Search Results (67)

Urban coral reefs in Jakarta Bay and the Thousand Islands, Indonesia, are chronically exposed to land-based pollution and increasing thermal stress. These reefs—including the site of Indonesia’s first recorded coral bleaching event in 1983—remain highly vulnerable to climate-induced disturbances. During the fourth global coral bleaching event (GCBE), we recorded selective bleaching in the region, associated with a Degree Heating Weeks (DHW) value of 4.8 °C-weeks. Surveys conducted in January 2024 across a shelf gradient at four representative islands revealed patchy bleaching, affecting various taxa at depths ranging from 3 to 13 m. A follow-up survey in May 2024, which tracked the fate of 42 tagged bleached colonies, found that 36% had fully recovered, 26% showed partial recovery, and 38% had died. Bleaching responses varied across taxa, depths, and microhabitats, often occurring in close proximity to unaffected colonies. While some corals demonstrated resilience, the overall findings underscore the continued vulnerability of urban reefs to escalating thermal stress. This highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive and coordinated national strategy—not only to monitor bleaching and assess reef responses, but also to strengthen protection measures and implement best-practice restoration. Such efforts are increasingly critical in the face of more frequent and severe bleaching events projected under future climate scenarios. Full article

Our research focused on the roost preferences of two bat species in a forest environment. Throughout the Anthropocene, people have heavily altered the landscape. Forested habitation has declined, with remaining forests becoming fragmented and often deprived of old trees that provide shelter opportunities for bats. TReMs (tree-related microhabitats) are essential for forest-dwelling bat species as they provide an opportunity to roost and shelter. Following an infestation of Ips typographus L., the Białowieża Forest is saturated with dead spruce trees. We investigated roost selection in two forest-dwelling species, Barbastella barbastellus and Pipistrellus pygmaeus. To examine similarities or differences in roost selection between species, we radio-tracked 24 barbastelles and 13 soprano pipistrelles over three breeding seasons. We located a total of 48 barbastelle roosts and 15 pipistrelle roosts, together with the characteristics of the surroundings. We found that barbastelles select roosts almost exclusively in dead spruce trees (43/48), while pipistrelles selected roosts predominantly in live (n = 8) and dead (n = 5) broadleaved trees. Our results show that both bat species have clear differences in roost tree preference. In our study area, with an abundance of exfoliating bark, barbastelles showed a preference for roosting under flaking bark despite the availability of crevices within broadleaved trees. Our findings provide useful insight into forestry practices, highlighting the importance of standing dead trees. Full article

Canopy gaps are vital microhabitats for forest carbon cycling and species regeneration, whose accurate extraction is crucial for ecological modeling and smart forestry. However, traditional monitoring methods have notable limitations: ground-based measurements are inefficient; remote-sensing interpretation is susceptible to terrain and spectral interference; and traditional algorithms exhibit an insufficient feature representation capability. Aiming at overcoming the bottleneck issues of canopy gap identification in mountainous forest regions, we constructed a multi-task deep learning model (ES-Net) integrating an edge–semantic collaborative perception mechanism. First, a refined sample library containing multi-scale interference features was constructed, which included 2808 annotated UAV images. Based on this, a dual-branch feature interaction architecture was designed. A cross-layer attention mechanism was embedded in the semantic segmentation module (SSM) to enhance the discriminative ability for heterogeneous features. Meanwhile, an edge detection module (EDM) was built to strengthen geometric constraints. Results from selected areas in Yunnan Province (China) demonstrate that ES-Net outperforms U-Net, boosting the Intersection over Union (IoU) by 0.86% (95.41% vs. 94.55%), improving the edge coverage rate by 3.14% (85.32% vs. 82.18%), and reducing the Hausdorff Distance by 38.6% (28.26 pixels vs. 46.02 pixels). Ablation studies further verify that the synergy between SSM and EDM yields a 13.0% IoU gain over the baseline, highlighting the effectiveness of joint semantic–edge optimization. This study provides a terrain-adaptive intelligent interpretation method for forest disturbance monitoring and holds significant practical value for advancing smart forestry construction and ecosystem sustainable management. Full article

