Vegetation Patterns Research Articles

Determination of Forest Health using Remote Sensing Techniques in Gashaka-Gumti National Park, Northeast, Nigeria

This study was conducted in order to determine the health status of forest vegetation in Gashaka-Gumti National Park. Landsat images were downloaded from the USGS website. The images were pre-processed using radiometric correction since the reflectance values were needed for computing spectral indices, the digital numbers were converted to radiance and reflectance, and analysis was carried out using a raster calculator. The range of NDVI, GNDVI, ARVI and MSI were used for health assessment. Utilizing NDVI, GNDVI, ARVI, and MSI as assessment tools revealed moderate to good health in most forest regions, with higher ARVI, GNDVI, and NDVI indicating healthier vegetation and elevated MSI values suggesting areas under moisture stress. the average values of NDVI, GNDVI, ARVI, and MSI over three decades indicate a potential decline in overall vegetation health, reduced green vegetation, changes in vegetation conditions, and a decrease in moisture stress, suggesting a potential increase in greening and photosynthetic activities in plants. These trends highlight the dynamic nature of the forest ecosystem over the studied period. Positive correlations between ARVI, GNDVI, and NDVI across years indicate a consistent vegetation pattern, while negative correlations with MSI suggest potential inverse relationships, providing valuable insights into forest health dynamics. Higher values of ARVI, GNDVI, and NDVI generally signify healthier vegetation, whereas elevated MSI values may indicate areas experiencing moisture stress, emphasizing the importance of monitoring these indices for sustainable forest management. The study recommends the sustained use of NDVI, GNDVI, ARVI, and MSI for forest health monitoring in the study area, implementing integrated pest management based on identified stress conditions, utilize spatial maps for strategic timber harvest planning, developing climate-resilient management considering moisture stress, and invest in research for enhanced assessment precision and understanding of ecosystem dynamics.

Using Paleoecological Methods to Study Long-Term Disturbance Patterns in High-Elevation Whitebark Pine Ecosystems

Pinus albicaulis (whitebark pine) is a keystone species, providing food and habitat to wildlife, in high-elevation ecological communities. In recent years, this important species has been negatively impacted by changes in fire regimes, increased Dendroctonus ponderosae (mountain pine beetle) outbreaks associated with human landscape and climate modification, and the continued impact of the non-native Cronartium ribicola (white pine blister rust). This research investigates changes in fire occurrence, the establishment of Pinus albicaulis, and fuel availability at a high-elevation site in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho, USA. Charcoal and pollen analyses were used to reconstruct fire and vegetation patterns for Phyllis Lake, Idaho, USA, over the past ~8200 cal y BP. We found that significant fire episodes occurred when the pollen accumulation rates (PARs) indicated more arboreal fuel availability, and we identified that Pinus albicaulis became well established at the site ~7200 cal y BP. The high-elevation nature of Phyllis Lake (2800 m) makes this record unique, as there are not many paleorecords at this high elevation from the Northern Rocky Mountains, USA. Additional high-elevation sites in Pinus albicaulis habitats will provide critical insight into the long-term dynamics of this threatened species.

Vegetation changes of Lushan, China between 1959 and 2020 based on pollen data

Both climatic change and human activity are currently driving the dynamic of vegetation, which may vary from region to region. On Lushan, located in the eastern China, the subtropical secondary forests during the natural succession endure the pressure from ongoing climate warming on the one hand. They are influenced by anthropogenic disturbance on the other hand for recent decades. Previously, palynological research has discovered that the pollen assemblages from surface soil sample on Lushan can basically reflect the characteristics of local vegetation. Here, we did a comparative study by using the pollen analysis to investigate the vegetation changes of Lushan from 1959 to 2020. We compared the composition of pollen assemblages obtained in 1959 with that in 2020 along different altitudes. Further, the biomisation method was employed to discover the changes of different vegetation types, which were reflected by the pollen-based reconstructed biomes. Meanwhile, the temporal beta diversity analysis was used to extract the sites experienced the significant vegetation shift and the most important taxa change. Results showed that the pollen composition over the past 60 years on Lushan had altered remarkably. The vegetation shifted at all altitudes. The current vegetation pattern of Lushan: evergreen broadleaved forest in low elevation, temperate deciduous broadleaved forest in middle elevation and cool mixed forest in high elevation, is the successional consequence of the past 60 years. The forces driving the vegetation dynamics might be from multiple sources. However, the human disturbance seems to play quite an important role during forest succession. Our study is potentially useful both for paleoecological reconstructions and wider understanding of current climate change that are relevant to subtropical forests of Asia.

