ABSTRACT European policies to achieve No Net Land Take (NNLT) by 2050 require a fundamental shift in how land is allocated, redeveloped, and governed. While logistics has been increasingly scrutinized for its carbon footprint, its contribution to land take – particularly through the irreversible sealing of soils – remains largely overlooked in both research and planning practice. This article addresses this gap by assessing the potential of brownfield recycling to accommodate logistics activities without further soil consumption. Focusing on the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg, we apply a spatially explicit, multi-criteria method that integrates parcel size, zoning compatibility, road accessibility, and proximity to protected natural areas. The analysis identifies a limited but strategically significant stock of ‘usable brownfields for logistics’ and highlights regulatory, governance, and market constraints to their reuse. By linking logistics geography with land-use governance, our findings contribute to European debates on how sectoral development strategies can be aligned with environmental land-use targets. We argue that brownfield recycling must be explicitly integrated into NNLT policies if the logistics sector is to move from being a land-take driver to a lever for land conservation.

Informal Extractivism: Mining concessions in natural protected areas in Colombia

Threats to the conservation of protected natural areas in Mexico

ABSTRACT The growing presence of domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) in protected natural areas (PAs), particularly in those located near cities, poses a threat to native fauna through disease transmission, antagonistic interactions, and hybridization. Mexico has one of the world’s largest dog populations, and urbanization is threatening several of its protected areas (PAs) and their wildlife. To assess the potential for antagonistic interactions, we analyzed the spatial and temporal activity patterns of dogs and three native mesocarnivores—Canis latrans, Lynx rufus, and Urocyon cinereoargenteus—in the peri-urban National Park Barranca del Cupatitzio (NPBC) in western Mexico. From January 2023 to March 2024, we set up 10 camera traps throughout the NPBC to survey mammal activity. Urocyon cinereoargenteus had the highest recording frequency (n = 253), and L. rufus (n = 25) had the lowest recording. Canis latrans and C. lupus familiaris had the greatest overlap in daily activity (∆=0.81), while C. lupus familiaris and L. rufus had the least (∆=0.58). The species with the highest spatial coincidence were C. latrans and U. cinereoargenteus (Jaccard index = 0.84), and the species with the least were L. rufus and C. latrans (Jaccard index = 0.28). There is a high potential for dogs to affect native fauna negatively.

Hantaviruses infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts. In the Americas, Orthohantavirus species pose a major public health concern due to their ability to cause Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS). Given the lack of approved vaccines and specific treatments for HCPS, identifying circulating orthohantavirus genotypes and their hosts, along with estimating prevalence, is essential for designing effective preventive strategies. The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the orthohantavirus hosts, (2) to determine the circulating orthohantavirus genotypes, (3) to assess the population structure and dynamics of Akodon montensis, (4) to characterize the rodent communities, and (5) to evaluate associations between A. montensis abundance and environmental variables in two protected natural areas of Misiones Province, Argentina. A total of 12 rodent trapping sessions were conducted from April 2021 to February 2023 in Urugua-í and Cruce Caballero Provincial Parks. Orthohantavirus antibodies were detected in four A. montensis and three Oligoryzomys nigripes from both Provincial Parks. Molecular analyses provided evidence of the co-circulation of Jaborá and Juquitiba orthohantavirus genotypes. Both areas exhibited similar rodent community compositions, with A. montensis as the numerically dominant species and O. nigripes occurring at low abundance. In Urugua-í, A. montensis abundance varied in relation to precipitation and vegetation productivity, whereas no such associations were observed in Cruce Caballero. Further studies are needed to effectively monitor these communities and to gain a better understanding of potential fluctuations in seroprevalence, changes in genotype pathogenicity, and the possible detection of unknown genotypes.

Selective logging in the Amazon is often accompanied by intensive hunting, leading to dramatic declines in wildlife populations that are critical for ecosystem functioning and local food security. We combined participatory mapping, semi-structured interviews, and spatially explicit biodemographic models to examine the impacts of 85 logging camps on mammal populations in the Sucusari River basin, northeastern Peru, and to evaluate mammal recovery after logging. Interviews with Maijuna hunters documented severe declines in game and fish populations, leading to acute food insecurity. The models predicted rapid local extirpation of species such as paca (Cuniculus paca), collared peccary (Dicotyles tajacu), and red brocket deer (Mazama americana), with severe depletion of species including tapir (Tapirus terrestris) and primates. Ten years post-logging, simulations indicated significant recovery of most species driven by dispersal from source areas, highlighting the resilience of mammal populations when source-sink dynamics are maintained, and hunting pressure is reduced.