The adverse impacts of invasive salmonids on native galaxiids are well documented at the population level in the freshwater ecosystems of the Southern Hemisphere. However, the mechanism underlying these interactions and sub-lethal effects of salmonids on native galaxiids at the individual level remain poorly understood. In this study, a series of controlled experiments was conducted to assess sub-lethal interactions between invasive brown trout (Salmo trutta) and the native Galaxias platei at an individual level. The microhabitat preferences of G. platei were evaluated in response to potential competition with juvenile brown trout and predation risk from piscivorous adults. In addition, the swimming capacity of G. platei was assessed to determine their ability to escape predation. The results show that at increasing densities of juvenile brown trout, G. platei fails to increase refuge use and are more frequently observed in open habitats. Furthermore, G. platei juveniles exhibit significantly lower swimming capacity compared to brown trout. In the presence of predatory trout, G. platei does not display a heightened preference for refuge habitats. These findings suggest that the behavioral response of G. platei could be insufficient to reduce competition and predation risks posed by brown trout and potentially other salmonids. Full article

Habitat degradation poses a critical threat to the Malabar slender loris (Loris lydekkerianus malabaricus), yet little is known about its microhabitat requirements in intact forest. In Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, we combined nocturnal trail surveys (337 loris sightings) with plotless sampling of 2830 trees (86 species from 35 families) to characterize both vegetation structure and loris presence. Our results show that lorises occur almost exclusively in mildly degraded wet evergreen and secondary moist deciduous subcanopies, where understory trees and climber networks provide continuous pathways. Individuals are most often encountered at heights of 5–15 m—ascending into higher strata as the night progresses—reflecting a balance between foraging access and predator avoidance. Substrate analysis revealed strong preferences for twigs ≤ 1 cm (36.98%) and small branches 2–5 cm in diameter, oriented obliquely to minimize energetic costs and maintain stability during slow, deliberate arboreal locomotion. Day-sleeping sites were overwhelmingly located within dense tangles of lianas on large-girth trees, where intertwined stems and thorny undergrowth offer concealment from both mammalian and avian predators. Vegetation surveys documented a near-equal mix of evergreen (50.6%) and deciduous (49.4%) species—including 26 endemics (18 restricted to the Western Ghats)—with Aporosa cardiosperma emerging as the most abundant riparian pioneer, suggesting both ecological resilience and potential simplification in fragmented patches. Complementing field observations, our recent habitat-suitability modeling in Aralam indicates that broad-scale climatic and anthropogenic factors—precipitation patterns, elevation, and proximity to roads—are the strongest predictors of loris occupancy, underscoring the interplay between landscape-level processes and microhabitat structure. Together, these findings highlight the imperative of multi-strata forest restoration—planting insect-hosting native trees, maintaining continuous canopy and climber networks, and integrating small “mini-forest” modules—to recreate the structural complexity vital for slender loris conservation and the broader resilience of Western Ghats biodiversity. Full article

Sympatric species often exhibit habitat differences that promote coexistence. Two cryptic, sympatric salamander species, Desmognathus folkertsi and D. amphileucus, occupy streams across the Appalachian Mountains of northeastern Georgia, USA. Although frequently occurring together, the adults exhibit differences in microhabitat with D. folkertsi predominating in smaller streams and D. amphileucus more abundant in larger streams. Our purpose was to test for possible differences in larval habitat. Using a stream in which the two species coexist, we collected larvae from riffles, and biotic and abiotic variables associated with the stream and adjacent riparian zone were recorded. Because adults partially segregate by stream size, we noted the entry of a tributary that increased stream size and flow rate. Results showed a significant distribution of the two species upstream compared to downstream of the tributary, with no D. amphileucus found upstream; D. folkertsi was found throughout the study stream. We also found a significant difference between species in flow rate. We found no differences in any other variable that explained larval distribution patterns. We hypothesize that D. folkertsi nest in lower-flow riffles than D. amphileucus, resulting in the distribution of larvae, a pattern that may reflect selection on larval survival. Full article

