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In many regions of Ethiopia, particularly in the study area, high‐quality livestock feed is scarce, particularly during the dry season. Indigenous browse species could potentially offer alternative sources of feed, but their potential has not been fully exploited, owing to a lack of detailed information. Without detailed information on the nutritional value of indigenous browse species, it is difficult to assess their suitability as feed sources. This knowledge gap indicates that even if these plants are abundant, they may not be used effectively because their nutritional benefits are not well understood. The objective of the present study was to fill this gap by systematically evaluating the biomass yield and nutritional content of indigenous browse species. The mean biomass yields for various indigenous browse species varied significantly (p < 0.05) among species, with Ficus thonningii producing the highest, whereas the biomass yields of Vernonia amygdalina were the lowest. Arundinaria species exhibited the highest NDF content (68.5%), whereas V. amygdalina had the lowest NDF content (46.8%). The crude protein content varied significantly (p < 0.05) among the species, with Acacia albida having the highest (20.3%), whereas the crude protein content of Carissa edulis was the lowest (13.3%). Hence, the crude protein content of all indigenous browse species is sufficient to meet the maintenance needs of cattle, sheep, and goats because, as stated by Kearl and NRC, the crude protein levels required for maintenance in these animals range from 7% to 10%. The crude protein content of indigenous browse species is sufficient to meet the milk production requirements of sheep and goats because the crude protein levels required for milk production for these animals range from 12% to 16%. For lactating dairy cows and growing beef cattle, Kearl recommended CP values of 14%–18% and 12%–16% required, respectively. Therefore, indigenous livestock producers should incorporate these species into their production systems to enhance productivity. This approach can also help mitigate the high costs associated with concentrate feeds, which are typically expensive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canopy gaps are widely recognized as being crucial for maintaining the diversity of forest tree communities. But empirical studies have found mixed results because the differences in diversity between individual gaps and non‐gaps are often small and statistically undetectable. One overlooked factor, however, is how small individual gap versus non‐gap differences may accumulate across sites and potentially have a large effect on forest diversity at the plot scale. Our study investigated sapling richness, density, and composition in 124 treefall gaps, and 200 non‐gap sites in the 50‐ha tropical forest plot at Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama. Additionally, we analyzed species accumulation curves to understand how species richness increases with increasing stem numbers. We observed that sapling richness and density were only slightly higher in gaps 7 years after formation and statistically indistinguishable from non‐gaps after 12 years. However, species accumulation curves across multiple gaps were substantially higher than those across non‐gaps. Species composition showed small differences between individual gaps and non‐gaps but differed significantly between collections of gaps and non‐gaps. Specifically, 55 species specialized in 7‐year‐old gaps compared with 24 in non‐gaps; of these, 23 gap‐specialized species and zero non‐gap species were pioneers. Our results indicate that tree species richness is higher in gaps because of both higher stem density and the presence of gap‐specialized species. Our study has finally provided compelling evidence to support the idea that gaps enhance the overall diversity of tropical forest tree communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Anopheles Hyrcanus group, which transmits Plasmodium vivax, consists of six confirmed species in South Korea. An epidemiological study revealed differences in the seasonal occurrence patterns of each species. Pyrethroid resistance in An. sinensis dates back to the early 2000s, whereas information on pyrethroid resistance in other species is lacking despite their greater significance in malaria epidemiology. Methods: Anopheles mosquitoes were collected from two malaria-endemic regions in South Korea for 2 years and their knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations were genotyped. The larval susceptibility to λ-cyhalothrin was compared in six Anopheles species and its seasonal changes in three species were investigated. The full-length sequences of the voltage-sensitive sodium channel (VSSC) were compared across six species to evaluate potential target-site insensitivity. The contribution of the kdr mutation to phenotypic resistance was confirmed by comparing median lethal time (LT50) to λ-cyhalothrin between populations of Anopheles belenrae with distinct genotypes. Results: The composition and seasonal occurrence of rare species (Anopheles kleini, Anopheles lestri, and Anopheles sineroides) varied considerably, whereas An. sinensis occurs continuously throughout the season. A kdr mutation in the form of heterozygous allele was newly identified in An. belenrae, An. lesteri, An. pullus, and An. sineroides. The baseline susceptibility to λ-cyhalothrin was the highest in An. belenrae, followed by An. lesteri, An. sineroides, An. kleini, An. pullus, and An. sinensis, with median lethal concentration (LC50) values ranging from 6.0- to 73.5-fold higher than that of An. belenrae. The susceptibility of An. sinensis and An. pullus varied by season, whereas that of An. belenrae remained stable. The kdr-heterozygous An. belenare population exhibited 5.1 times higher LT50 than that of the susceptible population. Species-specific VSSC sequence differences were observed among the six species. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the status and extent of pyrethroid resistance vary among Anopheles Hyrcanus group species. While An. sinensis, the predominant species, developed a considerable level of pyrethroid resistance through kdr mutation, the resistance levels of other species appeared to be less pronounced. Large-scale monitoring is crucial to fully understand species-specific seasonal occurrence and resistance status for effective management strategies, considering the ongoing impact of climate change on their vectorial capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat segregation is a common phenomenon among anguillids in rivers where multiple species coexist. However, despite the growing need to conserve their river habitats, the mechanisms underlying such segregation remain unknown. Here, we conducted tank experiments to investigate the competitive superiority for habitats between the temperate Japanese eel Anguilla japonica and the tropical Indo-Pacific eel Anguilla marmorata, which co-occur in East Asian subtropical rivers. Using eight interspecific pairs of these two species of comparable total length, we compared the use of a single pipe shelter, recorded over a 24-h experimental period, between solitary and paired conditions. The changes in shelter use patterns between conditions indicated that in the paired condition, the shelter was occupied by A. marmorata in five pairs (62.5%) by the end of the experiment while A. japonica appeared to occupy the shelter in only one pair (12.5%). Furthermore, agonistic behaviors, which occurred mainly at night, such as biting and head-butting, were observed much more frequently for A. marmorata toward A. japonica (mean ± standard deviation: 23.2 ± 36.6 times per individual) than for A. japonica toward A. marmorata (0.4 ± 0.5 times per individual), indicating an asymmetry in aggressiveness. These results suggest that A. marmorata can negatively affect the diurnal habitat use and nocturnal activities of sympatric A. japonica. These findings, combined with those from previous field studies, suggest that A. marmorata may competitively exclude A. japonica from stream habitats with large substrate sizes. This asymmetric competition can contribute to shaping their riverine distribution and composition within rivers where they co-occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We experimentally tested the effects of different concentrations of cigarette butt leachate on freshwater phytoplankton chlorophyll-a, species richness, cell density, and community composition. For this, we sampled the phytoplankton from a eutrophic lake and acclimated it for 24 h in microcosms. We then conducted the experiment in microcosms maintained for 96 h. The experiment consisted of four treatments: control and leachate from 1 butt L−1 (T1), 5 butts L−1 (T5), and 10 butts L−1 (T10), which were prepared by diluting a stock solution of leachate from 50 butts L−1. We found that algal chlorophyll-a content was not affected by different leachate concentrations. In contrast, phytoplankton cell density decreased in a dose-dependent manner as concentrations of the leachate increased. Similarly, the number of species was highest in the control group relative to all other treatments, with T1 and T5 showing higher species richness than T10. Additionally, the exposition to different concentrations of the leachate impacted community composition across all treatments in comparison to the control group. Our results suggest that cigarette butt leachate alters the number of cells and species, as well as the distribution of abundance, without necessarily reducing chlorophyll-a concentrations. Our findings indicate that to gain a comprehensive understanding of the effects of cigarette butt leachate on freshwater ecosystems, it is essential to evaluate more realistic scenarios that incorporate aquatic communities, rather than isolated species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrethroid resistance and mechanisms for resistance for Anopheles gambiae sensus lato (s.l.) (Diptera: Culicidae) Giles, were assessed in three urban areas (vegetable farming, industrial and residential) of Abidjan. Susceptibility to pyrethroids (deltamethrin, permethrin and alphacypermethrin), with and without piperonyl butoxide (PBO) pre‐exposure was evaluated. Anopheles gambiae complex members were identified using Short Interspersed Nuclear Elements PCR (SINE PCR), and resistance mechanisms (kdr‐west, kdr‐east and ace‐1) and metabolic gene expression (CYP6P5, CYP6M2, CYP6P3, CYP6P4) were determined by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). High resistance to deltamethrin, permethrin and alphacypermethrin was observed in Port‐Bouet (vegetable farming) and Treichville (industrial site), whereas moderate resistance to deltamethrin and high resistance to alphacypermethrin and permethrin were found in Abobo (residential site). Pre‐exposure to PBO with pyrethroid increased mortalities in all sites. In Treichville, pre‐exposure to PBO restored susceptibility to deltamethrin, but