Distribution Of Various Species Research Articles

Environmental factors determining weed species distribution in organic manure and inorganic fertiliser smallholder maize (Zea mays L.) production

AbstractWeeds are a major concern in crop production, and their environmental plasticity hinders successful control. A phytosociological study assessed weed distribution patterns in smallholder maize (Zea mays L.) production under different climatic and soil factors in the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 cropping seasons. Thirty‐six maize fields from the Highveld (Mankayane) and the Middleveld (Luve) of Eswatini, were investigated with three fertiliser regimes applied (cattle manure only, cattle manure plus inorganic fertiliser and inorganic fertiliser only). Phytosociological attributes of weed species including density were collected using a 25 m transect placed horizontally at the centre of each field. Climatic factors and soil physiochemical properties considered included altitude, rainfall, temperature, soil texture, soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc and manganese. Fifty‐six weed species belonging to 16 families were recorded. Distance‐based multivariate multiple regression (DistLM) analysis was used to determine the relationship between weed species composition as the dependent variable from the fertiliser regimes and the environmental factors as the independent variable. Eight environmental variables explained 25% variation in species distribution namely; altitude, temperature, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, copper, magnesium and percentage silt. At Luve, temperature, copper and magnesium significantly explained weed distribution in all three fertiliser regimes, while phosphorus influenced weed distribution in the manure only regime. At Mankayane, nitrogen affected weed distribution in the manure plus inorganic fertiliser and inorganic fertiliser regimes whereas altitude, phosphorus, potassium, and %silt influenced weed distribution in the manure only and manure plus inorganic fertiliser regimes. The observations suggest that some weed species coexist between fertiliser regimes and study areas while others occur in specific environments only.

Environmental factors determining weed species distribution in organic manure and inorganic fertiliser smallholder maize (Zea mays L.) production

AbstractWeeds are a major concern in crop production, and their environmental plasticity hinders successful control. A phytosociological study assessed weed distribution patterns in smallholder maize (Zea mays L.) production under different climatic and soil factors in the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 cropping seasons. Thirty‐six maize fields from the Highveld (Mankayane) and the Middleveld (Luve) of Eswatini, were investigated with three fertiliser regimes applied (cattle manure only, cattle manure plus inorganic fertiliser and inorganic fertiliser only). Phytosociological attributes of weed species including density were collected using a 25 m transect placed horizontally at the centre of each field. Climatic factors and soil physiochemical properties considered included altitude, rainfall, temperature, soil texture, soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc and manganese. Fifty‐six weed species belonging to 16 families were recorded. Distance‐based multivariate multiple regression (DistLM) analysis was used to determine the relationship between weed species composition as the dependent variable from the fertiliser regimes and the environmental factors as the independent variable. Eight environmental variables explained 25% variation in species distribution namely; altitude, temperature, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, copper, magnesium and percentage silt. At Luve, temperature, copper and magnesium significantly explained weed distribution in all three fertiliser regimes, while phosphorus influenced weed distribution in the manure only regime. At Mankayane, nitrogen affected weed distribution in the manure plus inorganic fertiliser and inorganic fertiliser regimes whereas altitude, phosphorus, potassium, and %silt influenced weed distribution in the manure only and manure plus inorganic fertiliser regimes. The observations suggest that some weed species coexist between fertiliser regimes and study areas while others occur in specific environments only.

Spatial-temporal neural networks for catch rate standardization and fish distribution modeling

Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) standardization is crucial for fishery stock assessment but often presents challenges due to spatial-temporal variations in species distribution and fishing effort. In this simulation study, we propose the use of customized artificial neural networks (ANNs) for modeling the spatial-temporal variations in CPUE standardization. This is achieved by encoding prior knowledge of the dependency structure between the variables into the architecture of the ANNs. We conducted numerical experiments on simulated data to compare our customized ANNs with Generalized Linear Models (GLMs), Generalized Additive Models (GAMs), and fully connected ANNs used in previous studies. Our simulated data cover three spatial-temporal dynamics scenarios with different degrees of species distribution shift over time: (1) steady fish distribution; (2) gradual directional shift over time; (3) sudden directional shift. In predicting the standardized CPUE in this simulation study, the customized ANNs demonstrated greater accuracy compared to the commonly used fully connected ANNs with an error reduction of over 70 %, more than 80 % compared to GLMs, and more than 40 % compared to GAMs, in terms of an error metric called the scaled mean absolute relative error. Our findings suggest that customized ANNs can serve as an alternative modeling tool alongside GLMs and GAMs in fisheries modeling.

