Role In Ecological Functions Research Articles

Distribution of Ferns at Different Heights in Gunung Raya Protected Forest, West Kalimantan

Abstract: Ferns are a type of biodiversity that is spread to live on the forest floor and plays an important role in ecological functions, such as humus formation, protecting soil from erosion, and maintaining soil moisture. This study aims to determine the distribution of fern species at different heights in the Gunung Raya Protection Forest, Temajuk Village and their potential for the community. The method in this study, namely the cruising method to observe ferns on soil contours with an altitude of 25-125 meters above sea level, 125-225 meters above sea level, and 225-325 meters above sea level. Environmental parameters including temperature, humidity, light intensity, soil pH and wind speed were measured at each altitude. Herbarium was made to identify ferns. Information about the potential of ferns was obtained from the surrounding community. The results showed that there were 14 species of ferns belonging to 7 families. Ferns found were as many as 14 species at an altitude of 25-225 masl decreased to 10 species at the highest contour (325 masl). The four species that were not found were Stenochlaena palustris, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Hypolepis punctata, and Davalia divaricata. Of the 14 species of ferns, 11 of them have potential as vegetables, medicines, ornamental plants, and craft materials.

Exploring the interactions between algae and archaea

AbstractAlgae and archaea co-exist in diverse aquatic ecosystems and play a significant role in ecological functions and biogeochemical cycles. Compared to well-studied algal–bacterial interactions, there is a lack of information on algal–archaeal interactions and how their interactions affect their physiological fitness and nutrient cycles in either artificial cultivation systems or natural environments. The vast archaeal biodiversity, as indicated by genomic sequencing and computational approaches, has stimulated great interest in exploring uncultivated archaea to expand our knowledge of algae-archaea symbiosis. In this review, we summarize the latest studies on the diversity of algae-associated archaea and their (putative) symbiotic interactions, highlight the effects of algal–archaeal interactions on biogeochemical cycles and extend such knowledge to facilitate novel archaeal isolation and a broad range of algae-based biotechnological applications.

Successional development of the phototrophic community in biological soil crusts, along with soil formation on Holocene deposits at the Baltic Sea coast

Harsh environmental conditions form habitats colonized by specialized primary microbial colonizers, e.g., biological soil crusts (biocrusts). These cryptogamic communities are well studied in drylands but much less in temperate coastal dunes, where they play a crucial role in ecological functions. Following two dune chronosequences, this study highlights the successional development of the biocrust’s community composition on the Baltic Sea coast. A vegetation survey, followed by morphological species determination, was conducted. Sediment/soil cores of the different dune types were analyzed to uncover the potential impacts of the biocrust community on initial soil formation processes, with special emphasis on biogeochemical phosphorous (P) transformations. Biocrust succession was characterized by a dune type-specific community composition, shifting from thinner algae-dominated biocrusts in dynamic dunes to more stable moss-dominated biocrusts in mature dunes. The change in the biocrust community structure was accompanied by an increase in Chl a, water, and organic matter content. In total, 25 algal and cyanobacterial species, 16 mosses, and 26 lichens across all sampling sites were determined. The pedological characterization of these cores elucidated initial processes of soil genesis, such as decalcification, acidification, and the accumulation of organic matter with dune and biocrust development. Furthermore, the chemistry of iron (Fe)-containing compounds such as the Fedithionite/Fetotal ratios confirmed mineral weathering and the beginning of soil profile development. The biocrusts accumulated P over time, while the P content in the underlying sediment did not change. That implies that biocrusts take up P from the geological parent material in the dunes, thereby accumulating available P in the ecosystem, which gets transferred into subsoil horizons through leaching or redeposition. The relative proportion of the bioavailable P pool (56% to 74% of Pt) increased with dune succession. That happened at the expense of more stable bound P, which was transformed into labile P. Thus, the level of plant available P along the dune chronosequences increased due to the microbial activity of the biocrust organisms. It can be concluded that biocrusts of temperate coastal dunes play a crucial role in maintaining their habitat by accumulating nutrients and organic matter, supporting soil development and subsequent vegetation.

