Search Results (5,078)

Saline habitats, which include both coastal and inland, host specialised halophytic communities that can withstand high salinity. Coastal communities are shaped by tidal inundation and marine connectivity, whereas inland saline habitats are driven by evaporation, groundwater salinisation, and greater landscape isolation. These contrasting hydrological and environmental variables likely drive divergent patterns of genetic diversity, influencing local adaptation, connectivity, and evolutionary divergence, which is important for understanding species persistence and guiding conservation of saline ecosystems under environmental change. This systematic review brings together phylogeographic studies on halophytic species from both environments to uncover global drivers of genetic difference. A systematic search of Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed was done, and 20 studies were identified focusing on key genera including Salicornia, Sarcocornia, Suaeda, and Triglochin. Distinct genetic clades were often associated with habitat type or geographic region, indicating repeated divergence linked to coastal–inland environmental gradients. Genetic differentiation between coastal and inland halophyte populations is primarily driven by habitat fragmentation, restricted gene flow, historical refugia and recolonisation, salinity-mediated adaptation, and differences in dispersal capacity. As a result, coastal populations are generally more genetically connected, whereas inland populations tend to be more isolated, structured, and evolutionarily divergent. The data also showed a strong regional bias; while research is well established in Europe, Asia, and North America, African inland saline ecosystems are critically understudied. We conclude that habitat connectivity and dispersal pathways are the primary determinants of halophyte genetic structure. Future research must integrate ecological niche modelling and landscape genetics to resolve the evolutionary dynamics of these taxa, particularly in under-sampled regions such as southern Africa, to support effective conservation of saline biodiversity. However, the synthesis is constrained by the small number of eligible studies (n = 23) and their uneven geographic distribution, with limited representation from Africa, South America, and Australia, which restricts the ability to draw fully global conclusions. Recognising and protecting these systems is essential for safeguarding global saline biodiversity. Full article

Fruit mites, particularly Panonychus ulmi, Tetranychus urticae, and eriophyid mites, are among the most economically important arthropod pests in apple orchards, causing significant reductions in photosynthetic efficiency, fruit quality, and yield. Their management has traditionally relied on chemical acaricides; however, the widespread development of resistance, adverse effects on beneficial arthropods, and increasing environmental concerns have highlighted the limitations of pesticide-dependent control strategies. This review critically evaluates current advances in the management of major fruit mite species affecting apple orchards, with particular emphasis on Panonychus ulmi, Tetranychus urticae, and eriophyid mites. The biology, ecology, and economic significance of these pests are examined together with contemporary chemical control strategies, mechanisms of acaricide resistance, and sustainable resistance management. Particular attention is given to predatory mites, conservation biological control, habitat management, and ecological engineering as essential components of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The review also examines the integration of biological, chemical, and cultural control measures within IPM programs and provides a regional perspective on fruit mite management in Southeastern Kazakhstan, highlighting local challenges, knowledge gaps, and opportunities for implementing ecologically based IPM systems. Emerging approaches, including precision agriculture, digital monitoring, molecular diagnostics, and climate-adaptive pest management, are also assessed. The available evidence indicates that sustainable fruit mite management requires a transition from pesticide-centered control toward integrated, ecologically resilient orchard protection systems in which biological control and IPM serve as the foundation, while chemical control functions as a targeted supporting tool. To our knowledge, no previous review has comprehensively integrated biological control, acaricide resistance management, ecologically based IPM, and region-specific challenges for fruit mite management in Southeastern Kazakhstan into a unified framework while also identifying key research priorities for Central Asia, including resistance surveillance, biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, and digital decision-support technologies. Full article

