National Park Research Articles

Survey of Reptiles in Nechisar National Park, Southern Ethiopia

Species diversity, composition, relative abundance and evenness of the reptilian communities in Nechisar National Park were studied. The survey was conducted using pitfall traps, active search and cover sheet methods. The study identified 34 reptile species belonging to 3 orders (Squamata, Testudines, and Crocodylia). Squamata was the most diverse containing 30 species belonging to 2 suborders: Sauria which consists of 19 species from 7 families and 10 genera; and Serpentes which consists of 11 species from 5 families and 10 genera. Testudines included 3 species from 2 families and 3 genera. Crocodylia was represented by a single species. Reptile diversity varied among the different habitat types, with the bushland habitat having the highest number of species representing 29.69% of the total species recorded.

Projected trends in ecosystem service valuation in response to land use land cover dynamics in Kishtwar High Altitude National Park, India

Projected trends in ecosystem service valuation in response to land use land cover dynamics in Kishtwar High Altitude National Park, India

The Influence of a Regional Public Brand on Consumers’ Purchase Intention and Behavior Toward Eco-Agricultural Products: A Chinese National Park Case

Transforming ecological value into economic value is an important challenge regarding China’s protected natural areas. The key strategy is to develop a regional public brand and increase the premium of eco-products. A brand–quality–price model was proposed to analyze the factors influencing consumers’ purchase intention and behavior toward eco-agricultural products from China’s protected natural areas. The data came from a questionnaire survey sample of 300 consumers in Zhejiang Province. The results show that there is a gap between purchase intention and actual behavior: (1) For purchase intention, brand awareness, brand trust, perceived quality, and perceived price had significant positive influences. (2) For purchase behavior, brand awareness, and purchase intention had direct impacts. However, brand trust did not directly affect behavior. (3) Age, monthly income, and marital status had significant effects on purchase intention and behavior. However, purchase intention and behavior were not affected by gender, and the educational level had significant effects on purchase intention but had no significant effects on purchase behavior. (4) Consumers were willing to pay 17.13% more than the price of the ordinary products. This study provides important references for brand development and valuable experience for establishing ecological product value realization mechanisms in other protected natural areas.

ERMƏNİSTANIN AZƏRBAYCANA QARŞI EKOLOJİ TERRORU

Since 1988, 20% of Azerbaijan's lands have been occupied as a result of the war waged by Armenia to pursue its territorial claims against Azerbaijan. After a long occupation, during the 44-day Patriotic War and 24-hour local anti-terrorist operations, our lands, which had been in the hands of the enemy for almost 30 years, were liberated by our brave Army. However, in the territories we liberated from occupation, the enemy left behind ruins and an environmental disaster. For almost 30 years, Armenia deliberately tried to destroy our nature, carried out environmental terrorism against Azerbaijan, spontaneously exploited natural resources, including our occupied territories, polluted drinking water reservoirs with industrial waste, and disrupted the ecological balance of the environment. During the occupation, the enemy committed the great¬est acts of vandalism on our lands; the occupying forces destroyed forests, national parks, nature reserves, valuable trees and other rare examples of biodiversity. The rivers that are the source of Azerbaijan's drinking water are contaminated with chemical, biologi¬cal and other radioactive waste flowing from the territory of Armenia. Over the past years, contamination of water sources flowing from the occupied territories has led to the death of valuable fish species and the depletion of fish stocks. 7 ecologically important relic lakes and 10 reservoirs in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan were subject to serious anthropogenic impact from the occupying Armenia.

