Search Results (93)

Southeast Asia is a biodiversity hotspot for bats that can carry lyssaviruses, causing zoonotic diseases. This study detects and quantifies IgG antibodies against Lyssavirus glycoproteins in cave-dwelling bat populations on Cat Ba Island, northern Vietnam, to determine their past exposure history and the prevalence of immune responses. Samples were collected from five caves, encompassing three families and five key species (Hipposideros armiger, H. alongensis, H. poutensis, Taphozous melanopogon, and Myotis pilosus). Using ELISA with the Platelia™ Rabies II kit,(Bio-Rad Laboratories, Marnes-la-Coquette, France) 29.0% (18/62) of the bats tested positive, indicating prior exposure. The detection rate was slightly higher in females (35.7%) than in males (30.4%). Lyssavirus-specific antibodies were detected in four species, with the highest levels found in M. pilosus, followed by H. alongensis, H. armiger, and H. poutensis; no positives were found in T. melanopogon samples. One bat exhibited high seroconversion value (>4 EU/mL). The findings provide serological evidence of widespread lyssaviruses exposure in asymptomatic bats on Cat Ba Island, confirming their role as reservoirs that elicit an immune response without exhibiting rabies symptoms. This highlights the role of caves in facilitating close contact among bats, which may increase viral transmission, highlighting the need for continued surveillance in these unique roosting environments. Full article

Previous studies have consistently reported the detrimental impact of dam construction on natural populations of softshell turtles across East and Southeast Asia, with particularly severe effects on large-bodied species. The Wattle-necked Softshell Turtle (Palea steindachneri), a large-sized and Critically Endangered member of the family Trionychidae, remains poorly documented throughout much of its native range in Southeast Asia. In this study, we present new field data from the Đà River basin in northern Vietnam, encompassing areas both upstream and downstream of the Sơn La Dam. Data were obtained through a combination of direct field observations, camera trap monitoring, and semi-structured interviews with local fishers and traders. Two individuals of P. steindachneri—including a juvenile—were recorded, providing the first confirmed evidence of ongoing natural reproduction in the region. Additionally, we documented 102 individuals of Pelodiscus sp., encompassing all life stages and indicating a stable, reproducing local population. Despite overlapping in macrohabitat use along the river, the two species were spatially segregated, with a minimum interspecific distance of 8.2 km, suggesting broad sympatry without syntopy, potentially due to microhabitat partitioning. These findings underscore the persistence and likely reproductive viability of P. steindachneri in modified riverine systems affected by dams, and have broader conservation implications for other threatened taxa with similar ecologies, such as Rafetus swinhoei. Urgent conservation actions, including habitat protection, community-based monitoring, and strengthened regulation of the wildlife trade, are essential to ensure the survival of remaining wild populations. Full article

Sterculia foetida L., commonly known as the Java olive, is a tropical tree species native to regions of East Africa, tropical Asia, and northern Australia. This study employs species distribution modeling (SDM) to predict the potential geographic distribution of S. foetida under current and future climate scenarios. Using 1425 occurrence data and 19 environmental variables, we applied an ensemble modelling approach of three algorithms: Boosting Regression Trees (BRT), Generalized Linear Model (GLM), and Random Forests (RF), to generate distribution maps. Our models showed high accuracy (mean AUC = 0.98) to indicate that S. foetida has a broad ecological niche, with high suitability in tropical and subtropical regions of north Australia (New Guinea and Papua), Southeast Asia (India, Thailand, Myanmar, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, Sri Lanka), Oman and Yemen in the southwest of Asia, Central Africa (Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, Congo, Kenya and Tanzania), the Greater and Lesser Antilles, Mesoamerica, and the north of South America (Colombia, Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador and Brazil). Indeed, the probability of occurrence of S. foetida positively correlates with the Maximum temperature of warmest month (bio5), Mean temperature of wettest quarter (bio8) and Precipitation of wettest month (bio13). The model results showed a suitability area of 4,744,653 km², representing 37.86% of the total study area, classified into Low (14.12%), Moderate (8.71%), and High suitability (15.02%). Furthermore, the study found that habitat suitability for S. foetida showed similar trends under both near future climate scenarios (SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5 for 2041–2060), with a slight loss in potential distribution (0.24% and 0.25%, respectively) and moderate gains (1.98% and 2.12%). In the far future (2061–2080), the low scenario (SSP1-2.6) indicated a 0.29% loss and a 2.52% gain, while the high scenario (SSP5-8.5) showed a more dramatic increase in both loss (0.6%) and gain areas (3.79%). These findings are crucial for conservation planning and management, particularly in regions where S. foetida is considered invasive and could become problematic. The study underscores the importance of incorporating climate change projections in SDM to better understand species invasiveness dynamics and inform biodiversity conservation strategies. Full article