Climate change is expected to profoundly affect forest biodiversity, yet its impacts on saproxylic and non-saproxylic insects remain largely mediated by forest structure and management. Saproxylic beetles strongly depend on tree-related microhabitats (TreMs), which reflect stand development, deadwood dynamics, and habitat continuity. In this study, we assessed how future climate change may influence saproxylic beetle richness and TreM diversity across the Italian Apennines by integrating long-term field data from 336 forest plots with machine-learning models and the process-based forest model 3D-CMCC-FEM. Beetle and TreM richness were projected under a baseline current climate scenario (CCS) and two future climate scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) until 2100. Gaussian process regression models with strong extrapolation performance were used to forecast richness trajectories based on simulated forest structural and climatic variables. Results show that host tree species and stand structural development are the primary drivers of both beetle and TreM richness, while differences among climate scenarios are comparatively small. Richness trajectories differed markedly among forest types: beech stands showed temporary mid-century increases under climate change scenarios, chestnut forests remained relatively stable, and silver fir and Turkey oak stands exhibited long-term declines or convergence toward lower richness levels. Patterns of TreM richness closely mirrored beetle richness, highlighting the central role of structural complexity and microhabitat availability. Overall, the effects of climate change on beetle diversity appear to be largely indirect, acting through forest growth, mortality, and microhabitat dynamics rather than through direct climatic constraints. These findings emphasize that forest management practices maintaining structural heterogeneity and microhabitat continuity can substantially mitigate climate-driven biodiversity changes, supporting the integration of TreMs into climate-adaptive forest management strategies. Full article

Understanding how land-use change affects habitat fragmentation and connectivity is essential for assessing landscape degradation and conservation effectiveness in protected areas globally. It is particularly acute in tropical protected areas where anthropogenic pressures are intensifying. This study investigated long-term landscape dynamics, forest fragmentation, and structural connectivity in the Bena Mulumbu Hunting Domain, a Category VI protected area located in the Miombo woodland region of southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Landsat imagery acquired in 1995, 2005, 2015, and 2025 was classified using the Random Forest algorithm into six land-cover classes (Miombo woodland, savanna, agricultural land, mining areas, built-up/bare land, and water bodies) to quantify land-cover changes over 30 years. Landscape composition was assessed using the percentage of landscape (PLAND), Shannon diversity metrics, and transition analyses. At the same time, fragmentation and structural connectivity of Miombo woodland were evaluated along an edge-to-core gradient (0–2 km, 2–4 km, 4–6 km, and >6 km) using landscape metrics. Results showed that savanna remained the dominant land-cover type throughout the study period. However, the landscape underwent progressive reorganization characterized by recurrent transitions among Miombo woodland, savanna, and agricultural land, leading to increased spatial heterogeneity. Fragmentation analyses revealed significant spatial differences in total core area among zones (Kruskal–Wallis: H = 8.12, p = 0.044); however, after normalization by zone area, no consistent edge-to-core gradient was observed for core habitat proportion, indicating that raw differences primarily reflect zone size rather than a systematic ecological gradient. Despite increasing fragmentation, structural connectivity remained high across the hunting domain. The CONNECT index increased significantly from the edge toward the core zone (p = 0.003), highlighting better-connected forest networks in interior sectors. These findings suggest that the Bena Mulumbu Hunting Domain is experiencing an intermediate stage of landscape transformation, where forest fragmentation is evident but has not yet resulted in widespread connectivity loss. Maintaining existing forest cores and connectivity corridors should therefore be prioritized to prevent further degradation of ecological integrity. These findings challenge the assumption that landscape degradation in protected tropical Miombo woodlands necessarily follows a simple edge-to-core gradient. Full article

The Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (JBNERR) includes the largest bay on the southern coast of Puerto Rico. The reserve includes diverse habitats ranging from mangrove forests, shallow lagoons, seagrass beds, cays and coral reefs, with a broad range of environmental gradients between the populated coastal plain and the oligotrophic Caribbean Sea. As the only research reserve in the region, resource managers seek cost-effective and reliable processes to restore and promote ecosystem health in the reserve. Benthic foraminiferal assemblages are widely applied bioindicators for assessing coastal environments, notably coral reefs and seagrass ecosystems. This study evaluated the applicability of three indices, the FoRAM Index (FI), the Epiphytic FoRAM Index (FI′), and the Long vs. Short Life-Span Index (I_LS), to assess bayside and reef habitats bordering three cays of Jobos Bay. Surficial sediment samples were collected in 2018 and 2019. Environmental data included sediment composition (e.g., texture, total organic content) and water quality (e.g., nutrients and pH). From a total of 57 samples, 4671 individuals were counted, representing 35 genera. Cluster analysis based on genus-level relative abundances revealed four main groups: Dominant (>10%), Common (5–10%), Occasional (1–4%), and Rare (<1%). Dominant genera included Quinqueloculina (24%) and Amphistegina (18%). Common taxa included smaller rotaliids such as Rotorbinella (6%) and miliolids such as Pyrgo (5%). Twelve genera were occasional, including Triloculina (4%) and Elphidium (3%). Tests of 16 genera occurred rarely (<1%), including agglutinated taxa such as Textularia and stress-tolerant forms like Bolivina. In total, FI values ranged from 1.3 to 9.6, FI′ from 1.9 to 9.7, and I_LS from 0.5 to 30.6. Bayside samples scored generally lower compared to reef samples. In summary, foraminiferal assemblages and associated bioindices indicated that environmental conditions supported Foraminifera that host algal symbionts in the reef environments and the prevalence of macroalgae and seagrass in the bayside benthos. Full article

The Chinese giant salamander (CGS, Andrias davidianus) is an endangered aquatic amphibian in China. Using environmental DNA (eDNA), this study aimed to monitor the spatial distribution of this species in Zhejiang Province, providing a scientific basis for species assessment, evaluation of reintroduction effectiveness, and non-invasive monitoring. Based on historical records of species presence, 18 representative water localities were selected for sampling. Among these localities, eDNA signals of the CGS were detected at nine. After excluding sampling sites affected by historical CGS releases and surrounding breeding farms, Jinzi Peak and Huyuan were inferred as candidate potentially natural stream habitats within the province. Additionally, eDNA monitoring was conducted at two release sites, Gutian Mountain and Banshanyuan, for two consecutive years. Results revealed lower detection rates in both areas in the second year of monitoring, potentially attributed to low survival rates, dispersal and disappearance, or sampling variability. A principal component analysis (PCA) of water quality factors (including parameters such as NH₃-N, TN, TP, COD) revealed distinct geographic clustering of CGS-positive and CGS-negative sampling sites that corresponded to their separation in topographic space, suggesting that the measured physicochemical conditions may be associated with the CGS eDNA detection probability. This study demonstrates that eDNA is a feasible and efficient method for surveying CGS in Zhejiang Province. Further, it provides an efficient non-invasive monitoring approach for endangered amphibians, with broad application prospects. Full article

Ethnobiological gardens conserve both biological and cultural diversity, but their permeable boundaries may expose native wildlife inside the garden to chronic domestic carnivore activity. In this single-garden case study, we compare small mammal assemblages between the Jardín Etnobiológico Tlaxcallan (JET), a periurban ethnobiological garden in Tlaxcala, Mexico, and its adjacent, heterogeneous Periphery of native vegetation and agricultural matrix, using live traps, camera traps, and direct observations over nine months. Across 162 detections of 9 species, the Periphery consistently showed higher richness and diversity than the JET at every Hill number order and the two assemblages were compositionally distinct (Bray–Curtis = 0.679), with the JET dominated by disturbance-tolerant species and the Periphery additionally harboring habitat-sensitive natives that were largely or entirely absent from the JET. Domestic cats were detected almost exclusively within the JET, while dogs were recorded at both sites. Dog and cat detection rates were both positively associated with species richness in generalized linear mixed models, a pattern that most plausibly reflects spatial co-occurrence between carnivores and disturbance-tolerant species within the JET rather than a facilitative effect of carnivores on richness. Because our design contrasts a single garden with a single Periphery, these results cannot separate the influence of domestic carnivores from co-varying differences in habitat structure, sampling geometry, or human activity. We therefore present the observed compositional turnover as a hypothesis-generating pattern consistent with—but not evidence of—carnivore-associated ecological filtering that warrants testing through replicated, multi-site designs before informing carnivore management in periurban ethnobiological gardens. Full article

