Biodiversity Conservation Management Research Articles

Species Identification of Sea Bamboo (Isis hippuris) using COI-based DNA Barcoding

Conservation and effective management of marine ecosystems and biodiversity requires accurate species identification. This study classifies sea bamboo (Isis hippuris) specimens using DNA barcoding, a technique widely recognized for its speed, accuracy, and objectivity. This study examines the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene analysis for species identification. Isis hippuris was collected from two stations (coral and seagrass areas) of Tanjung Tiram Waters, South Konawe, Southeast Sulawesi. Genomic DNA was extracted from the base, main, and lateral stem of I. hippuris. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify the mtDNA of I. hippuris with HCO2198 and LCO1490 primers. The highest quality PCR product based on the COI gene was chosen for sequencing analysis. The study revealed that COI gene analysis could only be performed on the base and main stem of the I. hippuris. Samples from coral and seagrass-coral areas on lateral stems were not further analyzed due to low concentration and purity values, which could potentially fail DNA sequencing. Each part of I. hippuris may have unique genetic differences. This study highlights the advantages of DNA sequencing in providing a unique genetic fingerprint for each species, enabling accurate species identification. This research provides insight into using DNA barcoding for sea bamboo species identification.

SPECIALLY PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTAL AREAS X REGISTRATION IN REAL ESTATE OFFICE

Areas with special environmental protection designations have legal regulations to ensure biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource management. Among these areas are the Private Natural Heritage Reserves (RPPNs), Legal Reserves (RLs), and Environmental Easement Areas (ASAs). This study focuses on the importance of recording these zones in property registries at the Deed Offices. This practice centralizes crucial information about the property, including judicial and administrative aspects and obligations associated with the property, ensuring transparency and information for potential buyers and interested third parties. The employed methodology involved documentary research and systematic data analysis. It emphasizes the importance of intensifying the adoption of the concentration principle in property registration, through recording, to provide greater legal security, visibility, protection of areas, and to mitigate potential fraud. This study serves as a guide for registry professionals and the general public on the legal significance of recording in protected areas.

Biodiversity data synthesis on trees of Indian Himalayan Region: Policy and management implications

The recent adoption of Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework requires empirical synthesis of biodiversity data spanning across broad biogeographic scales to inform conservation policy and management. Although the availability and access to biodiversity databases have recently improved, yet majority of these databases lack sufficient geographic coverage, especially from the biodiversity hotspot regions of developing countries, thereby severely limiting their utility and generalizability across the globe. Here, we present a comprehensive tree database (2199 species) of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) – home to two global biodiversity hotspots – collated from a quantitative synthesis of 234 studies published over the last one century. Taking leverage of this novel database, we unravel the patterns of diversity, distribution, and drivers of the trees of IHR. We found that the species richness, compositional similarity, distribution patterns, and biome affiliation of the tree diversity vary significantly across the IHR, with nearly half of the tree species affiliated with the wet tropical biome. Of the 10 climatic and environmental drivers used, the annual mean temperature and elevation width in combination best predicted the variation in tree diversity across the IHR. We also document 117 endemic and 88 threatened tree species in the IHR, which merit conservation priority. Our findings have significant utility in formulating management and restoration strategies for biodiversity conservation across the IHR. Overall, our study showcases a model biodiversity database with wide policy implications in the planning and management of tree-focussed environmental programs to restore the degraded forest landscapes and plantation-specific climate change mitigation strategies in the region.

