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Understanding the spatio-temporal dynamics of land use and land cover (LULC) and their drivers is instrumental in synthesizing knowledge for informed natural resource management, planning, and associated decisions. The objective of this study was to analyze LULC dynamics and their drivers in the Nyangatom district of southwest Ethiopia. This study adopted a mixed-method approach, comprising remote sensing and geographic information system-based analysis, focus-group discussions, key informant interviews, and structured interviews covering 384 agro-pastoral households. Land use and land cover maps were compiled with Landsat image data from 1992, 1999, 2010, and 2020 using supervised pixel-based classification with a maximum likelihood algorithm. The study revealed that grassland (33%) and shrub land (27%) are the dominant LULC classes in the study periods. The results show a significant increase in settlement, cropland, and bare land, between 1992 and 2020 following demand for fertile lands, overgrazing, and climate changes. Reductions in the water body, open woodland, riverine forest, and dense woodland of − 23%, − 18%, − 18%, and − 7%, respectively, were observed for the same period with an overall accuracy of 80%. Agro-pastoralists identified agricultural expansion, overgrazing, and drought as the main drivers of LULC changes, followed by conflicts, invasion of alien plant species, and change in policy institutions. The impacts of unplanned LULC change can be reduced through appropriate land-use planning with genuine stakeholder engagement. Updated information on present and future LULC dynamics can support these social dynamics and align a shared understanding among stakeholders that replaces polarization and erosion of mutual trust.

Current definitions of sustainability and sustainable development are problematic. They reinforce the dominant capitalist paradigm of economic growth as a goal—a system which has contributed in no uncertain terms to the current state of the planet—and they exclude animals as moral entities. We propose that sustainability is primarily an ethical issue which connects people, the planet on which we live, and the animals and other organisms which inhabit it. Our definition of sustainability states that in all decisions and actions on any scale, from the individual to the institutional, we should minimise our immediate and future negative impact on humans, other animals, and the planet, while simultaneously maximising our positive impacts on these domains. We take an interdisciplinary approach in discussing trade-offs between these three broad interests, providing a rationale for adopting this more inclusive definition at every level of society. Our definition calls for a normative shift in discussions around sustainability, one of which is more inclusive of the animals and other organisms with which we share the planet. We believe that the paper forms a strong and coherent foundation for policy and communication about sustainability going forward.

Late-successional unmanaged forests (or old-growth forests) are important terrestrial carbon sinks. Their structurally complex features have been hypothesized to strongly affect forest productivity. However, the mechanisms through which structural complexity influences forest productivity remain unresolved. Here, we report a set of idealised simulations in boreal, sub-boreal, cool-temperate, warm-temperate and tropical forests using a dynamic model of atmosphere and vegetation interactions (Multilayered Integrated Numerical Model of Surface Physics–Growing Plants Interaction, MINoSGI). We aimed to elucidate the effects of tree–size and canopy structural complexity on stand-scale gross primary productivity (GPP) of old-growth forests over 300-year time series. We assumed the tree-size structures of mature old-growth forests as the initial conditions of the simulations. We focused on three different developmental phases of the forests: 29–48 years (phase I), 77–96 years (phase II) and 277–296 years (phase III) from the start of the simulations. Phase I corresponds to an old-growth forest because of our settings of the initial conditions of the simulations, and phase III to a long-term resultant forest without recruitment or mortality. We show that, for a given biome-specific leaf area index (LAI) and individual foliage shape (η), the greatest difference in GPP (ΔGPP) between forests with the most and least structurally complex canopies was 263 g C/m−2(-|-) year−1 in phase I and II when old-growth forests with the most complex canopy structures sustained their complexity, equivalent to almost 13 % of the annual GPP. By contrast, the maximum difference in ΔGPP was reduced to 153 g C/m−2(-|-) year−1 in phase III, equivalent to 8 % of the annual GPP total because the complex canopy structures of old-growth forests without recruitment or mortality approached less multi-layered ones similar to those of less complex and managed forests. Our simulation results indicate that greater tree–size and canopy structural complexity is associated with a broader vertical distribution of foliage, supporting the localisation of leaves in multiple layers. This increases the efficacy of light usage, particularly for shaded leaves receiving only diffuse light within the canopy. As a consequence, for all forest biomes, an increase in in-canopy diffuse light increases GPP in forests with complex canopy structures due to an enhancement of light use efficiency (LUE) of shaded leaves. Overall, our results quantify one of the mechanisms underlying the effects of canopy structural complexity on forest productivity. Moreover, differences in foliage shape between forest biomes can add to uncertainties when predicting GPP based on simulation models. We, therefore, suggest that precise values of the biome-specific factors associated with canopy structure should be employed into simulation models of global carbon budgets.

