Shaping Community Research Articles

Macrofaunal Biodiversity and Patch Mosaics on the Deep Gulf of Mexico Seafloor

ABSTRACTThe deep‐sea benthos often exhibit exceptional biodiversity. The patch‐mosaic hypothesis proposes that this deep‐sea diversity arises from varied microhabitats with prolonged temporal persistence filtering for distinctive communities thereby increasing beta‐diversity. This study investigated environmental, community, and macrofaunal species turnover at four deep‐sea sites (~2000 m) in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Using precise small‐scale sampling with a ROV, we analyzed patterns across spatial scales from centimeters to approximately 400 km among 67 sediment cores. We examined the relationships between sedimentary carbon, sediment grain size, and macrofaunal alpha‐ and beta‐diversity. Subsequently, we explored the role of these environmental properties and their spatial arrangement in shaping communities and species distributions. We observed a consistent trend where the overall abundance and diversity of a community increased with higher carbon but decreased with increasing grain size. Substantial faunal turnover was observed among cores, even at centimeter scales, with the contribution of centimeter‐scale spatial distance rivaling that of 100‐km scales in faunal dissimilarity. Similar to alpha‐diversity, beta‐diversity exhibited strong correlations with sediment carbon and grain size. The observed random spatial structure in grain size and carbon appear to translate into randomness in both community and species distribution. These findings align with the patch‐mosaic model, underscoring the complexity of deep‐sea ecosystems. These findings suggest an intricate relationship between sedimentary attributes, faunal composition, and spatial arrangement in the deep‐sea benthos, shedding light on the mechanisms driving biodiversity in seemingly homogeneous environments.

Bacterial community dynamics as a result of growth-yield trade-off and multispecies metabolic interactions toward understanding the gut biofilm niche

Bacterial communities are ubiquitous, found in natural ecosystems, such as soil, and within living organisms, like the human microbiome. The dynamics of these communities in diverse environments depend on factors such as spatial features of the microbial niche, biochemical kinetics, and interactions among bacteria. Moreover, in many systems, bacterial communities are influenced by multiple physical mechanisms, such as mass transport and detachment forces. One example is gut mucosal communities, where dense, closely packed communities develop under the concurrent influence of nutrient transport from the lumen and fluid-mediated detachment of bacteria. In this study, we model a mucosal niche through a coupled agent-based and finite-volume modeling approach. This methodology enables us to model bacterial interactions affected by nutrient release from various sources while adjusting individual bacterial kinetics. We explored how the dispersion and abundance of bacteria are influenced by biochemical kinetics in different types of metabolic interactions, with a particular focus on the trade-off between growth rate and yield. Our findings demonstrate that in competitive scenarios, higher growth rates result in a larger share of the niche space. In contrast, growth yield plays a critical role in neutralism, commensalism, and mutualism interactions. When bacteria are introduced sequentially, they cause distinct spatiotemporal effects, such as deeper niche colonization in commensalism and mutualism scenarios driven by species intermixing effects, which are enhanced by high growth yields. Moreover, sub-ecosystem interactions dictate the dynamics of three-species communities, sometimes yielding unexpected outcomes. Competitive, fast-growing bacteria demonstrate robust colonization abilities, yet they face challenges in displacing established mutualistic systems. Bacteria that develop a cooperative relationship with existing species typically obtain niche residence, regardless of their growth rates, although higher growth yields significantly enhance their abundance. Our results underscore the importance of bacterial niche dynamics in shaping community properties and succession, highlighting a new approach to manipulating microbial systems.

Temporal variability and predictability predict alpine plant community composition and distribution patterns.

