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Acting as a cornerstone in conserving biodiversity, protected areas (PAs) have played important roles in protecting the unique flora and fauna in China, yet a variety of issues have arisen, such as fragmented management, dispersed spatial pattern, and conflicts with socioeconomic development. To grapple with the problems associated with the current PA system, China is implementing nationwide institutional reforms by proposing a new coherent PA system with national parks as the main body. The reforms provide unprecedented opportunities to integrate the existing disjointed PAs into a unified and efficient system, and to meet international commitments. However, no previous experience is available for how to construct China’s new national park system. We decipher how the institutional reforms would change China’s PA system, and what the reforms can provide for China’s PAs and biodiversity, as well as potential challenges. Importantly, China’s PAs are stepping into a new era for nature conservation, with a strong hope to provide a quality environmental space for the rich and unique biodiversity.

SummaryWe present a revision of the three species of Tristachya in Madagascar. The tussock-forming T. betsileensis is a rare endemic of the quartz outcrops in the Itremo Protected Area. The rhizomatous T. isalensis and T. humbertii are common components of the sandstone outcrop vegetation in the Isalo National Park. A new combination is made. Descriptions, conservation assessments, illustrations, and a distribution map are presented.

Two new species from the Cordillera Azul National Park, sector quebrada El Pescadero, Peru, are described and illustrated: Besleria azulensis and B. vanderwerffii. The species were discovered during the botanical expedition of the project “Diversity of flora and its relations with the soil, in the wild zone of Cordillera Azul National Park.”

The valuation of natural ecosystems helps policymakers to allocate adequate resources for the provision of ecosystem services they provide. Cultural ecosystem services are the non-material benefits we obtain from nature, which include but are not limited to recreation, aesthetic enjoyment, physical and mental health benefits. They are essential for a proper sense of a place, human health, and wellbeing. We quantified the recreational and other non-material benefits of Lawachara National Park (LNP), one of the oldest and most diverse forest protected areas and tourist attractions in northeast Bangladesh. A Modified Travel Cost Method (MTCM) was applied for quantifying the recreational and other non-material values of LNP. Altogether 309 respondents were interviewed, covering both peak season and slack season. In our MTCM, we considered several additional factors, unlike the commonly used Travel Cost Method (TCM). The value of cultural ecosystem services of LNP was estimated to be Taka 476.70 million and Taka 476.44 million per annum using MTCM and TCM, respectively. The value estimated using MTCM was marginally higher than the value estimated using TCM and was due to the additional variables we considered in our modified approach. We believe our estimates using MTCM will guide policymakers to properly value natural ecosystems and facilitate adequate resource allocation for ecotourism in LNP and elsewhere.

Betula utilis is a native tree and important tree line species in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). Due to various natural and anthropogenic factors, the population of the species has become dwindling. Therefore, study was conducted to; assess population, regeneration, habitat suitability model, size class distribution and physico-chemical properties of the soil in sub-alpine ecosystem of Great Himalayan National Park. Total 64 populations assessed to determine the density, Total Basal Area, Species diversity index, Concentration of dominance and regeneration pattern of seedlings and saplings. Amongst the identified populations, total trees density ranged from 10–730 Ind ha−1; total basal area 0.00–43.32 m2 ha−1; total shrubs density 340–3490 Ind ha−1; total herbs density 8.54–152.77 Ind m−2; total saplings density 9–3050 Ind ha−1 and total seedlings density 10–1840 Ind ha−1. Species diversity of trees was ranged from 0.00 to 0.37; Concentration of dominance ranged from 0.00 to 1.00. Size class distribution revealed that maximum number of individuals was fallen in the range of 52.6–73.5 cm whereas lowest numbers of individuals were fallen in the range of 136.6–157.5 cm and ≥ 220.6 cm. The model calibration test for B.utilis yielded satisfactory results (AUC Mean = 0.91 ± 0.02) indicated that MaxEnt could be used to predict the potentially suitable habitats for in-situ or ex-situ conservation. The model predicted 268 km2 area suitable for reintroduction. Frequent monitoring of populations for understanding the dynamics and identifying natural habitats for the in-situ conservation of the species are suggested.

A systematic review from 1962 to August 2021 summarizes the research on Hartwegʼs pine (Pinus hartwegii). We identify research gaps and propose new direction for future studies and discuss the main study topics. Hartwegʼs pine (Pinus hartwegii Lindl.) is a high-value timber species adapted to the harsh alpine environment of high-elevation mountains (3000–4200 m) in Mexico, where it provides a wide array of ecosystem services to society. However, this species is currently facing temperature increases associated with global warming, with models predicting upward altitudinal shifts to maintain suitable growth conditions. Here, we present a systematic review of Hartwegʼs pine to establish current knowledge, identify research gaps, and indicate directions for future studies. This search recovered 196 scientific references from 1962 to August 2021, which were classified into 21 research topics. References to Hartwegʼs pine increased considerably during the period from 2000 to 2021, representing 77% of the total publications. Most of the references were focused on the management of the species (n = 89) and its relationships with climate change (n = 49). Fewer references were focused on human impacts on the species, taxonomy, and systematics, as well as biogeochemical and hydrological cycles, phenology, and evolution. Most of the study areas were in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, such as in Izta-Popo National Park, Cofre de Perote National Park, the Nevado de Toluca Flora and Fauna Protection Area, and Cumbres del Ajusco National Park. These results highlight the incipient knowledge that we have about population genetics, phenotypic plasticity, physiology, biotic interactions and about of the specific environmental conditions where P. hartwegii populations develop, which limits our capacity to understand how this species will respond to global warming and whether there are risks to the persistence of these forests and the ecosystem services they provide, both to local human populations and those located farther down the mountain.

The necropsy made to two adult individuals of red deer shot in Sierra Nevada National Park revealed infestation by second- and third-instar larvae of the oestrid Pharyngomyia picta (Meigen 1824). The animals were shot in Dehesa de las Hoyas, about 2000 m above sea level. This is the first record of this parasite in Sierra Nevada National Park. Furthermore, the occurrence of adult P. picta at this altitude could indicate significant changes of the climatic conditions, now matching better the environmental requirements of this bot fly. Its monitoring may, therefore, be of great help for detecting global change signs.