Medicinal plants constitute an essential component of global biodiversity and have long served as a primary source of traditional and modern therapeutic agents. Forest ecosystems harbor a significant proportion of medicinal plant diversity, providing habitats for numerous species with recognized pharmacological value. However, increasing anthropogenic pressures, including habitat destruction, overexploitation, land-use change, forest fragmentation, and climate change, have contributed to the decline of many medicinal plant populations worldwide. Consequently, a growing number of medicinal forest species are now classified as endangered, threatened, vulnerable, or protected under national and international conservation frameworks. This review synthesizes current scientific knowledge on endangered and protected medicinal plants found in forest ecosystems. A mixed-methods approach combining bibliometric assessment and qualitative literature analysis was employed to evaluate publication trends, geographical distribution, research hotspots, ecological characteristics, genetic resources, pharmacological properties, and conservation strategies related to threatened medicinal forest species. The review identified 77 medicinal plant species of conservation concern distributed across diverse forest regions worldwide, with the highest research activity originating from Asia, particularly India and China. The findings highlight the ecological importance and therapeutic potential of these species while emphasizing the critical threats posed by habitat degradation, unsustainable harvesting, and climate change. Advances in habitat suitability modeling, molecular genetics, ex situ propagation, and conservation planning have improved opportunities for species protection; however, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding population dynamics, long-term conservation effectiveness, and sustainable utilization. Strengthening integrated conservation approaches that combine habitat protection, sustainable management, scientific research, and traditional ecological knowledge is essential for safeguarding endangered medicinal forest plants and ensuring their continued contribution to biodiversity conservation, healthcare, and future drug discovery. Full article

Understanding how environmental heterogeneity shapes animal movement is a central goal of movement ecology, yet movement metrics derived from GPS data often integrate multiple behavioural states, complicating ecological interpretation. We analysed 30,323 GPS observations from six juvenile white storks (Ciconia ciconia) to disentangle the effects of habitat and behavioural state on movement speed and altitude above ground level. Behaviour was classified into resting, local movement, and flight based on speed thresholds and incorporated into linear mixed-effects models alongside habitat. Behavioural state was the dominant determinant of movement metrics. Relative to resting, flight increased speed by approximately 43 km h⁻¹ and altitude above ground level by approximately 566 m, whereas habitat effects were significant but substantially smaller. Differences in movement metrics among habitats were largely explained by variation in the distribution of behavioural states, with cropland dominated by resting behaviour and water associated primarily with flight. Sensitivity analyses based on alternative behavioural thresholds, leave-one-individual-out models, flight-only analyses, and alternative treatments of altitude above ground level produced consistent results. These findings demonstrate that habitat-associated variation in movement metrics is primarily mediated by behavioural state rather than representing a direct consequence of habitat alone. Our results highlight the importance of explicitly accounting for behavioural heterogeneity when linking movement to environmental conditions and provide a refined interpretation of the energy landscape framework. Full article

Wildlife plays a vital role in maintaining ecological balance and biodiversity, relying on habitats that provide shelter, food, and essential resources. This study investigated wildlife distribution and diversity across the REDD+ program area in Cambodia’s Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary, a lowland evergreen forest ecosystem, and assessed the effects of forest habitats and anthropogenic pressure on their distribution. We used square transects for sampling and ArcGIS to calculate forest cover and distance to the nearest village as a proxy for human impact. Overall, we recorded seven mammals and two birds, with the great hornbill (Buceros bicornis) most frequently detected, followed by pileated gibbon (Hylobates pileatus), wild pig (Sus scrofa), long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis), green peafowl (Pavo muticus), northern red muntjac (Muntiacus vaginalis), and Indochinese silvered langur (Trachypithecus germaini), while gaur (Bos gaurus) and sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) were least detected. Wildlife richness and abundance were higher in evergreen-dominated habitats than in mixed deciduous–evergreen forests. Certain K-selected species, including pileated gibbon, Indochinese silvered langur, and great hornbill, were highly specialized and preferred intact forests, whereas generalist species such as northern red muntjac, long-tailed macaque, and wild pig showed ecological flexibility in habitat use. These findings emphasize tailored conservation strategies: protecting intact evergreen forests via REDD+ supports specialized species, while adaptive management in mosaic landscapes benefits generalists, enhancing wildlife conservation and sustainable management of the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary. Full article

