Search Results (1,549)

Alexandrium spp., globally recognized as harmful algal bloom (HAB) species, pose severe threats to marine ecosystems, fisheries, and public health. Based on 469 occurrence records and 24 marine environmental variables, this study employed the Biomod2 ensemble modeling framework to predict the potential distribution of Alexandrium spp. under current and future climate scenarios, and to assess the role of key environmental factors and the spatiotemporal dynamics of habitat centroid shifts. The results revealed that (1) the ensemble model outperformed single models (AUC = 0.998, TSS = 0.977, Kappa = 0.978), providing higher robustness and reliability in prediction; (2) salinity range (bio18, 19.1%) and mean salinity (bio16, 5.8%) were the dominant factors, while minimum temperature (bio23) also showed strong constraints, indicating that salinity determines “whether persistence is possible,” while temperature influences “whether blooms occur”; (3) under present conditions, high-suitability habitats are concentrated in Bohai Bay, the Yangtze River estuary to the Fujian coast, and parts of Guangdong; (4) climate change is predicted to drive a southward shift of suitable habitats, with the most pronounced expansion under the high-emission scenario (RCP8.5), leading to the emergence of new high-risk areas in the South China coast and adjacent South China Sea; (5) centroid analysis further indicated a pronounced southward migration under RCP8.5 by 2100, highlighting a regional reconfiguration of ecological risks. Collectively, salinity and temperature are identified as the core drivers shaping the ecological niche of Alexandrium spp., and future warming is likely to exacerbate HAB risks in southern China. This study delineates key prevention regions and proposes a shift from reactive to proactive management strategies, providing scientific support for HAB monitoring and marine ecological security in China’s coastal waters. Full article

In the dynamic and increasingly threatened marine environment, understanding the full spatial ecology of species like the reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi) is crucial for effective conservation. While typically considered a shallow-water species, reef manta rays in New Caledonia were investigated to explore their vertical habitat use. This study utilized satellite telemetry data from 19 tagged individuals, with three tags providing sufficiently high-resolution information on dive behaviour, to describe and quantify three-dimensional movements. We found that New Caledonian reef manta rays exhibit outstanding deep-diving capabilities, with all individuals diving below 300 m and one reaching 672 m. These deep dives occurred regularly, averaging one every 4.8 days, which is notably more frequent than in other studied populations. Dive profile analysis revealed a mixture of foraging and exploratory behaviors, supporting the hypothesis that these deep excursions are driven by the search for demersal or mesopelagic food resources. Our findings highlight the ecological plasticity of M. alfredi and demonstrate that their habitat use extends far beyond the coastal, shallow waters previously assumed, a critical consideration for developing comprehensive and effective marine protected areas. Full article

The living environment of birds exhibits seasonal variations, and winter cold and food shortages are key limiting factors influencing the survival rate of many bird species. However, most previous studies have focused on dynamic habitat changes, with relatively few investigating how changes in birds’ behavioral rhythms and ecological adaptability respond to seasonal fluctuations in the environment. The Crested Ibis (Nipponia nippon) is an endangered species, with winter food shortage being a critical factor constraining its population growth. Through 211 days of monitoring on the communal roosting behavior and GPS tracking of 19 individuals, this study aimed to clarify seasonal variations in their time allocation and activity levels, and reveal how Crested Ibises respond to environmental changes. During the wintering period, Crested Ibises departed nocturnal roosts earlier relative to sunrise and returned later relative to sunset, thereby utilizing more dawn and dusk time for foraging and increasing daylight utilization. GPS tracking data showed that both daily movement distance and activity levels of Crested Ibises during the wintering period were significantly lower than in other seasons—a pattern likely representing an adaptive strategy to cope with limited food resources, as it serves to minimize energy expenditure and enhance survival rates. Thus, these findings indicate that Crested Ibises adapt to wintering environmental changes through three seasonal behaviors: extending the dawn and dusk activity window, increasing daylight utilization, and reducing daily movement distance and activity levels. Full article