One of the most reliable features of natural systems is that they change through time. Theory predicts that temporally fluctuating conditions shape community composition, species distribution patterns, and life history variation, yet features of temporal variability are rarely incorporated into studies of species-environment associations. In this study, we evaluated how two components of temporal environmental variation-variability and predictability-impact plant community composition and species distribution patterns in the alpine tundra of the Southern Rocky Mountains in Colorado (USA). Using the Sensor Network Array at the Niwot Ridge Long-Term Ecological Research site, we used in situ, high-resolution temporal measurements of soil moisture and temperature from 13 locations ("nodes") distributed throughout an alpine catchment to characterize the annual mean, variability, and predictability in these variables in each of four consecutive years. We combined these data with annual vegetation surveys at each node to evaluate whether variability over short (within-day) and seasonal (2- to 4-month) timescales could predict patterns in plant community composition, species distributions, and species abundances better than models that considered average annual conditions alone. We found that metrics for variability and predictability in soil moisture and soil temperature, at both daily and seasonal timescales, improved our ability to explain spatial variation in alpine plant community composition. Daily variability in soil moisture and temperature, along with seasonal predictability in soil moisture, was particularly important in predicting community composition and species occurrences. These results indicate that the magnitude and patterns of fluctuations in soil moisture and temperature are important predictors of community composition and plant distribution patterns in alpine plant communities. More broadly, these results highlight that components of temporal change provide important niche axes that can partition species with different growth and life history strategies along environmental gradients in heterogeneous landscapes.

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.

Dynamics of phytoplankton community in relation to environmental variables in tropical mangrove estuary, Sundarbans, India

Aim: To explore the spatio-temporal variation of phytoplankton diversity and community structure, in response to associated environmental variables in Matla estuary, Sundarbans, India. Methodology: Monthly sampling was carried out from August 2022 to July 2023 at three locations within the estuary. Plankton was identified and its dynamics were studied in relation to the environment variables. Results: A total of 38 genera of phytoplankton, belonging to 8 classes, were identified. Spatial diversity was high in the upper reaches of the estuary, while temporal diversity peaked during the monsoon season. The majority of the abundance (96%) was contributed by four classes: Coscinodiscophyceae (35%), Mediophyceae (27%), Bacillariophyceae (25%) and Dinophyceae (9%). Bacillariophyceae exhibited higher species richness, while Coscinodiscophyceae dominated in terms of density. Cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling revealed four separate groups with varying spatio-temporal attributes. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) post-hoc tests highlighted significant variations in environmental parameters across seasons. Various phytoplankton groups were positively correlated with the physio-chemical parameters such as temperature, alkalinity, free CO2, NO3, NO2, silicate, temperature, orthophosphate and chlorophyll-a. Biota-environment stepwise analysis (BIO-ENV) underscored the importance of air temperature and free CO2 (ρ= 0.4929) as key factors shaping phytoplankton distribution and community structure. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) further showed the significant influence of parameters such as temperature, silicate, nitrite and orthophosphate on the phytoplankton community. Interpretation: Finding of this study enriches our comprehension of estuarine ecosystem dynamics, and this information may serve as a baseline study and thereby aid in framing management measures for long-term conservation and management of both biotic and abiotic components within estuaries. Key words: Environmental variables, Estuary, Mangrove, Phytoplankton, Sundarbans

Going Back to School: Reflecting on School Space as “Shared Space” to Shape Cities and Communities

There has been a growing interest in Australia for public schools to share their facilities (space) with local communities, driven by the understanding that these substantial public investments have the potential to yield additional social, environmental, and economic benefits to their immediate neighbourhoods. Yet, there is limited critical research on this topic, particularly from an urban planning perspective. This article reflects on schools within the broader spatial environment to understand how outdoor recreational and green spaces of schools can be enhanced to optimize their role within the city and to advance “schools beyond schools.” This study deviates from prior research by examining the conceptual progress in urban planning that envisions educational institutions not merely as pedagogical entities but as pivotal urban nodes capable of enhancing the socio-spatial dynamics of shared spaces. Through a systematic review, this article exposes the concept of “shared space” in reference to educational spaces (school grounds). It draws on the Share Our Space program of the New South Wales Department of Education to provide an in-depth understanding of the “shared space” framework, analysing both the inherent advantages and potential challenges in the future evolution of this model. The findings revealed a prevalence of academic studies on shared use or joint use agreements as the primary approach for granting community access to school facilities. In these agreements, the main challenges to sharing school spaces with communities or partner organizations were managerial and legal considerations. The research emphasized the need for a collective reimagining of school facilities and a comprehensive re-evaluation of shared school space within the broader urban context, which is particularly vital in the pursuit of resilient urban futures. This will require addressing gaps in collaboration between education and planning disciplines, the participation of the communities they serve, and developing a frame of reference to guide the dialogue. Local planning authorities are crucial in facilitating and implementing such a multi-disciplinary approach to reposition school spaces as the focal point of sustainable city and community development.