Effective biodiversity survey methods are crucial to monitor ecosystems threatened by climatic fluctuations and anthropogenic pressures. Here we advance methods for collecting a novel source of biodiversity data - airborne environmental DNA (eDNA), and investigate whether it yields habitat- and season-specific signatures of terrestrial vertebrate communities. Using custom-made, portable, and low-budget samplers, we sampled airborne eDNA in three protected nature areas across Denmark spanning different nature types and seasons. We show that coarse grade air filters, larger filter area, increased airflow rate, and dry storage of filters at -20 °C yield detections of higher numbers of vertebrate taxa with more consistent detections of communities across samples. Further, we find that detected vertebrate communities are characteristic of the sampled nature types and seasons. Collectively, these refinements enable effective monitoring of terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity using portable and low-budget air samplers.

Protected natural areas (PNAs) are central to the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), as is measuring their effectiveness. On Small Island Developing States (SIDS), PNA designation and management is socio-politically challenging, due to pressure from conflicting interests and complex land-use histories on limited land areas. Global and regional-scale analyses of PNA effectiveness lack the spatial resolution to gain critical planning and management insights for SIDS and island-level evidence is limited to a handful of studies for terrestrial systems. Forest extent is a valuable tool for monitoring management interventions. For a Caribbean SIDS, we examined forest loss and fragmentation in PNAs between 2000 and 2022 as a proxy for PNA effectiveness, using Propensity Score Matching and Generalised Linear Mixed Modelling. Using the Global Forest Change remote sensing dataset, island-wide forest cover on Trinidad was estimated at 52% in 2000, of which 42% was located in PNAs. Proximity to roads and forest plantations and lack of designation as a PNA were significantly correlated with forest loss. Although forest loss was significantly lower within PNAs than comparable sites outside PNAs, 73% of PNAS experienced increased fragmentation during the study period. Increases in PNA fragmentation were most strongly associated with initial forest cover, human population density and elevation. Forest loss was lower in PNAs with higher levels of designation, suggesting some benefit of limiting anthropogenic activities. However, the continued degradation of PNAs highlights the need for proactive management to avoid PNAs becoming paper parks. This assessment presents an opportunity to prioritise areas to implement nature-based solutions and enable accurate natural capital accounting. Our analysis of terrestrial protected areas on an ecologically important Caribbean SIDS provides insights for indicators of progress towards GBF targets and emphasises the value of spatial planning on islands that explicitly considers the landscape-scale impact of competing economic interests.

This study presents the results of the longhorn beetle surveys conducted in three protected natural areas in Ecuador. Species collection was carried out in Yasuní National Park, El Pahuma Orchid Reserve and Lalo Loor Dry Forest Reserve in different seasons in the years 2008, 2011, and 2018. A total of 39 species of Cerambycidae were collected across the three protected natural areas. Four of them are recorded for the first time for the Ecuadorian fauna: Achryson surinamum (Linnaeus, 1767); Eburodacrys elegantula Gounelle, 1909; Pantomallus fuligineus Bates, 1872; and Colobothea juncea Bates, 1865.

The jaguarundi is one of the six wild feline species found in Mexico and is considered threatened, with population trends indicating a decline. It is a species difficult to capture, with very few recorded sightings. More studies on its ecology are needed. The data were obtained through photo-trapping samplings conducted at six ejidos (communal landholdings) within the Sierra de Huautla Biosphere Reserve (REBIOSH), in southern Morelos, from 2015 to 2022, using between 35 and 61 camera traps on each 30-60 day sampling periods. The cameras were deployed on sampling grids with a minimum separation of 500 m. We obtained 25 records of the species in 15 different sites within the REBIOSH. On average, its photographic capture rate in this protected natural area (PNA) was 0.63 ± 0.67 individuals per 1,000 trap days. Most of these new records were obtained in wide ravines within large fragments (ranging from 80 to over 1,500 ha) of preserved continuous dry forest, at altitudes below 1,200 m above sea level, and during the daytime. This increases knowledge of the species’ distribution in Morelos and provides evidence that, in the REBIOSH, this species has a persistent population with a wide distribution,especially in its southern and northeastern portions, although it is low in abundance. We provide concrete suggestions to help conserve it within this PNA and in the state of Morelos.