Changing Paradigm of Yeast Isolates in HIV-Seropositive Patients with Oropharyngeal Candidiasis (OPC).

Background Oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) is a common fungal infection in HIV-seropositive patients. Understanding the spectrum of yeast isolates and their antifungal susceptibility patterns is crucial for effective management. This study aimed to determine the yeast isolates, antifungal susceptibility patterns, and associated factors in HIV-seropositive patients with OPC. Material and methods A prospective observational study was conducted on 350 HIV-seropositive patients attending an Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC) at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), Patna, Bihar. Yeast isolates from oropharyngeal lesions were identified, and their antifungal susceptibility was determined by automated method VITEK 2. Demographic characteristics, highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) status, and CD4+ cell count categories were analyzed for associations. Results This study of 350 HIV-seropositive patients revealed that 100 tested positive forCandida, with distinct differences between HAART (n=67) and non-HAART (n=33) groups. HAART patients had a younger age distribution and higher median CD4+ cell counts (350 vs. 250 cells/mm³, U = 175, p < 0.05) compared to non-HAART patients.Candida albicanswas the most common species in both groups, but significant variations in species distribution (χ² = 9.23, p < 0.05) and antifungal susceptibility were noted. Specifically, susceptibility differences were significant for flucytosine (χ² = 7.21, p = 0.027) and voriconazole (χ² = 8.64, p = 0.013), emphasizing the influence of HAART on managing immune function and antifungal resistance in HIV patients. Conclusion This study provides insights into the spectrum of yeast isolates and their antifungal susceptibility patterns in HIV-seropositive patients with OPC. The findings emphasize the importance of considering multiple factors, such asCandida species, HAART status, and individual patient characteristics, in treatment decisions. The results will aid in the development of evidence-based management protocols for this vulnerable population. Further research is warranted to explore additional factors influencing antifungal susceptibility and optimize treatment strategies for this patient population.

Range‐wide prediction of habitat suitability for king cobras under current and future scenarios

Abstract Ophiophagus hannah, commonly known as the king cobra, is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is protected under national laws in most countries. This charismatic species faces multiple threats, including habitat loss, human persecution, illegal trafficking, and climate change. Due to the king cobra's sensitivity to environmental conditions, its population status and trends are barely understood. This study used the MaxEnt algorithm to predict the potential distribution of king cobras across Asia, a method that has been successfully implemented in modeling distributions of various species in the region. The findings showed that Evergreen Broadleaf Trees emerged as the most influential variable for the distribution of Ophiophagus hannah with a 27.3% contribution, followed by the Mean Diurnal Range and Urban/Built‐up areas. Jackknife analysis identified the Mean Diurnal Range as having the highest testing gain. Approximately 413,268 km2 were found to have the most suitable climatic conditions for sustaining this species. Countries such as India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Malaysia were identified as having favorable conditions. Under the future climate scenario SSP5‐8.5, the extent of suitable habitats (maximum) for the king cobra is projected to decrease in the periods 2041–2060 and 2081–2100. This report provides valuable insights that could inform conservation strategies for O. hannah in these regions.

Global Spore Sampling Project: A global, standardized dataset of airborne fungal DNA

Novel methods for sampling and characterizing biodiversity hold great promise for re-evaluating patterns of life across the planet. The sampling of airborne spores with a cyclone sampler, and the sequencing of their DNA, have been suggested as an efficient and well-calibrated tool for surveying fungal diversity across various environments. Here we present data originating from the Global Spore Sampling Project, comprising 2,768 samples collected during two years at 47 outdoor locations across the world. Each sample represents fungal DNA extracted from 24 m3 of air. We applied a conservative bioinformatics pipeline that filtered out sequences that did not show strong evidence of representing a fungal species. The pipeline yielded 27,954 species-level operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Each OTU is accompanied by a probabilistic taxonomic classification, validated through comparison with expert evaluations. To examine the potential of the data for ecological analyses, we partitioned the variation in species distributions into spatial and seasonal components, showing a strong effect of the annual mean temperature on community composition.