Despite the popularity of integrated conservation and development approaches to protected area management, adjacent communities increasingly face livelihood dilemmas. Yet understanding of how market processes and conservation enforcement interact to influence livelihood responses remains limited. Targeting eight villages in Nam Et-Phou Louey (NEPL) National Park in northern Lao PDR, we draw on survey data with 255 households, 93 semi-structured interviews, and meso-level data on village conditions to examine how residents navigate associated livelihood dilemmas. A cluster analysis reveals five livelihood types with divergent capacities to engage in market development and cope with enforcement pressures. We show how market linkages, historical conservation interventions, and local access conditions shape livelihoods and differences between villages. Our approach yields a nuanced picture of how global conservation efforts result in an uneven distribution of costs and benefits at local scales. Conservation measures must account for highly divergent capacities to cope with access loss and diversify livelihoods. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10745-021-00267-4.

The author’s first maritime archaeological project, commenced in 1980, was a multi-year assessment of a near-shore shipwreck, SS Tennessee (1853) in a newly established unit of the National Park System. Reassessing a first maritime archaeological project is a valuable exercise for any archaeologist working in the field. It offers fresh insights as assumptions and conclusions made at the time are challenged and reinterpreted in the face of new theoretical perspectives, and new data. It also provides an ability to take a fresh look at early career approaches and decisions. This article summarizes and reinterprets the archaeology and contexts of the wreck of SS Tennessee.

Many plant and animal species that inhabit grassland in Japan are endangered because of habitat loss over the last century. Here, we mapped the historical distribution of grassland in the Chugoku region of western Japan using old editions of topographic maps (scale 1:50,000) and compared the historical distributions of grassland with the current distribution using digitized vegetation maps (scales 1:25,000 and 1:50,000). The area of grassland in the 1900s and 1950s was estimated to be 4602 km2 (14.8% of the total area analyzed) and 3007 km2 (9.5%), respectively. The current grassland area was estimated to be 217 km2 (0.7%). Our results indicate that the area of grassland in the Chugoku region began to decrease during the first half of the twentieth century and sharply decreased during the second half of the twentieth century. Additionally, we evaluated the contribution of natural parks to the long-term conservation of grassland. The area of grassland maintained over a century was estimated to be 36.0 km2, of which 23.4 km2 was located in natural parks. Most of the area of grassland maintained over a century was located in Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park (10.1 km2) and Daisen-Oki National Park (6.1 km2). Our results show that natural parks play an important role in the long-term conservation of grassland.

The terrestrial biosphere plays an active role in governing the climate system by regulating carbon exchange between the land and the atmosphere. Analysis of vegetation biophysical parameters and gross primary production (GPP) makes it convenient to monitor vegetation's health. A light use efficiency (LUE) model was employed to estimate daily GPP from satellite-driven data and environmental factors. The LUE model is driven by four major variables, namely normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), air temperature, and moisture for which both satellite-based and ERA5-Land data were applied. In this study, the vegetation health of Dibru Saikhowa National Park (DSNP) in Assam has been analyzed through vegetation biophysical and biochemical parameters (i.e., NDVI, EVI, LAI, and chlorophyll content) using Sentinel-2 data. Leaf area index (LAI) varied between 1 and 5.2, with healthy forests depicted LAI more than 2.5. Daily GPP was estimated for January (winter) and August (monsoon) 2019 for tropical evergreen and deciduous forest types. A comparative analysis of GPP for two seasons has been performed. In January, GPP was found to be 3.6 gC m−2 day−1, while in August, GPP was 5 gC m−2 day−1. The outcome of this study may be constructive to forest planners to manage the National Park so that net carbon sink may be attained in DSNP.

From tree species to forest services: ethnic differences in Lomami, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ethnicity is well–known to affect plant species’ utilization, but how ethnicity affects the identification and importance ranking of forest ecosystem services has been less documented, particularly in the Congo Basin. This research investigates how six different ethnic groups (farmers of Bantu origin and Mbote hunter–gatherers) use and value tree species and forest ecosystem services in Lomami National Park, in central Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Data were collected through 24 focus–group discussions with village elders, four for each ethnic group studied. Considerable variation in preferred tree species was observed: of the 89 morphospecies cited in total only two were cited by all ethnic groups for the same usage. Ethnicity also affected the identification and importance ranking of forest ecosystem services. Mbote hunters–gatherers prioritized bushmeat, honey, and identity, while farmer groups prioritized bushmeat, fish, and microclimate regulation. We discuss the implications of the findings for forest management in the Buffer Zone of the national park.

Along the Czech-German border there are four national parks, two Czech and two German, arranged in cross-border ‘pairs’. This article focuses on the southern ‘pair’ formed by the parks of Šumava and Bayerischer Wald (Bavarian Forest). The aim is to evaluate and compare tourism organization in their areas, taking into account selected aspects of management: the network of hiking trails with its related infrastructure, transport accessibility, a typology of tourist centers, as well as directions and destinations of tourist movements. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the availability of geographical space for tourists is much greater in the German than in the Czech national park, and the tourism infrastructure is clearly more extensive there, including the network of tourist trails. This is mainly due to the longer and fairly uninterrupted development of tourism in this area. Šumava National Park can be identified as a model in terms of how to adjust the directions of tourist movements and the layout of the tourist trail network to the needs of natural environment. On the basis of observations in both national parks, it is possible to indicate various solutions that, after appropriate adaptation, may bring benefits to other protected areas.

We assess the ability of the Bureau of Meteorology’s ACCESS-S1 dynamical forecast system to simulate and predict extreme fire weather over Australia during austral spring (SON) and summer (DJF) on subseasonal timescales. Specifically, we focus on the roles of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), Southern Annular Mode (SAM), Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO), and two modes of persistent high-pressure in the Australian region characterised as (i) split-flow blocking highs and (ii) subtropical ridge Tasman highs (STRH). The observed likelihood of extreme fire weather increases over most of Australia in association with El Nino, the positive IOD, negative SAM and low split-flow blocking, in both seasons. These increases are generally largest in SON over the southeast. Notable increases in the likelihood of extreme fire weather also occur north of 30° S during low STRH activity, and over the southeast during MJO phase 3. Using retrospective forecasts at lead times of 2–3 weeks for the period 1990–2012, we show that ACCESS-S1 simulates reasonably well the observed modulation of extreme weekly-mean fire weather by each climate driver, however the simulated changes in probabilities are often weaker than those observed. Each climate driver plays an important role in providing predictive skill for regions where ACCESS-S1 captures a high likelihood of experiencing extreme fire weather conditions. The results of this study highlight windows of forecast opportunity during active climate driver phases that can be useful to regional users in fire management, emergency services, health, national park management, and the agriculture and energy sectors.

