The drifting fish eggs are more likely to collide with ships, rocks etc. as they hatch while migrating through the river. For fish resources protection and waterway management, it’s important to clarify the upper threshold of hitting velocity and the effect of the hitting shock on their hatching. Thus, natural spawned and domesticated fish eggs were studied and compared. The effects of hitting objects, hitting velocity and the developmental level of the fish eggs on their hatching was also studied. The developmental stage was the most sensitive factor to hitting shock. Almost 70% of natural spawned semi-buoyant fish eggs can’t hatch successfully when the hitting velocity was 4.4 m s-1 and collided with rock, and this hatching rate was about 10%-30% higher than that of farmed ones at the same conditions. The results are of great significance for the protection of fish resources in the high-velocity rivers.

Cerasus conradinae is an important germplasm resource of wild cherry in China. In this work, sampling was expanded and genetic evidence was added for further study. The current and future potential populations were predicted by niche model. Based on three cpDNA sequences and one nrDNA sequence, and combined with the phylogeographic evolution of 12 populations of 244 individuals in C.conradinae, the temporal and spatial patterns of genetic variation in C.conradinae were investigated, and the effects of genetic drift and differentiation as well as natural environmental factors on the genetic variation and evolutionary distribution of C.conradinae were elucidated. Finally, morphological evidence combined with molecular evidence was used to discuss the species definition of population variation and differentiation. The results showed that Central China, East China and Southwest China were the core regions for the conservation and utilization of germplasm resources of C.conradinae. Support for variant Cerasus conradinae var. ruburm is established. The genetic diversity of C.conradinae was high (Hd = 0.830; Rd = 0.798). There was genetic variation among populations of C.conradinae, and genealogical geographic structure existed among the populations and three geographical groups, but the genetic differentiation coefficient at each level was low. The gene exchange was obvious in Southwest China, and the differentiation was obvious in Central China. The population and three geographic groups do not reject the expectation of expansion model. Two distinct lineages (three geographic groups) were identified from the population of C.conradinae: Central China+ East China lineage and East China+ (Central China+Southwest China) lineage, two lineages of 4.38Mya occurred in the early Pliocene based on geographical isolation. The southeastern part of Eastern China near Mount Wuyi was the most likely refuge for C.conradinae. The results provided a theoretical basis for the classification and identification of C.conradinae and the protection and utilization of germplasm resources.

Global changes such as elevated carbon dioxide [eCO2] and warming have been described as the most serious environmental threats to our planet. Elevated CO2 may have important consequences on forested ecosystems. Although, the impact is worse in dryland ecosystems as atmospheric changes increase aridity and change soil fertility, but it remains unknown. The study aiming at understanding the effects of eCO2 and its consequences on Hashab (Acacia senegal) as a dryland C3 tree species with substantial ecological and economic roles. We quantitatively reviewed and discussed over 50 papers on the literature about CO2 elevation (eCO2) effects on C3 plant and ecosystems to understand how eCO2 will affect dryland C3 species of sub-Saharan Africa. We found in the literature that, for C3 species generally eCO2 increases photosynthesis rate and reduces stomatal conductance but with increased plant leaves’ area leading to release water. Water loss due to stomatal conductance is unavoidable in dryland ecosystems. More seeds can be produced in eCO2 but with mostly correlated seed low quality which may limit seedling recruitment. Seedlings, as the most responsive stage to eCO2, may respond by enhancing growth and biomass production or experience photosynthesis down regulation and/or photorespiration. The results suggested that A. senegal, as a C3 and leguminous species will respond to eCO2 by two scenarios; 1) positively through enhancing growth and biomass or; 2) a negative photosynthetic acclimation that could be due to physiological dysfunction that resulted in metabolic compulsions. The responses need to be further investigated under different ecological conditions to feedback the global changes and ecosystem monitoring including changes of species composition is recommended.

