Seasonal disparity and imbalance of grassland carrying capacity and forage nutrient output are quantified. Annual carrying pressure was balanced when considering livestock alone, and critical overloaded when considering livestock and wildlife. Sustainable management is recommended with seasonally supplementary feeding and livestock population control.

Invasive predators pose a threat to native biodiversity, and their management is hindered by trap-shyness. Using Bayesian estimation, researchers quantified trap-shyness in wild brushtail possums, finding a large number of trap-shy individuals with a low probability of trap interaction. The study suggests that employing multiple lures throughout a trapping operation is more effective than switching lures for reducing possum populations.

The population structure and breeding biology of a Xanthid crab Etisus laevimanus Randall, 1840, were investigated; this is commonly occurring species on the rocky intertidal region of Saurashtra coast of Gujarat State, India. Size frequency distribution showed a bimodal frequency distribution in males while being unimodal in females. The occurrence of ovigerous females throughout the year suggests that the species has a continuous breeding pattern with peaks from December to April. The total number of eggs, size of eggs, and weight of the egg mass showed a significantly positive correlation with the carapace width of the ovigerous females.

Montane regions are known for high biodiversity and environmental conditions. Here, we investigated how these conditions influence frog diversity. Specifically, we tested whether frog richness, abundance, and composition are related to temperature and productivity between lowlands and highlands.

This study explores the impact of climate variation on the behaviour and fitness of wandering albatrosses using an 11-year tracking dataset. The findings reveal that males and females respond differently to climatic changes, with females experiencing reduced foraging success during certain conditions, while males remain unaffected. Despite these behavioural shifts, the study found that individual breeding success was largely maintained, indicating that plastic foraging behaviour helps mitigate climate impacts.

This study provides an analytical solution of the Gini coefficient for Weibull distributions and uses real tree diameter at breast height data to clarify the relationship between the Gini coefficient and skewness. We propose a method for calculating the Gini coefficient and adjusting it for sample size under different distributions.

The FAIR-Device, a novel nonlethal field tool, combines semi-automatic image capture and AI-based species identification to monitor insect biodiversity. In a 26-day proof-of-concept evaluation, it recorded 431 individuals across diverse taxa, demonstrating potential as a cost-effective solution for high-resolution insect monitoring.

At present, the pupae of Tenebrio molitor are mainly used to breeding S. sichuanensis in large numbers indoors. In this study, we summarize the previous research methods, investigated the effects of feeding conditions, parasitoid-to-host ratio, different anesthesia methods used on the pupae and different temperatures and duration times on the wasp emergence rate and total wasp output, we concluded the most suitable conditions for breeding of S. sichuanensis.

Photo credit: Ryan Daly

Animal movements are influenced by multiple environmental factors. Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs) were used to analyze movement networks of a bull shark population. Intra- and interspecific factors often had stronger effects on movements than environmental variables. ERGMs are a potentially useful tool for studying animal movement network data.

We show that large floodplain monitors reach sexual maturity surprisingly rapidly, and females rarely live for more than 2 years. This fast life history requires novel reproductive strategies and high feeding rates, favouring the evolution of “risky” tactics such as consuming novel prey items (such as invasive toxic cane toads). As a result, foodwebs with the yellow-spotted monitor as an apex predator are more vulnerable to disruption by cane toads than is the case in other parts of the toad's invasive range, where the varanid species affected by toads have “slower” life histories.

The American Desert Southwest is home to approximately one-quarter of North American bee species. However, warming temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, and development threaten to drive bee species redistribution, highlighting the need to include these data-limited but ecologically vital species in land management decisions.

We explored the co-occurrence of pine marten, Martes martes, and humans and domestic cats on Elba Island, in the Mediterranean Sea. Pine marten occupancy was not affected by the occurrence of humans and domestic cats, despite their widespread presence. Opposite patterns of activity might explain the co-occurrence of martens and humans, whereas more research is needed to explore the mechanisms behind the co-occurrence of martens and cats.

The genus Petrocodon is well known for its remarkably diverse floral morphology, displaying a high level of disparity compared to most genera within Gesneriaceae. In this study, we provide a detailed description and illustration of Petrocodon gracilis, a newly discovered species native to Guangxi, China, which further expands the morphospace occupied by Petrocodon.

This study used a camera-equipped GPS collar on a male Andean bear in southeastern Peru, revealing rare behaviors like courtship, novel diets, and geophagy. These findings from the Kosñipata Valley provide valuable insights into the poorly understood ecology of Andean bears and suggest many areas for further research.

Our study identified 96 candidate genes and nine CpG islands potentially linked to domestication in European seabass, many of which are associated with traits influenced by both genetic and epigenetic factors. The most enriched molecular functions were “oxidoreductase activity” and “chromatin organization”, indicating that epigenetic regulation may play a critical role in shaping domestication processes. Overall, our findings demonstrate the value of combining genome scans with interactome-assisted pathway analysis to uncover the complex genetic architecture underlying polygenic traits like domestication.

Our study on genetic diversity in Alcyonium species across the southern South American-Antarctic region revealed significant genetic divergence, indicating long-term persistence and adaptation to varied environmental conditions since their diversification approximately 41.1 million years ago, coinciding with the opening of the Drake Passage and the formation of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.

