Habitat Patches Research Articles

Enhancing Bird Diversity in Urban Parks: Insights from the Futian Mangrove Ecological Park, Shenzhen

Small urban parks and green spaces, serving as essential recreational venues for city residents, also play a vital and irreplaceable role in maintaining urban biodiversity. It is of great importance to design and plan these areas in a way that integrates multiple habitats for various species while accommodating residents’ usage. This study, carried out at the Futian Mangrove Ecological Park located in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, chose birds as indicator species to assess biodiversity within the park. Site inventory was undertaken from May to September 2022 and from October 2022 to April 2023. We quantitatively described the park’s habitats by examining primary environmental factors, along with 3 primary environmental factors and 11 secondary factors. A correlation analysis was then performed between these factors and bird diversity to gain insights into birds’ habitat preferences across different habitat types and at a finer scale of plant communities. Furthermore, bird clusters in the study case were categorized by foraging guilds and foraging patterns, and their distributions were studied at both the habitat patch scale and the plant community scale. Our findings reveal that, at the habitat patch scale, water surface area and grass coverage significantly positively impact bird diversity. At the plant community scale, plant communities with different structural characteristics vary in their importance to bird clusters with distinct characteristics. In areas with high human disturbance, shrub coverage is crucial for bird habitat protection. Additionally, we discovered that the impact of anthropogenic sound differs among bird species, highlighting the complexity of human disturbance factors on bird habitat preferences. Accordingly, we proposed several design recommendations aimed at enhancing bird diversity in parks, including increasing water body areas, reducing the distance between habitats and water surfaces, enhancing herbaceous plant coverage, and controlling anthropogenic sound.

GPS telemetry facilitates the identification of forage plant species for endangered Carnaby’s cockatoos (Zanda latirostris) at inland breeding sites and post-breeding dispersal locations in Western Australia

Carnaby’s cockatoos (Zanda latirostris) are an endangered species that has experienced major loss of habitat over the past century. Proponents seeking land clearing approval that may impact Carnaby’s cockatoos need to provide detailed habitat assessment. However, the current forage species list is outdated and generally restricted to the Swan Coastal Plain rather than the Carnaby’s full distribution range. This study provides an updated forage list, including the Swan Coastal Plain and much of the Carnaby’s breeding and non-breeding areas outside this region. Carnaby’s cockatoos were captured and satellite tagged, at five breeding sites in the wheatbelt and Great Southern areas in Western Australia (between 2017 and 2022). Spatial data collected from the tags facilitated the identification of forage plants used by Carnaby’s cockatoos. A total of 44 ‘new’ native plant species were identified as Carnaby’s cockatoo forage species, including five genera that have not previously been recorded. The updated forage list will inform proponents and regulators on the potential use of habitat patches by Carnaby’s cockatoos, aiding the referral process and enabling the protection and conservation of important and diminishing habitat resources.

Forecasting Suitable Habitats of the Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) in Asia: Insights into the Present and Future Climate Projections Within and Beyond Extant Boundaries.

Terrestrial carnivores, such as the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), are 'vulnerable' and experiencing significant population declines in mainland Asia. Considering the assessed threats, the IUCN has repetitively revised the range of this felid and now characterized it into four distinct categories (extant, possibly extant, possibly extinct, and extinct). Although several ecological works have been accomplished on this enigmatic carnivore, the overall view of its habitat suitability, fragmentation, and corridor connectivity in both present and historical ranges is lacking. Thus, achieving this ecological information under present and future climate scenarios is crucial. The model identified merely 44,033 sq. km falling within the extant range (representing 31.66%) and 20,034 sq. km (8.13%) in the possibly extant range. Fascinatingly, within the historical ranges, an additional 15,264 sq. km (6.58%) has been identified as suitable habitat in the possibly extinct range and 14,022 sq. km (2.38%) in the extinct range. Notably, a total of 25,614 sq. km of suitable habitat is found within designated protected areas across the entire range. Nevertheless, climate change is expected to drive habitat loss of up to 41% (overall IUCN range) for N. nebulosa in both present and historical extent, with habitat patches becoming increasingly fragmented. This is reflected in a projected decline in the number of viable habitat patches (NP) by up to 23.29% in the future. This study also identified 18 transboundary biological corridors for N. nebulosa, with Southeast Asian countries expected to experience the most significant declines in corridor connectivity. In contrast, the South Asian countries (Bhutan, Nepal, and India) are projected to maintain relatively higher connectivity in the future. Nevertheless, a substantial decline in overall mean corridor connectivity is projected in the near future due to the impacts of climate change. This study underscores the urgent need for a coordinated and multifaceted conservation strategy for N. nebulosa, focusing on mitigating habitat loss and fragmentation. Practical measures must be implemented to protect the species' shrinking range, considering its declining corridor networks and heightened vulnerability to inbreeding depression. Moreover, the assessment of habitat suitability both within and beyond the extant range, alongside corridor connectivity measures, provides valuable insights into potential translocation and reintroduction sites for this species. These findings provide a critical foundation for developing a strategic conservation plan tailored to the specific needs of this felid species across South and Southeast Asia, ensuring enhanced climate resilience and mitigating associated threats.

