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The species of the genus Deschampsia are difficult for identification, and the genus is difficult for taxonomic treatment. The regions of 35S rRNA genes were studied for the species of the genus Deschampsia of different geographical origin with a method of sequencing by Sanger (ITS1–5.8S rRNA gene–ITS2, 14 species) and with a method of a locus-specific next-generation sequencing (NGS) on the Illumina platform (ITS1–5.8S rRNA, 7 species). All species of Deschampsia formed one clade; the species, referred by some authors on the basis of morphological characters to the species D. cespitosa s.l., entered one subclade. Subantarctic species formed a separate subclade and their ribotypes formed their own subnetwork. Avenella flexuosa, earlier referred to Deschampsia, entered the other clade, though this species contains some ribotypes common with some Deschampsia species. Deschampsia pamirica and related mountain species have their own specific ribotype groups. On the network of the ribotypes, one can see that D. cespitosa from Great Britain forms a network with some species, but D. cespitosa from the USA forms its own network. Ribotype analysis of each sample revealed traces of introgression with Deyeuxia/Calamagrostis in D. cespitosa and with A. flexuosa and probable introgression of Northern and subantarctic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity loss will lead to a serious decline for ecosystem services, which will ultimately affect human well-being and survival. Monitoring the spatial and temporal dynamics of grassland biodiversity is essential for its conservation and sustainable development. This study integrated ground monitoring data, Landsat remote sensing, and environmental variables in the Three Rivers Headwater Region (TRHR) from 2000 to 2021. We established a reliable model for estimating grassland species diversity, analyzed the spatial and temporal patterns, trends of change, and the driving factors of changes in grassland species diversity over the past 22 years. Among models based on diverse variable selection and machine learning methods, the random forest (RF) combined stepwise regression (STEP) model was found to be the optimal model for estimating grassland species diversity in this study, which had an R2 of 0.44 and an RMSE of 2.56 n/m2 on the test set. The spatial distribution of species diversity showed a pattern of abundance in the southeast and scarcity in the northwest. Trend analysis revealed that species diversity was increasing in 80.46% of the area, whereas 16.59% of the area exhibited a decreasing trend. The analysis of driving factors indicated that the changes in species diversity were driven by both climate change and human activities over the past 22 years in the study area, of which temperature was the most significant driving factor. This study effectively monitors grassland species diversity on a large scale, thereby supporting biodiversity monitoring and grassland resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnoliaceae, an ancient lineage of relict plants, were once extensively distributed throughout geological history. Understanding their species diversity, geographic distribution patterns, and hotspots is essential for providing a theoretical foundation for germplasm resource assessment, conservation, and utilization. This study presents a comprehensive catalog of wild Magnoliaceae species in China, derived from an extensive literature review integrating geographic distribution and endemism data. Utilizing GIS 10.2 software, we analyzed data from up to July 2024, revealing that China hosts 157 wild Magnoliaceae species across 13 genera, including 11 varieties, two subspecies, and three forms. These species are distributed across 24 provincial-level administrative regions, including special administrative regions and municipalities. Yunnan Province exhibits the highest species richness, with 12 genera and 94 species, followed by Guizhou, with 9 genera and 65 species, and Guangxi, with 9 genera and 62 species. At the county level, species are found in 609 regions, with Malipo County in Yunnan recording the highest count (32 species), followed by Leishan County in Guizhou (28 species). Vertically, Magnoliaceae are most abundant in the H3 elevation band (1000 < H3 ≤ 1500 m), while the H7 elevation band (H7 > 3000 m) shows the lowest species diversity. China has two endemic genera, Pachylarnax and Woonyoungia, along with 102 endemic species, of which Michelia accounts for the highest number of endemics at 33. The species composition in Guizhou shows significant similarity to that in Guangxi, Sichuan, and Yunnan, indicating close phylogenetic relationships among these floras. The Yunnan–Guizhou–Guangxi region is identified as a "modern distribution center", "diversity preservation center", "hotspot", and "refuge" for wild Magnoliaceae in China. This study highlights the importance of understanding the diversity and distribution patterns of wild Magnoliaceae for the effective conservation, development, and sustainable utilization of plant resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paddy fields are classified as wetland environments, and they comprise freshwater ecosystems. They are ecologically important habitats and breeding grounds for many aquatic insects, amphibians, and reptiles. However, paddy field ecosystems are constantly threatened by climate change and the indiscriminate use of pesticides. The metabarcode analysis of eDNA (environmental DNA) method is highly effective at accumulating information on many organisms that inhabit paddy field ecosystems. It can indirectly identify the existence of taxa that are no longer found in the target ecosystem due to behavioral characteristics, such as those exhibited by amphibians. In the metabarcoding results of this study, genes of five species of frogs were found, but it was impossible to confirm all of the frogs' taxa, morphological pictures, and croak sounds. On the other hand, some frog taxa were only found in the metabarcoding analysis. The eDNA of the frogs found only in the metabarcoding analysis is estimated to have been introduced from nearby areas inhabited by frogs rather than the target region. Due to the powerful analytical resolution of eDNA metabarcoding, this eDNA-based paddy field search is expected to help investigate the biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restoration efforts to maintain oak-dominated habitats and enhance biodiversity often employ selective thinning, but its long-term effect on multiple taxa remains unclear. This study examines the effects of halo thinning around pedunculate oak on epiphytic and tree-related microhabitat (TreM) diversity in the boreal–nemoral forest zone. We revisited nine sites in Latvia with 150–331-year-old oaks, where thinning was conducted in 2003–2004. Epiphyte species composition and cover were assessed, and TreMs were evaluated using standardised methods. Diversity indices (Hill numbers, q = 0; 1; 2; 3) and statistical models (LMMs, Poisson GLMMs) were used to analyse the effects of thinning on species richness and TreM occurrence. Halo thinning over the past 20 years has not caused significant differences in epiphyte or TreM diversity, though managed trees exhibited a higher occurrence of the most common microhabitats. These findings suggest halo thinning may enhance specific TreM features but do not substantially promote epiphyte and TreM diversity. Future research should implement systematic monitoring, deriving the relationships between the conditions after the thinning and their effects, thus serving as the basis for adaptive habitat management strategies. Expanding the scope of such studies is essential for developing evidence-based forest management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore microbial activity evidence, composition of archaeal communities, and environmental constraints in coalbed-produced waters from the Hancheng Block, a representative region for coalbed methane development on the eastern margin of Ordos Basin, China. The investigation involves analyzing microbial community composition using 16S rRNA sequencing analysis as well as examining hydrogeochemical parameters. The results indicate that Euryarchaeota and Thaumarchaeota are predominant phyla within archaeal communities present in coalbed-produced water from the Hancheng Block. Among these communities, Methanobacterium is identified as the most abundant genus, followed by Methanothrix and Methanoregula. Moreover, a positive correlation is observed between the abundance of Methanobacterium and the levels of total dissolved solids as well as Mn; conversely, there is a negative correlation with dissolved organic carbon, Zn concentrations, and pH. The abundance of Co and Ni primarily influence Methanothrix while pH and Zn play significant roles in controlling Methanoregula. Additionally, No. 5 coal seam waters exhibit greater species diversity in the archaeal community compared to No. 11 counterparts. The higher abundance of archaea in the No. 5 coal seam promotes biogas generation due to the correlation between bicarbonate and dissolved inorganic carbon isotope. These research findings hold scientific significance in guiding the exploration and development of biogas within coal seams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Hemiphyllodactylus is a small gecko. Recently, many species belonging to the genus Hemiphyllodactylus have been discovered in the karst region. Therefore, we conducted a large scale of surveys and specimen collections in multiple karst areas of Yunnan Province. Three populations of Hemiphyllodactylus were found to be morphologically and molecularly distinct from known species, prompting us to describe them as three new species. Our study further illustrates the high diversity of Hemiphyllodactylus species within Yunnan Province. The karst landform in Yunnan Province, China, represents one of the most biodiverse regions for Hemiphyllodactylus. Previous research has revealed that the karst forests in this province host a greater diversity of Hemiphyllodactylus than previously acknowledged. However, substantial fundamental data essential for taxonomic and biogeographical studies are lacking. We conducted extensive surveys for Hemiphyllodactylus in the Yunnan Province that led to the discovery of three new species from Menglian Dai, Lahu, and Wa Autonomous County and Jinghong City based on morphological and genetic data. A phylogenetic reconstruction based