To address uncertainties in how threatened coastal China seas fish communities respond to stressors like overfishing and climate change, this study applied Hierarchical Modelling of Species Communities (HMSC) to disentangle the assembly rules shaping these communities, filling a critical gap in understanding their spatiotemporal dynamics. We analyzed data on 384 fish species (1980–2018) and key environmental factors, with variance partitioning revealing that environmental filtering dominated fish distributions (explaining over 99% of variance), far outweighing random effects (0.60%). Among environmental drivers, sea surface temperature (49.00%) and sea surface salinity (33.25%) were the most influential, while seafloor substrate and water depth played secondary roles; notably, fewer species occupied fine sand habitats, and more preferred silt habitats. Residual species associations—indicative of potential biotic interactions—were most frequent within Gobiidae, likely due to this highly diverse taxon’s specialized resource utilization and wide distribution, highlighting that biotic filtering is concentrated and ecologically relevant within this group. This work demonstrates HMSC’s utility in unraveling coastal fish community assembly, providing a robust basis for predicting community changes and guiding biodiversity conservation efforts that support ocean health and dependent human activities. Full article

Misiones province covers < 1% of Argentina’s land area yet harbors > 50% of the country’s biodiversity, with a significant remnant of Atlantic Forest, a global biodiversity hotspot. Approximately 540,000 ha of this native forest is protected, with the remaining areas facing threats from ongoing land conversion, an expanding road network, and a growing rural population. A prior study incorporated noninvasive data on five carnivores into a multifaceted cost analysis to define the optimal location for a multispecies biological corridor, with the goal of enhancing landscape connectivity among protected areas. Subsequent analyses, with an updated framework, emphasized management strategies that balanced human–wildlife coexistence and habitat needs. Building on these efforts, our study applied ecological niche modeling to data located by conservation detection dogs, with genetics used to confirm species identity, and two land-use scenarios, to predict potential distributions of three game species—lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris), white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari), and collared peccary (Pecari tajacu)—that are not only threatened by poaching, road mortality, and habitat loss but also serve as essential prey for carnivores. We assessed the suitability of unique and overlapping vegetation types, within and outside of protected areas, as well as within this multispecies corridor, identifying zones of high conservation concern that underscore the need for integrated planning of predators and prey. These results highlight that ensuring the long-term viability of wildlife across the heterogeneous land-use matrices of Misiones requires going beyond protected areas to promote functional connectivity, restore degraded habitats, and balance human–wildlife needs. Full article

The One Health approach offers an integrative framework to understand infectious threats, environmental factors, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and how their interactions affect the human–animal–environment interface. This review examines the epidemiology, transmission pathways, and mechanisms of microorganisms of public health importance (bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses). It highlights the interconnectedness of ecosystems, where the environment plays a central role in the dissemination of pathogens, driven by climate change, globalization, agricultural intensification, and habitat degradation. AMR is a major concern, driven by the indiscriminate use of pharmaceuticals in human, veterinary, and agricultural settings, horizontal gene transfer through mobile genetic elements, and microbial evolution. The study of different pathogens is of great importance due to their high prevalence in different ecosystems, their virulence, clinical interest, and mortality rates produced. Some of them are ESKAPE bacteria, Candida auris, Plasmodium falciparum, and emerging viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, which present complex transmission dynamics influenced by ecological and health determinants. The review also addresses the effects of climate change on the persistence and geographic spread of pathogens. Successful implementation of the One Health program requires intersectoral policies, integrated surveillance systems, prudent use of antimicrobials and investment in translational science. Coordinating these strategies is essential to limit the spread of pathogens, protect biodiversity, and save global health in the face of the growing threat of infectious diseases. Full article