Arthropod removal in wheat fields enhanced yield regardless of natural habitat patch proximity

Natural habitat patches can be essential in conserving biodiversity and providing ecosystem services for agroecological systems. However, adopting a land-sharing approach requires a deep understanding of the agricultural costs and benefits associated with the existence of adjacent natural habitat patches. We used 17 paired natural habitat patch-wheat field replicates to test the effects of distance from the natural patches and removal of ground-dwelling arthropods from the field on the wheat yield. Removing ground-dwelling arthropods increased wheat yield. Community compositions of ground-dwelling arthropods in the natural habitat patches and wheat fields varied significantly, irrespective of the distance from the natural patch. In April and May, near the wheat harvest, predator abundance was higher in the natural habitat patches than in the wheat fields, whereas the abundance of potential pests was much higher in the wheat fields. This reduced predator-pest ratio in the wheat fields may explain why removing ground-dwelling arthropods increased wheat yield. Future research should focus on developing effective methods for managing ground-dwelling and vertical wheat pest populations while preserving their natural enemies' integrity within the fields and adjacent natural habitat patches.

Bounding Seed Loss from Isolated Habitat Patches

Dispersal of propagules (seeds, spores) from a geographically isolated habitat into an uninhabitable matrix can play a decisive role in driving population dynamics. ODE and integrodifference models of these dynamics commonly feature a “dispersal success” parameter representing the average proportion of dispersing propagules that remain in viable habitat. While dispersal success can be estimated by empirical measurements or by integration of dispersal kernels, one may lack resources for fieldwork or details on dispersal kernels for numerical computation. Here we derive simple upper bounds on the proportion of propagule loss—the complement of dispersal success—that require only habitat area, habitat perimeter, and the mean dispersal distance of a propagule. Using vector calculus in a probabilistic framework, we rigorously prove bounds for the cases of both symmetric and asymmetric dispersal. We compare the bounds to simulations of integral models for the population of Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) at McKnight Prairie—a 14 hectare reserve surrounded by agricultural fields in Goodhue County, Minnesota—and identify conditions under which the bounds closely estimate propagule loss.

Habitat Fragmentation Affects Richness—A View Through a Metacommunity Lens

Habitat fragmentation is often assumed to negatively impact species diversity because smaller, more isolated populations on smaller habitat patches are at a higher extinction risk. However, some empirical and theoretical studies suggest that landscapes with numerous small habitat patches may support higher species richness, although the circumstances remain elusive. We used an agent-based metacommunity model to investigate this and simulate landscapes of the same total area but diverse patch sizes. Our model, as generic and unbiased by specific assumptions as possible, aimed to explore which circumstances may be more conducive to supporting higher biodiversity. To this end, most parameters and behaviors were random. The model included generalized species traits, dispersal, and interactions to explore species richness dynamics in fragmented landscapes of distinct patch sizes. Our results show that landscapes with many small patches maintain higher species richness than those with fewer large patches. Moreover, the relationship between patch connectivity and species richness is more pronounced in landscapes with smaller patches. High connectivity in these landscapes may support species diversity by preventing local extinctions and facilitating recolonization. In contrast, connectivity is less significant in large-patch landscapes, where generalist species dominate. The findings highlight the complex interplay between patch size quality, connectivity, species traits, and diverse interactions among species in determining species richness. We suggest the patterns produced by the model represent null predictions and may be useful as a reference for a diversity of more specialized questions and predictions. These insights may also have specific implications for conservation strategies, suggesting that maintaining a mosaic of small, well-connected patches could enhance biodiversity in fragmented landscapes.

