An investigation into Toxoplasma gondii at the human-livestock-wildlife interface, South Africa.

Interface areas shared by humans, domestic and wild animals may serve as high transmission contexts for Toxoplasma gondii. However, knowledge about the epidemiology of T. gondii in such areas is currently limited. The present study assessed the seroprevalence of T. gondii in different hosts from Mpumalanga, South Africa. Furthermore, we investigated the local knowledge and related practices about T. gondii by conducting a questionnaire study in the community. Blood samples were obtained and analysed for T. gondii antibodies using a commercial multispecies latex agglutination kit. The seroprevalence detected in humans (n = 160; patients showing signs of acute febrile illness), cats (n = 9), chickens (n = 336) and goats (n = 358) was 8.8%, 0.0%, 4.2% and 11.2%, respectively. Seroprevalence in impalas (n = 97), kudus (n = 55), wild dogs (n = 54), wildebeests (n = 43), warthogs (n = 97) and zebras (n = 68) was calculated at 5.2%, 7.3%, 100.0%, 20.9%, 13.4% and 9.1%, respectively. The questionnaire revealed that 63.0% of household owners were subsistence farmers, and 35.9% were pet owners. A high level of female participation was found (75.3%) when compared to male participation (24.7%). The results show a low circulation of T. gondii in the domestic cycle and suggest the presence of possible bridges between the wildlife cycle and the surrounding domestic cycle.Contribution: The study contributes to identifying transmission patterns and risk factors of T. gondii within human and animal populations. This topic fits within the scope of the journal presenting original research in veterinary science, with the focus on wild and domestic populations on the African continent on a topic of universal importance.

The influence of digital platform on the implementation of corporate social responsibility: from the perspective of environmental science development to explore its potential role in public health.

Introduction: This paper aims to explore the intersection of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and public health within the context of digital platforms. Specifically, the paper explores the impact of digital platforms on the sustainable development practices of enterprises, seeking to comprehend how these platforms influence the implementation of environmental protection policies, resource management, and social responsibility initiatives. Methods: To assess the impact of digital platforms on corporate environmental behavior, we conducted a questionnaire survey targeting employees in private enterprises. This survey aimed to evaluate the relationship between the adoption of digital platforms and the implementation of environmental protection policies and practices. Results: Analysis of the survey responses revealed a significant positive correlation between the use of digital platforms and the environmental protection behavior of enterprises (r=0.523;p<0.001), Moreover, the presence of innovative environmental protection technologies on these platforms was found to positively influence the enforcement of environmental policies, with a calculated impact ratio of (a∗b/c=55.31%). An intermediary analysis highlighted that environmental innovation technology plays a mediating role in this process. Additionally, adjustment analysis showed that enterprises of various sizes and industries respond differently to digital platforms, indicating the need for tailored environmental policies. Discussion: These findings underscore the pivotal role of digital platforms in enhancing CSR efforts and public health by fostering improved environmental practices among corporations. The mediating effect of environmental innovation technologies suggests that digital platforms not only facilitate direct environmental actions but also enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of such initiatives through technological advances. The variability in response by different enterprises points to the importance of customizable strategies in policy formulation. By offering empirical evidence of digital platforms' potential to advance CSR and public health through environmental initiatives, this paper contributes to the ongoing dialogue on sustainable development goals. It provides practical insights for enterprises and policy implications for governments striving to craft more effective environmental policies and strategies.

Does Market-Based Environmental Regulation Improve the Residents' Health: Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on DID.

Improving the residents' health is an important strategy for addressing the declining population dividend in China under the new development paradigm. Based on the panel data of 290 prefecture-level cities in China from 2010 to 2021, this paper uses environmental tax as a quasi-natural experiment, and adopts a DID model to explore the impact of market-based environmental regulation on the residents' health. The results show that the implementation of environmental tax can significantly reduce the population mortality rate, indicating an enhancement in residents' health outcomes. Mechanism analysis shows that environmental tax mainly relies on air quality to improve the residents' health. Also, the heath effect of environmental tax will be effective with the increase of income, and it's stronger in administrative border areas. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the effect of environmental tax on residents' health in western regions and resource-based cities is significantly stronger than those in central and eastern regions and non-resource-based cities. This paper provides new evidence for a comprehensive understanding of the impact of market-based environmental regulations on residents' well-being, offering insights for the implementation of green development strategies.