We investigated community structure and species co-occurrence patterns in Great Lakes coastal wetlands benthic macroinvertebrates using null models. We developed a framework and approach to address recent controversy over the use of presence-absence matrices and null models to infer ecological interactions from non-random co-occurrence patterns using community data collected over thirteen years from 172 sites across the Great Lakes basin. Very few communities showed non-random co-occurrence patterns; however, the majority of non-random situations contained invertebrate taxa known to over-winter. We discuss how these taxa may be driving the negative co-occurrence patterns we detected and suggest that results from presence absence matrices and null model analysis could be used as an early warning system in the face of climate change.

Alpine ecosystems present many challenges for flighted insects. Some insects have adapted to these conditions by undergoing dramatic wing reduction while others have evolved larger wings. Here we document both these contrasting adaptations to alpine life within a single insect species, illustrating how evolutionary outcomes are not always predictable based on phylogeny alone.

Aphids host endosymbionts protect them against attacks from parasitoids, leading to potential reduction in the efficacy of biological control against these crop pests. We developed a Monte Carlo simulation model to examine changes in levels of endosymbiont infection in an insect population in the presence of parasitoids attacking them over several generations, and to quantify potential reductions in the efficacy of parasitoids in controlling host populations in biological control. Results suggest that longevity of parasitoids and the spatial aggregation of hosts likely play a major role in the dynamics of symbiont infection.

When chronic exposure to ammonium and artificial heating were applied to tadpoles, tadpoles in heated water were larger, metamorphosed earlier, and as smaller metamorphs. Heated water produced faster larvae but metamorphs reared in nonheated water jumped farther. Ammonium caused increased mortality.

Our model analysis reveals that prey adaptation can either rescue or murder the predator, depending on model settings. This context-dependent nature stems from the relative strength of two impacts of fisheries, a decline in predator density and strengthened constraints on predator adaptation to the prey. The former renders the prey adaptation act as a rescuer, and the latter makes the prey adaptation serve as a murderer.

Old hunting cabin near the lagoon on Goose Island, Yáláƛi, British Columbia.

We conclude that the dietary composition, day length, flower availability, and fruit availability are determinants of habitat utilization for Assamese macaques, highlighting the importance of ecological factors in shaping their behavioral adaptation to the unique limestone forests.

This study investigates terrestrial mammals distributed in and around Sülüklü Lake Naturel Park, Turkey, focusing on their daily activity patterns and temporal overlap. It highlights the biodiversity of the region, revealing significant variations in species' activity, with some showing nocturnal or diurnal behaviors and others exhibiting crepuscular activity. The temporal overlap analysis provides insights into predator–prey dynamics and habitat preferences, influencing species' activity cycles. To promote sustainability and minimize human–wildlife conflicts, the study recommends conservation strategies such as restricting visitor activity during key wildlife periods, establishing buffer zones to reduce disturbances, and encouraging ecotourism practices aligned with wildlife conservation. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of mammalian behavior in protected areas, emphasizing the importance of sustainable park management for biodiversity preservation.

In animals, genetic variation in color is hypothesized to have pleiotropic effects on a variety of behaviors due to shared dependence on underlying biochemical pathways. We used a phylogenetic meta-analytic approach to examine the relationship between individual variation in aggressive behavior and variation in multiple colors. We propose that the moderate-positive correlation between aggression and coloration across Animalia that we observed is underlain by genetic covariation between behavior and color traits that serve as badges of status.

The study focused on the breeding ecology of the Sclater's monal in the alpine environment of western Yunnan, China. It found that the species has a low population density and restricted nesting sites, with intense male–male competition observed. Females invest significantly more time in incubation, likely to cope with harsh conditions. These findings highlight the importance of understanding avian reproduction ecology for the conservation of threatened species like the Sclater's monal.

In this study of Wilson's Warblers, nearly all individuals returning early and becoming territorial were ASY birds, and very few were SY birds. However, second waves of returning Wilson's Warblers, containing both SY and ASY birds, returned about 3–5 weeks after the first migratory waves, and no males in these second waves ever became territorial.

Smilax china had the largest niche breadth and the strongest environmental adaptability, and the local community is still in the development stage and is not stable enough. The distribution of dominant species in the shrub layer was primarily affected by total potassium, pH, and available potassium. There was a significant quadratic relationship between total and available potassium. Furthermore, the distribution of both Heptapleurum heptaphyllum and Melastoma malabathricum was strongly affected by light (canopy density). Soil pH value was found to decrease gradually as sampling points moved inward away from the coastline, the increase in island isolation and slopes gradually became ubac, rather than adret. Slope direction, distance from the coastline, island isolation, temperature and precipitation indirectly affected the important value of species in shrub layer by directly affecting the pH. Island isolation, temperature, and precipitation also indirectly affect the important value of species in shrub layer by directly influencing soil chemical content, such as soil organic matter (SOM), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K).

We provide a quantitative review of studies reporting mortality attributable to entomopathogenic fungi in field populations of insects. Overall, data on this subject are surprisingly limited. Nevertheless, they support the conclusion that the assemblages of pathogenic fungi associated with insect populations are diverse but the prevalence mostly remains low.

We found that roots and nodules of the invasive herb Lupinus polyphyllus had distinctive endophytic bacterial communities, but endophytic and soil bacterial communities did not differ between core and edge locations within the established invasions. Our findings suggest that L. polyphyllus may not induce dramatic changes in the bacterial communities with which it associates over the course of the local invasion process.