Dendrobium flexicaule has extremely strict requirements for its habitat, and its seeds are small and lack stored nutritional reserves, resulting in an extremely low natural germination rate. Excessive pursuit and excavation of wild D. flexicaule have led to the gradual depletion and a critical situation of endangerment. This study conducted tissue culture and in vitro regeneration of mature seeds of the endangered medicinal plant D. flexicaule, systematically investigating the optimal culture conditions for the regeneration propagation system. The results showed that, for the primary culture of sterile germination in the seed stage, the optimal culture medium was MS medium containing 0.2 mg/L NAA and 80 g/L potato homogenate, with the highest germination rate of 98.33%, and the protocorms grew robustly. The optimal subculture for the proliferation and differentiation of protocorms was MS medium containing 0.5 mg/L NAA and 0.5 mg/L 6-BA, supplemented with 0.5 g/L activated carbon, with a proliferation coefficient of 1.88 and differentiation rate of 81.33%; the clustered buds developed well. The 1/2 MS medium with added 50 g/L banana puree and 1 g/L activated carbon significantly promoted the growth of tissue culture seedlings, suggesting that medium without the addition of plant growth regulators is the optimal formulation for promoting vigorous seedling growth and rooting induction of D. flexicaule tissue culture seedlings. This study established an effective protocol for in vitro tissue culture of D. flexicaule, which is expected to offer valuable technical support for the establishment of rapid propagation and cultivation, relieving its endangered situation of wild resources. Full article

Invasive algal taxa represent an emerging but poorly quantified threat to Iraq’s freshwater ecosystems. Drawing on floristic surveys, recent molecular detections, and regional literature, this review synthesizes the current evidence regarding the occurrence of Didymosphenia geminata and Hydrodictyon reticulatum and identifies Leptolyngbya benthonica and Nostoc paludosum as cryptogenic cyanobacterial taxa requiring further ecological assessment. A preliminary qualitative risk evaluation identifies D. geminata and H. reticulatum as high-priority taxa for monitoring based on their documented invasion history elsewhere, potential ecological effects, and likelihood of introduction and spread. In contrast the cryptogenic cyanobacteria Leptolyngbya benthonica and Nostoc paludosum should be interpreted cautiously because they are recently detected taxa whose origin and ecological behavior remain uncertain. Potential ecological risks include competitive displacement of native periphyton, disruption of benthic food webs, oxygen depletion during decomposition, and habitat alteration through the formation of dense mats. Major knowledge gaps include the absence of baseline distribution data, continued reliance on morphology-based identifications, limited application of molecular tools, and the lack of standardized national risk-assessment frameworks. Addressing these gaps would improve Iraq’s ability to detect, monitor, and manage algal invasions, thereby safeguarding vital water resources under escalating climatic and anthropogenic pressures. Full article

River regulation often leads to uniform conditions within the river channel, alters sediment dynamics, and contributes to the degradation of aquatic habitats. Deflectors are increasingly used as habitat-forming elements in river restoration projects. However, the interaction between hydraulic conditions, sediment inflow, deflector location, and surface roughness and their effects on the spatial extent of sediment removal remain insufficiently studied. Laboratory experiments were conducted in a flow channel using three geometrically identical deflectors arranged according to the configuration observed in the Flinta River in western Poland. The studies were conducted for the following combinations: three discharges (Q = 0.40, 0.64, and 1.70 dm³ s⁻¹), three water depths (h = 0.03, 0.06, and 0.09 m), three cumulative surrogate-sediment masses (R_um = 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 kg), three dimensionless longitudinal positions (ξ = 0.21, 0.61, and 1.00), and two deflector roughness specifications—smooth or rough. The two-dimensional extent of the sediment-free zone was quantified based on aerial photographs using the normalized surface index A^∗. Dimensionless water depth and dimensionless discharge were the dominant factors χ > Q^∗ > R^∗ ≫ ξ, and their interaction $Q^{\ast }\times \chi$ constituted the strongest two-way effect, whereas sediment mass had a significant but secondary influence. Surface roughness did not independently affect the mean $A^{\ast }$ value but altered the spatial characteristics: longitudinal position was non-significant for smooth deflectors but became significant for rough deflectors, particularly through interactions between depth and location and between depth, location, and surface. These findings indicate that deflector roughness should not be specified as an isolated design parameter but should be selected jointly with the expected flow-depth regime and the longitudinal placement of successive structures. In practical terms, the results can support the preliminary design and positioning of habitat-forming deflectors intended to create or maintain spatially differentiated sediment-cleared zones in regulated channels, thereby contributing to more evidence-based and sustainable river restoration. Full article