The Yellow River Source National Park (YRSP) is one of the most sensitive and fragile ecological regions in the world. The historical intensive grazing and climate change have resulted in ecological degradation that threatens the wildlife and livestock. Exploring the sustainable strategy is urgent for policy makers to meet the demands for wild ungulates and livestock. In our study, the grassland ecological carrying capability (GECC) was assessed based on the updated grass-livestock balance that considered the grass competition from wild ungulates. The balances between grass and livestock, and GECC and grassland pressure index (GPI) in the YRSP were measured through overlay analysis and geostatistic analysis. The results showed that: (1) the ratio of livestock to wild ungulates in the research area was approximately 4.56: 1, in which the proportion of livestock was 81.75% and the actual number of livestock was 33.84 × 104 standard sheep units; (2) Under the scenario of minimum grazing utilisation rate, the theoretical grazing capacity and GECC were 37.83 × 104 standard sheep units and −0.13, respectively. Under the maximum grazing utilisation rate, the theoretical grazing capacity and GECC were 41.93 × 104 standard sheep units and −0.21, respectively. Since GECC in both scenarios were both less than 0, the grassland was considered to be in surplus and the livestock was not overloaded. However, GPI in the two scenarios were 0.87 and 0.79, respectively, both of which exceeded the warning line of 0.70. Based on GECC, we recommend that the sustainable strategy in YRSP is either to increase the supplementary feeding about 6.40 × 104 standard sheep units or reduce the grazing livestock by about 3.50 × 104 standard sheep units.

Sustainability science research conducted with Indigenous collaborators must be Indigenous-led and achieve impacts that are grounded in local values and priorities, both for ethical reasons and to achieve more robust outcomes. However, there has been limited focus on determining how best to evaluate the way research is used, shared and created to adaptively solve complex sustainable issues facing Indigenous lands. In this paper, we outline a collaborative and adaptive approach for conducting Indigenous-led evaluations of sustainability research and show how this approach was applied to evaluate cross-cultural knowledge co-production practice and impact in Australia’s jointly managed and World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park. As part of an Indigenous-led research project, indicators were co-developed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous research team members to monitor the health of the knowledge-sharing and co-production practices that underpinned the design, management and success of the project’s research activities. The evaluations focused on determining whether research activities were providing negotiated benefits for local Indigenous people; helping to restore and protect agreed values in priority areas; and supporting Indigenous-led collaborative knowledge sharing and research practices. In Kakadu, we show how the Indigenous-led design of the research evaluation empowered the usability and benefits of knowledge which was negotiated, shared and co-created. The approach shows how sustainability science can be evaluated by Indigenous leaders to test if and how research practice and impact is responding to their priorities for their traditional estates.

In addition to habitat loss and fragmentation, demographic processes—the vagaries of births, deaths and sex ratio fluctuations—pose substantial threats to wild giant panda populations. Additionally, climate change and plans for the Giant Panda National Park may influence (in opposing directions) the extinction risk for wild giant pandas. The Fourth National Giant Panda Census showed pandas living in 33 isolated populations. An estimated 259 animals live in 25 of these groups, ~14% of the total population. We used individual-based models to simulate time series of these small populations for 100 years. We analysed the spatial pattern of their risk of extinction under current conditions and multiple climate change models. Furthermore, we consider the impact of the proposed Giant Panda National Park. Results showed that 15 populations face a risk >90%, and for 3 other populations the risk is >50%. Of the 15 most at-risk populations, national parks can protect only 3. Under the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 climate change scenario, the 33 populations will probably further divide into 56 populations. Some 41 of them will face a risk >50% and 35 face a risk >90%. Although national parks will probably connect some fragmented habitats, 26 populations will be outside national park planning. Our study gives practical advice for conservation policies and management and has implications for the conservation of other species in the world that live in isolated, fragmented habitats. The authors model likely outcomes for the 33 isolated populations reported in the Fourth National Giant Panda Census under multiple RCP scenarios and with the provision of the planned Giant Panda National Park. They find that, although the National Park may connect some fragmented habitats, most of the populations with high extinction risk fall outside the current plans.

Monitoring wildlife population trends is essential for resource management and invasive species control, but monitoring data are hard to acquire. Citizen science projects may monitor species occurrence patterns in time and space in a cost-effective way. A systematic management program of exotic wild boar (Sus scrofa) and axis deer (Axis axis) in a protected area of northeastern Argentina (El Palmar National Park) provided a framework for implementing a wildlife monitoring system based on park-affiliated hunters. We assessed the level of agreement between three indices of relative abundance: hunter sightings and camera trapping for wild boar, axis deer, capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), brown brocket deer (Mazama guazoubira), and crab-eating and pampas foxes combined (Cerdocyon thous and (Lycalopex gymnocercus), and catch per unit effort (CPUE) for both exotic ungulates only. Most (74%) hunting parties participated in the monitoring program and contributed to its sustainability. Bland-Altman plots displayed large levels of agreement between methods across species, with larger systematic differences between sighting and camera-trapping indices for native species. Restricting camera-trapping to the same time window as hunter sightings substantially increased the agreement between methods across species. Sighting and CPUE indices revealed similar temporal trends and large variations in spatial patterns between species. Comparison of the number of sighted and killed exotic ungulates indicated that, on average, 17% of wild boar and 75% of axis deer escaped hunters. The three indices were appropriate metrics for management purposes and corroborated the sustained, high-level abundance of axis deer and low numbers of wild boar in recent years.

Large introduced mammalian herbivores, either as livestock or feral populations, can have important effects on vegetation and animals. Introduced herbivores can be of high conservation concern if they impact threatened native species in protected areas. We evaluated temporal and spatial trends in the relative abundance of introduced water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and their potential to induce competition-related ecological and demographic effects on native rusa deer (Rusa timorensis) in Komodo National Park and the Wae Wuul Nature Reserve—two protected areas in Eastern Indonesia. To monitor ungulate population abundances and population growth rates of water buffalo and rusa deer, we counted their dung (a validated abundance index in these two species) along 350 permanently marked transects at 11 sites over five islands annually between 2003 and 2018. Water buffalo dung abundance varied with the site, year and their interaction. Water buffalo dung was most abundant within the Wae Wuul Nature Reserve, and their dung abundance varied considerably among sites in Komodo National Park. Water buffalo site-specific dung abundances fluctuated independently over time. In areas of high water buffalo dung densities, rusa deer altered resource use and had lower population densities than sites without water buffalo. Rusa deer dung-based population growth rates were negatively influenced by density-dependent regulation and only weakly by water buffalo dung density. Currently, managers do not control water buffalo in either protected area. Nevertheless, the benefits of control could reduce water buffalo effects on vegetation composition, watercourse integrity, or the potential to transmit disease into native ungulates.