This study provides the first record of previously undescribed foraging behaviours of harbour porpoises. Our results indicate use of context-dependent foraging strategies, suggesting that porpoises are flexible predators that use conditional foraging strategies and adapt their behaviour in response to environmental characteristics.

While studies often focus on density-dependent responses of ungulate populations to resource limitations at large spatial scales, the dynamics at smaller scales remain relatively unexplored. To address this gap, we investigated the temporal dynamics of ungulate abundance in a small dystrophic grassland ecosystem over 20 years, with minimal management interventions.

The study is showing the habitat distribution of Ruppell's vultures in Kenya.

This study provides insights into the social behaviour of golden jackals on Samos Island (Greece), highlighting the group's composition, structure and dynamics. By monitoring one group over 9 months with camera traps, we identified a stable family unit led by a dominant pair, with their offspring and helpers playing key roles. The findings reveal changes in social behaviour during the mating season, contribute insights into the species' overall social system and emphasise the importance of non-invasive methods for studying wildlife populations.

A six-year period of climate extreme from 2019 to 2023 had a significant impact on the number of nesting ducks, clutch sizes, and the proportion of nests that were success. Most failed nests were depredated by raccoons and striped skunks.

We compared tricolored bat winter body mass between cave and culvert hibernacula and examined culvert characteristics that influence body mass during hibernation. Tricolored bats in caves weighed more in early hibernation than those in culverts, but bats in culverts weighed more in late hibernation. Across all sites, female tricolored bats entering and leaving hibernation had greater mass than males but lost more mass during hibernation. Understanding culvert characteristics affecting bat body mass will inform management strategies to mitigate white-nose syndrome impacts.

Here, we investigated patterns in gastropod functional diversity, redundancy and vulnerability along a latitudinal gradient spanning from 18° S to 34° S along the west coast of Australia. We observed no latitudinal gradient in either functional richness or distinctiveness, despite clear gradients in species richness and taxonomic distinctiveness. However, our results indicate that temperate assemblages are more vulnerable to functional loss as their functional entities are supported by fewer or even single species.

The evolution of complex life forms involves key evolutionary transitions in individuality, often explained through internal properties of organisms. This paper introduces an ecological scaffolding framework, emphasizing how external environmental factors contribute to these transitions, suggesting that progress will come from integrating both internalist and externalist perspectives.

Genotype–environmental analyses were used to identify candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms, which were used to map allelic turnover along estuarine environmental gradients. Visualisation of allelic distributions were then used to identify the location of genotypes that are potentially pre-adapted to certain environmental conditions, which can be analogous to future environment in other locations—a donor registry.

We used GPS satellite telemetry to track the movements of 73 straw-necked ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis) and 42 royal spoonbills (Platalea regia) over 7 years. We identified common routes used by both species, including an ‘inland flyway’ spanning Australia's Murray–Darling Basin from the south-west to the north-east. This flyway connects important breeding sites and is characterised by flat, open/unforested areas with low elevations of < 350 m and mid to high rainfall. The flyway also aligns with the area west of Australia's Great Dividing Range, which appears to act as a low-permeability barrier to the movement of both species.

In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential distribution areas of A. glabripennis and its host plants, S. babylonica and S. matsudana, in response to current and future climate conditions in China. By utilizing an optimized MaxEnt model, we were able to identify the main environmental factors influencing the distribution of these species and predict their movement routes and dynamics under changing climatic conditions. Our findings demonstrate that both temperature and precipitation play crucial roles in shaping the suitable habitats for A. glabripennis and its host plants. We observed a contraction of suitable areas for S. babylonica and S. matsudana, while the suitable areas for A. glabripennis are expanding in response to climate change. Additionally, all three species showed a tendency to migrate to higher latitudes.

We describe and illustrate a new tenebrionoid beetle from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, Glyphonotum hsiaoi gen. et sp. nov. Based on morphological comparison and phylogenetic analyses, we tentatively place Glyphonotum in the extant family Pythidae, representing the first Mesozoic fossil of this family.

High plant diversity in evolutionary more recent times is significantly associated with high recent insect diversity.

In this paper, we present a bluespotted ribbontail ray, Taeniura lymma (Forsskål, 1775), with symmetrically deformed posterior pectoral fins. The specimen was observed through aerial imagery on a coastal sandflat in the central Red Sea (22.30° N, 39.09° E). Our observations constitute both the first report of a morphological abnormality in T. lymma and the first record of a batomorph with a symmetrically deformed posterior pectoral fin.

After four decades of growth, a research community's network information system and data repository were transformed to become a national data management office and infrastructure for the environmental sciences. Developing functional data infrastructure is key to support of ongoing Open Science and Open Data efforts. In contrast with the more typical top-down planning for many large-scale digital initiatives, investigation of the evolution of this community's information system over the long term, reveals an incremental growth approach to understanding the dynamic interdependence of social, technical, and organizational components of a data ecosystem.

We combined mitochondrial DNA sequence data and paleoclimatic distribution models to document phylogeographic patterns and investigate the historical demography of two manakins, Ceratopipra rubrocapilla and Pseudopipra pipra, as well as to explore connections between Amazonia and the Atlantic Forest. Genetic and taxonomic structure in Amazonia differs widely between these taxa; P. pipra has a more marked genetic structure, agreeing with existing subspecies delimitation. Both species have similar genetic patterns in the Atlantic Forest. Paleoclimatic distribution models indicate connections between southwestern Amazonia and the southern Atlantic Forest during the LIG, but not between eastern Amazonia and the northeastern Atlantic Forest.