Biosynthetic gene clusters with biotechnological applications in novel Antarctic isolates from Actinomycetota.

Actinomycetota have been widely described as valuable sources for the acquisition of secondary metabolites. Most microbial metabolites are produced via metabolic pathways encoded by biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). Although many secondary metabolites are not essential for the survival of bacteria, they play an important role in their adaptation and interactions within microbial communities. This is how bacteria isolated from extreme environments such as Antarctica could facilitate the discovery of new BGCs with biotechnological potential. This study aimed to isolate rare Actinomycetota strains from Antarctic soil and sediment samples and identify their metabolic potential based on genome mining and exploration of biosynthetic gene clusters. To this end, the strains were sequenced using Illumina and Oxford Nanopore Technologies platforms. The assemblies were annotated and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Finally, the BGCs present in each genome were identified using the antiSMASH tool, and the biosynthetic diversity of the Micrococcaceae family was evaluated. Taxonomic annotation revealed that seven strains were new and two were previously reported in the NCBI database. Additionally, BGCs encoding type III polyketide synthases (T3PKS), beta-lactones, siderophores, and non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS) have been identified, among others. In addition, the sequence similarity network showed a predominant type of BGCs in the family Micrococcaceae, and some genera were distinctly grouped. The BGCs identified in the isolated strains could be associated with applications such as antimicrobials, anticancer agents, and plant growth promoters, among others, positioning them as excellent candidates for future biotechnological applications and innovations. KEY POINTS: • Novel Antarctic rare Actinomycetota strains were isolated from soil and sediments • Genome-based taxonomic affiliation revealed seven potentially novel species • Genome mining showed metabolic potential for novel natural products.

Critical review on the environmental behaviors and toxicity of triclosan and its removal technologies.

As a highly effective broad-spectrum antibacterial agent, triclosan (TCS) is widely used in personal care and medical disinfection products, resulting in its widespread occurrence in aquatic and terrestrial environments, and even in the human body. Notably, the use of TCS surged during the COVID-19 outbreak, leading to increasing environmental TCS pollution pressure. From the perspective of environmental health, it is essential to systematically understand the environmental occurrence and behavior of TCS, its toxicological effects on biota and humans, and technologies to remove TCS from the environment. This review comprehensively summarizes the current knowledge regarding the sources and behavior of TCS in surface water, groundwater, and soil systems, focusing on its toxicological effects on aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Effluent from wastewater treatment plants is the primary source of TCS in aquatic systems, whereas sewage application and/or wastewater irrigation are the major sources of TCS in soil. Human exposure pathways to TCS and associated adverse outcomes were also analyzed. Skin and oral mucosal absorption, and dietary intake are important TCS exposure pathways. Reducing or completely degrading TCS in the environment is important for alleviating environmental pollution and protecting public health. Therefore, this paper reviews the removal mechanisms, including adsorption, biotic and abiotic redox reactions, and the influencing factors. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of the different techniques are compared, and development prospects are proposed. These findings provide a basis for the management and risk assessment of TCS and are beneficial for the application of treatment technology in TCS removal.

An extensive investigation on human risk associated with PAHs in fish and sediment in Bushehr, Northern of Persian Gulf.

Here, a comprehensive study was designed to estimate the human risk assessment attributed to exposure of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)in sediment and fish in most polluted shore area in north of Persian Gulf. To this end, a total of 20 sediment and inhabitual Fish, as one of most commercial fish, samples were randomly collected from 20 different stations along Bushehr Province coastline. The 16 different components of PAHs were extracted from sediment and edible parts of inhabitual fish and measured with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC), respectively. In addition, dietary daily intake (DDI) values of PAHs via ingestion Indian halibut and the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) attributed to human exposure to sediments PAHs via (a) inhalation, (b) ingestion, and (c) dermal contact for two groups of ages: children (1-11 years) and adults (18-70 years) were estimated. The results indicated that all individual PAHs except for Benzo(b)flouranthene (BbF) and Benzo(ghi) perylene (BgP) were detected in different sediment sample throughout the study area with average concentration between 2.275 ± 4.993 mg.kg-1 dw. Furthermore, Naphthalene (Nap) with highest average concentration of 3.906 ± 3.039 mg.kg-1 dw was measured at the Indian halibut. In addition, the human risk analysis indicated that excess cancer risk (ECR) attributed to PAHs in sediment and fish in Asaluyeh with high industrial activities on oil and derivatives were higher the value recommended by USEPA (10-6). Therefore, a comprehensive analysis on spatial distribution and human risk assessment of PAHs in sediment and fish can improve the awareness on environmental threat in order to aid authorities and decision maker to find a sustainable solution.