The vulnerability of ecologically important fish species to climate change underscores the need to predict shifts in their distributions and habitat suitability under future climate scenarios. In this study, we modeled the potential distribution ranges of three ecologically important fish species (Collichthys lucidus, Konosirus punctatus, and Clupanodon thrissa) across East Asia using a species distribution modeling framework under both current and projected future climate scenarios. Occurrence data were obtained from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS), while environmental data were retrieved from the Bio-ORACLE database. Our models demonstrated high predictive performance (AUC > 0.88). Results showed that dissolved oxygen and salinity were the strongest bioclimatic predictors for C. lucidus, whereas chlorophyll and phosphate primarily shaped the distributions of K. punctatus and C. thrissa. Model projections indicated a decline in suitable habitats for C. lucidus, particularly under high-emission scenarios, and range expansions for K. punctatus and C. thrissa toward higher latitudes and nutrient-enriched waters. Highly suitable habitats were concentrated along coastlines within exclusive economic zones, exposing these species to significant anthropogenic pressures. Conservation gap analysis revealed that only 7%, 2%, and 6% of the distributional ranges of C. lucidus, C. thrissa, and K. punctatus, respectively, are currently encompassed by marine protected areas (MPAs). Our study further identified climatically stable regions that may act as climate refugia, particularly for C. lucidus in the Yellow and East China seas. Our findings highlight the urgent need for adaptive management, including the expansion and reconfiguration of MPAs, transboundary conservation initiatives, stronger regulation of exploitation, and increased public awareness to ensure the resilience of fisheries under future climate change. Full article

Climate change is reshaping plant distribution and ecological adaptation worldwide. Ficus tikoua Bur., a perennial resource plant native to Southwest and South China, has not been systematically assessed for its future cultivation potential. In this study, we used the Biomod2 ensemble modeling framework, integrating 12 algorithms with 469 occurrence records and 16 environmental variables, to predict the potential distribution and niche dynamics of F. tikoua under current and future climate scenarios (SSP126, SSP370, and SSP585). The ensemble model achieved high predictive accuracy based on multiple algorithms and cross-validation. The minimum temperature of the coldest month (bio6, 43.5%), maximum temperature of the warmest month (bio5, 25.0%), and annual precipitation (bio12, 10.3%) were identified as the dominant factors shaping its distribution. Model projections suggest that suitable habitats will generally expand northwestward, while contracting in the southeast. Core areas, such as the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau and the Sichuan Basin, are predicted to remain highly stable. In contrast, southeastern marginal regions are likely to experience a decline in suitability due to intensified heat stress. Niche analyses further revealed strong niche conservatism (overlap D = 0.83–0.94), suggesting that the species maintains stable climatic tolerance and adapts primarily through range shifts rather than evolutionary change. This finding suggests limited adaptive flexibility in response to rapid warming. Overall, climate warming may enhance cultivation opportunities for F. tikoua at higher latitudes and elevations, while emphasizing the importance of protecting stable core habitats, planning climate adaptation corridors, and integrating this species into climate-resilient agroforestry strategies. These findings provide practical guidance for biodiversity conservation and land-use planning, offering a scientific basis for regional policy formulation under future climate change. Full article

Drinking water pipe biofilms, comprising viable microorganisms, microbial residues, and organic/inorganic particulates, pose significant risks to water safety by promoting the proliferation of opportunistic pathogens, pipe corrosion, and degradation of water quality. Their formation is strongly influenced by environmental conditions within the piping system. However, there is a lack of systematic research investigating the potential correlations between biofilm microbiota and the oral microbiomes of intensively farmed swine, as well as the age-dependent regulatory mechanisms shaping aquatic microbial communities. This pioneering study conducted a comparative analysis of biofilm microbiota from swine house water pipes and oral microbiomes across three growth stages (30-day BBF, 70-day NBF, and 110-day FBF groups), yielding three key findings. First, the biofilm biomass and dominant bacterial genera (e.g., Brevibacterium in BBF vs. Brevundimonas in FBF) exhibited stage-specific variations associated with swine age. Second, while the oral microbiomes showed no significant taxonomic divergence at the phylum or genus level, they shared characteristic phyla, including Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes, with pipe biofilms, indicating potential cross-habitat microbial interactions. Third, the antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) adeF was consistently detected at high prevalence across all biofilm groups. These findings offer new insights into microbial transmission dynamics and inform risk mitigation strategies for livestock water supply systems. Full article