Financial advisers recommend a diverse portfolio to respond to market fluctuations across sectors. Similarly, nature has evolved a diverse portfolio of species to maintain ecosystem function amid environmental fluctuations. In urban planning, public health, transport and communications, food production, and other domains, however, this feature often seems ignored. As we enter an era of unprecedented turbulence at the planetary level, we argue that ample responses to this new reality — that is, response diversity — can no longer be taken for granted and must be actively designed and managed. We describe here what response diversity is, how it is expressed and how it can be enhanced and lost.

Background and Research aim: This study evaluated the density of two primate species Colobus vellerosus and Cercopithecus lowei and the change in land-use types in Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary in Ghana, from 2007 to 2019. Method: Total counts of individual monkeys were done in all six patches of forest in the Sanctuary in 2019. Using Landsat imagery, land-cover maps of the study area were examined to evaluate the change that has occurred over a nine-year period between 2010 and 2019. Results: A total of 602 individuals of C. vellerosus were counted in 34 groups (0.58 group/ha). Group locations were: 15 at Boabeng (0.12 groups/ha), five at Fiema (0.08 group/ha), three at Bomini (0.09 group/ha), four at Busuyna (0.13 group/ha), three at Bonte (0.06 group/ha), and four at Akrudwa (0.11 group/ha). C. lowei was only encountered at Boabeng and Fiema, with a total of 351 individuals distributed in 26 groups. In 2010, forest covered a land area of 1,540.08 ha, and it was estimated to have increased to 2,643.12 ha in 2019. Farmlands covered 5,069.07 ha in 2010, and in 2019 were estimated to cover 4,155.03 ha. Built-up areas in 2010 covered an area of 433.89 ha, and in 2019 had declined to 244.89 ha. Conclusion: The monkey populations have increased and spread to occupy all patches in the Monkey Sanctuary. On LULCC, 72% increase, 18% reduction, and 44% reduction in forest cover, farmland and built-up areas were observed respectively. Implications for conservation: There is a blend of traditional and conventional conservation efforts contributing to the increase in primate population, the occupancy of previously ‘empty’ forest patches and change in areas of land-use types.

The current study was conducted to investigate the variety of Odonata in Kashmir from November 2020 to November 2022. The study revealed the existence of 24 species, which includes 18 species of Anisoptera (dragonflies) under eight genera & two families and six species of Zygoptera (damselflies) in five genera & three families. New records of four species Orthetrum sabina (Drury, 1770), O. internum McLachlan, 1894, Aeshna petalura Martin, 1906, and Anax guttatus (Burmeister, 1839) from the region are provided herewith. Libellulidae (12 spp.) followed by Aeshnidae (six spp.) were recorded as two dominant families. This study provides some important baseline information on the odonates of Kashmir, Jammu & Kashmir, India.

Grass dynamics play a major role in the density and diversity of grazing mammals. To understand the drivers of grass quality and quantity, we assessed the height, cover, soft-texture, green leaves, and reproductive phase of grass species in relation to 13 ecological covariates belonging to climate, vegetation, human disturbance, and wild herbivores at Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary, southern India during November 2018─September 2020. From the 1,024 quadrates, we recorded 22 grass species and 10 sedges. The grass parameters varied significantly among habitats and between seasons. The grass height and grass cover were more in open scrub, while the soft-textured green grasses were more in grasslands. All the grass parameters except reproductive stage were highest during the wet season. The general linear model (GLM) based analysis on the covariate effect on grass quantity and quality demonstrated that among the 13 covariates compared, Prosopis, an alien invasive species, is the major driver, with negative influence on both grass quantity; the cover, and grass quality; soft-texture and greenness of grass. The feral horse, an alien invasive, negatively influenced grass height. Earlier studies have also shown the devastating effects of these exotics on native flora and fauna at Point Calimere, and measures suggested by these studies are recommended to safeguard natural communities in the area.