on the ND2 gene (1038 bp) placed the three new species into clade 3 and clade 4 of Agung et al. The uncorrected genetic pairwise distance of the Menglian specimens were greater than 5.7%, and those of the Jinghong City specimens were greater than 5.2% and 8.5%, respectively. They could be distinguished from their congeners by body size, chin scales, internasal scales, ventral scales, dorsal scales, and the total number of femoral and precloacal pores. Furthermore, we update the distributional knowledge of the known species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation biodiversity in mountainous regions is controlled by altitudinal gradients and their corresponding microclimate. Higher temperatures, shorter snow cover periods, and high variability in the precipitation regime might lead to changes in vegetation distribution in mountains all over the world. In this study, we evaluate vegetation distribution along an altitudinal gradient (1334–1667 m.a.s.l.) in the Zao Mountains, northeastern Japan, by means of alpha diversity indices, including species richness, the Shannon index, and the Simpson index. In order to assess vegetation species and their characteristics along the mountain slope selected, fourteen 50 m × 50 m plots were selected at different altitudes and scanned with RGB cameras attached to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Image analysis revealed the presence of 12 dominant tree and shrub species of which the number of individuals and heights were validated with fieldwork ground truth data. The results showed a significant variability in species richness along the altitudinal gradient. Species richness ranged from 7 to 11 out of a total of 12 species. Notably, species such as Fagus crenata, despite their low individual numbers, dominated the canopy area. In contrast, shrub species like Quercus crispula and Acer tschonoskii had high individual numbers but covered smaller canopy areas. Tree height correlated well with canopy areas, both representing tree size, which has a strong relationship with species diversity indices. Species such as F. crenata, Q. crispula, Cornus controversa, and others have an established range of altitudinal distribution. At high altitudes (1524–1653 m), the average shrubs' height is less than 4 m, and the presence of Abies mariesii is negligible because of high mortality rates caused by a severe bark beetle attack. These results highlight the complex interactions between species abundance, canopy area, and altitude, providing valuable insights into vegetation distribution in mountainous regions. However, species diversity indices vary slightly and show some unusually low values without a clear pattern. Overall, these indices are higher at lower altitudes, peak at mid-elevations, and decrease at higher elevations in the study area. Vegetation diversity indices did not show a clear downward trend with altitude but depicted a vegetation composition at different altitudes as controlled by their surrounding environment. Finally, UAVs showed their significant potential for conducting large-scale vegetation surveys reliably and in a short time, with low costs and low manpower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Small rodents and insectivores are potential reservoirs of many pathogens transmissible to humans, such as bacteria, parasites and viruses responsible for epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in West Africa. Few studies on small mammal species in West Africa are available. Our previous findings from a study investigating emerging pathogens in two localities in Mali has determined the prevalence of pathogens in small mammals (rodents and insectivores). We used the data collected from this small mammal population with different eco-climatic characteristics to test hypothesis that small mammal distribution in different eco-climatic settings could explain the diversity and frequency of pathogens they carry. Methods: Sessions of trapping were carried out in December 2016 in Faladjè and Bougouni with "Besançon tous services" (BTS) wire mesh traps baited with peanut butter and/or onion. All animals captured were identified morphologically. Results: Out of 123 small rodents and insectivores captured over 674 trap-nights, 75 (60.97%) were from Faladjè and 48 (39.02%) from Bougouni. Of these, six species of small rodents belonged to the family Muridae (Mastomys erythroleucus, Mastomys natalensis, Rattus rattus, Praomys daltoni, Gerbilliscus gambianus, Taterillus gracilis) and two species of insectivores associated with the genus Crocidura spp. belonged to the family Soricidae and Erinaceidae (Crocidura cf olivieri and Atelerix cf albiventris), respectively. There is low species diversity within these two areas, but the variation in relative abundance is significant (binomial test, p ˂ 0.05) between Faladjè and Bougouni. Mastomys erythroleucus was the most dominant species (57.33%, 43/75) in Faladjè, while R. rattus dominated (37.5%,18/48) in Bougouni. Conclusions: These two species of small mammals potentially involved in the transmission of bacteria, parasites and pathogenic viruses to humans are differently present in two distinct eco-climatic areas in Mali. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Australian megafires of 2019–2020 were considered catastrophic for flora and fauna, yet little is known about their impacts on reptiles. We investigated the impacts of the 2019–2020 megafires on reptiles in Morton National Park, New South Wales, in eastern Australia. To understand how fire severity affects reptile species richness and occupancy, we surveyed 28 replicate plots across unburnt areas and areas affected by high and low fire severity. We estimated reptile species richness and occupancy by performing systematic searches for reptiles during five sampling occasions in 2023, three years after the megafires. We measured vegetation structure and quantified the thermal environment in shelter sites used by reptiles. Vegetation structure varied significantly between burn severity groups. High-severity plots had the least canopy cover and the thinnest leaf litter depth but had a taller understorey with more stems. The thermal quality within reptile retreat sites did not differ between fire severity classes. Despite strong differences in post-fire vegetation structure, there was no evidence that fire severity affected reptile species richness or occupancy of the delicate skink, Lampropholis delicata. These results highlight the complexity of reptile responses to fires and contribute to increasing our understanding of the impacts of megafires on reptile communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental DNA (eDNA) has emerged as a highly sensitive and efficient tool for the biomonitoring of aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we investigated fish and benthic species communities using eDNA techniques in a medium-sized reservoir (about 3 square kilometers) in Anhui, China. A total of 12 water samples and 11 sediment samples were analyzed by 12S and 18S primers, respectively. We analyzed the composition of species diversity and the effect of seven environmental factors using the Mantel test. A total of 42 fish taxa were present in the water samples, and 188 benthic taxa in the sediment samples. Species composition was different in disparate stations. We found that water temperature and salinity are pivotal factors influencing the composition of fish communities, while chlorophyll-a is a primary environmental determinant for benthic species assembly structures across different zones. Biodiversity information generated by eDNA techniques can be used to reflect the resource status of this reservoir. The relevant results will provide important scientific reference information for the development and exploitation of medium-sized reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous and diverse groundwater habitats suitable for sustaining aquatic invertebrate communities exist across Australia. These habitats include enclosed subterranean aquifer systems, fractured rock, alluvial aquifers, perched aquifers, artesian springs, and spring-fed seeps and marshes. Crustaceans are a dominant member of these groundwater-associated invertebrate communities, and amphipods, both stygobiont and associated epigean species, are particularly diverse yet are still relatively poorly known. We review both the diversity and distributions of Australian amphipods associated with groundwater habitats, describing hotspots of diversity, providing notes on the unique Australian habitats, and examining the extraordinary species diversity and endemism of the Australian species. Our review highlights the significance of Australian groundwater ecosystems, their associated biodiversity, and the importance in considering these ecosystems in groundwater conservation management plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The survival of relict Taxus wallichiana var. wallichiana (Yunnan yew) is threatened by overexploitation for its quality wood and medicinal properties, particularly for taxol extraction. Understanding the current status of its communities and populations is crucial for protecting existing natural forest resources. We established 53 vegetation plots in Yunnan, southwestern China, where T. wallichiana var. wallichiana is the primary dominant species. These plots were classified into four forest types. The forests were multi-stratified, with T. wallichiana var. wallichiana frequently dominating the subcanopy and shrub layer. Species diversity indices did not significantly differ among the four forest types. The age structure of T. wallichiana var. wallichiana exhibited a multi-modal pattern, with a maximum age of 1165 years. Growth was slow, with an average radial growth rate of 0.78 mm/year. Despite its strong sprouting ability, the species had a poor seedling/sapling bank and suffered from inadequate regeneration. Its seedlings/saplings are shade-intolerant. This study provides a scientific basis for effective conservation strategies, emphasizing the need for in situ regeneration to ensure the survival of T. wallichiana var. wallichiana and its contributions to biodiversity and ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main causes of habitat conversion, degradation, and fragmentation—all of which add to the loss in biodiversity—are human activities, such as urbanization and farmland reclamation. In order to inform scientific land management and biodiversity conservation strategies and, therefore, advance