Association of Dietary Patterns, C-Reactive Protein, and Risk of Obesity Among Children Aged 9–17 Years in Guangzhou, China: A Cross-Sectional Mediation Study

Background: Childhood obesity is a major public health challenge in the 21st century, and diet is one of the key modifiable factors in its prevention. This study examined the link between dietary patterns of children and general and central obesity, including the role of C-reactive protein (CRP). Methods: This study enrolled 2413 children aged 9–17. Anthropometric measurements, CRP levels, and dietary data were collected. Factor analysis identified dietary patterns, and logistic regression examined the association between CRP levels and childhood obesity. Multiple linear regression determined the correlation between dietary patterns and CRP. Mediation analysis assessed the role of CRP in the link between dietary patterns and childhood obesity. Results: Three dietary patterns were identified. The rice and meat pattern was significantly correlated to the risk of childhood obesity (OR = 1.166, 95%CI: 1.000, 1.359 for general obesity; OR = 1.215, 95%CI: 1.071, 1.377 for central obesity). CRP was positively correlated with childhood obesity risk (OR = 2.301, 95%CI: 1.776, 2.982 for general obesity; OR = 2.165, 95%CI: 1.738, 2.697 for central obesity). The fruit and vegetable pattern was inversely related to CRP (β= −0.059, 95%CI: −0.081, −0.036), while the snack pattern was positively correlated (β= 0.043, 95%CI: 0.020, 0.065). CRP had a suppressive effect on the association between the fruit and vegetable pattern and snack pattern with childhood obesity. Conclusions: This study revealed the rice and meat pattern as a risk factor for childhood obesity, and cross-sectional evidence linked the fruit and vegetable pattern and snack pattern to childhood obesity risk, mediated by CRP.

Novel Approach in Vegetation Detection Using Multi-Scale Convolutional Neural Network

Vegetation segmentation plays a crucial role in accurately monitoring and analyzing vegetation cover, growth patterns, and changes over time, which in turn contributes to environmental studies, land management, and assessing the impact of climate change. This study explores the potential of a multi-scale convolutional neural network (MSCNN) design for object classification, specifically focusing on vegetation detection. The MSCNN is designed to integrate multi-scale feature extraction and attention mechanisms, enabling the model to capture both fine and coarse vegetation patterns effectively. Moreover, the MSCNN architecture integrates multiple convolutional layers with varying kernel sizes (3 × 3, 5 × 5, and 7 × 7), enabling the model to extract features at different scales, which is vital for identifying diverse vegetation patterns across various landscapes. Vegetation detection is demonstrated using three diverse datasets: the CamVid dataset, the FloodNet dataset, and the multispectral RIT-18 dataset. These datasets present a range of challenges, including variations in illumination, the presence of shadows, occlusion, scale differences, and cluttered backgrounds, which are common in real-world scenarios. The MSCNN architecture allows for the integration of information from multiple scales, facilitating the detection of diverse vegetation types under varying conditions. The performance of the proposed MSCNN method is rigorously evaluated and compared against state-of-the-art techniques in the field. Comprehensive experiments showcase the effectiveness of the approach, highlighting its robustness in accurately segmenting and classifying vegetation even in complex environments. The results indicate that the MSCNN design significantly outperforms traditional methods, achieving a remarkable global accuracy and boundary F1 score (BF score) of up to 98%. This superior performance underscores the MSCNN’s capability to enhance vegetation detection in imagery, making it a promising tool for applications in environmental monitoring and land use management.