Multi-omics framework to reveal the molecular determinants of fermentation performance in wine yeast populations

BackgroundConnecting the composition and function of industrial microbiomes is a major aspiration in microbial biotechnology. Here, we address this question in wine fermentation, a model system where the diversity and functioning of fermenting yeast species are determinant of the flavor and quality of the resulting wines.ResultsFirst, we surveyed yeast communities associated with grape musts collected across wine appellations, revealing the importance of environmental (i.e., biogeography) and anthropic factors (i.e., farming system) in shaping community composition and structure. Then, we assayed the fermenting yeast communities in synthetic grape must under common winemaking conditions. The dominating yeast species defines the fermentation performance and metabolite profile of the resulting wines, and it is determined by the initial fungal community composition rather than the imposed fermentation conditions. Yeast dominance also had a more pronounced impact on wine meta-transcriptome than fermentation conditions. We unveiled yeast-specific transcriptomic profiles, leveraging different molecular functioning strategies in wine fermentation environments. We further studied the orthologs responsible for metabolite production, revealing modules associated with the dominance of specific yeast species. This emphasizes the unique contributions of yeast species to wine flavor, here summarized in an array of orthologs that defines the individual contribution of yeast species to wine ecosystem functioning.ConclusionsOur study bridges the gap between yeast community composition and wine metabolite production, providing insights to harness diverse yeast functionalities with the final aim to producing tailored high-quality wines.74dL8hDE5Rym1TqBfqxSSDVideo

Language, belief, and cultural resilience: Rastafarian discourse in Britain

This paper explores the intricate relationship between language, belief, and cultural resilience within the Rastafarian movement in Britain. Drawing upon interdisciplinary perspectives from linguistics, religious studies, cultural anthropology, and sociology, the paper delves into the unique linguistic practices, spiritual beliefs, and cultural expressions of Rastafarians in Britain.The paper examines the evolution of Rastafarian discourse, highlighting its distinctiveness and resilience within the context of Jamaican Patois and British multiculturalism. It analyses the role of language in shaping Rastafarian identity, resistance, and community cohesion, considering how linguistic practices reflect and reinforce Rastafarian beliefs and cultural norms.Furthermore, the paper explores the religious beliefs and practices that underpin Rastafarianism, particularly the reverence for Emperor Haile Selassie I and its implications for Rastafarian identity in Britain. It investigates how Rastafarian beliefs intersect with broader social and political issues, including race, colonialism, and social justice, shaping the movement’s engagement with British society.Finally, the paper examines the concept of cultural resilience within the Rastafarian community, analysing how Rastafarians in Britain have preserved and adapted their cultural traditions in the face of challenges such as racism, discrimination, and cultural assimilation. Overall, this paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the Rastafarian movement in Britain and its significance in the context of language, belief, and cultural resilience. It underscores the enduring impact of Rastafarian discourse and practices in shaping diverse cultural landscapes and fostering social change./ Keywords: Rastafarian colonial discourse, global dynamics, racial politics, Britain, societal integration, policy measures, fragmentation, Afrocentric interpretations, colonial resistance, prophetic salvation, cultural revitalization, London, African exploitation, white working-class culture

The ‘death’ and ‘rebirth’ of museums in colonial Hong Kong: three decades of community endeavours to restore reputation and culture, 1933–1962

ABSTRACT For nearly three decades, from 1933 to 1962, Hong Kong was deprived of a proper museum. This article explores the prolonged absence of public museum services in the colony and their arduous restoration. It investigates the reasons behind this extended hiatus and scrutinises the efforts made by the Hong Kong colonial government and the local community to reintroduce public museum services. The article argues that the resurgence of museums in Hong Kong was primarily propelled by community initiatives. While the colonial administration displayed indifference towards museum provision, Hong Kong's civil society considered it essential for enhancing the colony's reputation and cultural landscape. Through a public campaign for cultural democratisation, they compelled the government to establish a new museum. Their lobbying and preparatory efforts showcased the significant determination and agency of the local community in shaping the cultural outlook of the colony despite their limited political representation.