Ixodes montoyanus Cooley, 1944 (Acari: Ixodidae): molecular confirmation of immature and adult stages and redescription of male, nymph, and larva

ABSTRACT Hard ticks of the genus Ixodes are one of the most diverse groups in the Neotropical region, but some species are known only from historical records. In Colombia and Venezuela, Ixodes montoyanus is known from records obtained more than 50 years ago. In this study, we performed morphological and molecular evaluations of immature and adult stages of I. montoyanus collected from Pudu (Pudella) mephistophiles, in the municipality of Puracé, Cauca, in the Andean region of Colombia. The results include the first morphological evaluations of larvae, nymphs, females and males of I. montoyanus, confirming each of these stages with their respective sequences of a fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene, and nymphs and females with a fragment of the mitochondrial cox1 gene. These results represent the first molecular information of I. montoyanus from Colombia, allowing differentiation of this species from others within Ixodes distributed in the country. The data generated consolidate valuable information for the genus Ixodes, which plays an important role in pathogen transmission. The information is also key to addressing the controversy regarding the identification, validity and distribution of various species within the genus.

Distribution and insecticide resistance profile of the major malaria vector Anopheles funestus group across the African continent.

There has been significant progress in malaria control in the last 2 decades, with a decline in mortality and morbidity. However, these gains are jeopardised by insecticide resistance, which negatively impacts the core interventions, such as insecticide-treated nets (ITN) and indoor residual spraying (IRS). While most malaria control and research efforts are still focused on Anopheles gambiae complex mosquitoes, Anopheles funestus remains an important vector in many countries and, in some cases, contributes to most of the local transmission. As countries move towards malaria elimination, it is important to ensure that all dominant vector species, including An. funestus, an important vector in some countries, are targeted. The objective of this review is to compile and discuss information related to A. funestus populations' resistance to insecticides and the mechanisms involved across Africa, emphasising the sibling species and their resistance profiles in relation to malaria elimination goals. Data on insecticide resistance in An. funestus malaria vectors in Africa were extracted from published studies. Online bibliographic databases, including Google Scholar and PubMed, were used to search for relevant studies. Articles published between 2000 and May 2023 reporting resistance of An. funestus to insecticides and associated mechanisms were included. Those reporting only bionomics were excluded. Spatial variation in species distribution and resistance to insecticides was recorded from 174 articles that met the selection criteria. It was found that An. funestus was increasingly resistant to the four classes of insecticides recommended by the World Health Organisation for malaria vector control; however, this varied by country. Insecticide resistance appears to reduce the effectiveness of vector control methods, particularly IRS and ITN. Biochemical resistance due to detoxification enzymes (P450s and glutathione-S-transferases [GSTs]) in An. funestus was widely recorded. However, An. funestus in Africa remains susceptible to other insecticide classes, such as organophosphates and neonicotinoids. This review highlights the increasing insecticide resistance of An. funestus mosquitoes, which are important malaria vectors in Africa, posing a significant challenge to malaria control efforts. While An. funestus has shown resistance to the recommended insecticide classes, notably pyrethroids and, in some cases, organochlorides and carbamates, it remains susceptible to other classes of insecticides such as organophosphates and neonicotinoids, providing potential alternative options for vector control strategies. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions that consider the population structure and geographical distribution of An. funestus, including its sibling species and their insecticide resistance profiles, to effectively achieve malaria elimination goals.