In India, the Himalayan Marmot Marmota himalayana occurs in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. In this communication, we describe the single sighting of foraging and storing of grass by Himalayan Marmots in the eastern Himalayan landscape of western Arunachal Pradesh and address the threats that we noticed. Though the species occur in different areas of India, no systematic work has been done till now to assess their population status and distribution, let alone in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.

Tribulus terrestris is a herbaceous weed capable of growing throughout the year in many habitats. It is hermaphroditic, protogynous, and self-pollinating, although it is also insect-pollinated. The insects involved in pollination use their flowers as a potential forage source by displaying fidelity during the wet season when profuse flowering occurs. The functional traits relating to sexual reproduction such as autonomous selfing, insect-pollination, polychory, and C4 photosynthetic pathway are quite advantageous for the plant to grow as a successful weed in different habitats, prominently in open habitats.

This study was conducted on a continuous 64-km stretch of National Highway (NH) 715, which bifurcates the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong landscape complex, with Kaziranga National Park on its southern side and North Karbi Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary on the northern side. The survey was carried out from October 2017 to September 2018 via two-way journeys three days a week, with two observers using a motor vehicle at a steady speed of 25–35 km/hour. Roadkill reports of one Large Indian Civet Viverra zibetha and six Small Indian Civets Viverricula indica were collected. Both the species are solitary and nocturnal, and prefer to inhabit secondary landscapes intermingled with human habitation. This stretch of NH 715 forms a crucial passage for wildlife foraging and breeding, and this study reflects the impacts of roads causing wildlife-vehicle collision for two civet species.

Genus Garreta Janssens, 1940 is an Afrotropical and of Oriental origin, consisting of 25 species and two subspecies from the world, eight species from India and two species from Maharashtra. Out of eight Indian species two are endemic to India. The present report is the first report of feeding of Garreta smaragdifer (Walker, 1858) on the faecal matter of Northern Plain Gray Langur Semnopithecus entellus (Dufresne, 1997) and also its range extension from central India to Maharashtra.

We report the presence of the Indian Giant Flying Squirrel Petaurista philippensis Elliot, 1839 in Badrama Wildlife Sanctuary, a first record to Odisha. The presence of the species was identified through direct sighting and photo capture. We also observed feeding behaviour of the flying squirrels on Tamarind and Sal trees in the sanctuary.

Mizoram, a diminutive state in northeastern India forms a major segment of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots. The wetland grasses in the ecosystem are elements adapted in assorted habitat as one of the primary producers. This present assessment is principally focused to augment and evaluate information on the current status of the aquatic and semi-aquatic grasses from the taxonomic and ecological perspectives from this ecoregion. The paper encompasses the present taxonomic account of the wetland grasses with recent citations, protologue, type, basionym, phenology, growth forms, field status, worldwide distribution and specimens examined. The present investigation revealed the occurrence and distribution of 16 genera including 23 species of wetland grasses from this state. This kind of study always sets the ground for launching in-depth ecological projects for working out the present ecological characteristics and status of the wetlands and their restoration and conservation.

In this paper, climatic analysis of non-precipitation periods (NPP) in Lithuania was performed, assessing their recurrence and trends from 1991 to 2020 using two criteria – when precipitation was

Genus Indolestes Fraser, 1922 and Dysphaea Selys, 1853 were previously known from Goa, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, parts of Gujarat, and eastern India. In this paper, we report the first confirmed records of Indolestes gracilis davenporti Fraser, 1930 and Dysphaea ethela Fraser, 1924 based on a specimen collected from Sindhudurg District, Maharashtra, India. We have also provided additional records of Macrodiplax cora (Brauer, 1867) from Maharashtra based on photographic evidence from Sindhudurg District.

A descriptive account of four polypore species collected from Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Union Territory of Chandigarh has been provided. Among these, Fomes dahlii Henn., Ganoderma tsunodae (Yasuda ex Lloyd) Sacc., and Xanthoperenniporia maackiae (Bondartsev & Ljub.) B.K.Cui & Xing, Ji are described as new to India and Ganoderma tropicum (Jungh.) Bres., as new to Himachal Pradesh and Union Territory of Chandigarh.

