Accelerated modern human-induced species losses: Entering the sixth mass extinction

Abrupt loss of species richness caused by ecosystem transition

Ecosystem transition occurs when ecological thresholds are crossed, causing ecosystems to irreversibly shift from secure to insecure states. However, how ecosystem transition exacerbates species richness loss remains poorly understood. This hinders the effective protection of species richness, which is an urgent global priority. In this study, we integrated multiple ecosystem variables to elucidate ecosystem transition and its impacts on species richness loss. Our findings reveal that species richness declines abruptly following ecosystem transition, as insecure ecosystems are characterized by reduced plant cover and productivity, intensified warming and drying, and diminished oxygen production. Insecure ecosystems imperil the survival of all species, including 39.4% of threatened birds and 29.2% of threatened mammal species. We project that by 2100, the ecosystem areas considered insecure will encompass 40.4% of the global land areas under the RCP8.5 scenario, contributing to 51.6% of species richness loss. In contrast, hyper-secure ecosystems are projected to account for 18.1% of species richness loss. This study identifies ecosystem transition as a critical driver of species richness loss that should be accounted for by policymakers in designing targeted conservation strategies.

Island biogeography and competition drive rapid venom complexity evolution across rattlesnakes

Understanding how human-mediated environmental change affects biodiversity is key for conserving evolvability. Because the most severe impacts are ongoing, such an understanding is proving exceptionally difficult to attain. Islands are natural, replicated experiments that serve as proxies for habitat fragmentation and, therefore, allow us to use historical changes in biodiversity under Island Biogeography Theory (IBT) to predict the consequences of immediate anthropogenic impacts on functional trait evolution. Rattlesnake venoms are molecular phenotypes that mediate interactions with prey, and diet and venom complexity are positively correlated. Consequently, rattlesnake venoms allow us to investigate how functional traits co-vary with changes in biodiversity according to IBT. We collected venom from 83 rattlesnakes across multiple species and 11 islands in the Gulf of California and estimated venom complexity using the Shannon Diversity Index. Using a mixed effects modeling approach, we found that the number of congenerics, island isolation, and island area best predicted venom complexity variability. All variables exhibited a negative relationship with venom complexity, contrary to predictions for island area under IBT. Larger islands with more congenerics exhibited reduced trait complexity, perhaps reflecting niche partitioning and venom specialization. Ultimately, we used a synthetic eco-evolutionary framework to predict functional trait evolution across fragmented landscapes.

Variability and General Trends in the Geographic Distribution and Climatic Niche of Endemic and Cosmopolitan Drosophilidae Species in Subtropical Regions of the Neotropics

The Neotropical region is a vast and heterogeneous ecozone harboring diverse Drosophilidae Fallén 1823 species. However, these species' distribution patterns and climatic requirements are poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to estimate differences in the climatic niche and distribution patterns among species to test the hypothesis that endemic and cosmopolitan species occurring in the Neotropics present different climatic niches, such that distribution range and niche breadth are highly correlated among species. For this task, we evaluated the geographic distributions and the climatic niches of 47 endemic and cosmopolitan drosophilids occurring in subtropical regions of the Neotropics using raw climatic data from collection records and environmental niche models (ENMs). We showed that the studied species varied in two highly correlated properties: the distribution ranges and the environmental niche breadth. Moreover, significant differences were observed between endemic and cosmopolitan drosophilids in terms of variable importance and climatic niches. Most of the studied species are distributed in regions under mild climatic conditions, but there are many species inhabiting harsher environments. Generally, the results suggest that several Neotropical drosophilid species may be highly vulnerable to global warming, potentially serving as bioindicator species for assessing the impact of climate change.

Indigenous peoples and local community reports of climate change impacts on biodiversity

Climate change impacts on biodiversity have been primarily studied through ecological research methods, largely ignoring other knowledge systems. Indigenous and local knowledge systems include rich observations of changes in biodiversity that can inform climate change adaptation planning and environmental stewardship. We reviewed literature documenting local observations of climate change impacts on biodiversity reported by Indigenous peoples and local communities. We examined whether reported impacts varied across taxa, geographic regions, and people's main livelihood activities and assessed whether local reports followed geographic and taxonomic patterns found in the natural sciences literature. We also compared taxa reportedly affected by climate change by Indigenous peoples and local communities and by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Our analyses included 2452 observations of climate change impacts on 1715 taxa from 203 documents describing 291 case studies. Changes in taxon abundance, phenotype, phenology, and distribution were widely reported, and most climate change impacts were reported for plants, fishes, and mammals. Reported impacts differed by geographic region and by livelihood, and most species reported as affected by climate change by Indigenous peoples and local communities were not considered threatened by climate change by the IUCN. Our results showed that Indigenous and local knowledge systems can contribute to a more complete understanding of climate change impacts on biodiversity.

Habitat suitability modeling to improve conservation strategy of two highly-grazed endemic plant species in saint Catherine Protectorate, Egypt

BACKGROUND

Biodiversity is seriously threatened by climate change impacts in the long term. Conservationists must possess a comprehensive knowledge about habitat suitability of different species and factors that control their distribution in order to effectively minimize biodiversity loss.

RESULTS

The present study showed the response of two endemic taxa in Saint Catherine protectorate (SKP) (Micromeria serbaliana and Bufonia multiceps) to anticipate climate change over the next few decades using species distribution models. In our analysis, we included the incorporation of bioclimatic variables into the SDM modeling process using four main algorithms: generalized linear model (GLM), Random Forest (RF), Boosted Regression Trees (BRT), and Support Vector Machines (SVM) in an ensemble model. The RF model outperformed other models when analyzing Micromeria serbaliana, whereas BRT demonstrated superiority in the case of Bufonia multiceps. The ensemble models exhibited the best performance, achieving a mean TSS of 0.94 for Micromeria serbaliana and 0.86 for Bufonia multiceps. Micromeria serbaliana was mainly affected by Mean temperature of wettest quarter (Bio8), elevation, and Aridity index. On the other hand, the most significant factors influencing Bufonia multiceps were determined to be Isothermality (Bio2/Bio7) × 100 (Bio3), and elevation. The habitat suitability of Micromeria serbaliana was slightly expanded during the period form 2041-2060, then declined again from 2061 to 2080, while it showed moderate expansion in the case Bufonia multiceps under the two periods.

CONCLUSION

The results of our research support the urgent need for conservation efforts, including reintroduction and planning for in situ and ex situ conservation in appropriate habitats.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

Not applicable.

Vulnerability of Gubernatrix cristata to climate change, anthropogenic pressures, and hybridization threats

Estimating extinction risk is challenging due to insufficient data on current and future threats. This study develops a framework incorporating the impacts of climate change, anthropogenic pressures, and biotic interactions for assessing extinction risks using the endangered Yellow Cardinal (Gubernatrix cristata) as a case study. Using ecological niche modeling (ENM) with occurrences, climate, and land use data, we projected current and future distributions of G. cristata, identifying key constraints for its occurrence. Field validation through a citizen science initiative contributed new presence records, supporting our model's predictions. Currently, 4.50% of cardinal's suitable areas overlap with areas of high anthropic pressures, while 27.04% are in contact with the hybridizing species Diuca diuca. Future projections predict a 60% shift in the cardinal's distribution, exacerbating its vulnerability due to greater overlap with areas of high anthropic pressures and reduced presence in protected areas. We identified key risk areas on the distribution's periphery, vulnerable to geographic range loss and increased interaction with D. diuca due to climate change. Targeted management actions are recommended to mitigate further degradation. This study illustrates the potential of integrating citizen science, ENM, and anthropogenic and biotic pressures to develop conservation strategies, offering a versatile, universally applicable framework crucial for global biodiversity and conservation efforts.

Depth-structured lineages in the coral Stylophora pistillata of the Northern Red Sea

Coral reefs are biodiversity hotspots, where new species continue to be discovered. Stylophora pistillata, a depth-generalist coral, is widely distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific and has long been considered the poster child for phenotypic plasticity. It occupies a wide range of reef habitats and exhibits a myriad of gross morphologies. Here, we used reduced representation genome sequencing (nextRAD) to assess the genetic structure of adults and recruits of S. pistillata across shallow and mesophotic populations in the northern Red Sea (Gulf of Aqaba). Across analytical approaches, we observed a complex genetic structure with at least four genetically divergent lineages occurring sympatrically with little to no admixture and structured by depth. Morphological and physiological differences previously documented suggest that the long-considered ecological opportunism of S. pistillata in the Red Sea may, in fact, have a genetic basis. Assessment of both adult colonies and recruits within each of the lineages also revealed the prevalence of local recruitment and genetic structuring across the eight-kilometer section of the Israeli Red Sea coastline. Overall, the observed patterns confirm the presence of undescribed diversity within this model organism for coral physiology and corroborate a broader pattern of extensive undescribed diversity within scleractinian corals.