Morphological and Physiological Characteristics Influencing CO2 Assimilation Rate and Growth in Different Half-Sib Families of Quercus acuta and Q. glauca

Climate change alters vegetation patterns, pushing subtropical forests further north. These forests play a crucial role for carbon neutrality efforts due to their significant CO2 assimilation potential. This study investigated CO2 assimilation rate along with growth, morphological, and physiological traits in 23 half-sib families of Quercus acuta and 26 half-sib families of Q. glauca, two prominent East Asian evergreen broadleaf species. Q. acuta exhibited significantly higher growth rates, with diameter at breast height (DBH) and aboveground biomass exceeding those for Q. glauca by 12.1% and 69.9%, respectively (p < 0.001). Leaf traits, including leaf mass pear area (LMA), leaf nitrogen, and chlorophyll content, were also greater in Q. acuta, showing 24.5%, 45.8%, and 15.6% higher values (p < 0.001). While photosynthetic traits were similar, Q. acuta exhibited a 12.7% higher intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) (p < 0.01). Among half-sib families, marginal differences were observed in growth traits (p < 0.1), and significant differences in leaf morphology and physiological traits (p < 0.05) were observed. A positive correlation was found between growth and physiological traits associated with the CO2 assimilation rate in Q. acuta, but not in Q. glauca. These findings highlight the potential of Q. acuta and Q. glauca for supporting future carbon neutrality efforts and provide traits supporting carbon uptake, valuable for selecting tree species with enhanced carbon sequestration potential.

Temporal and spatial patterns of riparian vegetation in the Colastiné Basin (Argentina) and riparian ecological quality estimation as tools for water management

ABSTRACT Information on the riverbanks can improve our ability to monitor water quality and generate adequate management strategies. This research seeks insights into the riverbanks of eight Colastiné River Basin (Argentina) streams, which have been influenced by intensive agricultural land use for decades. We aim to (a) describe the temporal and spatial distribution patterns of riparian vegetation, (b) assess their current riparian quality through riverbank quality indices, and (c) estimate whether the riparian quality is linked to the water quality. Results of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) showed an increasing trend in the vegetation cover with seasonal periodicities during the last 22 years in only 2 streams. Overall, 41% of plant species registered were exotic although native species dominated in most streams. The overall riverbank quality, based on the mean values of four riverbank quality indexes, was regular-to-bad. The overall water quality of the streams was low and significantly correlated to the Riparian Quality Index, suggesting a link between both compartments. More studies are needed to determine the main variables that establish this connection. Further effort is also needed to generate appropriate indices for this region, as no current ones are still developed.

Colonial management drives ecological change following the exclusion of Indigenous stewardship in a Stoney Iyethka montane grassland, Canadian Rocky Mountains

Abstract For millennia, Indigenous Peoples and their ecological stewardship have kept culturally important landscapes open, diverse and productive. Under colonization which suppresses stewardship activities, landscape vegetation patterns shift and areas previously stewarded by Indigenous Peoples are now undergoing successional change. As a case study, we document ecological change on the homelands of the Stoney Iyethka Nations in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, where landscapes have changed dramatically over the past century of colonial management. On the Stoney Iyethka traditional montane Egnuck Wida grasslands, we analysed vegetation change on both the landscape and plot level. Using oblique photographs taken in 1924 paired with 2021 satellite imagery, we compared past and present landscape vegetation cover and assessed drivers of succession. We also examined differences in vegetation class cover and plant community structure between surveys conducted in 1981, 1995 and 2020. Nearly half (47%) of the landscape surveyed showed seral progression in vegetation class, which was not explained by topography, geology or climate warming. Grassland area decreased four‐fold between 1924 and 2021. Grassland retention was strongly related to management zoning, with greater losses in the crown‐managed ecological reserve than on lands that remain under Stoney Iyethka stewardship. Vegetation plots surveyed reveal changes to plant community composition and shifts in dominant vegetation class. In plots previously composed primarily of forbs and graminoids, shrubs have become the dominant groundcover. Declines in historic vegetation include a loss of culturally important food, medicine and ceremonial plants to the Stoney Iyethka Nations. The most likely explanation for these results is the displacement of Indigenous Peoples and their stewardship from the landscape. We demonstrate that the past century of colonial environmental management has altered ecological processes maintained on this landscape for millennia by Indigenous Peoples. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Diel Greenhouse Gas Emissions Demonstrate a Strong Response to Vegetation Patch Types in a Freshwater Wetland