sustainable development, it is imperative to evaluate the effects of land-use changes on biodiversity, especially in areas with high biodiversity. Using data from five future land-use scenarios under various Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) and Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs), this study systematically assesses the characteristics of land-use and landscape pattern changes in southwest China by 2050. This study builds a comprehensive biodiversity index and forecasts trends in species richness and habitat quality using models like Fragstats and InVEST to evaluate the overall effects of future land-use changes on biodiversity. The research yielded the subsequent conclusions: (1) Grasslands and woods will continue to be the primary land uses in southwest China in the future. But the amount of grassland is expected to decrease by 11,521 to 102,832 km2, and the amounts of wasteland and urban area are expected to increase by 8130 to 16,293 km2 and 4028 to 19,677 km2, respectively. Furthermore, it is anticipated that metropolitan areas will see an increase in landscape fragmentation and shape complexity, whereas forests and wastelands will see a decrease in these aspects. (2) In southwest China, there is a synergistic relationship between species richness and habitat quality, and both are still at relatively high levels. In terms of species richness and habitat quality, the percentage of regions categorized as outstanding and good range from 71.63% to 74.33% and 70.13% to 75.83%, respectively. The environmental circumstances for species survival and habitat quality are expected to worsen in comparison to 2020, notwithstanding these high levels. Western Sichuan, southern Guizhou, and western Yunnan are home to most of the high-habitat-quality and species-richness areas, while the western plateau is home to the majority of the lower scoring areas. (3) The majority of areas (89.84% to 94.29%) are forecast to undergo little change in the spatial distribution of biodiversity in southwest China, and the general quality of the ecological environment is predicted to stay favorable. Except in the SSP1-RCP2.6 scenario, however, it is expected that the region with declining biodiversity will exceed those with increasing biodiversity. In comparison to 2020, there is a projected decline of 1.0562% to 5.2491% in the comprehensive biodiversity index. These results underscore the major obstacles to the conservation of biodiversity in the area, highlighting the need to fortify macro-level land-use management, put into practice efficient regional conservation plans, and incorporate traditional knowledge in order to save biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity monitoring is key for understanding the delivery of ecosystem functions and services. Mediterranean forests and woodlands harbor many characteristic species of the Mediterranean vascular flora, and hence, they are a good surrogate for detecting changes in biodiversity linked to global change. In this work, we present a database resulting from the study of vascular plant diversity in multi-scale plots of 0.1 ha, measured around the first decade of this century and located in Mediterranean forest environments. Diversity profiles are calculated from Hill numbers (0, 1 and 2) for local (α) and regional (ϒ) diversity, as well as a multiplicative calculation of differential diversity (β). The main Mediterranean forests sampled had a medium coverage of 51% and stand dominant height of 10.6 m, and they were monospecific in two-thirds of cases. Local diversity reaches its highest values (around 78 species per 0.1 ha) in Holm oak dehesas, with values below 50 species for the most productive forest stands dominated by species of the genus Pinus. As regards the contribution to regional diversity, broadleaf formations contribute the most, with stone pine forests and dehesas in an intermediate position, and pine forests contributing the lowest in species richness terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While native grass and shrub restoration is often promoted for bird conservation, evaluations are necessary to understand the effects of habitat change on songbird vital rates and migratory stopover use. We evaluated the effects of native vegetation restoration on the species richness, productivity, and capture rate of breeding and fall migrating songbirds at the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, in central Kentucky, USA. From 2009 to 2022, we conducted constant effort mist netting, resulting in 8418 captures of 110 bird species. In 2012–2013, we implemented management in the study area, which began as an old field, to restore native grasses, forbs, and shrubs. Effects on the vital rates of breeding species included higher Spizella pusilla (field sparrow) and Spinus tristis (American goldfinch) productivity post restoration. Restoration of native vegetation also led to significantly higher fall capture rates for pooled cohorts of both long-distance and medium-distance migrants. Our results demonstrate that the restoration and management of native vegetation can enhance stopover habitats for fall migrating songbirds including neotropical migrants and the field sparrow, a common bird in steep decline. We recommend prioritizing areas for native grass and shrub restoration that initially lack structural heterogeneity (a well-developed grass component with diverse forbs and interspersed shrubs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyphellaceae, a small and under-studied family of Agaricales, includes mostly saprophytic taxa with varied basidiomes. In this study, we focus on wood-decay species with corticioid or stereoid basidiomes. Phylogenetic analyses of concatenated ITS-nrLSU sequences uncovered seven generic lineages of corticioid or stereoid fungi—Acanthocorticium, Cericium, Chondrostereum, Cunninghammyces, Gloeostereum, Granulobasidium, and Stratocorticium gen. nov. The genus Cericium is shown to be in the Cyphellaceae family, and two new species, Cericium gloeocystidiatum and Stratocorticium sinensis, are described from East Asia. Morphologically, Ce. gloeocystidiatum is characterized by resupinate basidiomes with smooth hymenophores, a dimitic hyphal system with clamped generative hyphae and micro-binding hyphae, cystidia with resinous-like or golden yellow contents, and ellipsoid basidiospores. Stratocorticium is monotypic, differing from Cericium by a trimitic hyphal system of clamped generative, micro-binding, and brown, thick-walled skeletal-like hyphae, clavate to cylindrical cystidia with homogenous, colorless contents, and hyphidia. Descriptions and illustrations are provided for the new taxa and Cericium luteoincrustatum, and a key to corticioid or stereoid genera in Cyphellaceae is included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morchella spp. (true morels) are precious edible mushrooms consumed around the world, with a delicious taste, rich nutritional value, and unique healthcare effects. Various fungi and bacteria have been reported to colonize the ascocarps of Morchella, damaging their fruiting bodies and leading to serious economic losses in cultivation. The species identification of these colonizing organisms is crucial for understanding their colonization mechanisms on morels. Slime molds, which have characteristics of both "fungi" and "animals", can occasionally colonize crops and edible fungi. However, there have been no reports of dictyostelid cellular slime molds (dictyostelids) colonizing plants and fungi to date. In this study, we discovered that dictyostelids colonized the surface of one wild ascoma of Morchella in the forest of Chongqing, China, with the tissues being black and rotten. Macro- and micro-morphological observations, along with molecular phylogenetic analyses, identified the specimens investigated in this study as Dictyostelium implicatum and Morchella sp. Mel-21. The results provide new knowledge of dictyostelid colonization on organisms and contribute to the diversity of species colonizing true morels. Moreover, this is also the first report of dictyostelids distributed in Chongqing, China. This study enhances our insights into the life history and potential ecological significance of dictyostelids and updates their distribution area in China. Further research will be conducted to uncover the mechanisms behind the colonization observed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Gymnopus plays a significant role in ecological systems, with certain species holding potential as food or medicinal resources. However, the species diversity of Gymnopus in China remains unclear. In recent years, more than one thousand Gymnopus specimens have been collected across China. Thus, through the integration of ecological evidence, detailed morphological studies, and phylogenetic analysis using a multiloci dataset of ITS + nLSU + tef1-ɑ, four new species—Gymnopus longistipes, Gymnopus striatipileatus, Gymnopus viridiscus, and Gymnopus spadiceus—have been differentiated from known species. Gymnopus similis has been newly documented from Jiangxi Province, China. Detailed descriptions and vivid illustrations have been provided based on the newly collected specimens, along with comparisons to closely related species. Additionally, a key to the reported species of Gymnopus s.l. from East China has been included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fragmentation and degradation of primary forests are serious threats to the long-term persistence not only of the tree species they comprise, but also of many organisms inhabiting them. The Canarian laurel forest, known as monteverde, is a highly threatened endemic forest of the Macaronesian region. Lichens are considered ideal bioindicators for assessing the effects of human disturbances on ecosystems and anticipating the response of other less sensitive organisms. However, no studies have used them as model organisms to analyze the conservation status of this primary forest in the Macaronesian region. In the present study, we analyzed several variables of the lichen biota of the Canarian laurel forest on the islands with the highest representation within this archipelago: La Gomera, La Palma, and Tenerife. We analyzed the species richness (and its relationship to island size with the real and potential vegetation areas of the laurel forest); the lichen diversity value, the number of shared and exclusive species on each of the islands as well as lichen functional traits as they have become