Divergent seed dispersal outcomes: Interactions between seed, disperser, and forest traits.

Animals disperse seeds in various ways that affect seed deposition sites and seed survival, ultimately shaping plant species distribution, community composition, and ecosystem structure. Some animal species can disperse seeds through multiple pathways (e.g., defecation, regurgitation, epizoochory), each likely producing distinct seed dispersal outcomes. We studied how seed traits (size and toughness) interact with disperser species to influence seed dispersal pathway and how this ultimately shapes the proportion of seeds deposited in various habitat types. We focused on three frugivorous species of duikers (African forest antelopes) in the Dja Faunal Reserve, a tropical rainforest in southern Cameroon. Duikers can both defecate and regurgitate seeds, the latter predominantly occurring during rumination at their bedding sites (or "nests"). We located duiker nests and dungs along 18 linear 1-km-transects to assess: (1) how seed traits affect the likelihood of dispersal via defecation versus regurgitation, (2) if defecated versus regurgitated seeds are deposited at different rates in different forest types (assessed by indigenous Baka), microhabitats, and forest structural attributes (measured by drone lidar), and (3) if these differ between three duiker species that vary in size and diel activity patterns. We found that duikers predominantly defecated small seeds (<3 mm length) and regurgitated larger and tougher seeds (>10 mm length), the latter including 25 different plant species. The three duiker species varied in their nesting habits, with nocturnal bay duikers (Cephalophus dorsalis) nesting in dense understory vegetation at proportions 3-4 times higher than Peter's and yellow-backed duikers (Cephalophus callipygus and Cephalophus silvicultor). As a result, bay duikers deposited larger regurgitated seeds at a higher rate in habitats with denser understory where lianas and palms predominate and near fallen trees. This directed regurgitation seed deposition likely plays an important and unique role in forest succession and structure. This study highlights the importance of ungulate seed dispersal by regurgitation, a vastly understudied process that could impact many ecosystems given the prevalence of ruminating ungulates worldwide.

Behavioural responses to mammalian grazing expose insect herbivores to elevated risk of avian predation.

Large mammalian herbivores (LMH) are important functional components and drivers of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in grasslands. Yet their role in regulating food-web dynamics and trophic cascades remains poorly understood. In the temperate grasslands of northern China, we explored whether and how grazing domestic cattle (Bos taurus) alter the predator-prey interactions between a dominant grasshopper (Euchorthippus unicolor) and its avian predator the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica). Using two large manipulative field experiments, we found that in the presence of cattle, grasshoppers increased their jumping frequency threefold, swallows increased foraging visits to these fields sixfold, and grasshopper density was reduced by about 50%. By manipulatively controlling the grasshoppers' ability to jump, we showed that jumping enables grasshoppers to avoid being incidentally consumed or trampled by cattle. However, jumping behaviour increased their consumption rates by swallows 37-fold compared with grasshoppers that were unable to jump. Our findings illustrate how LMH can indirectly alter predator-prey interactions by affecting behaviour of avian predators and herbivorous insects. These non-plant-mediated effects of LMH may influence trophic interactions in other grazing ecosystems and shape community structure and dynamics. We highlight that convoluted multispecies interactions may better explain how LMH control food-web dynamics in grasslands.