Combining graph theory and spatially-explicit, individual-based models to improve invasive species control strategies at a regional scale

ContextInvasive species cause widespread species extinction and economic loss. There is an increasing need to identify ways to efficiently target control efforts from local to regional scales.ObjectivesOur goal was to test whether prioritizing managed habitat using different treatments based on spatial measures of connectivity, including graph-theoretic measures, can improve management of invasive species and whether the level of control effort affects treatment performance. We also explored how uncertainty in biological variables, such as dispersal ability, affects measures performance.MethodsWe used a spatially-explicit, individual-based model (sIBM) based on the American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), a globally pervasive invasive species. Simulations were informed by geographic data from part of the American bullfrog’s non-native range in southeastern Arizona, USA where they are known to pose a threat to native species.ResultsWe found that total bullfrog populations and occupancy declined in response to all treatments regardless of effort level or patch prioritization methods. The most effective spatial prioritization was effort-dependent and varied depending on spatial context, but frequently a buffer strategy was most effective. Treatments were also sensitive to dispersal ability. Performance of treatments prioritizing habitat patches using betweenness centrality improved with increasing dispersal ability, while performance of eigenvalue centrality improved as dispersal ability decreased.ConclusionsWith the careful application of connectivity measures to prioritize control efforts, similar reductions in invasive species population size and occupancy could be achieved with less than half the effort of sub-optimal connectivity measures at higher effort rates. More work is needed to determine if trait-based generalities may define appropriate connectivity measures for specific suites of dispersal abilities, demographic traits, and population dynamics.

Variation in species-specific responses to habitat fragmentation and land cover structure in urban small mammal communities

Abstract Urbanization is a key driver of habitat loss and fragmentation worldwide, yet many urban ecosystems contain vegetated habitat patches that support diverse wildlife communities. Managing urban systems to support robust wildlife communities requires us to understand the mechanisms that drive the response of species to the urban environment. Small mammals are key components of terrestrial ecosystems (e.g., seed predators, prey) and likely also carry out these roles in urban ecosystems; however, the effects of urbanization on small mammal communities are understudied. To identify how species-specific responses to urban environments shape community composition, we quantified both overall community and species-specific changes in small mammal abundance across an urbanization gradient in a Midwestern US metropolitan area. We combined small mammal trapping and land cover data to generate a hierarchical community abundance model. Species diversity increased with increasing proportional cover of human-modified land cover (i.e., impervious surfaces and turfgrass). This finding is driven by high species diversity on sites bordering streams in mowed parks and low diversity on sites with high tree canopy closure. Additionally, modeling results indicated that species responded differently to landscape attributes, leading to variation in small mammal community composition across the urbanization gradient: prairie-associated species tended to be more abundant in tall vegetation bordering mowed parks while habitat generalists tended to be more abundant on sites with greater canopy closure and shrub cover. Our results suggest that studies that focus on community-level responses (e.g., species richness) to urbanization may miss important species-specific responses. It may be particularly important to assess both species-specific and community-level responses in cities at ecotones (e.g., between forest and grassland) where species with different habitat requirements may replace one another in different types of green spaces, thereby changing community composition without affecting species diversity or richness. Our findings also indicate that vegetated urban patches, especially patches with tall vegetation cover and low canopy cover, are important habitat for prairie-associated small mammal communities, providing conservation options in heavily altered landscapes.