Species presence in urban landscapes is driven by complex biological and environmental interactions. In this study, we evaluated habitat and microhabitat selection by amphibians in urban environments using correspondence analysis, multiple correspondence analysis, and preference analysis. Data on habitats, microhabitats, and activities were recorded for 26 amphibian species in urban areas. All species were observed in natural habitats, while only 11 in artificial habitats. Leptodactylus latinasus, Leptodactylus macrosternum, Rhinella arenarum, and Rhinella dorbignyi were found in both habitat types, in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. Most individuals (74%) were recorded in natural habitats, predominantly aquatic ones. In artificial habitats (26%), R. arenarum was the most abundant species, primarily using terrestrial habitats. All species exhibited some degree of habitat preference, even generalist species. Amphibian activities were also linked to habitat type, with natural aquatic habitats primarily used for breeding and natural terrestrial habitats for refuge, foraging, and other activities. Our results highlight that heterogeneous natural habitats promote greater species diversity, while artificial habitats restrict amphibian presence. However, the capacity of certain species to adjust to artificial environments underscores the need to enhance these habitats by adding bodies of water, bare ground, and vegetation of all kinds to support the conservation of urban amphibians. Full article

Urban parks are refuges for a diversity of birds in cities. Therefore, understanding the relationship between park structure and different bird species is essential to achieve nature-friendly park planning and management. However, the selection of foraging substrates by ground-feeding species has been very little explored. The aim of this study was to analyze the use and selection of foraging substrates by birds in urban parks in Buenos Aires City, Argentina. Between December 2020 and February 2021, 16 urban parks were visited. During each visit, focal observations of individuals feeding on different microhabitats were made. For ground-foraging species, the use of each substrate was then compared with its availability by means of contingency tests. A total of 38 species and 7823 foraging attempts were registered. The species with the most records were the Rufous-bellied Thrush (Turdus rufiventris), the Eared Dove (Zenaida auriculata), and the Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus). Most of the species foraged on ground substrates. Several species, such as the Thrush and the Picazuro Pigeon (Patagioenas picazuro), selected lawn and bare ground. The Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) and the Cattle Tyrant (Machetornis rixosa) selected lawn, while the Eared Dove and the Picui Ground Dove (Columbina picui) selected bare ground. Some species such as the Picui Ground Dove and the Green-barred Woodpecker (Colaptes melanochloros) did not use impermeable surfaces. The results obtained revealed that not only is green cover necessary for birds in urban parks, but also other surfaces such as bare ground can favor native bird species. Full article

The European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is a tree species common throughout Europe, with the eastern boundary of its range extending across Poland. Samples were collected in several microhabitats of beech stands (e.g., leaf litter, rotting wood, moss growing on tree stumps) in the Wronie Forest Reserve. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of microhabitat conditions found in beech forests on the diversity of mite assemblages and their species richness. The collected samples comprised a total of 144 identified species (78 species of Oribatida, 66 species of Mesostigmata), represented by 74,433 mite individuals (71,124 Oribatida and 3309 Mesostigmata). All the analyzed microhabitats varied in terms of their mite assemblages. The highest number of species was identified in moss on beech stumps (72 species—53 Oribatida and 19 Mesostigmata) and in samples collected from beech litter (68 species—48 Oribatida and 20 Mesostigmata). The most numerously represented species in the analyzed material was Parachipteria willmanni, which was classified to superdominants in moss on beech stumps and moss on beech trunks (0.5 and 2.0 m), which were the most similar microhabitats. In contrast, mite assemblages in rotting wood and marsh litter differed greatly. Full article

Spiders are among the predominant predatory arthropods in rice field ecosystems. Although the potential of spiders for controlling pests during the growth stages of rice is well known, few studies have focused on the overwintering habits of spiders after rice harvesting. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the potential of rice stubble as an overwintering microhabitat for spiders in winter-fallowed rice fields. To this end, we investigated the arthropod community composition and analyzed the prey spectra of common predators in rice stubble in winter-fallowed rice fields in Nanchong City, Sichuan Province, China. The results showed that abundant predatory arthropods, particularly spiders, were present in the rice stubble, followed by other arthropods and pests. Dietary analysis via DNA metabarcoding revealed the prey availability and/or predation frequency of spiders is low in winter rice fields. Nevertheless, pests and other arthropods (particularly collembolans) within rice stubble serve as food resources for predators, particularly spiders, in winter-fallowed rice fields. Our results confirm that rice stubble provides overwintering microhabitats for spiders in winter-fallowed fields. Therefore, it is particularly important to properly manage rice stubble in winter-fallowed rice fields to enhance the biological pest control services of predators (including spiders). In addition, our findings highlight the potential of rice stubble as a habitat for the artificial reproduction of spiders for pest control in rice fields. Full article

The forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii) and Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) are browsers with a broad sympatric distribution in North and Southwest China. However, little is known about their spatial utilization of microhabitats and habitats. This study, conducted on Huanglong Mountain in China, analyzed the defecation site distribution, indicating preferences of forest musk deer and Siberian roe deer for their habitat demands. Using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs), we compared the defecation site preferences of both species and further examined their spatial utilization patterns. The results indicated that the primary factors influencing defecation site preferences for forest musk deer were slope (15.79%), elevation (4.26%), herbaceous cover (19.93%), herb height (33.73%), and tree diversity (15.64%). Conversely, for Siberian roe deer, elevation (54.63%) and herbaceous cover (29.31%) were the key factors. Significant differences were found in elevation (p < 0.001) and herbaceous diversity (p < 0.01) between the defecation sites of the two species, with additional notable differences in slope position, tree diversity, and average tree height (p < 0.05). Furthermore, forest musk deer primarily utilized broadleaf forests, coniferous forests, mixed conifer-broadleaf forests, and sparse woodlands. In contrast, Siberian roe deer utilized broadleaf forests, sparse woodlands, and coniferous forests, showing a significant difference (p = 0.01). These findings suggest distinct spatial ecological segregation between forest musk deer and Siberian roe deer regarding their microhabitat preferences and vegetation type utilization at the habitat scale. Full article

The red panda (Ailurus), a rare and endangered mammal native to the Himalayan–Hengduan Mountains, has a specialized bamboo diet. Combining morphological and genomic evidence, red pandas have been classified as Ailurus fulgens and Ailurus styani. However, previous studies focused on ecological aspects such as foraging behaviors, habitat use and threats within specific distributions; hence, there is still a gap in quantitative comparative studies on the trophic niches of these two species. In this study, we calculated and compared the isotopic trophic niche widths of A. styani and A. fulgens by measuring carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in hair keratin of 102 red pandas, then conducting a fecal analysis to explore the diet of a population. The results showed that (1) there was no significant difference in δ¹³C values between A. styani (−24.73 ± 1.26‰, N = 86) and A. fulgens (−24.43 ± 1.20‰, N = 16); however, A. styani had 1.4‰ higher average δ¹⁵N value than that of A. fulgens, and the isotopic niche widths converted by Bayesian ellipse model were A. styani SEA_C = 4.40‰², A. fulgens SEA_C = 4.70‰², which might be caused by their lower and narrower altitude distribution. (2) Niche widths of three genetic populations in A. styani were XXL-LS (5.16‰²), EH-GLG (3.40‰²), QL (2.31‰²), and the comparison of the fecal composition suggested their diet diversity, which might imply a degree of competitive pressure with sympatric animals. (3) Sichuan red pandas occupied a lower trophic position compared to other herbivores but higher than giant pandas in the same ecosystem, and the niche width of red pandas was two times larger than that of sympatric giant pandas, which was related to the foraging strategies and microhabitat selection of the giant and red panda. This research provides basic stable isotopic data for red pandas, offers scientific support for the differentiated and refined conservation and management of the red panda and its habitat, and develops the application of stable isotope analysis in the ecological studies of endangered species. Full article