Composition, divergence and variability: A comprehensive analysis of fish trait responses to connectivity

Connectivity, a fundamental concept in ecology, refers to the extent to which different habitats or ecosystems are interconnected through the movement of organisms, nutrients, and energy. Lateral hydrological connectivity (LHC) plays an especially critical role in shaping aquatic community organization in river-floodplain systems. However, a comprehensive understanding of various trait responses to LHC remains elusive. We characterized how attributes of fish community traits, specifically composition, divergence, and temporal variability respond to LHC in the Austrian-Hungarian floodplains of the Danube River using environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding. Trait composition was quantified by community-level weighted means (CWM) as the degree of changes in trait responses along the LHC gradient from isolated oxbows to the main river. Divergence was measured using Rao’s quadratic functional diversity index and a null model approach to calculate standardized effect sizes (SES), with larger SES values indicating greater divergence and smaller values indicating convergence. Temporal variability, representing the degree of instability in community traits over time, was calculated using a functional beta diversity measure for multiple communities. Our findings revealed apparent compositional changes for many trait variables, highlighting the significance of LHC in shaping community functional diversity. Divergence patterns indicated that isolated habitats foster trait convergence presumably due to habitat filtering, whereas more connected areas promote trait divergence due to higher species richness and habitat availability. Temporal variability of traits associated with flow preference exhibited a hump-shaped relationship with LHC, suggesting intermediate connectivity zones are hotspots of ecological dynamism. The study suggests that examining composition, divergence, and temporal variability together provides a more complete understanding of trait responses to connectivity, stressing the importance of maintaining diverse connectivity levels in river-floodplain systems for effective conservation and ecosystem management.

Enabling better carer involvement: A qualitative evaluation of the involvement service belonging to a carers organisation in the United Kingdom

Background: Globally, unpaid carers face economic and societal pressures. Unpaid carers’ support is valued at £132 billion a year in the United Kingdom (UK) alone. However, this care comes at a high cost for the carers themselves. Carers providing round the clock care are more than twice as likely to be in bad health than non-carers. These carers are therefore proportionately more likely to need statutory services such as health care provision. It is critical that carers are better supported to be involved in the shaping, delivery and evaluation of the services they receive. Unfortunately, qualitative evidence on how carer organisations can do this better is scarce. Methods: Working collaboratively with a community-based carers organization, we undertook a qualitative study. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 23 participants. Online, semi-structured, one-to-one interviews were conducted with carers, community organization staff and stakeholders to ascertain their experience and views on the involvement service. Results: Firstly, there are a range of benefits resulting from the involvement service. The carers see the service as an opportunity to connect with other carers and share their views and ideas. Secondly, staff and service providers also reported how involvement gave a platform for carers and was of value in helping them shape needs-led services. Thirdly, we found that barriers to good involvement include the lack of a clearly understood, shared definition of involvement as well as the lack of a diverse pool of carer representatives available for involvement activities. Conclusion: The findings from our study provide important insights into how carers, staff and service stakeholders view barriers and enablers to good involvement. The findings will be of interest to a range of community-based organizations interested in further involving members of their community in shaping the services they receive.

Hypernetwork modeling and topology of high-order interactions for complex systems

Interactions among the underlying agents of a complex system are not only limited to dyads but can also occur in larger groups. Currently, no generic model has been developed to capture high-order interactions (HOI), which, along with pairwise interactions, portray a detailed landscape of complex systems. Here, we integrate evolutionary game theory and behavioral ecology into a unified statistical mechanics framework, allowing all agents (modeled as nodes) and their bidirectional, signed, and weighted interactions at various orders (modeled as links or hyperlinks) to be coded into hypernetworks. Such hypernetworks can distinguish between how pairwise interactions modulate a third agent (active HOI) and how the altered state of each agent in turn governs interactions between other agents (passive HOI). The simultaneous occurrence of active and passive HOI can drive complex systems to evolve at multiple time and space scales. We apply the model to reconstruct a hypernetwork of hexa-species microbial communities, and by dissecting the topological architecture of the hypernetwork using GLMY homology theory, we find distinct roles of pairwise interactions and HOI in shaping community behavior and dynamics. The statistical relevance of the hypernetwork model is validated using a series of in vitro mono-, co-, and tricultural experiments based on three bacterial species.