River Sediments Downstream of Villages in a Karstic Watershed Exhibited Increased Numbers and Higher Diversity of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria

The impact of residential villages on the nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in streams flowing through them has not been studied in detail. Water and sediments of streams are highly susceptible to anthropogenic inputs such as surface water flows. This study investigated the impact of seven residential villages in a karst watershed on the prevalence and species spectrum of NTM in water and sediments. Higher NTM species diversity (i.e., 19 out of 28 detected) was recorded downstream of the villages and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) compared to sampling sites upstream (i.e., 5). Significantly, higher Zn and lower silicon concentrations were detected in sediments inside the village and downstream of the WWTP’s effluents. Higher phosphorus concentration in sediment was downstream of WWTPs compared to other sampling sites. The effluent from the WWTPs had a substantial impact on water quality parameters with significant increases in total phosphorus, anions (Cl–and N-NH3–), and cations (Na+ and K+). The results provide insights into NTM numbers and species diversity distribution in a karst watershed and the impact of urban areas. Although in this report the focus is on the NTM, it is likely that other water and sediment microbes will be influenced as well.Graphical

Spatio-temporal variation of species richness and phylogenetic diversity patterns for spring ephemeral plants in northern China

Understanding the spatiotemporal distribution of species diversity in response to climatic change is essential for the conservation and management of species resources. Spring ephemeral plants (SEs) have played a crucial role in sustaining the desert and woodland ecosystems of northern China. However, our knowledge regarding the spatiotemporal variation of species diversity in SEs is limited. In this study, we employed occurrence and phylogenetic data for 200 SEs, alongside 19 environmental variables, to model their geographical distribution during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), Current, and the year 2070 (considering two representative concentration pathway scenarios, SSP2–4.5 and SSP5–8.5). We also visualized the phylogenetic diversity patterns in the Current. Our findings revealed that more than half of the SEs notably expanded their range and continuously shifted northeastward from LGM to 2070. From LGM to Current and from Current to SSP2–4.5_2070, 64% and 54% of SEs shifted from higher to lower elevations, and 53% of them will slightly shift to higher elevations from Current to SSP5–8.5_2070. We identified three distinct bioregions corresponding to the core ranges of desert SEs and understory SE ecotypes. The Ili Valley, Tacheng Basin, northern and southern Junggar Basin, and Changbai Mountains were identified as hotspots for species richness, phylogenetic diversity, and endemism for the two SE ecotypes. Notably, these hotspots had limited overlap with existing nature reserves. Additionally, the suitable habitat of desert SEs was primarily determined by precipitation seasonality and precipitation of driest month, whereas the distribution of forest understory SEs was mainly influenced by annual precipitation and temperature seasonality. This study significantly contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the modern diversity distribution patterns and conservation priorities for SEs within a species distribution and phylogenetic framework.

Can seed exchange networks explain the morphological and genetic diversity in perennial crop species? The case of the tropical fruit tree Dacryodes edulis in rural and urban Cameroon

Societal Impact StatementCrop seed exchange networks, shaped by social dynamics, strongly influence the organization and breadth of plant diversity in human‐managed environments. Integrating an urban and market perspective, this study explores the diversity dynamics of a socio‐economically important Central African fruit tree species, the African plum tree. Tree owners in urban, peri‐urban and rural sites use seeds from different origins as their main propagation material, leading to locational variations in genetic diversity and structure. This analysis contributes toward building a framework to inform the research agenda of cultivated African fruit trees, by highlighting the important role of urban centers in safeguarding crop genetic resources.Summary Biocultural factors constrain the dynamics of crop species diversity. Here, we considered different aspects of the social, spatial and temporal dynamics of morphological and genetic diversity in a multi‐purpose perennial crop, the African plum tree (Dacryodes edulis). We assessed (i) how seed exchange networks were organized along urbanization gradients, and how they influenced the distribution of species diversity; (ii) the temporal dynamic of seed exchange network by characterizing species genetic diversity through time. To do so, the study was carried out in Cameroon, where we focused on three urbanization gradients, covering urban, peri‐urban and rural areas, corresponding to three different ethnic groups (Bamileke, Bassa, Beti). We combined interviews with tree owners and nuclear microsatellite‐based genetic analyses. Tree owners from urban and peri‐urban sites primarily used distant seed sources, acquired in the market or from their village of origin, as propagation material, whereas tree owners in rural sites relied primarily on village‐level seeds. In turn, genetic diversity was not evenly distributed, with rural sites exhibiting their own genetic clusters. On the contrary, the genetic diversity of urban sites was enhanced by extensive human‐mediated seed flows. Looking at trees from different age classes, we found that genetic diversity was stable over time. Overall, this first attempt to combine different levels of diversity for African plum trees in commercially connected areas expands the scope for in situ intraspecific conservation by highlighting the contribution of urbanized areas.