Eco-Spatial Modeling of Two Giant Flying Squirrels (Sciuridae: Petaurista): Navigating Climate Resilience and Conservation Roadmap in the Eastern Himalaya and Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspots

Global warming and anthropogenic threats are significant drivers of biodiversity loss, particularly impacting smaller mammalian species. Hence, this study assessed two overlooked giant flying squirrel species, Petaurista magnificus and Petaurista nobilis, distributed across the transboundary regions of the Eastern Himalayas and Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots. Utilizing a maximum entropy (MaxEnt) species distribution model, this study delineated suitable habitats within the IUCN-defined extent of both Petaurista species based on two modeling approaches: the habitat-climate model (HCM) and the climate-only model (COM). The models identified suitable habitat coverage of only 3.92% (HCM) and 3.75% (COM) for P. magnificus and 14.17% (HCM) and 10.04% (COM) for P. nobilis. However, as the HCM integrates both environmental and habitat variables, providing a more holistic assessment, it revealed limited biological corridor connectivity within the IUCN-defined extent for both species. Furthermore, the future projections based on the HCM indicate habitat loss of up to 81.90% for P. magnificus and 89.88% for P. nobilis due to climate change, alongside severe fragmentation, leading to the disappearance of viable habitat patches. These remaining suitable patches are expected to shrink and become increasingly isolated in the future due to climate change. Furthermore, centroid shift analyses based on the HCM predict a northwestward shift for P. magnificus and a westward shift for P. nobilis under different climate scenarios. Hence, to address these conservation challenges, the study underscores the necessity for extensive field surveys, genetic assessments, habitat corridor evaluations, and the establishment of transboundary conservation frameworks to formulate an evidence-based species management strategy for both Petaurista species.

Global impoverishment of natural vegetation revealed by dark diversity

Anthropogenic biodiversity decline threatens the functioning of ecosystems and the many benefits they provide to humanity1. As well as causing species losses in directly affected locations, human influence might also reduce biodiversity in relatively unmodified vegetation if far-reaching anthropogenic effects trigger local extinctions and hinder recolonization. Here we show that local plant diversity is globally negatively related to the level of anthropogenic activity in the surrounding region. Impoverishment of natural vegetation was evident only when we considered community completeness: the proportion of all suitable species in the region that are present at a site. To estimate community completeness, we compared the number of recorded species with the dark diversity-ecologically suitable species that are absent from a site but present in the surrounding region2. In the sampled regions with a minimal human footprint index, an average of 35% of suitable plant species were present locally, compared with less than 20% in highly affected regions. Besides having the potential to uncover overlooked threats to biodiversity, dark diversity also provides guidance for nature conservation. Species in the dark diversity remain regionally present, and their local populations might be restored through measures that improve connectivity between natural vegetation fragments and reduce threats to population persistence.

Spatial mismatches and multi-dimensional conservation priorities for urban birds in China

With increasing urbanization, the importance of urban areas in biodiversity conservation grows. However, traditional conservation efforts are often based on high species richness, may underestimate the value of evolutionary potentials and functional traits that species could provide for the ecosystem processes. In this study, we draw priority maps to capture the priority areas of avian taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity using a relativity-based prioritization approach. We also explored possible solution for how action could be implemented in those important areas, by assessing the impacts of urbanized and environmental (climate and anthropogenic) factors on bird diversity. The results showed that only 2.1% and 6.9% overlap at the top 10% and 20% prioritization respectively across three diversity dimensions. There were significantly positive relationships between urban bird diversity and precipitation, altitude, and vegetation coverage. Conversely, impermeable surface proportion and temperature had significantly negative effects on phylogenetic and functional diversity. In addition, although little explanatory power, vegetation coverage could suppress the divergences between taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity, while tree canopy height would promote the divergences between taxonomic and functional diversity. This suggests that more vegetation coverage enables persistence of avian lineages, while different tree canopy height separates functionally similar species by offering hierarchical niches. These findings highlight the need to consider multi-dimension priorities for conservation efforts in urban areas. Moreover, better designs in greenness, such as replanting vegetation where necessary and optimizing vertical structure by well-balanced mixture of herbaceous and woody plants could be long-term measures to minimize the anthropogenic impacts on diversity loss.

Transgression of planetary boundaries and the effects on child health through an infectious diseases lens

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Life on earth, as we know it, is changing. The likelihood of more frequent pandemics and disease outbreaks is something that current global healthcare infrastructure is ill equipped to navigate. Human activity is forcing our planet into a new geologic epoch, the Anthropocene, which is typified by increased uncertainty resulting from human disruption of earth's life-giving ecosystems. Plagues and pandemics have always been unfortunate partners to periods of disruption, as they will be again if the frequency and severity of climate and conflict-mediated disasters increase in coming years. If we continue to exceed and degrade the planetary boundaries that protect human health, our children and their children will reap the consequences.

RECENT FINDINGS

Scientists have defined nine 'safe operating' planetary boundaries for life in all its glorious diversity to thrive on planet earth. Recent evidence suggests that six of these nine boundaries have already been transgressed, but the potential implications for these transgressions upon child health is not well articulated. We highlight how contravention of these boundaries will impact infectious disease risk and humans' ability to survive and thrive. We reflect specifically on how paediatricians are called upon to speak up for the most vulnerable members of our species, young children and as yet unborn future generations.

SUMMARY

Post COVID-19 initiatives to improve pandemic preparedness and response are certainly warranted, but pandemic prevention should include committed efforts not to exceed safe planetary boundaries. Willingly exceeding these boundaries has deep moral consequences that are poorly articulated by current ethical frameworks. Paediatricians are best placed to develop and champion the neglected 'third dimension' of medical ethics, recognizing the moral imperative to protect the long-term best interests of children and future generations.

Farm revegetation has substantial potential to improve biodiversity outcomes

Agricultural expansion and intensification has caused habitat loss, contributing to the current biodiversity crisis. Reliable, efficient and consistent information at the farm-scale is critical to understand the magnitude of recent changes in biodiversity and to inform future management actions aimed at reversing historical declines. We apply a habitat-based biodiversity assessment approach to examine the potential for grazing farms across Australia to improve outcomes for biodiversity by revegetating 10 % of the farm area. Fourteen case-study farms distributed across Australia with diverse attributes were assessed, including an analysis of likely benefits for biodiversity 30 years after commencing a hypothetical revegetation scenario, within the context of estimates of recent historical changes. From 2004 to 2020, the three biodiversity indicators considered decreased for the majority of farms. The scenario for revegetating 10 % of the farm area was estimated to substantially increase the biodiversity indicators, with half of the farms estimated to achieve recovery for all 3 indicators to greater than 2004 levels by 2050. Smaller farms with lower average ecosystem condition in 2020 were estimated to achieve the greatest gains in biodiversity from the revegetation scenario, relative to their indicator values in 2020. Farm revegetation actions have substantial potential to improve outcomes for biodiversity, though such gains may be difficult and time consuming to achieve, emphasising the importance of avoiding further habitat loss through removal or degradation of native vegetation.

Questioning the sixth mass extinction

The idea that Earth is currently experiencing a sixth mass extinction is widespread. We critically evaluate this claim. Very few studies have tested this idea. Some studies showed that recent extinction rates are faster than fossil background rates, but extinction rates can exceed background rates outside mass extinctions. Other studies extrapolated from recent extinctions to project 75% global species loss. But these recent extinctions were mostly of island species. No cause was specified for these future extinctions, and >50% of assessed species are considered non-threatened. We find numerous other issues. Proponents of the sixth mass extinction have made invaluable contributions by highlighting recent extinctions, but these extinctions may not be equivalent to past mass extinctions or relevant to current threats.