Evidence of anthropogenic subsidisation of red foxes in a national park important for breeding wading birds

AbstractThe red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a generalist mesopredator found throughout the UK. It has been linked to national declines in native wildlife, especially ground-nesting birds such as waders. In the New Forest National Park, nest predation and poor chick survival is primarily responsible for low breeding success of Eurasian curlew (Numenius arguata), a species of high conservation concern. To reduce predation losses, foxes are lethally controlled by wildlife managers. Here, we identified the major food resources that are being exploited by foxes in the New Forest area and examined temporal and spatial patterns in the presence of specific food categories, with special reference to anthropogenic food. Stomachs from foxes culled in curlew breeding areas were collected from April 2021 - July 2022 and the contents of these stomachs were quantified. Foxes exhibited a highly varied diet with no single food category predominating. Anthropogenic food comprised 14% of the overall diet, with its presence predicted by proximity to human settlements and other infrastructure. We also estimated the total annual volume of anthropogenic food consumed by the fox population and by extension how many individual foxes this volume of food could support in isolation. According to these calculations, at present the number of foxes subsidised by anthropogenic food is approximately 64.8% (50.2–79.7%) of those removed by culling per year. Our findings highlight that better local food sanitation and education should become important parts of a more holistic management approach to reduce the burden of fox predation experienced by breeding waders.

Spatial patterns of vascular plant species richness in Poland: Relations among species group richness and hot spot distribution

Knowledge of spatial patterns of species richness (SR) is highly relevant for theoretical research in ecology and the development of conservation plans. In Poland, despite a long tradition of botanical surveys, vascular plant SR has not been mapped, nor have the correlations in richness among different plant species groups been explored at the entire country scale. Here, we used a recently published data set to examine spatial patterns and relationships among the joined SR of vascular plant species, including native species, archaeophytes, neophytes, and species with high conservation value (i.e., red-list species). The basic spatial unit employed was a 10 × 10 km grid from the Atlas of Distribution of Vascular Plants in Poland (ATPOL). We found that SR of native species and archaeophytes, neophytes, and red-list species were positively correlated. The main patterns of SR and the percentage of particular groups in the joined SR were based on three components: (1) gradient of overall SR, (2) invasion level, and (3) peculiarity of flora in some regions resulting from the high number and proportion of rare species that often have high conservation value (red-list species). In general, northeastern Poland was species-poor, while the Carpathian Mountain range, the uplands in southern Poland, and some parts of Wisła River valley had the highest SR concentrations. e location of SR hotspots usually did not overlap with the existing national parks system. The correlations among native SR, high conservation value species, and neophyte SR suggest that biological invasions are among the most important threats to vascular plant diversity in Poland. Finally, despite likely biases in SR assessments, we demonstrated that the presented maps seem to reflect general ecological gradients influencing vascular plant distribution in Poland.

Impact of Climate and Vegetation Dynamics on the Ecosystem Services of Subtropical Forests—A Case Study of Baishanzu National Park Area, China

Forest ecosystems, as the primary component of terrestrial ecosystems, provide essential ecosystem services (ESs) critical for sustainable human development. However, changes in climate and vegetation can alter these forest ESs. Understanding the complex relationships between regional climate, vegetation, and ESs is key to ensuring the sustainable management of forest ESs. Therefore, this study, using Baishanzu National Park as a case example, analyzed the impacts of regional climate and vegetation dynamics (vegetation coverage, forest type, and forest structure) on forest ESs, specifically water yield (WY), soil conservation (SC), net primary productivity (NPP), and habitat quality (HQ). The results indicate that from 2000 to 2020, the forest Composite Index of Ecosystem Services (CIES) in Baishanzu National Park increased. Climate and vegetation dynamics have significant effects on forest ESs. Specifically, changes in WY and SC are primarily influenced by climate change, while changes in NPP and HQ are mainly affected by changes in forest type and structure. Complex trade-offs and synergies exist among different ESs, and the driving mechanisms of climate and vegetation changes on ES variations are also complex, involving both direct and indirect effects, with significant spatial heterogeneity. This study provides important references for the sustainable management and appropriate restoration of regional forest ESs.

The role of dissolved organic carbon in Great Smoky Mountains National Park streams impacted by long-term acid deposition.