Protection beyond park boundaries: On the impact of systematic patrolling in Divisional Forest Office, Sarpang, Bhutan

AbstractProtected areas and biological corridors play a crucial role in conserving biodiversity and promoting connectivity between habitat patches. Bhutan, known as a stronghold for tigers (Panthera tigris), has dedicated a significant portion of its land to a network of protected areas and biological corridors. However, these areas face risks from illegal activities, posing challenges for their management. To address this, the Department of Forests & Park Services in Bhutan deployed an adaptive management framework, informed by the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool in 2016 in the Divisional Forest Office, Sarpang, an important corridor area outside of official protected area boundaries. This study analyses 5 years of data (2017–2021) recorded through a monitoring tool to assess changes in ranger activities and on‐ground observations. The results show improved data availability, increased patrol effort, enhanced monitoring of wildlife, and a reduction in threat detection over time. Furthermore, camera trap surveys targeting tigers reveal a potential increase in the number of individual tigers utilizing the corridor since the adoption of the tool and other management actions. These findings highlight the effectiveness of these efforts in a critical wildlife corridor.

Conservation ecology of land snails: a synthesis for Estonia

ABSTRACT We provide a synthesis of how the regional fauna of land snails, a flagship group among invertebrates, is distributed across ecosystems and how that translates to conservation priorities in Estonia. The data were compiled from 24 assemblage studies (mostly sample quadrats or substrate volume sampling; totalling >80,000 individuals) and from species records of infrequent species in the country since the 1970s. These data were quantitatively analysed for snail diversity and species frequencies by ecosystem types, and for the conservation status and indicator value of species. The known Estonian extant fauna contains 80 native and 12 presumably non-native species, of which 11 native species were assessed as threatened (2 not found in the 21st century). Hydrologically functional fens, old eutrophic forests, wooded meadows and calcareous areas appeared hotspots for threatened species and for overall snail diversity and abundance. As conservation measures, strict protection of natural forests and fens is fundamental, whereas the consequences of ecological restoration of alvars and fens require further study. Invasion of non-native species has greatly accelerated in the last 15 years, but it still mostly affects human settlements and their surroundings. We conclude that the Estonian land snail fauna is in a vulnerable state that largely depends on the integrity of hotspot ecosystems. There is a critical lack of knowledge on the value of small habitat patches and ecological restoration, and ecological responses to the snail invasions.

Large, but Dispersal-Limited Populations of the Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia Persist on Abandoned Military Training Areas Three Decades After the End of the Cold War.

Military training areas can host important biodiversity, due to the preservation of diverse, nutrient-poor historical cultural landscapes and an insect-friendly disturbance regime. In Europe, many training areas were abandoned after the end of the cold war in 1991 and the withdrawal of the Allied and Soviet forces. Many of these are now protected areas, and current management strategies vary from rewilding to active habitat management such as grazing or mowing. In a capture-release-recapture approach, marking 2418 individuals, we assessed the population size and movement patterns of the dry ecotype of the Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia Rottemburg 1775 on three former military training areas in Germany that varied in size and management (natural succession, mowing, and sheep-/goat grazing). Euphydryas aurinia is a rare and declining butterfly species listed in Annex II of the European Union Habitats Directive. Jolly-Seber models revealed a large population of ca. 19,000 individuals on the largest study site and a smaller population at a second site, whereas recapture rates were too low to predict the population size reliably at a third site. Population densities were 190-194 butterflies ha-1 at the unmanaged, large site and 56-71 butterflies ha-1 at a smaller site grazed with sheep. Thirty-nine percent of the recapture events occurred within the same 1-ha-study plot. The average minimum flight distance between the study plots was 313 m for males and 328 m for females. The maximum lifetime flight distance was 1237 m within 3 days. No dispersal was detected between study sites. Thirty years after cessation of the military use, the large former training site still held what likely is one of the largest populations of the species dry ecotype in Central Europe, including in areas where management ceased already in 1991. This suggests remarkable persistence of the species in areas without regular management, contrary to current opinion. However, regular flight distances seem not to be sufficient to connect the isolated habitat patches. It remains unknown how long the large population at the abandoned military area will persist without active habitat management. Careful, but active habitat management and restoration of habitat connectivity should thus be considered.