important for evaluating the response of epiphytic lichens to environmental changes. The results indicate that there are signs of a potential extinction debt occurring in the diversity of epiphytic lichens in some areas. Furthermore, it has been observed that, despite the presence of some exclusive species on each island, the overall composition does not differ between them. Considering the functional traits of lichens, there are patterns that can provide information about the unique characteristics of the laurel forest of each of the studied islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dominant species are crucial in regulating the structure and productivity of plant communities. Adaptation strategies to climate change vary among the dominant species of different life types. However, the responses of the ecological niches of dominant species to warming and precipitation in semi-arid grasslands and their impacts on community structure and function are unknown. This study involved conducting a long-term experimental simulation of warming and increased precipitation on grasslands in Inner Mongolia and studying population dynamics, ecological niches, and their responses to the structure and function of the community species of two dominant plants, L. chinensis (perennial rhizome grass) and S. krylovii (perennial clumped grass). The results show that the niche width of L. chinensis increased and S. krylovii decreased under warming and increased precipitation conditions. The overlap of L. chinensis and S. krylovii decreased under the same conditions. The niche widths of L. chinensis and S. krylovii were 1.22 for the control (C), 1.19 and 1.04 under warming (W) conditions, 1.27 and 0.97 under warming plus precipitation (WP) conditions, and 1.27 and 1.24 under the conditions of precipitation addition (P). The niche overlap of L. chinensis and S. krylovii were 0.72 in C, 0.69 in W, 0.68 in WP, and 0.82 in P. The biomass share and importance value of L. chinensis increased, and those of S. krylovii decreased in response to warming and precipitation. The effects of warming on species diversity and community stability are primarily influenced by the effects on the niche breadth of S. krylovii. Combined with our previous study, L. chinensis will offer more resources in communities in warmer and wetter steppe climates in the future. However, this is not conducive to community diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The extensive field work study between 2020 and 2023 led to the discovery of three new species of wood-inhabiting fungi; Tropicoporus pannaensis, Tropicoporus subindicus, and Tropicoporus xerophyticus from the southern part of India. The detailed descriptions and illustrations along with molecular support are presented. These discoveries may contribute to our understanding of species diversity and ecology, ultimately benefiting the society by informing the conservation efforts and exploring the potential biomolecules. This study aimed to investigate the morphological characteristics and phylogenetic relationships of three new species of Tropicoporus from the southern parts of India. The analyses of the ITS and nLSU regions revealed the novelty of these species, which have been named T. pannaensis, T. subindicus, and T. xerophyticus. All three species possess pileate basidiomes, a monomitic hyphal system in the context, and the presence of cystidioles and setae. However, they differ significantly in their phylogenetic placements and other morpho-taxonomic features. Tropicoporus pannaensis is characterized by a meagrely ungulate basidiome, indistinct zones, and an obtuse margin. Tropicoporus subindicus has a triquetrous basidiome and a radially cracked, crusted pileal surface with an acute margin, while T. xerophyticus is distinguished by an imbricate, perennial basidiome with an abundantly warted pileal surface. A phylogenetic tree is provided to show the placement of the three new species, along with detailed descriptions and illustrations. Additionally, a key for the identification of the Asian species of Tropicoporus is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Understanding the distribution of plants and animals is a major focus of ecologists and is of increasing importance as temperatures rise and the world's climate becomes more unpredictable. One large-scale pattern that has often been observed is for the number of species in a group of interest to be greater in the tropics than towards the poles. Species also tend to decline in number at higher elevations. We examined the distribution of mayfly species, insects commonly found in streams, at multiple sites throughout New Zealand to see whether the numbers and identities of species were related to latitude and altitude. We found that the number of mayfly species declined from north to south, i.e., towards higher latitudes, and less strongly as elevation increased. Furthermore, the species composition of communities became increasingly different with distance along the latitudinal gradient. Our findings suggest that the species gradient has historical origins, with the north of North Island and the South Island mountains likely to have been important regions of speciation 1.5–0.5 million years ago. The distribution of species in relation to latitude and altitude is of fundamental interest to ecologists and is expected to attain increasing importance as the Earth's climate continues to change. Species diversity is commonly greater at lower than higher latitudes on a global scale, and the similarity of communities frequently decreases with distance. Nevertheless, reasons for such patterns are not well understood. We investigated species richness and changes in community composition of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) over 13 degrees of latitude at 81 locations throughout New Zealand by light-trapping and the benthic sampling of streams. Mayflies were also sampled along an altitudinal gradient on a prominent inactive volcano in the east of North Island. Sampled streams were predominantly in the native forest, at a wide range of altitudes from sea level to c. 1000 m a. s. l. A total of 47 of the 59 described New Zealand mayflies were recorded during the study, along with five undescribed morphospecies. Species richness declined and the degree of dissimilarity (beta diversity) of mayfly communities increased significantly from north to south but less strongly with increasing altitude. Our results suggest that the southward decline in species richness has historical origins with the north of the country having acted as a major refuge and region of speciation during the Pleistocene. The increasing dissimilarity of the northern and southern communities may reflect an increasingly harsh climate, variable amounts of subsequent southward dispersal of northern species and, in the South Island, the presence of species which may have evolved in the newly uplifted mountains during the Miocene–Pliocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Developmental plasticity allows organisms to adapt quickly by altering their behaviour or physiology, often at a high energy or time cost. This flexibility can lead to more permanent genetic changes, simplifying the organism's response to similar future challenges. Our research shows that plasticity not only speeds up the evolution of complex behaviours in organisms but also plays a crucial role in the development of increasingly complex biological systems. As organisms face more difficult environmental tasks, plasticity becomes a more powerful tool in facilitating rapid evolutionary advancements and the diversification of species. Developmental plasticity enables organisms to cope with new environmental challenges. If deploying such plasticity is costly in terms of time or energy, the same adaptive behaviour could subsequently evolve through piecemeal genomic reorganisation that replaces the requirement to acquire that adaptation by individual plasticity. Here, we report a new dimension to the way in which plasticity can drive evolutionary change, leading to an ever-greater complexity in biological organisation. Plasticity dramatically accelerates the evolutionary accumulation of adaptive systems in model organisms with relatively low rates of mutation. The effect of plasticity on the evolutionary growth of complexity is even greater when the number of elements needed to construct a functional system is increased. These results suggest that, as the difficulty of challenges from the environment becomes greater, plasticity exerts an ever more powerful role in meeting those challenges and in opening up new avenues for the subsequent evolution of complex adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity is a characteristic of ecosystems that plays a crucial role in the study of their evolution, and to estimate it, the species of all plants need to be determined. In this study, we used Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to gather RGB images of mid-to-high-altitude ecosystems in the Zao mountains (Japan). All the data-collection missions took place in autumn so the plants present distinctive seasonal coloration. Patches from single trees and bushes were manually extracted from the collected orthomosaics. Subsequently, Deep Learning image-classification networks were used to automatically determine the species of each tree or bush and estimate biodiversity. Both Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Transformer-based models were considered (ResNet, RegNet, ConvNeXt, and SwinTransformer). To measure and estimate biodiversity, we relied on the Gini–Simpson Index, the Shannon–Wiener Index, and Species Richness. We present two separate scenarios for evaluating the readiness of the technology for practical use: the first scenario uses a subset of the data with five species and a testing set that has a very similar percentage of each species to those present in the training set. The models studied reach very high performances with over 99 Accuracy and 98 F1 Score (the harmonic mean of Precision and Recall) for image classification and biodiversity estimates under 1% error. The second scenario uses the full dataset with nine species and large variations in class balance between the training and testing datasets, which is often the case in practical use situations. The results in this case remained fairly high for Accuracy at 90.64% but dropped to 51.77% for F1 Score. The relatively low F1 Score value is partly due to a small number of misclassifications having a disproportionate impact in the final measure, but still, the large difference between the Accuracy and F1 Score highlights the complexity of finely evaluating the classification results of Deep Learning Networks. Even in this very challenging scenario, the biodiversity estimation remained with relatively small (6–14%) errors for the most detailed indices, showcasing the readiness of the technology for practical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge) is a valuable ornamental, medicinal, and woody oilseed species that is indigenous to China. The breeding improvement of yellowhorn has been hindered by a lack of suitable markers and sufficient information regarding the molecular diversity of this species. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the yellowhorn genome to characterize the simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci. A total of 4,007,201 SSRs were successfully identified. Among these markers, mono-nucleotide SSRs were most abundant in the genome, while the tri-nucleotide SSRs accounted for the highest proportion in coding sequences. The GO and KEGG function enrichment analysis revealed that most SSR loci in coding sequences were associated with potential biological functions. Additionally, we used 30 pairs of primers to amplify SSR markers to gain a better understanding of the genetic variation in yellowhorn germplasms. The average values of observed heterozygosity and polymorphism information content were 0.625 and 0.517, respectively. Population structure, phylogeny and principal component analyses identified two distinct subclusters. Furthermore, yellowhorn germplasms with the same geographical distribution tended to group together. Moreover, a total of 26 yellowhorn core collections, which accounted for approximately 14.94% of the total yellowhorn germplasms, effectively represented the genetic diversity of all original germplasms. Our findings not only unveiled the genetic diversity and population structure of yellowhorn germplasms but also investigated the yellowhorn core collection, which will serve as a strong basis for yellowhorn management and genetic improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epiphytes represent a key component in tropical forests. They are affected by anthropogenic and natural disturbances suffered by forests, since they depend on their hosts and the microclimatic conditions they generate. We analyzed differences in abundance, species richness, and vertical distributions of epiphytic bromeliads in primary and disturbed forests. We found a higher abundance (5316 individuals) and species richness (8 species) of bromeliads in disturbed forest than in primary forest (1360 individuals and 4 species, respectively). Most bromeliads (97%) were found on Taxodium mucronatum, a dominant tree with rough bark in the disturbed forest (gallery forest). Bromeliads were more abundant in the middle of the tree and diminished towards the trunk base and the upper crown. Tillandsia baileyi was the most abundant bromeliad, and the size categories of this species differentially colonize trees in gallery forest according to Johansson zones; seedlings of T. baileyi abundantly colonize the upper canopy, and juveniles colonize the middle canopy or secondary branches. Gallery forest represents an important reservoir for epiphytic bromeliads. Hence, it is important to extend this kind of study to wetland sites to understand the role they play as a habitat for epiphytes, as well as the dynamics and ecological processes that occur in such habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the factors that drive changes in biodiversity is a hot and critically important topic in landscape ecology and biogeography. In this study, semi-structured citizen science data and bird distribution maps were employed to gather data from 2015 to 2020 for the calculation of bird species richness, the Shannon index, and the Pielou index in Anhui Province. These metrics were utilized to assess avian biodiversity and to elucidate the spatial patterns of biodiversity distribution across the region. In this research, a structural equation model (SEM) was utilized to investigate the relationships between the three dimensions of landscape spatial structure, urban development intensity, and environmental factors on bird biodiversity, and a conceptual framework was established to identify the key driving factors. The validity, reliability, and fit of the hypothesized model were substantiated through rigorous testing, demonstrating its reasonableness. The results indicate the following: (1) In landscape spatial structure, landscape composition and configuration play crucial roles in influencing bird diversity. An increased proportion of cultivated land negatively impacts bird diversity, whereas the expansion of forested areas promotes it. At the configuration level, the Largest Patch Index (LPI) significantly enhances bird diversity, serving as the primary driving force. Landscape spatial structure affects bird diversity both directly, through its composition, and indirectly, through its configuration. (2) The dimension of urban development intensity generally shows significant negative impacts; among these, GDP has the greatest comprehensive impact and shows a significant negative impact. (3) Topography has the greatest overall impact on bird diversity among the environmental factors, with a predominantly direct positive effect. (4) Overall, urban landscape spatial structure and urban development intensity are the main driving forces of bird diversity in Anhui Province, the greatest of which is the direct effect of the urban development intensity. These results provide an important scientific basis for landscape planning and ecological protection and provide inspiration for assessing the driving factors of animal and plant diversity in other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of climate change, the current rise in temperature, changes in precipitation, and extreme weather events are exceptional and impact biodiversity. Using the Mann–Kendall trend test, change-point analysis, and linear mixed models, we investigated the long-term trends (1978–2022) of water temperature and flow in the Po River, Italy's largest river, and examined changes in the fish community over the same period. Our findings indicate that the daily water temperature of the Po River increased by ~4 °C from 1978 to 2022, with a significant rise starting in 2005. The river's daily discharge showed higher variability and decreased from 2003 onwards. The number of days per year with water temperatures above the summer average increased steadily by 1 day per year, resulting in over 40 additional days with above-average temperatures in the last four decades. The number of summer days above the seasonal average water temperature was the most influential factor affecting fish diversity. Total fish species richness and native species richness significantly decreased between 1978 and 2022 with the increasing number of days above the summer average water temperature, while non-native species increased. Our results demonstrate that the Po River is experiencing significant impacts from global warming, affecting freshwater communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bird research contributes to understanding species diversity, ecosystem functions, and the maintenance of biodiversity. By analyzing bird images and the audio of birds, we can monitor bird distribution, abundance, and behavior to better understand the health of ecosystems. However, bird images and audio involve a vast amount of data. To improve the efficiency of data transmission and storage efficiency and save bandwidth, compressive sensing can overcome this challenge. Compressive sensing is a technique that uses the sparsity of signals to recover original data from a small number of linear measurements. This paper introduces a deep neural network based on the Iterative Shrinkage Thresholding Algorithm (ISTA) and a Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM), CBAM_ISTA-Net+, for the compressive reconstruction of bird images, audio Mel spectrograms and wavelet transform spectrograms. Using 45 bird species as research subjects, including 20 bird images, 15 audio-generated Mel spectrograms, and 10 audio wavelet transform (WT) spectrograms, the experimental results show that CBAM_ISTA-Net+ achieves a higher peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) at different compression ratios. At a compression ratio of 50%, the average PSNR of the three datasets reaches 33.62 dB, 55.76 dB, and 38.59 dB, while both the Mel spectrogram and wavelet transform spectrogram achieve more than 30 dB at compression ratios of 25–50%. These results highlight the effectiveness of CBAM_ISTA-Net+ in maintaining high reconstruction quality even under significant compression, demonstrating its potential as a valuable tool for efficient data management in ecological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The upwelling phenomenon plays a vital role within marine ecosystems, transporting essential nutrients from the bottom to the surface and boosting biological productivity. However, the bacterial community structure in upwelling zones along the western coast of India (WCI) is understudied. This research systematically examines bacterial diversity across three seasons—pre-monsoon (PR), monsoon (MN), and post-monsoon (PM)—using next-generation sequencing. Our findings show distinct spatial patterns of bacterial communities in the Arabian Sea and demonstrate that ecological variations influence bacterial distribution in this dynamic environment. During MN, the bacterial community exhibited greater species diversity but lower overall abundance compared to PR and PM. Non-Metric MDS cluster analysis revealed a 78% similarity (at order level) between PR and PM, indicating that MN supports unique bacterial diversity. KEGG analysis showed significant seasonal variations in metabolic functions, with increased functional potential during MN. Additionally, Carbohydrate-Active enZymes (CAZymes) analysis revealed distinct seasonal profiles, among which the GH13 enzymes were the most prevalent glycoside hydrolases during MN, predominantly being sucrose phosphorylase and glucosidase, known for breaking down glucan deposits derived from phytoplankton. The CAZymes profiles supported taxonomic and KEGG pathway findings, reinforcing that microbial communities are seasonally distinct and functionally adapted to changing availability of nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We took advantage of a single-center cross-sectional study to investigate the effect of different drugs on intestinal microbiota and function in Crohn's disease. Methods: We studied the difference in fecal microbiota of Crohn's disease patients treated with mesalazine, azathioprine, and infliximab, as well as untreated patients, by metagenome and screened for differential microbiota. Further, we investigated functional differences in intestinal microbiota among the four groups. Results: Through metagenomic sequencing, we found that there was no difference between the four groups in ACE and Chao1 indices, but IFX and mesalazine improved species diversity and homogeneity compared to the untreated group, as evidenced by statistically significant differences in the Shannon index, Simpson index, and pielou_evenness. In addition, beta diversity suggested a difference between groups, but the difference was not significant. Non-parametric tests revealed differences between the four groups at the phylum level, class level, and genus level. Further analysis by LEfSe analysis revealed that the level of short-chain fatty acid-producing microbiota was increased in the treated groups, while there was no difference between the treated groups when compared to each other. Finally, the KEGG database and EggNOG database revealed that there were functional differences in intestinal microbiota among the four groups, including microbial metabolism pathway, cysteine and methionine metabolism pathway, cytoskeleton, etc. Conclusions: Mesalazine, azathioprine, and infliximab can all affect the intestinal microbiota and function in patients with Crohn's disease, and the drugs may alleviate intestinal inflammation in patients with Crohn's disease by modulating the intestinal microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangroves play a crucial ecological and economic role but face significant threats, particularly on Hainan Island, which has the highest mangrove species diversity in China. Remote sensing and AI techniques offer potential solutions for monitoring these ecosystems, but challenges persist due to difficult access for field sampling. To address these issues, we propose a novel model combining a Mangrove Rough Extraction Decision Tree (MREDT) and a Dynamic Attention Convolutional Network (DACN-M). Initially, we used drones and field surveys to conduct multiple observations in Dongzhaigang Nature Reserve, identifying the boundaries of the mangroves. Based on these features, we constructed the MREDT model to mitigate model failure caused by light instability, simplifying transfer to other study areas without requiring annotated samples or extensive field surveys. Next, we developed the DACN-M model, which refines the rough extraction features from MREDT and incorporates contextual information for more accurate detection. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method effectively differentiates mangroves from other vegetation, achieving F1 Scores above 75% and IoU values greater than 60% across six study areas. In conclusion, our proposed method not only accurately identifies and monitors mangrove distribution but also offers the significant advantage of being transferable to other study areas without the need for annotated samples or field surveys. This provides a robust and scalable solution for protecting and preserving critical mangrove ecosystems and supports effective conservation efforts in various regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the phytocenotic structure and biodiversity of forest ecosystems dominated by species of the family Betulaceae (Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, and Alnus glutinosa) in the Kostanay region of Kazakhstan. The research is a significant step toward understanding the influence of environmental factors, particularly hydrological regimes and soil conditions, on the formation and functioning of these forest communities. Field studies were conducted across multiple plots, where detailed geobotanical descriptions and analyses of species diversity were performed. The results underscore the significant species diversity, with 146 vascular plant species identified across various forest types, and are of great importance. Birch forests exhibit higher species diversity than alder forests, with the highest diversity observed in plots with favourable moisture conditions. The study concludes that the hydrological regime is critical in shaping these forest ecosystems' phytocenotic structure and productivity. These conclusions underline the importance of biodiversity conservation and sustainable forest management in the region, making the implications of this research significant and far reaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity loss has accelerated over decades and probably exerted adverse impacts on ecosystems. As a key forest ecosystem function, tree productivity and its relationship with the change in species diversity are a hotspot in ecology research. However, the changing patterns of the relationships between these two variables across ecosystems with different environmental conditions and the underlying mechanisms are not well understood but key to make environmental context-specific strategies for forest ecosystem conservation and management. Here, we examined changes in relationship (RDI-AGB) between the tree species diversity index (DI) and aboveground biomass (AGB) across temperate forest ecosystems with different environmental contexts on a small spatial (plot) scale as well as clarified the driving mechanisms using ground-based data from 3 natural reserves in northeastern China, surveying 22,139 trees across 77 species and 185 plots. We found substantial changes in RDI-AGB across natural reserves with different environmental conditions on a small spatial scale. These changes were probably modulated by site-specific factors. A positive RDI-AGB was attributed to positive impacts of local climate conditions (i.e., mean annual temperature and potential evapotranspiration) and stand age on both DI and AGB, which was observed in the Changbai Mountains Natural Reserve. In contrast, a negative RDI-AGB was likely due to opposite directions in the effects of the site-dependent factors (elevation, mean annual precipitation, vapor pressure deficit, and seasonality of temperature) on DI and AGB, appearing in the Honghuaerji Natural Reserve. In addition, complex impacts of site factors on DI and AGB leading to no obvious RDI-AGB was observed in the Shengshan Natural Reserve. Our results highlight the importance of site-dependent factors in modulating species diversity–productivity relationships and the need to use site-specific strategies in management and conservation for forest-dominated natural reserves and other forest ecosystems with heterogeneous environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine anaplasmosis is an infectious vector-borne disease caused by bacteria of the genus Anaplasma, which have a wide global distribution and represent a high economic burden for agriculture. The use of molecular genetic techniques has increased our knowledge of the species diversity of Anaplasma spp. and naturally susceptible animals. Monitoring studies allow us to assess the level of infection in herds, as well as the involvement of natural vectors in the processes of maintaining and spreading infection. Despite the high prevalence of Theileria and Babesia in cattle in Kazakhstan, there is no information on the distribution and species diversity of Anaplasma spp in this country. As part of this work, 7027 DNA samples isolated from the whole blood of cattle from 175 settlements in all 17 Kazakhstan regions were PCR-tested for the presence of Anaplasma spp. Anaplasma carriers were found in 1.3% (90 out of 7027) of the tested animals in 9 of the 17 regions of Kazakhstan. The highest percentage of infected animals was recorded in Turkistan (South Kazakhstan) and North Kazakhstan with 4.46% and 2.48% positive samples, respectively. The partial sequencing of 16S rRNA and the groEL gene allowed us to identify five species of Anaplasma: A. centrale, A. marginale, Candidatus Anaplasma Mongolica, A. ovis, and Unknown Anaplasma with infection rates of 0.63%, 0.44%, 0.13%, 0.01%, and 0.01%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive plant species have been recognized as adversely affecting native ecosystems. Some of these plant species become problematic in disturbed environments such as urbanized, agricultural, and abandoned developed or farmed land. In some cases, they can dominate the invaded ground, preventing a transition back to the native plant community. In Tenerife (Canary Islands), the invasive plant species Ulex europaeus L. has established dense infestations in abandoned agricultural lands. Removing such invasive species in Tenerife through ecological restoration is crucial for restoring ecosystem functionality and promoting biodiversity. This study evaluates various management methods for U. europaeus in abandoned fields, assessing their impact on species richness, diversity, composition, and regeneration. The findings can inform management strategies to combat this invasive species, contributing to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem resilience. The study was conducted in two highly invaded areas, evaluating chemical (C), mechanical (M), mechanical and chemical (MC), and mechanical, chemical, and plantation treatments (MCP), along with a control, to analyze changes in species richness, diversity, and plant community. Results indicate that U. europaeus remains capable of reoccupying treated areas. The different treatments led to differences in species richness and composition. The MCP treatment yielded the best results if the planted native species grew faster than Ulex europaeus, preventing its establishment due to its shade-intolerant nature. However, continual control is required to eliminate U. europaeus regeneration from seeds that can persist for at least 30 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the effects of the recent Acmella radicans invasion on plant community and diversity in invaded habitats, the composition, density, species richness, diversity indices, and evenness index of the soil seed bank community of two different habitats (wasteland and cultivated land) in Yunnan Province, China, were analyzed through field sampling and greenhouse germination tests. A total of 28 species of plants belonging to 15 families and 28 