Following reductions in acid deposition in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) since the 2000s, many streams remain acidic and the role of organic acids (OA-) remains unknown due to limited OA- data. This study investigated dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations as a surrogate for OA- across GRSM and its relationships with watershed characteristics, seasons, flow, and stream chemistry. Baseflow water samples were collected from seven watersheds for 2years and stormflow samples from three watersheds for 1year. During baseflow, DOC concentrations ranged from < 0.04 to 2.29mg L-1 with watershed medians between 0.61 and 1.00mg L-1. Stormflow DOC concentrations ranged from 1.36 to 5.66mg L-1. During the summer, median DOC concentrations were about twice that of the other three seasons. Stream DOC concentrations decreased with increasing elevation during baseflow but increased with increasing elevation during stormflow. Considering high elevations historically received greater acid deposition, this gradient between baseflow and stormflow suggests higher elevation streams are more impacted by OA-. Based on an OA-/DOC acidity model, it was estimated that during baseflow OA- was a minor contributor to stream acidity, in the order of 5.3 μeq L-1, however stormflow OA- was estimated at 52.5 μeq L-1, contributing to nearly half of stream acidity. Baseflow DOC was significantly correlated with pH and Ca2+, suggesting stream acidification/recovery is governed by base cations and Ca2+ availability. Furthermore, this study provides essential data for future research to evaluate stream DOC trends during acidification recovery and changes in biogeochemical processes.

Predicting the potential habitat of bears under a changing climate in Nepal.

In Nepal, the distributions of three bear species vary: sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) in the lowlands, Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) in the mid-hills, and brown bears (Ursus arctos) in the high Himalayas. We utilized 179 occurrence points for sloth bears, 199 for Asiatic black bears, and 41 points for brown bears to construct a habitat model incorporating climate and topographic variables. Employing various species distribution modeling algorithms in BIOMOD2, the model predicts suitable habitats spanning 10,971.75 km2 for sloth bears; 29,470.75 km2 for Asiatic black bears; and 6152.97 km2 for brown bears. Within protected areas, the habitat for sloth bears is 4120.56 km2, that for Asiatic black bears is 9688.67 km2, and that for brown bears is 4538.67 km2. Chitwan National Park emerged as the prime sloth bear habitat with a core area of 918.55 km2 and a buffer zone of 726.485 km2. The Annapurna Conservation Area was deemed suitable for Asiatic black bears and brown bears, covering 2802.23 km2 and 2795.91 km2, respectively. The models projected a significant reduction in the habitat of these bear species both inside and outside protected areas. As predicted under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP)2-4.5 scenario, sloth bears may experience 54.9% (2050) and 44.7% (2070) losses, respectively, of habitat; Asiatic black bears, 11.2% (2050) and 16.8% (2070); and brown bears, 68.41% (2050) and 82.20% (2070) losses. The overlap between sloth bears and black bears spans 38.7 km2, and that between brown bears and black bears is 26.6 km2. Notably, all three bear species exhibited suitability correlations with the intermediate temperature of the driest quarter. Examining current and projected habitats provides essential information for guiding conservation strategies and ensuring the conservation of these bear species in the face of climate change.

Temperature Drives Summer Group Size Dynamics of Eastern Migratory Caribou in the Hudson Bay Lowlands of Manitoba

Aggregation behavior is pervasive across a broad range of animals and the outcome of this behaviour has both risks and rewards. Large aggregations of animals are a distinctive characteristic of Migratory Caribou (Rangifer tarandus Linnaeus, 1758), primarily in response to the environment factors such as predation, although caribou may also aggregate during high summer temperatures, likely in an effort to mitigate parasitic biting flies. To see if caribou in the Cape Churchill Caribou Herd of the Eastern Migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus Borowski, 1780) Designatible Unit, also displayed aggregation behavior in relation to warmer summer temperatures, we collected trail camera photos with associated temperature readings during the summer period (May to September) from 2017 to 2020 in their summer range in Wapusk National Park, Manitoba, Canada. We found that summer caribou aggregation size was positively associated with ambient temperature, with aggregations increasing in size as temperature increased. The mechanism behind this behaviour should be investigated, as we predict more frequent and large caribou aggregations as summer temperatures continue to warm.