Identifying Gaps in the Protection of Mediterranean Seagrass Habitats Using Network‐Based Prioritisation

ABSTRACTAimSeagrass meadows represent a key marine ecosystem owing to the significant biodiversity they host. Protection actions are often implemented without considering connectivity between habitats. In this article, we project and prioritise Mediterranean seagrass habitats (Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa) based on their potential as sources/retention and stepping stones for dispersal propagules of the associated biotic communities. We use this information to identify gaps in the protection of highly ranked habitats.LocationMediterranean Sea.MethodsWe related seagrass observations with marine environmental predictors to run species distribution models and infer the distribution of Mediterranean seagrasses. We then used a network‐based approach (CONEFOR) to rank patches of seagrass suitable areas based on their contribution to the seascape in terms of patch area, potential as source/retention of propagules and stepping stone. Finally, by overlaying our ranking with the spatial distribution of marine protected areas (MPAs), we identified potential gaps in the protection of important seagrass habitats across the Mediterranean and its basins.ResultsMost of the identified patches of seagrass suitable areas are not included in MPAs, only reaching a maximum protection coverage of ~50% in the Northwestern Mediterranean. Relatively few patches contribute disproportionately to connectivity, but top‐ranked habitat patches are not included within the existing MPAs network, both at the Mediterranean scale and for most basins. The largest gaps for the source/sink role are in the Aegean and Ionian Sea, and largest gaps for the stepping stone role are in the Adriatic, Ionian and Tyrrhenian Sea.Main ConclusionsOur results suggest that the current MPAs network fails to protect highly relevant patches of seagrass suitable areas in most of the Mediterranean basins. However, this gap could be filled by a few well‐placed MPAs. Overall, we provide novel insights for the identification of key habitats and planning novel coastal MPAs in the region.

Where to fly? Landscape influences on the movement and spatial ecology of a threatened apex predator

Effectively managing apex predators in human-modified landscapes poses considerable challenges. Habitat fragmentation disperses resources across wider expanses and undermines the ability of apex predators to reach isolated habitat patches as they traverse multi-tenured landscapes comprising unsuitable habitat. Understanding a species response to landscape configuration is key to informing effective management strategies, particularly for threatened, mobile and ecologically important species like apex predators. Here we use GPS tracking data collected from 37 powerful owls (Ninox strenua), an Australian threatened apex predator that occurs across the urban-agricultural-forest gradient, to investigate how landscape characteristics influence their spatial and movement behaviour. We demonstrate that as habitat fragmentation increases, the spatial requirements of powerful owls expand, their home-range shape becomes more intricate and individuals travel further each night, significantly adjusting their movement behaviours and spatial configurations to connect remaining habitat. Landscapes with unified and connected habitats, on the other hand, have smaller spatial requirements, likely due to greater habitat availability that minimises competition for essential resources. This facilitates the establishment of smaller home-ranges and consequently, the occurrence of more territories. Interestingly, landscape characteristics did not influence sequential nightly visitation behaviour, suggesting that powerful owls across all landscape types visit different portions of their home-range each night to exert an unpredictable hunting strategy regardless of local landscape conditions. Our research highlights the importance of integrating the influence of local landscape features and visitation behaviours into decision-making processes. This integration is crucial for informing effective conservation strategies aimed at supporting apex predator survival in disturbed landscapes.

Identifying Regulatory Barriers in the Management of Ecological Corridors in an Increasingly Congested Space

Ecological corridors are essential in facilitating the movement and dispersal of flora and fauna between separate and often isolated habitat patches. In recent years, Israel has confronted significant challenges due to the rapid pace of construction, driven in part by exceptional population growth that sets it apart on the global demographic stage. This accelerated development creates an unprecedented long-term impact on ecosystems. A key obstacle to maintaining ecological corridors is the Israeli government’s decision to construct thousands of housing units using expedited plans that circumvent standard planning processes. Such projects significantly impact these corridors, given that approximately 16% of their designated areas overlap with ecological corridors. This raises two pressing questions: Can the existing ecological corridors endure these changes and remain functional, or does the role of ecological corridors need to be redefined due to increasing urban development? What are the necessary institutional frameworks required to effectively manage these corridors in an environment that is becoming progressively denser? The research focuses on two case studies in the densely populated Central District in Israel, encompassing both local and regional ecological corridors. The regulatory assessment will point out key stakeholders, identify potential threats to the corridors, and explore existing regulatory mechanisms for planning and managing these corridors.