Fungal Diversity and Distribution in the Biodiversity Hotspots of the Western Himalayas

The western Himalayan region is a biodiversity hotspot. Although much of the flora and fauna has been documented, there are very few studies on fungal diversity. We present the statistical analyses of the sample collections from the last 150 years of data in the fungarium of the Forest Research Institute. We found that the host tree species—pine, oak, deodar, and spruce, had very high Shannon diversity (SD) and species richness (SR), while Dalbergia and Rhododendron had moderate to low SD and SR values; although sal occurs at lower altitudes, it has high SD and SR values. Among fungal families, the highest SD and SR value was found in Polyporaceae. Hymenochaetaceae, Peniophoraceae, Coleosporiaceae, and Stereaceae also showed SD with moderate SR. Fomitopsidaceae, Cronartiaceae, Ganodermataceae, and Thelephoraceae have low biodiversity and species. Thelephoraceae are distributed above 2000 m altitude, and Ganodermataceae and Hymenochaetaceae have wider distribution ranges, namely, 0–3500 m and 0–5000 m, respectively. The Polyporaceae show diverse variations in species distribution and occur between 0 and 4500 m; Coleosporiaceae and Cronartiaceae around 2000 m; Stereaceae, Meruliaceae, Peniophoraceae, and Fomitopsidaceae occur between 1700 and 1800 m, with all Stereaceae and Fomitopsidaceae having different distribution ranges of up to 5000 m. We found that areas with relatively low rainfall had lower species richness, and vice versa, and that high solar radiation negatively affected fungal density and SR, as observed in the distribution of Thelephoraceae. While families with high SD and SR values such as Polyporaceae were found under relatively high rainfall, moderate solar radiation, and high temperatures. Similar studies need to be undertaken in other parts of the Himalayas and the importance of fungi in ethnobotany needs to be understood to ensure sustainable use.

Structural and solution speciation studies on selected [Cu(NN)(OO)] complexes and an investigation of their biomimetic activity, ROS generation and their cytotoxicity in normoxic, hypoxic and anoxic environments in MCF-7 breast cancer-derived cells

Reactive oxygen species(ROS) generation with subsequent DNA damage is one of the principle mechanisms of action assigned to copper-based anticancer complexes. The efficacy of this type of chemotherapeutic may be reduced in the low oxygen environment of tumours. In this study the cytotoxicity of three complexes, [Cu(dips)(phen)] (1), [Cu(ph)(phen)]·2H2O (2) and [Cu(ph)(bpy)]·H2O (3) (disp: 3,5-diisopropylsalicylate, phen: 1,10- phenanthroline, ph: phthalate, bpy: 2,2′-bipyridyl) were assessed for anticancer activity in the breast-cancer derived MCF-7 line under normoxic, hypoxic and anoxic conditions. In an immortalised keratinocyte HaCaT cell line, the cytotoxicity of complexes 2 and 3 was significantly reduced under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions, whilst the cytotoxicity of complex 1 was increased under hypoxic conditions. The ability of the complexes to generate ROS in the MCF-7 cell line was evaluated as was their ability to act as superoxide dismutase(SOD) and catalase mimics using a yeast cell assay. ROS generation was significant for complexes 2 and 3, less so for complex 1 though all three complexes had SOD mimetic ability. Given the ternary nature of the complexes, solution speciation studies were undertaken but were only successful for complex 3, due to solubility issues with the other two complexes. The concentration distribution of various species, formed in aqueous solution, was evaluated as a function of pH and confirmed that complex 3 is the dominant species at physiological pH in the mM concentration range. However, as its concentration diminishes, it experiences a progressive dissociation, leading to the formation of binary complexes of bpy alongside unbound phthalate.