Social behavior is a seminal evolutionary innovation. To fully understand its evolution, its genomic underpinnings must be studied in a variety of organisms. We substantially updated the genome assembly and annotation of Nicrophorus vespilloides, a beetle that has elaborate parental care and has served as a model to understand the genetics of parental care. This updated resource will allow this species to continue to be used with increasing sophisticated functional genomic techniques and continue to be a resource for genomic studies of insects.

The environmental light field system excels at measuring fundamental attributes of the whole scene natural light regime in different forest types.

In this study we forecast the effect of climate change on the distribution of food-deceptive orchid species whose pollination strategy relies on a strict association with pollinators and co-occurring rewarding model plants. The approach used in our study can serve as a model for understanding the potential effects of climate change on the strength of plants ecological network.

Maintaining a healthy status is crucial for the successful captive breeding of critically endangered Rhinopithecus brelichi, it is conducive to ex situ conservation of this species and rejuvenation of its population. Herein, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was employed to determine the gut microbiota composition and functional variations between wild and captive R. brelichi populations. These findings can serve as a valuable theoretical basis for promoting the healthy breeding of R. brelichi and as a guide for future evaluation of the health of wild and captive monkeys.

Our study combined quantitative morphological and genome-wide molecular data to elucidate the controversial phylogenetic relationships among three species of the Littoraria complex (L. flammea, L. melanostoma, and L. aff. melanostoma) in the Northwest Pacific. Our findings confirm that the L. flammea snails north of the Yangtze River Estuary is a cryptic species of L. melanostoma, and dispersal and vicariance could influence allopatric speciation in the L. melanostoma complex.

This study explores phylosymbiosis, the connection between host phylogenetic relatedness and microbial community composition, in marine interstitial nemerteans. The research reveals compelling evidence of phylosymbiosis in these small aquatic animals, emphasizing the influence of host genetic relatedness on microbiome diversity.

Our study evaluates how repeated heatwaves affect the ecological resilience of freshwater communities. It shows that repeated heatwaves result in a critical slowing down of phytoplankton communities and underscore potential for reduced overall resilience due to repeated heatwave events.

The present study conducted a fine-scale genomic assessment of the globally threatened smooth hammerhead shark Sphyrna zygaena, within the regional context of South Africa. The analysis of 3RAD-seq derived SNPs revealed a distinctive genetic cline from south to east, with adaptive variation showing correlations with environmental factors such as sea-surface dissolved oxygen and salinity. Interestingly, while neutral SNP markers indicated high gene flow and lack of regional population differentiation, the presence of differential selection pressures suggests the potential impact of genomic variation in response to changing environmental conditions in S. zygaena.

This study compares the sensitivity and quantification precision of qPCR and ddPCR for eDNA surveys through Bayesian inference using latent parameters from both known concentration (standards) and environmental samples across three teleost fish species assays. The results show that ddPCR offers higher sensitivity and quantification precision, particularly at low DNA concentrations (< 1 copy/μL), than qPCR. These findings highlight the superior performance of ddPCR for eDNA detection at low concentrations, guiding researchers towards more reliable methods for effective species monitoring.

Factors that affect dispersal can have important eco-evolutionary implications. Here, we show that an inflammation and tissue repair response—peritoneal fibrosis—does not influence threespine stickleback dispersal in a lake in Alaska.

We propose that the origin of the temperature optima of life results from two discrete evolutionary selection pressures that constrained the evolution of fundamental biochemistry and growth of most lifeforms to be optimized below 40°C. Our work builds on a recent paper that shows maximum oceanic temperatures remained remarkably stable and below 37°C for more than two and a half billion years. We demonstrate how these competitive mechanisms can produce the observed upper limits of life's temperature optima using simple Lotka–Volterra models of interspecific competition between organisms with different temperature optima.

This study examines how environmental variation and habitat structure influence temporal patterns of seagrass-associated fauna, sampling nine meadows at nine different times across regions spanning 2000 km of coastline and two ocean basins. For the first time, we demonstrate the crucial role of temporal changes in habitat structure on β diversity.

Ghana's Ankasa and Bia Conservation Areas are facing rapid forest loss due to the expansion of agricultural activities, leading to widespread land conversion. As a result, forest patches on the outskirts of these protected areas have become fragmented, isolated and disconnected. This immediate threat has consequences for biodiversity and wildlife conservation, requiring prompt action and attention.

Our manuscript presents a R workflow to streamline camera trap images classification at the species level, combining image augmentation and deep learning models in a user-friendly environment. Tested on a dataset from Central Italy, the procedure achieved over 90% accuracy in classifying 17 target mammals, humans, and vehicles, starting from just 1000 images per category, significantly reducing classification time compared to manual methods.

Our paper uses multistate Dail-Madsen models to analyze camera data when multiple developmental states of unmarked animals are unambiguously identifiable. We demonstrate through simulation and empirical analyses that these models allow for the estimation of abundance, survival, recruitment, and changes in population size over time when animals are detected imperfectly.

A 2-year survey, using environmental DNA technology, was conducted to detect the presence of Bangana tungting in the Yuanshui Unique Fish Species National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Reserve (YUFRR), Hunan, China.