Photoautotrophic microorganisms from mangroves: a review of the ecological role and bioproducts of commercial interest

AbstractPhotoautotrophic microorganisms, such as microalgae and cyanobacteria, are known to perform an essential role in ecological functions. Besides, they are considered cell factories, producing various bioproducts of commercial interest. In mangroves, these microorganisms are primarily responsible for the ecosystem's high productivity. Moreover, the unique natural characteristics of mangroves, coupled with the intense pressure from anthropic activities that these ecosystems typically experience, make mangrove photoautotrophic microbiota biotechnologically attractive. In this work, the ecological role and biotechnological potential of photoautotrophic mangrove microorganisms worldwide were evaluated, highlighting, their ecosystem services and bioproducts with environmental and commercial appeal, as well as their strategic and technological application through patent analysis. © 2023 Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Quantifying the Impact of Hydrological Connectivity on Salt Marsh Vegetation in the Liao River Delta Wetland.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13157-023-01693-4.

Inducing flooding index for vegetation mapping in water-land ecotone with Sentinel-1 & Sentinel-2 images: A case study in Dongting Lake, China

Water-land ecotone is a core area of wetlands which play an important role in ecological function. The information of vegetation type on the water-land ecotone is important for detecting the health of the wetland, and its protection. Seasonal flooding is a key factor in controlling the environment in water-land ecotone. Even preventing direct detection of the flooded vegetation with satellites, seasonal flooding has effects on the distribution of plants, which may provide potential information on vegetation classification with satellites. Therefore, the study induces flooding index in vegetation mapping in water-land ecotone with satellites. We applied Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 images to map vegetation in the Dongting Lake with random forest method. The Sentinel-1 SAR images were used to obtain the flooding index (i.e. inundation frequency), and Sentinel-2 images were applied to acquire the optical characteristic of vegetation. A comparative experiment based on whether the flooding index was added or not during vegetation mapping in the Dongting Lake was carried out to explore the role of flooding index in vegetation mapping. The results concluded that (1) seasonal flooding will hinder vegetation mapping using a single phase of optical information; (2) the classification accuracy of single phase scenario was significantly improved with the aid of flooding index especially in wet season; (3) the classification accuracy can be somewhat improved by adding flooding index for the multi-temporal scenario. The study implies that inundation frequency information can be used for vegetation mapping in water-land ecotone, especially for complex regions with insufficient cloud-free satellite images.

The Estimation of Ketapang (Terminalia catappa Linn.) Tree’s Transpiration

Ketapang (Terminalia catappa Linn.) is a coastal tree with a fairly wide distribution area. The utilization of ketapang has not been carried out optimally. Ketapang is only used as a shade tree. For this reason, it is necessary to do a lot of research in exploring the various benefits of ketapang. One of the basic studies to determine the potential of ketapang is to estimate the transpiration of ketapang tree. The results of this study can be used as a basis for the use of ketapang as a tree that has the potential for sustainable environmental management. The purpose of this study was to determine the estimated transpiration of ketapang tree. This research is a qualitative survey research. This research uses purposive sampling technique. The sample in this study is ketapang tree that grows in the FKIP environment of Lancang Kuning University. The research data were analyzed by using the formula for the estimation of the amount of water from transpiration in one tree. The results showed that the estimated transpiration in ketapang tree averaged 17,330 ml within 24 hours. The ketapang tree has an important role in ecological functions, especially in maintaining the water cycle. It is necessary to conduct similar research on other tree species in order to obtain tree species that have the potential to be developed as trees with high ecological functions.