Long-term patterns of grassland vegetation and species richness in a full-factorial NPK fertilization experiment

Species-rich grasslands contribute significantly to conserving environmental quality in Europe but have suffered for decades due to area reduction and degradation from nutrient addition of agricultural or pollution origins. Studying the effects of grassland fertilization can supply useful information on their degradation patterns and restoration possibilities.On a valley meadow in the Italian Alps fertilized with farmyard manure until 1976, a fertilization trial with 4 replicates and 27 treatments from the factorial combination of three levels of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) was established in 1977 and surveyed until 2003 for botanical composition on 18 m2 plots. The change of species composition and species richness (SR) occurring over the surveying period was analyzed.Six types of vegetation successions were identified, mostly with homogeneous nutrient combinations and only marginal influence by the amount of nutrients added. In all successions, the vegetation change was significant compared to the pre-experiment situation and more rapid but less persistent for abundance than for presence-absence. From about 33.6 species per plot surveyed in 1976, SR had the highest increase in the succession with no-fertilization or only-P or only-K addition (40.2 species in the period 1991–2003). The N + P + K (27.2 species) and N + P (26.3 species) successions had the strongest negative impact on SR. In the other successions (N + K, P + K and only N) SR increased or decreased little. No soil acidification and no negative effect on SR from the acidifying N-fertilizer ammonium nitrate was observed thanks to the buffering power of the Ca‑carbonate soil content.In the two successions with the highest SR variation the SR changed rapidly in the first period but fluctuated later around a constant value. In the succession with significant but little SR variation, this trend was not obvious due to the considerable interannual SR fluctuation. In all successions, the SR change was the result of a balance between logarithmic trends of species loss and gain. Species loss was probably caused by stochastic extinction of low-abundance species, but in NP, it was also due to the establishment of the aggressive-growth-habit Festuca rubra. For species gain, the suitability of incoming species to new fertility conditions was an important factor.Trial results showed that in calcareous, permeable soils, the species richness of central European grassland is especially endangered by the combined addition of N and P (with or without K), more than the only-N addition. However, they also showed that the restoration of grassland that had been degraded due to high NPK inputs from agriculture and NP enrichment from water and atmosphere pollution is possible with the cessation of fertilization and without seed addition if the surrounding landscape is species-rich and plants with aggressive growth habits are not established. Management for grassland biodiversity conservation should avoid the utilization of soil-acidifying fertilizers, reducing the P input beside the N input and limiting the introduction and spreading of aggressive grass species, such as Festuca rubra.

Genetic connectivity constrained by natural barriers in a key agricultural pest: insights from mitochondrial DNA analysis

In the context of anthropogenic global change, the study of landscape effects on species movement has garnered increasing attention. Landscape genetics offer indirect yet attractive means to capture species dispersal events across generations and their interaction with landscapes. However, landscape genetic patterns tend to exhibit significant variations across taxa and rely on the molecular makers adopted. Here, we investigated how landscapes influence population connectivity of an important tea pest, Empoasca onukii, using mitochondrial DNA sequences of 1,518 individuals from 57 locations in mainland China and offshore islands. We analyzed the inter-population genetic divergence and integrated multiple models to explicitly quantify their association with geographic distance, environmental heterogeneity, and landscape barriers. Analyses revealed a reduction in gene flow on islands, along the Yangtze River, and across mountainous regions of Western China. Models explicitly detected the predominant contributions of topographic complexity to population divergence and evidenced that mountains may serve as effective dispersal barriers for E. onukii. These results suggest that the limited gene exchange resulting from low population connectivity among mountains might generate the observed patterns of mitochondrial genetic variations, which contrasts the climate-related pattern previously observed on microsatellites. The findings enhance our comprehension of the evolutionary and epidemic dynamics of E. onukii, and highlight the demand of considering species-specific traits when studying population landscape genetic patterns. Moreover, the study emphasizes the necessity of employing multiple molecular markers to comprehensively elucidate landscape effects on population connectivity across diverse species for valuable insights into biodiversity conservation, pest control, and other management decisions.