Identification of maladaptive behavioural patterns in response to extreme weather events.

Human behaviour has gained recognition as a critical factor in addressing climate change and its impacts. With extreme weather events posing risks to vulnerable communities, understanding cognitive processes driving behaviours becomes essential for effective risk communication. This study focuses on the 2018 "Vaia" storm, which brought unprecedented precipitation and wind velocity to the mountainous regions of North-eastern Italy. Drawing upon the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) framework, we employ probabilistic models to identify distinct groups with similar behavioural profiles. By administering a web-based survey to 1500 residents affected by the event, we find that threat appraisal is more influential in shaping protective behaviours than coping appraisal. Our findings indicate that by enhancing coping appraisals and discouraging non-protective measures, we can actively mitigate maladaptive responses and promote the adoption of effective adaptation strategies.

Opportunity and accessibility: an environmental scan of publicly available data repositories to address disparities in healthcare decision-making.

BACKGROUND: Health disparities, starkly exposed and exacerbated by coronavirus disease 2019, pose a significant challenge to healthcare system access and health outcomes. Integrating health inequalities into health technology assessment calls for robust analytical methodologies utilizing disaggregated data to investigate and quantify the scope of these disparities. However, a comprehensive summary of population datasets that can be used for this purpose is lacking. The objective of this review was to identify publicly accessible health inequalities data repositories that are potential resources for healthcare decision-making and future health technology assessment submissions. METHODS: An environmental scan was conducted in June of 2023 of six international organizations (World Health Organization, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Eurostat, United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and World Bank) and 38 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. The official websites of 42 jurisdictions, excluding non-English websites and those lacking English translations, were reviewed. Screening and data extraction were performed by two reviewers for each data repository, including health indicators, determinants of health, and health inequality metrics. The results were narratively synthesized. RESULTS: The search identified only a limited number of country-level health inequalities data repositories. The World Health Organization Health Inequality Data Repository emerged as the most comprehensive source of health inequality data. Some country-level data repositories, such as Canada's Health Inequality Data Tool and England's Health Inequality Dashboard, offered rich local insights into determinants of health and numerous health status indicators, including mortality. Data repositories predominantly focused on determinants of health such as age, sex, social deprivation, and geography. CONCLUSION: Interactive interfaces featuring data exploration and visualization options across diverse patient populations can serve as valuable tools to address health disparities. The data they provide may help inform complex analytical methodologies that integrate health inequality considerations into healthcare decision-making. This may include assessing the feasibility of transporting health inequality data across borders.

From theory to practice: Analyzing factors that foster the successful implementation of the one health approach for enhancing health security in Cameroon.

Background: Multisectoral collaboration is crucial in effectively managing public health emergencies. The One Health approach, which emphasizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, has gained recognition as an effective strategy. This study analysis the factors influencing the implementation of the One Health approach in Cameroon and examines its effects on public health emergency management. Method: A survey was conducted among 44 stakeholders from key sectors involved in implementing the "One Health approach" in Cameroon. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire using a self-administered approach. Statistical analysis using the Ki Square test was conducted to identify associations between variables. Results: The findings revealed that stakeholders in Cameroon lacked prior training on the One Health approach, primarily due to its absence in their academic programs. However, ad hoc trainings during public health emergencies were effective in involving various sectors. Limited communication and collaboration between different sectors, often operating in silos, posed significant challenges. Stakeholders with previous collaborative experiences and existing relationships demonstrated a greater propensity for multisectoral collaboration. The involvement of environmental health professionals in collaboration activities was limited, highlighting the need for improved engagement. Strong leadership, supported by coordination structures and platforms, played a critical role in facilitating collaboration during public health emergencies. Communication channels, such as regular multisectoral meetings, were essential in fostering relationships and trust among stakeholders. However, financial constraints hindered cross-sector cooperation. Conclusion: To enhance multisectoral collaboration in public health emergency management, there is a need to prioritize training on the One Health approach and promote cross-sector communication and collaboration. Strengthening coordination structures and platforms, improving resource allocation, and fostering a culture of accountability and trust are crucial for effective implementation. This study provides insights into the challenges and opportunities in implementing the One Health approach in Cameroon and offers valuable lessons for other countries seeking to enhance their multisectoral response to public health emergencies.