Declining population of Harlequin Duck (&lt;i&gt;Histrionicus histrionicus&lt;/i&gt;) on the Bow River, Alberta, Canada: 25 years of monitoring

Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) is a small sea duck that winters in coastal waters and breeds on fast-movingmountain streams in western North America. Because of its dependency on streams and coastal near-shore habitat with healthy macroinvertebrate populations, population trends of this species can be used as an indication of healthy freshwater and marine ecosystems. From 1995 to 2020 we conducted roadside surveys for Harlequin Ducks on the Bow River in Banff National Park, Alberta. We calculated the population’s trend by modelling maximum annual count, which showed a population decline over the 25 years of 3.3% per year. The trajectory varied over time: a relatively stable population from 1995 to 2005, a steep decline until 2011, then stabilising at a much lower level with a slight rebound in recent years. The predicted number of ducks from our state-space model closely tracked the maximum number of ducks observed in annual counts. During stable or slightly increasing population estimates the male:female (M:F) ratio fluctuated considerably but stayed high (1.4:1 and 1.3:1, respectively), and during the period of steep population decline the M:F ratio was at its lowest (1.1:1). This declining population trend is concerning because it is occurring in a protected area, but it is similar to data from other studies in the Rocky Mountains and at the coastal wintering area, suggesting that causes may not be solely due to issues on the breeding streams.

The primacy of density‐mediated indirect effects in a community of wolves, elk, and aspen

AbstractThe removal or addition of a predator in an ecosystem can trigger a trophic cascade, whereby the predator indirectly influences plants and/or abiotic processes via direct effects on its herbivore prey. A trophic cascade can operate through a density‐mediated indirect effect (DMIE), where the predator reduces herbivore density via predation, and/or through a trait‐mediated indirect effect (TMIE), where the predator induces an herbivore trait response that modifies the herbivore's effect on plants. Manipulative experiments suggest that TMIEs are an equivalent or more important driver of trophic cascades than are DMIEs. Whether this applies generally in nature is uncertain because few studies have directly compared the magnitudes of TMIEs and DMIEs on natural unmanipulated field patterns. A TMIE is often invoked to explain the textbook trophic cascade involving wolves (Canis lupus), elk (Cervus canadensis), and aspen (Populus tremuloides) in northern Yellowstone National Park. This hypothesis posits that wolves indirectly increase recruitment of young aspen into the overstory primarily through reduced elk browsing in response to spatial variation in wolf predation risk rather than through reduced elk population density. To test this hypothesis, we compared the effects of spatiotemporal variation in wolf predation risk and temporal variation in elk population density on unmanipulated patterns of browsing and recruitment of young aspen across 113 aspen stands over a 21‐year period (1999–2019) in northern Yellowstone National Park. Only 2 of 10 indices of wolf predation risk had statistically meaningful effects on browsing and recruitment of young aspen, and these effects were 8–28 times weaker than the effect of elk density. To the extent that temporal variation in elk density was attributable to wolf predation, our results suggest that the wolf–elk–aspen trophic cascade was primarily density‐mediated rather than trait‐mediated. This aligns with the alternative hypothesis that wolves and other actively hunting predators with broad habitat domains cause DMIEs to dominate whenever prey, such as elk, also have a broad habitat domain. For at least this type of predator–prey community, our study suggests that risk‐induced trait responses can be abstracted or ignored while still achieving an accurate understanding of trophic cascades.

Stick insects from Vietnam: The new genus Mycovartes gen. nov., with two new species and two new species of Neooxyartes Ho, 2018 (Phasmida: Lonchodidae: Necrosciinae)

Two new species of Neooxyartes Ho, 2018 are described from Central Vietnam: N. minimus sp. nov. from Kon Ka Kinh National Park and N. neohiraseoides sp. nov. from Chu Yang Sin National Park. A new genus Mycovartes gen. nov. is described to accommodate Oxyartes vietnamensis Ho, 2018 resulting into the new combination Mycovartes vietnamensis (Ho, 2018) gen. et comb. nov. Two new species are described in the new genus: M. khoii gen. et sp. nov. from Chu Yang Sin and Ta Dung National Parks and M. montanus gen. et sp. nov. from Chu Yang Sin and Bidoup-Nui Ba National Parks. For all species, adults of both sexes, nymphs and eggs of wild and captive bred origin are described and figured. Pictures of living specimens, and distribution maps of the species of both genera are provided. The male vomer was dissected for all treated species and is described and figured. The relationship of the herein treated genera to closely related taxa is discussed and supported with recent phylogenetic studies.