Monitoring ecosystem dynamics in arid regions requires robust indicators that can capture spatial heterogeneity and diverse ecological drivers. In this study, we introduce and evaluate two novel ecological indices: the Arid-region Remote Sensing Ecological Index (ARSEI), specifically designed for desert environments, and the Composite Remote Sensing Ecological Index (CoRSEI), which integrates both desert and non-desert systems. These indices are compared with the traditional Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) in the Tarim River Basin from 2000 to 2023. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that RSEI maintained the highest structural compactness (average PCA1 = 87.49%). In contrast, ARSEI (average PCA1 = 78.62%) enhanced sensitivity to albedo and vegetation (NDVI) in arid environments. Spearman correlation analysis further demonstrated that ARSEI was more strongly correlated with NDVI (ρ = 0.49) and precipitation (ρ = 0.62) than RSEI, confirming its improved responsiveness under water-limited conditions. CoRSEI exhibited higher internal consistency and spatial adaptability (mean values ranging from 0.45 to 0.56), with slight ecological improvements observed between 2000 and 2023. Ecological drivers varied across habitat types. In desert areas, evapotranspiration, precipitation, and soil moisture were the main determinants of ecological status, showing high coupling and synchrony. In non-desert regions, soil moisture and precipitation remained dominant, but vegetation indices and disturbance factors (e.g., fire density) exerted stronger long-term influences. Partial dependence analyses further confirmed nonlinear, region-specific responses, such as the threshold effects of precipitation on vegetation growth. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of differentiated ecological modeling. ARSEI enhances sensitivity in desert ecosystems, whereas CoRSEI captures landscape-scale variability across desert and non-desert regions. Both indices contribute to more accurate long-term ecological assessments in hyper-arid environments. Full article

Background/Objectives: Plant mitogenomes display remarkable variation in size, structure, and gene content, yet their evolutionary causes remain unclear. Araceae, the most significant family within Alismatales, encompasses both aquatic and terrestrial lineages, providing an excellent system for studying how ecological shifts influence mitogenome evolution. Methods: We assembled and annotated four new mitogenomes using both short- and long-read sequencing, including three aquatic taxa (Pistia stratiotes L., Spirodela intermedia W. Koch, Wolffia australiana (Benth.) Hartog & Plas) and one terrestrial species (Amorphophallus konjac K. Koch). Along with five previously published mitogenomes, we performed comparative analyses across nine Araceae species. Results: These mitogenome sizes varied from ~178 kb to ~877 kb, consisting of one to 19 circular molecules, with aquatic species generally having smaller and simpler structures. Plastid-derived sequences (MTPTs) contributed 1.2–10.6% of genome content, peaking in Zantedeschia aethiopica (L.) Spreng. Despite significant structural heterogeneity, all species maintained core respiratory genes under strong purifying selection, while ribosomal protein-coding genes showed lineage-specific loss. RNA editing ranged from 363 to 772 sites per mitogenome, with the number of sites independent of mitogenome size. Conclusions: Overall, this study uncovers the dynamic evolutionary patterns of Araceae mitogenomes and offers a framework for understanding how habitat shifts between aquatic and terrestrial environments influence mitogenome diversity in plants. Full article

The background of this study is grounded in the economic importance of Planococcus ficus (P. ficus) Signoret (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), commonly known as the vine mealybug, which is a major pest in vineyards across South Africa, the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, Argentina, California, and Mexico. This pest causes both direct damage to grapevines and indirect damage by promoting the development of sooty mold, which reduces fruit quality and marketability. The limited effectiveness of conventional pesticides—due to the pest’s concealed habitats and biological resistance—combined with their negative impacts on beneficial arthropods, underscores the need for alternative and environmentally sustainable pest management approaches. The methodology of this study involved a field trial conducted in Koruk Village, Elazığ Province, Turkey, from March to October 2022. The aim of the study is to determine the repellent and toxic effects of two types of wood vinegar (WV) and hazelnut vinegar (HV) on P. ficus populations under natural vineyard conditions by using statistical data analysis methods used in basic engineering. Various concentrations of each vinegar wereapplied to the vines, and pest population dynamics were monitored. Additionally, the potential repellent effects of the vinegars on beneficial predatory insects, particularly members of the Coccinellidae family, were assessed. The results of the study indicated that wood vinegar (WV) was more effective than hazelnut vinegar (HV) in reducing P. ficus populations. Both vinegars demonstrated statistically significant, dose-dependent reductions in pest numbers compared to the untreated control. Although both treatments also exhibited repellent effects on Coccinellidae species, these effects were not statistically significant when compared with the positive control group. These findings support the potential application of vinegar-based products in integrated pest management. The conclusion of this study is that wood vinegar (WV) and hazelnut vinegar (HV), as natural carbonization-derived products, can serve as environmentally friendly alternatives for controlling P. ficus in vineyards. Their application may reduce reliance on synthetic pesticides, contribute to sustainable viticulture practices, and minimize negative impacts on non-target beneficial organisms. This research introduces an innovative, eco-compatible control that could be effectively integrated into broader Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies. Full article