Diversity and distribution of Orchidaceae in one of the world's most threatened plant hotspots (Madagascar).

In recent decades, Madagascar has become one of the most important plant hotspots in the world. The country's remaining forests and vegetation are disappearing at an alarming rate, while dozens of new species are discovered each year. Amongst the plant families that have long been studied, Orchidaceae appear as one of the most charismatic, diverse and of high conservation concern. Based on a reviewed, comprehensive herbarium dataset, we have compiled a curated checklist of all orchid species occurring in Madagascar. Based on this complete dataset, we then compiled sampling effort, species diversity distribution and some general statistics on their ecology and IUCN conservation status. We compiled and standardised a global dataset using five public databases as the main data sources, supplemented by the most recent publications. The database contains ~ 10,000 geolocated records collected between 1816 and 2021. We used GIS software and rarefaction methods to examine sampling and diversity patterns. According to our dataset, there are currently 913 orchid species collected in Madagascar, of which 759 orchid species (83.1%) are endemic. Doubling the sampling effort could lead to the discovery of around 100 more species, bringing the total estimated number of orchid species in Madagascar to between 986 and 1048. About one-third (297 species) of all orchid species are known only by type specimens (189 species) or have not been collected in Madagascar for more than 50 years (214 species). Although the raw data show that the Andasibe-Moramanga area would have the highest orchid species concentration, our analysis of the data, adjusted for bias, shows that the centres of orchid diversity in Madagascar are in the Tsaratanàna Strict Nature Reserve and the Ranomafana National Park. Life-form statistics show that 55.0% of orchid species are strict epiphytes. The main flowering period of orchids in Madagascar is between November and March. To date, 84% of the 226 Malagasy orchid species listed in the IUCN Red List are threatened with extinction (CR, EN or VU). Despite geographically uneven coverage, the biodiversity of Malagasy orchids appears to be already well documented. We provide maps corrected for sampling bias that indicate priority areas for future surveys. Upcoming efforts should also focus on rediscovery and conservation of rare and/or threatened species and ensure that the protected area network is well aligned with the distribution of priority species for conservation. Finally, the conservation status of 75% of the orchid species found in Madagascar is not yet known and the inclusion of these species must be a top priority in the coming years.

Prevalence of Dermatophyteic Infection in A Tertiary Care Hospital in Chennai in India

Dermatophytes are fungi that infect keratinized tissues in animals and humans. The group's most prevalent and only anthropophilic species is Trichophyton rubrum, whereas species from the Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex are zoophilic and anthropophilic. The prevalence of dermatophyte infections varies depending on environmental factors and location, with higher rates observed in tropical countries like India. Hence, this study was conducted to comprehend the distribution of various species and clinical symptoms to assess the prevalence and features of dermatophyte infections in patients receiving tertiary care. This study's main objective was to identify the frequency of dermatophyte species in clinical samples taken from suspected patients in a tertiary care centre.1000 patients attending Sree Balaji Medical College in Chennai were the subjects of cross-sectional observational research. The prevalence of dermatophyte infection was assessed using clinical sample data. The analysis included information on gender, age group, and clinical symptoms. In the examined samples, dermatophyte infection was shown to be clinically prevalent (14.2%). More men (64.7%) than women (35.2%) were impacted. The most common age group for dermatophyteic infection was those between 31 and 40 years. The most typical clinical presentation was tinea corporis, characterized by scaly, red areas on the skin. The most frequent dermatophyte species found was Trichophyton rubrum. The study revealed that the clinical samples taken from the tertiary care centre had a significant prevalence of dermatophyteic infection. These infections were more likely to affect men and those in the age range of 31 to 40 years. The most commonly noticed clinical sign was tinea corporis, caused by Trichophyton rubrum. These findings emphasize the need to detect and treat dermatophyteic infections, particularly tinea corporis, highlighting the need for suitable treatment techniques in the population under study.