Whole-genome analysis of Escherichia coli isolated from wild Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) and North China leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis).

Background: Escherichia coli is an important intestinal flora, of which pathogenic E. coli is capable of causing many enteric and extra-intestinal diseases. Antibiotics are essential for the treatment of bacterial infections caused by pathogenic E. coli; however, with the widespread use of antibiotics, drug resistance in E. coli has become particularly serious, posing a global threat to human, animal, and environmental health. While the drug resistance and pathogenicity of E. coli carried by tigers and leopards in captivity have been studied intensively in recent years, there is an extreme lack of information on E. coli in these top predators in the wild environment. Methods: Whole genome sequencing data of 32 E. coli strains collected from the feces of wild Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica, n = 24) and North China leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis, n = 8) were analyzed in this article. The multi-locus sequence types, serotypes, virulence and resistance genotypes, plasmid replicon types, and core genomic SNPs phylogeny of these isolates were studied. Additionally, antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was performed on these E. coli isolates. Results: Among the E. coli isolates studied, 18 different sequence types were identified, with ST939 (21.9%), ST10 (15.6%), and ST3246 (9.4%) being the most prevalent. A total of 111 virulence genes were detected, averaging about 54 virulence genes per sample. They contribute to invasion, adherence, immune evasion, efflux pump, toxin, motility, stress adaption, and other virulence-related functions of E. coli. Sixty-eight AMR genes and point mutations were identified. Among the detected resistance genes, those belonging to the efflux pump family were the most abundant. Thirty-two E. coli isolates showed the highest rate of resistance to tetracycline (14/32; 43.8%), followed by imipenem (4/32; 12.5%), ciprofloxacin (3/32; 9.4%), doxycycline (2/32; 6.3%), and norfloxacin (1/32; 3.1%). Conclusions: Our results suggest that E. coli isolates carried by wild Amur tigers and North China leopards have potential pathogenicity and drug resistance.

Parasedimentitalea denitrificans sp. nov., a novel denitrifying bacteria isolated from the Yellow Sea and transfer of Zongyanglinia huanghaiensis and Zongyanglinia marina to the genus Parasedimentitalea as Parasedimentitalea huanghaiensis comb. nov. and Parasedimentitalea maritima nom. nov.

A Gram-stain-negative and rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain CY04T, was isolated from a sediment sample collected from the Yellow Sea. CY04T exhibited the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 98.7 % to Zongyanglinia huanghaiensis CY05T, followed by the similarities of 98.6 %, 98.0 and 98.0 % to Zongyanglinia marina DSW4-44T, Parasedimentitalea marina W43T and Parasedimentitalea psychrophila QS115T respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene and phylogenomic analysis based on genome sequences revealed that CY04T formed a robust cluster with Z. huanghaiensis CY05T, Z. marina DSW4-44T, P. marina W43T and P. psychrophila QS115T. Calculated digital DNA-DNA hybridisation and average nucleotide identity values between CY04T and its closely related species were 22.2-23.7 % and 79.0-81.2 % respectively. Cells of CY04T were strictly aerobic, non-motile and positive for catalase, oxidase and denitrification. CY04T harboured a set of genes encoding the enzymes involved in denitrification. Growth occurred at 10-30 °C (optimum, 20 °C), at pH 6.5-9.5 (optimum, pH 8.0) and with 1-6 % (w/v) (optimum, 2.5 %,) NaCl. The major component of the fatty acids was summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c). The isoprenoid quinone was Q-10. Results of the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and molecular study indicate that strain CY04T represents a novel species of the genus Parasedimentitalea, for which the name Parasedimentitalea denitrificans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CY04T (=MCCC 1K08635T=KCTC 62199T). It is also proposed that Zongyanglinia huanghaiensis and Zongyanglinia marina should be reclassified as Parasedimentitalea huanghaiensis comb. nov. and Parasedimentitalea maritima nom. nov. An emended description of the genus Parasedimentitalea is also proposed.

General reversal of N-decomposition relationship during long-term decomposition in boreal and temperate forests.