The effects of warming on loggerhead turtle nesting counts

Global trends in marine turtle nesting numbers vary by region, influenced by environmental or anthropogenic factors. Our study investigates the potential role of past temperature fluctuations on these trends, particularly whether warmer beaches are linked to increased nesting due to higher female production (since sea turtles have temperature-dependent sex determination). We selected the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) due to its wide distribution, strong philopatry and vulnerability to environmental changes. We compiled nest counts per year on 35 globally significant rookeries, analysing trends at regional and individual beach levels. We compiled air (CHELSA) and land surface (MODIS) temperature data sets spanning the last four decades (1979-2023) for each location. To analyse temporal trends in nest counts and temperatures, we used generalised additive models and Mann-Kendall trend tests. Additionally, we correlated nest counts with lagged air temperature variables. We found significant warming at 33 nesting locations, 23 of which also showed significant increases in nest counts. Our results suggest that rising temperatures may be boosting nest numbers in regions of the Caribbean, Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean (sites in Cayman, Mexico, Brazil, Cyprus and Turkey). Furthermore, while some regions temporarily benefit, continued warming could precipitate long-term population declines. This regional variability helps predict species responses to climate change, with the general global increase in nest counts already indicating short-term warming effects. Nesting count trends might reflect a combination of natural ecological phenomena, conservation efforts, and warming effects. Long-term studies are needed to assess global trends in the sex ratio of hatchlings and the extent to which feminisation is driving nest numbers.

Effects of Varied Stimuli on Escape Behavior Diversification of Himalayan Marmots for Different Human Disturbances

We measured the alert distance (AD), flight-initiation distance (FID), buffer distance (BD), and distance fled (DF) of Himalayan marmots (Marmota himalayana) from four populations experiencing human disturbances of the same persistence but different intensities when subjected to varied stimuli (a running or walking man with or without a leashed dog and a dog alone). We analyzed the effects of different stimuli on the AD, FID, BD, and DF of marmots from each population and the relationship among the AD, FID, and DF to illustrate the escape strategy diversification of the studied marmots for different human disturbances when disturbed by varied stimuli. We found that intra-population diversification emerged when the marmots were threatened by different stimuli. The AD and FID were shorter when an individual was walking toward than when he was running toward the focal marmots. A man with a leashed dog as a stimulus produced a similar result to that of a man alone. Nevertheless, no diversification emerged when a single dog was the threat, and all three distances triggered due to the dog were significantly shorter than those triggered due to a man alone (walking or running) or a man with a leashed dog approaching the marmots. Inter-population diversification also emerged when the marmots from the four populations were disturbed by the same stimulus: when threatened by an individual or a man with a leashed dog, their escape behavior was determined by the intensity of the disturbance. The changes in the AD and FID were similar across all four populations, with the two distances increasing with the decrease in disturbance intensity, but the DF showed no significant variation across all the four areas. No significant inter-population diversification emerged when the marmots were threatened by a single dog. These diversifications may result from the different levels of habituation of marmots to human disturbances and the different sizes and, consequently, visibilities of humans and dogs.

Population dynamics, threat assessment, and conservation strategies for critically endangered Meconopsis aculeata in alpine zone

BACKGROUND

The Himalayan alpine zone harbors a rich diversity of endemic medicinal plant species, such as Meconopsis aculeata, due to its habitat heterogeneity. Globally, alpine environments are most significantly affected by climate change, characterized by low temperatures and restricted growing seasons, offering essential services yet remaining most vulnerable. M. aculeata holds immense ecological significance in alpine ecosystems, while human disturbances and climate change pose serious threats to its long-term viability. The present study was conducted to explore population ecology, spatial distribution patterns, significant threats, diversity patterns along elevational gradients, and future conservation strategies for the dwindling populations of M. aculeata.

METHODS

Field sampling was carried out from 2022 to 2024 in various districts of Kashmir to examine the vegetation characteristics of M. aculeata populations, along with the geographic variables and threats impacting these populations. The quadrat method was used to investigate the vegetation characteristics across an extensive elevational gradient, ranging from 3000 m to 4600 m.

RESULTS

Healthier M. aculeata populations were found in the middle elevational range of 3700 m to 4100 m. The SIMPER analysis revealed an overall average dissimilarity of 80.08, indicating spatial variability in species composition across the studied sites. GIS analysis showed that M. aculeata was found on the north aspect, with steppe slope in rocky habitat. The average herb density was calculated to be 20.6/ha, while 60% of sampled sites experienced intense grazing. A total of 20 indicator species were identified as associated with M. aculeata populations. Mantel tests identified key species influencing the population structure of M. aculeata. Aconitum heterophyllum (R = 0.7954, P = 0.003) was found to be the most critical indicator species, followed by Anaphalis nepalensis (R = 0.6564, P = 0.034), and Bistorta affinis (R = 0.522, P = 0.044). CCA analysis identified NTFP extraction, grazing and fire as serious threats for the sustainability of M. aculeata populations. Alpha diversity results highlight significant altitudinal influences on the diversity metrics of M. aculeata populations. Beta diversity results indicate that Site 8 exhibited substantial differences in species composition compared to other sites, while Sites 1 and 9 highlighted the spatial heterogeneity within the M. aculeata populations. As this species is already classified as a critically endangered species, we recommend implementing effective conservation measures such as habitat restoration, sustainable harvesting practices, involving local communities, and promoting stewardship. These initiatives will encourage sustainable management of the species in the region.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

Not applicable.

Significant Differences in the Effects of Pine Wilt Disease Invasion on Plant Diversity in Natural and Planted Forests

Plants, as producers in ecosystems, are an integral part of biodiversity in terms of their species diversity. Plant diversity not only enhances the quality of ecosystem services, but also provides habitat for a wide range of plants and animals. The invasion of pine wilt disease (PWD) has posed a significant threat to plant diversity in China, but it is not clear whether this threat would be significantly different in natural and planted forests. In this study, we collected a long time series of refined forest subcompartment data on PWD occurrence and plant diversity sample survey data to analyze the loss and recovery time of plant diversity in China caused by PWD invasion, especially the degree of impact on plant diversity in natural and planted forests. The results showed that after PWD invasion, the plant diversity levels of China's national, natural, and planted forests reached a minimum in the third year of invasion, with a loss of 9.1%, 6.46%, and 9.82%, respectively, relative to the pre-invasion levels. Starting from the third year of invasion, the plant diversity levels of the three recovered gradually at different rates, among which there was a significant difference in the speed of recovery between natural forests and planted forests, which took two and three years to recover to the original level of plant diversity, respectively. This study revealed the differences in the response of plant diversity to PWD invasion between natural and planted forests and provided a theoretical basis for local governments and managers in preventing and controlling PWD and protecting plant diversity.

Negative effects of nitrogen fertilization on herbivore fitness are exaggerated at warmer temperatures and in high-altitude populations

Biodiversity is currently under strong pressure due to anthropogenic global change. Different drivers of global change may exert direct and indirect effects on biodiversity, and may furthermore interact with one another, but our respective knowledge is still very limited. We investigated indirect and interactive effects of two important drivers of global change, eutrophication and climate change, in replicated low- and high-altitude populations of an insect herbivore, the butterfly Lycaena tityrus, in a laboratory setting. We found local adaptation in developmental traits, with low-altitude populations being adapted to warmer temperatures and longer seasons. Lycaena tityrus responded negatively to agriculturally relevant levels of fertilization of its host plant, showing reduced body mass and prolonged development time. Negative effects were particularly pronounced at warmer temperatures and in high-altitude populations. Our study adds to the increasing knowledge that different drivers of global change may interact and thereby increase the overall level of threat to biodiversity. We suggest that populations inhabiting naturally nutrient-poor environments might be even more vulnerable to agricultural intensification than others, potentially applicable to many species. These findings may have important implications for protecting numerous vulnerable species in the face of rapid environmental change.

Rapid butterfly declines across the United States during the 21st century

Numerous declines have been documented across insect groups, and the potential consequences of insect losses are dire. Butterflies are the most surveyed insect taxa, yet analyses have been limited in geographic scale or rely on data from a single monitoring program. Using records of 12.6 million individual butterflies from >76,000 surveys across 35 monitoring programs, we characterized overall and species-specific butterfly abundance trends across the contiguous United States. Between 2000 and 2020, total butterfly abundance fell by 22% across the 554 recorded species. Species-level declines were widespread, with 13 times as many species declining as increasing. The prevalence of declines throughout all regions in the United States highlights an urgent need to protect butterflies from further losses.