not in Port‐Bouet or Abobo. In Treichville, An. gambiae Giles sensu stricto (s.s.) was predominant (92.9%), whereas in Abobo and Port‐Bouet, An. coluzzii Giles was predominant (73.6% and 66.4%, respectively). The highest kdr‐west mutation frequency was in An. gambiae s.s. (42.8%) from Abobo, followed by An. gambiae s.s. (40%) from Port‐Bouet and An. gambiae s.s. (35.6%) from Treichville. In An. coluzzii, the highest kdr‐west mutation frequency was in Port‐Bouet (48.2%), followed by Abobo (28.00%) and Treichville (21.4%). Mutation frequencies of kdr‐east were lower in An. gambiae s.s. from Treichville (4.1%) and Port‐Bouet (2.1%) and absent in An. gambiae from Abobo. In industrial and vegetable farming areas, CYP6P3 and CYP6M2 were overexpressed compared with Kisumu. The study suggests An. gambiae s.l. distribution and pyrethroid resistance are influenced by human activities. Treichville's industrial area favoured An. gambiae s.s., whereas Abobo's residential and Port‐Bouet's vegetable farming areas were dominated by An. coluzzii. Resistance in Treichville and Port‐Bouet was associated with kdr (west and east) genes and metabolic genes, whereas in residential areas, only kdr‐west genes were observed. These data suggest that PBO + deltamethrin impregnated nets could aid malaria control, benefiting industrial areas of Côte d'Ivoire and other African cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, there have been some reports on new species of the genus Luisia in Vietnam. There is disagreement among studies on the number of species in this genus. Our study gathers available documents and samples from herbariums in order to tally and classify them. Research results have recorded 13 species of the Luisia genus in Vietnam. The study also describes one taxon as a new species. A taxonomic key for the identification of all species of the Luisia genus known in Vietnam is also established. The study will be a useful reference for classification as well as the identification and description of new species belonging to the genus Luisia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the composition and distribution of dung beetle species across various habitat types is crucial for elucidating their ecosystem functions. Dung beetles play pivotal roles in ecological processes such as nutrient cycling, seed dispersal and parasite suppression. Despite numerous studies on the influence of habitat types on dung beetle communities, knowledge gaps persist, particularly on how these beetles respond to different vegetation types in protected areas. In this study, we surveyed dung beetle species in Nyerere National Park, Tanzania, using baited pitfall traps across four habitat types: closed miombo woodland, open miombo woodland, marshland and riverine. We identified a total of 5534 individuals representing 63 species, 29 genera and nine tribes. Significant variations in species diversity were observed among the habitats, with the closed miombo woodland exhibiting the highest diversity and the open miombo woodland the lowest. Notably, certain species, such as Euoniticellus intermedius, Euonthophagus carbonarius, Gymnopleurus ignites, Onitis alexis, Onthophagus, Onthophagus vinctus, Onthophagus plebejus and Sisyphus goryi displayed a generalist distribution across all habitat types. Our findings underscore the critical importance of maintaining and conserving the quality of diverse habitat types to ensure the long‐term preservation of dung beetle biodiversity and the ecosystem services they provide. This study contributes valuable insights into dung beetle ecology and offers practical implications for ecosystem management and conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This field study in a semi‐arid savannah at Senkelle Swayne's Hartebeest Sanctuary, Ethiopia, examined livestock grazing effects on rangeland condition, plant species composition and richness, and population of the endangered Swayne's hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei). Rangeland condition was analysed using a common protocol for the assessment of semi‐arid rangelands. A total count method was used to estimate ungulate numbers. Grazing reduced all measures of range condition and productivity and affected the composition and richness of the herbaceous species. Grazing also induced an increase in the density and number of encroaching woody species Vachellia seyal and Senegalia senegal. The population of the Swayne's hartebeest significantly affected by livestock grazing (mean number of hartebeests observed under moderately and lightly grazed sites were 10.00 ± 2.49 and 6.75 ± 2.06, respectively). No individual hartebeest was observed roaming in the heavily grazed zone, which implies an effective reduction in the extent of habitat available for the hartebeest. The overall condition of the rangeland was poor. Measures to reduce livestock presence in areas from which the hartebeest has been displaced and controlled seasonal livestock grazing within non‐sensitive parts of the Sanctuary may benefit the hartebeest. Coupled with these, livestock exclusions for up to a year and interseeding may help improve rangeland condition and hartebeest's habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Coral reef fish diversity forms the foundation of their adaptability. A comprehensive understanding of coral reef fish diversity is crucial for the conservation of both coral reefs and their associated fish species. In this study, we employed three taxonomic diversity indices to analyze the characteristics and changes in taxonomic diversity within a representative coral reef (Meiji Reef) located in the South China Sea from 1998 to 2018. Fish species richness played a significant role in shaping the diversity of coral reef fish families and genera within the South China Sea region. Contrary to findings from 1998–1999, there had been a relative increase in fish family diversity at Meiji Reef during 2017–2018. Distribution patterns among different coral reef fish communities across taxonomic levels exhibited varying degrees of unevenness within the South China Sea region. The changes observed in the taxonomic distinctness index between 1998–1999 and 2016–2018 indicated greater dissimilarity among species relationships and reduced taxonomic uniformity. Coral reef fish are important groups of coral reefs, which have great economic and ecological value. Meiji Reef is a representative tropical semi-enclosed atoll in the South China Sea, with rich fish resources. Based on the data from hand-fishing, line-fishing, and gillnet surveys of fish in Meiji Reef from 1998 to 2018, this study summarized the fish species list of Meiji Reef and analyzed the species composition, inclusion index at the taxonomic level (TINCL), genus–family diversity index (G–F index), average taxonomic distinctness index (Δ+), and variation in taxonomic distinctness (Λ+) and their changes. The results revealed that from 1998 to 2018, there were 166 reef-dwelling fish species on Meiji Reef, belonging to 69 genera, 33 families, and 11 orders, of which 128 species were from 20 families of Perciformes, accounting for 77.10% of the total cataloged species. Regarding the dependence of fish on coral reefs, there were 155 reef-dependent species or resident species (accounting for 93.37%) and 11 reef-independent species or wandering species (accounting for 6.63%). The TINCL of the order, families, and genus of fish in Meiji Reef were very high. The genus diversity index (G index), family diversity index (F index), and G–F index of fish in Meiji Reef were very high, and the G index of fish in Meiji Reef in 1998–1999 was higher than that in 2016–2018. The Δ+ and Λ+ values of fish in Meiji Reef from 1998 to 2018 were 56.1 and 148.5, respectively. Compared with 1998–1999, Δ+ and Λ+ of fish increased during 2016–2018, reflecting that the relatives of fish in Meiji Reef became further distant, and the uniformity of taxonomic relationships among species decreased. The research findings indicated that fish exhibited a high taxonomic diversity in Meiji Reef; however, it also revealed significant fluctuations in the fish diversity of Meiji Reef over an extended period, emphasizing the urgent need for timely protection measures. This investigation significantly contributes to our comprehension of the intricate dynamics governing fish species within Meiji Reef and holds broader implications for biodiversity conservation in tropical marine ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to estimate the quantity and composition of discarded fish species in bottom trawl in the Lifeh area of the coastal waters of Khuzestan. Data were collected based on samples obtained from commercial fishing the autumn of 2017 and the summer of 2018. The results of this study indicated that the discarded samples included 21 species from 16 families. Hamilton's thryssa, Sharhosehammer croaker and Orange-fin pony fish species were predominant. Moreover, the results demonstrated that the average length of most discarded species was below 30 centimeters, with the highest average length belonging to the large scale tongues at 3.8±3.23 centimeters and the lowest for the large scale tongues at 8.5±8.10 centimeters. The findings revealed the discard rate per fishing effort unit in autumn as 4.0±6.8 kilograms per hour and in summer as 8.7±2.7 kilograms per hour. The catch per unit area was also calculated at 24.0±16.0 and 7.15±0.0 kilograms per square mile during autumn and summer, respectively. Furthermore, the percentage frequency of commercial and non-commercial discarded species in autumn was calculated as 22.74 and 77.26, respectively, and in summer as 7.7 and 3.92, respectively. Considering the obtained results and the elevated discard rate in this area, it can evidently have negative impacts on fish stocks, potentially posing risks to the fishing industry in the region in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study, spanning from March 2022 to February 2024, aimed to document the diversity, abundance, and seasonal variability of butterflies of the Hathnikund Barrage (30°18′50″ N, 77°35′04″ E) adopting the Pollard Walk method. A total of 3,869 individuals were observed, representing 66 butterfly species across 53 genera, 16 subfamilies and six families. Nymphalidae emerged as the most diverse family with 30 species. Biannual peaks in species richness and population abundance were evident, with one peak occurring in the summer season and a second peak during the post-monsoon season. Significant differences in species richness, abundance, and diversity were observed in different seasons of a year, these metrices also showed significant differences between the two years of the study period. Among the recorded species, five species were listed in Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, (2022) highlighting the conservation significance of the Hathnikund Barrage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Culicoides midges have been well-studied in Spain, particularly over the last 20 years, mainly because of their role as vectors of arboviral diseases that affect livestock. Most studies on Culicoides are conducted using suction light traps in farmed environments, but studies employing alternative trapping techniques or focusing on natural habitats are scarce. Methods: In the present study, we analyze Culicoides captured in 2023 at 476 sites in western Andalusia (southern Spain) using carbon dioxide-baited Biogents (BG)-sentinel traps across different ecosystems. Results: We collected 3,084 Culicoides midges (3060 females and 24 males) belonging to 23 species, including the new species Culicoides grandifovea sp. nov. and the first record of Culicoides pseudolangeroni for Europe. Both species were described with morphological and molecular methods and detailed data on spatial distribution was also recorded. The new species showed close phylogenetic relations with sequences from an unidentified Culicoides from Morocco (92.6% similarity) and with Culicoides kurensis. Culicoides imicola was the most abundant species (17.4%), followed by Culicoides grandifovea sp. nov. (14.6%) and Culicoides kurensis (11.9%). Interestingly, Culicoides montanus was the only species of the obsoletus and pulicaris species complexes captured, representing the first record of this species in southern Spain. A total of 53 valid Culicoides species have been reported in the area, with 48 already reported in literature records and 5 more added in the present study. Information on the flight period for the most common Culicoides species is also provided. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, our study represents the most comprehensive effort ever done on nonfarmland habitats using carbon-dioxide baited suction traps for collecting Culicoides. Our data suggests that using carbon dioxide traps offers a completely different perspective on Culicoides communities compared with routinely used light traps, including the discovery of previously unrecorded species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seedling stage is the most important stage of plant development and plays a critical role in the forest regeneration. Species composition, seasonal dynamics and spatial distribution of the tree seedlings in the 20 hm² Ailaoshan forest dynamic plot were studied. The forest dynamic plot was built in a mid-mountain moist evergreen broad- leaved forest in Ailaoshan. Within the plot, 450 seedling quadrats of size 1m x 1m were established. Species composition, seasonal recruitment, seasonal mortality and spatial distribution of tree seedlings were investigated for four years (from 2019 to 2022). The results were as follows: (1) A total of 2 928 seedlings of 58 species were recorded, belonging to 42 genera and 26 families. There were 817 recruits of 47 species and 1 181 dead seedlings of 50 species. (2) The importance values of tree seedlings varied among different tree species across years. Symplocos ramosissima and Machilus bombycina were the dominant species, with importance values consistently in the Top 2 in four years, while the importance value of the pioneer species Viburnum cyclindricum declined continuously. (3) Significant differences in species richness, average seedling species richness in quadrat, species diversity (Shannon-Wiener index, Simpson index), seedling number, recruits, recruitment rate, mortality and mortality rate of tree seedlings were not found between different seasons. (4) The majority of species exhibited restricted distribution within the plot, only a few species displayed a broader distribution across the plot. Tree seedlings had higher species richness, density and diversity (Shannon-Wiener index and Simpson index) in the flat topography compared to the ridge and valley of the plot. In conclusion, there are not significant differences in species composition, recruitment and mortality of tree seedlings between different seasons. Topography influences the spatial distribution and diversity of tree seedlings. The study reveals the dynamics of recruitment and mortality of tree seedlings, and provides the theoretical reference for biodiversity conservation and forest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical montane forests in the Andes are hotspots for species diversity and constitute important ecosystems for the provision of numerous services critical for local populations, including biomass/carbon accumulation and hydrological regulation. Additionally, in many countries in the region, these forests are being lost or degraded at alarming rates. Understanding their dynamics in terms of the composition, diversity, structure and function is a key challenge in the region that can inform policies for their sustainable management and conservation. This study focused on the use of monitoring data from ground-based permanent plots (part of the Andean Forest Network) in the two main mountain ranges of the Venezuelan Andes to analyze forest structure, diversity and dynamics over six years (2016-2023), and their potential drivers. We found that although the wetter forests of La Mucuy (northeast) and the more seasonal stands of San Eusebio (northwest) are very similar in terms of overall species richness, they show substantial differences in their species assemblages and their biogeographic origins. Both sites share similarities in tree dispersal strategies and stem turnover rates (mean=1.16%/year), but forests in La Mucuy are significantly more productive, with a mean annual woody productivity rate of 3.09±1.42 Mg C.ha-1.y-1, while this rate was 0.73±0.48 Mg C.ha-1.y-1 in SEU plots. Interestingly, although species richness and composition has not shown significant changes during this 6-year period, both sites have increased their total aboveground biomass, acting as a significant carbon sink, which appears to be largely driven by the growth of large trees in these forests. These results emphasize the need of maintaining long-term monitoring efforts to be able to link more explicitly changes in composition, biodiversity and ecosystem services with changes in environmental drivers under climate change scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beta diversity measures changes in species composition and, if partitioned, isolates the contributions of turnover and nestedness in such differences. High beta diversity values have been reported to ant assemblages found at the soil surface, tree canopy and underground soil layers. However, studies on ant assemblage at small-scale stratification have drawbacks regarding to sampling designs and on the searching of turnover and nestedness patterns contribution to overall beta diversity. We investigated how ant assemblage beta diversity changes along the epigaeic-hypogaeic and epigaeic-arboreal gradients in a Neotropical rainforest remnant and whether this change is driven by turnover or nestedness. We sampled ants at different depths/heights and calculated the Jaccard index between the ants sampled at these strata and the ones at the soil surface as an overall beta diversity measurement. Then, we partitioned the Jaccard index to account for turnover and nestedness separately. Overall beta diversity values did not significantly change, being consistently high along both gradients. Turnover's proportional contribution to beta diversity significantly increased with increasing height but did not significantly change with increasing depth. Turnover values were high throughout the subterranean gradient. This suggests that epigaeic ants better explore low heights than low depths. Our results revealed that the assemblages from both gradients are continuously different from the soil assemblage, that this difference is mainly due to turnover, and that turnover's importance increases along the epigaeic-arboreal gradient. These conclusions were only possible due to isolating the effects of turnover and nestedness, reinforcing the importance of doing so. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation characteristics are an important proxy to measure the outcome of ecological restoration and monitor vegetation changes. Similarly, the classification of remotely sensed images is a prerequisite for many field ecological studies. We have a limited understanding of how the remote sensing approach can be utilized to classify spontaneous vegetation in post‐industrial spoil heaps that dominate urban areas. We aimed to assess whether an objective a priori classification of vegetation using remotely sensed data allows for ecologically interpretable division. We hypothesized that remote sensing‐based vegetation clusters will differ in alpha diversity, species, and functional composition; thereby providing ecologically interpretable division of study sites for further analyses. We acquired remote‐sensing data from Sentinel 2A for each studied heap from July to September 2020. We recorded vascular plant species and their abundance across 400 plots on a post‐coal mine in Upper Silesia, Poland. We assessed differences in alpha diversity indices and community‐weighted means (CWMs) among remote sensing‐based vegetation units. Analysis of remotely sensed characteristics revealed five clusters that reflected transition in vegetation across successional gradients. Analysis of species composition showed that the 1st (early‐succession), 3rd (late‐succession), and 5th (mid‐succession) clusters had 13, 10, and 12 exclusive indicator species, respectively, however, the 2nd and 4th clusters had only one species. While the 1st, 2nd, and 4th can be combined into a single cluster (early‐succession), we found the lowest species richness in the 3rd cluster (late‐succession) and the highest in the 5th cluster (mid‐succession). Shannon's diversity index revealed a similar trend. In contrast, the 3rd cluster (late‐succession) had significantly higher phylogenetic diversity. The 3rd cluster (late‐succession) had the lowest functional richness and the highest functional dispersion. Our approach underscored the significance of a priori classification of vegetation using remote sensing for vegetation surveys. It also highlighted differences between vegetation types along a successional gradient in post‐mining spoil heaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Patterns of beta diversity reflect the formation dynamics of ecological communities. Here, we integrated geographic, phylogenetic, and phenotypic information of coastal woody vegetation to investigate (1) whether the observed dissimilarity between assemblages differs from that expected by chance, examining the roles of spatial and deterministic processes; (2) the relative contribution of beta‐diversity components (turnover and nestedness) for taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional beta diversity; and (3) what environmental factors drive the differences in composition between assemblages for all these dimensions. Location: Brazil. Taxon: Angiosperm trees. Methods: We built dissimilarity matrices and partitioned the taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional beta diversity from an incidence matrix, a phylogeny including the region's plants, and a matrix expressing