Disputes over Feeding Resources Provoke Agonistic Interactions Between Capuchins and Humans in Brasília National Park, Brazil

ABSTRACT Progressive urbanization has led to increased human–primate interactions, often resulting in aggression, especially when humans offer food. In Brasília National Park, the local capuchin monkeys are known for their intense interactions with the visitors at the Pedreira Pool. In this context, this study investigated factors predicting aggressive behavior between capuchins and humans. The sampling was conducted over a one-year period, and behaviors were recorded using “all events” sampling. Two binary logistic regression models were applied to predict when the monkeys and humans were most likely to be aggressive. A total of 722 encounters between capuchins and humans were observed during this study, totaling 616.5 hours of monitoring. Of these, 364 occurred during the dry season and 358 during the rainy season The monkeys were more aggressive toward the humans during the dry season, when the humans were either being aggressive toward the capuchins or photographing them, when food was involved, and when fewer humans were involved in the interaction. The humans were more aggressive toward the capuchins when the capuchins stole food or were being aggressive and when more children were present. Aggressive behavior in the capuchins was caused primarily by disputes over food and was exacerbated by aggressive human behavior toward the capuchins and attempts to photograph them. While offering food may reduce agonism in the short term, it may have contributed to a long-term increase in aggressive behavior by attracting the monkeys into more frequent contact with human visitors. The number of humans in close proximity during an encounter was a predictor of aggressive behavior in the capuchins toward the humans, which indicates that the monkeys assess the costs and benefits of approaching humans. Park administrators should prevent, or at least reduce, the entry of food into the park.

Value Assessment and Prediction of Regulating Ecosystem Services in Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park, China

Ecosystem services serve as a bridge between the ecological environment and human society. The quantitative analysis and forecasting of ecosystem services can provide references for regional eco-environmental assessments and land-use planning for the future. In this study, taking Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park (HTRNP) as an example, the value of regulating ecosystem services (RESs) in 2020 was assessed via ArcGIS 10.1 and the InVEST 3.5 model, and the per-unit value of RESs was calculated for different LULC types. In addition, in accordance with the Overall Planning for HTRNP and the objective of optimizing RESs, the value of RESs in short-term (to 2030) and long-term (to 2050) scenarios was forecast via a linear programming model. The results are as follows: (1) The RES value of HTRNP in 2020 was CNY 2090.67 × 108, with climate regulation accounting for the largest proportion; the spatial distribution of RESs in the eastern and central areas was higher than that in the western area, but different indicators of RESs differed in their spatial patterns in varied geographic units. (2) The natural forest ecosystem in HTRNP accounts for 76.94% of the total area but 84.82% of the total value of RESs. The per-unit value is ranked from highest to lowest as follows: montane rainforests &gt; wetlands &gt; lowland rainforests &gt; lowland secondary rainforests &gt; tropical coniferous forests &gt; deciduous monsoon rainforests &gt; tropical cloud forests &gt; shrub forests &gt; timber forests &gt; economic forests &gt; rubber forests &gt; grasslands &gt; farmlands &gt; settlements. (3) In the short-term scenario, the value of RESs is CNY 2216.64 × 108, an increase of CNY 118.97 × 108 compared to 2020, with an increase rate of 5.67%. In the long-term scenario, the value of RESs is CNY 2472.48 × 108, an increase of CNY 374.81 × 108 compared to 2020, with an increase rate of 17.87%. The results reveal the significance of ecosystem services in the national park and can inform more targeted and scientifically sound decision-making in the future.