Mamíferos do Estado de São Paulo: diversidade, distribuição, ecologia e conservação

Abstract Mammals are charismatic organisms that play a fundamental role in ecological functions and ecosystem services, such as pollination, seed dispersal, nutrient cycling, and pest control. The state of São Paulo represents only 3% of the Brazilian territory but holds 33% of its mammalian diversity. Most of its territory is dominated by agriculture, pastures, and urban areas which directly affect the diversity and persistence of mammals in the landscape. In addition, São Paulo has the largest port in Latin America and the largest offshore oil reservoir in Brazil, with a 600 km stretch of coastline with several marine mammal species. These human-made infrastructures affect the diversity, distribution, ecology, and the future of mammals in the state. Here, we answer five main questions: 1) What is the diversity of wild mammals in São Paulo state? 2) Where are they? 3) What is their positive and negative impact on human well-being? 4) How do mammals thrive in human-modified landscapes? 5) What is the future of mammals in the state? The state of São Paulo holds 255 species of native mammals, with four endemic species, two of them globally endangered. At least six species (two marsupials, Giant otter, Pampas deer, Brazilian dwarf brocket deer, and Giant armadillo) were extirpated from the state due to hunting and habitat loss. The intense human land use in the state forced many mammalian species to change their diet to cope with the intense fragmentation and agriculture. Large-scale monoculture has facilitated the invasion of exotic species such as wild boars (javali) and the European hare. Several “savanna-dwelling” species are expanding their ranges (Maned wolf, Brocket deer) over deforested areas and probably reflect changes towards a drier climate. Because the state has the largest road system, about 40,000 mammals from 33 species are killed per year in collisions causing an economic loss of 12 million dollars/year. The diversity of mammals is concentrated in the largest forest remnants of Serra do Mar and in the interior of the State, mainly in the regions of Ribeirão Preto and Jundiaí. Sampling gaps are concentrated throughout the interior of the state, particularly in the northwest region. Wild mammals play a fundamental role in many ecosystem services, but they can also be a concern in bringing new emergent diseases to humans. Although the taxonomy of mammals seems to be well known, we show that new species are continuously being discovered in the state. Therefore, continuous surveys using traditional and new technologies (eDNA, iDNA, drones), long-term population monitoring, investigation of the interface of human-wildlife conflict, and understanding of the unique ecosystem role played by mammals are future avenues for promoting sustainable green landscapes allied to human well-being in the state. The planting of forest or savanna corridors, particularly along with major river systems, in the plateau, controlling illegal hunting in the coastal areas, managing fire regimes in the Cerrado, and mitigating roadkill must be prioritized to protect this outstanding mammal diversity.

Review: A descriptive study of karst conditions and problems in Indonesia and the role of karst for flora, fauna, and humans

Abstract. Aprilia D, Arifiani KN, Sani MF, Jumari, Wijayanti F, Setyawan AD. 2021. Review: A descriptive study of karst conditions and problems in Indonesia and the role of karst for flora, fauna, and humans. Intl J Trop Drylands 5: 61-74. The karst area in Indonesia covers an area of about 15.4 million hectares and is spread almost throughout Indonesia. It is estimated the age of karst in Indonesia started from 470 million years ago to the most recent about 700,000 years. The existence of this area shows that many of the Indonesian islands were once seabed but were later uplifted and hardened. Most of the karst areas in Indonesia are composed of carbonate rocks, and almost none are composed of other rocks such as gypsum, salt rock, and evaporite rocks. Karst in Indonesia can be classified based on its development and climate. The amount of water available in the karst area plays an important role in human life and so do flora and fauna around the karst area. The karst area functions as an ecosystem for the habitat of various animals and plants. The richness of flora and fauna of this karst area is extraordinary. Karst area plays an important role in economy, science, and human culture. In addition, karst areas have an important role in the ecosystem, such as providing clean water, limestone-based natural materials, and controlling climate change. Its role in ecological function is that karst areas can also be a source of CO2 gas absorption. About 9.5% (155,000 km2) of the total karst area of Indonesia was damaged due to limestone mining activities, logging of vegetation, and land conversion. Given the importance of karst and limestone ecosystems as non-renewable natural resources, it is necessary to do conservation to maintain the ecological function. Steps that can be taken for conservation efforts in karst areas include limiting the sale of raw limestone to outside the area, clarifying protected areas and cultivation areas, socializing the importance of preserving karst areas, providing skills or developing other business opportunities, and reclaiming used land and mining according to the level and type of damage. This study aims to describe the geographical conditions and karst problems in Indonesia so that the conservation measures taken are known and identify the role of the karst area for flora, fauna, and humans.