From broadleaves to conifers: The effect of tree composition and density on understory microclimate across latitudes

Forest canopies buffer the macroclimate and thus play an important role in mitigating climate-warming impacts on forest ecosystems. Despite the importance of the tree layer for understory microclimate buffering, our knowledge about the effects of forest structure, composition and their interactions with macroclimate is limited, especially in mixtures of conifers and broadleaves. Here we studied five mixed forest stands along a 1800 km latitudinal gradient covering a 7°C span in mean annual temperature. In each of these forests we established 40 plots (200 in total), in which air and soil temperatures were measured continuously for at least one year. The plots were located across gradients of forest density and broadleaved proportions (i.e. from open to closed canopies, and from 100% conifer to 100% broadleaved tree dominance). Air minimum, mean and maximum temperature offsets (i.e. difference between macroclimate and microclimate) and soil mean temperature offsets were calculated for the coldest and warmest months. Forest structure, and especially forest density, was the key determinant of understory temperatures. However, the absolute and relative importance of the proportion of broadleaves and forest density differed largely between response variables. Forest density ranged from being independent of, to interacting with, tree species composition. The effect of these two variables was independent of the macroclimate along our latitudinal gradient. Temperature, precipitation, snow depth and wind outside forests affected understory temperature buffering. Finally, we found that the scale at which the overstory affects soil microclimate approximated 6-7 m, whereas for air microclimate this was at least 10 m. These findings have implications for biodiversity conservation and forest management in a changing climate, as they facilitate the projection of understory temperatures in scenarios where both forest structure and macroclimate are dynamic. This is especially relevant given the global importance of ongoing forest conversion from conifers to broadleaves, and vice versa.

Comparing field measurements and annotations as training data for UAV-based detection of standing dead trees in coniferous forest

ABSTRACT Deadwood provides a habitat for a large number of species and acts as a significant carbon storage. Thus, deadwood mapping allows planning various actions related to biodiversity conservation and forest management. Airborne laser scanning (ALS) provides an efficient means for monitoring large forested areas and is thus a potential method for deadwood mapping. Machine learning (ML) can be used for automating deadwood detection from ALS data. However, ML requires training data, collecting of which is laborious using field measurements. This study inspected the feasibility of training data manually annotated from aerial images for the mapping of individual standing dead trees. The standing dead trees were mapped from an ALS dataset collected with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The study was carried out by performing ML-based standing dead tree detection using annotated training data and field-measured training data, and comparing the performances of the models trained on these two datasets. The study found that using annotated training data improves the performance of standing dead tree detection due to its higher availability compared to field-measured data. For large trees (height > 14 m), the precision, recall, Cohen’s kappa score, and Matthews correlation coefficient achieved by the best classifier trained on annotated data were 0.23, 0.48, 0.17, and 0.20, respectively. In comparison, the corresponding metrics for the best classifier trained on field-measured data were 0.14, 0.52, 0.04, and 0.13. Annotated standing dead tree data is not a representative sample of the true standing dead tree population, as small trees and trees without crowns (snags) can often not be identified from aerial images. However, the study found that identifying such trees is challenging even when using field-measured training data, and thus using annotated training data does not bias results. In general, the results of the study showed that ALS-based standing dead tree detection should focus on the detection of large trees.

Interactive response and spatial heterogeneity of alpine grassland biodiversity to soil, topography, climate, and human factors on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau

AbstractThe alpine grassland ecosystem is a critical part of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau (QTP), mainly including alpine meadows and alpine steppes. However, the influence factors of alpine grassland biodiversity are not clear for different alpine grassland types. In this study, pathway analysis was applied to explore the influences of soil, topography, climate, and human factors on alpine grassland biodiversity. Then, by using the geographically weighted regression (GWR) model, the spatial sensitivity response of alpine grassland biodiversity to soil, topography, climate, and human activities was revealed in different grassland types. The results were as follows: (1) The data and pathway analysis passed the validity and reliability analysis, indicating that the model fit of alpine grassland biodiversity was good for different grassland types. (2) For alpine meadows, the total effect coefficients of altitude, slope, and topographic wetness index (TWI) on normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) (net primary productivity [NPP]) were 0.50, 0.21, and −0.48 (0.59, 0.17, and −0.41), respectively, suggesting that altitude had the strongest and positive effect on alpine meadow diversity. In addition, among human activity and climate variables, human activity intensity and precipitation exhibited significant effects on NDVI (NPP), with total effect coefficients of −0.17 and 0.61 (−0.19 and 0.63). The influence of soil, topography, climate, and human variables on alpine steppe diversity showed similarities with alpine meadow diversity. (3) Alpine grassland biodiversity was directly and indirectly influenced by multiple driving factors for different grassland types. The total coefficients of soil, topography, climate, and human factors on NDVI (NPP) were 0.41, 0.38, −0.21, and 0.71 (0.32, 0.50, −0.21, and 0.91), respectively, which indicated that alpine meadow diversity was mainly regulated by climate on the QTP, consistent with alpine steppe diversity. (4) For different grassland types, the spatial effects of various driving factors on alpine grassland biodiversity all showed significant spatial heterogeneity at the grid scale. Based on the knowledge about the driving mechanism and spatial response of alpine grassland biodiversity to its driving factors in different grassland types of the QTP, we aim to provide guidance for alpine grassland biodiversity conservation and rational ecosystem management.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Acacia nilotica and Coffea arabica Using Protein Sequences from the Chloroplast RBCL Gene