Palawan Peacock Pheasant (Polyplectron Napoleonis) Species Distribution Modeling: A Review of the Impact of Typhoon Rai/Odette on the Diversity and Distribution of an Endemic Bird Species

This study quantified the habitat requirements and, consequently, described the remaining suitable habitats through species distribution modeling of Polyplectron napoleonis within Cleopatra’s Needle Forest Reserve and Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park after the onslaught of Typhoon Odette in the Palawan region. This was accomplished using MaxEnt software, a statistical machine-learning algorithm that creates niche models with presence-only (PO) data and surrounding environmental variables (Dudik et al., 2007; Merow et al., 2013). Previous studies have identified precipitation, elevation, and land cover as the top environmental variables influencing tandikan habitat suitability, as revealed by their percent contributions. There were earlier claims of the noticeable movement of habitat-suitable areas to the fringes and beyond Cleopatra's Needle Forest Reserve. The migration seems to be going towards highland forests. Two factors could be behind this migration: the tandikan are responding to climate change or avoiding human disturbance. As this species is known to have a high tolerance for temperature change, the latter could be the more plausible factor. For 2022, post-Odette, MaxEnt analysis revealed a shift of percent contributions with elevation and land cover classification outranking aspect and slope. Environmental layers were limited to four, as these were the only currently available data. This shift in percent contributions could be linked to the direct damage to forests brought by the Typhoon in December of 2021. The land cover map generated for this year has shown large areas of forests that were converted into non-forests. Conservation efforts, therefore, for the tandikan, a forest species, should be recalibrated in response to this current development. Further, measures to mitigate the impact of solid typhoons on forests should be reviewed and evaluated.

Great ape surveys and the implications of long-term monitoring in the Djéké Triangle, Republic of Congo.

Existing protected areas are anchors for conservation. Safeguarding flora and fauna within their peripheral areas is essential to maintaining their integrity and to potential increases to the area under effective conservation. With the decline in tropical forests, initiatives to increase the area of undisturbed forests under strict protection, particularly those neighboring protected areas, is of critical importance. Applied research has informed such land-management decisions for areas surrounding the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park (NNNP) in Republic of Congo since the park's inception three decades ago. Here, we present results of the first systematic line transect survey of great ape nests conducted in the Djéké Triangle, a 100 km2 unlogged continuous forest in the Kabo Forestry Management Unit adjacent to the NNNP. Distance sampling methods applied along 26 line transects on two different occasions (2016 and 2018, with total effort of 69.4km) provided density estimates of 0.75 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.52-1.09) and 0.61 (95% CI 0.40-0.92) chimpanzees/km2 and 2.15 (95% CI 1.36-3.40) and 1.19 (95% CI 0.78-1.82) gorillas/km2 for each of the two surveys, respectively. Estimated ape densities were compared to others across the landscape. The findings provide a unique baseline in an area that supports ongoing behavioral research and future gorilla tourism opportunities in the Djéké Triangle. More importantly, results provided empirical evidence of the environmental value and strategic conservation importance supporting inclusion of the Djéké Triangle into the NNNP in 2023. These long-term monitoring results inform best-practice standards and ape tourism certification.

Mycolichenological portrait of alder forest: alpha diversity revealed in 1ha plot in the Samursky National Park (Republic of Dagestan, Russia)

Aim. Xylobiont fungi and lichens determine the sustainability of forest ecosystems, but their species richness and taxonomic diversity depend on the forest type and the degree of its disturbance. Alder forests, characterised by a specific set of ecological conditions, represent poorly studied habitats in terms of myco‐ and lichenobiota. The aim of this work was to determine the species composition of aphyllophoroid fungi and epiphytic lichens on a 1 ha sample plot in a lowland floodplain forest dominated by Alnus glutinosa in the Delta Samura area of the Samursky National Park.The authors collected basidiomata of lignicolous fungi and lichen specimens on a sample plot of 1 ha during field studies. The surveyed forest area is represented by a community dominated by Alnus glutinosa and lianas. The material was identified using light microscopy techniques and a standard set of chemical reactions.Thirty‐three species of aphyllophoroid fungi (Basidiomycota) and 53 species of lichens and allied fungi (Ascomycota) were identified. Among them, 16 species (48 %) of aphyllophoroid fungi were recorded for the first time for the Samursky National Park, including six species revealed for the first time for the Republic of Dagestan, of which three species (Donkia pulcherrima, Phanerochaete cumulodentata and Sertulicium granuliferum) were new to the Northern Caucasus. Lichen species Arthothelium ruanum, Bacidia arceutina and Graphis pulverulenta are listed for the first time for the Republic of Dagestan. At the same time, 21 species of lichenized fungi were recorded for the first time on Alnus glutinosa within the region.The taxonomical structure of aphyllophoroid fungi revealed reflects the spring period of basidiomata‐based field study. The predominance of corticioid fungi and revealing hydnoid species among morphological groups may be indicative of the generally wetter habitats of alder forests in comparison to other forest types distributed in the studied area. Most of species were recorded on dead wood of Alnus glutinosa as the main forest‐forming tree. At the same time, each of other substrates (Carpinus betulus and Corylus avellana) turned out to be the habitat of species new to the region. The group of fungal species developing on large‐scale substrate units, represented by fallen trunks, was the most prevalent and is to be considered as more vulnarable in a case of anthropogenical habitat disturbance. The majority of epiphytic lichens discovered on alder are not specific to this woody substrate, except for single findings. These species belong to epiphytes inhabiting the Samur forest, the core of the lichenobiota of which is composed of thermophilous lichens of lowland deciduous forests. In our opinion, the relict character of the forest, which is an isolated and rather small forest massif with relatively homogeneous climatic conditions, causes a high similarity between the species composition of lichens revealed in the surveyed sample plot with Alnus glutinosa and previously studied plots dominated by Carpinus betulus, Populus alba, and Quercus robur.