This paper explores the role of green marketing in promotingsustainable rural tourism on Mount Golija, with a particularfocus on the perceptions and attitudes of Generation Z.The research was conducted through an online surveyon a sample of 256 respondents aged 18 to 32, aiming toexamine their level of environmental awareness, values,and behavioral intentions within the context of sustainablerural tourism in protected natural areas. The analysisrevealed that environmental awareness and the perceptionof destination responsibility have a significant positiveimpact on the intention to visit Golija. At the same time,a noticeable gap was identified between the respondents’declared ecological values and their actual behavior,highlighting the need for a more consistent and transparentapproach to communicating sustainable practices in ruraltourism destinations. The results suggest that the long-termsuccess of sustainable rural tourism development dependson authentic communication and the active involvement ofGeneration Z in initiatives that connect local communities,environmental protection, and tourism development.

ABSTRACT In resource-depleted rural areas of developing countries, utilizing public property resources is strongly encouraged, as it helps reduce poverty, promotes local economic development, and supports biodiversity conservation. In northeastern Bangladesh, both within and outside protected forest and wildlife sanctuary landscapes, local communities depend on forest for their livelihoods, highlighting the challenge of meeting their needs while preventing the overuse and degradation of forest resources. This study employed a novel geographically stratified random sampling method to interview 136 households in and around the Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary. The research aimed to assess how resource use (such as firewood and water) and the significance of forest fragments (as providers of natural protected area services) varied according to household location, fragment size, and demographic characteristics. Most households recognized direct material benefits from the forest, but fewer acknowledged its ecosystem protection services. The number of households receiving benefits was often less than the number of the nearest households, despite a correlation between benefits and proximity to services. This suggests that current land use practices and key goods may have restricted access, likely due to efforts in sustainable protected area conservation and management.

It is critical for global conservation to expand protected area networks in biodiversity hotspots with dense human populations, but this faces substantial socioeconomic constraints. Relying solely on area expansion can trigger resistance to implementation, which undermines conservation outcomes. To address this issue, we developed a dual-cost framework that integrates land-use opportunity costs and environmental conflict risks in order to evaluate the feasibility of conserving threatened vertebrates. Stacked Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) habitat suitability predictions (33 species) and known distribution ranges (20 species), we mapped critical habitats for 53 species, then used Marxan to compare spatial efficiencies under varying cost scenarios. The final priority conservation network under the integrated optimization scenario (S3-b) covers an area of 134,938 km 2 , which constitutes 20.02% of the total study area. This area includes 660 existing national protected areas (NPAs), with a total overlap of 53,329 km 2 , representing 32.54% of the priority conservation areas. The network is mainly distributed across the northern parts of Region III, the southern regions of Region I, and the central parts of Region IV, reflecting critical biodiversity hotspots with high ecological value. Our findings suggest that the integrated optimization scenario (S3) most effectively balances ecological gains with social costs. In contrast, the status quo augmentation strategy (S3-b) revealed that over 52% of priority units, including 462 existing national protected areas, fall within high-conflict “low-feasibility zones”. While this scenario requires lower annual funding (6.44–12.18 billion CNY) than complete restructuring, the high conflict risk highlights the limitations of strict uniform protection in areas with frequent human–land interaction. We therefore argue that transitioning to differentiated management based on feasibility grading would provide a more effective way of balancing ecological security with community livelihoods.