Monitoring the impact of fishing pressure on the Singhiya River is critical for resource development and sustainability, and the present situation is alarming and causing critical concern among the public. This study aimed to identify fish community trends over time and space in the river, and to investigate the impact of environmental variables on fish abundance and dispersion. Monthly fish sampling was performed from October 2020 to September 2021 from the 5th to 10th of each month. We used three cast nets of various mesh sizes (0.5, 2, & 4 cm) and monofilament gill nets with mesh sizes of 6, 8, & 10 cm. A total of 7,593 fish were collected, representing 61 species from seven orders, 20 families, and 37 genera. Similarity percentage (SIMPER) analysis revealed 78.8% similarity among six stations, with the primary contributing species: Puntius chola (28.2%), Puntius sophore (13.5%), Pethia ticto (5.33%), Chagunius chagunio (3.76%), Barbonymus gonionotus (3.69%), Puntius terio (3.46%), Opsarius shacra (2.2%), and Opsarius bendelisis (2.1%). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) on canonical correspondence analysis revealed that four of the seven selected environmental variables had significant relationship with the fish assemblage such as water parameters velocity, temperature, pH, and hardness. Overfishing and direct discharge of industrial waste into water resources may be the primary causes for the decline in fish diversity in Singhiya River.

Human activities affect wildlife in several ways, ungulates tend to avoid areas of high human use and alter their behavior to avoid human activity. We used remote camera traps to quantify the relative abundance and activity of wild ungulates in high and low human use areas within Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR). Major human activity in NSTR included collection of forest produce and fuel wood, and livestock grazing. Poaching for bush-meat and the use of hunting dogs was also prevalent, but could not be quantified. The relative abundance of wild ungulates was high in low human-use areas except for chital and wild pigs, which require flat terrain and water found in prime areas for settlements. Diurnal ungulates like Chital and Nilgai substantially altered their activity in response to human activity, as did nocturnal species like Sambar and Mouse Deer. The demographic response of ungulates in NSTR has been poor compared to other tiger reserves that have been made free of human use. Our research highlights the importance of having human-free protected areas so as to achieve the desired conservation objectives of harbouring viable populations of large carnivores that require high prey abundance.

The information on selection of nesting habitat and nest directionality for arboreal species is crucial in developing conservation and management plan for the species. We studied the factors which affect the nesting habitat selection and the nest orientation by using the quadrat sampling method in Nelliyampathy Reserve Forest, Kerala. A total of 119 nest sites were observed on 26 different tree species in four different habitat types. Around 56.30% and 36.13% of the nests were sighted in contiguous forests and plantation with native tree shade, respectively. Of the 119 nests, 112 were in trees of height up to 30 m. Cullenia exarillata, Mesua ferrea, Actinodaphne malabarica, and Schleichera oleosa accounted for 45.4% of the nest with 15.9%, 11.8%, 9.2% and 8.4% nests, respectively. About 24.4% of the nests were directed towards the north-east direction (n = 29) whereas least preferred direction was the south (n = 05). This shows that the nests are oriented towards sun rise and to avoid wind and rainfall of monsoon which is foreseen from the south-west direction.

The researcher conducted a review of 83 articles published between 2011 and 2021 to determine the nontimber forest products (NTFPs) income contribution and usage types based on spatial and temporal patterns. The study used a search, synthesis, appraisal, and analysis framework for review. The review included articles that only focused on the contributions of NTFPs for livelihood income and NTFPs usage type, while others not related to these two topics were excluded. For its literature search, more than half of the articles used Google Scholar, followed by Research4life, Scopus/Elsevier, EMBASE, and PubMed, respectively. In this study, excluding papers that (i) did not provide evidence on the income contribution of NTFPs, (ii) did not include articles that did not clearly explain the NTFPs use types, and (iii) were published before 2011, the reviewer was able to reduce the number of included articles (eligibility criteria or inclusion and exclusion criteria). 83 article papers were reviewed for the current review. The majority of the research for this review was carried out in India (19%), Ethiopia (13%), and Nigeria (11%). India was the first of the 17 both Asian and African countries to do research on the NTFPs’ contribution to rural household income and type of use. NTFPs contribute significantly to rural household revenue in 17 countries, ranging from a minimum of 9.5% in Zambia to a maximum of 40.19% in Myanmar. The average percentage of revenue from NTFPs across the 17 nations was 23.56%. Wild fruit, wild vegetables, medicinal plants, firewood, and crafts were the five NTFP usage types that were used by people in every country studied. Despite the fact that different countries utilize different types of NTFPs, the most commonly used types of NTFPs do not differ statistically ( P > 0.05 ). To prevent overexploitation, those top five NTFPs must be conserved as they gather across the regions. NTFP collection is a significant source of revenue for rural poor and people who live in and around the forest. There are many types of NTFPs in both Asian and African countries. So, this study shows that the rural people depend on the forest product and get many benefits from the forest especially in the NTFP usage type. In order to secure livelihood stability in this global biodiversity hotspot and to preserve plant and animal diversity, the cultivation and scientific harvesting of NTFPs are urgently required. It is necessary to increase capacity by teaching NTFP users how, when, and how much to harvest.