The stability of the ecosystem directly affects water quality and safety, fishery production, and people’s quality of life along the route. Therefore, a large amount of biological information on five dominant species of baitfish, including Hemiculter leucisculus, Acheilognathus macropterus, Rhodeus sericeus, Pseudorasbora parva, and Squalidus argentatus, was collected in the lower reaches of the Songhua River. The population parameters and variation rules of these fish were evaluated. The results showed that current exploitation of fish resources in the lower reaches of the Songhua River is excessive. The growth rate of baitfish is accelerating, but their growth potential is decreasing; the fish community structure is homogeneous, and the excessively small size of fish at a low age is obvious. In addition, the growth length coefficients of the five baitfish species were all greater than 0.2, which indicates fast growth; the growth performance indices were from 3.49 to 4.37. The exploitation rate of the Hemiculter leucisculus and Squalidus argentatus minnows was greater than 0.5, and the exploitation rates of all species except Pseudorasbora parva were higher than Emax. To ensure the size of the main baitfish populations in the lower reaches of the Songhua River, the mesh size of all nets should be controlled above 45 mm. In summary, these results provide a scientific basis for understanding the trend and growth of baitfish resources, identifying the distribution of major commercial or endangered fish feeding grounds in the region, and balancing ecosystem health integrity in the lower reaches of the Songhua River.

Carnivores participate in forest disturbance recovery by dispersing the seeds that pass through their digestive systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the capacity of mammals for Juniperus deppeana seed dispersal with an experimental evaluation of endozoochory and diploendozoochory, through indices of recovery, viability, changes in testas, and retention of seeds in the digestive tract. Juniperus deppeana fruits were collected in the Sierra Fría Natural Protected Area, Aguascalientes, Mexico, and were administered in the diet of gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), coati (Nasua narica) and domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) these three mammals represented the endozoochory. For the diploendozoochory, seeds excreted by rabbits were incorporated into the diets of bobcat (Lynx rufus) and cougar (Puma concolor) in a local zoo. The seeds present in the scats were collected, and recovery rates and retention times were estimated; viability was estimated by X-ray optical densitometry, and testa thicknesses and surfaces were checked by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed a recovery of seeds greater than 70% in all the animals; the retention time was < 24 h in the endozoochory, but the time was longer (24-96 h) in the diploendozoochory (P < 0.05). Seed viability (x ̵̅ ± SD) was decreased in rabbits (74.0 ± 11.5 %) compared to fruits obtained directly from the canopy (89.7 ± 2.0 %), while gray fox, coati, bobcat and puma did not affect viability (P < 0.05). An increase in the thickness of the testas was also observed in seeds excreted from all mammals (P < 0.05). Through evaluation, our results suggest that mammalian endozoochory and diploendozoochory contribute to dispersal of J. deppeana by maintaining viable seeds with adaptive characteristics in the testa to promote resilience and forest restoration. In particular, felines (predators) can provide an ecosystem service through scarification and seed dispersal.

Objective: To explore the calculation method of dominance degree from biomass, time scale and space scale, so as to provide a reference basis for more realistic reflection of species dominance degree. Methods: Excel was used for statistical analysis of mosquito monitoring data in Wuxi from 2012 to 2021, and t-test was used to test the variability of three calculation methods, namely Time-Space index, Berger Parker index and McNaughton index. Results: The three indices of Culex pipiens pallens and Aedes albopictus were basically consistent, and there was no significant difference between them; Time-Space index of Culex tritaeniorhynchus and Anopheles sinensis was significantly lower than Berger-Parker index (P<0.05), and was close to the significant level (P=0.0762, P=0.0621) lower than McNaughton index; The difference of coefficient of variation among the three calculated results was 4.63%, which was significantly lower than that of the other three mosquitoes (P<0.05). Conclusion: Time-Space index can significantly improve the resolution of species distribution heterogeneity, and better reflect the true state of relative dominance among species.

The concepts of resistance, recovery, and resilience are in diverse fields from behavioral psychology to planetary ecology. These “three Rs” describe some of the most important properties allowing complex systems to survive in dynamic environments. However, in many fields—including ecology—our ability to predict resistance, recovery and resilience remains limited. Here, we propose new disturbance terminology and describe a unifying definition of resistance, recovery, and resilience. We distinguish functional disturbances that affect short-term ecosystem processes from structural disturbances that alter the state factors of ecosystem development. We define resilience as the combination of resistance and recovery—i.e., the ability of a system to maintain its state by withstanding disturbance or rapidly recovering from it. In the Anthropocene, humans have become dominant drivers of many ecosystem processes and nearly all the state factors influencing ecosystem development. Consequently, the resilience of an individual ecological parameter is not an inherent attribute but a function of linkages with other biological, chemical, physical, and especially social parameters. Because every ecosystem experiences multiple, overlapping disturbances, a multidimensional resilience approach is needed that considers both ecosystem structure (configuration of linkages) and disturbance regime. We explore these concepts with a few case studies and recommend analytical tools and community-based approaches to strengthen ecosystem resilience. Disregarding cultural and social dimensions of disturbance regimes and ecosystem structures leads to undesirable outcomes, particularly in our current context of intensifying socioecological crises. Consequently, cultivating reciprocal relationships with natural disturbance regimes and ecosystem structures is crucial to Earth stewardship in the Anthropocene.

Soil carbon (C) cycling plays critical role in regulating global C budget and atmosphere CO2 concentration. The ongoing global warming potentially accelerates soil C loss induced by microbial respiration (MR) and makes soil a large C source to atmosphere. Quantifying the drivers of MR and its response to rising temperature (also called temperature sensitivity, Q10) is a high priority in order to improve the modelling and prediction of terrestrial C cycle under global warming. In this study, we applied a standardized soil sampling along 9 gradients from 400 m to 1100 m in a subtropical forest in South China, and conducted the incubation experiment at the same temperature ranges (from 10 °C to 25 °C) to measure MR and Q10, then the measured MR was adjusted by the field temperature of sampling site. Our objectives were to examine the response of MR and Q10 to the environmental change induced by elevational gradients in the subtropical forest, and then quantify their main drivers. We totally collected 54 abiotic and biotic factors relative to the MR and Q10. Our results showed that the incubated MR increased from low to high elevation. However, significantly elevational trend of the adjusted MR was not examined after adjusted by the field temperature of sampling sites, due to the tradeoff between increasing soil C concentration and declining temperature as elevation increased. We further found that the 9 elevational gradients did not cause significant change of Q10. The variation of Q10 was negatively dominated by soil C quality. Since climate warming is predicted faster at high elevation than that at low elevation, C loss from high elevation might be accelerated in the future and need more attentions in the further studies

Carbon absorption capability and morphological traits are crucial for plant leaf function performance. Here, we investigated the five bamboos at different elevations to clarify how the leaf trait responds to the elevational gradient, and drive the photosynthetic capacity variations. We selected five bamboo species located along different elevations in Wuyi Mountain, southeastern China. The Standardized Major Axis Regression (SMA) analyses and the Structural Equation Model (SEM) are applied to identify how the bamboo leaf trait, including the ratio of leaf length to width (W/L), leaf mass per area (LMA), photosynthesis rates (Pn), leaf nitrogen, and phosphorus concentration (Nmass and Pmass) response to elevation environment, and the driving mechanism of Pn changes. Across the five bamboo species, our results revealed the Pmass of Phyllostachys edulis and Oligostachyum oedogonatum decreased with increasing elevation, but the Nmass, and LMA of Indocalamus tessellatus increased. Besides, the Pmass scaled isometrically with respect to W/L, the Nmass scaled allometrically as the 0.80-power of Pmass, and Nmass and Pmass scaled allometrically to Pn, with the exponents of 0.58 and 0.73, respectively. The SEM result showed altitude, morphological trait (W/L and LMA), and physiological trait (Nmass and Pmass) could together explain the 44% variations of Pn, with a standard total effect value of 70.0%, 38.5%, 23.6% to Pmass, Nmass, and W/L, respectively. The five bamboo species along the different elevational share an isometric scaling relationship between their Pmass and W/L, providing partial support for the general rule and operating between morphological and physiological traits. The scaling relationship between Pmass and W/L is insensitive to elevation and species. Further, the leaf W/L and Pmass as the main trait that affects leaf area and P utilization in growth and thus drives bamboo leaf photosynthetic capacity variations in different elevations.

The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) population of Southeast Alaska has been growing at a higher rate than other regions along the Pacific coast. While good for the recovery of this endangered species, rapid population growth of this apex predator can create a human-wildlife conflict, negatively impacting commercial and subsistence fishing. Previous foraging studies throughout the sea otter range have shown they will reduce invertebrate prey biomass when recolonizing an area. The goal of this study was to examine and quantify the energetic content of sea otter diets through direct foraging observations and prey collection. Our study area, Prince of Wales Island in southern Southeast Alaska, exhibits a gradient of sea otter recolonization, thus providing a natural experiment to test diet change in regions with different recolonization histories. Sea otter prey items were collected in three seasons (spring, summer, winter) to measure caloric value and lipid and protein content. We observed 3,523 sea otter dives during the spring and summer. A majority of the sea otter diet consisted of clams. Sea otters in newly recolonized areas had lower diet diversity, higher kcal/gram intake rates, and higher energetic intake rates. Females with pups had the highest diet diversity and the lowest energetic intake rates (calories per gram consumed). Sea otter energetic intake rates were higher in the fall and winter vs. spring and summer. Sea cucumber energy and lipid content appeared to correspond with times when sea otters consumed the highest proportion of sea cucumbers. These caloric variations are an important component of understanding ecosystem level effects sea otters have in the nearshore environment.

Upon uptake of toxins, insects launch a detoxification program. This program is deployed in multiple organs and cells to raise their tolerance against the toxin. The molecular mechanisms of this program inside the insect body have been studied and understood in detail. Here, we report on a yet unexplored extra-corporeal detoxification of insecticides in Drosophila melanogaster. Wild-type D. melanogaster incubated with DDT, a contact insecticide, in a closed environment die as expected. However, incubation of a second cohort in the same environment after removal of the dead flies was not lethal. Consistent to the kin selection theory, the effect is significantly lower if the flies of the two cohorts are unrelated. Incubation assays with Chlorpyrifos, another contact insecticide, yielded identical results, while incubation assays with Chlorantraniliprole, again a contact insecticide, was toxic for the second cohort of flies. A cohort of flies incubated in a DDT environment after an initial incubation of a honeybee survived treatment. Together, our data suggest that insects including Apis mellifera and D. melanogaster have the capacity to modify their proximate environment. Consequently, in their ecological niche, following individuals might be saved from intoxication thereby facilitating colonisation of an attractive site.

Current ecological research and ecosystem management call for improved understanding of the abiotic drivers of community dynamics, including temperature effects on species interactions and biomass accumulation. Allometric trophic network (ATN) models provide an attractive framework to study consumer-resource interactions from organisms to ecosystems, but they rarely consider changes in some key abiotic drivers that affect e.g. consumer metabolism and producer growth. Here we investigate how seasonal changes in carrying capacity and light-dependent growth rate of producers and temperature-dependent mass-specific metabolic rate of consumers affect ATN model dynamics, namely seasonal biomass accumulation, productivity and standing stock biomass of different trophic guilds, including age-structured fish communities. Our simulations of the complex Lake Constance (LC) food web indicated marked effects of seasonal abiotic drivers on seasonal biomass accumulation of different guild groups, particularly among the lowest trophic levels (autotrophs and invertebrates). While the adjustment of irradiance level had minor effect, increasing metabolic rate associated with 1–2˚C temperature increase lead to a marked decline of larval (0-year age) fish biomass, but to a substantial biomass increase of 2- and 3-year-old fish that were not predated by ≥4-year-old perch. A gradual temperature increase of 0.037˚C year–1 observed in LC increased the productivity of highest trophic levels (i.e., juvenile and adult fish) by ca. 40–50% over the 100-year simulation period. However, when looking at biomass distribution and transfer between trophic guilds in the LC food web, inclusion of seasonal abiotic drivers caused only minor changes in average standing stock biomasses and productivity of different trophic guild groups. Our results demonstrate the potential of introducing seasonal variation in abiotic ATN model parameters to simulate within-year fluctuations in community dynamics, as well as to assess potential future community-level responses to ongoing environmental changes.

In arid and semi-arid regions, grassland vegetation is the most important element in maintaining the basic functions of ecosystems. Plateau in northwestern China is an important hotspot area for the research of grassland ecosystems in the global arid areas, and is facing the dual effects of high -intensity grazing activities and significant climate change. Study the trend of changes in vegetation under the double influence of grassland vegetation is of great significance to environmental management and biodiversity protection in the region. However, the current impact of climate change and human grazing activities on vegetation lacks substantial evidence, and its impact mechanism is currently unclear. We conducted vegetation surveys and analyzed the dual pressure of plant diversity index under the dual pressure of grazing intensity and climate factors to reveal the mechanism of interaction impact on the intensity impact. The results showed that the vegetation was more sensitive to the rainfall during the rainy season, and under the pressure of low grazing, the stability of vegetation should change the stability of precipitation in the rainy season. In addition, precipitation in the rainy season is a more important climatic factors affecting the diversity of vegetation in drought and semi -arid areas. In the warm and dry climate mode, vegetation is more sensitive to grazing interference and more vulnerable to vegetation; in the cold and humid climate mode, the stability (or elastic) of vegetation should be higher. The results of the research provide direct evidence for the interaction between grazing and climate on the interaction of vegetation diversity and stability, and provide a scientific basis for the grazing management and vegetation protection in the arid area.

Animals show among-individual variation in behaviours, including migration behaviours, which are often repeatable across time periods and contexts, commonly termed “personality”. These behaviours can be correlated, forming a behavioural syndrome. In this study, we assessed the repeatability and correlation of different behavioural traits i.e., boldness, exploration and sociality and the link to migration patterns in Atlantic cod juveniles. To do so, we collected repeated measurements within two short-term (three days) and two long-term (two months) intervals of these traits and genotypes of the Pan I locus, which is indirectly correlated to feeding migration patterns in this species. We found that mainly exploration behaviour was repeatable in the short- and long-term intervals, and a trend for the relationship between exploration and the Pan I locus. Boldness and sociality were only repeatable in the second short-term interval indicating a possible development of stability over time and did not show a relation with the Pan I locus. We found no indication of behavioural syndromes among the studied traits. Although we were unable to identify the existence of a migration syndrome for the migratory genotype (Pan IBB), this study is the first one to highlight the existence of a possible link between the personality trait exploration and the migration-linked Pan I locus. This supports the need for further research that should focus on the effect of exploration tendency and other personality traits on cod movement, including the migratory (frontal) ecotype, to develop management strategies based on behavioural units, rather than treating the population as a single homogeneous stock.

Using the 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing, the effects of a nested pecan in a typical tea garden on soil bacterial group species composition and marker species were comparatively analyzed to determine whether the nested pecan contributed to an increased soil microbial diversity in the tea plant rhizosphere. We explored the effects of the underlying mechanisms of this complex ecosystem on tea quality by determining soil physicochemical properties and tea quality under two types of planting modes, intercropping of pecan versus pure forest. Our observations indicated that Allorhizobium, Neorhizobium, Pararhizobium, Rhizobium, and Enterobacter, with pollution-degrading effects, were enriched in the soil bacterial communities of interplanting pecan in the tea garden model. There was a significant enrichment of prebiotic functional bacteria, such as Pedosphaeraceae and the Coriobateriaceae_UCG-002 genus, which has growth stimulation and disease resistance, while Chloroflexi and Firmicutes, which dominate denitrification in the soil, were inhibited. The soil microbial co-occurrence network increased in complexity and decreased in mutual exclusivity, and the complex interactions among bacterial populations tended to be stable. The phenol ammonia ratio in tea leaf pieces was lower and the comprehensive quality evaluation of tea was improved in the intercropping model. We conclude that the soil microbial community composition under this complex model may not only promote material cycling in microecosystems but also effectively reduce the transmission risk of soil-borne diseases. The tea rhizosphere soil microbial community structure could be rebalanced and shifted toward a more favorable tea quality formation through the introduction of pecan into the tea plantations.

Abstract: Aim: Severe anthropic actions in the landscape are, currently, the main cause of threat to species conservation. The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is priority focus for conservation, due to the high degree of endemism and the pressures suffered since colonization. Despite the effort employed in studies on the impact of forest fragmentation on the fauna, understanding its effects on functional diversity is still limited. Considering that forest fragmentation it affects each organism in a different way, the relationships between species and with the environment are affected also, including human communities. So, this work aimed to identify emerging fragilities of the transformations on the biological systems through the modifications of the landscapes, on the avifauna of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Location: Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Methods: The purpose of the research was achieved through the analysis of the species data available on the database GBIF, with the calculation of functional diversity (FD) for the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and models of species extinction included in global red list (IUCN). Results: The high values of functional diversity are concentrated in the Brazilian Southeast region, coinciding with the location of the largest and most connected Conservation Units and of lesser intensity of the forest fragmentation process. However, the functional loss caused by the extinction of vulnerable species is distributed in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Evidencing that the functional diversity of birds presents great spatial clustering, while functional vulnerability is widespread throughout the biome. Main conclusions: The results demonstrate that forest fragmentation acts as an ecological filter, directly affecting habitat specialist species and reducing the functional diversity in forest communities. Key words: forest birds, functional traits, conservations, landscape analysis, biological system, forest communities, Conservation Areas, modified landscape, anthropization, habitat patches.

The evolution of body size, both within and between species, has been long predicted to be influenced by multifarious environmental factors. However, the specific drivers of body size variation have remained difficult to understand because of the wide range of proximate factors that consistently covary with ectotherm body sizes across populations with varying local environmental conditions. Here, we used a widely distributed lizard (Eremias argus) collected from different populations situated across China to assess how climatic conditions and/or available resources at different altitudes shape the geographical patterns of lizard body size across populations. We used body size data from locations differing in altitudes across China to construct linear mixed models to test the relationship between lizard body size and ecological and climate conditions across altitudes. Lizard populations showed significant differences in body size across altitudes. Furthermore, we found that variation in body size among populations was also explained by climatic and seasonal changes along the altitudinal gradient. Specifically, body size decreased with colder and drier environmental conditions at high altitudes, resulting in a reversal of Bergmann’s rule. Limited resources at high altitudes, as measured by net primary productivity, may also constrain body size. Therefore, our study demonstrates that the intraspecific variation in female lizards’ body size may be strongly influenced by multifarious local environments as adaptive plasticity for female organisms to possibly maximise reproductive ecology along geographic clines.

Understanding large-scale patterns of biodiversity and their drivers remains significant in biogeography. Cherries species (Prunus subgenus Cerasus, Rosaceae) are economically and ecologically important in ecosystems and human agricultural activities. However, the mechanisms underlying patterns of species richness-environment relationship in Cerasus remain poorly understood. We collected and filtered worldwide specimen data to map the species richness of Cerasus at the global scale. The map of Cerasus species richness was created using 21043 reliable recorded specimens. The center of Cerasus diversity was determined using spatial cluster analysis. Stepwise regression analysis was carried out using five groups of 21 environmental variables and an integrated model was included to assess the impact of the overall environment. We calibrated each of the four integrated models and used them to predict the global Cerasus species richness and that of the other continents. Our results revealed that Cerasus species have two centers of diversity (the southwest of China and Honshu Island in Japan) with differing environmental variables influencing the distribution patterns of these two centers. In the southwest of China, hydrothermal conditions are the main driving factor while in Japan, habitat heterogeneity is the main driving factor. The relationship between the abundance of the Cerasus and the various groups of factors generally supported both the productivity and the habitat heterogeneity hypothesis. However, these hypotheses did not fully explain the Cerasus species richness pattern, indicating that other factors such as historical environment, topography, and human activities likely played a role in pattern formation. The high level of habitat heterogeneity and better hydrothermal conditions may have played an important role in the establishment of its globally consistent richness-climate relationship. Our results can provide valuable information for the classification, and conservation of Cerasus natural resources, as well as contribute to furthering our understanding of biogeography at a global scale.

Aim: Crested Ibis is an endangered animal with extremely high ecological, humanistic and scientific value. However, there is still a survival predicament due to increasingly shrinking foraging grounds, serious interference by human behavior, and increased habitat requirements. The geographical environment is significant for Crested Ibis behavior patterns analysis and habitat protection. The spatial and temporal trajectory contains the habitat location and period information, a vital record of the Crested Ibis’ habits, and the basis of all research. Nevertheless, there are only a handful of studies on the missing trajectory data and fusing multiple sources of environmental data research methods. Location: Henan Province, Shaanxi Province, China Methods: The LSTM model was adopted to supplement the missing trajectory data, and cluster mining was performed. Using Spatial and temporal trajectory and geographic data, we developed a Random Forest model to predict the habitat of the Crested Ibis and assessed the habitat suitability in Luoshan Country. Results: Based on trajectory, we identified that the Crested Ibis distribution pattern is characterized by high altitude and proximity to woodland and rivers. And the habitat dependence on the village implicates human agricultural activities positively impacting its reproduction. The Random Forest model with high fitting accuracy (R2 = 84.9%)is superior, and the influence factors were gained, finding that 68% of the area is suitable in Luoshan County. Main conclusions: The trajectory complement model and the habitat prediction model are developed to obtain the Crested Ibis’ behavioral patterns and habitat distribution. This paper provides a complete method for analyzing Crested Ibis’ spatial and temporal trajectory by fusing multi-source data, which is crucial for protecting the survival and reproduction of Crested Ibis.

The behavior of animals potentially affects their survival and reproduction. The activity budget of the Critically Endangered giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis has been investigated in populations across Africa and found to be influenced by body size, diet and sex. Foraging patterns show how an animal chooses to forage in its environment, and is influenced by resource availability, competition and predation risk. The activity budget and foraging patterns of Nubian giraffes vary considerably between ecosystems. The Nubian giraffe is a recently identified subspecies G. camelopardalis camelopardalis). This Critically Endangered giraffes which includes Rothschild’s giraffes, occurs only within Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Southern Sudan. We observed the behavior of a population of Nubian giraffes in Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya, to assess seasonal activity budgets and foraging patterns. In the wet and dry seasons, giraffes spent approximately the same amount of time (53 and 57%, respectively) foraging. Movement and resting duration decreased slightly from the dry to the wet season (22 to 20% and 25 to 22%, respectively. Across both seasons, Vachellia xanthophloea (67%), Maytenus senegalensis (19%), and Solanum incanum (9%) made up the bulk of the giraffe’s diet. In the dry season, giraffe additionally foraged on Maerua triphylla (2%), Vachellia gerrardi (2%), and Grewia similis (1%); in the wet season, they added Vachellia abyssinica (2%) and Rhus natalensis (2%) to their diet. The most utilized browsing height was 3.5 m below their average height.. Overall, season did not appear to influence the Nubian giraffe’s activity time budget or foraging patterns in Lake Nakuru National Park. Improved knowledge of the behavioral patterns of this subspecies will allow managers to manage and conserve the species and its habitat better. For instance, planting perennial plants in all vegetation types used by giraffes in the park minimizes browsing pressure on the already over browsed Vachellia.

In this study, which was carried out between 2015-2019, were taken 3730 photographs and video recordings with the number of 6380 camera trap days at 142 different points with the camera traps. At the end of the study, 13 different large mammal wild animal species were identified. In the study area, wild boar (Sus scrofa) 845, hare (Lepus europaeus) 634, red fox (Vulpes vulpes) 565, gray wolf (Canis lupus) 549, golden jackal (Canis aureus) 322, red deer (Cervus elaphus) 224, stone marten (Martes foina) 174, European badger (Meles meles) 89, brown bear (Ursus arctos) 86, Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) 84, jungle cat (Felis chaus) 69, wildcat (Felis silvestris) 52 and Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) 28 times have been observed. The distribution of the identified species according to altitude and stand type, and their activities according to months and hours of the day were evaluated. It has been determined that the determined species prefer mixed and degraded stand types, they are more intense between 1200-1400 meters, daily activities are more frequent at night and they are more active in the spring and autumn seasons.

Early warning signals (EWSs) represent a potentially universal tool for identifying whether a system is approaching a tipping point, and have been applied in fields including ecology, epidemiology, economics, and physics. This potential universality has led to the development of a suite of computational approaches aimed at improving the reliability of these methods. Classic methods based on univariate data have a long history of use, but recent theoretical advances have expanded EWSs to multivariate datasets, particularly relevant given advancements in remote sensing. More recently, novel machine learning approaches have been developed but have not been made accessible in the R environment. Here, we present EWSmethods – an R package that provides a unified syntax and interpretation of the most popular and cutting edge EWSs methods applicable to both univariate and multivariate time series. EWSmethods provides two primary functions for univariate and multivariate systems respectively, with two forms of calculation available for each: classical rolling window time series analysis, and the more robust expanding window. It also provides an interface to the Python machine learning model EWSNet which predicts the probability of a sudden tipping point or a smooth transition, the first of its form available to R users. This note details the rationale for this open-source package and delivers an introduction to its functionality for assessing resilience. We have also provided vignettes and an external website to act as further tutorials and FAQs.

Spongy moths, Lymantria dispar Linnaeus, are economically significant quarantine pests. The Asian spongy moth (ASM), Lymantria dispar asiatica and Lymantria dispar japonica, is more invasive compared with the European spongy moth (ESM) because females are capable of flight and larvae feeding on more host plants. Many countries have implemented strict quarantine policies for areas where ASM is present to prevent its introduction. ASM is distributed in most provinces of China, in view of the high morphological similarity between Lymantria, especially larvae and pupae, accurate identification is a necessary condition to prevent ASM from invading new areas. Although the identification technology of ASM has been developed previously, we have recently found that there are potentially complex subspecies differentiation of spongy moth in China, and there are new subspecies in South China and Yunnan (unpublished data). The original identification method was more or less incomplete in response to the newly discovered variation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to update the rapid detection technology of ASM: based on the cytochrome oxidase I gene, a pair of ASM specific primers were designed from samples obtained from known areas where spongy moth occurs in China. These primers can effectively identify ASM of all life stages, and can be used to identify ASM of all geographic populations in China. It was confirmed that the primer provided accurate identification of ASM in a wide range of annealing temperatures, indicating that it was extremely stable. The sensitivity test explained that the lower limit of detection was 30 pg/µl. In addition, the analysis of Lymantria samples mixed with ASM captured in the field also showed the specificity of ASM. Experimental methods allow accurate monitoring of ASM and reduce the risk of ASM spreading to other regions.

Aim: Uncertainty remains in revealing the determinants of plant diversity over regional and larger scales. Both plant diversity and the effects of environmental factors on it are scale dependent. This study aims to integrate and analyse the variations in the ecological mechanisms by which environmental factors drive plant diversity. Location: Montane forests, Northeast China Taxon: Tree Methods: In this study, we used field survey data from 3,078 sample plots in temperate forest ecosystems. First, we partitioned the species–area curve into different area scales with segmented models to explain changes in the dominant factors affecting tree richness. Then, we quantified the contribution of environmental factors to tree richness with gradient boosted model (GBM) and fitted their correlations at different spatial scales. Finally, we partitioned the contribution of climate, topography and both to tree richness with redundancy analysis (RDA) and analysed how the driving mechanisms varied with spatial scale. Results: Two area scales (small scale A 1 and large scale A 2) were segmented in regional temperate forests. The correlations between environmental contributions and spatial scale at the A 2 scale were better than those at the A 1 scale. The effects of environmental factors driving tree richness varied spatially nonlinearly. Tree richness at the A 1 scale was determined by both climate and topography and climate alone, while it was determined by climate alone at the A 2 scale. Main conclusion: Spatial heterogeneity affected the effects of environmental factors on tree diversity, especially at the A 1 scale. Environmental factors exerted a dominant control at different spatial scales. Environmental filtering determined tree diversity at the A 1 scale, and dispersal limitation determined tree diversity at the A 2 scale for temperate forests. The spatial heterogeneity and collinearity of climate and topography prevented us from drawing consistent conclusions.