Soil fauna represent an important component of terrestrial ecosystems and serve as sensitive bioindicators of environmental changes and the intensity of anthropogenic disturbances. Our research was conducted between 2020 and 2023 across 15 habitats differing in management intensity. Soil fauna were sampled using pitfall traps. A total of 88,112 individuals belonging to 18 taxa were recorded. Community variability was assessed using redundancy analysis (RDA), which revealed a clear differentiation between managed and unmanaged habitats. The results indicated that more soil fauna preferred more stable and less disturbed environments, whereas managed sites exhibited greater heterogeneity of soil fauna communities. Statistical analyses confirmed significant differences in individual abundance among study areas (1–15), years (2020–2023), and seasons (Friedman test, p = 0.016; Kruskal–Wallis test, p < 0.001), highlighting the substantial influence of habitat characteristics and seasonal dynamics on the structure of soil fauna. The predictive models suggested the persistence of natural population fluctuations without a pronounced long-term decline in abundance. The findings provide valuable information for optimizing habitat management, evaluating the effectiveness of restoration measures, and supporting biodiversity conservation in ecosystems of European importance. Full article

Research on insect biodiversity in arid and semi-arid agroecosystems of Central Asia remains limited, hindering the development of effective insect conservation strategies and integrated pest management (IPM) programs. This study examined insect community structure, diversity, and seasonal dynamics across three habitat types in Kekedala City, in the autonomous region of Ili Kazakh, Xinjiang, China. Solar-powered ultraviolet LED light traps (350–420 nm) were used for sampling from April to August 2024. A total of 63,090 individuals of 83 species, 57 families and 72 genera of insects were collected. Diversity indices calculated using the complete species dataset showed highest diversity in the riparian corridor (L3: H′ = 3.42, D = 0.962, S = 62), intermediate diversity in the agro-horticultural garden (L2: H′ = 3.18, D = 0.948, S = 54), and lowest diversity in the xerophytic shrubland (L1: H′ = 2.97, D = 0.935, S = 47). A supplementary analysis targeted a shared core assemblage of 17 species, defined as taxa captured at all three sampling sites with cumulative total abundances ranging from 50 to 100 individuals. This subset exhibited near-uniform diversity metrics across habitats (H′ = 2.83, D = 0.941, Pielou’s evenness J′ ≈ 1.0), a pattern driven by the prevalence of habitat generalists rather than capturing site-specific full community diversity. Two abundant pest species, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner, 1808) (cotton bollworm, 5209 individuals, 8.3% of total) and Oryctes rhinoceros (Linnaeus, 1758) (rhinoceros beetle, 5206 individuals, 8.2% of total), both peaked in abundance in July–August; O. rhinoceros is associated with local ornamental and date palm plantings in the study area. In total, 15 major pest species were recorded. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) DNA barcoding confirmed two new national insect records for China: Stethoconus pyri (Mella, 1861) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) and Pinacoplus didymogramma (Hampson, 1907) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). This study provides the first comprehensive baseline inventory of the insect fauna of Kekedala City. Descriptive ordination analyses suggest that habitat vegetation complexity may exert a stronger filtering effect on insect assemblage composition than the relatively small seasonal variation in temperature and humidity observed during the sampling period. As only a single trap was deployed within each habitat with no within-site replication, all cross-habitat community patterns reported herein are strictly descriptive and require validation via replicated field sampling in future research. Full article