The genus Acacia is important economically to local communities in sub-Saharan Africa for its medicinal and beverage usage. The bark extract is used for making a coffee-like concoction, which is named by locals as ‘Wild coffee’ due to its brown color. The objective of this study was to compare the evolutionary analysis of A. nilotica and C. arabica -based amino acids sequence of the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase. The results showed that A. nilotica and C. arabica are polyphyletic and the subspecies A. nilotica and A. n. hemispherica formed the sister group, same as the species C. arabica, C. salvatrix, and C. racemosa. The chloroplast-encoded rbcL gene, which encodes the large subunit of ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), is a valuable marker for investigating the evolutionary relationships between plant species. In this study, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis of two economically and ecologically significant plants, Acacia nilotica and Coffea arabica, using protein sequences derived from the chloroplast rbcL gene. A multiple sequence alignment of the rbcL protein sequences was performed, and a maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree was constructed using the RAxML algorithm. The tree was rooted using a Thiotrichales bacterium as an outgroup sequence to establish the evolutionary context. Branch support values were calculated to assess the statistical robustness of the inferred relationships. The results of the phylogenetic analysis revealed the evolutionary relationship between Acacia nilotica and Coffea arabica within the context of other plant taxa. The phylogenetic tree provided insights into their shared ancestry, divergence time, and taxonomic placement within the larger plant kingdom. We identified conserved regions in the rbcL protein sequences, reflecting functional importance, as well as divergent regions, suggesting potential adaptive evolution. The significance of our study lies in understanding the evolutionary history and taxonomic position of these economically important plant species. This knowledge has implications for biodiversity conservation, crop improvement, and ecosystem management. The study also highlights the utility of the rbcL gene as a valuable tool for investigating plant phylogenetics. In conclusion, our phylogenetic analysis using the rbcL protein sequences provides valuable insights into the evolutionary relationship between Acacia nilotica and Coffea arabica. This research contributes to our understanding of plant evolution and has practical applications in various fields, from agriculture to conservation.

Structural diversity is a key driver of above-ground biomass in tropical forests

ABSTRACT Background A gamut of abiotic and biotic factors is related to the amount of above-ground biomass (AGB) produced in ecosystems. Some factors have direct and others indirect relationships with AGB. Detailed analyses in tropical forests are few but much needed for better understanding the potential impacts of global change drivers and for mitigating impacts. Aims Here, we examined the relationship between AGB and different predictor variables and quantitatively evaluated their relative importance in lowland to lower montane deciduous and lower montane – montane evergreen forest types. We hypothesised that the relationship between AGB and climate, topography, structural diversity, species diversity (alpha and beta) and phylogenetic diversity would differ between the two forest types. Methods We inventoried trees from 114 plots (each 0.1 ha) and used partial least square structural equation modelling to test the direct and indirect relationship between AGB and the predictor variables. Results We found that structural diversity variables, stem density and tree girth, were significantly and positively related to AGB in both forest types, displaying a stronger relationship in montane evergreen forests (w = 0.65 for density and 0.89 for tree girth). In the deciduous forest, alpha and phylogenetic diversity were also important factors, whereas beta and phylogenetic diversity were important in the evergreen forest. The effects of topography and climate varied between forest types, with elevation and precipitation being related to AGB directly and indirectly through their relationship with structural diversity. Conclusion Our results suggest that structural diversity is a key driver of tropical forest biomass, both directly and indirectly. This fundamental understanding can aid in the predictive efforts of biodiversity conservation and forest management.