The purpose of this study was to determine possible damage created by recreational activities in Yedigoller (Seven Lakes) National Park and to recommend recreational impact management decisions in order to ensure its sustainable use. Four picnic and camping areas and one control area in the National Park were selected as sampling areas. In order to determine the ecological effects of recreational activities and the pressures on the plant life and the soil, an observation form was used. The study also addressed the stress on the Fagus orientalis trees in all recreation areas near Nazli Lake, Buyuk Lake, and Derin Lake. Findings from the soil analysis indicated that in general, intense human activities in the area had negatively affected both the physical and chemical properties of the soil. As a result of the evaluation of the observation forms, all of the sampling areas in the park were determined to be in poor condition. project titled Research on Possible Damage of Recreational Activities in Yedigoller National Park This study was supported by the project titled Research on Possible Damage of Recreational Activities in Yedigoller National Park upon the request of the Nature Conservation and National Parks 9th Regional Directorate of the Bolu National Parks Branch Directorate. We also thank Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hulya Torun for contributing to the measurement of the physiological parameters in the study. WOS:000674564600002 2-s2.0-85110806711

Hedychium coronarium (Zingiberales: Zingiberaceae), native to the Himalayas and southern China, has become an environmental weed in many countries around the world. Reported in several provinces of Argentina, H. coronarium constitutes a serious environmental problem especially in the wetlands of natural areas of Misiones Province, such as the Iguazu National Park, a World Heritage site. Hedychium coronarium does not have any specialist natural enemies in Argentina, and the Argentine flora does not have taxonomically closely related relatives to it. This suggests that it may be a prospective target for classical biological control in Argentina. Since 2008, the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) ( https://www.cabi.org ) has been commissioned to find and evaluate biological control agents for the invasive Hedychium species complex for Hawaii and New Zealand. Surveys in the native range of Hedychium spp. have revealed a varied suite of potential biocontrol agents for H. coronarium. A cost-effective and streamlined biocontrol programme for H. coronarium could be developed for Argentina based on CABI’s ongoing biocontrol efforts on this species elsewhere in the world.

Small-scale farmers who depend on natural resources for subsistence in rural areas are especially vulnerable to climate change and may develop adaptive responses once they understand the nature of the risks and their consequences. We examine the effects of schooling, experience in agriculture, and the number and severity of risks perceived by farmers on the number and type of adaptive responses developed. Ninety-four farmers were surveyed in six rural communities in Catimbau National Park, Pernambuco, Brazil, to obtain socioeconomic data about major drought events and perceived related risks. Participants were asked to classify risks according to their severity. We argue that understanding the degree of vulnerability of social-ecological systems in semi-arid regions may facilitate actions at different scales to mitigate risks arising from climate change.

Caring for others is a key feature of human behavior. Mothers, fathers, siblings, grandparents, and other group members provide care in the form of provisioning, protection, and first aid. To what extent is other-regarding behavior present in our primate relatives? Here we describe an unusual incident of other-regarding behavior toward an injured juvenile female chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) at Ngogo in Kibale National Park, Uganda. After the juvenile received a mild head wound from an adult female, several adolescent and juvenile chimpanzees gathered to touch, lick, and peer at the wound. One adolescent male wiped a leaf across the cut. Another adolescent male later groomed the injured female and briefly carried her. Across a 5-year period, we observed only three other instances of other-directed wound care in chimpanzees, occurring in 4% (4/100) of cases in which we observed individuals with fresh wounds, and 57 other instances of allomaternal carrying. Despite the infrequency of such behaviors, our study adds another chimpanzee field site to the list of those where other-directed wound care has been observed. Observations from wild chimpanzees provide insight into empathy and may inform our understanding of the evolution of other-regarding behavior in humans.

Exotic plant invasion is one of the major causes of species extinction. In many contexts, mountainous forests are the last refuge for native species. There are several inventory studies conducted in mountainous and tropical forests in Indonesia. However, there are no studies yet on the factors that explain the abundance and richness of surveyed naturalized alien species. This study investigated whether the number of individuals and abundance-weighted species richness (AWR) of naturalized alien plant species in the hiking-trail of Mount Gede-Pangrango National Park (MGPNP) forest area correlated with leaf traits (specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf thickness) and environmental factors (elevation, slope, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)). We showed that leaf thickness and habitat elevation explained the AWR variations of naturalized alien species. We did not detect any important effect of leaf traits and environmental factors on the number of individuals per exotic species per plot. The influence of leaf thickness and habitat elevation indicates the important role of both biotic and abiotic factors on exotic species to develop a high species richness and become an invasive species in the tropical mountain forest ecosystem.

National parks and other large protected areas play an increasingly important role in the context of global social and environmental challenges. Nevertheless, they continue to be rooted in local places and cannot be separated out from their socio-cultural and historical context. Protected areas furthermore are increasingly understood to constitute critical sites of struggle whereby the very meanings of nature, landscape, and nature-society relations are up for debate. This paper examines governance arrangements and discursive practices pertaining to the management of the Danish Wadden Sea National Park and reflects on the relationship between pluralist institutional structures and pluralist, relational understandings of nature and landscape.

Understanding of animal responses to dynamic resource landscapes is based largely on research on temperate species with small body sizes and fast life histories. We studied a large, tropical mammal with an extremely slow life history, the Western Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii), across a heterogeneous natural landscape encompassing seven distinct forest types. Our goals were to characterize fluctuations in abundance, test hypotheses regarding the relationship between dispersion dynamics and resource availability, and evaluate how movement patterns are influenced by abiotic conditions. We surveyed abundance in Gunung Palung National Park, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, for 99 consecutive months and simultaneously recorded weather data and assessed fruit availability. We developed a Bayesian hierarchical distance sampling model to estimate population dispersion and assess the roles of fruit availability, rainfall, and temperature in driving movement patterns across this heterogeneous landscape. Orangutan abundance varied dramatically over space and time. Each forest type was important in sustaining more than 40% of the total orangutans on site during at least one month, as animals moved to track asynchronies in fruiting phenology. We conclude that landscape-level movements buffer orangutans against fruit scarcity, peat swamps are crucial fallback habitats, and orangutans’ use of high elevation forests is strongly dependent on abiotic conditions. Our results show that orangutans can periodically occupy putative-sink habitats and be virtually absent for extended periods from habitats that are vitally important in sustaining their population, highlighting the need for long-term studies and potential risks in interpreting occurrence or abundance measures as indicators of habitat importance.