Effective palynological diversity indices for reconstructing angiosperm diversity in China

The utilization of palynological data for plant diversity reconstructions offers notable advantages in addressing the discontinuity of plant fossils in the stratigraphic record. However, additional studies of modern processes are required to validate or refine the accuracy of diversity results obtained from palynological data. In this study, we used a modern pollen dataset of China to compare the accuracy of plant diversity reconstructions using five different palynological diversity indices (i.e., the pollen species number, Berger-Parker index, Simpson diversity index, Hill index, and Shannon-Wiener index) over a large spatial scale. We then identified climate factors that are most strongly correlated with these patterns of plant diversity. We found that the index that most accurately reflects plant diversity is the Shannon-Wiener index. Our analyses indicated that the most effective indices at reflecting plant diversity are the Shannon-Wiener index and Berger-Parker index. Numerical analysis revealed that palynological diversity (measured using the Shannon-Wiener index) was strongly correlated with climatic parameters, in particular average temperature in the coldest month and annual precipitation, suggesting these factors may be primary determinants of plant diversity distribution. We also found that a threshold value of the normalized Shannon-Wiener index (NH = 0.4) approximately aligns with the contour line specifying 400 mm annual precipitation, serving as a rudimentary indicator for assessing plant diversity in arid versus humid climates. This study suggests that pollen diversity indices have remarkable potential for quantitatively reconstructing paleoclimatic parameters.

Towards biocultural realism: Connecting conservation with historical ecology and common sense. A European perspective

In this perspective, we present and discuss four major causes of the worldwide nature conservation failure: 1) ideologies based on nature-culture dualism, 2) the bias prioritising forests in conservation, 3) the illusory objectiveness of selected biological indicators, and 4) the mismanagement of rural agricultural landscapes. All of these relate to ignorance of historical ecology and neglect of the role past plays in shaping landscapes and fostering biodiversity. These led to a false anthropology focussed on the broader human economy (including agriculture) as the absolute culprit of biodiversity loss. It is believed, therefore, that biodiversity preservation depends on conservation policies and actions providing protection against human activities, such as farming. In this way, nature conservation has been detached from the rich experiences of long and fruitful coexistence of people with other elements of nature. The bio-cultural legacy includes biodiversity-rich rural landscapes, whose habitats are often either neglected or wrongly interpreted as "remnants of natural ecosystems". Consequently, conservation efforts are frequently ineffective or worse still, counter-effective. In the face of policies favouring subsidised intensive agribusiness at the cost of destroying smallholder family farming, even expensive conservation projects are usually nothing more than a "fig leaf" to cover failure. We advocate re-focussing of conservation planning to put more emphasis on landscapes' historical ecology responsible for their bio-cultural diversity. It implies the need for new principles in policies necessary to secure the economic and cultural sovereignty of local socio-ecological systems responsible for the world's bio-cultural diversity.

An open-source method for spatially and temporally explicit herbivory monitoring in semi-arid savannas

Effective management of protected areas is crucial for addressing the global biodiversity crisis. In water-limited savannas, altered herbivory regimes contribute to ecosystem degradation, creating a need for tools to track herbivore impact on vegetation. Here, we present the Spatially and Temporally Explicit Herbivory Monitoring (STEHM) tool, a novel methodology for monitoring herbivory pressure in near real-time. This approach combines herbivore abundance estimates, derived using a detection algorithm (YOLO v10) performed on imagery collected with camera traps placed at waterpoints across protected areas, with satellite imagery (Sentinel-2) to classify vegetation cover. STEHM enables weekly herbivory assessments, facilitating adaptive herbivore management at scales down to a few square kilometers. By linking herbivore dynamics to surface water availability-a primary factor influencing large herbivore distributions-STEHM provides a framework to disentangle ecological drivers of plant-herbivore interactions. Over one year, we collected and applied STEHM to a total of 2,275,309 individual camera trap images across two case study sites in northern Namibia, leading to the detection of 100,826 waterpoint visits by ten focal species. These observations revealed consistent differences in herbivory pressure between waterpoints, with some areas experiencing concentrated pressure, and a seasonal decline in less water-dependent species during the rainy season, while water-dependent species remained present. Findings indicate that water availability manipulation can alleviate pressure in high-impact areas as non-selective grazers shift to other waterpoints. This refined monitoring capability supports adaptive conservation strategies, providing spatially explicit, near real-time data on herbivore densities to enable targeted management and promote savanna restoration.

Coevolution increases robustness to extinctions in mutualistic but not exploitative communities

Coextinctions may exacerbate the current biodiversity crisis. Yet, we do not understand all the factors that shape the robustness of communities to the loss of species. Here we analyze how coevolution influences the robustness to secondary extinctions of mutualistic and exploitative communities. We find that coevolution increases robustness in mutualism but reduces it under exploitative interactions. These differences are due to coevolution altering the density of interactions in communities. Coevolution leads to densely connected mutualistic communities and sparsely connected exploitative communities. We find the magnitude of these effects depends on the strength of coevolution and the size of the community. The largest changes to the density of interactions and robustness of communities occur when coevolutionary selection is strong. Moreover, the changes to network robustness are greater for small mutualistic communities and large exploitative communities. Our results broaden our understanding of the suite of mechanisms affecting the resilience of ecological communities. These insights may inform efforts to reduce the risk of species loss in the face of global change.

Anthropogenic reverberations on the gut microbiome of dwarf chameleons (Bradypodion)

Exploration of the microbiome has been referred to as a final frontier in biological research. This is due to its precedence for generating insights on the holistic functioning of organismal biology by exploring the interactions between hosts and their associated symbiotic organisms. The microbiomes of many vertebrate groups still require exploration to advance current knowledge and fill previous knowledge gaps. This study generated initial descriptions of the bacterial microbiomes of three species of dwarf chameleon (Bradypodion) from the 16S rRNA gene region targeting the V3 and V4 hypervariable regions. This led to the successful identification of 1,073 and 4,502 independent amplicon sequence variants from buccal swab and faecal material samples, respectively. This newly acquired information is intended as a baseline for future work incorporating holobiont information. The diversity of microbial taxa suggests that the total dwarf chameleon microbiome is similar to other squamates investigated to date, as well as chelonians (Testudines). Microbial frequency differences were noted in comparison to crocodilians (Archosauria) and mammalian groups. Furthermore, this study aimed to examine the influence of habitat transformation on the composition of the microbiome in dwarf chameleons as each of the study species occupy both urban and natural habitats. Given that most urban habitats are highly transformed, the expectation was that microbial assemblages of the gastro-intestinal tracts of all three Bradypodion species would show significant differences between populations (i.e., natural, or urban). It was found, however, that the level of effect was contingent on species: B. melanocephalum populations showed noticeable microbiome differences between urban and natural populations; B. thamnobates showed variations in microbial community dispersions between populations; and B. setaroi showed no significant microbiome differences based on diversity metrics although some frequency differences, in microbiome composition, were observed between populations. We suggest that the magnitude of difference between the habitats occupied by the populations is a factor, given the apparent disparity between the natural and urban habitats for B. melanocephalum as compared to the other two species.

Drivers Shaping Spillover of Aleutian Mink Disease Virus Introduced With American Mink Among Native Mustelids

Invasive alien species pose a major threat to ecosystems by outcompeting native species for resources, altering habitats, enabling potential genetic hybridisation and introducing pathogens into the environment. An understanding of the factors that determine virus transfer between invasive and native species is crucial to the mitigation of the negative impact of the pathogens introduced. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of factors influencing Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) infection in native mustelids in Poland, following its introduction by feral American mink. AMDV seroprevalence in American mink varied spatially from 0 in the central and southern regions to 0.8 in the northern regions. Antibodies to AMDV were detected in all six studied mustelids, including a novel finding in weasels. AMDV seroprevalence in other mustelids correlated positively with its occurrence in American mink, and reached 0.54 in areas with the highest mink AMDV seroprevalence. Furthermore, in native mustelids, more closely phylogenetically related to mink, AMDV seroprevalence was higher (0.68 in polecats and weasels) compared to more distantly related species (0.37 in badgers). Over the 27-year study period, AMDV seroprevalence in mustelids has increased from 0.04 to 0.60, despite a decline in seroprevalence in feral mink in subsequent years. These findings suggest that the spread of viral infections as a result of the introduction of invasive species could affect mustelid species and may intensify over time.