AbstractWetland methane (CH4) fluxes are highly variable over spatial and temporal scales due to variations in CH4 production, oxidation, and transport. While some aspects of temporal variability in CH4 fluxes are well documented, diel variability is poorly constrained, and studies report conflicting findings, making it difficult to generalize. Topographic, geochemical, hydroclimatic, and vegetative variability can result in characteristically different “patches” that likely influence differences in diel patterns. We investigated diel patterns of CH4 fluxes from a large seasonal‐mineral soil wetland in Maryland (USA) across three functionally unique patches: two with vegetation (emergent and submerged aquatic vegetation) and one without (open water) during the summer of 2021. To explore the relationships between vegetation, environmental conditions, and flux patterns, we also measured physiochemical variables (air and water temperature, pH, relative humidity, PAR, dissolved oxygen, and water depth). To our knowledge, this is the first study comparing diel variability using chambers across such distinct vegetation patch types. We found that diel patterns were strongly linked to patch types: CH4 fluxes from the emergent vegetation did not display a consistent diel pattern, while fluxes from the submerged vegetation and no vegetation patches frequently peaked at 13:00 and 05:00, respectively. These differences could be a direct result of vegetation impact on production, oxidation, and/or transport of CH4 or on conditions covarying with patch type. This study contributes to the growing understanding of how CH4 fluxes vary spatially over diel cycles and emphasizes the importance of considering spatially varying diel patterns when estimating fluxes.

Spatial Distributions and Edge Relationships of Plant Communities in Coastal Barrens in Nova Scotia, Canada

Coastal barrens support varied vegetation that includes wetlands, dwarf shrublands, and small patches of forest. Forest expansion, sea-level rise and recreational trails affect plant communities but spatial vegetation patterns within barrens are unknown. Using high-resolution multispectral aerial imagery, we classified plant communities and other land cover types using 500m x 500m landcover maps at three coastal barrens sites on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. Community patches were compared using size and shape metrics; shared edge length identified adjacent communities. Community distributions were modelled using environmental variables such as elevation and distance to coast. Forty distinct plant communities were detected, with shrublands (37.5% total area), dwarf shrublands (23.3%) and bog wetlands (13.9%) the most abundant. Average patch size was 9.2 m2; average patch density was 951 patches/ha, indicating fine scale community variability. Recreational vehicle trails occurred primarily in bog wetlands. Dwarf shrublands and some wetland types were closest to the coastline; taller shrublands and tree islands occurred further from the coast. Edge relationships revealed a vegetation height gradient across the forest-barren ecotone: tree islands were mostly adjacent to tall shrub communities, followed by progressively shorter vegetation. Topographic variability and distance to coast were important predictors of community distribution. Edge relationships among communities allowed identification of those most at risk from trail disturbance, forest expansion and coastal squeeze.

Vegetation restoration strategies in arid or semi-arid regions-From the perspective of optimal control.

Inappropriate human activities contribute to the degradation of ecosystems in arid or semi-arid regions. Therefore, emphasizing the importance of strategies for restoring vegetation in these areas cannot be overstated. However, there has been insufficient research on how to develop effective restoration strategies at minimal cost. This paper addresses this gap by studying how optimizing the spatiotemporal distribution of human activities through local and boundary controls can reduce the level of desertification in vegetation pattern structures, thereby facilitating the recovery of arid land vegetation. The results indicate that vegetation restoration depends on the proportion and number of human activity areas, with a trade-off between them. Furthermore, consistent conclusions were obtained on circular regions, demonstrating the robustness of the approach to boundary shapes. This paper aims to offer new insights into the restoration of arid land vegetation and the prevention of catastrophic ecosystem changes from the perspective of optimal control.