Response of Soil Fungal Diversity and Community Composition to Varying Levels of Bamboo Biochar in Red Soils.

Soil fungi play a vital role in soil nutrient dynamics, but knowledge of their diversity and community composition in response to biochar addition into red soil is either limited or inconsistent. Therefore, we determined the impact of bamboo biochar (BB) with increasing concentrations (0, 5, 20, and 80 g kg−1 of soil, referred to as B0, BB5, BB20, and BB80, respectively) on soil physicochemical properties and fungal communities (Illumina high-throughput sequencing) in red soil under Fokenia hodginsii (Fujian cypress). We found that increasing BB levels effectively raised the soil pH and soil nutrients, particularly under BB80. BB addition significantly increased the relative abundance of important genera, i.e., Basidiomycota, Mucoromycota, and Chytridiomycota that could play a key role in ecological functioning, e.g., wood degradation and litter decomposition, improvement in plant nutrients uptake, and resistance to several abiotic stress factors. Soil amended with BB exhibited a substantial ability to increase the fungal richness and diversity; BB80 > BB20 > BB5 > B0. Basidiomycota, Mucoromycota, Glomeromycota, Rozellomycota, Aphelidiomycota, Kickxellomycota, and Planctomycetes were positively associated with soil pH, total nitrogen, phosphorous, and carbon, and available potassium and phosphorous. Besides, the correlation analysis between the soil fungal communities and soil properties also showed that soil pH was the most influential factor in shaping the soil fungal communities in the red soil. These findings have significant implications for a comprehensive understanding of how to ameliorate acidic soils with BB addition, as well as for future research on sustainable forest management, which might increase soil fungi richness, diversity, and functionality in acidic soils.

Soil Bacterial and Fungal Composition and Diversity Responses to Seasonal Deer Grazing in a Subalpine Meadow

Soil microbial composition and diversity are widely recognized for their role in ecological functioning. This study examined the differences of soil microbial communities between two seasonally grazed grasslands. The study area was in the Gansu red deer farm located on the Qilian Mountain range in the Gansu province of northwestern China. This farm adopted a seasonal rotation grazing system whereby grasslands at higher altitudes are grazed in summer (SG), whilst grasslands at lower altitudes are grazed in winter (WG). The soil bacterial and fungal communities were examined by Illumina MiSeq sequencing. We found that soil water content (SWC), organic carbon (OC), total carbon (TC), and total nitrogen (TN) were significantly higher, whereas the C/N ratio was significantly lower in SG than WG pastures. The α-diversity of bacteria was greater than that of fungi in both pastures, while both bacterial and fungal α-diversity were not significantly different between the pastures. The bacterial β-diversity was significantly different between the pastures, but fungal β-diversity was not. The bacterial phylum Actinobacteria and fungal phylum Ascomycota were dominant in both pastures. The relative abundance of Actinobacteria in soil was significantly higher in WG pastures, whereas the relative abundance of Proteobacteria in soil was significantly higher in SG pastures. Significant correlations between bacterial and fungal phyla and soil properties were observed, but this varied between the two grasslands. This study showed that distinct microbial community structures developed in two pastures within the same geographic location that were grazed in different seasons.

Integrating species and successional classes for wood production in a mixed forest restoration system in a neotropical region