Mayfly Larvae (Ephemeroptera) in Thailand: Diversity and Science Communication

Mayflies (Ephemeroptera) are one of the most common components of aquatic assemblages in freshwater environments and contribute to ecosystem services. Mayflies have been widely used as indicators of water quality and frequently play an important role in biomonitoring protocols. Mayflies exhibit a decrease in taxa richness with increases in stream or river pollution and degradation. A series of taxonomic studies on Thai mayflies reported 19 families, 73 genera, and approximately 176 species. The families Baetidae and Heptageniidae are the most diverse and widespread groups of Thai mayflies. Our understanding of the diversity of Thai mayflies has steadily increased in recent years. New genera are being described: Cymbalcloeon Suttinun, Gattolliat & Boonsoong, 2020; Elatosara Malzacher, 2020; Megabranchiella Phlai-ngam & Tungpairojwong, 2022; Mekongellina Malzacher, 2019; Sangpradubina Boonsoong & Sartori, 2016; and Thainis Malzacher, 2020. New species and new country records are constantly being discovered in Thailand. Nevertheless, the number of genera and species seems to be lower than the species diversity estimation, and several genera and species remain undescribed. Research on the systematics and ecology of mayflies has been increasing in recent years. DNA barcoding can provide a powerful supplement to the traditional morphological approach to species delimitation. The book entitled “Mayfly Larvae in Thailand” (Thai version) and the boardgame “Thai Mayflies” were developed for environmental science communication. Further efforts are required to assess the conservation status of mayfly species. Thus, data on mayfly diversity and ecological requirements could be used as tools to evaluate environmental impacts on water resources and to drive future research on biodiversity conservation management strategies.

Tropical insectivorous birds’ predation patterns that promote forest–farmland trophic connectivity for integrated top–down pest biocontrol

Although conversion of natural forest to agriculture can negatively impact biodiversity in many ways, some affected species may respond by dispersing across the forest–farmland eco-zone, thereby facilitating functional connections through food-web interactions beneficial to crop production and forestry. This study examined patterns of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), Hemiptera (bugs), and Coleoptera (beetles) herbivory, and insectivorous bird predation within forest-adjacent farms in western Kenya, and how these processes trophically connect the two ecosystems to promote pest biocontrol. Through δ13C and δ15N stable isotope analyses, proportions of maize, farmland legumes and forest trees in pest diets, and pest-prey in bird’s diets were estimated. Birds’ habitat associations and diet specializations’ influence on pest consumption and basal plant carbon levels in birds’ tissues were determined to evaluate birds’ pest-biocontrol potential. Maize was the mostly consumed plant especially by Lepidoptera, but forest trees were peimarily consumed by Coleoptera and Hemiptera. In turn, Lepidoptera were mainly consumed by forest-associated birds, whereas Hemiptera and Coleoptera were mostly consumed by farmland-associated birds. Thus, birds showed cross-habitat pest consumption tendencies, though diet-specialization was unimportant in predicting those tendencies. Muscicapidae (flycatchers and allies); Hirundinidae (swifts and swallows); Motacillidae (pipits and wagtails); and Ploceidae (weavers) birds showed the highest contributory potential for pest biocontrol of Lepidoptera pests, but Estrildidae (manikins and waxbills), Muscicapidae, and Malaconotidae (boubous and gonoleks) birds showed the best potential against Hemiptera and Coleoptera. Furthermore, more maize basal carbon was assimilated by forest-associated compared to farmland-associated birds, whereas most basal carbon from farmland legumes and forest trees were assimilated by farmland birds, suggesting that unlike pest-prey choice, basal plant carbon pathways to avian insectivorous consumers did not strongly mirror birds’ habitat associations. Lepidoptera and Hemiptera were potentially the most significant interhabitat trophic connector arthropods, and for birds, Muscicapidae, Ploceidae, and Estrildidae. These findings show that such functional connectivity may be enhanced through increasing structural cover elements that promote insectivorous birds’ dispersal between farmland and adjacent forests to boost their pest-regulation ecosystem service contribution. The results serve to inform effective management practices by agronomists, foresters, and land-use planners toward promoting landscape-scale-integrated pest management for sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation.