Topological differentiation of vegetation of the Lublin-Volyn geobotanical district

The position of the Lublin and Volyn (Volhynian) uplands within the geobotanical zonation system is ambiguous and disputable. An analysis of the syntaxonomical diversity and landscape distribution of the egetation of the Lublin and Volyn uplands revealed their similarity, and we consider this whole territory as the Lublin-Volyn geobotanical district of hornbeam-oak, oak forests, and steppe meadows. This district differs from the adjacent territories and is classified within the Central European mixed forests ecoregion. Typical and diagnostic syntaxa have been identified, and ecological-coenotic profiles have been constructed to characterize the distribution patterns of shrub-forest and herbaceous vegetation within the landscape. Based on calculations of phytosociological indicators for the main ecological factors, graphical patterns of their variation were developed. It was determined that the characteristic forests of the district, Tilieto-Carpinetum (Carpinion betulis), are represented by four variants (T.-C. var. galeobdolosum; T.-C. var. hepaticosum; T.-C. var. caricosum pilosae; T.-C. var. isopyrosum). The district is also characterized by the presence of syntaxa associated with carbonate soils, both of the marsh type (Caricion davallianae) and the meadow-steppe type (Cirsio-Brachypodion, Festucion valesiacae), with the dominance of Carex humilis and Stipa capillata. Using DCA-analysis, the correlation between ecological factor indicators and the distribution of plant communities within the ecological space has been established, forming six fields distributed along three vectors: by moisture (aquatic and marsh communities), xerophytism, and chemical properties of soils (meadow-steppe communities), as well as the structure of coenoses with a specific ombroregime (forest communities).

Testing of UV fluorescence marking with daily recaptures of a low-mobile bush-cricket species

The primary goal of developing new mark–release–recapture (MRR) methods is to make MMR more cost-effective and able to provide more information. To test the effectiveness of UV fluorescence marking, a case study was carried out on an Isophya costata population occurring in a mown grassland with a heterogeneous vegetation pattern. The marked individuals were examined daily, from the emergence of imagos until the mowing of the habitat. The 40 marked insects (20 males and 20 females) were recaptured in 206 cases over 16 days (32.2% of the potential maximal recaptures). The finding of males was 26.2% successful, and the finding of females was 38.1% successful. Females released in shorter and sparse vegetation were recaptured more than those released in dense vegetation or than males. Recaptures showed a significant decrease during the study period in almost all groups based on Mann–Kendall trend tests. Detections were made on the upper third of the vertical structure of the vegetation in 88% of cases. In most of the detections (males: 70%, females: 62%), the axis of the insect’s body was more likely to be located vertically. The results showed that the chance of detection is significantly reduced when the position of the insect’s body is facing the axis of UV illumination. Thus, the visibility of individuals can be greatly increased by marking all sides of the body.

Distribution Patterns of Urban Spontaneous Vegetation Diversity and Their Response to Habitat Heterogeneity: A Case Study of Five Cities in Heilongjiang Province, China.

Spontaneous vegetation is an important component of urban biodiversity and an excellent agent for exploring the mutual feedback mechanism between urbanization and urban ecosystems. Rapid urbanization has had a significant impact on the composition, structure, and distribution patterns of urban spontaneous vegetation diversity. Studying the diversity distribution patterns and causes of urban plant communities is beneficial for understanding the formation and maintenance mechanisms of plant diversity in specific urban habitats. This study selected five cities in different climate subregions of Heilongjiang Province as research targets and conducted field research using uniform sampling and typical sampling methods. The composition, distribution pattern, and driving factors of spontaneous vegetation were analyzed. The results showed the following: (1) A total of 633 examples of spontaneous vegetation were recorded, belonging to 93 families and 341 genera, mainly consisting of herbaceous plants and native plants. (2) The diversity index and similarity index of spontaneous vegetation in gravel-type abandoned land habitats are higher than those in other habitat types, while the diversity index of spontaneous vegetation in trees and shrubs is lower, and there is no significant difference in regards to different habitats. (3) Urban population density is a key factor affecting the diversity of native plants, while woody plant coverage, patch area, and landscape trait index are key factors affecting non-native plants. (4) The results of canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that the total explanatory power of environmental characteristic factors in regards to the distribution pattern of spontaneous vegetation was 7.5%. The closest distance between adjacent patches, the coverage of woody plants in patches, the distance from the city edge, the patch area, and the surface impermeability of the buffer zones were key factors affecting the distribution of dominant species in spontaneous vegetation communities. The research results will provide an important reference for the conservation of urban biodiversity and the construction of low-maintenance urban green space plant landscapes in Heilongjiang Province.