As forests in neotropical regions, particularly in developing countries, are devastated, interventions to restore biodiversity and its ecological functions are needed. Rural producers have thus been encouraged to grow trees for wood production as an economic activity. The objective of this study was to quantify the increment of wood density of four forest species from different successional classes of a mixed system of restoration in a neotropical forest in Brazil. Tree discs were sampled at breast height and analyzed radially by X-ray densitometry to obtain apparent density and basic density. Three trees each of a species from the pioneer, early and late secondary successional stages and of the dominant species in the climax community. The radial profiles indicated increasing density from the pith to bark of trunks, except for some variations due to wood defects and growth. Average density was 0.576 g cm−3, 0.655 g cm−3, 0.706 g cm−3 and 0.775 g cm−3, respectively, for Peltophorum dubium, Schinus terebinthifolius, Cariniana estrellensis and Hymenaea courbaril. Radial profiles indicated higher amplitudes in the apparent densities for slow-growing species. X-ray densitometry generated parameters such as minimum, average and maximum densities, and radial density variations. These parameters are important for understanding the ecological functional role of successional classes of the Atlantic Forest from the Neotropical region.

Seagrass vegetation affect the vertical organization of microbial communities in sediment

Seagrasses represent high primary productivity and provide important ecosystem services to the marine environment. Seagrass-associated microbial communities are playing essential ecological functional roles in biogeochemical cycles. However, little is known about the effect of seagrass vegetation on microbial communities in sediment. In the present study, the sediment cores of seagrass bed (dominated by Zostera japonica and Zostera marine) and degradation area in Swan Lake (China) were sampled; then, biogeochemical parameters were analyzed, and microbial community composition was investigated by using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene.The results showed that the presence of seagrass could lead to a decrease in the richness and diversity of the microbial community. In the vertical direction, a pronounced shift from Proteobacteria-dominated upper layers to Chloroflexi and Crenarchaeota-dominated deep layers in all sediment cores were observed. Besides, Bathyarchaeia is more abundant at degradation area, while Vibrionaceae, Sulfurovum and Lokiarchaeial overrepresent at the seagrass bed area. Vibrionaceae was abundant in the rhizosphere of Z. marina and Z. japonica, and the proportions reached 84.45% and 63.89%, respectively. This enrichment of Vibrio spp. may be caused by the macrobenthic species near the seagrass rhizosphere, and these Vibrio spp. reduced the diversity and stability of microbial community, which may lead to the degradation of seagrass.This study would provide clues for the distribution patterns and niche preferences of seagrass microbiome. The conservation strategy of seagrass would be further elucidated from the perspective of the microbiome.

Soil properties, bacterial and fungal community compositions and the key factors after 5-year continuous monocropping of three minor crops.

Minor grain crops are widely cultivated in northwest China and played important roles in local economic. Soil microbes play a central role in ecological function and biological stability and related to soil quality. In order to uncover the soil microbial composition differences and the factors under 5-year continuous monocropping of three minor crops (Proso millet, Common bean and Common buckwheat) in Guan-Zhong Plain, six soil nutrimental parameters, soil pH, soil moisture content, and four soil enzyme activities were analyzed and soil microbial composition were sequenced. The results showed that after 5-years of continuous monocropping, different cover crops influenced most of soil physicochemical properties, expect soil moisture content (P < 0.05), the available nutrients were significant higher in proso millet soil, and the pH was significantly higher in common buckwheat soil. soil ALP, catalase and urease activities were significantly different between soils (P< 0.01), in which soil catalase activities were significantly lower and soil ALP and urease activities were significantly higher than that of proso millet and common buckwheat. A total of 171439 sequences, 9468 OTUs and 29 phylum for bacteria, 128920 sequences, 544 OTUs and 27 phylum for fungi were obtained. In addition, no significantly difference obtained in diversity and richness between soils (P < 0.05). According to relative abundance, Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadetes and Acidobacteria were the dominant bacterial phylum in all samples, moreover, the relative abundance of Caldiserica was significantly different between soils (P < 0.05). Ascomycota (79.04%-90.21%) was dominant phylum in fungal community and phylum Phragmoplastophyta (P < 0.01) and Glomeromycota (P < 0.05) were significantly different between soils. Redundancy analysis indicated that available nutrients Nitrogen and Potassium are the strongest predictors in both bacterial and fungal community. In conclusion, different cover crops influenced soil nutrient properties, soil pH and soil microbial composition, and continuous monocropping decreased soil fertility condition. Moreover, Common bean and Common buckwheat were more sensitive to monocropping treatment.

