change and ecological risk analysis of Shilin World Geopark landscape

This study considered Shilin World Geopark as the research object and constructed a landscape ecological risk assessment model based on the landscape pattern index by using remote sensing image data during five periods between 2000 and 2020. In addition, it analyzed the spatial and temporal changes of landscape ecological risk in the region. Spatial autocorrelation analysis was utilized to study spatial differences in the landscape ecological risk in the park. The results showed that during the study period, (1) cultivated land, forest land, and rocky desertification land were the main landscape types, different landscape types differed, and the area of rocky desertification land and building land increased by 37.47 km2 and 14.29 km2, respectively, while the area of cultivated land and grassland decreased significantly, with changes of 34.11 km2 and 18.67 km2; (2) landscape ecological risk of the park showed significant spatial differences, the ‘high–high’ risk areas have been concentrated mainly in the central and northern parts of the park, the ‘low–low’ risk areas have been concentrated in the central part and the southwest-southeast area of the park; and (3) landscape ecological risk of the geopark has been increasing, with the degree of landscape ecological risk being spatially positively correlated. The results of the study are of great significance for maintaining ecosystem health of the Shilin World Geopark and optimizing the ecological risk management of the park.

Assessing the sustainability of the blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus) on the Eastern Coast of Lampung: a holistic approach to conservation and resource stewardship

In response to the escalating demand for blue swimming crabs (BSC) and the consequential impact on their habitat and population, this study advocates for sustainable management through a holistic approach. Our comprehensive framework integrates ecological conservation, socioeconomic well-being, and governance principles, aiming to establish a policy framework for the sustainable management of BSC in the Eastern Coast of Lampung. The research emphasizes the urgent issue of overexploitation, with an exploitation rate of 0.71, requiring immediate attention to prevent stock depletion and maintain ecosystem health. Findings reveal that male BSC, measured by carapace width, typically reaches the length at first catch (Lc50) at approximately 118.69 mm, while for females, it is about 122.70 mm—indicating that BSC is often caught larger than the 10 cm legal requirement set by the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries of Indonesia. Economic analysis demonstrates the profitability of the blue swimming crab business on Lampung's east coast, with a favorable crab capture per trip (4.63) and total costs ratio (1.18). The study area, featuring an extensive mangrove forest, hosts a crucial crustacean population, contributing significantly to BSC's diet. Beyond ecological significance, mangrove conservation enhances our understanding of environmental sustainability, particularly in carbon stock contributions. Addressing sustainability challenges requires a multi-faceted approach, including precise fishing technologies, effective regulation enforcement, and improved monitoring. Collaborative efforts among government authorities, fishing communities, and conservation groups are essential for balancing economic interests with the long-term ecological health of BSC populations in the study area.

SACRED GROVES: A BASTION OF BIODIVERSITY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE

Sacred groves, also known as sacred forests, are revered natural areas that hold deep spiritual and cultural significance for indigenous communities around the world. These enclaves of biodiversity have played a crucial role in conserving natural ecosystems, protecting endangered species, and preserving traditional knowledge and practices for centuries.&#x0D; This paper explores the multifaceted significance of sacred groves, highlighting their contributions to biodiversity conservation, cultural heritage preservation, and the well-being of local communities. It delves into the intricate relationship between indigenous communities and their sacred groves, emphasizing the interconnectedness of nature, spirituality, and culture.&#x0D; Drawing upon case studies from diverse regions, the paper showcases the tangible benefits of sacred groves in safeguarding threatened flora and fauna, maintaining ecosystem health, and providing ecological services such as soil and water conservation. It also underscores the cultural significance of these sites as repositories of traditional knowledge, sacred rituals, and artistic expressions.&#x0D; The paper concludes by emphasizing the urgent need to recognize and protect sacred groves as invaluable assets for both biodiversity conservation and cultural heritage preservation. It advocates for collaborative approaches that empower indigenous communities in safeguarding their sacred groves and integrating their traditional knowledge into conservation efforts.

Long-term Consequences on Soil Fungal Community Structure: Monoculture Planting and Natural Regeneration.