Germplasm banks are the most significant repository for plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) worldwide. Despite their strategic importance, national germplasm banks of tropical megadiverse developing countries such as Colombia have extremely limited funds. Therefore, making strategic decisions about research investment is essential. Here, we designed a data-driven approach to build an index that sorts Colombian PGRFA into three groups: high, medium, or low priority, based on four pillars of information from open-access databases and aligned with the sustainable goals of no poverty and zero hunger: Geographic origin, vulnerability status, economic benefits, and food security importance. We analyzed 345 PGRFA using the index, separating them into two groups, 275 already conserved in the Colombian germplasm bank (BGVCOL group) and 70 not currently conserved in the BGVCOL (NCB group). We used fuzzy logic to classify each PGRFA by each pillar and integrate it to obtain a priority index. Missing data for native crops were frequent in the BGVCOL group. Therefore we adopted an imputation strategy to fill the gaps and calculated the uncertainty. After applying the index, PGRFA with higher priority were 24 (8.72%) from the BGVCOL (i.e., 15 potatoes, three tomatoes, two tree tomatoes, pineapple, cocoa, papaya, and yacon) and one from NCB (i.e., coffee). We concluded that this methodology successfully prioritized PGRFA in Colombia and shows the big holes of knowledge for future research and alternatives to improve this index. The versatility of this methodology could be helpful in other genebanks with budget limitations for research investment.

Flood Risk Potential across South Asian Floodplains corresponding to 2010 economic exposures had been reported to be about 11 billion US2012$ and contributing more than 10% of Global values. Ecosystem approaches, based on Integrated Flood Management strategy of World Meteorological Organization, have been explored for balanced socio-economic and ecological adaptability enhancement, considering degradation of ecosystem services as fundamental issues and adaptation as optional solution. Adaptive Management methods have been explored for Flood Risk Minimization. General benefits of balanced socio-economic and ecological adaptation have been reviewed. Distributions of flood hazards, Gross Domestic Product, flood risk, Net Primary Productivity, carbon dioxide emissions and landscapes heterogeneity have been presented and analyzed for its influences over socio-economic and ecological adaptability. Distributions of Expected Annual Exposed socio-economic resources across 500 Years floodplains have been presented. Projected results corresponding to various two dimensional socio-environmental scenarios have been presented. Low Adaptable regions have been delineated.

Protected areas (PAs) are crucial conservation tools implemented worldwide to conserve biodiversity. Although PAs can positively impact wildlife populations, their ecological outcomes vary substantially depending on PA management and governance. Recent calls have highlighted the need to better assess the role of area-based conservation in preventing biodiversity loss. This is crucial to improve PA effectiveness in order to meet global biodiversity goals. Here we take advantage of a unique dataset composed of 2230 surveys conducted with koala detection dogs across Eastern Australia, to assess how protection status affected the occurrence of a threatened specialist folivore. We assessed if coverage of protected forest influenced koala presence or absence at two spatial scales (1 and 3 km), for (i) strictly and (ii) all protected areas. We also investigated if PA effects were explained by differences in habitat composition (percentage of secondary forest) between protected and unprotected areas. Taking confounding factors into account, we showed that forest protection (all IUCN categories) had a significant positive effect on koala occurrence, which increased by ~ 10% along the forest protection gradient. Contrarily, koala occurrence was not affected by strictly protected areas. In addition, adding the percentage of secondary forests in our models did not modify the statistical effect of PAs on koala occurrence, suggesting that forest composition is not the driver of the observed difference along the protection gradient. Our results contribute to a broader understanding of the effects of PAs on a threatened marsupial and call for further attention to assessments of PA effectiveness in Eastern Australia, a global biodiversity hotspot.