Joint species distribution models with imperfect detection for high-dimensional spatial data.

Determining the spatial distributions of species and communities is a key task in ecology and conservation efforts. Joint species distribution models are a fundamental tool in community ecology that use multi-species detection-nondetection data to estimate species distributions and biodiversity metrics. The analysis of such data is complicated by residual correlations between species, imperfect detection, and spatial autocorrelation. While many methods exist to accommodate each of these complexities, there are few examples in the literature that address and explore all three complexities simultaneously. Here we developed a spatial factor multi-species occupancy model to explicitly account for species correlations, imperfect detection, and spatial autocorrelation. The proposed model uses a spatial factor dimension reduction approach and Nearest Neighbor Gaussian Processes to ensure computational efficiency for data sets with both a large number of species (e.g., >100) and spatial locations (e.g., 100,000). We compared the proposed model performance to five alternative models, each addressing a subset of the three complexities. We implemented the proposed and alternative models in the spOccupancy software, designed to facilitate application via an accessible, well documented, and open-source R package. Using simulations, we found that ignoring the three complexities when present leads to inferior model predictive performance, and the impacts of failing to account for one or more complexities will depend on the objectives of a given study. Using a case study on 98 bird species across the continental US, the spatial factor multi-species occupancy model had the highest predictive performance among the alternative models. Our proposed framework, together with its implementation in spOccupancy, serves as a user-friendly tool to understand spatial variation in species distributions and biodiversity while addressing common complexities in multi-species detection-nondetection data.

Diversity of lithophytic moss species in karst regions in response to elevation gradients.

The distribution pattern of species diversity along various elevation gradients reflects the biological and ecological characteristics of species, distribution status and adaptability to the environment. Altitude, a comprehensive ecological factor, affects the spatial distribution of species diversity in plant communities by causing integrated changes in light, temperature, water and soil factors. In Guiyang City, we studied the species diversity of lithophytic mosses and the relationships between species and environmental factors. The results showed that: (1) There were 52 species of bryophytes in 26 genera and 13 families within the study area. The dominant families were Brachytheciaceae, Hypnaceae and Thuidiaceae. The dominant genera were Brachythecium, Hypnum, Eurhynchium, Thuidium, Anomodon and Plagiomnium; The dominant species were Eurohypnum leptothallum, Brachythecium salebrosum, Brachythecium pendulum etc. The number of family species and dominant family genera increased first and then decreased with the increase of altitude, and their distribution in elevation gradient III (1334-1515m) was the largest, with 8 families, 13 genera and 21 species. The elevation gradient I (970-1151m) was the least species distributed, with 5 families, 10 genera and 14 species. The dominant species with the largest number in each elevational gradient were Eurohypnum leptothallum, Brachythecium pendulum, Brachythecium salebrosum and Entodon prorepens; (2) There were five kinds of life forms in different elevation gradients, including Wefts, Turfs, Mat, Pendants and Tail. Among them, wefts and turfs appeared in all elevations, while a small amount of Pendants appeared in the area of elevational gradient I (970-1151m), and the most abundant life form was found in the range of elevational gradient III (1334-1515m); (3) Patrick richness index and Shannon-Wiener diversity index were highly significantly (p<0.01) positively correlated, both of which increased and then decreased with elevation, reaching a maximum at elevation gradient III (1334-1515m); The Simpson dominance index had a highly significant (p<0.01) negative correlation with the Patrick richness index and the Shannon-Wiener diversity index, which showed a decreasing and then increasing trend with increasing altitude; Pielou evenness index showed no discernible trend; (4) β diversity study revealed that while the similarity coefficient tended to decrease with increasing altitude, the species composition of bryophytes increased. The elevation gradient II (1151-1332m) and elevation gradient I (970-1151m) shared the most similarities, whereas elevation gradient III (1515-1694m) and elevation gradient I shared the least similarities (970-1151m). The findings can enrich the theory of the distribution pattern of lithophytic moss species diversity at distinct elevation gradients in karst regions, and serve a scientific and reasonable reference for restoring rocky desertification and protecting biodiversity there.