genera, all annual herbs, were found in the soil seed bank. Seed densities and species number in the seed bank tended to be greater in April than in October; cultivated land also featured higher seed densities and species numbers compared to wasteland. With increased A. radicans cover, the seed bank population of A. radicans also significantly increased, but the seed bank populations of many other dominant species (e.g., Ageratum conyzoides and Gamochaeta pensylvanica) and native species (e.g., Laggera crispata and Poa annua) clearly declined. The germination of A. radicans seeds was concentrated during the period from the 4th to the 5th weeks. Vertically, the seed number of A. radicans was significantly different among the 0–5 cm, 5–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers that accounted for 80.7–90.6%, 9.4–16.1% and 0.0–3.2% of the total seed density in wasteland, respectively; and in cultivated land, A. radicans accounted for 56.8–64.9%, 26.7–31.8% and 8.1–13.5% of the total seed density, respectively. With reduced A. radicans cover, the species richness, Simpson index, Shannon–Wiener index, and Pielou indices of the weed community generally increased, and most diversity indices of weed communities in cultivated land were lower than in wasteland under the same cover of A. radicans. The results indicate that the invasion of A. radicans has negatively affected local weed community composition and reduced weed community diversity, and that these negative impacts in cultivated land may be enhanced by human disturbance. Our study was the first to elucidate the influence of A. radicans invasion on soil seed bank community characteristics in invaded habitats, providing a better understanding of its invasion and spread mechanisms in order to aid in developing a scientific basis for the prevention and control of this invader. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Ilex belongs to the sole family and is the single genus within the order Aquifoliales, exhibiting significant phenotypic diversity. However, the genetic differences underlying these phenotypic variations have rarely been studied. In this study, collinearity analyses of three Ilex genomes, Ilex latifolia Thunb., Ilex polyneura (Hand.-Mazz.) S. Y. Hu, and Ilex asprella Champ. ex Benth., indicated a recent fusion event contributing to the reduction of chromosomes in I. asprella. Comparative genome analyses showed slight differences in gene annotation among the three species, implying a minimal disruption of genes following chromosomal fusion in I. asprella. Comprehensive annotation of transposable elements (TEs) revealed that TEs constitute a significant portion of the Ilex genomes, with LTR transposons being predominant. TEs exhibited an inverse relationship with gene density, potentially influencing gene regulation and chromosomal architecture. TE insertions were shown to affect the conformation and binding sites of key genes such as 7-deoxyloganetin glucosyltransferase and transmembrane kinase (TMK) genes, highlighting potential functional impacts. The structural variations caused by TE insertions suggest significant roles in the evolutionary dynamics, leading to either loss or gain of gene function. This study underscores the importance of TEs in shaping the genomic landscape and evolutionary trajectories of Ilex species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The family Apiaceae, distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, is the largest family of angiosperms. However, little is known about the conservation status, diversity, and distribution of Apiaceae species in Mongolia. This study had two main aims: (1) to assess the national status of Apiaceae species under IUCN Red List Criterion B; (2) to evaluate the species diversity and richness of Apiaceae across Mongolia. We utilized ConR packages to assess the national Red List status of all known Mongolian Apiaceae species by analyzing their most comprehensive occurrence records. The results indicated that 27 species were classified as threatened, including 4 Critically Endangered (CR), 9 Endangered (EN), and 14 Vulnerable (VU) species. Meanwhile, 39 species were assessed as non-threatened, with 2 Near Threatened (NT) species and 37 species of Least Concern (LC). Furthermore, detailed distribution maps for 66 Apiaceae species in Mongolia were presented. We assessed the species diversity and Shannon and Simpson diversity indices of Apiaceae by analyzing all occurrence records using the iNext package. Overall, the Hill diversity estimates indicate that the sampling conducted in Mongolia adequately captured species occurrences. For species pattern analysis, we examined the species richness, weighted endemism, and the corrected weighted endemism index using Biodiverse v.4.1 software. Mongolia was portioned into 715 grid cells based on 0.5° × 0.5° grid sizes (equivalent to approximately 50 × 50 km2). There was a total of 3062 unique occurrences of all Apiaceae species across Mongolia. In the species richness analysis, we identified 10 grids that exhibited high species richness (18–29 species) and 36 grids with 11–17 species. For genus richness, we observed seven grids that exhibited a high genus richness of 16–22 genera. Furthermore, we analyzed species richness with a specific focus on threatened species, encompassing CR, EN, and VU species throughout Mongolia. A total of 92 grids contained at least one threatened species. There were six grids that had two to five threatened species, which were adequately covered by protected areas in western Mongolia. Overall, our results on species richness and conservation status will serve as important foundational research for future conservation and land management efforts in Mongolia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorellacean members are common in aquatic or subaerial habitats, and many of them have significant economic value. Taxonomic reports and organelle genome data for the Nannochloris clade, an important subgroup within this family, are limited, hindering the understanding and exploitation of this clade. In this study, a fusiform-celled strain, FACHB-3607, was isolated from a pond in China. Through examination of morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of rbcL, 18S rDNA, and ITS, it was identified as a new species within the Nannochloris clade, named Koliella bifissiva sp. nov. In addition, this study provided a first insight into the organellar genomes of the genus Koliella. The K. bifissiva chloroplast had a 99.8 kb genome, and the mitochondrion had a 40.8 kb genome, which are moderate sizes within the Nannochloris clade. Phylogenomic analysis showed that K. bifissiva is most closely related to Nannochloris sp. "desiccata", followed by Marvania. In contrast, Picochlorum was the most distantly related species. The organelle genomes of the Nannochloris clade display dynamic evolution, reflected in variations in genome size, gene content and order, and selection pressure. This research enhances our knowledge of species diversity and evolutionary history in the Nannochloris clade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specimen data play a crucial role in geographical distribution research. In this study, the collection information of liverwort specimens in China was compiled and analyzed to investigate the history, current status, and limitations of liverwort research in China. By utilizing the latest systematic research findings and corresponding environmental data, a niche model was developed to offer theoretical support for exploring the potential geographical distribution and diversity of liverwort resources. A total of 55,427 liverwort specimens were collected in China, resulting in the recording of 1212 species belonging to 169 genera and 63 families. However, there are imbalances in the distributions of liverwort data among different groups, collection units, and geographical areas, with families such as Lejeuneaceae, Porellaceae, and Plagiochilaceae having the highest number of specimens. Similarly, genera such as Porella, Frullania, and Horikawaella were well represented. Remarkably, 125 species had specimen counts exceeding 100. Unfortunately, approximately 51.77% of the species had fewer than 10 recorded specimens. There were four obvious peaks in the collection years of the bryophyte specimens in China, among which the largest collection occurred from 2010 to 2023. Notably, the number of specimens collected at different stages closely aligned with the history of taxonomic research on liverworts in China. The results of the integrity of the liverwort collection indicate that there is insufficient representation of some families and genera, with a concentration of common and widely distributed large families and genera. Tropical and subtropical humid areas are key regions for liverwort diversity, with water and temperature being the primary environmental factors influencing their geographical distribution. The specific temporal and spatial data of species recorded from plant specimens will enhance the study of species diversity, comprehensive protection, and sustainable utilization. Additionally, these data will contribute to the investigation of large-scale biodiversity distribution patterns and the impact of global change on diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is evidence to suggest that vascular epiphytes experience low competition for resources (light, water, and nutrients) compared to terrestrial plants. We tested the hypothesis that low resource competition may lead to higher nestedness among vascular epiphyte assemblages compared to trees. We studied the species composition and biomass of epiphytes and trees along an elevation gradient in a tropical dry forest in SW Ecuador. Both life-forms were inventoried on 25 plots of 400 m2 across five elevation levels (550–1250 m). Tree species density and total species richness increased with elevation, whereas basal area and biomass did not show significant trends. Epiphyte species density and richness both increased strongly with elevation, in parallel to biomass. Plot-level compositional changes were similarly strong for both life-forms. We attribute elevational increases in the species richness of trees and epiphytes to increasing humidity, i.e., more mesic growth conditions. We attribute the more pronounced elevational increase in epiphyte biomass, species density, and richness—the latter coupled with a higher degree of nestedness—to the greater moisture dependency of epiphytes and relatively low