Reincarnation and Identity: A Multidisciplinary Exploration of Druze Narratives

The book Druze Reincarnation Narratives: Previous Life Memories Discourses and the Construction of Identities, edited by Gebhard Fartacek, offers an interdisciplinary exploration of the Druze belief in reincarnation (taqammuṣ) and the phenomenon of Nutq, where individuals recall previous lives. Scholars in anthropology, religious studies, and related fields contribute to understanding how these beliefs shape Druze social structures, personal identities, and community cohesion. The forum includes reviews by Maha Natoor, Dmitry Sevruk, and Jens Kreinath. Natoor appreciates the book's accessibility and balanced presentation of Druze reincarnation narratives while raising ethical concerns about anonymity and the use of religious texts. Sevruk commends the clear scientific language and interdisciplinary approach, emphasizing the book's contributions to Druze history and culture and suggesting further exploration of the psychological mechanisms behind reincarnation beliefs. Kreinath praises the detailed ethnographic insights and methodological rigor, noting researchers' challenges in engaging with the Druze community. He also critiques that some contributions focus on broader social, cultural, and political contexts rather than directly addressing reincarnation. Overall, the book provides valuable insights into the resilience and adaptability of the Druze in preserving their unique religious identity amidst broader societal changes.

Mycorrhizal Symbiosis Increases Plant Phylogenetic Diversity and Regulates Community Assembly in Grasslands.

The intricate mechanisms controlling plant diversity and community composition are cornerstone of ecological understanding. Yet, the role of mycorrhizal symbiosis in influencing community composition has often been underestimated. Here, we use extensive species survey data from 1315 grassland sites in China to elucidate the influence of mycorrhizal symbiosis on plant phylogenetic diversity and community assembly. We show that increasing mycorrhizal symbiotic potential leads to greater phylogenetic dispersion within plant communities. Mycorrhizal species predominantly influence deterministic processes, suggesting a role in niche-based community assembly. Conversely, non-mycorrhizal species exert a stronger influence on stochastic processes, highlighting the importance of random events in shaping community structure. These results underscore the crucial but often hidden role of mycorrhizal symbiosis in driving plant community diversity and assembly. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms shaping ecological communities and the way for more informed conservation that acknowledges the complex interplay between symbiosis and community dynamics.

Monastery heritage as a tool for reconciliation pre-post earthquake: The case of Saint Simeon Monastery

Preserving heritage ensures it is passed to future generations, cultural heritage is crucial in shaping community’s identity through this journey. Religious heritage has huge importance in continuation and give sense of belonging within religious communities. Monastery heritage has a crucial role in safeguarding the rich past and traditions of monastic communities, with a focus on their religious and societal significance. Antioch is a city, a home of coexistence. Beside the city’s rich culture, the city is known as central point promoting reconciliation through three main monotheistic religions. The city has faced several earthquakes in history, it was completely destroyed and later rebuilt again. Unfortunately, recently an earthquake occurred and destroyed not only the historical religious buildings but the greatness of coexistence. Reconciliation is the key of healing after the disaster by fostering unity, comprehension and collaboration. Saint Simeon Monastery in Antioch is a significant example of resilience, rebirth, and reconciliation, as evidenced by the references to its response to challenges in its history. Preservation of the monastery should include physical and psychological strategies so that the place can welcome everyone, heal, and coexist with its values and characteristics post-challenge. The research aims to create a framework to increase cultural awareness within the community about the importance of Saint Simeon Monastery as religious heritage site. This will promote to build the bridge of reconciliation post-earthquake. Method of the study includes both quantitative and qualitative research to examine the significance of Saint Simeon Monastery’s religious history brings communities together in Antioch after the earthquake.

Water availability and biological interactions shape amphibian abundance and diversity in Mediterranean temporary rivers