Protected areas are generally designed to conserve biodiversity. However, how much they also contribute to maintaining ecosystem functions that plant diversity supports has rarely been tested explicitly, often because of the lack of historical ecosystem function data. We used a trait-based approach to reconstruct past ecosystem functioning and examine its change over the last 15years in protected and unprotected coastal dune ecosystems. We resurveyed vegetation in quasipermanent plots and measured several ecosystem functions related to biomass production, carbon, water, nutrient cycling, erosion control, and invasion resistance across six coastal dune sites in central Italy. We used these data to quantify biodiversity-ecosystem function (BEF) relationships. We then used these relationships to hindcast past ecosystem functions based on historical vegetation surveys. Finally, as a case study, we applied this method to assess temporal changes in ecosystem functioning under three protection regimes: national protected areas (i.e., strict protection), Natura 2000 sites (loose protection), and unprotected areas. Biomass production, carbon, and water regulation increased over time in unprotected areas, likely due to an expansion of ruderal and non-native species, which are usually more productive. In Natura 2000 sites, communities showed a decrease in erosion control and invasion resistance associated with the loss of important dune-building species and the spread of non-native species. Only in national protected areas did ecosystem functions not undergo significant temporal changes, and invasion resistance even increased. Our results suggested that ecosystem functioning remained stable over time only in areas under strict protection. More broadly, our results demonstrate the potential for using resurvey data in combination with locally estimated BEF relationships to hindcast past ecosystem functioning. Such an approach can be valuable for monitoring long-term functional changes in response to conservation.

Fungal communities exhibit strong spatial and environmental structuring across forest ecosystems, yet the drivers shaping their diversity patterns remain incompletely understood. In this study, we combined multivariate ordination, clustering analyses, and Zeta diversity (ζ-diversity) metrics to characterize fungal assemblages across environmental gradients. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) revealed that fungal community composition was significantly associated with climatic variables, particularly seasonal precipitation, thermal variation, and elevation. Hierarchical and K-means clustering identified coherent community clusters that differed in species richness and alpha diversity. Bray–Curtis distances and a Ward-based dendrogram further supported this separation, revealing a clear hierarchical structure in community similarity. Zeta diversity analysis indicated a slower species turnover, suggesting niche assimilation and habitat homogenization. Furthermore, the grouping of fungal assemblages followed a power-law model, emphasizing the role of deterministic environmental filtering. Critically, our findings reveal that only 1208 (33.5%) of the 3606 recorded species are present within existing Protected Natural Areas (PNAs), indicating a significant conservation gap. Together, these results provide an integrated ecological understanding of fungal diversity patterns, highlighting how climate–topography interactions structure communities and emphasizing the urgent need to align conservation strategies with these environmental drivers.

Urban wetlands in coastal cities are under growing strain from urban growth, climate change, and governance that is often fragmented. This study evaluates the condition of the freshwater dune lakes located in the Veracruz–Boca del Río–Medellín conurbation in Mexico, a protected corridor made up of 33 dune lakes that is increasingly pressured by urban expansion. We used an interdisciplinary approach that combined ecological monitoring, legal analysis, and participatory management tools. Fieldwork included 24 h monitoring of dissolved oxygen, measurements of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5) in representative systems, a diachronic review of the legal evolution of five Natural Protected Areas (NPAs), and community workshops to jointly design interventions. The results showed strong day–night swings in oxygen (4.0–14.8 mg/L) linked to vegetation dynamics, with nighttime hypoxia posing risks for aquatic fauna. BOD5 ranged from 4.8 to 150.3 mg/L, pointing to severe organic pollution in the most degraded system. The legal review identified repeated patterns of environmental regression, expressed through reductions in protected polygons, the legalization of irregular settlements, and the fragmentation of protected areas through judicial processes. In response, we propose a hybrid management model that brings together riparian restoration, Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), green infrastructure, and participatory monitoring, emphasizing a key 100 m buffer zone. This integrated strategy aims to improve flood regulation, reduce urban heat island effects, and enhance water quality, while also reinforcing community stewardship and legal protection. We conclude that conserving these urban wetlands effectively requires adaptive approaches that connect landscape-scale and local-scale actions, which are essential for climate adaptation in rapidly urbanizing coastal regions.