Characterizing dominant patterns of spatiotemporal variation for a transboundary groundfish assemblage

AbstractMany mobile marine taxa are changing their distributions in response to climate change. Such movements pose a challenge to fisheries monitoring and management, particularly in systems where climate‐adaptive and ecosystem‐based management objectives are emphasized. While shifts in species distributions can be discerned from long‐term fisheries‐independent monitoring data, distilling coherent patterns across space and time from such datasets can be challenging, particularly for transboundary stocks. One approach for identifying dominant patterns of spatiotemporal variation that has been widely used in physical atmospheric and oceanographic studies is empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis, wherein spatiotemporal variation is separated into time‐series of annual factor loadings and spatial response maps. Here, we apply an extension of EOF analysis that has been modified for compatibility with biological sampling data to a combined US–Russian fisheries‐independent survey dataset that spans the eastern (United States) and western (Russia) Bering Sea shelf to estimate dominant patterns of spatiotemporal variation for 10 groundfish species at a shelf‐wide scale. EOF identified one axis of variability that was coherent with the extent of cold (≤0°C) near‐bottom waters (the cold pool) previously shown to be a key influence on species distributions and ecosystem structure for the Bering Sea. However, the leading axis of variability identified by our EOF analysis was characterized by low frequency changes in the distributions of several species over longer time scales. Our analysis has important implications for predicting variation in species distributions over time and demonstrates a widely applicable method for leveraging combined fisheries‐independent survey datasets to characterize community‐level responses to ecosystem change at basin‐wide scales.

The Distribution Pattern and Species Richness of Scorpionflies (Mecoptera: Panorpidae).

The uneven distribution of species diversity on earth, with mountainous regions housing half of the high species diversity areas, makes mountain ecosystems vital to biodiversity conservation. The Panorpidae are ecological indicators, ideal for studying the impact of climate change on potential insect distribution. This study examines the impact of environmental factors on the distribution of the Panorpidae and analyzes how their distribution has changed over three historical periods, the Last Interglacial (LIG), the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and Current. The MaxEnt model is used to predict the potential distribution area of Panorpidae based on global distribution data. The results show that precipitation and elevation are the primary factors affecting species richness, and the suitable areas for Panorpidae are distributed in southeastern North America, Europe, and southeastern Asia. Throughout the three historical periods, there was an initial increase followed by a decrease in the area of suitable habitats. During the LGM period, there was a maximum range of suitable habitats for cool-adapted insects, such as scorpionflies. Under the scenarios of global warming, the suitable habitats for Panorpidae would shrink, posing a challenge to the conservation of biodiversity. The study provides insights into the potential geographic range of Panorpidae and helps understand the impact of climate change on their distribution.

Abundance and distributional ecology of cetaceans in the central Philippines

In general, little is known about cetacean abundance and distribution in Southeast Asia. This paper investigates the species composition, interactions/associations, abundance and distribution of cetaceans in an archipelagic tropical habitat characterised by deep, oceanic waters approaching the shore, high water temperatures and deep, stable thermoclines. Abundance is estimated using line transect methods. In addition, the cetacean fauna of the Sulu Sea is compared with those of other tropical marine ecosystems: the eastern tropical Pacific, the western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The most abundant species in the two study sites (eastern Sulu Sea and the Tañon Strait) was the spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris; with a population estimate of 31,512 (CV=26.63%) in the eastern Sulu Sea and 3,489 (CV=26.47%) in the Tañon Strait. Other abundant species were the pantropical spotted dolphin (S. attenuata), Fraser’s dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) and the short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus). Density and species-abundance rank varied between the two study sites, with generally higher densities in the Sulu Sea than in the Tañon Strait. An exception was the dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima, whose density was 15 times higher in the Tañon Strait. Fraser’s dolphin ranked third in abundance in the Sulu Sea but was absent from the Tañon Strait. Environmental factors such as depth, site and temperature were observed to have a significant influence on the distributions of various species.