Impact of Climate and Soil on Plant Dynamics and Ecosystem Stability in Argan Orchards

Assessing the impact of natural disturbances on plant biodiversity is crucial amid biodiversity loss and climate change. Research highlights dynamic shifts driven by environmental factors, climate change, and human activity, emphasizing the need to maintain ecosystem stability for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study, conducted between 2021 and 2023, focused on the dynamics of plant communities in argan tree reserve areas. Six argan orchards were selected as study sites for detailed investigation. A total of 82 species belonging to 25 families were identified, with 23 families documented in 2021 and 21 families in 2023, including six endemic species to Morocco (Frankenialaevis subsp. velutina, Ononisnatrix subsp. arganietorum, Rumex papilio, Andryala integrifolia subsp. cedretorum, Chiliadenushesperius, and Reseda difussa). The majority of the plants present in the study area were annual and biennial herbaceous types, exhibiting minimal seasonal stability within the plant communities. However, how communities respond to the effects of fluctuating disturbances remains unclear. This study explores the indirect effects of natural disturbances on community metrics in argan orchards, assessing plant diversity, biomass, and density across different orchard types. It highlights the influence of climate, soil properties, and biotic interactions on plant community dynamics. We utilized alpha diversity indices (Shannon, Simpson, Pielou's, and Margalef's) and beta diversity indices (Jaccard and Sorenson Similarity) to examine these patterns. Seasonal changes were predominantly influenced by temperature and precipitation, while diverse soil types shaped by relief, climate, and water balance contributed to different ecological functions. The key findings indicated the highest plant diversity in "Tioughza" and the most significant plant density in "Imoulass" and "Ezzaouite". Soil nutrients (N, C, and P) showed a positive correlation with plant biomass, highlighting their vital role in biomass accumulation, whereas temperature, C/N ratio, and loam percentage were found to be crucial for plant richness. Mixed modeling revealed a significant relation between density and biomass, but no significant effect between alpha diversity (Shannon Index) and elevation. This study concludes that soil texture and climate significantly shape the relationships between diversity, biomass, and density, recommending further research into interactions among plant diversity, cover, biomass, and soil fertility to support the sustainable management of argan orchards.

Comparative study of gut microbiota reveals the adaptive strategies of gibbons living in suboptimal habitats

Wild animals face numerous challenges in less ideal habitats, including the lack of food as well as changes in diet. Understanding how the gut microbiomes of wild animals adapt to changes in food resources within suboptimal habitats is critical for their survival. Therefore, we conducted a longitudinal sampling of three gibbon species living in high-quality (Nomascus hainanus) and suboptimal (Nomascus concolor and Hoolock tianxing) habitats to address the dynamics of gut microbiome assembly over one year. The three gibbon species exhibited significantly different gut microbial diversity and composition. N. hainanus showed the lowest alpha diversity and highest nestedness, suggesting a more specialized and potentially stable microbial community in terms of composition, while H. tianxing displayed high species turnover and low nestedness, reflecting a more dynamic microbial ecosystem, which may indicate greater sensitivity to environmental changes or a flexible response to habitat variability. The gut microbial community of N. concolor was influenced by homogeneous selection in the deterministic process, primarily driven by Prevotellaceae. In contrast, the gut microbial communities of H. tianxing and N. hainanus were influenced by dispersal limitation in the stochastic process, driven by Acholeplasmataceae and Fibrobacterota, respectively. Further, the microbial response patterns to leaf feeding in N. hainanus differed from those of the other two gibbon species. In conclusion, this first cross-species comparative study provides initial insights into the different ecological adaptive strategies of gut microbiomes from a point of community assembly, which could contribute to the long-term conservation of wild primates. In this study, we conducted longitudinal sampling of three gibbon species living in high-quality (Nomascus hainanus) and suboptimal (Nomascus concolor and Hoolock tianxing) habitats to address the dynamics of gut microbiome (composition, alpha diversity, beta diversity and assembly process) over one year.

The Evolution of Conservation Biobanking: A Literature Review and Analysis of Terminology, Taxa, Location, and Strategy of Wildlife Biobanks Over Time

Nearly one-third of flora, fauna, and funga species on Earth are threatened with extinction. In response, the prevalence of repositories-often called "biobanks" or "genome resource banks"-for storing biological materials from threatened species has become more widespread. This research examined trends for the (1) terminology, (2) taxa representation, (3) global distribution, and (4) operational approach of biobanks versus genome resource banks relating to zoos and wildlife. Our literature search results indicate that although genome resource banking literature began earlier in the 1990s, biobanking has seen a surge in publications with over 3.5× more literature for biobanking since 2020. Genome resource bank articles were highly focused on mammals (68%), while biobanking literature focused more on multi-taxonomic overviews and less-studied taxa. Our search parameters found the largest number of wildlife biobanks in Europe (18) and the lowest number in South America (2), though results are likely impacted by the search being completed in English. Additionally, only 28% (7/25) of global biodiversity hotspots contain a wildlife biobank based on our methodology. While not all wildlife biobanking efforts are published or reported, these findings suggest that (1) "biobank" will likely be the more widely used term in the future, (2) more biobanking research is needed for non-mammalian taxa, (3) there are geographical gaps in wildlife biobanks, and (4) conservation biobanking programs should focus on storing biospecimens from a wide set of individuals and develop assisted reproductive technologies concomitantly with the goal of maintaining healthy, sustainable populations in the long term.

The estimated cost of preventing extinction and progressing recovery for Australia's priority threatened species

The global extinction crisis is intensifying rapidly, driven by habitat loss, overexploitation, climate change, invasive species, and disease. This unprecedented loss of species not only threatens ecological integrity but also undermines ecosystem services vital for human survival. In response, many countries have set ambitious conservation targets such as halting species extinctions, yet the necessary financial commitments to achieve this are rarely prescribed. Estimating costs can be achieved using an ensemble of spatially variable species-specific cost models for threat abatement activities. We employ this method to provide a cost assessment to halt extinctions for Australia's priority terrestrial and freshwater species. We show that it will cost ~AUD15.6 billion/year for 30 y to halt extinctions for these 99 priority species (comparable to 1% of Australia's GDP). The more ambitious objectives to move priority species down one threat category (~AUD103.7 billion/year) or remove from the threatened species list entirely (~AUD157.7 billion/year) would require considerably more investment. Regardless of what is spent, we found that 16 (16%) priority species could not be removed from the threatened species list due to extensive historical declines and pervasive, ongoing, unmanageable threats, such as climate change. But implementing these efforts could ensure conservation benefits for over 43% of all nationally listed nonmarine threatened species. Adequate funding is crucial for meeting government commitments and requires both government leadership and private sector investment.

Decline in global biodiversity intactness over the past two decades

Knowledge of the dynamics of biodiversity intactness and its spatial differentiation over different geographic regions of the world is crucial for the improved design of effective biodiversity conservation strategies. However, comprehensive investigations of the multiple indicators of biodiversity intactness across several spatial scales are lacking. The current study used an annual time series (2000-2020) of the biodiversity intactness index (BII) to investigate the mean magnitude, temporal trajectory, and relative changes in biodiversity intactness at the national, regional, and global levels. Global mean magnitude of BII was estimated to be 76 ± 16 % between 2000 and 2020, accompanied by the highly diverse BII variations across geographic regions. There has been a gradual decrease in biodiversity intactness over the past 20 years, with the global mean BII trend of -0.3 ± 1.9 %/decade. Africa and Europe have the largest decrease and increase in BII of -1.4 ± 2.2 %/decade and 1.0 ± 1.7 %/decade, respectively. The countries with the top ten BII parameters are mainly located in Africa and Asia, whereas the opposite is true in Europe. The top 10 countries with positive BII trends were mainly in Europe (70 %), followed by Africa (80 %) and Asia (20 %). There was a negative difference between the global mean BII for 2011-2020 and 2000-2010, as evidenced by the relative change in BII of 4.1 %. This study provides an elaborate interpretation of the current status and possible future paths of abundance-based biodiversity intactness at multiple spatial scales, which is beneficial in elucidating biodiversity intactness dynamics and potentially supports biodiversity conservation.