Communities next to national parks, known as gateway communities, can benefit from national park development. Gateway communities are unique and limited in the degree to which, and direction in which, they can be developed. In this research, Banff National Park was used as a case study to explore residents' perceptions of the impact of national park tourism via a survey questionnaire distributed in communities at three different spatial levels (core, intermediate, and remote portal). The data analyses were based on a sample of 231 respondents and were processed using factor analysis and linear regression models for different communities. The results identified six impact factors, and the differences in each community were analyzed. The findings indicated that residents' perceptions of the impacts of tourism in the town of Canmore rank first, followed by those of Banff and Golden. The regression analysis revealed that Banff was found to have the most supportive residents, and their support for tourism was found to be significantly affected by community natural environmental factors and cultural development factors. Canmore residents were mainly affected by cultural factors. Golden residents were least supportive due to through natural environmental factors and quality of life factors. An adaptive analysis revealed that Banff has the closest economic relationship with national park tourism, and Golden the weakest. Balancing the positive and negative impacts of tourism, exploring more cultural service functions of the communities, seeking a more diverse industrial structure, planning year-round tourism, and cooperating with other communities to ensure local benefits are recommended. The findings may provide an additional understanding of the local perceptions of tourism impacts and local support from a spatial perspective and can help sustainable tourism management by assisting communities to optimize the tourism industry structure and local management strategies.

Species diversity exhibit a close relationship with ecosystem services, and making clear the relationship can help us understand the service value and functional mechanism of ecosystems and take measures to promote human well-being. Here, we used species survey data and multi-source habitat factors to simulate the spatial distribution of species richness and four types of ecosystem services (water production, net primary productivity, carbon storage, and habitat quality) in Sanjiangyuan National Park located in Qinghai Province, China. We also analyzed the spatial distribution pattern and explored the spatial relationship between species richness and ecosystem services through GeoDetector analyses. We found that high species richness in Sanjiangyuan National Park was shown to be mainly distributed in areas with high vegetation growth on both sides of rivers. The effect of climate on the spatial distribution of species richness in the park is the highest among all the selected environmental variables. For the relationship between species diversity and ecosystem services, the relative correlation strength of single ecosystem service varied among the three main ecosystems (grassland, meadow, and wetland) and all relations are positive.

Understanding the ecological factors influencing African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) abundance and distribution is crucial for their conservation management in Central Africa. Dung surveys have been conducted at the landscape scale and confirmed the overwhelming impact of anthropogenic activities on forest elephants. We present results from a small-scale survey in a pristine protected area without anthropogenic activities to elucidate the ecological factors influencing forest elephant density. We conducted a line transect dung survey in a small study area (110 km2) around Mbeli Bai, a natural forest clearing in the Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo, and compare results with a landscape survey conducted during the same period. We used habitat specific dung decay data collected on site to estimate elephant density using distance sampling. We fitted Generalized Additive Models to elephant dung encounter rate using explanatory variables collected during the transect survey and from geospatial data. The small-scale survey revealed a precise estimate of forest elephant density that was twice as high as the result from a landscape survey with higher density in mixed species forest for the small-scale survey. We could not find an impact of the proximity of forest clearings and proximity to rivers at the small scale. Fine-scale habitat features, e.g. degree of canopy and understorey closure, had little explanatory power for elephant dung encounter rate. Small-scale dung surveys are a useful method to reveal spatio-temporal variation in forest elephant density and distribution which can inform conservation practitioners in a timely manner. Combining monitoring methods at various spatial scales improves our knowledge and conservation efforts of forest elephants. Nouabale-Ndoki National Park is a stronghold for forest elephants and of global importance for their conservation.

The gray wolf (Canis lupus) population of Isle Royale National Park suffered an extreme population decline where by 2017 only two wolves that were both half-siblings and a father-daughter pair remained with low probability of producing viable young. This precipitous decline was in part due to the negative fitness consequences associated with inbreeding. To restore the Isle Royale ecosystem 19 gray wolves were translocated in 2018 and 2019. The founders were translocated from Grand Portage, MN (n = 4), western Upper Peninsula, MI (n = 4), Jostle Lake, ON (n = 3), and Michipicoten Island, ON (n = 8), and genotyped using 18 microsatellite loci. Allelic richness and heterozygosity of translocated Isle Royale founders was similar to reference populations. Population structure assigned the Isle Royale founders to gray wolves with little evidence of admixture from eastern wolves (Canis lycaon cf). In addition, we confirmed wolves translocated from Michipicoten Island were a single family-group. Through simulation and empirical analysis of the new Isle Royale founders we projected a loss in genetic variation over the next 50 years and an increase in inbreeding. However, varying levels of immigration may allow the retention of some genetic variation. Our findings indicate Isle Royale founders are genetically diverse and representative of the Great Lakes region, but the numerical dominance of a single family group may have negative implications for retaining genetic diversity and success of establishment for specific wolves, reinforcing the importance of continued monitoring of genetic fitness.

Mongolia is considered the stronghold of the Pallas’s cat (Otocolobus manul Pallas, 1776) populations. The species is thought to be widely distributed across Mongolia’s mountain steppes. However, the ecology and regional distribution of this species remain poorly known. In June 2018, we carried out an interview-based survey to estimate the current distribution of the Pallas’s cat in Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, Southern Mongolia, and assessed how the distribution is predicted to have changed over the last 30 years. We used a multi-season site-occupancy framework to evaluate factors affecting the probability of use by the Pallas’s cat while addressing for imperfect detection. Our study showed that the distribution of the Pallas’s cat was positively correlated with ruggedness while detection probability was negatively correlated with the number of years lived in the area and positively correlated with areas visited by the herders. Our results confirm the presence of the Pallas’s cat in an area that was not part of the known distribution as recently as 2016. They also suggest that the distribution of the Pallas’s cat in the Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park has shrunk by 15% over the last 30 years. These results highlight the importance of monitoring this elusive species to inform conservation and management efforts in Mongolia.