From an ecological protection perspective, clarifying the spatial and temporal transfer characteristics of embodied carbon in water transport trade among BRICS countries and its driving mechanisms is of great significance for the precise formulation of emission reduction policies. This study integrates the multi-regional input–output model with the LMDI decomposition method to quantitatively analyze the bi-directional flow of embodied carbon in water transport trade among BRICS countries from 1995 to 2018, along with its spatio-temporal differentiation patterns. The driving mechanisms are decomposed across three dimensions: scale, structure, and intensity. By adopting a dual perspective of time-series and spatial correlation, the study systematically uncovers the cross-regional transfer patterns of embodied carbon emissions in water transport trade and examines the interaction pathways of various effects throughout their dynamic evolution. The study finds that (1) the embodied carbon in water transport trade among BRICS countries shows a trend of transnational transfer, with China being the largest net exporter (35.15 Mt in 2018), India and South Africa as net importers (−32.00 Mt and −1.89 Mt in 2018, respectively), and Brazil and Russia shifting from net importers to net exporters; (2) from a temporal perspective, the scale effect drives the growth of embodied carbon emissions (contribution values: 1.23~119.72 Mt for export trade; 4.88~34.36 Mt for import trade), while the intensity effect has a suppressive role (contribution values: −59.08~−1.48 Mt for export trade; −20.56~−5.31 Mt for import trade), and the structural effect is complex in its impact on emissions (contribution values: −17.72~0.45 Mt for export trade; −6.84~13.93 Mt for import trade). Optimizing the trade structure can help reduce carbon emissions; (3) from a spatial perspective, carbon emissions are higher in Southeast Asia and the Northern Hemisphere, and changes in China’s carbon emissions (total effect in 2018: 57.01 Mt in export trade and 7.98 Mt in import trade) significantly affect other BRICS countries. Based on the conclusions of the study, it is suggested that BRICS countries should strengthen cooperation to achieve regional emission reduction targets by optimizing the trade structure of water transport, promoting energy structure reforms, advancing green transport technologies and equipment, and establishing a carbon emission regulatory system. Full article

The article addresses the current and future potential distribution of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae), commonly known as spotted wing Drosophila (SWD). This invasive pest affects various fruit crops worldwide. Native to Southeast Asia, the species has rapidly expanded due to its high adaptability to climates and ability to infest ripe fruits. SWD occurrence data were collected from multiple databases, pseudo-absences were selected from the background area, and climatic variables were downloaded from WorldClim. The Random Forest algorithm was employed to model the current distribution and project future scenarios, categorizing environmental suitability into high, moderate, and low levels. The analysis of bioclimatic variables indicated that factors such as isothermality, maximum temperature of the warmest month, and precipitation of the driest month are the most significant for pest distribution. The results revealed high climatic suitability for the species in North America, Europe, and Asia, with projections indicating expansion under climate change scenarios in the Northern Hemisphere, including new areas in Europe and North America. Regions with higher suitability are expected to require management and monitoring strategies, particularly in vulnerable agricultural areas. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of climatic data in predicting pest distribution and formulating effective control and mitigation policies. Full article

Global atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, driven by anthropogenic emissions and natural carbon cycle dynamics, have emerged as a critical accelerator of climate change. However, due to the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of carbon sources and sinks, estimating CO₂ flux remains highly uncertain. Accurately quantifying the contribution of various carbon sources and sinks to atmospheric CO₂ concentration is essential for understanding the carbon cycle and global carbon balance. In this study, GEOS-Chem (version 13.2.1), driven by MERRA-2 meteorological data, was used to simulate monthly global CO₂ concentrations from 2006 to 2010. The model was configured with a horizontal resolution of 2.5° longitude × 2.0° latitude and 47 vertical hybrid-sigma layers up to 0.01 hPa. To evaluate the impact of different emission sources and sinks, the “Inventory switching and replacing” approach was applied, designing a series of numerical experiments in which individual emission sources were selectively disabled. The contributions of eight major CO₂ flux components, including fossil fuel combustion, biomass burning, balanced biosphere, net land exchange, aviation, shipping, ocean exchange, and chemical sources, were quantified by comparing the baseline simulation (BASE) with source-specific perturbation experiments (no_X). The results show that global CO₂ concentration exhibits a spatial pattern with higher concentrations in the Northern Hemisphere and land areas, with East Asia, Southeast Asia, and eastern North America being high-concentration regions. The global average CO₂ concentration increased by 1.8 ppm year⁻¹ from 2006 to 2010, with China’s eastern region experiencing the highest growth rate of 3.0 ppm year⁻¹. Fossil fuel combustion is identified as the largest CO₂ emission source, followed by biomass burning, while oceans and land serve as significant CO₂ sinks. The impact of carbon flux on atmospheric CO₂ concentration is primarily determined by the spatial distribution of emissions, with higher flux intensities in industrialized and biomass-burning regions leading to more pronounced local concentration increases. Conversely, areas with strong carbon sinks, such as forests and oceans, exhibit lower net CO₂ accumulation. Full article

Understanding the global trade network in the printing industry is crucial for promoting sustainable development and cultural exchange and knowledge dissemination. However, the extant literature does not reveal the contours of the global cultural printed material trade network. This paper uses a social network analysis and QAP analysis to explore the global printing industry trade network pattern. The aim of this paper is to discern the core and emerging nodes and explore the evolutional characteristics on the network spatial linkage and country role. The results show the following: ① The printing industry’s global trade network is growing increasingly intricate, with trade links between nations (regions) becoming closer, the network’s connectivity steadily improving, and the hierarchical structure becoming more apparent. ② Germany, France, and Belgium are important intermediary bridges. The “circle of friends” in the trade of cultural products has a growing effect, and China can more easily establish close ties with Southeast Asia, Northern Europe, and Central and Eastern Europe. ③ The industrial chain and geographical proximity are the primary factors in the formation of the trade network. Economic proximity and political proximity significantly and positively contribute to the formation of the trade network, while institutional stability gradually plays a weaker role. As for cultural proximity, a common language and colonial relationship will positively contribute to the formation of a network, while immigrants have no obvious impact. Digital technology is becoming an “emerging force”. Additionally, this paper extends sustainable policies and recommendations for the global cultural trade. Full article

One of the basic features of shamanic rituals cross-culturally in East and Southeast Asia is that the ritual itself is structured as a journey up to the sky, climbing the world mountain or the world tree, or else a journey down to the bottom of the sea and back again. The shamanic retinue is understood to make this journey in person, rather than, as in Daoist ritual, sending divine emissaries up to the highest heavens. The journey is conducted through narrative song and dance, accompanied by strings of bells and lutes. The point of departure is the physical village or village household where the ritual is being conducted, and the journey progresses through a series of well-marked way stations via the temple of the earth god to the higher hills and finally to the villages and markets in the sky, before crossing the heavenly seas and ascending the highest mountain. On the way, demons and other impediments are encountered. The route and way stations vary depending on the purpose of the ritual and the intended divine recipient of offerings and submissions. The present article will explore the route up to the sky and the way stations in more detail, taking a single ritual type as performed by the Pụt and Then ritual practitioners as an example. The Pụt and Then are literate ritual specialists found among the Tày and Nùng peoples in northern Vietnam and southern China, near an area which is known to have been a centre of Brahmanical and Buddhist learning from very early times. Full article

The carambola fruit fly, Bactrocera carambolae Drew & Hancock, is native to Southeast Asia, infests about 150 plant species, and is considered a quarantine pest insect in several regions of the world. Bactrocera carambolae has invaded Suriname, French Guyana, and northern Brazil. In Brazil, it was first recorded in 1996 and has been restricted to the states of Amapá and Roraima due to official control efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Supply (Ministério da Agricultura e Pecuária—MAPA). This is the first study to estimate the genetic structure and diversity of South American populations of B. carambolae. A total of 116 individuals from 11 localities in Brazil and 7 localities in Suriname were analyzed. Additional sequences available at GenBank from Indonesia (Lampung) and Thailand (San Pa Tong and Muang District) were also used in the analysis. We sequenced a fragment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase subunit I. A total of 35 haplotypes were found. Haplotypes from Indonesia were closest to the haplotypes from South America, separated only by a few mutational steps. This suggests that Indonesia is the likely source for the introduction of B. carambolae into South America. The Southeast Asian populations appeared as the most ancestral group in the phylogenetic trees. The high similarity and sharing of several haplotypes among populations within South America indicate a lack of genetic structure. The mismatch distribution and neutrality tests suggest that South American populations have undergone a rapid growth and expansion following a single founder event. The low genetic diversity and the population expansion evidenced by the neutrality tests lend support to the hypothesis of a recent introduction of a single lineage of the carambola fruit fly into South America. Full article

Throughout most of Chinese history, leaders viewed the migration and movement of their subjects beyond state borders as a symptom of poor governance. As a result, record keepers generally avoided addressing the topic of Chinese people traveling or residing overseas. There is, however, an exceptional moment in Chinese history that provides valuable insight into the early establishment of Chinese communities abroad. Facing political pressure after signing a humiliating peace treaty with foreign adversaries in 1005, the Song dynasty emperor Zhenzong (968–1022, r. 997–1022) utilized unconventional forms of religious diplomacy and revived ancient rites to shore up support for his rule. The Feng and Shan rites were the highest level of sacrifice that an emperor could undertake, and they were only carried out by several emperors prior to Zhenzong’s reign. One of the requirements of this complex ritual was for the sovereign to attract foreign peoples from afar by his virtuous character, and so Zhenzong’s reign witnessed major initiatives to attract foreign envoys from states such as Srivijaya (Sumatra), Dai Viet (northern Vietnam), Japan, and India. Zhenzong’s reign also incorporated forms of diplomacy that originated in South and Southeast Asia, namely, the construction of temples in foreign states to enhance his spiritual authority. This essay will demonstrate that Emperor Zhenzong relied on Chinese merchants residing overseas to work with foreign leaders to coordinate the participation of foreign emissaries in such forms of temple diplomacy and in the Feng and Shan sacrifices. The significance of these events brought the activities of Chinese people trading and residing overseas to the attention of the Song court and its chroniclers, and as a result, we are left with the earliest indications of Chinese communities abroad in official Chinese histories. Full article

Acanthotomicus suncei is a newly discovered bark beetle in China that significantly threatens the American sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua. In recent years, this pest has spread from its original habitat to many surrounding cities, causing substantial economic and ecological losses. Considering the wide global distribution of its host, Liquidambar styraciflua, this pest is likely to continue to spread and expand. Once the pest colonizes a new climatically suitable area, the consequences could be severe. Therefore, we employed the CLIMEX and Random Forests model to predict the potential suitable distribution of A. suncei globally. The results showed that A. suncei was mainly distributed in Southern China, in South Hokkaido in Japan, Southern USA, the La Plata Plain in South America, southeastern Australia, and the northern Mediterranean; these areas are located in subtropical monsoon, monsoonal humid climates, or Mediterranean climate zones. Seasonal rainfall, especially in winter, is a key environmental factor that affects the suitable distribution of A. suncei. Under future climates, the total suitable area of A. suncei is projected to decrease to a certain extent. However, changes in its original habitat require serious attention. We found that A. suncei exhibited a spreading trend in Southwest, Central, and Northeast China. Suitable areas in some countries in Southeast and South Asia bordering China are also expected to show an increased distribution. The outward spread of this pest via sea transportation cannot be ignored. Hence, quarantine efforts should be concentrated in high-suitability regions determined in this study to protect against the occurrence of hosts that may contain A. suncei, thereby avoiding its long-distance spread. Long-term sentinel surveillance and control measures should be carried out as soon as A. suncei is detected, especially in regions with high suitability. Thus, our findings establish a theoretical foundation for quarantine and control measures targeting A. suncei. Full article

This study utilized the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model to assess the impact of open biomass burning (OBB) in Thailand and neighboring countries—Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam—on the PM_2.5 concentrations in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR) and Upper Northern Region of Thailand. The Upper Northern Region was further divided into the west, central, and east sub-regions (WUN, CUN, and EUN) based on geographical borders. The CMAQ model was used to simulate the spatiotemporal variations in PM_2.5 over a wide domain in Asia in 2019. The Integrated Source Apportionment Method (ISAM) was utilized to quantify the contributions from OBB from each country. The results showed that OBB had a minor impact on PM_2.5 in the BMR, but transboundary transport from Myanmar contributed to an increase in PM_2.5 levels during the peak burning period from March to April. In contrast, OBB substantially impacted PM_2.5 in the Upper Northern Region, with Myanmar being the major contributor in WUN and CUN and domestic burning being the major contributor to EUN during the peak months. Despite Laos having the highest OBB emissions, meteorological conditions caused the spread of PM_2.5 eastward rather than into Thailand. These findings highlight the critical impact of regional transboundary transport and emphasize the necessity for collaborative strategies for mitigating PM_2.5 pollution across Southeast Asia. Full article

The once-dominant view that architectural developments in mediaeval Southeast Asia closely followed Indian ‘influence’ is now largely rejected. Recent scholarship has shifted its focus onto the agency of local artists and architects in driving architectural innovations across the region. However, specific cases of transregional exchanges in architectural ideas and practices remain underexplored. This study examines three geographically distant Buddhist sites—Paharpur in northern Bangladesh, Candi Sewu in Central Java, Indonesia, and Samye Monastery in central Tibet—active in the late 8th century. I consider the significance of specific similarities and their temporal correlations within a broader range of styles, materials, and technologies. I argue that the activity at these sites reveals a shared architectural agenda transmitted over vast distances by religious experts, including Buddhist monks, in the last decades of the 8th century. Central to the network of three temple-monasteries proposed is the role that a specific architectural type was understood to play in protecting the kingdom and extending a king’s sovereignty while manifesting his spiritual aspirations. By distinguishing between architectural forms, architectural agendas, and modes of production, this study clarifies the complex nature of transregional architectural exchange in the premodern world. Full article

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) wild boar is an excellent model for investigating high-altitude adaptation. In this study, we analyzed genome-wide data from 93 wild boars compiled from various studies worldwide, including the QTP, southern and northern regions of China, Europe, Northeast Asia, and Southeast Asia, to explore their phylogenetic patterns and high-altitude adaptation based on genome-wide selection signal analysis and run of homozygosity (ROH) estimation. The findings demonstrate the alignment between the phylogenetic associations among wild boars and their geographical location. An ADMIXTURE analysis indicated a relatively close genetic relationship between QTP and southern Chinese wild boars. Analyses of the fixation index and cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity between populations revealed 295 candidate genes (CDGs) associated with high-altitude adaptation, such as TSC2, TELO2, SLC5A1, and SLC5A4. These CDGs were significantly overrepresented in pathways such as the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling and Fanconi anemia pathways. In addition, 39 ROH islands and numerous selective CDGs (e.g., SLC5A1, SLC5A4, and VCP), which are implicated in glucose metabolism and mitochondrial function, were discovered in QTP wild boars. This study not only assessed the phylogenetic history of QTP wild boars but also advanced our comprehension of the genetic mechanisms underlying the adaptation of wild boars to high altitudes. Full article

The Asiatic rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), is a destructive invasive species that poses a serious threat to palms, oil palms, and other plants. Defining a suitable area for the distribution of O. rhinoceros is essential for the development of appropriate policies and preventive measures. In this work, the MaxEnt niche model and ArcGIS software were used to predict the potential geographic distribution of O. rhinoceros in the world based on occurrence data and related environmental variables and to speculate on the influence of environmental variables on the distribution of O. rhinoceros. The results showed that the suitable areas of O. rhinoceros beetle were mainly distributed in 30° N–30° S, and the highly suitable areas were concentrated in South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and northern Oceania. The key environmental variables that determine the distribution location of O. rhinoceros are Precipitation of Wettest Month (bio13), Temperature of July (tmin7), Minimum Temperature of November (tmin11), and Precipitation of September (prec9). The prediction results of the MaxEnt model can reflect the global distribution of O. rhinoceros. This study can provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of O. rhinoceros and the development of relevant quarantine measures. Full article