• Trematode genetic diversity patterns as a tool for biodiversity conservation. • Hotspot of trematode genetic diversity in Mexico and its Protected Natural Areas. • The genetic diversity of parasites as an indicator of biodiversity in Mexico. • The environmental variables can influence the genetic diversity of trematodes. Genetic diversity (GD) is a fundamental component of biodiversity that remains largely overlooked in conservation planning, especially for parasitic taxa. Trematodes are among the most diverse and ecologically important parasitic groups, although their GD across regions remains poorly characterized. Here we analyze the nucleotide diversity (π) and haplotype diversity (Hd) of mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (28S) genes using sequences available in public datasets to: (i) represent the spatial patterns genetic diversity at the family level of trematodes across Mexican biogeographic provinces and Protected Natural Areas (PNAs); (ii) identify regions with the highest GD (hotspots); and (iii) to explore how environmental factors influence genetic diversity patterns. We identified some GD patterns, as well as GD hotspots in center and southeastern Mexico, particularly in the states of Michoacán, Estado de México, Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, and Oaxaca. Correlation and model selection analysis revealed multiples environmental variables that can influence the GD of trematodes, as temperature seasonality (BIO4), max temperature of warmest month (BIO5), annual temperature range (BIO7), precipitation of the wettest quarter (BIO16), precipitation of warmest quarter (BIO18) and vegetation type. Furthermore, we found that 37 of 67 PNAs in the southeast overlapped with cells mapped with high-GD, suggesting that existing PNAs may preserve GD. However, public databases are still limited, highlight the need to promote more targeted studies that include parasitic taxa in conservation initiatives. This work contributes to the integration of genetic indicators into biodiversity monitoring, in line with the objectives of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Local landscape elements enhance flying insect biomass in a complex agricultural landscape

ABSTRACT Mutualistic interactions, particularly seed dispersal, are crucial for tropical ecosystem function. This study investigates the role of tent‐roosting bats in dispersing large seeds (> 5 mm) within the Lacandon Forest, Mexico, a region previously unexplored in this context. We documented tent presence, seed richness, diversity, and deposition rates at two sites, the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve (RBMA) and the Yaxchilán Natural Monument (MNY). We identified 21 feeding tents and collected 2137 seeds from 54 species across 21 families. Notably, most of the dispersed species are associated with mature forests and represent multiple human uses, including timber, food, and medical. While Jaccard similarity index revealed distinct species compositions between sites, species accumulation curves indicated incomplete sampling, highlighting the complexity of the ecosystem and emphasizing the need for further investigations to fully understand dispersal of large seeds by bats in the Neotropics. Seed deposition rate was significantly higher under bat tents than in control areas, highlighting the contribution of bats to seed dispersal in the Neotropics. Extrapolating our data to the seven Natural Protected Areas (NPAs) of the Lacandon Ecosystem, we found that tent‐roosting bats may disperse between 21.5 and 79.8 million large seeds annually. Tent‐roosting bats provide an unusual and exciting opportunity to aid in forest management and restoration, where, with little training, forest technicians could associate with tent‐roosting bats to collect seeds to be used in reforestation. This research highlights the vital, yet often neglected, role of tent‐roosting bats in Neotropical seed dispersal, significantly contributing to forest regeneration and conservation.

ABSTRACT Unplanned urbanization has led to a heterogeneous landscape combining cities, crops, and native forests, a pattern expected to continue under current global and local projections. Studies in developing subtropical cities remain scarce and seldom explore how natural environments, unplanned urban expansion, and rodent communities interact. Some suggest rodent diversity increases in transitional and periurban zones compared to highly urbanized areas. This study analyzed the environmental characteristics and rodent abundance in Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina, a subtropical city located within the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest. Quarterly rodent surveys were conducted from July 2017 to March 2020, sampling 15 households per survey, totaling 127 urban, 111 periurban households, and 9335 trap‐nights. Among the seventy‐eight rodents captured, Rattus rattus (54) was the dominant species across urban and peri‐urban areas, followed by Mus musculus (20), whereas Akodon montensis (4) was found exclusively in the peri‐urban zone. Although a lower proportion of urban houses showed rodent presence compared to peri‐urban ones, overall rodent abundance was higher in urban areas. Rodent abundance and distribution were shaped by multiple environmental factors. Rattus rattus trap success was influenced by certain household characteristics and increased with higher cumulative precipitation and during the cold season. Mus musculus trap success responded mainly to cumulative rainfall and decreased with the distance to natural protected areas. These findings indicate that, in small subtropical cities undergoing ongoing change and growth, rodent abundance and distribution patterns are primarily shaped by meteorological conditions, together with neighborhood or household characteristics, operating across multiple spatial and temporal scales.