Dusky Gopher Frog (Lithobates sevosus) Repatriation at a Reintroduction Site Through Zoo-Led Captive-Release Efforts

Captive-release programs are an increasingly popular conservation strategy to combat wild extinctions. However, it is critical to determine if translocating animals from captive colonies ("source populations") leads to the establishment of new wild populations that are both stable and self-sustaining. To fill this knowledge gap, we provide a case study from the dusky gopher frog (Lithobates sevosus) reintroduction program to serve as an example for other critically endangered amphibians. In this study, we provide quantitative information on the reintroduction and survivorship of zoo-bred individuals that are released into the wild. This unique opportunity is the culmination of close to 20 years of collective efforts across multiple agencies. By taking advantage of the key monitoring window shortly after initial releases, we can formally declare the first successfully reintroduced, breeding population of dusky gopher frogs founded solely from a captive-bred colony.

No More Extinctions: Recovering Australia's Biodiversity

Most conservation programs and laws aim to prevent extinction. However, there is a gulf between such aspirations and the current reality of escalating biodiversity loss. This review focuses on efforts to prevent extinctions in Australia, but much of this consideration is likely to apply globally. As context, we consider the reasons for trying to prevent extinction, review Australia's extinction record, and note that there are likely to be many more extinctions than formally recognized. We describe recent cases where conservation actions have prevented extinction. We note that extinction is a pathway rather than solely an endpoint, and many decisions made or not made on that pathway can determine the fate of species. We conclude that all looming extinctions can and should be prevented. This will require transformational change in legislation, increased resourcing, more consideration of poorly known species, and increased societal recognition of the need to be responsible for the care of country.

Potential Distribution Prediction of Terminalia chebula Retz. in China Under Current and Future Climate Scenarios

Climate change in the future could potentially expand, shrink, or alter the habitats of numerous species, leading to changes in their spatial distributions. Predicting suitable areas for cultivating medicinal plants through modeling has become an effective tool for assessing site suitability and conserving medicinal plant resources. Utilizing GIS and MaxEnt model, we predicted the spatial distribution of Terminalia chebula Retz. in China for the current and for the future (2050s and 2070s) under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 representative concentration pathways. In this study, we utilized 73 occurrence records and incorporated eight environmental factors from WorldClim for the modeling process. The findings revealed that the evaluation of the model's performance was based on the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC). All AUC values exceeded 0.9, classifying these models as "Excellent." Additionally, the jackknife test analysis revealed that the main influential variables were bio11 and bio4. Under the present climate conditions, the estimated total suitable habitat for T. chebula is approximately 29.14 × 104 km2, representing around 2.78% of China's total land area. Within these suitable regions, high suitability, medium suitability, and low suitability areas make up 0.39%, 0.54%, and 1.85% of the total area, respectively. According to future climate, the potential growth range of T. chebula is expected to expand due to climate variability, showing a significant pattern of expansion towards the north and east within China. In the 2050s and 2070s, the total area of regions with high suitability, medium suitability, and low suitability under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 will increase compared to the current distribution. This study will provide theoretical suggestions for preservation, management, and sustainable utilization of T. chebula resources.

Practical applications of soil microbiota to improve ecosystem restoration: current knowledge and future directions

Soil microbiota are important components of healthy ecosystems. Greater consideration of soil microbiota in the restoration of biodiverse, functional, and resilient ecosystems is required to address the twin global crises of biodiversity decline and climate change. In this review, we discuss available and emerging practical applications of soil microbiota into (i) restoration planning, (ii) direct interventions for shaping soil biodiversity, and (iii) strategies for monitoring and predicting restoration trajectories. We show how better planning of restoration activities to account for soil microbiota can help improve progress towards restoration targets. We show how planning to embed soil microbiota experiments into restoration projects will permit a more rigorous assessment of the effectiveness of different restoration methods, especially when complemented by statistical modelling approaches that capitalise on existing data sets to improve causal understandings and prioritise research strategies where appropriate. In addition to recovering belowground microbiota, restoration strategies that include soil microbiota can improve the resilience of whole ecosystems. Fundamentally, restoration planning should identify appropriate reference target ecosystem attributes and - from the perspective of soil microbiota - comprehensibly consider potential physical, chemical and biological influences on recovery. We identify that inoculating ecologically appropriate soil microbiota into degraded environments can support a range of restoration interventions (e.g. targeted, broad-spectrum and cultured inoculations) with promising results. Such inoculations however are currently underutilised and knowledge gaps persist surrounding successful establishment in light of community dynamics, including priority effects and community coalescence. We show how the ecological trajectories of restoration sites can be assessed by characterising microbial diversity, composition, and functions in the soil. Ultimately, we highlight practical ways to apply the soil microbiota toolbox across the planning, intervention, and monitoring stages of ecosystem restoration and address persistent open questions at each stage. With continued collaborations between researchers and practitioners to address knowledge gaps, these approaches can improve current restoration practices and ecological outcomes.

Advancing primate surveillance with image recognition techniques from unmanned aerial vehicles

Using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for surveys on thermostatic animals has gained prominence due to their ability to provide practical and precise dynamic censuses, contributing to developing and refining conservation strategies. However, the practical application of UAVs for animal monitoring necessitates the automation of image interpretation to enhance their effectiveness. Based on our past experiences, we present the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) as a case study to illustrate the effective use of thermal cameras mounted on UAVs for monitoring monkey populations in Qinling, a region characterized by magnificent biodiversity. We used the local contrast method for a small infrared target detection algorithm to collect the total population size. Through the experimental group, we determined the average optimal grayscale threshold, while the validation group confirmed that this threshold enables automatic detection and counting of target animals in similar datasets. The precision rate obtained from the experiments ranged from 85.14% to 97.60%. Our findings reveal a negative correlation between the minimum average distance between thermal spots and the count of detected individuals, indicating higher interference in images with closer thermal spots. We propose a formula for adjusting primate population estimates based on detection rates obtained from UAV surveys. Our results demonstrate the practical application of UAV-based thermal imagery and automated detection algorithms for primate monitoring, albeit with consideration of environmental factors and the need for data preprocessing. This study contributes to advancing the application of UAV technology in wildlife monitoring, with implications for conservation management and research.

Progress Toward Genetic Rescue of the Northern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni)

The northern white rhinoceros (NWR) is functionally extinct, with only two nonreproductive females remaining. However, because of the foresight of scientists, cryopreserved cells and reproductive tissues may aid in the recovery of this species. An ambitious program of natural and artificial gametes and in vitro embryo generation was first outlined in 2015, and many of the proposed steps have been achieved. Multiple induced pluripotent stem cell lines have been established, primordial germ cell-like cells have been generated, oocytes have been collected from the remaining females, blastocysts have been cryopreserved, and the closely related southern white rhinoceros (SWR) is being established as a surrogate. Recently, the first successful embryo transfer in SWR demonstrated that embryos can be generated by in vitro fertilization and cryopreserved. We explore progress to date in using advanced cellular technologies to save the NWR and highlight the necessary next steps to ensure a viable population for reintroduction. We roll out a holistic rescue approach for a charismatic megavertebrate that includes the most advanced cellular technologies, which can provide a blueprint for other critically endangered mammals. We also provide a detailed discussion of the remaining questions in such an upgraded conservation program.

Global Projection of Terrestrial Vertebrate Food Webs Under Future Climate and Land-Use Changes

Food webs represent an important nexus between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, yet considering changes in food webs around the world has been limited by data availability. Previous studies have predicted food web collapses and coextinction, but changes in food web structure have been less investigated under climate warming and anthropogenic pressures on a global scale. We systematically amassed information about species' diets, traits, distributions, habitat use, and phylogenetics in the real world and used machine learning to predict changes in global meta-food webs of terrestrial vertebrates under climate and land-use changes. By year 2100, terrestrial vertebrate food webs are expected to decrease in web size by 32% and trophic links by 49%. Projections predict declines of over 25% in modularity, predator generality, and diversity of trophic groups. Increased species' dispersal could ameliorate these trends but indicate disproportionate vulnerability of regional food webs. Unlike many previous studies, this work combines extensive empirical data with advanced modeling techniques, providing a more detailed and spatially explicit prediction of how global food webs will respond to climate and land-use changes. Overall, our study predicts terrestrial vertebrate food webs will undergo drastic and spatially heterogeneous structural changes.