Affiliative behavior in social animals may have several functions such as maintaining social bonds, reducing tensions, or restoring relationships. Common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) engage in several affiliative behaviors, including parallel swimming, contact swimming, and flipper rubbing. Dolphins affiliate with former opponents after aggression, suggesting that this is a function of tension reduction. This study investigated how affiliative behaviors occur after aggression. Parallel swimming occurred more frequently than expected after aggression, while contact swimming and flipper rubbing occurred less frequently than expected. Parallel swimming and contact swimming occurred immediately after aggression; in contrast, flipper rubbing tended to occur more than one minute after aggression. These results suggest that common bottlenose dolphins engage in parallel swimming and contact swimming when social tension increases. The function may differ among these affiliative behaviors, and dolphins may engage in specific affiliations after aggression.

Latrines are important sites for intraspecific olfactory communication in mammals, especially for solitary or widely distributed species. Communal latrines give visitors access to information about other visitors, notably conspecific chemical cues, even in their absence. Chemical communication has evolved to allow information transfer among individuals that, due to other ecological constraints, do not co-occur in time. Latrines can be difficult to find and monitor but provide useful information about the behavioral ecology of otters. The aim of this study was to describe the behaviors of Neotropical otters (Lontra longicaudis, Olfers, 1818) in two communal latrines using video-camera traps. A total of 1,651 one-minute footage of otters visiting the latrines were used to elaborate an ethogram that included individuals (1) passing by, (2) rubbing, (3) scent marking, (4) scratching, (5) in vigilance, (6) smelling, (7) defecating, (8) urinating, (9) digging, (10) self-grooming, and (11) interacting with others. These results suggest that latrines are not only used by Neotropical otters to deposit feces and urine but that they also play a role in intraspecific communication. We suggest that L. longicaudis latrines function as information centers where individuals can monitor the location and activities of potential sexual partners and/or competitors.

Arabian Sea humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), listed as “Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, remain resident throughout the year in the waters of the Arabian Sea and constitute a genetically isolated population. In the eastern Arabian Sea, information on humpback whales off the Indian coast has largely been limited to stranding records, local ecological knowledge, and opportunistic visual sighting data. These data, along with information from a long-term study off Oman, suggest that humpback whales migrate across the Arabian Sea into Indian territorial waters from October to March. To study the presence of Arabian Sea humpback whales in Indian waters more comprehensively, passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) was initiated along the west coast of India in 2019. Male humpback whales produce complex songs with a stereotyped structure; these songs are shared within a population, and song patterns are known to evolve progressively over time. In this article, a structural analysis of humpback whale song recorded over four days off the coast of Netrani Island, Karnataka, India, in December 2019 is presented. Time-frequency features of 2,641 individual call units were analysed. Call units had a fundamental frequency bandwidth ranging from 149.98 to 541.65 Hz, with a duration ranging from 1.19 to 5.5 s. The call units were used to identify phrases and themes required to construct the structure of the song, which can potentially help identify the population to which singing individuals belong. This study indicates the need for a long-term PAM program across the Arabian Sea to compare whale songs across the region. Simultaneous recordings over multiple seasons will best assess population connectivity, seasonal occurrence, and movement patterns within and between populations across the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