functional distances. Using linear regressions, we tested the effects of different environmental predictors representative of the effects of water availability, thermal energy, habitat heterogeneity, edaphic constraints, climatic stability, and human influence on beta‐diversity patterns. Results: Taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional dissimilarities exhibited a typical pattern of greater dissimilarity with distance (i.e., as expected by chance). However, these patterns showed different contributions of beta‐diversity components, predominating turnover in taxonomic and phylogenetic dissimilarity, and nestedness in functional dissimilarity. Water availability had a slight effect on patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic dissimilarities. Main conclusions: The Brazilian coastal woody vegetation appears to have emerged through a dynamic of colonisation of evolutionarily distinct but functionally similar lineages that originated from adjacent phytogeographic domains, proportional to their diversity. This is consistent with a combination of both neutral and non‐neutral processes. Our findings underscore the complementary roles of different dimensions of beta diversity in explaining the dynamics of these vegetation communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of South China Fisheries Science is the property of South China Fisheries Science Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Environmental modification resulting from human activities has negative consequences, including biodiversity loss and a decline in insect populations, which threaten crucial ecosystem functions. A comparative study was conducted in gallery forests with different conservation statuses (Good, Intermediate, and Unfavorable) in the Humid Chaco ecoregion, Chaco Province, Argentina. We hypothesize that the conservation status of gallery forests influences the diversity parameters, composition, and structure of ant assemblages because it provides better conditions, thereby increasing diversity parameters and resulting in distinct patterns of ant species composition. Samplings were conducted during the peak ant activity periods in the spring and summer seasons between 2017 and 2018. We collected 5363 specimens belonging to 108 species/morphospecies, 36 genera, and nine subfamilies. Furthermore, the effect of environmental variables (leaf litter thickness, distance from the river, canopy coverage, number of seedling trees, human footprint index, temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation) on community structures was assessed. The highest species richness and diversity were recorded in sites with good conservation status. Our findings highlight the importance of gallery forests as biological corridors for the protection of ant diversity. Additionally, the distinct ant community structures in forests of varying conservation statuses emphasize the need for effective conservation strategies in these types of habitats. Implications for insect conservation: This work highlights the crucial role of ants as indicators of environmental quality and the impact of forest conservation status on their diversity and structure. It underscores the need for conservation efforts to protect biological corridors and their unique ant communities in the Humid Chaco ecoregion, contributing to our understanding of ant diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of a comprehensive study of two components of the aquatic biocenosis: its floristic component and benthos in the shallow waters of the Gorky Reservoir within the water area of the Yaroslavl State Nature Reserve. The composition and structure of plant communities at the boundary of the macrophyte belt is assessed, followed by the identification of dominant associations. At the same time, the taxonomic composition and quantitative characteristics of macrozoobenthos are assessed in the main plant biotopes. Plant communities in the water area are represented by two ecological groups: helophytes and hydrophytes. Macrophytes occupy up to 25% of the water area of the shallow area of the studied water body. Most of the plant communities are concentrated in the northern and northeastern parts of the reserve. Eleven species of macrophytes belonging to 10 genera and 9 families are noted. In macrophyte communities, eight typical associations were identified where benthos sampling are carried out. In the benthos of typical macrophyte associations, 35 lower definable taxa (LDT) are identified, of which 17 LDT are chironomid larvae. In the biotope, 11 LDT are found out of vegetation. The highest species richness of benthic invertebrates is noted in the communities of Butomus umbellatus L. (1753) and Sparganium erectum L. The benthos of plant communities in August 2021 can be characterized as chironomid–oligochaete, while chironomids dominate in the open littoral. Mollusks play a significant role in the formation of benthos in plant communities. The maximum quantitative indicators of benthic invertebrates in general—and the abundance of chironomids of the genus Glyptotendipes, in particular—have been noted in the community of the burr Sparganium erectum. This is probably due to the morphological structure of this plant and the specifics of the formation of the community by this species. The benthos of plant communities is dominated by phytodetritophages–filterers and phytodetritophages–filterers + gatherers, while phytodetritophages–filterers prevail in the open littoral. There are no detritophages–gatherers in any of the studied biotopes. In general, according to the abundance of macrozoobenthos, the areas of plant communities can be classified as high-nutrient and very high-nutrient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Background The Anopheles Hyrcanus group, which transmits Plasmodium vivax, consists of six confirmed species in South Korea. An epidemiological study revealed differences in the seasonal occurrence patterns of each species. Pyrethroid resistance in An. sinensis dates back to the early 2000s, whereas information on pyrethroid resistance in other species is lacking despite their greater significance in malaria epidemiology. Methods Anopheles mosquitoes were collected from two malaria-endemic regions in South Korea for 2 years and their knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations were genotyped. The larval susceptibility to λ-cyhalothrin was compared in six Anopheles species and its seasonal changes in three species were investigated. The full-length sequences of the voltage-sensitive sodium channel (VSSC) were compared across six species to evaluate potential target-site insensitivity. The contribution of the kdr mutation to phenotypic resistance was confirmed by comparing median lethal time (LT50) to λ-cyhalothrin between populations of Anopheles belenrae with distinct genotypes. Results The composition and seasonal occurrence of rare species (Anopheles kleini, Anopheles lestri, and Anopheles sineroides) varied considerably, whereas An. sinensis occurs continuously throughout the season. A kdr mutation in the form of heterozygous allele was newly identified in An. belenrae, An. lesteri, An. pullus, and An. sineroides. The baseline susceptibility to λ-cyhalothrin was the highest in An. belenrae, followed by An. lesteri, An. sineroides, An. kleini, An. pullus, and An. sinensis, with median lethal concentration (LC50) values ranging from 6.0- to 73.5-fold higher than that of An. belenrae. The susceptibility of An. sinensis and An. pullus varied by season, whereas that of An. belenrae remained stable. The kdr-heterozygous An. belenare population exhibited 5.1 times higher LT50 than that of the susceptible population. Species-specific VSSC sequence differences were observed among the six species. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the status and extent of pyrethroid resistance vary among Anopheles Hyrcanus group species. While An. sinensis, the predominant species, developed a considerable level of pyrethroid resistance through kdr mutation, the resistance levels of other species appeared to be less pronounced. Large-scale monitoring is crucial to fully understand species-specific seasonal occurrence and resistance status for effective management strategies, considering the ongoing impact of climate change on their vectorial capacity. Graphical Abstract

The material was collected in the period from 2020 to 2024 on the territory of the Gomel region (south-east of Belarus). In 30 nests of 11 species of passerine birds, we have found 139 shells belonging to 29 species of mollusks of 19 families. Based on the shells’ state and their damage, three ways of the material appearance in the bird nests are discussed: 1) as a prey of birds, 2) a result of snails’ migration, 3) bringing of empty shells by birds.

In June–July 2021, the entomofauna of a storage facility for pyrite cinders in the vicinity of Cherepovets was studied. A total of 161 species of insects from 64 families and 8 orders were found. The orders with the greatest species diversity were Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Diptera. Most of the species reported are widespread in the region, but rare, including protected, species are also found. The richest species composition of insects is on the tops and slopes of the sludge reservoir. The fauna includes numerous hortobiont species that feed on flowers, pollen and nectar and have good dispersal abilities. A small number of phyllophagous insects was found. At the top and slopes of the sludge reservoir, ants are dominant. A total of 5 species of ants were found in the study area.

A survey on the diversity of wood-decay fungi in southeast Xizang was carried out from 2019 to 2023. Based on morphology, ecology, biogeography, and molecular biology, 558 species, belonging to three classes, 15 orders, 57 families, and 177 genera, were identified. One new species, Epithele miscanthi, is described. Species composition analysis showed that there were fifteen dominant families with more than 10 species. These families include 459 species, accounting for 82.26% of the total species found. Thirty-three genera with five or more species are treated as dominant genera, and 325 species were included in these genera, accounting for 58.24% of the total species. Among these, 313 species (56.09%) occurred on angiosperm wood only, 168 species (30.11%) on gymnosperm wood only, 45 species (8.06%) on both angiosperm and gymnosperm wood, 17 species (3.05%) on monocotyledons only, and only one species, Hymenochaete rheicolor, grew on both monocotyledons and dicotyledons. The highest number of species, 266 (47.67%), were found on fallen trunks, followed by fallen branches, rotten wood, stumps, dead standing trees, living trees, and charred wood with 175, 123, 116, 82, 57, and 4 species, respectively. In addition, 456 species cause a white rot and 85 species cause a brown rot, accounting for 81.72% and 15.23% of our studied species, respectively. Statistics were also made on the rotting type and the number of edible or medicinal fungi.