direct competition for resources. Our study provides a first comparison of elevational trends in epiphyte and tree diversity and biomass for a tropical dry forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fish detection task is an essential component of marine exploration, which helps scientists monitor fish population numbers and diversity and understand changes in fish behavior and habitat. It also plays a significant role in assessing the health of marine ecosystems, formulating conservation measures, and maintaining biodiversity. However, there are two main issues with current fish detection algorithms. First, the lighting conditions underwater are significantly different from those on land. In addition, light scattering and absorption in water trigger uneven illumination, color distortion, and reduced contrast in images. The accuracy of detection algorithms can be affected by these lighting variations. Second, the wide variation of fish species in shape, color, and size brings about some challenges. As some fish have complex textures or camouflage features, it is difficult to differentiate them using current detection algorithms. To address these issues, we propose a fish detection algorithm—FishDet-YOLO—through improvement in the YOLOv8 algorithm. To tackle the complexities of underwater environments, we design an Underwater Enhancement Module network (UEM) that can be jointly trained with YOLO. The UEM enhances the details of underwater images via end-to-end training with YOLO. To address the diversity of fish species, we leverage the Mamba model's capability for long-distance dependencies without increasing computational complexity and integrate it with the C2f from YOLOv8 to create the Mamba-C2f. Through this design, the adaptability in handling complex fish detection tasks is improved. In addition, the RUOD and DUO public datasets are used to train and evaluate FishDet-YOLO. FishDet-YOLO achieves mAP scores of 89.5% and 88.8% on the test sets of RUOD and DUO, respectively, marking an improvement of 8% and 8.2% over YOLOv8. It also surpasses recent state-of-the-art general object detection and underwater fish detection algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cordyceps militaris, recognized for its diverse and potent medicinal properties, plays a critical role in herbal medicine. This study investigates the genus Cordyceps, particularly focusing on C. militaris, a species widely utilized in East Asian traditional medicine for its therapeutic properties. C. militaris is rich in bioactive compounds, including cordycepin, adenosine, polysaccharides, ergosterol, and mannitol, which contribute to its broad physiological activities. The research aims to explore the diversity of host species in the cultivation of C. militaris and assess their impact on the biological activity and chemical composition of the fungus. The study highlights the variability in the efficacy of bioactive compounds due to different cultivation conditions and host species, emphasizing the need for standardized cultivation practices. Advances in genetic engineering and fermentation technology have significantly enhanced the production of these metabolites, supporting the sustainable scale-up of C. militaris cultivation. Future research should continue to explore the molecular mechanisms of its bioactive compounds, identify new clinical applications, and improve production efficiency and environmental sustainability. This comprehensive review provides insights for researchers, healthcare professionals, and cultivators on optimizing C. militaris for medicinal and commercial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The state of Espírito Santo has one of the greatest diversities of macroalgae along the Brazilian coast. Beach-cast seaweeds are a frequent phenomenon and exhibit great diversity. This study assessed stranded macroalgae's composition and reproductive status to evaluate their potential for sustainable use by the local community. Monthly collections were carried out from March to November 2022, covering the rainy and dry seasons, on five beaches in Espírito Santo: three in the north and two in the south. At each beach, two 50 m transects were set up parallel to the coastline over the stranded algae patches, one near the wave-breaking zone during low tide and another around high tide, and three 1 × 1 m quadrants were randomly selected in each transect. All material within each quadrant was collected, resulting in six samples per beach. We identified 81 taxa, including 54 Rhodophyta, 16 Ulvophyceae and 11 Phaeophyceae. The taxon composition was relatively consistent across the studied regions, with the rainy season exhibiting the greatest species richness. Seventeen of the identified taxa had reproductive structures, although only four consistently presented these structures. Our results suggest that removing stranded macroalgae does not significantly impact their role as propagule sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ghost bat Macroderma gigas (Megadermatidae) is native to Australia. Its current distribution has dramatically contracted northwards in the past 150 years and the extant populations are scattered and isolated due to climatic and anthropogenic factors. To investigate the potential for reintroductions of wild ghost bats into suitable habitats, we examined the potential for refuges located in the southern-most parts of the species' former range to once again support populations. We identified Drovers Cave, located in Drovers Cave National Park in Western Australia, as a potential reintroduction site and used thermo-hygrochron iButtons to demonstrate that the microclimate conditions within the cave are suitable for ghost bats with temperatures close to 20 °C and 99% humidity throughout a ten-month period (December to September). We also showed that in the Pilbara region, ghost bats are opportunistic and flexible predators relying on small birds and mammal species. After comparing these data with the local fauna species list reported from Drovers Cave National Park, we concluded that the habitat at the proposed reintroduction site could provide sufficient diversity of potential prey species in terms of species richness, but we had no data on their relative abundance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human adenovirus (HAdV) F40/41 is an important pathogen in pediatric acute gastroenteritis cases. However, the diversity of study designs and diagnostic methods often leads to misinterpretations of their impact. Our study explored the genetic diversity of HAdV-F40/41 in Brazil using a specific qPCR assay for HAdV species F, combined with a phylogenetic analysis of the partial hexon and fiber genes. Our results demonstrated that HAdV-F41 strains predominated and exhibited higher diversity than HAdV-F40 strains. Based on the hexon gene, Brazilian HAdV-F41 strains were grouped into two genome type clusters (GTC), further divided into subclusters, with most strains clusteringto GTC2. The partial shaft region of the fiber gene exhibited higher conservation among HAdV-F41. The specific qPCR assay for HAdV species F identified HAdV-F in an additional 31.5% (34/108) of previously uncharacterized HAdV-positive samples detected using a non-specific HAdV qPCR assay. Both assays strongly correlated in detecting HAdV-F, and the specific qPCR assay for enteric types can enhance HAdV surveillance, especially when sequencing is not possible. Our study provides novel insights regarding the genetic diversity of HAdV-F species in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assessed the phytoplankton structure and its relationship with the physical environment in the coastal region off Mazatlán, Mexico, in two seasons of 2022, a year in which a strong La Niña event took place: (1) the warmer (August) and (2) the transitional period to the cold phase (November), based on hydrographic data and samples collected in two systematic scientific expeditions. The results showed clear differences between both seasons. Regarding total abundance, August reached 125,200 cells L−1, while November amounted to 219,900 cells L−1. Regarding species composition, the diatoms Cylindrotheca closterium and Planktoniella sol were dominant in August, while Thalassionema nitzschioides and Tetramphora decussata dominated the assemblages in November. The dinoflagellate Protoperidinium punctulatum was dominant in both seasons. However, very marked differences in its abundance are reported. The differences observed in the species richness and abundance could be attributed to the physical configuration of the water column, particularly the surface temperature, which showed clear changes between both seasons. The results presented here confirmed the high phytoplankton richness (some of them with the potential to generate harmful algal blooms), abundance, and diversity values of the region, suggesting a strong relationship with the physical environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pinus halepensis (Aleppo pine) forests prevailing in the western part of the Mediterranean Basin are amongst the most severely affected by fire due to their inherent flammability. Our understanding of the environmental factors driving post-fire community dynamics is currently limited by the lack of time-series data at temporal scales. In this present study, we analyzed a chronosequence of Greek Aleppo pine forests spanning a post-fire period of 65 years. Our goal is to explore the role of post-fire age, altitude, exposure, slope level, parent-rock material, rock cover, and cover of evergreen sclerophyllous shrubs (maquis) on plant assemblage diversity (species richness and Menhinick's diversity index) and composition. Post-fire age had a significant effect on taxonomic distinctness and community turnover but not on species richness. Taxonomic distinctness increased with post-fire age due to a higher prevalence of the families Fabaceae, Asteraceae, and Poaceae during the early post-fire period. Maquis cover was significantly associated with Menhinick's diversity index, taxonomic distinctness, and community turnover. Exposure and slope influenced only Menhinick's diversity index. The turnover in species composition was primarily driven by the geographical proximity of the forests and secondarily by post-fire age and the maquis cover. This highlights the importance of the initial floristic composition in the process of autosuccession after a fire in Mediterranean-climate ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]