Penggunaan Ruang Terbuka Hijau di Hotel Bintang Lima di Yogyakarta Sebagai Habitat Burung

The presence of green open space in a city plays an important role in ecological functions, one of which has the potential to become a birds habitat. Plant composition in GOS plays an important role in the use of habitat by birds. Studies on the presence of GOS as birds habitat are still growing. In this study, the use of GOS in five-star hotels in Yogyakarta as birds habitat is examined. The study was conducted in February-March and June 2020 at the GOS of Royal Ambarrukmo Hotel, Sheraton Mustika Resort &amp; Spa, and the edge of the Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta property. The method used is IPA, birds identification using Mac Kinnon's guidebook, and taking vegetation data using the quadratic plot method. Based on research, total of birds species that were found are 22 species from 14 families. Plant species were found are 59 species from 33 families. Based on research found that the more diverse types of plants in a habitat, the more diverse species of birds found. The composition of birds is dominated by graminivorous groups. The use of GOS in the three hotels acts as a bird habitat to support all its activities including foraging, perching, and nesting.

Synergy of High-Resolution Radar and Optical Images Satellite for Identification and Mapping of Wetland Macrophytes on the Danube Delta

In wetland environments, vegetation has an important role in ecological functioning. The main goal of this work was to identify an optimal combination of Sentinel-1 (S1), Sentinel-2 (S2), and Pleiades data using ground-reference data to accurately map wetland macrophytes in the Danube Delta. We tested several combinations of optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data rigorously at two levels. First, in order to reduce the confusion between reed (Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.) and other macrophyte communities, a time series analysis of S1 data was performed. The potential of S1 for detection of compact reed on plaur, compact reed on plaur/reed cut, open reed on plaur, pure reed, and reed on salinized soil was evaluated through time series of backscatter coefficient and coherence ratio images, calculated mainly according to the phenology of the reed. The analysis of backscattering coefficients allowed separation of reed classes that strongly overlapped. The coherence coefficient showed that C-band SAR repeat pass interferometric coherence for cut reed detection is feasible. In the second section, random forest (RF) classification was applied to the S2, Pleiades, and S1 data and in situ observations to discriminate and map reed against other aquatic macrophytes (submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), emergent macrophytes, some floating broad-leaved and floating vegetation of delta lakes). In addition, different optical indices were included in the RF. A total of 67 classification models were made in several sensor combinations with two series of validation samples (with the reed and without reed) using both a simple and more detailed classification schema. The results showed that reed is completely discriminable compared to other macrophyte communities with all sensor combinations. In all combinations, the model-based producer’s accuracy (PA) and user’s accuracy (UA) for reed with both nomenclatures were over 90%. The diverse combinations of sensors were valuable for improving the overall classification accuracy of all of the communities of aquatic macrophytes except Myriophyllum spicatum L.

Run rabbit run: spotted-tailed quoll diet reveals invasive prey is top of the menu

Information about the ecological functional roles of native predators may help inform the conservation of wildlife and pest management. If predators show preferences for certain prey, such as invasive species, this could potentially be used as a conservation tool to help restore degraded (e.g. overgrazed) ecosystems via the reintroduction of native predators and suppression of exotic prey (e.g. introduced herbivores). The diet of spotted-tailed quolls was studied in a fenced reserve in south-eastern Australia where native mammals have been reintroduced, foxes and cats removed, but invasive European rabbits still persist. A total of 80 scats were collected over 12 months and analysis of macroscopic prey remains was conducted to determine diet. Rabbits were by far the most commonly consumed prey species by volume (~76%) and frequency (~60%), followed by brushtail possums (~11% for both volume and frequency), and other small and medium-sized native mammals in much smaller amounts. Quoll scat analysis revealed 10 mammal species in total, eight of which were native. Bird, reptile and invertebrate remains were uncommon in quoll scats. This suggests that spotted-tailed quolls may show a preference for preying on invasive European rabbits in certain contexts, and this could potentially be used as part of quoll reintroductions to aid rabbit population suppression and ecosystem restoration.