The Cross River National Park (CRNP) is an essential ecological gene-pool harbouring one of the oldest tropical rainforests in Africa, and the last remaining rainforest in Nigeria.With the ongoing human-induced habitat degradation, it is critical to assess its amphibian assemblage and understand the role habitat variation plays on local species richness and abundance. Thus, we conducted several surveys between 2017 and 2019 to document its amphibian assemblage and distribution pattern. We also searched primary literature for the list of amphibians previously recorded in CRNP.Using the observation records, we tested the hypothesis that habitat variation affects local species richness and relative abundance. We further assessed the conservation status of species using the IUCN Red List. Results revealed the presence of at least 72 amphibian species in CRNP. Analyses showed that species richness was significantly high in the lowland forests and wetland/swamps when compared to savannah and agricultural field. Our study further revealed increased threats to amphibians of CRNP arising from human activities. The comparatively high species richness and increased threats to amphibians in CRNP highlights the biological importance of CRNP and places it among the most critical site for conservation of amphibians in Nigeria. Finally, we recommend improved community-based conservation programmes for the long-term survival of the amphibians and their associated habitats.

Riverine ecosystem highly prone to invasion thereby provides pathway for efficient dispersal of propagules between isolated protected areas. Since invasive species have the potential to lead the loss of species diversity and ecosystems function at regional scale, it increases demands on the natural capitol being conserved. In the current study, we used the Floristic Quality Assessment Index (FQAI) which is a vegetation-based index having the property to assess the ecological health and coefficient of conservatism values for each species along Dagwan Stream in the Dachigam National Park of Kashmir Himalayas. The values of the Floristic Quality Assessment Index for the riparian zone are FQAI = 41.42. The results revealed that 33% species were non-native, 9% ranking 1–3; 32% ranking 4–6; 21% ranking 7–8; and 5% ranking 9–10. Among all (78 species) recorded, 67% were native and 33% were alien. Out of total alien species documented, six (6) invasive, seventeen (17) naturalized and three (3) casual species. Most invasive tree species growing were Quercus robur, Robinia pseudoacacia, Ailanthus altissima, shrubs like Rubus ulmifolius, Buddleja davidii and herbs such as Leucanthemum vulgare, Digitalis purpurea, Erigeron canadensis. The results of the present study provide a method to measure the response of vegetation communities to alien invasions and subsequently draft management strategies to protect the different ecosystems, particularly the protected areas from this biodiversity threat.

The Greater Everglades Ecosystem is a globally important ecoregion, home to 68 threatened or endangered species and the largest designated wilderness area in the Eastern United States. Anthropogenic manipulations of the natural hydrology have led to widespread degradation of this ecosystem and monitored population declines across multiple taxa. Simultaneous introductions of hundreds of non-native species into South Florida and their subsequent invasion into the Everglades has further impacted native Everglades communities. Predictions for future climate change suggest that the Everglades is headed towards a drier future, making it crucial to understand how changes in hydrological regimes will impact both native and non-native fauna. Our study combines the results of a landscape-scale experimental manipulation conducted to assess the impact of differing hydrological regimes at the Loxahatchee Impoundment Landscape Assessment between 2018 and 2020 with a community composition analysis of data collected across multiple habitat types throughout Everglades National Park between 2000 and 2002. Both datasets used a variety of survey methods to extensively characterize the amphibian and reptile amphibian assemblage across habitat types and hydrological regimes. An NMDS analysis indicated that variation in hydrology is the primary axis structuring reptile and amphibian habitat usage across the Everglades, with non-native species more likely to be indicators of drier habitat types. This result concurred with those from the landscape-scale manipulation, in which non-native species were significantly favored by drier hydrological conditions. Taken together, these results suggest that a drier future within the Greater Everglades Ecosystem may facilitate further spread of South Florida’s diverse non-native amphibian and reptile assemblage.

Reliable and cost-effective monitoring tools to track population size over time are of key importance for wildlife management and conservation. Deterministic cohort analysis may be used to this aim, especially in hunted populations, but it requires that all mortality events are recorded and that individual age at death is known exactly. In this study, we investigated the reliability of cohort analysis as a relative index to track over-time variation in red deer (Cervus elaphus) abundance, in the absence of exact information about natural mortality and age. Visual tooth inspection was used to age 18,390 individuals found dead or hunted between 1982 and 2020 within the Trentino sector of the Stelvio National Park and the Val di Sole hunting district (Central Italian Alps). Temporal trend of reconstructed population size was checked using spring spotlight counts as a benchmark, through the Buishand range test and a linear model. Our results showed a significant and positive relationship between reconstructed population size and spring spotlight counts between 1982 and 2013, suggesting that cohort analysis could reliably track red deer population trend up to 7 years in the past. With a relative error of + 1.1 (SD = 1.5) years in the estimation of age, and fairly stable hunting pressure, our results support the use of deterministic cohort analysis as a relative index of abundance for monitoring red deer over time, even in the absence of exact information about natural mortality. Under violation of assumptions, however, the performance of deterministic reconstruction should be carefully inspected at the management scale.

Recently, the basal beds of the lower section of the Lumbrera Formation have been referred to the early Eocene (Ypresian) based on the identification of a succession of hyperthermal events globally dated between 52 and 55 Ma. Nevertheless, this section have also been referred to the middle Eocene (Lutetian) based on the ‘evolutionary stage’ of its fossil mammals. In this contribution, we present a new 238U-206Pb isochron age (46.2 Ma) obtained from samples taken on various independent points across paleosol and matrix positioned at the top of the lower section of the Lumbrera Formation. The new age is consistent with the hyperthermal scheme and constrains the deposition of the lower section of the Lumbrera Fm. between 55–46.2 Ma. In this new geochronological framework, we present one of the most ancient cingulate assemblages from America, recorded during the early Eocene hyperthermal. The specimens involved were recovered from the lowest levels of the lower section of the Lumbrera Formation at Los Cardones National Park, Calchaqui Valleys, Salta Province, Argentina. This cingulate assemblage is formed by the armadillos Pucatherium parvum, a species widely distributed in the Eocene of northwestern Argentina and a new taxon, Noatherium emilioi, gen. et sp. nov. In this new geochronological framework, the taxonomic composition and morphological variations observed in the two species described here and their probably contemporaneous Riostegotherium yanei from the Itaborai basin (Brazil) support an early diversification of the Cingulata during the Paleocene, and reinforce an intertropical origin for the group.