Amphibians, the most threatened vertebrates globally, face risks due to climate change, habitat loss, and fragmentation. Their sensitivity to environmental changes highlights their importance as ecological indicators. Temporary rivers, influenced by geological, climatic, and anthropogenic factors, play a critical role in shaping biodiversity and community structure. Some species of amphibians may be adapted to these temporary waters, a fact reflected in their life cycles and various biological traits. However, to develop effective conservation strategies for amphibians, it is essential to address the knowledge gaps surrounding the complex interactions between biological dynamics and fluvial habitat conditions. In this study, we investigated how trophic interactions between amphibians and other aquatic organisms (diatoms, macroinvertebrates, and fish), coupled with environmental factors (water availability and riparian structure), can affect amphibian abundance and diversity in temporary rivers. The study was conducted in a Mediterranean river network located in Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac Natural Park (Catalonia, Spain). Our expectations were that habitats suitable for egg deposition, lacking predators (e.g. tadpole-predators and fish), and abundant in food sources would likely support higher amphibian abundance and diversity. However, water availability was identified as a crucial factor shaping abundance and diversity in the studied amphibian communities, even if it correlated with fish presence, and especially impacting amphibian species usually linked to permanent water bodies. Concerning biotic interactions, while our results suggested that amphibian populations in temporary rivers are more dependent on top-down than bottom-up interactions, the presence of aquatic predators was not as conclusive as expected, suggesting that in temporary rivers the fish-avoiding amphibian species can survive using microhabitats or breeding opportunities linked to natural river dynamics. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of considering multi-trophic interactions, hydroperiod and habitat heterogeneity in temporary river ecosystems for effective amphibian conservation.

A Collaborative Approach to Understanding the Intersections of Practice and Policy for Peers in the Alcohol and Other Drugs Sector.

Peers in the alcohol and other drug sectors possess lived-living experience (LLE) crucial for shaping community care. However, genuine consumer collaboration is often confounded by stigma. This study examined peers' perceptions, exploring their experiences regarding workforce dynamics, policy implications, and impacts on health equity. In presenting the research, we sought to synthesise the research methods and illustrate the methodological innovation and knowledge production in substance use research through authentic collaboration. We purposively sampled peer networks and community organisations, involving peer-researchers in planning, design, and analysis. We conducted semi-structured digital interviews with 18 peers and applied iterative coding to analyse the data. This collaborative process provided nuanced insights into sectoral challenges. Peers expressed emotional strain revisiting personal substance use experiences, blurring personal and professional boundaries. Tokenistic peer involvement critiques underscored the need for genuine leadership and organisational support. We advocate for a shift towards equitable and inclusive policy development through both organisational and systemic restructuring. However, these changes are hamstrung by broader policy frameworks, which require a shift to peer-led principles, ensuring the expertise of peers is genuinely valued. Policymakers should invest in expanding peer frameworks, acknowledging the diversity within communities of people who use drugs to improve health equity and public health outcomes. This innovative approach to substance use research emphasises the transformative impact of integrating LLE into research.

Contrasting responses of plant, soil fungal and above‐ground arthropod communities to plant invasion across latitudes

Abstract The proliferation of alien species that can suppress resident species via biotic interactions represents a growing concern worldwide. Yet, how above‐ and below‐ground communities simultaneously respond to plant invasion, particularly across large spatial scales, remains poorly explored. We hypothesized plant invasion has a greater impact on recipient above‐ and below‐ground communities at lower than higher latitudes given that biotic interactions play a more significant role in shaping communities in more favourable, lower latitude environments. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a comprehensive field survey of 124 sites spanning a 1700‐km latitudinal gradient in China, to explore the effects of invasion of Alternanthera philoxeroides, a globally widespread invasive plant, on plant, soil fungal and above‐ground arthropod communities. Invasion of A. philoxeroides had divergent effects on beta diversity (i.e. variation in taxa composition among sites) of plants, above‐ground arthropods and soil saprotrophic fungi, with negative, neutral and positive responses, respectively. Notably, the compositional dissimilarity of plant and arthropod communities between adjacent invaded and non‐invaded sites remained constant across latitudes. In contrast, the compositional dissimilarity of the entire and pathogenic fungal communities between adjacent invaded and non‐invaded sites increased with latitude. This resulted in a decreasing difference in invasion effects on the composition of plant and fungal communities with increasing latitude. Synthesis. Our study provides novel insights into the complexities of invasion effects by revealing contrasting responses of above‐ and below‐ground communities to plant invasion across latitudes. The contrasting responses could weaken or reshape above‐ and below‐ground interactions, and, in turn, affect future species invasions and the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems.