Search Results (124)

Old-growth forests play a vital role in the conservation of terrestrial biodiversity, though they are rare and increasingly threatened worldwide. The Mediterranean region hosts notable examples of these ecosystems, but information about their location, structure, and biodiversity is still largely incomplete. In this work, we tested the hypothesis that the region of Tuscany (Italy) harbors forest sites with old-growth characteristics in light of the EU indicators and the Italian ministerial guidelines. Accordingly, data on stand structural and plant diversity variables were collected in 27 plots located in pre-selected sites across different forest types of the region. As a result, 12 sites were inventoried that can be proposed as candidates for the national network of old-growth forests. These were largely unknown, ca. 10–300 ha in surface and encompassing five main forest types across 14 Natura2000 habitats. All stands have reached the mature or nearly senescent stage thanks to natural dynamic processes for over 70 years after the cessation of substantial anthropogenic disturbances. The structural heterogeneity index (SHI), based on living and deadwood biomass variables, was relatively high (66.2–84%). However, structural variables depended on forest type, thus on bioclimatic context and dominant tree species. Stands with beech and mountain conifers showed more pronounced old-growth characteristics than Mediterranean stands due to a faster recovery dynamic after cessation of disturbance. As many as 193 vascular plant taxa were recorded, with 16 species occurring with trees ≥ 50 cm in diameter. Forest specialist taxa, either woody or herbaceous, were prevalent, but numerous generalists also occurred in the gaps. Ancient forest species were also well represented, supporting the long temporal continuity of the forests. This work advances knowledge about forest sites with old-growth characteristics in southern Europe, contributing to the implementation of the national network and the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030. Strict protection of these sites is necessary to allow the forest stands to fully reach the old-growth stage in the next decades, despite the negative influence of climate change. Full article

Silverfish (order Zygentoma) comprise a diverse group of primitively wingless insects, several of which have evolved myrmecophilous associations with ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). However, the diversity and host relationships of ant-associated Zygentoma in the Balkans remain insufficiently documented. In this study, we surveyed ant nests across Bulgaria to assess the taxonomic diversity, host specificity and distribution of silverfish associated with ants. We identified five species: Atelura montana (Stach, 1946), Proatelurina pseudolepisma (Grassi, 1887), Neoasterolepisma balcanicum (Stach, 1922), N. cf. crassipes (Escherich, 1905) and N. wasmanni (Moniez, 1894). These species were recorded from nests of ants belonging to the genera Bothriomyrmex, Aphaenogaster, Pheidole, Messor, Tetramorium, Formica and Lasius. Patterns of host association ranged from generalist species occurring in nests of multiple ant genera, such as Atelura montana, to more specialised taxa largely restricted to a single host genus, as observed in Neoasterolepisma species. Our findings expand the current understanding of myrmecophilous Zygentoma in the Balkans. Three species—Proatelurina pseudolepisma, Neoasterolepisma cf. crassipes, and Neoasterolepisma wasmanni—are reported here for the first time in Bulgaria, bringing the total number of recorded silverfish species in the country to 11. Moreover, our results highlight the ecological importance of ant nests as microhabitats that support highly specialised arthropod communities. Full article

Orf virus (ORFV), a member of the Parapoxvirus genus, is commonly associated with a highly infectious skin disease primarily affecting sheep and goats, with a reported zoonotic potential. Initially identified in the 18th century, ORFV has been sporadically reported in other species, including humans. The present study analyzed the genetic variability and phylodynamic patterns of ORFV using the highly variable VIR gene, focusing on global strains from multiple hosts, including various species of ruminants and humans. A dataset of 267 ORFV strains from around the world, including sequences from the understudied island of Cuba, was used for the analyses. Results revealed greater genetic variability for ORFV than previously reported. While the virus may be defined as a generalist pathogen, capable of infecting various ruminant species and less frequently humans, signs of host-specific specialization are emerging exclusively for sheep and goats. Other ruminant species and humans may be categorized as occasional hosts, with infections likely linked to habitat overlap with sheep and goats and sporadic transmission that appears influenced by specific risk factors. In conclusion, these findings contribute to a better understanding of the transmission risks posed by ORFV, highlighting the need for further investigations into its potential to infect a broader range of hosts, particularly humans. Full article

The essential oils obtained by steam distillation of leaves of Piper species have found several applications in bioeconomy due to their various biological properties. Nevertheless, the analysis of essential oils does not provide information regarding the ecologically relevant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by metabolically active leaves under real-world conditions, challenged or not by herbivore damage. In this study, P. arboreum growing in a highly diverse area was observed as the host of two generalist caterpillars—Gonodonta maria (Erebidae) and Dysodia spissicornis (Thyrididae)—and one Piper-specialist from the genus Eois (Geometridae). The effect of the leaf attack caused by the three different caterpillars on VOCs emission indicated significant and herbivore-specific changes in leaf-induced responses. The profiles of undamaged leaves showed that the two generalist herbivores induced a higher number of single VOCs and of total VOCs emissions by P. arboreum when compared to the herbivory of the specialist caterpillar. Many of the VOCs emitted by herbivore-damaged leaves contained terpenoids that have been previously shown to attract parasitoids, such as (E)-β-ocimene, linalool, DMNT and (E)-β-caryophyllene. All three herbivores significantly altered the VOC profile of P. arboreum leaves compared to undamaged controls, but specific composition signatures were observed, highlighting the complexity of chemical communication at multitrophic levels. Full article

Cross-ecosystem transmission of plant pathogens from crops to natural forests is increasingly recognized as a key factor in disease emergence and biodiversity loss. Agricultural systems serve as major sources of inoculum, with landscape interfaces—such as crop–forest edges, riparian zones, abandoned orchards, and nursery–wildland transitions—acting as active epidemiological gateways. Biological vectors, abiotic dispersal, and human activities collectively enable pathogen movement across these boundaries. Host-range expansion, recombination, and hybridization allow pathogens to infect both cultivated and wild hosts, leading to generalist and recombinant lineages that survive across diverse habitats. In natural ecosystems, such introductions can alter community composition, decrease resilience, and intensify the impacts of climate-driven stress. Advances in molecular diagnostics, genomic surveillance, environmental DNA, and remote sensing–GIS (Geographic Information System) approaches now enable high-resolution detection of pathogen flow across landscapes. Incorporating these tools into interface-focused monitoring frameworks offers a pathway to earlier detection, better risk assessment, and more effective mitigation. A One Health, landscape-based approach that treats agro–wild interfaces as key control points is essential for reducing spillover risk and safeguarding both agricultural productivity and the health of natural forest ecosystems. Full article

Peganum harmala (L.) Schrad., a perennial medicinal plant thriving in arid Moroccan soils, represents a natural reservoir of unexplored bacterial diversity. To uncover its hidden foliar endosphere microbiota, we isolated and characterized two Acinetobacter strains: a novel endophytic bacterium, AGC35, and another strain, AGC59, newly reported from this host. Both are non-halophilic, aerobic, Gram-negative bacteria exhibiting optimal growth at 30–35 °C, pH5, and with 1% NaCl. An integrative genomic, phylogenetic, functional, and phenotypic characterization classified both strains within the genus Acinetobacter (class Gamma-pseudomonadota). However, Average Nucleotide Identity (<96%) and digital DNA-DNA Hybridization (<70%) values distinguished the AGC35 strain as a novel species, for which the name Acinetobacter endophylla sp. nov. is proposed. A comparative genomic and phenotypic analysis with the co-isolated Acinetobacter pittii strain AGC59 revealed extensive genome rearrangements, reflecting distinct evolutionary lineage and ecological strategies. While both genomes share core metabolic pathways, A. endophylla harbors specialized genes for the degradation of plant-derived aromatic compounds (e.g., catechol) but shows reduced capacities in carbohydrate metabolism and osmotic stress tolerance, traits indicative of a metabolic specialist with plant-growth-promotion potential, including phosphorus, potassium, and silicon solubilization and indole-3-acetic acid production. In contrast, A. pittii exhibits a more generalist genome enriched in stress functions. Analysis using the Antibiotics and Secondary Metabolite Analysis Shell revealed multiple biosynthetic gene clusters in both strains, showing ≤26% similarity to known references, suggesting the potential for novel antimicrobial secondary metabolite biosynthesis, including antifungal lipopeptides and thiopeptide antibiotics. Altogether, functional specialization and ecological coherence of these findings support the recognition of A. endophylla sp. nov. as a genomically and functionally distinct species, highlighting niche partitioning and adaptive metabolism within the P. harmala holobiont. These results underscore the plant’s value as a reservoir of untapped microbial diversity with significant ecological and biotechnological relevance. Finally, future work will focus on elucidating the novel metabolites encoded by the biosynthetic gene clusters in both isolates and exploring their applications in crop-improvement strategies and natural-product discovery. Full article

Hulun Lake, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, faces mounting threats from extreme climate events and anthropogenic pressures, highlighting the need for robust biodiversity monitoring. Environmental DNA (eDNA) has emerged as a promising tool for aquatic biomonitoring, yet different bioinformatic pipelines—such as Amplicon Sequence Variant (ASV) and Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) clustering—may yield divergent results. This study compares ASV and OTU clustering approaches in eDNA metabarcoding alongside traditional capture-based surveys to assess fish diversity in Hulun Lake. Across all methods, we identified 43 taxa (40 species), including the critically endangered Acheilognathus hypselonotus and vulnerable Choi’s spiny loach (Cobitis choii). While eDNA methods detected 2~3 times more species than in nets (13 species), strong methodological correlations (p < 0.001) were observed between net frequencies and eDNA-derived relative abundances (based on both ASV and OTU datasets using 4th-root and log transformations). Clustering analysis of capture-based data revealed four distinct ecological zones: the areas near tourist facilities, Wuerxun River inflow region, Wulan Nuoer Lake (connected via the Wuerxun River), and the Lake Centre. Significant spatial variation (p < 0.05) between these four zones was found in eDNA datasets, whereas nets captured more heterogeneous patterns, consistent with previous studies. Community structures were shaped by both generalists (e.g., Cyprinus carpio, Hemiculter bleekeri) and habitat specialists such as Amur catfish (Silurus asotus). The Lake Centre hosted a unique assemblage, likely due to reduced human disturbance. Overall, both eDNA clustering methods outperformed capture-based survey in detecting species richness and offered semi-quantitative insights. However, discrepancies between ASV and OTU approaches were evident in resolving fine-scale community differences. We recommend an integrated monitoring strategy that combines the sensitivity of eDNA with the abundance resolution of net captured to inform spatially targeted conservation and habitat protection in this vulnerable ecosystem. Full article

Presented here are additional explanations for five key points offered by Rojero et al. in their 2025 publication in this journal, regarding characteristics of hyper-aggressive phage 0524phi7-1. These are (i) that the “bypassing of the evolution of host resistance” has been seen in other phages, especially dual-receptor generalist phages; (ii) that the “clearing of semi-turbid plaques” could be due to a phenomenon known as lysis inhibition collapse, (iii) that the “formation of satellite plaques” is reminiscent of the morphology of plaques generated by phage T4 star mutants, (iv) that “multi-day plaque enlargement” has been seen in other phages such as phage T7 but may also be explained by other phenomena including endolysin release, (v) that suggestions of phage “swimming” could be explained by virion diffusion within empty volumes found within maturing bacterial lawns. In particular, phage plaques that display lysis inhibition can influence the surrounding bacterial lawn well beyond their visible region. This presumably occurs via a reaction–diffusion mechanism whose leading edge of virion diffusion fails to display lysis inhibition, but which leaves in its wake lysis-inhibited bacterial infections that may not lyse in a timely manner. Phage-infected bacteria thus may be found well beyond a plaque’s visible boundaries, along with diffusing endolysin. Full article

The Lactobacillaceae family encompasses microorganisms of exceptional ecological and biotechnological importance, serving as central agents in food fermentations, health applications, and nutrient cycling across diverse environments. Despite their broad functional and phylogenetic diversity, the global distribution and ecological specialization of Lactobacillaceae are not yet fully understood. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of over 2 million records from the NCBI database to survey and trace the ecological landscape of Lactobacillaceae across thousands of distinct habitats. Our results reveal that food products and animal hosts represent the primary ecological niches for members of this family. The examined taxa exhibit a broad spectrum of ecological strategies, ranging from generalists with wide environmental adaptability to specialists with strict niche preferences. Notably, our findings highlight a profound geographical and ecological sampling bias, with unclassified taxids frequent in animal gastrointestinal tracts, soils, and especially in living plant tissues—habitats identified as promising frontiers for discovering novel biodiversity. The obtained results emphasize the urgent need for expanded sampling efforts in underexplored geographic regions such as Africa, Antarctica, the Arctic, South America, and Central Asia to capture a more complete picture of Lactobacillaceae diversity. The study underscores the necessity of implementing standardized, metadata-rich data deposition practices to enable unbiased, large-scale ecological and evolutionary analyses. Ultimately, these insights not only deepen our fundamental knowledge of Lactobacillaceae diversity but also provide a strategic framework for future bioprospecting, fostering the discovery of novel strains and expanding the biotechnological potential of this influential bacterial family. Full article

Australian elapid snakes possess potent procoagulant venoms, capable of inducing severe venom-induced consumption coagulopathy (VICC) in snakebite victims through rapid activation of the coagulation cascade by converting the FVII and prothrombin zymogens into their active forms. These venoms fall into two mechanistic categories: FXa-only venoms, which hijack host factor Va, and FXa:FVa venoms, containing a complete venom-derived prothrombinase complex. While previous studies have largely focused on human plasma, the ecological and evolutionary drivers behind prey-selective venom efficacy remain understudied. Here, thromboelastography was employed to comparatively evaluate venom coagulotoxicity across prey classes (amphibian, avian, rodent) and human plasma, using a taxonomically diverse selection of Australian snakes. The amphibian-specialist species Pseudechis porphyriacus (Red-Bellied Black Snake) exhibited significantly slower effects on rodent plasma, suggesting evolutionary refinement towards ectothermic prey. In contrast, venoms from dietary generalists retained broad efficacy across all prey types. Intriguingly, notable divergence was observed within Pseudonaja textilis (Eastern Brown Snake): Queensland populations of this species, and all other Pseudonaja (brown snake) species, formed rapid but weak clots in prey and human plasma. However, the South Australian populations of P. textilis produced strong, stable clots across prey plasmas and in human plasma. This is a trait shared with Oxyuranus species (taipans) and therefore represents an evolutionary reversion towards the prothrombinase phenotype present in the Oxyuranus and Pseudonaja last common ancestor. Clinically, this distinction has implications for the pathophysiology of human envenomation, potentially influencing clinical progression, including variations in clinical coagulopathy tests, and antivenom effectiveness. Thus, this study provides critical insight into the ecological selection pressures shaping venom function, highlights intraspecific venom variation linked to geographic and phylogenetic divergence, and underscores the importance of prey-focused research for both evolutionary toxinology and improved clinical management of snakebite. Full article

Using metrics from network theory allows us to understand the structural organization of epiphyte communities and identify the host trees (phorophytes) that are fundamental to their establishment. In this study, we applied ecological network metrics to examine the structure of interactions between vascular epiphytes and phorophytes in a woody inselberg community in southeastern Brazil. The recorded network comprised 30 epiphyte species and 13 phorophyte species, exhibiting a nested structure, low specialization (H₂′), low connectance, and low modularity, like other epiphyte–phorophyte networks. The main roles in the network were played by the generalist epiphyte Tillandsia loliacea and the lithophytic phorophytes Tabebuia reticulata and Pseudobombax petropolitanum, which interacted with 100% of the recorded epiphytic species. Epiphyte species were organized vertically into modules that correlate with the ecological zones of the phorophytes, suggesting that their distribution responds to microclimatic variation along the vertical gradient. These results reinforce the importance of particular phorophyte species as key structuring agents of epiphytic communities and highlight their central role in extreme environments such as inselbergs. Full article

Natural enemies commonly probe larval bodies and frass with their antennae for prey hunting. However, the attractants to natural enemies emitted directly from hosts and host-associated tissues remained largely unknown. Here, we used two generalist noctuid species, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) and Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith), along with the larval endoparasitoid Microplitis mediator (Haliday) to address the question. Extracts of larval frass of both the noctuid species were strongly attractive to M. mediator females when hosts were fed either maize, cotton, soybean leaves, or an artificial diet without leaf tissues. By using a combination of electrophysiological measurements and behavioral tests, we found that the attractiveness of frass mainly relied on a volatile compound ethyl palmitate. The compound was likely to be a by-product of host digestion involving gut bacteria because an antibiotic supplement in diets reduced the production of the compound in frass and led to the decreased attractiveness of frass to the parasitoids. In contrast, extracts of the larval bodies of both the noctuid species appeared to be less attractive to the parasitoids than their respective fecal extracts, independently of types of food supplied to the larvae. Altogether, larval frass of the two noctuid species was likely to be more important than their bodies in attracting the endoparasitoid species, and the main attractant of frass was probably one of the common metabolites of digestion involving gut microbes, and its emission is likely to be independent of host plant species. Full article

Canine morbillivirus (CDV), the cause of canine distemper, is a pathogen affecting many hosts. While modified live virus (MLV) vaccines are crucial for controlling the disease in dogs, cases of vaccine-related infections have been found in both domestic and wild animals. Specifically, the America-1 and Rockborn-like vaccine genotypes are concerning due to their spread and ability to transmit between different species. This study conducted a review and analysis of molecular detections of these strains in various carnivores (domestic, captive, synanthropic, and wild species). This study used a conceptual model considering host ecology and the domestic–wild interface to evaluate plausible transmission connections over time using Linear Directional Mean (LDM) and Weighted Mean Centre (WMC) methods. Statistical analyses examined the relationship between how likely a strain is to spread and factors like host type and vaccination status. The findings showed that the America-1 genotype spread in a more organised way, with domestic dogs being the main source and recipient, bridging different environments. Synanthropic mesocarnivores also played this same role, with less intensity. America-1 was most concentrated in the North Atlantic and Western Europe. In contrast, the Rockborn-like strain showed a more unpredictable and restricted spread, residual circulation from past use rather than ongoing spread. Species involved in vaccine-related infections often share characteristics like generalist behaviour, social living, and a preference for areas where domestic animals and wildlife interact. We did not find a general link between a host vaccination status and the likelihood of the strain spreading. The study emphasised the ongoing risk of vaccine-derived strains moving from domestic and synanthropic animals to vulnerable wild species, supporting the need for improved vaccination approaches. Mapping these plausible transmission routes can serve as a basis for targeted surveillance, not only of vaccine-derived strains, but of any other circulating genotype. Full article

Projections indicate that the global urban population is anticipated to reach 67.2% by 2050, accompanied by a threefold increase in urban built-up areas worldwide. Urbanization has profoundly transformed Earth’s natural environment, notably characterized by the drastic reduction and fragmentation of wildlife habitats. These changes contribute to local species extinction, leading to biodiversity loss and profoundly impacting ecological processes and regional sustainable development. However, within urban settings, certain ‘generalist’ species demonstrate survival capabilities contingent upon phenotypic plasticity. The co-evolution of gut microbiota with their hosts emerges as a key driver of this phenotypic plasticity. The presence of diverse gut microbiota constitutes a crucial adaptive mechanism essential for enabling hosts to adjust to rapid environmental shifts. This review comprehensively explores amniote gut microbial changes in the context of urbanization, examining potential drivers of these changes (including diet and environmental pollutants) and their potential consequences for host health (such as physiology, metabolism, immune function, and susceptibility to infectious and non-infectious diseases). Ultimately, the implications of the gut microbiome are highlighted for elucidating key issues in ecology and evolution. This understanding is expected to enhance our comprehension of species adaptation in the Anthropocene. Full article

Tephritidae is an economically important family among Diptera that also exhibits high diversity, biogeographical distribution, and different lifestyles. Despite the recent release of genomes and mitochondrial genome sequences of various species of the family, the evolutionary history of the group and the origin of host adaptation within it remain poorly understood. We undertook a whole-mitochondrial-genome study covering molecular variation at the mitochondrial level by analyzing 10 new mitochondrial genomes obtained from genomic data reported and downloaded from the SRA database from NCBI, analyzed in FastQC and assembled through MITGARD, and 44 mitogenomes available in the Organelle—Refseq database, in total representing 4 subfamilies, 9 tribes, 13 genera, and 54 species. We determined compositional asymmetry and codon usage patterns across the different subfamilies analyzed by using DNASp6 and CAICal. We found high evolutionary rates in the NADH genes, which could play an important role in the adaptation of species to different hosts and environmental variation. By using maximum likelihood phylogenetic reconstruction obtained by IQTREE and ModelFinder, and lifestyle and distribution data of the included species, we considered a generalist feature, explained as possible predominant adaptation in some members of the family. This study in Tephritidae tries to demonstrate possible patterns among molecular variability in mitogenomes, adaptations, and lifestyles. Our findings suggest that selection pressures on certain NADH genes may be linked to host specificity in some Tephritidae species, providing evolutionary insights into how molecular evolution drives ecological adaptation or biogeographical diversity, probably in response to changing environmental conditions and host–parasite co-evolution across taxa. Full article