Assessing thermal ecology of herpetofauna across a heterogeneous microhabitat mosaic in a changing aridland riparian system

Species–environmental relationships, including drivers of body temperature (T B), are important for understanding thermal ecology and physiological needs of species during climate change. This is especially important among ectotherms, including amphibians and reptiles (i.e., herpetofauna), in aridland riparian systems. Infrared thermography (IRT) can reliably and noninvasively estimate T B of ectothermic herpetofauna while simultaneously assessing thermal heterogeneity across a mosaic of microhabitats. We used IRT at a semi-arid riparian zone in Tucson, Arizona to assess herpetofauna–environmental relationships during early-season activity periods in 2020 and 2022. From mixed-effect modeling of desert riparian herpetofauna (n = 81), we found complex environmental relationships influencing T B. Microhabitat perch surface temperature (T S) best explained T B; many ambient conditions were inadequate at capturing T B. Herpetofauna were as warm by mid-morning than in the early afternoon, with T B approaching equilibrium with T S as mornings progressed. Less T B–T S variation was detected for anurans (e.g., canyon treefrogs, Hyla arenicolor) than with lizards, supporting that desert amphibians are sensitive to the thermal landscape. There was also complex environmental variation among thermally heterogeneous microhabitats used and available to herpetofauna. As perch T S increased, shade became more important, though shade sources may be less relevant. The methods and data obtained in this study can serve to establish baselines during seasonally and ecologically important periods and be used to monitor thermal ecology changes across time for herpetofauna or taxa with similar life history in aridland riparian systems. Although ectotherm thermoregulatory functions are undeniably complex, we recommend IRT as a rapid, noninvasive, and complementary tool to monitor cryptic thermal ecology in heterogeneous systems. Understanding species–environmental relationships and monitoring responses of wildlife across time can help guide more effective biodiversity conservation management strategies in a warming and drying world.

Sustainability Perspective of Minjiang Estuary Coastal Fisheries Management—Estimation of Fish Richness

Species richness is the most basic concept of diversity and is crucial to biodiversity conservation and sustainable fisheries. To understand the fish species richness of the Minjiang Estuary and its adjacent waters, eight documents and surveyed data were collected and compared from 1990–2021. To obtain suitable analysis data, the content of the data was compared and evaluated. Explore the suitability of data based on several criteria. Among them, the bottom trawling survey carried out in 2006–2007, and non-parametric estimation methods such as Chao 2, Jackknife 1, Jackknife 2 and Bootstrap were used to estimate the fish species richness. The results of this case show that a total of 153 species of fish were caught in the trawling survey in the fourth quarter, belonging to 14 orders, 57 families and 101 genera. The 2006–2007 cruise is more complete for studying species richness. The Estimable expectations of fish species richness are: 250 (Chao 2), 204 (Jackknief 1), 241 (Jackknief 2) and 174 (Bootstrap). The number of fish species was significantly higher in summer and autumn than winter and spring. To manage fishery resources and sustainability in the sea area of Fujian Province, biological information and stock assessment are required. This meaningful information, especially for endemic and economically important species such as can set a baseline. Once species change exceeds the baseline range, it provides decision-making basis for marine biodiversity conservation and fisheries management.

Traditional ecological knowledge and its role in biodiversity conservation: a systematic review

In various parts of Africa, scholars have paid a great deal of attention to TEK, focusing mainly on their role in biodiversity conservation or natural resource management. Despite individual efforts made so far, the consolidated information about the role of TEK in biodiversity conservation remains uncertain in Africa. A systematic literature search on the role of TEK in biodiversity conservation was conducted on ISI Web of Science (WoS), Scopus and Google Scholar databases. The search produced 40 papers in 12 countries in Africa that were published between 2001 and 2022. Majority of studies on TEK (40%; n = 16) reported in the reviewed literature were from West Africa and no study was found in North Africa. The study found the regular use of different but interrelated forms of TEK in Africa. These include taboos and totems, customs and rituals, rules and regulations, metaphors and proverbs, traditional protected areas (social institutions), local knowledge of plants, animals and landscapes, and resource management systems. Although these forms of TEK have great potential for in situ natural resource management, metaphors and proverbs were found to be least addressed (n = 4) component of TEK. Despite TEK having played a significant role in biodiversity conservation in present-day Africa, the traditions are being threatened by changing cultural mores and practices (including Christianity and Islam), formal education, modernisation and new political dispensations. The findings of this study demonstrate that large geographic areas remain unexplored and this may hide part of the narrative. Reviewed literature suggests that metaphors and proverbs are least represented. New studies should be dedicated towards filling these gaps. Based on these findings, recommendations are provided to improve management practices for TEK in Africa.

Evaluation of Biodiversity Maintenance Capacity in Forest Landscapes: A Case Study in Beijing, China

Understanding how landscape pattern changes impact forest biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management is crucial. This study evaluated the biodiversity maintenance capacity (BMC) of forest landscapes in Beijing, China from 2005 to 2020 based on habitat quality and carbon sink. For this, the moving window method was employed to compute landscape indices that depict variations in landscape patterns, including intermixing, connectivity, diversity, and compactness. Lastly, the relationship between landscape pattern changes and the BMC of forest landscapes was investigated using a combination of spatial correlation analysis and geographic weighted regression measurement models. The results showed the following. (1) The average BMC increased from 0.798 to 0.822. Spatially, 84.14% of the areas experienced an improvement, mainly in the mountainous region. In contrast, a decrease was observed in 4.03% of the areas, primarily concentrated in the transition zone between mountains and suburban plain. (2) The landscape pattern changed dramatically from 2005 to 2020. Landscape intermixing and compactness decreased slightly by 11.45% and 7.82%, while landscape connectivity and diversity increased significantly by 64.28% and 55.44%, respectively. (3) The BMC’s global Moran’s I values in 2005 and 2020 were 0.711 and 0.782, respectively, signifying a spatial bipolar agglomeration pattern. (4) Among the four selected landscape indices, the compactness was found to be the most critical factor. It attained a positive contribution to forests with high BMC, but had a negative impact on forests with low BMC. The results could provide a reference for planners coordinating forest management and biodiversity conservation.

Spatial variations of plant species diversity in urban soil seed banks in Beijing, China: Implications for plant regeneration and succession

The near-to-nature urban forestry concept and practices are widely recognized for urban greening, urban ecosystem restoration, urban greenspace management for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services provision. However, the regeneration and succession of urban vegetation are rarely studied due to the complex settings of the urban environment. To this end, we conducted a large-scale field investigation in the metropolitan area of Beijing, China to explore the spatial variations in plant species composition and diversity in soil seed banks, and their similarity to the aboveground vegetation to assess the potential of urban plant regeneration. Overall, 657 vegetation and soil sampling plots from 219 grids, measuring 2 km × 2 km each, were investigated within two perpendicular 10 km wide transects running across the urban center in north-south and east-west directions within the 6th Ring Road of the city. We recorded a total of 102 plant species in soil seed banks, including 13 tree species, 10 shrub species, and 79 herb species. We found that the soil seed bank species diversity and its similarity to that of the aboveground vegetation communities decreased significantly with the urbanization intensity. Higher urbanization intensity is typically associated with increased human management and a reduction in Greenspace Area (GSA). Soil seed bank species richness increased significantly when GSA exceeded 45 % and the similarity of species composition and diversity between soil seed banks and aboveground vegetation communities was the highest in forest parks. This suggests that habitats under forest park management are more conducive to plant regeneration. Soil seed bank species diversity first increased and then decreased significantly with increased distance to the city center, whereas the species similarity between the soil seed banks and the aboveground vegetation communities showed little change with the ring roads going out. The results of this study have important implications for further understanding the potential for urban vegetation regeneration and sustainability, which have significant implications for urban biodiversity conservation and restoration.