Habitat condition and availability are fundamental for sustaining biodiversity and the ecosystem services that support human well-being. Achieving biodiversity-related sustainability goals, therefore, necessitates a focus on habitat itself. This study examines habitat dynamics in biodiversity “coldspots”, or relatively species-poor areas not currently under protection, to provide insights into their trends and patterns of habitat change. Using freely available remote sensing data and local environmental datasets, we analyze habitat changes across test sites from four European ecoregions between 2000 and 2018 and evaluate the impact of pressures driving these changes on local ecosystem functioning. The study identifies seven primary drivers of habitat change, with Range Shift and Regrowth emerging as the most widespread pressures, while Conversion, Degradation, and Deforestation exerted the strongest influence on ecosystem functions such as Aboveground Biomass and Water Yield. A consistent bimodal distribution of habitat changes was observed, with frequent small-scale events, fewer large-scale events, but a lack of intermediate-scale events. By drawing attention to conservation needs in biodiversity coldspots, these findings emphasize the importance of integrating such areas into sustainable land use planning and protected area network expansion, ensuring that efforts extend beyond species-rich regions to prevent the loss of irreplaceable habitats and safeguard long-term conservation goals. Full article

Accelerated urbanization has induced marked biodiversity loss in metropolitan regions, with urban parks emerging as critical habitat patches for avian species within intensively developed built environments. As a global pioneer in park city conceptualization, Chengdu (China) has achieved notable advancements in urban green space extent and quality through systematic planning efforts. This investigation examines the avian–habitat relationships in Chengdu’s central urban area (2010–2020) using multispectral remote sensing data, employing the ENVI5.6 (Environment for Visualizing Images) software for spatial analysis, and applying the InVEST3.2.0 (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs) model to identify high-quality habitats, evaluate landscape connectivity, and analyze community composition dynamics. Through a correlation analysis of seven environmental characteristic factors with avian biodiversity in 24 urban parks, the impact mechanism of avian habitat functions was explored. On this basis, measures such as optimizing the plant community structure of riverside greenways and road green spaces, expanding small-scale green spaces near parks, and so on are proposed to promote the enhancement of urban park habitat functions and the protection of avian biodiversity. Full article

Estuaries represent quintessential coupled human–natural systems (CHNS) where the dynamic interplay between ecological processes and anthropogenic pressures (e.g., shipping, water use exploitation) challenges conventional static spatial planning approaches. Focusing on the Yangtze River Estuary—a globally significant yet intensely utilized ecosystem—this study develops an adaptive management (AM)-oriented spatial planning framework for estuarine protected areas. Our methodology integrates systematic identification of optimal zones using multi-criteria assessments of biodiversity indicators (e.g., flagship species habitats), ecological metrics (e.g., ecosystem services), and management considerations; delineation of a three-tier adaptive zoning system (Control–Functional–Seasonal) to address spatiotemporal pressures; and dynamic management strategies to mitigate human-environment conflicts. The proposed phased conservation boundary (Phase I: 664.38 km²; Phase II: 1721.94 km²) effectively balances ecological integrity with socio-economic constraints. Spatial–temporal analysis of shipping activities over five years demonstrates minimal operational interference, confirming the framework’s efficacy in reconciling conservation and development priorities. By incorporating ecological feedback mechanisms into spatial planning, this work advances a transferable model for governing contested seascapes, contributing to CHNS theory through practical tools for adaptive, conflict-sensitive conservation. The framework’s implementation in the Yangtze context provides empirical evidence that science-driven, flexible spatial planning can reduce sectoral conflicts while maintaining ecosystem functionality, offering a replicable pathway for sustainable water management of similarly complex human–natural systems worldwide. Full article