It has been argued that laundry blue (whitener) was introduced into western Arnhem Land in the second half of the 1920s by missionaries, where it was used by Aboriginal people in rock art and on a variety of objects. Recent examination of museum collections acquired from the Northern Territory Native Industrial Mission at Kapalga in today’s Kakadu National Park, shows that the introduction of laundry blue into local Aboriginal artistic practices was earlier, around 1900. We discuss two examples of objects painted with laundry blue, a fibre basket and a bark belt, as well as broader ethnographic evidence relating to the significance of the color blue. We argue that the use of laundry blue is not only the result of access to an exotic new color but also has links to existing cultural beliefs.

We studied the attitudes of people towards the crop foraging activities and conservation of the Anubis baboon (Papio anubis) in Maze National Park, Ethiopia, sub-Saharan Africa, based on questionnaires and direct field observations, to estimate the extent of crop loss. The study indicated that 60.2% (N = 221) of the respondents had a negative attitude towards the Anubis baboon. There was a significant negative correlation between damaged crops and attitude towards Anubis baboons (r = −0.739, p

Lawachara National Park (LNP) is one of the most renowned protected areas in Bangladesh and a natural habitat of critically endangered Hoolock gibbon. The study's purpose was to assess the long-term change of forest cover using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) technique and evaluate the impact of co-management. Landsat images acquired from the USGS glovis website were used to assess forest cover change using NDVI, a popular technique for identification and estimation of forest areas. NDVI value ranges from (− 1) to (+ 1); a negative value indicates non-vegetated areas including water bodies, road surfaces, settlements, etc., whereas a positive value near (+ 1) indicates the highest density vegetation. NDVI value (0) indicates bare land without vegetation. Based on NDVI values, the forest areas have been divided into four categories, namely: (1) very low or no vegetation area, (2) low-density vegetation area, (3) moderate-density vegetation area, and (4) dense vegetation area. A household survey was carried out among the people living in the adjacent villages to LNP. The study of assessing the forest cover change of LNP using remotely sensed data revealed that, after the initiation of co-management, the dense vegetation area increased by 8.62% in 2006 compared to 2001, but it decreased by 0.77% in 2014. In 2018, dense vegetation decreased by 3.86% relative to the dense vegetation area of 2014. If it is compared as a whole, it can be said that the forest cover has improved under co-management, and the household survey revealed that forest dependence has been reduced which might be considered as one of the reasons for forest cover improvement. However, more improvement can be achieved by focusing on the villages where forest dependence is still high. Betel leaf cultivation inside the forest area is creating a problem for wildlife and also hampering the natural composition of flora. Therefore, it is recommended to rehabilitate betel leaf cultivators outside the forest area with proper compensation. This will harness the full potentiality of the co-management practice, it needs complete monitoring and goodwill from every stakeholder, and hence it will bring good for the whole country.

Exploration, collection, characterization and utilization of new germplasm are continuous process in breeding programs. Collection of new germplasm in stress-prone areas will augment the sources of new genes for abiotic stress tolerance in developing stress-tolerant varieties. An exploration in the South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal and Assam states of India for the collection of salinity and waterlogging tolerant germplasm, respectively, was conducted, and 68 new accessions were collected including 51 S. spontaneum, six S. officinarum, four Erianthus arundinaceus, two Erianthus bengalense, three Imperata cylindrica and two Sclerostachya sp. In the saline coastal district, South 24 Parganas seven S. spontaneum, three S. officinarum, four E. arundinaceus and two Erianthus bengalense were collected. Large population of S. spontaneum was found in river banks and river beds in different districts of Assam. Excluding Kaziranga National Park (KNP), 34 collections were made in the state which included thirty-one S. spontaneum and three S. officinarum. In the waterlogged KNP areas, S. spontaneum was the most abundant grass and thirteen S. spontaneum, three Imperata and two Sclerostachya were collected. Greater variation was observed among the S. spontaneum collections for plant height (91–313 cm), leaf width (0.1–2.0 cm), stalk diameter (0.2–1.6 cm) and internode length (4.2–23 cm). Clustering of S. spontaneum collected from Assam generated 6 distinct clusters and cluster II had many germplasm collected from waterlogged areas of KNP. Three non-flowering accessions grouped into cluster IV. Shannon’s diversity index indicated greater species diversity in South 24 Parganas. The S. spontaneum collected from South 24 Parganas and KNP can be characterized and utilized for the development of salinity and waterlogging tolerant sugarcane varieties, respectively. Four E. arundinaceus collected from South 24 Parganas will be a potential source for introgression of high biomass genes to develop high yielding sugarcane and energycane varieties

Using the commitment model, this study examines the effects of satisfaction, alternative choices, and investment scale about the environment would predict users' environmental commitments. Furthermore, this study also investigated the relationship between the commitment to environment and the willingness to pay for the environmental conservation at the particular natural site. A survey was conducted at Yangmingshan National Park. The data were collected from April to July 2019. The findings of the analysis suggested that satisfaction and investment scale had the significantly positive effects on the commitment to the environment; but the alternative choices had the significantly negative relationship with the commitment. However, the level of environmental commitment failed to predict the willingness to pay via the entrance fee for environment conservation and protection. The level of commitment did not mediate the effects of satisfaction, alternative choices, and investment scale in the environment on the willingness to pay more for the national park, which will require refinement in future research.

Dietary protein is often considered a factor that limits the growth of primate populations. The ratio of crude protein (CP) to fiber in common mature leaves in a forest reliably predicts colobine biomass across Africa and Asia. This relationship is puzzling because CP of mature leaves is notably high in some forests, including Kibale National Park, Uganda, where mature leaves have a higher protein concentration (ca. 18% CP on a dry matter basis) than what is required for primate growth, maintenance, and reproduction. We used an in vitro assay that incorporates the role of fiber and tannins to assess the biological relevance of CP in the leaves that comprise the diets of colobines (Colobus guereza, Piliocolobus tephrosceles) in Kibale (N = 37 spp. mature leaves, 39 spp. young leaves). Relative to CP, available (digestible) protein (AP) concentrations were 50% lower in mature leaves and 38% lower in young leaves, and protein-to-fiber ratios were lower when incorporating AP. Surprisingly, leaf AP did not differ among sites within Kibale, and AP at all sites exceeded primate protein requirements. Future research, particularly in protein-rich forests like Kibale, should consider focusing on fiber, energy, and other nutritional factors to assess the relationship between colobine biomass and leaf nutritional quality. Our study expands on the way that primate ecologists measure protein, integrates several traits into a single currency of AP, and contributes to conservation management plans.