Abstract Background Culicoides midges have been well-studied in Spain, particularly over the last 20 years, mainly because of their role as vectors of arboviral diseases that affect livestock. Most studies on Culicoides are conducted using suction light traps in farmed environments, but studies employing alternative trapping techniques or focusing on natural habitats are scarce. Methods In the present study, we analyze Culicoides captured in 2023 at 476 sites in western Andalusia (southern Spain) using carbon dioxide-baited Biogents (BG)-sentinel traps across different ecosystems. Results We collected 3,084 Culicoides midges (3060 females and 24 males) belonging to 23 species, including the new species Culicoides grandifovea sp. nov. and the first record of Culicoides pseudolangeroni for Europe. Both species were described with morphological and molecular methods and detailed data on spatial distribution was also recorded. The new species showed close phylogenetic relations with sequences from an unidentified Culicoides from Morocco (92.6% similarity) and with Culicoides kurensis. Culicoides imicola was the most abundant species (17.4%), followed by Culicoides grandifovea sp. nov. (14.6%) and Culicoides kurensis (11.9%). Interestingly, Culicoides montanus was the only species of the obsoletus and pulicaris species complexes captured, representing the first record of this species in southern Spain. A total of 53 valid Culicoides species have been reported in the area, with 48 already reported in literature records and 5 more added in the present study. Information on the flight period for the most common Culicoides species is also provided. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, our study represents the most comprehensive effort ever done on nonfarmland habitats using carbon-dioxide baited suction traps for collecting Culicoides. Our data suggests that using carbon dioxide traps offers a completely different perspective on Culicoides communities compared with routinely used light traps, including the discovery of previously unrecorded species. Graphical Abstract

Large old trees (LOTs) are important ecological assets that contribute significantly to biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and local culture. This study analyzed the abundance, species composition, spatial and altitudinal distribution patterns, and conservation needs of LOTs in Baisha County, tropical southern China. We conducted a comprehensive field survey of 301 LOTs and recorded their biological characteristics, geographical locations, and environmental conditions. Species importance values were calculated, and the spatial distribution was analyzed using GIS techniques. Redundancy analysis (RDA) examined the relationships between LOT diversity and environmental factors. The results indicated a complex and diverse stock dominated by species from the Moraceae family, particularly of the genus Ficus. The structural analysis displayed a skewed age distribution, with a higher frequency of younger trees and a decline in older classes. Spatial analysis showed that LOTs are concentrated in the northwestern and central areas and are favored by microclimatic conditions, soil types, and historical land-use practices. The abundance and species richness of LOTs were greater at intermediate elevations. Redundancy analysis highlighted the intricate relationships between LOT diversity, abundance, and socioeconomic factors. This study provided crucial insights into the ecology and conservation requirements for LOTs in Baisha. The findings underscored the importance of targeted conservation efforts, particularly for older trees and mid-elevation habitats. We recommended integrating ecological research, long-term monitoring, traditional ecological knowledge, and community involvement in formulating conservation strategies to preserve these ecologically and culturally significant trees for future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Mountains are often used to study how environmental factors influence biodiversity. However, we have limited understanding of the processes causing biodiversity variation in mountains and whether such processes vary across trophic levels and spatial scales. The aim of this study was to evaluate (i) whether community assembly processes varied along elevational gradients, (ii) whether there were differences in such variation between primary producers (vascular plants) and secondary consumers (spiders) and (iii) whether there were scale dependencies in any elevational variation in community assembly. Location: Fennoscandia, Northern Sweden. Taxon: Vascular plants, spiders. Methods: We used phenotypic and phylogenetic dispersion to quantify how elevation influenced community assembly of vascular plants and spiders and whether there were any scale dependencies in such influences. Our original data of plant and spider communities came from our own field surveys, phenotypic dispersion was calculated based on matrices of ecological traits, and phylogenetic dispersion was calculated from phylogenetic trees for each organism group. Trait matrices were based on a combination of literature values and our own measurements. The phylogeny for vascular plants was based on a published plant super‐tree, whereas the phylogeny for spiders was created by ourselves based on the DNA sequences at the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI). Results: Plants were environmentally filtered throughout all elevations and scales, but the importance of convergent evolution increased with elevation. For spiders, the importance of environmental filtering as well as niche conservatism increased with elevation. For both groups, communities at smaller scales were more influenced by biotic regulation and niche conservatism than at larger scales. Main Conclusions: Our study highlights both taxonomic differences and scale dependencies in how elevation influences community assembly. We argue that these results can have broad ramifications for our understanding of how spatial variation in biodiversity is generated and maintained. This may have particular relevance for our ability to predict the ecological consequences of climate change. Our results further highlight that high elevation specialists may suffer increased risks of climate driven extinctions due to a combination of increased competition and increased fragmentation of suitable habitats. Particularly for spiders, which had high elevation specialists clustered along specific lineages, such extinctions could lead to significant loss of phylogenetic variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roadside revegetation practices have evolved significantly in recent decades, spurred by the need for more reliable and cost-efficient operations and escalating concerns regarding biodiversity integration into large land-planning projects. While the use of rich and locally-sourced seed mixtures for revegetation is being considered with a rising interest to provide ecosystem services and resiliency, their efficacy in meeting practitioners' erosion-control expectations remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by investigating the erosion-control potential of six seed mixtures, categorized into three compositions with varying levels of richness (Standard < Competitive < Biodiversity) and sourced from local and non-local origins, in a controlled greenhouse environment. To do so, we assessed the effect of these modalities on vegetation cover, plant density and root biomass production over a period of 118 days. During the establishment phase, while the effect of the origin on cover was not conclusive, the richer Biodiversity composition achieved faster ground cover, attributed to the presence of large-leaved forbs. The overall density of plants was lower in the richer mix compared to the two others, but significantly higher in its local version. The findings underscored trade-offs between vegetation cover and density, driven by intra- and inter-specific competition processes, particularly related to access to light. Root biomass production was influenced by the origin of the seeds, with local mixes yielding higher biomass, particularly visible in the richer composition. In spite of growing conditions supposed to favour cultivars, wild and locally-sourced seeds showed promising results, advocating for their broader adoption in roadside revegetation efforts. These findings provide insights for practitioners to optimize revegetation strategies and enhance roadside ecosystem resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions. In situ field trials should now be carried out to confirm these promising results obtained under controlled conditions for roadside management and ecological restoration.

Abstract Human cultivation facilitates the naturalization and subsequent invasion of non-native plant species through, for example, protection from predators or reducing environmental stochasticity. With the development of tourism, non-native plant species have been increasingly introduced into rural home gardens for landscape greening and amenity planting. However, few studies have examined non-native flora in rural home gardens, and in particular the importance of tourism in determining changes of garden non-native flora has not been scrutinized. In this study, we investigated non-native plant species in 135 home gardens across five rural tourism villages in tropical China. Attributes related to garden or household characteristics were also collected through interviews and questionnaires. A distance-based redundancy analysis was then performed to reveal the relationships between the non-native species composition and garden attributes. A total of 338 non-native plant species were recorded in the surveyed gardens. Among them, the majority (63%) were ornamentals, whereas 19% were for nutritional uses and 12% were spontaneous weeds. Gardening preference and distance to tourist attractions governed the non-native compositions, with gardens preferring cultural (ornamental) cultivation or gardens close to tourist attractions having more non-native species. These results highlight an increasing role of tourism in promoting non-native cultivation in rural gardens. Recommendations for species risk assessment, trade and supply regulation, and proper garden management are provided to help harness plant invasion along tourism development in rural China and other regions around the world.

The comparison of structural difference between biological communities and the evenness or diversity test of biological communities are always the focus in community studies. In present study, two computational tools were developed to conduct non-parametric statistical tests of between-community structural difference, among which a tool is for multi-samples comparison and the other is for single-sample comparison. Various distance measures are available for user’s choice. Two computational tools were developed to test community evenness and one tool was based on the randomization test proposed in present study and the other was based on Ewens-Caswell neutrality model. The computational tools include both online and offline versions and can be used on various computing devices (PCs, iPads, smartphones, etc.), operating systems (Windows, Mac, Android, Harmony, etc.) and web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, etc). They can be used in the sciences as ecology and biology, etc.