Quantifying the impacts of future shoreline modification on biodiversity in a case study of coastal Georgia, United States

People often modify the shoreline to mitigate erosion and protect property from storm impacts. The 2 main approaches to modification are gray infrastructure (e.g., bulkheads and seawalls) and natural or green infrastructure (NI) (e.g., living shorelines). Gray infrastructure is still more often used for coastal protection than NI, despite having more detrimental effects on ecosystem parameters, such as biodiversity. We assessed the impact of gray infrastructure on biodiversity and whether the adoption of NI can mitigate its loss. We examined the literature to quantify the relationship of gray infrastructure and NI to biodiversity and developed a model with temporal geospatial data on ecosystem distribution and shoreline modification to project future shoreline modification for our study location, coastal Georgia (United States). We applied the literature-derived empirical relationships of infrastructure effects on biodiversity to the shoreline modification projections to predict change in biodiversity under different NI versus gray infrastructure scenarios. For our study area, which is dominated by marshes and use of gray infrastructure, when just under half of all new coastal infrastructure was to be NI, previous losses of biodiversity from gray infrastructure could be mitigated by 2100 (net change of biodiversity of +0.14%, 95% confidence interval -0.10% to +0.39%). As biodiversity continues to decline from human impacts, it is increasingly imperative to minimize negative impacts when possible. We therefore suggest policy and the permitting process be changed to promote the adoption of NI.

Understanding human-commensalism through an ecological and evolutionary framework

Human-commensalism has been intuitively characterised as an interspecific interaction whereby non-human individuals benefit from tight associations with anthropogenic environments. However, a clear definition of human-commensalism, rooted within an ecological and evolutionary framework, has yet to be proposed. Here, we define human-commensalism as a population-level dependence on anthropogenic resources, associated with genetic differentiation from the ancestral, non-commensal form. Such a definition helps us to understand the origins of human-commensalism and the pace and form of adaptation to anthropogenic niches, and may enable the prediction of future evolution in an increasingly human-modified world. Our discussion encourages greater consideration of the spatial and temporal complexity in anthropogenic niches, promoting a nuanced consideration of human-commensal populations when formulating research questions.

The first Dugesia species (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Dugesiidae) documented for Saudi Arabia: an integrative description

Exploration of various freshwater bodies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia led to the discovery of a new species of Dugesia, thus representing the first documented record of freshwater planarians in this country and the second fully documented record of a naturally sexual population of a Dugesia species in the Arabian Peninsula. Based on morphological, karyological, anatomical, and molecular data, this Dugesia population from Saudi Arabia is here identified as representing a distinct, new species, Dugesia bursagrossa Harrath & Sluys, sp. nov. The species is characterized by the following anatomical features: dorsal testes; highly glandular, barrel-shaped penis papilla; vasa deferentia opening separately into the antero-dorsal portion of a small intrabulbar seminal vesicle; ejaculatory duct opening subterminally through the ventral side of the penis papilla; muscular penis bulb composed of intermingled longitudinal and circular muscles; two ovaries positioned ventrally at approximately one-third of the distance between the brain and the root of the pharynx; oviducts opening separately and at different levels into the vaginal portion of the bursal canal; very large copulatory bursa, occupying almost the entire ample space between the posterior wall of the pharyngeal pocket and the penis bulb; bursal canal lined with a nucleated epithelium and covered by subepithelial layers of longitudinal muscles, followed by layers of circular muscles. The karyotype of the new species exhibits mixoploidy, with diploid complements of 2n = 18 and triploid complements of 3n = 27 + 1B chromosomes, with all chromosomes being metacentric. Phylogenetic analysis based on the COI sequence indicates that D. bursagrossa is distinct from closely related species within the same clade, with strong support from the anatomical and karyological data.

Functional traits mediate the effect of land use on drivers of community stability within and across trophic levels

Understanding how land use affects temporal stability is crucial to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Yet, the mechanistic links between land-use intensity and stability-driving mechanisms remain unclear, with functional traits likely playing a key role. Using 13 years of data from 300 sites in Germany, we tested whether and how trait-based community features mediate the effect of land-use intensity on acknowledged stability drivers (compensatory dynamics, portfolio effect, and dominant species variability), within and across plant and arthropod communities. Trait-based plant features, especially the prevalence of acquisitive strategies along the leaf-economics spectrum, were the main land-use intensity mediators within and across taxonomic and trophic levels, consistently influencing dominant species variability. Functional diversity also mediated land-use intensity effects but played a lesser role. Our analysis discloses trait-based community features as key mediators of land-use effects on stability drivers, emphasizing the need to consider multi-trophic functional interactions to better understand complex ecosystem dynamics.

Highlights of veterinary entomology, 2023: beyond the barnyard: exploring the wild side of veterinary entomology

Due to economic and food security concerns, veterinary entomology has traditionally focused on livestock pests and ectoparasites. However, recognizing the significant environmental changes of the Anthropocene era, there is a need to broaden the scope to include pests and ectoparasites of wildlife. This review highlights key studies from 2023 that go beyond the barnyard and represent this expanded focus. Key areas explored include the development and application of unique methodologies, the impact of arthropods on behavior, and the effects of anthropogenic and environmental influences on pests, ectoparasites, and hosts. By adopting a broader perspective, veterinary entomologists can develop new collaborations and better understand the complex interactions between pests, ectoparasites, and a diverse array of nonhuman vertebrates. This comprehensive understanding is essential for advancing global health and biodiversity conservation.

Food environmental footprint: Evolution of the countryside species-area relationship (SAR) with new methodologies

The species-area relationship (SAR) is one of the oldest in ecology, linking the increase in species richness in sampling area. Later, new parameters were incorporated into its equation, such as taxon-specific responses, habitats use by species and species adapted to human-modified habitats, originating the Countryside SAR, a version intended to integrate the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, which is still inefficiencies when used to evaluate food production systems. Therefore, we present the first attempt to incorporate into Countryside SAR the minimum land demand parameter for food production, the food environmental footprint - EFP, and improve the use of the method within the agricultural sciences scope. To prepare the EFP, we used land cover data for two types of food systems: agriculture (annual crops), composed of nine types of food; and, livestock (pasture), consisting of meat production. They were later tested in inventories for the Western European broadleaf forest ecoregion (ecocode: PA0445). The most important result observed was that the models responded to variations in production values, resulting in higher impact and a more conservative result when EFP is adopted. But as historically integrating a productivity parameter, or performance of production systems, has been left out of the development of SAR, only the first step has been taken. Therefore, incorporating minimum land demand for food production into the Countryside SAR appears to be a new stage in its development, allowing to generate results that consider the "efficiency" of food production, assuming a more agronomic profile. However, this is still the first attempt to include the EFP in the Countryside SAR, and we believe that our models should still be subject to further evaluation.

The Anthropocene and the biodiversity crisis: an eco-evolutionary perspective

A major facet of the Anthropocene is global change, such as climate change, caused by human activities, which drastically affect biodiversity with all-scale declines and homogenization of biotas. This crisis does not only affect the ecological dynamics of biodiversity, but also its evolutionary dynamics, including genetic diversity, an aspect that is generally neglected. My tenet is therefore to consider biodiversity dynamics from an eco-evolutionary perspective, i.e. explicitly accounting for the possibility of rapid evolution and its feedback on ecological processes and the environment. I represent the impact of the various avatars of global change in a temporal perspective, from pre-industrial time to the near future, allowing to visualize their dynamics and to set desired values that should not be trespassed for a given time (e.g., +2 °C for 50 years from now). After presenting the impact of various stressors (e.g., climate change) on biodiversity, this representation is used to heuristically show the relevance of an eco-evolutionary perspective: (i) to analyze how biodiversity will respond to the stressors, for example by seeking out more suitable conditions or adapting to new conditions; (ii) to serve in predictive exercises to envision future dynamics (decades to centuries) under stressor impact; (iii) to propose nature-based solutions to the crisis. Significant obstacles stand in the way of the development of such an approach, in particular the general lack of interest in intraspecific diversity, and perhaps more generally a lack of understanding that, we, humans, are only a modest part of biodiversity.