A 2017 Amerind Foundation Seminar involving leadership representatives of the Society for American Archaeology, the Society for Historical Archaeology, the American Anthropological Association, the Archaeological Institute of America, the American Cultural Resources Association, the National Park Service, the National Geographic Society, the National Science Foundation, the SRI Foundation, and other senior scholars resulted in an Action Plan that addressed the political threats to archaeology in the US, as well as the benefits and values of archaeology and the various constituencies and stakeholders of the archaeological world. A participant in the seminar and action plan, the author reviews these values and presents two scenarios, African American community engagement and the Veterans Curation Program, that illustrate the public benefits of an engaged archaeology.

In recent years, a number of studies have reported invasion by alien species, however, global studies on invasion or expansion of native species are still limited, and such studies are completely lacking from the Himalayan region. The study aims to find the direction of correlation between the expansion of a native species (Polygonum polystachyum Wall. ex Meisn.) and plant species richness in the alpine ecosystem of Indian Himalaya. We have carried out vegetation sampling in selected invaded and un-invaded areas along an elevation gradient (3000–4100 m a. s. l.) over a period of four years. Three different sites i.e., Valley of Flower National Park (VoFNP), Lata-Khark and Hemkund Sahib Trek in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (NDBR) were selected for the study. The range of plant diversity was analysed to be 1.2–2.1 in invaded plots, and 2.4–3.7 in un-invaded plots/sites. Average population density of P. polystachyum varied significantly (p < 0.001) between invaded and un-invaded sites, and ranges from 11.1–67.1 individual / meter2 in invaded sites and 0.0–3.8 ind / m2 in un-invaded sites. The result of mixed effects model revealed significant decrease (p < 0.01) in species richness and increase in density and abundance (p < 0.01) of P. polystachyum in the invaded sites during 2015–2018, which imparts negative impacts on plant diversity, particularly on high value threatened medicinal plants.

Disturbances often act as ecological filters through which only certain combinations of biological traits may pass. Here, we aimed to determine if an unprescribed human-started wildfire can act as a filter for stream-dwelling macroinvertebrates. To do this, we sampled three burnt and two reference streams in Los Alerces National Park (Patagonia, Argentine side). Sampling began shortly after the fire was extinguished and comprised four visits during the following seven months. We explored how functional richness, evenness, and dispersion at the community level responded to post-fire environmental changes using generalized linear mixed models. We also used RLQ and fourth-corner analysis to identify which trait modalities were specifically affected, either positively or negatively, by the fire. We found that functional richness and dispersion decreased with increasing disturbance intensity, which in this case, was best represented by increased suspended solids. In addition, all three functional metrics were significantly lower in fire-affected sites. Burnt streams were characterized by bi-multivoltine taxa and collector-gatherers, among others. Overall, our study showed how a wildfire can directly constrain the functional composition of macroinvertebrate communities, and highlighted the importance of incorporating trait-based approaches into the study of large-scale disturbances.

Litter degradation influences nutrient cycling in the ecosystem. The present study is focused on the rate of leaf litter degradation in the evergreen forests of Pampadum Shola National Park, southern Western Ghats, India. Three different in-situ experiments which started in November (post-monsoon), March (pre-monsoon) and June (monsoon season) were carried out and the litter bag method was used for degradation study. The carbon dioxide evolution rate was also assessed using soil respirometer. The degradation pattern of the major polymers in leaf litter was in the order cellulose > hemicellulose > lignin. The litter degradation rate was high in the initial stages of decomposition than in the successive stages. The identification of major phytochemical compounds and functional groups present in the initial stage and at the end of the experiment were detected using GC–MS and ATR-FTIR respectively. Certain phytochemical compounds and functional groups which were present in the initial stage were degraded and a few daughter compounds were formed at the end of the experiment. The results indicate that the litter degradation and CO2 evolution rate are high in the evergreen forest of Pampadum Shola National Park.

Understanding how niche differences evolve in ecologically similar species and how these differences are maintained is a fundamental question in ecology. We studied resource partitioning and niche overlap between the hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) and other frugivorous vertebrates from April 2016 to January 2018 in Satchari National Park, Sylhet, Bangladesh. We examined the differences in their diet, niche breadth, niche overlap, and characterization of patch use. We recorded feeding events of gibbons and other frugivorous vertebrates using ad libitum sampling. Gibbons consumed 76 plant species including 32 non-fig fruits and 14 figs. Twenty-one competing frugivorous vertebrate species shared 10–70% of their food species with hoolocks. Competition for fruits was intense among gibbons, macaques, and hornbills, as fruits comprised more than 50% of their diet. The niche breadth of the gibbons varied across seasons. It was lowest during the rainy season (BA = 0.39) when fruits were more readily available, and highest in winter (BA = 0.58) when gibbons were less selective due to food scarcity. The niche overlap was highest between gibbons and northern pig-tailed macaques (Ojk = 0.70), followed by gibbons and hornbills (Ojk = 0.68). Feeding heights and substrate used varied significantly between gibbons and competitors. Gibbons may minimize competition by specializing on various food resources and using different forest patches.

Anthropogenic eutrophication of tropical lakes usually develops harmful cyanobacterial blooms. As algal blooms spread, the frequency of appearance of cyanotoxin producing strains increases. Within the cyanotoxins, microcystins stand out to produce numerous cases of intoxications/fatalities of livestock and humans. Since 2003, some previously crystal-clear lakes of the “Lagunas de Montebello” National Park (LMNP), Chiapas, southern Mexico, have turned brilliant green associated with perennial cyanobacterial blooms. Although these lakes are used as drinking water supply, fisheries, irrigation, and tourism, the risk of cyanotoxins’ possible presence in these water bodies had not been evaluated. Therefore, this research aimed to measure the cyanobacterial biomass and identify and measure microcystins concentration in the LMNP eutrophic lakes. Phytoplankton was dominated by well-known cyanotoxins producing cyanobacteria (Planktothrix, Raphidiopsis, and Limnothrix). Microcystins in LMNP lakes were confirmed, while the microcystin concentration ranged from 2.0 to 5.3 µg L−1. This range indicates a relatively low probability of causing acute health effects through human consumption or recreational purposes. However, these results compel the necessity of implementing a follow-up program (nonexistent in the LMNP management plan) to measure microcystins and the whole range of cyanotoxins along an annual cycle to be able to recognize the toxins’ maximum concentrations and their potential bioaccumulation in the food web. It is also needed to investigate more accurately the seasonal phytoplankton dynamics together with all limnological parameters.