The value and uniqueness of forest ecosystems are determined by their species diversity and biotic resistance to negative environmental impacts. The aim of the study is to determine the species composition, systematic position, trophic specialization, as well as the occurrence and abundance of forest mycobiota with Abies alba in the Pokutsko-Bukovyna Carpathians. The study was conducted in 2019-2023 within the forests of the branches “Kutske Forestry”, “Ivano-Frankivsk Forestry” and “Beregomet Forestry” of the State Specialized Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”, as well as the forests of the National Nature Park “Vyzhnytskyi” and the National Nature Park “Hutsulshchyna”. Classical mycological identification methods were used in the study. Information from the interactive databases Index Fungorum, MycoBank, and World of Fungi of Ukraine was used to clarify the current systematic position and current names of taxa. It was found that the consortial relationships of the fungal biota of the Pokutsko-Bukovyna Carpathians forests are most closely related to the woody plants Picea abies, Abies alba, and Fagus sylvatica. During the mycological expedition, 54 species of representatives of the kingdom Fungi were identified, 81.5% of which belong to the order Basidiomycota and 18.5% to the order Ascomycota. It was found that the most numerous is the order Polyporales, and the least numerous are the orders Corticiales, Gomphales, Phallales, Pucciniales and Tremellales. It is shown that, according to trophic specialization, representatives of the studied mycobiota of the Pokutsko-Bukovyna Carpathians belong to the following groups: xylotrophic facultative saprotroph, xylotrophic facultative pathogen, xylotrophic obligate saprotroph, obligate pathogen and aboveground saprotroph. It is noted that the most widely represented are saproxylytrophs, which generally develop on dead and fallen wood. Thus, the systemic and structural analysis of the fungal biota of the Pokutsko-Bukovyna Carpathians forests allows for assessing the biocenotic value of fungi as bioindicators of the current state of stands, as well as identifying reference and valuable areas characterized by high biodiversity

Shiwandashan is one of the hotspots of biodiversity in Guangxi, and its main vegetation type is mountain evergreen broad-leaved forest. In order to understand the current community status and the development status of dominant species population structure of mountain evergreen broad-leaved forests in the region, this study was conducted in a fixed monitoring sample plot of 1 hm2 established within the evergreen broad-leaved forest community in the Shiwandashan. Woody plants with diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 1 cm in the sample plot community were used as the research objects to analyze their species compositions, diameter class structures, tree height structures, and the spatial distribution patterns of dominant species using the g(r) function. The results were as follows: (1) There were 7 517 woody plants with DBH ≥ 1 cm in the community, belonging to 52 families, 108 genera and 153 species. The dominant species in the community were Clethra delavayi, Schima argentea, Hartia villosa, Castanopsis hystrix, Engelhardtia roxburghiana, Ardisia quinquegona, Itea chinensis, Symplocos adenophylla, Eurya subintegra, Ilex pubescens, but the dominant position of dominant species was not obvious. (2) The overall average DBH of the community was 5.51 cm, and the distribution of diameter class and tree height was approximately an inverted “J” shape. The diameter class distribution of dominant species was mostly an inverted “J” or “L” shape, and the community had a large number of small and medium-sized diameter class standing trees, indicating a strong self-renewal ability of the community. (3) Dominant species coexisted stably in the community; the dominant species exhibited aggregated distribution in the sample plot, but there were differences in the location of aggregated distribution among dominant species. Overall, the community is currently in a good state of renewal, with the existence of dominant species in the top level community. However, the community has certain secondary characteristics and has not yet reached a stable top level community state. The dominant species can coexist stably and have the potential to inherit towards a stable top level community. Therefore, it is necessary to continue to strengthen management and promote the renewal and survival of the evergreen broad-leaved forest community in the Shiwandashan areas.

Lyme disease is a zoonotic infectious disease. Increased public interest in Lyme disease has caused increased efforts by researchers for its surveillance and control. The main concept for this paper is to determine the mammalian species composition of areas at high risk for Lyme disease utilizing GIS-based (Geographic Information Systems) techniques coupled with k-means clustering, random forest, and multinomial logistic regression. Cluster analysis results were similar to previous work involving maps that display areas where people are at high risk for developing Lyme disease. There were differences in which mammal species presence had associations with Lyme disease risk observed at the two different scales within this analysis, with some overlap observed between the national scale and the smaller regions, as well as some overlap between the Rocky Mountain and Southeast regions that was not found at the national scale. This is an investigative analysis to determine which species are needed for habitat suitability analyses in efforts to prioritize vaccine deployment locations. There has been limited research on vaccine deployment for Lyme disease. Increasing our understanding of not only the vaccine but also the interactions between the components of disease transmission is necessary to control this infectious disease successfully.

Biodiversity loss is one on global environmental issues facing humanity. Intensive use of natural resources has led to degradation of landscapes and reduction of the species diversity of plant communities. Therefore, finding natural solutions to overcome these challenges is an urgent issue. The purpose of the study was to investigate the dynamics of floral composition and coenotic structure of herbaceous plant communities in an organic cherry orchard for the sustainable functioning of the agricultural landscape. The dynamics of the coenotic composition of natural grasses of vegetation cover in the organic cherry orchard was studied during 2013-2020 in the arid conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine on low-humus sandy loam soils. Morphological, ecological, and geographical methods were used to investigate the species diversity of flora in an organic garden. The composition of herbaceous plant communities was estimated using conbentional geobotanic description methods. The results of the study of the species composition and coenotic structure of plant communities of grass cover in an organic sweet cherry orchard are presented. Grassing of the garden with natural grasses has led to the enrichment of agricultural landscapes with useful species that are important components of sustainable agricultural systems and can perform ecological services. Colonisation of the grass cover by invasive and quarantine species was not observed due to natural processes of demutation succession and the use of moderate four-fold mowing of plants during the growing season (to a height of 15- 20 cm). As part of herbal plant communities in the 8th year of research, all species were useful, had medicinal properties, and served as a food base. The natural grasses in an organic sweet cherry orchard are a resource of biomass and biodiversity. Phytocoenotic analysis of the grass cover in the organic cherry orchard will allow substantiating and proposing principles for predicting the development of plant communities to optimise their structure, improve quality, and maintain biodiversity

Floodplains along rivers and streams are characterised by a high habitat heterogeneity and a large biodiversity. However, floodplains are highly threatened by anthropogenic activities such as channelisation and bank enforcement of watercourses. While floodplains along rivers are well known for their importance for riparian biodiversity, the conservation value of floodplains along small streams is less understood. We studied carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and ground‐dwelling spiders (Arachnida: Aranea) along forested small streams (~ up to 5 m width) in Rhineland‐Palatinate (Germany). We investigated 16 pairs of floodplains (natural stream sites with shallow bank and regular flooding events) and controls (deeply cut stream sites without regular flooding), where we sampled carabid beetles and spiders at different distances to the stream bank (0, 5 and 10 m). We found that floodplains along small streams had contrasting value for carabid beetles and ground‐dwelling spiders. For carabid beetles, we observed several typical floodplain species and distinct species assemblages and 2.7 times more individuals across species of conservation concern in floodplain sites. Moreover, species richness and total number of individuals of carabid beetles were highest directly at the stream bank (0 m distance) of floodplains compared with the more distant locations, while the opposite was found for the control stream sites. The spider composition also differed between floodplains and control steam sites, but only one typical floodplain species was detected. Species richness and number of individuals in ground‐dwelling spiders were lower in floodplains than in control stream sites. We conclude that the conservation value of floodplains of small streams is taxa‐dependent and that they appear less relevant for ground‐dwelling spiders but provide important habitats for riparian carabid beetles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the potential impacts of projected atmospheric carbon dioxide (pCO2) levels reaching 800 ppm by the end of the century, focusing on ocean acidification effects onmarine ecosystems in the coastal areas of Bohai.We investigated how acidification affects the grazing patterns of microzooplankton using dilution techniques and ecophysiological methods. Our findings indicate that acidic conditions shift the phytoplankton community structure, changing dominant species. Elevated CO2 concentrations reduced grazing pressure on phytoplankton, with less steep declines in growth rates at 800 ppm CO² (spring: 2.43 d-1 vs. 2.16 d-1, summer: -0.46 d-1 vs. -0.73 d-1, autumn: -0.45 d-1 vs. -0.90 d-1) and significant decreases in grazing pressure percentages (%Pp from 0.84 to 0.58 and %Pi from 0.64 to 0.46). Short-term acid exposure significantly increased superoxide dismutase activity in both microplankton (from 0.03 to 0.08 U mg-1, p<0.01) and nanoplankton (from 0.05 to 0.09 U mg-1, p<0.001), indicating an adaptive response to oxidative stress. These results highlight that elevated CO2 levels primarily boost phytoplankton growth by reducing microzooplankton grazing pressure, resulting in higher growth rates and a shift towards smallersized phytoplankton, reflecting complex short-term ecological responses to acidification. Further research is needed to understand the long-term effects of ocean acidification on microzooplankton and their role in marine secondary productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The accurate classification of habitats is essential for effective biodiversity conservation. The goal of this study was to harness the potential of deep learning to advance habitat identification in Europe. We aimed to develop and evaluate models capable of assigning vegetation‐plot records to the habitats of the European Nature Information System (EUNIS), a widely used reference framework for European habitat types. Location: The framework was designed for use in Europe and adjacent areas (e.g., Anatolia, Caucasus). Methods: We leveraged deep‐learning techniques, such as transformers (i.e., models with attention components able to learn contextual relations between categorical and numerical features) that we trained using spatial k‐fold cross‐validation (CV) on vegetation plots sourced from the European Vegetation Archive (EVA), to show that they have great potential for classifying vegetation‐plot records. We tested different network architectures, feature encodings, hyperparameter tuning and noise addition strategies to identify the optimal model. We used an independent test set from the National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS) to evaluate its performance and compare its results against the traditional expert systems. Results: Exploration of the use of deep learning applied to species composition and plot‐location criteria for habitat classification led to the development of a framework containing a wide range of models. Our selected algorithm, applied to European habitat types, significantly improved habitat classification accuracy, achieving a more than twofold improvement compared to the previous state‐of‐the‐art (SOTA) method on an external data set, clearly outperforming expert systems. The framework is shared and maintained through a GitHub repository. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate the potential benefits of the adoption of deep learning for improving the accuracy of vegetation classification. They highlight the importance of incorporating advanced technologies into habitat monitoring. These algorithms have shown to be better suited for habitat type prediction than expert systems. They push the accuracy score on a database containing hundreds of thousands of standardized presence/absence European surveys to 88.74%, as assessed by expert judgment. Finally, our results showcase that species dominance is a strong marker of ecosystems and that the exact cover abundance of the flora is not required to train neural networks with predictive performances. The framework we developed can be used by researchers and practitioners to accurately classify habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Understanding the spatio‐temporal patterns of restoration outcomes is crucial to improve predictability of restoration. High beta diversity of species‐rich communities is sought because it increases overall biodiversity and improves ecosystem stability and multifunctionality. For predictive restoration, it is important to identify the significance of drivers like site characteristics but also uncontrolled factors such as spatial effects, historical factors, and year effects. Location: Dikes at river Danube, SE Germany. Methods: We studied dike grasslands 4–19 years after restoration over five years (2017–2021, 41 plots in 12 sites). We calculated beta diversity indices to describe spatial variation and temporal turnover, including their additive components 'replacement' and 'nestedness', or 'gains' and 'losses'. We analysed the main drivers of beta diversity like local site characteristics, landscape, and historical factors. Results: Spatial variation of the restored dike grasslands was dominated by the replacement component and showed no homogenisation despite a significant temporal turnover. The replacement drivers changed over time, although replacement was mainly affected by slope aspect and landscape factors. Historical factors were inconsistent over time, and no statistically clear drivers of nestedness were found. The dike grasslands exhibited a year‐to‐year turnover in species composition of 37 ± 11%. Gains and losses were balanced over time, although the ratio changed and was most pronounced on south‐facing slopes. Conclusions: The restored grasslands exhibited spatial variation by site characteristics but also by spatial factors which were not controlled by restorations. Moreover, high non‐directional temporal turnover occurred, caused most likely by weather fluctuations, slightly varying management, and stochastic biotic dynamics. Thus, flexible targets are recommended for restoration monitoring, by defining a set of desired states within a certain range. Furthermore, the dominance of the replacement component of spatial variation should move the focus from defining one precise restoration approach to defining a set of possible methods which together would foster beta diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybeans are a valuable crop in many countries of the world. To obtain stable yields, it is necessary to consider the activities of arthropods, both beneficial and destructive. The results of this study indicate high biodiversity. Most of the insects that feed on soy are polyphagous. In the years favorable for their development, omnivorous pests pose a serious threat to soybeans. The species composition of arthropods on soybeans of the Krasnodar and Stavropol territories of the Russian Federation during the years of the study was represented by 212 species (210 species of insects and 2 species of mites), including 101 species of phytophagous insects, which accounted for 48.5% of the total fauna and 109 species of entomophagous insects (51.7%). Most of the entomophages were parasitic Hymenoptera belonging to such families as Ichneumonidae, Braconidae, Aphidiidae, Eurytomidae, Ormyridae, Pteromalidae, Encyrtidae, Eupelmidae, Eulophidae, Elasmidae, Scelionidae, Platygastridae, and Chrysididae. The most numerous phytophagous insects damaging soybeans belonged to the Hemiptera order (34 out of 101 species of phytophages). The Lepidoptera order in the soybean agrocenosis was represented by 28 species (13.4% of the total fauna and 28.0% of the destructive fauna). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zooplankton is an important link between primary producers and lower trophic level organisms in the marine food web, and is an important biological basis for the formation of fishing grounds. Based on the Zooplankton samples collected by the fishery resources survey vessel "Songhang" of Shanghai Ocean University during the comprehensive scientific survey of fishery resources in the high seas of the Northwest Pacific Ocean from June to August in 2021 and 2022, the Zooplankton samples were analyzed in terms of their species composition, distributional characteristics, and their relationship with the environment. The results showed that a total of 174 Zooplankton species were collected in the surveyed area over the two years, belonging to 10 groups. Copepoda and planktonic larvae were the most abundant Zooplankton, with 95 and 22 species identified respectively, accounting for 54.6% and 12.6% of the total number of species, followed by ScyphoZoa, with 18 species identified, and Ostracoda, Tunicata, Chaetognatha, Euphausiacea, and Gastropoda with 11, 9, 6, 4 and 3 species respectively. Additionally, two species each of Polychaeta, Amphipoda, and Cladocera were identified. The dominant genes (species) included seven categories: Clausocalanus sp., Oncaea sp., Paracalanus sp., Calocalanus sp., Oithona plumifera, Oithona decipiens and Metridinidae larvae. The species diversity and dominant genes (species) composition were similar in both years. The mean Zooplankton abundance in 2021 was 732.89 ind./m³, lower than that in 2022 (1 418.88 ind./m³). The Shannon-Wiener index in 2021 was 1.57-3.16, the Evenness index was 0.54-0.91, and the abundance index was 0.84-3.36. All three indices were higher than those in 2022, which ranged from 0.66 to 2.92, 0.26 to 0.94, and 0.77 to 3.11, respectively. GAM analyses showed that Zooplankton abundance was significantly and negatively correlated with the sea-surface salinity and the water temperature in the 200 m layer, and the analyses suggested that the Kuroshio current and the Oyashio also had a certain effect on the temporal and spatial distributions of the abundance. The results of this study will provide basic information for the study of Zooplankton in the high seas of the Northwest Pacific Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the relationship between the surface distribution of fish larvae and juveniles and environmental factors in the Philippine Sea in summer, surface horizontal trawl surveys were conducted with large larvae and juvenile fish nets (diameter 1.3 m, mesh 0.5 mm) at 50 sampling stations in the Philippine Sea (11°N-19°N, 129°E-138°E) during the summer of 2022. A total of 38 159 fish larvae and juveniles, belonging to 14 orders, 21 families, and 56 species were collected. The dominant species in the daytime collection were Thunnus albacares and Encrasicholina punctifer, while the dominant species in the nighttime collection was Encrasicholina punctifer, so the co-dominant species was Encrasicholina punctifer, which accounted for 97.05% of the total number of samples collected. The total mean density of fish larvae and juveniles at each station was 292.43 ind./1 000 m³, with a mean density of 17.61 ind./1 000 m³ collected during the daytime and 526.54 ind./1 000 m³ collected during the nighttime, indicating significant differences in diel distribution. The stations with higher densities were mainly located in the sea near 15 N, and all sample were collected at night. Canonical correlation analysis showed that the environmental factors affecting the distribution of fish larvae and juveniles were, in descending order, sea surface salinity, sea surface temperature, and dissolved oxygen. The distribution of the dominant species Encrasicholina punctifer was mainly influenced by sea surface salinity and dissolved oxygen. The study shows that the fish larvae and juveniles in the Philippine Sea have a rich species composition with uneven surface distribution and significant differences in diel distribution. This study can provide a scientific basis for the assessment, conservation and utilization of fishery resources in the Philippine Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cephalopods are widely distributed in the world's oceans and are among the most important species in the marine ecosystem due to their short life cycle, fast growth rate and extremely rich biomass. Like other marine organisms, cephalopods are at risk of being infected by parasites, often acting as either intermediate or final hosts for different species of parasites. Due to the unique life cycle of parasites, their life cycle can run through the entire or partial life cycle of the host, greatly affecting the growth and survival of cephalopods. Currently, research on parasites in cephalopods mainly focuses on species composition, life history, infection status, and other aspects. This article summarizes the current research status of parasitic infections in cephalopod marine animals. The results show that the main parasites infecting cephalopods are Dicyemida, Cestoda and Nematoda. Dicyemida parasitize cephalopods characteristically, with maturation and reproduction taking place exclusively in the kidneys of cephalopods. Available statistics show that there are 149 species of Dicyemida infecting cephalopods, mainly found within the Sea of Japan, with fewer species found at lower latitudes. Cephalopods, as intermediate hosts, are also susceptible to infection by Cestoda larvae and have a high infection rate. Cestoda mainly parasitize the digestive tract of cephalopods. Due to the large size, stretching, and mobility of Cestoda larvae, they are prone to cause mechanical damage to the host. Nematodes are another common parasites infecting cephalopods, and are primarily ingested as third-stage larvae of Nematodes, which mostly parasitize the stomach and cecum. Nematodes are among the most abundant and common species of cephalopod parasitic infections, and can have significant pathological effects on the