Leveraging Ethnobotany to Unlock The Green Economy Potential of Flores Through Local Textile Industry

Flores is an island in Wallacea with a rich diversity of more than 150 plant species, some of which are endemic, such as Begonia kelimutuensis and Rhododendron renschianum. Plants have a critical role in ecological functions, such as carbon storage, water and air purification, and mitigation of climate change. They also provide an opportunity to develop a green economy for increasing the livelihoods of local people. Green economy consists of the efficient use of natural resources, low-carbon economic activities, and social inclusion. This paper aims to formulate a green economy strategy for Flores by evaluating the natural capital assets, which include plants and its associated local wisdom, as a recommendation for government authorities, local community, and other stakeholders. There are at least 6 published ethnobotanical research of Flores, particularly in Ruteng Mountains, Manggarai Barat, and Ngada. These studies uncover the rich local wisdom in utilizing plants. We envisage strategic approach to leverage this potential, which involves on the development of utilization of local plants for textile industry. Together, this analysis is targeted for paving the way to unlock Flores socio-economically important plants to improve the life quality of rural communities and beyond.

Measurements and Modeling of the Water Budget in Semiarid High‐Altitude Qinghai Lake Basin, Northeast Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau

AbstractWater budget plays an important role in ecological functions and biogeochemical cycles on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau (QTP). However, the key factors that govern the water budget across spatiotemporal scales in natural conditions are poorly understood, especially in the alpine region. To advance our understanding of how and why the water budget varies at the ecosystem and catchment scales, this study measured and modeled the main water budget components in the Qinghai Lake Basin (QLB) and further investigated the key factors for evapotranspiration and streamflow. The results showed that most monthly precipitation from June to September was greater than the corresponding evapotranspiration from the high‐altitude Kobresia meadow (KMd.) and Potentilla fruticosa shrub (PFSh.) ecosystem, and vice versa for the low‐altitude Achnatherum splendens steppe (ASSt.) ecosystem. The mean annual proportions of evapotranspiration of precipitation for the KMd., PFSh., and ASSt. ecosystems were 0.83, 1.06, and 1.02, respectively, from 2014 to 2015. The study highlights that the high‐altitude KMd. ecosystem is the main contributing area for runoff generation in the QLB. From ASSt. to PFSh. and then to the KMd. ecosystem, the key factors for evapotranspiration switched from water conditions to temperature conditions with the increase in elevation. The future scenario of climate warming and precipitation increase may cause a rise in evapotranspiration and streamflow in the QLB. Moreover, the increasing precipitation may be consumed mainly by evapotranspiration in the high altitude with low slope and by transfer into streamflow in the area with high slope.

Conservation implications for dingoes from the maternal and paternal genome: Multiple populations, dog introgression, and demography.

It is increasingly common for apex predators to face a multitude of complex conservation issues. In Australia, dingoes are the mainland apex predator and play an important role in ecological functioning. Currently, however, they are threatened by hybridization with modern domestic dogs in the wild. As a consequence, we explore how increasing our understanding of the evolutionary history of dingoes can inform management and conservation decisions. Previous research on whole mitochondrial genome and nuclear data from five geographical populations showed evidence of two distinct lineages of dingo. Here, we present data from a broader survey of dingoes around Australia using both mitochondrial and Y chromosome markers and investigate the timing of demographic expansions. Biogeographic data corroborate the presence of at least two geographically subdivided genetic populations, southeastern and northwestern. Demographic modeling suggests that dingoes have undergone population expansion in the last 5,000 years. It is not clear whether this stems from expansion into vacant niches after the extinction of thylacines on the mainland or indicates the arrival date of dingoes. Male dispersal is much more common than female, evidenced by more diffuse Y haplogroup distributions. There is also evidence of likely historical male biased introgression from domestic dogs into dingoes, predominately within southeastern Australia. These findings have critical practical implications for the management and conservation of dingoes in Australia; particularly a focus must be placed upon the threatened southeastern dingo population.