Diversified Vegetation Cover Alleviates Microbial Resource Limitations within Soil Aggregates in Tailings.

Resource demand by soil microorganisms critically influences microbial metabolism and then influences ecosystem resilience and multifunctionality. The ecological remediation of abandoned tailings is a topic of broad interest, yet our understanding of microbial metabolic status in restored soils, particularly at the aggregate scale, remains limited. This study investigated microbial resources within soil aggregates from revegetated tailings and applied a vector model of ecoenzymatic stoichiometry to examine how different vegetation patterns (grassland, forest, or bare land control) impact microbial resource limitation. Five-year vegetation restoration significantly elevated carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) concentrations and their stoichiometric ratios in soil aggregates (approximately 2-fold), although these increases were not translated to in the microbial biomass and its stoichiometry. The activities of C- and phosphorus (P)-acquiring extracellular enzymes in these aggregates increased substantially postvegetation, with the most pronounced escalation in macroaggregates (>0.25 mm). The vector model results indicated soil microbial metabolism was colimited by C and P, most acutely in microaggregates (<0.25 mm). This colimitation was exacerbated by monotypic vegetation cover but mitigated under diversified vegetation cover. Soil nutrient stoichiometric ratios in vegetation restoration controlled microbial resource limitation, overshadowing the impact of heavy metals. Our findings underscore that optimizing resource allocation within soil aggregates through strategic revegetation can enhance microbial metabolism in tailings, which advocates for the implementation of diverse vegetation covers as a viable strategy to improve the ecological development of degraded landscapes.

Hidden Archaeological Remains in Heterogeneous Vegetation: A Crop Marks Study in Fortified Settlements of Northwestern Iberian Peninsula

This study evaluates the effectiveness of multispectral imaging via Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), in combination with advanced digital image processing techniques, for the detection and mapping of archaeological sites within diverse landscapes. The research focuses on six case studies located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, a region marked by complex vegetation patterns and varying topography. The primary objective is to assess the potential of these non-invasive remote sensing techniques in identifying crop marks associated with buried structures from ancient, fortified settlements. By means of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and vegetation indices, the study aims to pinpoint areas of interest that may indicate the presence of archaeological features, while effectively distinguishing them from modern disturbances or natural terrain variations. The research encountered several challenges, including seasonal variations in crop conditions and recent land-use changes. The methodology successfully identified distinct archaeological features. In some instances, natural vegetation variability, typically seen as an obstacle, enhanced the visibility of crop marks, aiding in the detection of underlying structures. These results offer a cost-effective and scalable option for preliminary archaeological surveys, particularly in refining survey methodologies and guiding future excavation efforts aimed at uncovering and preserving ancient, fortified settlements in the region.

Tracking tree demography and forest dynamics at scale using remote sensing.

Capturing how tree growth and survival vary through space and time is critical to understanding the structure and dynamics of tree-dominated ecosystems. However, characterising demographic processes at scale is inherently challenging, as trees are slow-growing, long-lived and cover vast expanses of land. We used repeat airborne laser scanning data acquired across 25 km2 of semi-arid, old-growth temperate woodland in Western Australia to track the height growth, crown expansion and mortality of 42 213 individual trees over 9 yr. We found that demographic rates are constrained by a combination of tree size, competition and topography. After initially investing in height growth, trees progressively shifted to crown expansion as they grew larger, while mortality risk decreased considerably with size. Across the landscape, both tree growth and survival increased with topographic wetness, resulting in vegetation patterns that are strongly spatially structured. Moreover, biomass gains from woody growth generally outpaced losses from mortality, suggesting these old-growth woodlands remain a net carbon sink in the absence of wildfires. Our study sheds new light on the processes that shape the dynamics and spatial structure of semi-arid woody ecosystems and provides a roadmap for using emerging remote sensing technologies to track tree demography at scale.