Leveraging how animals learn in conservation science: Behavioral responses of reintroduced bison to management interventions

AbstractReintroduction programs have increased amid unprecedented biodiversity loss, yet the success of these programs lag. A prominent reason for program failure is dispersal beyond the planned range of the population. Management techniques, such as hazing, can be used to prevent movement beyond set boundaries, but to be effective long‐term, the animals must learn to avoid the areas where they are hazed. Although concepts of animal learning have been used to improve reintroduction programs, learning is not often explicitly tested or used as an indicator of program success. We used a conservation behavior framework to evaluate how a range of management techniques influenced learning in a reintroduced population of bison in Banff National Park, Canada. We hypothesized exposure to stronger negative stimuli would enhance learning, leading to more pronounced behavioral responses. Specifically, we tested the degree to which management actions (i.e., drift fence encounters, foot, horseback, helicopter, and combined hazing) elicited behavioral responses and how they facilitated learning. Consistent with our predictions, drift fence interactions and foot and horseback hazing elicited fewer behavioral responses of a smaller magnitude than helicopter hazing or combined methods, suggesting these techniques cause less disturbance to the bison. Bison continually returned to locations where they encountered management actions that caused the least disturbance, demonstrating a lack of associative learning. Bison appeared to form negative associations with locations where they were hazed via helicopter or combined methods, however, and rarely returned to these locations. Evaluating management techniques is essential for improving conservation success. We demonstrate that by bridging the fields of conservation biology and animal learning, we can understand how management techniques influence learning and behavior thereby facilitating effective conservation plans that incorporate disruption levels of the animals, financial costs, and overall effectiveness. Effective conservation plans, in turn, improve our likelihood of successfully managing and recovering species.

Plant Diversity Research in Shangqiu Yellow River Ancient Course National Forest Park, China

The Shangqiu Yellow River Ancient Course National Forest Park, the only national forest park in China created entirely from man-made forests, plays a critical role in ecological conservation. Our research employed plot surveys and quantitative ecological methods, including a diversity index analysis and importance value analysis, to investigate the diversity of arboreal, shrub, and herbaceous plants. This study revealed the composition and distribution of plant communities and analyzed invasive species. It identified dominant plant families, genera, and species and evaluated the types, distribution, and characteristics of invasive plants. We documented 70 families, 177 genera, and 254 species, highlighting that local environmental factors and human activities significantly affect the composition and distribution of plant communities. The presence of 29 invasive plant species poses a risk to the ecosystem. We constructed a phylogenetic tree of the plant community based on rbcL (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit) gene sequences, revealing the evolutionary relationships among species, and evaluated the community’s stability using the NTI (nearest taxon index) and NRI (net relatedness index). This research aims to provide a scientific foundation for conserving plant diversity and promoting sustainable development, and it can inform ecological protection and biodiversity studies in similar regions.