About this title - Conservation Palaeobiology of Marine Ecosystems

The accelerating pace of global change requires better understanding of the long-term resilience and adaptive capacities of marine ecosystems. This volume brings together studies that demonstrate how combining palaeoecological records with other types of geohistorical data informs biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management by providing data on baseline community states.

Green Synthesis of Gold and Silver Nanoparticles Using Invasive Alien Plant Parthenium hysterophorus and Their Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities

Due to the high energy demands and environmental hazards of physical and chemical methods, it is now essential to produce nanoparticles using plant sources as reducing and stabilizing agents. In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were biosynthesized using an aqueous extract of Parthenium hysterophorus aerials as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron Microscopy (TEM). UV–Vis spectroscopy indicates that the peaks of AgNPs and AuNPs are at 422 and 538 nm, respectively. The results of the DLS analysis showed that both Au and AgNPs are monodispersed and stable and have mean hydrodynamic sizes of 53.55 nm and 68.12 nm, respectively. According to an XRD analysis, the generated AgNPs and AuNPs are face-centered cubic crystals with average crystalline diameters of 33.4 nm and 30.5 nm, respectively. TEM image depicted that the synthesized NPs mainly have spherical shapes with particle size in the range of 3.41–14.5 nm for AuNPs and 5.57–26.3 nm for AgNPs. These biologically produced AuNPs and AgNPs were investigated for their antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant effects. Both AuNPs and AgNPs were found to strongly influence the growth of bacterial pathogens, with a maximum zone of 22.3 and 19.7 mm in Escherichia coli and a minimum zone of 11.7 and 10.3 mm in Salmonella enterica, respectively. The synthesized AuNPs and AgNPs reduce the numbers of viable fungi by 51.06% and 47.87%, respectively. The DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay revealed that the synthesized AuNPs and AgNPs have significant radical scavenging ability with 88.75% and 86.25% inhibition and 33.62 μg/mL and 42.86 μg/mL of IC50, respectively. Therefore, an aqueous extract of aerial parts of P. hysterophorus can be a suitable precursor for synthesizing AuNPs and AgNPs, with numerous applications. Due to their smaller size, AuNPs have better antimicrobial and antioxidant activities than AgNPs. This study supports the conservation by a utilization strategy of invasive alien plant species control and management (such as P. hysterophorus) for biodiversity conservation and environmental sustainability.

A demographic approach for predicting population responses to multifactorial stressors.

Populations face a suite of anthropogenic stressors acting simultaneously, which can combine additively or interact to have complex effects on population persistence. Yet we still know relatively little about the mechanisms underlying population-level responses to multifactorial combinations of stressors because multiple stressor impacts across organisms' life cycles have not been systematically considered in population models. Specifically, different anthropogenic stressors can have variable effects across an organism's life cycle, resulting in non-intuitive results for long-term population persistence. For example, synergistic or antagonistic interactions might exacerbate or alleviate the effects of stressors on population dynamics, and different life-history stages or vital rates might contribute unequally to long-term population growth rates. Demographic modelling provides a framework to incorporate individual vital rate responses to multiple stressors into estimates of population growth, which will allow us to make more informed predictions about population-level responses to novel combinations of anthropogenic change. Without integrating stressors' interactive effects across the entire life cycle on population persistence, we may over- or underestimate threats to biodiversity and risk missing conservation management actions that could reduce species' vulnerability to stress.