Modern Pollen Signatures and Vegetation Dynamics in Northwestern Himalaya, India

ABSTRACT Palynological studies have been conducted for the first time in the Renukaji Wildlife Sanctuary (RWS), a Sal-dominated region within the foothills of Northwestern (NW) Himalaya in Himachal Pradesh, India. This research enhances our understanding of the relationship between modern pollen rain and vegetation, as well as pollen representation in sediments. Furthermore, it contributes to palaeovegetation reconstruction based on paleoclimatic trends by improving our interpretation of pollen deposition patterns. The study area was delineated into three distinct zones based on biological niche characteristics: Zone 1 (Recreation Zone), Zone 2 (Buffer Zone), and Zone 3 (Core Zone). Pollen analysis conducted on 30 surface soil samples and moss cushions, collected from all three zones, reveals the dominance of dry deciduous taxa, followed by extra-terrestrial taxa and wet deciduous taxa. Land Use Land Cover (LULC) analysis performed using satellite data reveals that Shorea robusta (Sal) mixed forest covers 32% of land, followed by Pinus spp. (8%) and their associates (25%). Shorea robusta, a mixed wet deciduous taxon and high pollen producer, exhibits low pollen counts, possibly due to chemical and microbial decomposition or low pollen dispersal efficiency. This study utilises a comparative database correlating pollen data with contemporary vegetation patterns to establish a robust framework for assessing sedimentary pollen sequences. Through this approach, we aim to elucidate past vegetation dynamics and infer climate fluctuations within the NW Himalaya.

Climate-driven peatlands development and vegetation dynamics in Northeastern China since the mid-Holocene: New evidence from Huanan peatlands

Studying peatland evolution and vegetation patterns in response to climate change provides valuable insights into future ecosystem trends. This study focuses on the Huanan peatland located in Changbai Mountain regions in Northeast China, utilizing phytolith analysis and stable carbon isotope composition (δ13C) to reconstruct late Holocene vegetation dynamics. Additionally, grain size, total organic carbon (TOC), and total nitrogen (TN) analyses were conducted to understand peatland development and paleoclimate since the late Holocene. The research identifies three distinct climate periods since 5500 cal yr BP: an initial warm, humid phase (5500–4000 cal yr BP) characterized by high river levels that formed lacustrine sediments; a subsequent transition to cold, dry conditions (4000–1500 cal yr BP) that initiated peat formation; and continued dry, cold conditions (1500 cal yr BP to the present) with sustained peat growth. Phytolith data reveal a dominant forest vegetation type since 2000 cal yr BP, further divided into three periods: 2000–1300 cal yr BP, marked by diverse and dense vegetation; 1300–750 cal yr BP, with declining plant cover; and 750 cal yr BP to the present, characterized by an increase in woody plants but a reduction in local grass cover.

Dietary patterns drive loss of fiber-foraging species in the celiac disease patients gut microbiota compared to first-degree relatives

BackgroundCeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered by dietary gluten in genetically predisposed individuals that primarily affects the small intestine. Studies have reported differentially abundant bacterial taxa in the gut microbiota of celiac patients compared with non-celiac controls. However, findings across studies have inconsistencies and no microbial signature of celiac disease has been defined so far.ResultsHere, we showed, by comparing celiac patients with their non-celiac 1st-degree relatives, that bacterial communities of related individuals have similar species occurrence and abundance compared with non-relatives, regardless the disease status. We also found in celiac patients a loss of bacterial species associated with fiber degradation, and host metabolic and immune modulation, as ruminiclostridia, ruminococci, Prevotella, and Akkermansia muciniphila species. We demonstrated that the differential abundance of bacterial species correlates to different dietary patterns observed between the two groups. For instance, Ruminiclostridium siraeum, Ruminococcus bicirculans, and Bacteroides plebeious, recognized as fiber-degraders, appear more abundant in non-celiac 1st-degree relatives, which have a vegetable consumption pattern higher than celiac patients. Pattern of servings per day also suggests a possible link between these species’ abundance and daily calorie intake.ConclusionsOverall, we evidenced that a kinship approach could be valuable in unveiling potential celiac disease microbial traits, as well as the significance of dietary factors in shaping microbial profiles and their influence on disease development and progression. Our results pave the way for designing and adopting novel dietary strategies based on gluten-free fiber-enriched ingredients to improve disease management and patients' quality of life.