host. Other types of parasites can also affect the physiological characteristics of cephalopods to a certain extent. Research on parasites in cephalopods is still in its early stages. Therefore, future research should focus on accelerating the establishment of an open database of parasites in cephalopods, expanding and sharing information on parasite species. It is also important to deeply explore the life processes of parasitic species in cephalopods to further understand their impact on host growth. Additionally, using parasites in cephalopods to divide population composition can provide new ideas for the sustainable development and utilization of cephalopod fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global biodiversity loss has generated great interest in the role of plant communities in driving ecosystem functions. There is limited understanding of how soil properties, plant richness and plant community composition interact to affect ecosystem multifunctionality. We conducted a constructed ecosystem experiment by simultaneously manipulating soil origin (i.e. fertile farmland soil and relatively infertile bare land soil), plant richness and community composition (one‐species monoculture, and all possible two‐, three‐ and four‐species combinations of five plants) to evaluate their influence on ecosystem multifunctionality related to the accumulation of biomass, carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in plants, greenhouse gas emissions, soil nutrients, soil N fixation and mineralization of N and phosphorus (P). We found that ecosystem multifunctionality was significantly affected by soil origin, plant community composition and the community‐weighted mean (CWM) of plant biomass, but not by plant richness. We grouped the community composition into the N‐fixing group (including N‐fixing plants) and the non‐N‐fixing group (excluding N‐fixing plants). The N‐fixing plant group exhibited significantly higher multifunctionality than the non‐N‐fixing species group in both soil origins. For bare land soil, multifunctionality increased with the increasing relative abundance and biomass ratio of Albizia julibrissin (N‐fixing species) in communities, but decreased with the biomass ratio of Platycladus orientalis (non‐N‐fixing species). For farmland soil, multifunctionality increased with the abundance of Toona sinensis (non‐N‐fixing species) and the biomass ratio of Albizia julibrissin, but decreased with the abundance and biomass ratio of Morus alba (non‐N‐fixing species). These results indicate that the key species determining ecosystem multifunctionality vary under different soil conditions. Synthesis and applications: We propose that plant community composition and the relative abundance and biomass ratio of key species drive ecosystem multifunctionality. We suggest that selecting the appropriate plant combination under different soil conditions should be emphasized in ecological restoration projects. Our study highlights the differentiated roles of key species on ecosystem functions under different resource conditions. The N fixation in general plays a crucial role in driving ecosystem multifunctionality and the N‐fixing plants can serve as restoration tools in nutrient‐poor degraded lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the diversity, composition, and distribution of bird species in patches of semi-humid evergreen broad-leaved forest by selecting eight natural forest communities in the central Yunnan Plateau, which is a representative distribution area of semi-humid broad-leaved evergreen forest. Field observations were conducted from April to August 2023 by the sample line and sample point method, and eight survey routes of 3-4 km in length were established. The results showed that 1) A total of 1286 birds were recorded, belonging to 102 species in 7 orders and 30 families. The three most abundant families were Muscicapidae (14 species), Leiothrichidae (9 species), and Phylloscopidae (7 species); 2) Species of Oriental origin, Palaearctic origin, and widespread species accounted for 81.4%, 4.9%, and 13.7% of observations, respectively; 3) The average number of bird species surveyed in forest patches was 32.0±3.5; the Shannon index of birds was lower in secondary, semi-humid evergreen broad-leaved forests (1.536±0.110) than in primary forest communities (2.037±0.100); 4) Species composition exhibited considerable variation between patches, with the presence of dominant and common species, and the difference in rare species; 5) Considering the ecological groups of birds based on diet, invertebrate-eating and omnivorous birds, herbivorous birds, and carnivorous birds accounted for 84.3%, 11.8%, and 3.9%, respectively. The coexistence of birds with similar diets was maintained by diluting interspecific competition, mainly through partitioning of the vertical feeding space. For the conservation of bird species diversity and rare species, all patches of native semi-humid evergreen broad-leaved forest are of conservation value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals accumulate and bind strongly in soil, making them difficult to eliminate. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of alder buckthorn (Frangula alnus) and European hazelnut (Coryllus avellana) admixtures in pine monocultures on the accumulation and vertical distribution of heavy metals in soil surface horizons. Ten sites each of pine stands admixed with alder buckthorn, pine stands admixed with European hazelnut, and pine monocultures in the Rybnik Forest District in southern Poland were selected for each variant. For the study, soil samples were taken from each site from the organic and mineral horizons and analysed for N and C contents, C/N ratio, pHH2O, base cation contents, and heavy metal contents. For all three stand compositions, the organic horizons showed a significant accumulation of heavy metals compared to the mineral horizons. Heavy metal content was correlated with pH, N and C contents, C/N ratio, and base cation contents. The admixture of shrubs, especially European hazelnut, positively affected soil organic matter quality and, consequently, the accumulation of heavy metals. European hazelnut had the most beneficial soil effects on the tested soil, which confirms that this species can be used in planning species composition, particularly in regions prone to heavy pollutant deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roadside revegetation practices have evolved significantly in recent decades, spurred by the need for more reliable and cost-efficient operations and escalating concerns regarding biodiversity integration into large land-planning projects. While the use of rich and locally-sourced seed mixtures for revegetation is being considered with a rising interest to provide ecosystem services and resiliency, their efficacy in meeting practitioners' erosion-control expectations remains underexplored. This study addressed this gap by investigating the erosion-control potential of six seed mixtures, categorized into three compositions with varying levels of richness (standard < competitive < bio-diversity) and sourced from local and non-local origins, in a controlled greenhouse environment. For this purpose, the effect of these modalities on vegetation cover, plant density and root biomass production was assessed over a period of 118 days. During the establishment phase, while the effect of the origin on cover was not conclusive, the richer Biodiversity composition achieved faster ground cover, attributed to the presence of large-leaved forbs. The overall density of plants was lower in the richer mix compared to the two others, but significantly higher in its local version. The findings underscored trade-offs between vegetation cover and density, driven by intra- and interspecific competition processes, particularly related to access to light. Root biomass production was influenced by the origin of the seeds, with local mixes yielding higher biomass, particularly visible in the richer composition. In spite of growing conditions supposed to favor cultivars, wild and locally-sourced seeds showed promising results, advocating their broader adoption in roadside revegetation efforts. These findings provide insights for practitioners to optimize revegetation strategies and enhance roadside ecosystem resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions. In situ field trials should now be carried out to confirm these promising results obtained under controlled conditions for roadside management and ecological restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate the species composition of a small mammal community and the prevalence of Echinococcus spp. in a typical endemic area of the Tibetan Plateau. One pika and five rodent species were identified based on the morphological characteristics of 1278 small mammal specimens collected during 2014–2019. Detection of Echinococcus DNA in tissue samples from small mammal specimens revealed that Ochotona curzoniae (pika, total prevalence: 6.02%, 26/432), Neodon fuscus (5.91%, 38/643), N. leucurus (2.50%, 3/120), and Alexandromys limnophilus (21.74%, 10/46) were infected by both E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus; Cricetulus longicaudatus (16.67%, 1/6) was infected by E. shiquicus; and no infection was detected in N. irene (0/15). Neodon fuscus and O. curzoniae were the two most abundant small mammal species. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of pika and the overall rodent species assemblage (6.26%, 53/846); however, the larger rodent populations suggested that more attention should be paid to their role in the transmission of echinococcosis in the wildlife reservoir, which has long been underestimated. Moreover, although DNA barcoding provides a more efficient method than traditional morphological methods for identifying large numbers of small mammal samples, commonly used barcodes failed to distinguish the three Neodon species in this study. The close genetic relationships between these species suggest the need to develop more powerful molecular taxonomic tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human cultivation facilitates the naturalization and subsequent invasion of non-native plant species through, for example, protection from predators or reducing environmental stochasticity. With the development of tourism, non-native plant species have been increasingly introduced into rural home gardens for landscape greening and amenity planting. However, few studies have examined non-native flora in rural home gardens, and in particular the importance of tourism in determining changes of garden non-native flora has not been scrutinized. In this study, we investigated non-native plant species in 135 home gardens across five rural tourism villages in tropical China. Attributes related to garden or household characteristics were also collected through interviews and questionnaires. A distance-based redundancy analysis was then performed to reveal the relationships between the non-native species composition and garden attributes. A total of 338 non-native plant species were recorded in the surveyed gardens. Among them, the majority (63%) were ornamentals, whereas 19% were for nutritional uses and 12% were spontaneous weeds. Gardening preference and distance to tourist attractions governed the non-native compositions, with gardens preferring cultural (ornamental) cultivation or gardens close to tourist attractions having more non-native species. These results highlight an increasing role of tourism in promoting non-native cultivation in rural gardens. Recommendations for species risk assessment, trade and supply regulation, and proper garden management are provided to help harness plant invasion along tourism development in rural China and other regions around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]