Understanding the regeneration and succession of belowground communities, particularly in forests, is vital for maintaining ecosystem health. Despite its importance, there is limited knowledge regarding how fungal communities change over time during ecosystem development, especially under different forest restoration strategies. In this study, we focused on two restoration methods used in northern Japan: monoculture planting and natural regeneration. We examined the responses of the fungal community to monoculture plantations (active tree planting) and naturally regenerated (passive regeneration) forests over a 50-year chronosequence, using natural forests as a reference. Based on DNA metabarcoding, we assessed the richness of fungal Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) and their dissimilarity. Our findings revealed that soil fungal richness remained stable after natural regeneration but declined in monoculture plantations, from 354 to 247 OTUs. While the compositional dissimilarity of fungal assemblages between monoculture plantations and natural forests remained consistent regardless of the time since tree planting, it significantly decreased after natural regeneration, suggesting recovery to a state close to the reference level. Notably, the composition of key functional fungal groups-saprotrophic and ectomycorrhizal- has increasingly mirrored that of natural forests over time following passive natural regeneration. In summary, our study suggests that monoculture plantations may not be effective for long-term ecosystem function and service recovery because of their limited support for soil fungal diversity. These results underscore the importance of natural regeneration in forest restoration and management strategies.

Benefits for visitors provided by protected areas in Bulgaria and willingness to become a conservation volunteer

Protected areas in Bulgaria (PAB) provide valuable ecosystem services. Maintaining of ecosystem health is of great importance for human wellbeing. The environmental volunteering is a valuable tool in solving local ecological problems. The main objective of the present research was to identify ecosystem services offered by PAB and attitude to participation in conservation volunteering using online survey and face-to-face interviews. Most respondents regularly use ecosystem services offered by PAB. Being well-informed about significance of maintaining ecosystem health, a lot of them declared willingness to become conservation volunteers. Online surveys could be used not only for data collection, but as also as a tool to involve people in environmental protection.

Reintroducing bison to Banff National Park – an ecocultural case study

The reintroduction of extirpated species is a frequent tactic in rewilding projects because of the functional role species play in maintaining ecosystem health. Despite their potential to benefit both ecosystems and society, however, most well-known species reintroductions have adopted an eco-centric, “nature-in-people-out” approach. Rewilding theory and practitioners acknowledge that ignoring the role Indigenous people did and might once again play in shaping the distribution, abundance, movements, behavior, and health of wild species and ecosystems, is limiting. In this case study, we describe the technical steps we took and how Indigenous knowledge, ceremony, and cultural monitoring were woven into the recent reintroduction of plains bison to Canada’s Banff National Park. Six years later, the reintroduced bison herd has grown from 16 to &amp;gt;100 animals, ranges mostly within 30 km of the release site, and, if current growth continues, will likely be managed with Indigenous harvesting. Transboundary bison policy differences are shifting and may lead to bison being more sustainable. The ecocultural approach, therefore, has increased the resilience of our rewilding project.

Non-Parametric Machine Learning for Pollinator Image Classification: A Comparative Study

Pollinators play a crucial role in maintaining the health of our planet's ecosystems by aiding in plant reproduction. However, identifying and differentiating between different types of pollinators can be a difficult task, especially when they have similar appearances. This difficulty in identification can cause significant problems for conservation efforts, as effective conservation requires knowledge of the specific pollinator species present in an ecosystem. Thus, the aim of this study is to identify the most effective methods, features, and classifiers for developing a reliable pollinator classifier. Specifically, this initial study uses two primary features to differentiate between the pollinator types: shape and colour. To develop the pollinator classifiers, a dataset of 186 images of black ants, ladybirds, and yellow jacket wasps was collected. The dataset was then divided into training and testing sets, and four different non-parametric classifiers were used to train the extracted features. The classifiers used were the k-Nearest Neighbour, Decision Tree, Random Forest, and Support Vector Machine classifiers. The results showed that the Random Forest classifier was the most accurate, with a maximum accuracy of 92.11% when the dataset was partitioned into 80% training and 20% testing sets. By developing a reliable pollinator classifier, researchers and conservationists can better understand the roles of different pollinator species in maintaining ecosystem health. This understanding can lead to better conservation strategies to protect these important creatures, ultimately helping to preserve our planet's biodiversity.