Gut microbiota play a significant role in various physiological functions, including digestion, nutritional metabolism, and host immune function. The composition of these gut microbes is largely influenced by habitats. This study examines the gut microbiota of the Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) inhabiting rural and urban environments to understand the effects of habitat variation on microbial composition. We captured 36 rural and 29 urban adult tree sparrows and observed minor differences in body mass but substantial differences in foraging microhabitats between the two groups. Fecal samples from adult males with similar body mass were selected for a gut microbiome analysis to mitigate potential confounding effects, resulting in 20 successfully sequenced samples. The analysis disclosed disparities in gut microbiota diversity and composition between rural and urban sparrows. The urban group demonstrated slightly higher alpha diversity and distinct dominant phyla and genera compared to the rural group. Additionally, differences in the relative abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria were observed between the groups. Several potentially pathogenic bacteria (e.g., TM7, Staphylococcus, Helicobacter, and Shigella) were more abundant in the urban group, suggesting that tree sparrows may act as transmission vectors and develop stronger immune systems. This could potentially facilitate pathogen dissemination while also contributing to the natural cycling of nutrients and maintaining ecosystem health in urban environments. The beta diversity analysis confirmed structural differences in microbial communities, implicating habitat variation as a contributing factor. Furthermore, the LEfSe analysis emphasized significant differences in gut bacteria abundance (across two phyla, three classes, six orders, seven families, and eight genera) between urban and rural sparrows, with predicted functional differences in metabolic pathways. Notably, lipid metabolism was enriched in urban sparrows, indicating enhanced lipid synthesis and metabolism in urban habitats. In conclusion, this study underscores the profound influence of habitat on the gut microbiota composition and functional potential in tree sparrows. Our findings highlight that urbanization alters the gut microbes and, consequently, the physiological functions of bird species. Full article

The state of research into acarofauna in Polish national parks is very uneven. One of the least examined areas in this regard is Bory Tucholskie National Park (BTNP), established in 1996. The aim of the current research was to explore the species diversity and community structure of mites from the suborder Uropodina (Acari: Mesostigmata), inhabiting different forest, open, and unstable microhabitats in the area of BTNP. Based on the analysis of over 300 samples collected in BTNP between 2004 and 2024, 29 taxa of Uropodina were identified, with 3839 specimens found in the analyzed material. The highest species diversity has been observed in different types of pine forests (19 species), in transformed alder and alder forests (15 species, each), and in reeds (12 species), while the lowest diversity occurred in peat bog areas (8 species) and inland dunes (5 species). The spatial distribution analyses for Uropodina in the area of BTNP have been made and distribution maps for each species have been drawn. Moreover, the Maturity Index (MI) was also calculated to compare the species diversity of the Uropodina communities in BTNP with those in other Polish national parks. The Uropodina community in BTNP ranked eighth in terms of species richness among 13 national parks explored in Poland so far. Finally, the comparative analysis of the MI for the selected Polish national parks has revealed that BTNP could be ranked fourth in terms of the faunistic value for the discussed mite group. Full article

Restoration efforts to maintain oak-dominated habitats and enhance biodiversity often employ selective thinning, but its long-term effect on multiple taxa remains unclear. This study examines the effects of halo thinning around pedunculate oak on epiphytic and tree-related microhabitat (TreM) diversity in the boreal–nemoral forest zone. We revisited nine sites in Latvia with 150–331-year-old oaks, where thinning was conducted in 2003–2004. Epiphyte species composition and cover were assessed, and TreMs were evaluated using standardised methods. Diversity indices (Hill numbers, q = 0; 1; 2; 3) and statistical models (LMMs, Poisson GLMMs) were used to analyse the effects of thinning on species richness and TreM occurrence. Halo thinning over the past 20 years has not caused significant differences in epiphyte or TreM diversity, though managed trees exhibited a higher occurrence of the most common microhabitats. These findings suggest halo thinning may enhance specific TreM features but do not substantially promote epiphyte and TreM diversity. Future research should implement systematic monitoring, deriving the relationships between the conditions after the thinning and their effects, thus serving as the basis for adaptive habitat management strategies. Expanding the scope of such studies is essential for developing evidence-based forest management strategies. Full article