A Modeling Framework for Quantifying Spatial Recruitment Dynamics Using Abundance Estimation and Sibship Analysis

Quantifying recruitment at the sibling group offers a powerful methodology for understanding density-dependent and environmental drivers of recruitment. We propose a modeling framework that combines sibship and abundance estimation datasets to estimate mean sibling group size, sibling group size process error, environmental and density-dependent effects on sibling group size, dispersal, and mortality rate. Geographic states in the model consist of discrete habitat patches connected via dispersal. Simulations were used to investigate the influence of sampling processes and sibling group size on parameter estimation within our modeling framework. Mean sibling-group size, environmental effects on recruitment, and dispersal rate among habitat patches were estimated with high accuracy under a wide range of sampling conditions, including imprecise out-of-model estimates of capture probability and subsampling both within and among habitat patches. Density-dependent effects on recruitment and process error tended to be estimated with lower accuracy, though accuracy improved as sibling group size or sampling intensity increased. The main contribution of this research is a flexible quantitative modeling framework for parameterizing mechanistic models of recruitment dynamics with empirical sibship data.

Insights into Population Status and Habitat Patches of Conservation Concern for the Endangered Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in Nowshera District, Northwestern Pakistan.

The Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) stands out among the four surviving species of Asian pangolins, being the sole species present in Pakistan and listed as endangered owing to trafficking and illicit commerce. In the present study, we explored the population status of the Indian pangolin and the existing suitable habitats in Nowshera district, Pakistan. We employed the line transect method to confirm the species presence and subsequent population estimation. In a survey effort of 156 km2, a total of 56 signs of Indian pangolin were recorded within the research area. Amongst the 56 signs, 46 were burrows (living burrows (53.57%) and feeding burrows (28.57%)). Digging was observed nine (16.07%) times, along with one direct sighting (1.7%). Our results revealed a population estimate of only 29 pangolins in the Nowshera district, with a population density of 0.013 individuals/km2. Later, MaxEnt was applied to the species' presence points, along with climatic and topographical variables. The MaxEnt model accuracy was good (AUC = 0.811). Of the total area studied, 210 km2 (12.01%) were highly suitable and 238 km2 (13.61%) were moderately suitable habitat for the Indian pangolin. To safeguard the fragile population and habitat of the Indian pangolin, we highly suggest strengthening watch and ward and law enforcement in the study area. By adopting a comprehensive approach that addresses both the direct threats to Indian pangolins and the underlying factors driving their decline, we can effectively protect this endangered species and ensure the preservation of its essential habitats for robust conservation.

Enhancing bird habitat networks in metropolitan areas: Resilience assessment and improvement strategies – A case study from Shanghai

Constructing bird habitat networks (BHNs) is crucial for maintaining the health and service equilibrium of urban ecosystems, especially in large metropolitan areas where the pressure of urbanization is intense. However, most existing BHNs fail to account for the dynamic changes and unique requirements of local species, leading to homogenized construction outcomes and ecological corridor objectives. This study employs a comprehensive approach to identify bird habitat patches using multiple high-quality sources, then utilize circuit theory and complex network theory to construct and assess the resilience of BHN. Our key findings showed: (1)93 bird habitat sources were identified, predominantly situated in the continuous green spaces of southern and southeastern Shanghai, whereas habitat sources in the city center and other densely built-up areas are more dispersed, highlighting them as prime targets for future ecological restoration efforts. (2) The distribution of bird habitat corridors exhibits significant spatial heterogeneity, with primary corridors predominantly spanning the southwestern and eastern parts of the study area, while secondary corridors are more abundant in the western and northern parts, forming a denser network, whereas the central area shows fewer and more isolated corridors. (3) The decline in structural and functional resilience was notably more rapid under targeted attacks than under random attacks, underscoring the need to prioritize crucial bird habitat sources on the city's periphery, especially near highly urbanized areas, in urban planning and biodiversity conservation efforts to sustain ecological balance and biodiversity. These insights provide a crucial scientific basis for urban planners, emphasizing the integration of biodiversity conservation into urban development strategies by optimizing ecological sources and corridors to balance development with ecological preservation.