While the existence of human–animal relationships dates back thousands of years, the effects of these bonds on animal well-being have only recently been examined in detail. The existing literature demonstrates that factors such as familiar human caregivers and persistent, predictable care may, for example, lower an animal’s fear response and improve overall welfare. The goal of the present study was to analyse how a range of variables, including age, sex, animal species, and previous bonds with a pet could influence the development of human–animal bonds between caregivers and animals at six affiliated zoological facilities. The present study is a survey of 201 animal caregivers focusing on their perception of the bonds shared between themselves and an animal with which they work and any experience with bonds they have with a companion animal at home. All respondents, regardless of the existence of a human–animal bond, also indicated their level of agreement with a series of general statements about human–animal relationships and their effects on animal management and welfare. The present study demonstrates that the type of animal species has a significant effect on the development of bonds between animals and their human caregivers, with a greater percentage of bonds developed between people and other mammalian species, and the smaller percentage of bonds between people and fish or reptiles. Personal identifiers, such as age, sex, or the number of years in the profession, did not have any significant correlation to bond development. In addition, having pets was also not a predictor of caregiver–animal bonds, though previous experiences with animal bonds did indicate a tendency to develop a bond. Overall, surveyed caregivers agreed with positive statements about human–animal relationships and their role in promoting better welfare for animals. Understanding the bonds shared by animal caregivers and the animals for which they are responsible is essential to fostering workplaces that consider the importance of the relationship between humans and animals, and the tangible benefits a positively perceived bond can have for both.

The coastal bottlenose dolphin is well studied throughout its natural range, though most research focuses on wide, well-protected habitats such as bays and estuaries rather than on narrow coastal sand banks. This study identifies a residential group of coastal bottlenose dolphins utilizing the northwestern Atlantic waters off the coast of Palm Beach County, Florida. From 2014 to 2020, 313 boat surveys were conducted, and 585 individual dolphins were identified using photo-identification. Using seasonal and annual resighting ratios, 24 dolphins were considered full-time residents, 66 dolphins were considered part-time residents, and 478 dolphins were transient. The presence of individuals with high site fidelity indicates that the region is used as a permanent habitat for some individuals, while the presence of transient animals may indicate a possible bridge between populations living to the north and south of the region.

International audience; The distribution of marine sponges in the tropical Southwest Pacific Ocean is largely unexplored despite the vital ecological role of sponges in coral reefs and their value as sources of metabolites for drug design. Several collection campaigns to the French Polynesian archipelagos (Society, Marquesas, Tuamotu, Gambier, and Austral) were conducted to assess the bio-and chemodiversity of the island groups. In the course of these scientific expeditions, more than 200 identified sponge specimens were acquired, for which we were able to assign 102 Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs). Based on these MOTUs, we assessed, in the largest analysis of its kind for this area to date, the sponge composition and faunistic overlaps of the marine province Southeast Polynesia with Marquesas and Central Polynesia. We also compared the sponge fauna of these Eastern Indo-Pacific provinces with marine provinces of the adjacent Central Indo-Pacific realm. Our findings corroborate that sponge faunal similarity within marine realms is higher than among realms, and follows the marine barriers to gene flow observed for other taxa. We detected high levels of provincial endemism for marine sponges, consistent with findings from other Indo-Pacific regions. At the level of province, geographical distance and ocean surface currents influence faunal similarity, and constitute the primary factors for the connectivity of sponge faunas between the disjunct and remote island groups in the tropical Southwest Pacific Ocean. Keywords Marine provinces • Ecoregions • Marquesas • Tuamotu • Oceania • Dispersal Communicated by Khor Waiho.

In 2009, a derecho occurred in southern Illinois affecting large areas of the regional forest systems. Previous research reported multi-strata species compositional shifts post-derecho at LaRue Pine Hills/Otter Pond Research Natural Area (LPH/OP RNA). Here, we expand these observations to include phylogenetic and spatial relationships, including elevation as a covariate. Surveys were conducted before and after the derecho. Univariate and multivariate analyses documented diversity and compositional shifts. Spatial analyses identified distinct spatial patterns in taxonomic (TSR) and phylogenetic (PSR) species richness, and metrics of phylogenetic clustering and overdispersion (net relatedness index and nearest taxon index; NRI and NTI, respectively), in seedling, sapling, and tree communities. Decreases in tree TSR and PSR and sapling PSR, and increases in sapling NTI occurred post-derecho. Seedling diversity-elevational relationships exhibited a humped-backed relationship in all cases excluding NTI pre-derecho, while saplings showed positive linear relationships between phylogenetic metrics and elevation. Despite the relatively small elevation gradient (122m), multivariate analyses identified elevation as the most influential environmental driver of community dissimilarity. Local Moran’s I analysis showed post-derecho clustering in the north-central extent. Co-Kriging (CoK) interpolation predicted that seedling diversity increased in the southwestern extent, while sapling diversity increased in the eastern extent and tree diversity increased from the north-central extent post-derecho, indicating competitive interactions at lower elevations and environmental filtering at higher elevations. Seedling and tree NRI and NTI increased in the southern extent, whereas sapling clustering increased in the northeastern extent. Co-Kriging had a better prediction capability compared to other spatial interpolation methods.