Ecological and anthropogenic drivers of local extinction and colonization of giant pandas over the past 30 years

Understanding the patterns and drivers of species range shifts is essential to disentangle mechanisms driving species' responses to global change. Here, we quantified local extinction and colonization dynamics of giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) using occurrence data collected by harnessing the labor of >1000 workers and >60,000 worker days for each of the three periods (TP1: 1985-1988, TP2: 1998-2002, and TP3: 2011-2014), and evaluated how these patterns were associated with (1) protected area, (2) local rarity/abundance, and (3) abiotic factors (i.e., climate, land-use, and topography). We documented a decreased rate (from 0.433 during TP1-TP2 to 0.317 during TP2-TP3) of local extinction and a relatively stable rate (from 0.060 during TP1-TP2 to 0.056 during TP2-TP3) of local colonization through time. Furthermore, the occupancy gains have exceeded losses by a ratio of approximately 1.5 to 1, illustrating an expansion of panda's range at a rate of 1408.3 km2/decade. We also found that pandas were more likely to become locally extinct outside of protected areas, when locally rare in surrounding areas, and when certain biotic conditions were not met (e.g., increased forest cover). Local colonization was less likely in areas with high local rarity, challenging biotic conditions and unprotected area status. As the network of panda reserves expanded and the forest matured, the relative importance of other factors such as climate, biotic factors, and land-use became more influential in determining patterns of local extinction and colonization. Our findings provide insights into the factors governing the expansion of panda's range and illustrate how the relative influence of biotic and abiotic factors can change over time, indicating that effective conservation intervention may be able to mitigate some of the negative impacts of climate change and habitat degradation. This insight extends beyond pandas and highlights the role of conservation interventions can play in building resilience under a changing climate.

Ambassador Animals Do Not Have a Clear Effect on Visitor Conservation Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Exotic Pets at a Zoo Exhibit

There is relatively little work examining visitor outcomes of ambassador animal programs, such as whether these programs are educationally effective or unintentionally promote exotic pet ownership. We designed a two-way factorial experiment to test whether ambassador animals enhanced or detracted from the educational outcomes of a zoo exhibit. We surveyed 312 visitors at the Oakland Zoo at a static exhibit focused on the illegal wildlife trade. Participants were surveyed either before or after visiting the exhibit, with or without a trainer presenting either an ambassador ball python (Python regius) or yellow-naped Amazon parrot (Amazona auropalliata). The survey assessed attitudes toward conservation, knowledge of conservation behavior, and the suitability of various species, including the ambassador species, as pets. We used an ANOVA to examine 299 complete surveys for differences between experimental groups' mean responses. There were no significant differences in conservation attitudes. Subjects demonstrated more knowledge of conservation behavior after leaving the exhibit, regardless of whether or not an animal was present. While the exhibit reduced favorable attitudes toward parrots as pets, ambassador animal presence neither positively nor negatively impacted on this effect. Participants who viewed a python were more likely to indicate that they viewed a python as a good pet. However, the sample expressed overall negative attitudes toward exotic pet ownership. This study suggests that ambassadors neither enhanced learning nor unintentionally promoted exotic pets. Further research is needed to understand the role of interpretive messaging when using ambassadors in an educational context.

Considering Multiecosystem Trade-Offs Is Critical When Leveraging Systematic Conservation Planning for Restoration

Conservationists are increasingly leveraging systematic conservation planning (SCP) to inform restoration actions that enhance biodiversity. However, restoration frequently drives ecological transformations at local scales, potentially resulting in trade-offs among wildlife species and communities. The Conservation Interactions Principle (CIP), coined more than 15 years ago, cautions SCP practitioners regarding the importance of jointly and fully evaluating conservation outcomes across the landscape over long timeframes. However, SCP efforts that guide landscape restoration have inadequately addressed the CIP by failing to tabulate the full value of the current ecological state. The increased application of SCP to inform restoration, reliance on increasingly small areas to sustain at-risk species and ecological communities, ineffective considerations for the changing climate, and increasing numbers of at-risk species, are collectively intensifying the need to consider unintended consequences when prioritizing sites for restoration. Improper incorporation of the CIP in SCP may result in inefficient use of conservation resources through opportunity costs and/or conservation actions that counteract one another. We suggest SCP practitioners can avoid these consequences through a more detailed accounting of the current ecological benefits to better address the CIP when conducting restoration planning. Specifically, forming interdisciplinary teams with expertise in the current and desired ecosystem states at candidate conservation sites; improving data availability; modeling and computational advancements; and applying structured decision-making approaches can all improve the integration of the CIP in SCP efforts. Improved trade-off assessment, spanning multiple ecosystems or states, can facilitate efficient, proactive, and coordinated SCP applications across space and time. In doing so, SCP can effectively guide the siting of restoration actions capable of promoting the full suite of biodiversity in a region.

Genomics Reveal Population Structure and Intergeneric Hybridization in an Endangered South American Bird: Implications for Management and Conservation

Genomics is an invaluable tool for conservation, particularly for endangered species impacted by wildlife trafficking. This study uses genomic data to provide new insights to aid conservation and management of endangered species, using as a case study the Yellow cardinal (Gubernatrix cristata), a bird endemic to southern South America severely affected by illegal trade and the transformation of its natural habitat. We explore population structure within the Yellow cardinal, delimiting management units and describing connectivity among them. Additionally, we develop and assess the accuracy of a panel of 189 informative SNPs, and demonstrate how these can reliably assign confiscated individuals to one of the management units established. Lastly, we assess hybridization between the Yellow cardinal and the Diuca finch (Diuca diuca), which is reported to occur in regions of sympatry. We confirm that hybridization occurs, although it is not as common as previously thought, and that hybrids might be fertile, as we found evidence of backcrossing with Yellow cardinals. We discuss the implications of this introgression for the evolution and conservation of Yellow cardinals. Our study provides new, valuable information that can guide conservation efforts, comprising a test case for the use of genomics in combating illegal trafficking, with potential application beyond the case of the Yellow cardinal.

Fifty+ years of primate research illustrates complex drivers of abundance and increasing primate numbers

Many primate populations are threatened by human actions and a central tool used for their protection is establishing protected areas. However, even if populations in such areas are protected from hunting and deforestation, they still may be threatened by factors such as climate change and its cascading impacts on habitat quality and disease dynamics. Here we provide a long-term and geographically wide-spread population assessment of the five common diurnal primates of Kibale National Park, Uganda. Over 7 year-long or longer census efforts that spanned 52 years, our team walked 1466 km, and recorded 480 monkey groups. Populations were generally relatively stable with a few exceptions, for which no apparent causative factors could be identified. This stability is unexpected as many ecological changes documented over the last 34+ years (e.g., decreasing food abundance and quality) were predicted to have negative impacts. Populations of some species declined at some sites but increased at others. This highlights the need for large, protected areas so that declines in particular areas are countered by gains in others. Kibale has large areas of regenerating forest and this most recent survey revealed that after 20+ years, forest regeneration in many of these areas appears sufficient to sustain sizeable primate populations, except for blue monkeys that have not colonized these areas. Indeed, the average primate abundance in the regenerating forest was only 8.1% lower than in neighboring old-growth forest. Thus, park-wide primate abundance has likely increased, despite many pressures on the park having risen; however, some areas in the park remain to be assessed. Our study suggests that the restoration, patrolling, and community outreach efforts of the Uganda Wildlife Authority and their partners have contributed significantly to protecting the park and its animals.

Deconstruction and analysis of global biodiversity loss transfer network based on the social network analysis method

Biodiversity is crucial for maintaining ecosystem stability and achieving sustainable development. However, global biodiversity loss is a common challenge faced by most countries. Therefore, based on the data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and the Eora database, we used the multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model to calculate biodiversity loss in 188 countries. We constructed a global biodiversity loss transfer network from the binary and weighted perspectives and deconstructed the evolution characteristics and the factors influencing the network from the "relationship" perspective using social network analysis (SNA) and quadratic assignment procedure (QAP) method. The global biodiversity loss transfer network had a typical network structure with dense connections, demonstrating spatial correlation characteristics. The countries with top in- and out-degree centrality rankings were developed and large-scale emerging economies and developing countries in Africa, respectively, implying that the former are responsible for "importing" large amounts of biodiversity and transferring biodiversity loss to the latter. The block model analysis indicated that the transfer network was divided into different functional blocks, with biodiversity spillover effects. The QAP analysis revealed that the differences in geographical adjacency, per capita GDP, urbanization rate, environmental regulation, and agricultural land proportion explained 3.627% of the changes in the global biodiversity loss transfer network. Our results suggested that the relationships of biodiversity loss transfer among countries should be considered by policymakers to address biodiversity challenges. Therefore, governments should recognize the remote responsibility, reduce unsustainable consumption and production, develop sustainable trade, and make trade policies considering the transfer of biodiversity impacts.