Population status and ecology of the globally threatened liverwort Marsupella profunda Lindb. in Britain

ABSTRACT Introduction Marsupella profunda Lindb. is known from Britain, Portugal and Macaronesia. Its population status and ecology in Britain were investigated. Methods An inventory of records of Marsupella profunda was prepared, and surveys were conducted at a subset of sites. Population size was measured by counts of ‘individual-equivalents’, defined as occupied 1 m grid cells. Habitat and community composition were recorded by relevés. Key results and conclusions Marsupella profunda is confined to habitat created by china clay quarrying, and mostly occurs on kaolinised granite. It is one of the earliest colonists of this substrate. The longevity of habitat patches is limited mainly by competitive exclusion by other bryophytes and excessive shade from scrub development. It has been recorded from six sites in West Cornwall but presently survives at only one of these, where it will likely become extinct within the next 20 years due to vegetation succession. In East Cornwall, an enormous complex of active and disused quarries within the St Austell China Clay Region supports a large population (10,000–20,000 individual-equivalents), but this is declining because china clay production has decreased greatly over the past 30 years. Attempts to conserve the species by the special protection of areas of land have failed because the quarrying process that originally supplied fresh suitable substrate no longer operates in these areas, habitat management measures have been insufficient, and scrub development has progressed. The future of the species in Britain depends on the uncertain future of commercial quarrying in areas of kaolinised granite in Cornwall.

Patch shape, connectivity and functional groups moderate the responses of bird diversity to agricultural diversification — A meta-analysis

Agricultural expansion and intensification pose significant threats to global biodiversity. However, the conservation of agricultural biodiversity is essential for harmonizing agricultural production with ecological sustainability. Agricultural diversification can mitigate the negative impacts of agriculture on ecosystem functioning and biodiversity. Characteristics of the broader landscape may also play an important moderating role in diversified agricultural landscapes, but are not fully solved. To bridge this gap, we conducted a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed studies to compare bird abundance and species richness in diversified agricultural landscapes compared to those in simplified farmlands and natural landscapes. We also explored the moderating role of species functional groups and 11 metrics of landscape composition, configuration and heterogeneity. We found a generally positive effect of perimeter-to-area ratio of farmland patches, connectivity within farmland patches, and connectivity within patches of natural and semi-natural habitats on bird abundance and species richness. Responses to other landscape metrics were less consistent. For pollinators, the abundance was higher in diversified agricultural landscapes compared to control groups, and particularly when compared to natural landscapes. For natural enemies, the species richness was significantly lower in diversified agricultural landscapes than in natural landscapes, while their abundance was not. The overall abundance and species richness of granivores and frugivores in diversified agricultural landscapes were comparable to those in control landscapes. These results indicated landscape type of control groups, species functional groups, and their interactions had consistent impacts on the responses of bird diversity. We found a vital role of farmland patch shape and connectivity within farmland and habitat patches for bird conservation in diversified agricultural landscapes, which has been rarely reported in previous studies. These insights underscore the need for policymakers and managers to develop farmland management and planning strategies at multiple scales to fulfill growing human demands while achieving biodiversity conservation objectives.

The effect of habitat fragmentation on Malay tapir abundances in Thailand’s protected areas

Habitat loss and fragmentation in tropical regions are major threats to the persistence of endangered Malay tapir (Tapirus indicus). The Malay tapir distribution is largely constrained to fragmented habitats inside protected areas. However, it is unclear how the spatial patterns of habitat fragmentation affect its relative abundance. Here, we investigated the effects of habitat fragmentation on Malay tapir relative abundance in Thailand. We first quantified the spatial patterns of habitat fragmentation within nine of Thailand’s protected areas. Second, we assessed the relationship of fragmentation metrics and relative abundance of Malay tapirs. Third, we identified the relative importance of the fragmentation metrics in explaining relative abundance. We found that tapir abundance remained unexpectedly high in the Southern forest complex despite the fact that tapir habitats were significantly more fragmented there than in the protected area in the western forest complex (p < 0.05). Additionally, we found a significantly negative relation with clumpiness index (R2 = 0.51, p < 0.05). This suggests that other factors may also be influencing their populations, so that the Southern protected areas provide preferred habitat with higher relative proportions of moist evergreen forest, large habitat patch size, precipitation, and elevation. It highlights the importance of interconnected habitat for tapirs, and the benefit of conservation efforts in small, less recognized protected areas.