The Zalon Taung National Park (ZNP) in Banmauk township, northwest Myanmar, is a recently established protected area to protect the area’s cultural value, ecosystems, native flora, and wildlife. This research examined the vegetation structure, tree species diversity, and composition within (ZNP) and outside (the Banmauk unclassified forest (BUCF)) the park to inform conservation and resource utilization for sustainable management. We conducted the vegetation survey in April-May of 2022 by setting up 34 sample plots (40 × 40 meters) using a random sampling approach. We used stand density, basal area, Shannon–Wiener diversity index, Simpson index, Pielou's evenness, Fisher’s α diversity, and Importance Value Index (IVI) to determine the forest structure and tree diversity. A total of 116 tree species (≥10 cm·dbh), representing 87 genera and 48 families, were identified. The ZNP sample plots had a slightly higher stand density (201 individuals ha−1) and basal area (20.6 m2·ha−1) than BUCF (stand density: 191 individuals ha−1 and basal area: 15.0 m2·ha−1), which is accessible to collect firewood and timber extraction by residents. The reverse J-shaped pattern of the population structure indicated that the stands’ populations were progressive and healthy. BUCF featured the most Verbenaceae (12.9%) and the ZNP the most Euphorbiaceae (7.2%) families. Protium serratum had the highest IVI in the BUCF (26.91%) and Dipterocarpus alatus (18.39%) in the ZNP. Dipterocarpus alatus and Dalbergia oliveri (IUCN Red List-endangered species) dominate in BUCF and require special attention in conservation planning. In the ZNP, previous logging activity dramatically reduced the relative density and the IVI values of commercially important species such as Tectona grandis, Dalbergia oliveri, and Protium serratum. According to the NMDS ordination, differences in tree species compositions were significantly linked with elevation, the intensity of logging, and distance to the village and road. The results will help park managers plan effective land use to promote biodiversity conservation and local livelihoods.

SummaryThe energy needs of the human population inevitably affect natural environments, but the effects on wildlife of human modifications of habitat specifically for geothermal projects are scarcely known. Through acoustic monitoring, we quantified at Proyecto Geotérmico Las Pailas II, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, the impact of forest openings on the diversity and community composition of aerial insectivorous bats. Our data revealed that artificial clearing causes a border effect, an environment where the diversity of species and activity levels of insectivorous bats increase with respect to other habitats analysed. We discuss that, due to the combination of environmental properties and resource availability variables of the border habitats, in addition to the acoustic abilities of the bat species detected, borders represent transitional spaces where species adapted to uncluttered and background-cluttered spaces can easily commute and forage. The artificial clearings created by the geothermal project had a positive effect on aerial insectivorous bat species; however, this pattern cannot be assumed for other organisms within the area. Therefore, we highlight the importance of quantifying the influence of energy-extracting projects on biodiversity metrics and the use of this information to make informed decisions regarding managing and conserving natural resources.

Encephalartos eugene-maraisii is an endangered, endemic plant in the Waterberg Mountain range of South Africa. This is the first report of herbivory by Zerenopsis lepida (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) on natural populations of E. eugene-maraisii. The impact of herbivory by folivorous arthropods on this cycad species has not been studied before. This study aimed to determine the incidence and intensity of Z. lepida herbivory on E. eugene-maraisii under field conditions. Local plant dynamics were studied by recording the plant location, sex, size and phenological stage for each plant. Damage surveys were carried out over two consecutive seasons (2020–2021 and 2021–2022). Leaf damage was assessed on 227 plants comprising 692 stems. Approximately 40% of the stems had signs of leaf herbivory by Z. lepida and 10% of the total leaf area was removed by Z. lepida larvae. Less herbivory was recorded in areas where plants synchronously produced new leaf flushes compared to areas with asynchronous leaf flushes. Greater apparency of plants led to a greater incidence of herbivory and level of damage. Repeated damage to plants may delay future leaf and cone flushing events and contribute to the threat against this cycad species.