Differential migratory strategies may impose varying selective pressures. While tracking technologies provide valuable information, they typically involve a limited number of individuals and may yield biased conclusions when data are only accessible upon individual recapture. We incorporated tracking information into a long-term individual database and used Hidden Markov Models to examine wintering philopatry and to test whether individual preferences contribute to adult survival heterogeneity. Our study reveals that winter oceanographic conditions play a critical role in driving survival heterogeneity. Additionally, over the last two decades, some individuals have wintered in less suitable areas, with significant consequences for adult survival—a parameter to which the population growth rate is most sensitive in long-lived species.

Using four centuries of data on the establishment of long-lived pines, we compare the explanatory power of climate, density dependence, stochasticity, and spatial dynamics on the growth of colonizing populations. We find that despite the shared climate and proximity to one another, each of the six populations shared few commonalities, and each driver varied in its importance across all populations and time periods. This speaks to the need to explicitly consider density and stochasticity effects, as well as climate, when constructing models to explain dynamics of small and colonizing populations.

This study analyzed detection probability and habitat occupancy of Chinese Pangolin using single-season occupancy modeling. The number of termites mounds increases detection probability, while Human Disturbance Index (HDI) decreases the habitat occupancy. The findings emphasize the need for targeted conservation efforts, considering the fine-scale ecological and anthropogenic factors impacting Chinese pangolins in urban and peri-urban areas.

Reliable protocols have been developed for the transport, maintenance, and controlled reproduction of Pinna nobilis, a highly endangered species. P. nobilis individuals were evaluated through molecular analyses during their stay in the laboratory tanks. In the laboratory, the specimens were fed three times a week with a mix of live microalgae and artificial feed. Furthermore, these specimens were used as breeders, and they spontaneously released already fertilized eggs, post transport stress. Rapid larval development was observed and followed, until D-larva stage.

Understanding individual responses to selective pressures during animal migration is rarely attempted because of the challenges of relating individual phenotypic and genetic data to migration success. Here, we show distinct single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sets significantly differentiated between Atlantic salmon smolts making successful migrations to sea and those that failed to migrate in two different rivers, whereas morphological variation was not diagnostic of migration success. Given that migration failure should quickly purge polymorphism at selected SNPs from a population, the question of how genetic diversity in these populations is maintained is discussed.

The Euphrates Softshell Turtle (Rafetus euphraticus) is an endangered freshwater turtle native to the Tigris-Euphrates river system. As a key component of their nesting habitat, this study quantitatively assesses the occurrence of sand areas in the upper part of the Tigris in Turkey based on remote sensing data. Based on an ensemble approach, several models were applied and combined for classification. The models suggest that compared to 2018 the occurrence of sandbanks, which are crucial for reproduction of this species, were reduced by 41% in 2022 after the construction of a big dam. Although the river shoreline, potentially accessible to the turtles increased by about 1.52 times, the newly gained shores hardly provide habitat for reproduction. The remaining sand areas have become smaller, are highly fragmented and degraded. The survival of the Turkish population of the Euphrates Softshell Turtle requires immediate effective action.

We found contrasting patterns in the diversity measures of primary producers, pollinators and predators in three different habitats (road verges, crop fields and sown wildflower fields). Therefore, a diversity of habitat types is needed when multiple groups should benefit.

This study examined the vascular architecture in the caudal and dorsal fins of a dwarf sperm whale through X-ray computed tomography and gross dissection. The analysis provided the first confirmation of two distinct vascular systems in the fins of the family Kogiidae, indicating their presence across Odontoceti species. In addition, unique three-dimensional arrangements of superficial veins were observed, forming a reticulate pattern in both fins and converging at the base of the dorsal fin, potentially influencing thermoregulatory mechanisms.

In general, natural selection is more efficient in more commonly encountered habitats. Here, with evolutionary simulations, we show that even when vector-borne pathogens much more often occur within hosts, correlational and potentially maladaptive virulence evolution can be driven by selection in vectors.

In this study, we demonstrated that Azure-winged Magpies (Cyanopica cyanus) uses both visual and auditory cues to detect different predator types and to assess the risk level during the non-breeding season. In particular, a stronger anti-predator response was observed to Domestic Cats than to the less frequently encountered Common Kestrel and two non-predator species, Oriental Magpie and Oriental Turtle Dove. These findings demonstrate the complex mechanisms by which magpies adjust foraging behavior in response to specific predators.

Resurrection ecology, the resuscitation or hatching of decades or centuries old dormant eggs, seeds, or cysts provides the opportunity to study evolution in action. Here, we use resurrection ecology paired with single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping to study the evolutionary responses of two populations of Daphnia pulicaria to contrasting changes in the nutrient dynamics of their respective lakes. Our results suggest that numerous factors might impact the ability to use different methodologies to detect local adaptation over time using resurrection ecology.

This study presents an assessment of butterfly diversity in the foothills of Bhorletar, Lamjung District, Nepal, documenting 226 species across 129 genera and six families. The research reveals a bimodal pattern of species richness, peaking in April and August, with significant implications for conservation and management strategies. The findings highlight significant seasonal and species diversity, providing crucial baseline data for future research and conservation efforts.

This study examines the fine-scale genetic variation of Cladocopium symbionts within the coral Acropora hyacinthus across the Palauan archipelago, revealing population structure and geographic variation at scales as small as 1–15 km. Utilizing low-pass whole-genome sequencing, the research identifies distinct Cladocopium clades with varying distributions and suggests environmental selection or dispersal limitations as factors creating this structure. The findings highlight potential implications for coral adaptability to climate change and underscore the importance of symbiont diversity in coral resilience and restoration efforts.

Dispersal is a fundamental ecological process that influences population dynamics and genetic diversity and is therefore an important component of the models used to simulate population responses to environmental change. We used a spatially explicit individual-based model to demonstrate that informed dispersal (in relation to per capita resource availability) can have major effects on abundance and genetic diversity, although this is mediated by temporal habitat dynamics such as those driven by disturbance regimes. Our results suggest that including informed decision-making in dispersal in simulation models leads to different projections of demography, genetic diversity and susceptibility to environmental change.

This study evaluated the coupling relationship between plant diversity and soil properties after ecological restoration in abandoned coal mine area. The plant diversity of arbor, shrub, and herb layers, and the soil properties in different depth layers were investigated in four sites of different ecological restoration patterns. Ecological restoration patterns had significantly effect on plant diversity. There was significant differences in plant diversity and ecological restoration patterns.

Aphids host endosymbionts protect them against attacks from parasitoids, leading to potential reduction in the efficacy of biological control against these crop pests. We developed a Monte Carlo simulation model to examine changes in levels of endosymbiont infection in an insect population in the presence of parasitoids attacking them over several generations, and to quantify potential reductions in the efficacy of parasitoids in controlling host populations in biological control. Results suggest that longevity of parasitoids and the spatial aggregation of hosts likely play a major role in the dynamics of symbiont infection.

This study investigates the ecological dynamics of arthropod predators across a transect of an Arctic glacier foreland, to understand how climate change impacts predator–prey interactions. By integrating ecological observations with DNA metabarcoding, our research elucidates the role of the key prey species in shaping spider populations in these habitats. The findings highlight the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in unraveling complex ecological processes and inform conservation strategies in the face of ongoing environmental changes.

We have assessed diversity, distribution patterns and seasonal changes of butterfly communities based on 2 year quantitative studies at 5 urban wastelands located in large postindustrial city in the Central Poland. Urban wastelands are small scale biodiversity host spots for butterfly fauna, that stand out from species poor butterfly communities associated with agricultural landscape typical for areas surrounding the city as a result of habitat heterogeneity and plant diversity. Our study is a first quantitative analysis of urban butterfly communities in Central and Eastern Europe and one of the few similar studies in general.

The effect of warm daily temperatures on the phenology of 14 species of spring-flowering woodland herbs was investigated across five US botanic gardens. By engaging community scientists to monitor plants twice per week, we found that high daily temperatures early in the year were significantly related to shorter durations of reproductive phenophases like “First Flower Bud” and “First Ripe Fruit,” along with species-specific variations. These findings highlight the sensitivity of spring wildflowers to higher-than-average daily temperatures, with implications for future climate-induced phenological shifts.

Ecosystem size and resource flows are key factors driving biodiversity and ecosystem function. However, the question of whether and how these drivers interact has been largely overlooked. Here, we show how ecosystem size asymmetry affects biodiversity and function of two-patch meta-ecosystems connected through flows of nonliving resources using a microcosm experiment.

Park managers are interested in knowing the impacts of grassland management on bee communities and bee habitat. We found that forb diversity, but not bee community structure, varies across grassland management in four national parks in the Mid-Atlantic, United States.

Phylogenetic and morphological analyses confirm P. serrula in central Chile (32° S). The geographical distribution of P. serrula in central Chile extends 9° southward. This extension is associated with the “El Niño” Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

Both monotonic decrease and hump-shaped patterns exist in the subtropical mountains. The regions with more native plant species where the non-native species tend to be more. There is no uniform rule that the plant species in lowlands indicate phylogenetic overdispersion. The plants' diversity peak is related to the relative elevation of the mountains.

We found that recurrent positive selection has acted on TLR2 and MyD88 in amphibians and positively selected sites were mainly located at or close to function domains. Our results suggest that amphibians have adapted to different pathogenic microorganisms during their transition from the aquatic to terrestrial environment and diversification into various habitats. The present study will provide new insights into the evolutionary process and molecular basis underlying the immunological adaptation in vertebrates.

Foraging during breeding is energetically demanding, intimately linked to breeding investment, and possibly constrained by individual condition. Telomere length, the protective nucleoproteins located at the ends of the chromosomes, is considered a trait reflecting somatic maintenance and individual quality. We found that brown booby females with longer and average telomeres (presumably in better condition) were more prone to travel longer distances toward more offshore and deeper waters than females with shorter telomeres (presumably in lower condition), while males exhibited the opposite foraging pattern suggesting that individual condition is an important driver of sex-specific, between-individual variation in foraging behavior.

Considering the paucity of research on the gut microbiota of wild snakes, this study focused on bamboo pitviper (Viridovipera stejnegeri) populations from Anhui, Guizhou, and Hunan, with multiple fecal samples collected from each population (six, five, and three, respectively). Total microbial DNA was extracted from the fecal samples using metagenomic next-generation sequencing and differences in gut microbial composition, abundance, and carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) were analyzed among the three populations.

In this study, we sequenced the complete mitogenomes of 14 species belonging to four genera of tribe Deltocephalini from China and compared them with the two previously reported mitogenomes for this tribe. Phylogenetic analysis of different combinations of protein-coding and ribosomal genes using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference under different models using either amino acid or nucleotide sequences were generally consistent and agreed with the previous nuclear and partial mitochondrial gene sequence data, indicating that complete mitochondrial genomes are phylogenetically informative at the different levels of divergence within Deltocephalini and among different leafhoppers species.

Rewetted bogs with high water levels (WL) and mire-specific vegetation function as important carbon sinks, but tree encroachment, often associated with low WL, may threaten this. Our study compared CO₂ exchange at two bog sites—one with high WL and mire-specific vegetation (open site, OS) and another with fluctuating WL and dense birch encroachment (tree site, TS). Results showed that the OS had a strong CO₂ uptake (−262.4 g CO₂-C m² year⁻¹), while the TS was nearly neutral (−28 g CO₂-C m² year⁻¹), indicating peat carbon loss at the TS despite similar levels of gross primary production.

In order for invasive species to successfully establish in the non-native region, they must survive the journey and arrive in good condition; however, few studies have investigated the impact of human-assisted transportation on the behaviour of stowaway individuals. In our study, we exposed lizards to air and road transportation to investigate the impact of this transportation on the subsequent behaviour of individuals. We found that human-assisted dispersal only had a relatively minor impact on the behaviour of the invasive delicate skink. We conclude that the capacity of stowaways to cope with the stress associated with human-mediated transportation is a key factor in the success of species introductions, and subsequent invasion.

Cities provide contrasting habitats for pollinators and it proves difficult to predict the overall effect of urban living on the health of wild bees. By combining measurements of local competition, pathogen pressures, and exposure to pollutants along an urbanization gradient, we evidenced an upregulation of genes involved in immunometabolism in bees living in areas of high built-up cover, independently of the other local parameters measured. Such induction reflects a form of urban stress suffered locally by pollinators.

Through multiple temporal comparisons, global bioclimatic tendencies of the species have been explored over more than a century (1854–2023), representing a rare focus at both wide temporal and spatial scales. The findings indicate that the species can engage in new ecological interactions and further affect range-restricted species in climatic refuges once considered protected. These findings help anticipate changes in the species' invasion trajectory, suggesting possible expansions into colder, less humid climates and higher altitudes.

Mammals exhibit complex social behaviors by utilizing various forms of communication such as visual cues, acoustic signals and olfactory sensations. The communication patterns within mammalian species play a crucial role in their behavioral ecology, ultimately influencing their overall health and survival. However, studying communication behaviors and observing elusive species in their natural habitats present significant challenges.

We observed a novel nocturnal cleaning interaction between a giant moray eel and a clear cleaner shrimp. This observation is unique since cleaning interactions are primarily visually mediated and thus typically confined to daylight hours. The existence of nocturnal cleaning therefore implies potential temporal niche partitioning of cleaning mutualisms, as well as alternative signaling modalities for mediating cleaning interactions, such as tactile signaling.

Do visual traits of bumblebee communities vary at large scales with increasing tree cover? We found shifts of visual traits along forested habitat gradient, suggesting that sensory properties not only of species, but also of whole communities interact with the optical constraints of their habitat niche.

Phoxinellus minnows have adapted to the highly variable water conditions of karst poljes, ranging from floods to draughts within shorter (seasonal, annual) and longer (decadal) periods. In this study, based on the analysis of their morphological characters and their presence (or absence) in caves, they were classified more precisely, with P. dalmaticus as an advanced substygophile and P. alepidotus and P. pseudalepidotus as basic substygophiles. The reduction of their population size and distribution was documented herein. An integral approach of molecular and morphological analyses coupled with field observations and paleohydrology helped to elucidate different aspects of the biology of this locally endemic species, which will be crucial for their conservation. Finally, with the use of historical collections, we were able to include extinct populations of P. alepidotus in the analysis.

The better we understand coadaptations among physiology, morphology, and life history, the more accurate our predictions will be of organismal response to changing thermal environments. We found a positive covariation of phenotypes across the thermal gradient exemplifying the enigma of “master of all traits.” Overall, compensatory responses to cooler thermal environments were exhibited by prairie lizards in body size, growth rate, egg size, and clutch size, resulting in cold-adapted populations allocating more energy toward maintenance, growth, and reproduction than lower latitude, warm-adapted populations.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soils play a significant role in contributing to global warming. Vegetation types especially affect soil GHG production. Our findings suggest that the restoration of natural grassland and artificial N-fixing shrubland like Caragana korshinskii should be encouraged to alleviate GHG emissions, with the practical implications for selecting suitable modes and species to improve ecological sustainability in degraded lands.

Acrobat Ants (Crematogaster spp.) are numerically and ecologically dominant ants in tropical canopies. Rainforest transformation to rubber and monoculture plantations affects their trophic ecology, which coincides with reduced abundance and richness, and altered community composition.

Deer are key drivers of faunal communities in temperate and boreal forest ecosystems. In this systematic map, we review the current literature assessing the effects of native deer on abundance, species richness, and diversity of forest-dwelling faunal taxa. While many aspects of deer–faunal relationships are already studied, proper meta-analysis requires better reporting of contextual data such as deer density and the assessment of potential non-linear effects of deer on faunal taxa.

This study focused on plant species diversity in the restoration of grassland vegetation in desert steppes. Using a two-factor experimental design in Inner Mongolia's desert steppe, the research found that enclosure and monitoring years positively influenced α, β, and γ diversities, with a negative interaction effect between them. Plant groups had a significant role on diversity. Rare species are crucial for maintaining community stability and reducing gradient differences, and common species play an important role in upholding landscape features.

We designed and tested a novel, rapidly deployable, robust method for marine fish assemblages, pairing water sampling for eDNA collection and stereo-video imagery, whilst comparing inferred fish assemblages with interspersed baited remote underwater video (stereo-BRUV) samples.

The increasing use of animal-borne devices (= biologgers) has revolutionized the study of marine megafauna, yet there remains a distinct paucity of data concerning the behavioral and physiological impacts of handling stress and biologger attachment. Here, we assessed short-term (< 210 min) trends in the behavior and diving rate of juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in The Bahamas immediately after capture and biologger deployment.

I focused on a taxonomic difficulty in liverwort taxonomy, Marchantia emarginata, and creatively summarized its history, issues, and miscellaneous thought through my literature scrutiny and morphological examination of over 200 herbarium specimens, in order to provide a reliable reference for a better understanding of the taxonomy of a model plants system Marchantiaceae.

This study explores population divergence and hybridization dynamics across the golden-backed (Dinopium benghalense) and red-backed (D. psarodes) flameback woodpecker hybrid zone in Sri Lanka. The genomic analysis uncovers three-way hybridization among two D. benghalense populations in the north and one island-endemic D. psarodes population in the south, demonstrating asymmetric introgressive hybridization. These findings provide insights into cryptic population differentiation and the complex evolutionary processes driving divergence within island ecosystems.

Our study reveals that while bats on Pantelleria exhibit weak preferences for specific landscapes, the expansion of vineyards significantly reduces the activity of the dominant species, Pipistrellus kuhlii, highlighting a key conflict between agriculture and bat conservation. We found that proximity to water sources is critical for bat richness and activity, emphasising the need for targeted water management strategies to support bat populations in this unique Mediterranean island ecosystem. To safeguard Pantelleria's bat diversity, we advocate for sustainable farming practices, particularly in vineyards and strategic water supplementation in dry habitats, ensuring the island's ecological balance and resilience.

In this study, we quantified the specific habitat preferences of D. splendidum across different sex and age groups from multiple perspectives to elucidate their unique ecological requirements and analyze the key factors influencing the distribution in diverse habitats.

We describe for the first time the detailed mating behaviour and patterns of repeated copulations in the water scorpion Nepa hoffmanni (Nepidae, Hemiptera). Over repeated copulations, copulation duration decreased while guarding duration increased. Additionally, we found that average guarding duration was positively associated with male leg length and negatively associated with female leg length.

This paper presents preliminary ecological data on the Cocco's lanternfish Lobianchia gemellarii (Cocco, 1838) (Osteichthyes: Myctophidae) in the Central Mediterranean and its first records from the northern Ionian Sea. This study also provides information and a new contribution to the knowledge on the role of the species in the Mediterranean marine food web.

We demonstrate a link between foraging habitat and behaviour in an elusive aquatic bird, the red-throated diver (Gavia stellata) across three populations (Finland, Iceland and Scotland) during their understudied moult period. We found strong positive relationships between feather isotope signatures (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) and the proportion of benthic rather than pelagic dives in all three populations. Our results demonstrate that red-throated divers continue to be generalist foragers after their breeding seasons, and that behavioural flexibility varies within and between populations.

Waller et al. used camera traps to estimate the densities of four ungulate species in the Russian Far East and compared these estimates with those from the traditional Formozov snow tracking approach. The authors found that both approaches can provide consistent estimates of population density, but the time and resource demands of snow tracking were considerably less. They also show that more rigorous methods need to be developed to convert estimates of density to estimates of prey biomass, which is a valuable metric used in carnivore conservation.

Teratoscincus roborowskii is an endemic species which displays special frugivorous behavior, and it has been observed consuming grapes. To explore the effects of grape intake on the gut microbiota and metabolites of T. roborowskii, 16S rRNA sequencing and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry metabolomics were applied to investigate the gut microbiota and metabolite profiles of T. roborowskii fed with a mixture of mealworms and grapes. Our results demonstrated that a notable shift in microbiota composition occurred after the addition of grapes to their diet, particularly in terms of an increase in the probiotic Lactococcus. The metabolite analysis revealed a significant enrichment of the pathways related to glucose metabolism. And the α-amylase and cellulase activities were significantly higher. A strong correlation between diet, gut microbiota, and fecal metabolites was observed, which may imply that different diets promote the establishment of host intestinal adaptation strategies.

We present our discovery of a previously unknown population of the Annamite striped rabbit, an endangered lagomorph, in Central Highlands, Vietnam using results from species distribution model and camera trap survey. We recorded the species in five events at two locations of the study site, and to the best of our knowledge this finding represents a new population of the rabbit in this region.

Dung beetles are differently attracted toward carrion types. Bovine spleen attracts more dung beetles than chicken and fish meat.

Riparian vegetation is a critical component of platypus habitat, providing stability for burrows, protection from predators, retaining high bank necessary to avoid inundation of burrows, and providing organic matter for nesting material and for abundant macroinvertebrate communities.