Decomposition of dead organic matter is fundamental to carbon (C) and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, influencing C fluxes from the biosphere to the atmosphere. Theory predicts and evidence strongly supports that the availability of nitrogen (N) limits litter decomposition. Positive relationships between substrate N concentrations and decomposition have been embedded into ecosystem models. This decomposition paradigm, however, relies on data mostly from short-term studies analyzing controls on early-stage decomposition. We present evidence from three independent long-term decomposition investigations demonstrating that the positive N-decomposition relationship is reversed and becomes negative during later stages of decomposition. First, in a 10-y decomposition experiment across 62 woody species in a temperate forest, leaf litter with higher N concentrations exhibited faster initial decomposition rates but ended up a larger recalcitrant fraction decomposing at a near-zero rate. Second, in a 5-y N-enrichment experiment of two tree species, leaves with experimentally enriched N concentrations had faster decomposition initial rates but ultimately accumulated large slowly decomposing fractions. Measures of amino sugars on harvested litter in two experiments indicated that greater accumulation of microbial residues in N-rich substrates likely contributed to larger slowly decomposing fractions. Finally, a database of 437 measurements from 120 species in 45 boreal and temperate forest sites confirmed that higher N concentrations were associated with a larger slowly decomposing fraction. These results challenge the current treatment of interactions between N and decomposition in many ecosystems and Earth system models and suggest that even the best-supported short-term controls of biogeochemical processes might not predict long-term controls.

Experimental study of organic enrichment on meiofaunal diversity.

The organic enrichment effects on the meiofauna and nematofauna were assessed for field sediment and other experimental ones enriched with organic matters conducted in the laboratory for 4 weeks. Also, dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH were monitored for each one. The abundance and diversity of meiofaunal groups and nematofauna varied. Strong significant correlations were found between DO and the studied items. Nematoda was the most abundant group in the field sediment and other experimental ones; their counts increased with the increase in organic enrichments and were dominated by deposit feeders. Amphipoda, Ostracoda and predator/omnivore nematodes disappeared in highly organic-enriched sediments. Changes in DO and organic enrichments might be the more attributable reasons for the alteration of the meiobenthic assemblages. The generic compositions of Nematoda provide a good indicator for environmental alterations.

Characterizing heterogeneous forest structure in ponderosa pine forests via UAS-derived structure from motion.

Increasingly, dry conifer forest restoration has focused on reestablishing horizontal and vertical complexity and ecological functions associated with frequent, low-intensity fires that characterize these systems. However, most forest inventory approaches lack the resolution, extent, or spatial explicitness for describing tree-level spatial aggregation and openings that were characteristic of historical forests. Uncrewed aerial system (UAS) structure from motion (SfM) remote sensing has potential for creating spatially explicit forest inventory data. This study evaluates the accuracy of SfM-estimated tree, clump, and stand structural attributes across 11 ponderosa pine-dominated stands treated with four different silvicultural prescriptions. Specifically, UAS-estimated tree height and diameter-at-breast-height (DBH) and stand-level canopy cover, density, and metrics of individual trees, tree clumps, and canopy openings were compared to forest survey data. Overall, tree detection success was high in all stands (F-scores of 0.64 to 0.89), with average F-scores > 0.81 for all size classes except understory trees (< 5.0 m tall). We observed average height and DBH errors of 0.34 m and - 0.04 cm, respectively. The UAS stand density was overestimated by 53 trees ha-1 (27.9%) on average, with most errors associated with understory trees. Focusing on trees > 5.0 m tall, reduced error to an underestimation of 10 trees ha-1 (5.7%). Mean absolute errors of bole basal area, bole quadratic mean diameter, and canopy cover were 11.4%, 16.6%, and 13.8%, respectively. While no differences were found between stem-mapped and UAS-derived metrics of individual trees, clumps of trees, canopy openings, and inter-clump tree characteristics, the UAS method overestimated crown area in two of the five comparisons. Results indicate that in ponderosa pine forests, UAS can reliably describe large- and small-grained forest structures to effectively inform spatially explicit management objectives.

One World, One Health: Zoonotic Diseases, Parasitic Diseases, and Infectious Diseases.

When we take into account how the boundaries between human, animal, and environmental health are inextricably linked and increasingly intertwined, it comes as no surprise that the One Health approach has assumed an unprecedented level of importance over the past decade [...].

Development of a multimodal geomarker pipeline to assess the impact of social, economic, and environmental factors on pediatric health outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to create a computational pipeline for attaching geomarkers, contextual or geographic measures that influence or predict health, to electronic health records at scale, including developing a tool for matching addresses to parcels to assess the impact of housing characteristics on pediatric health. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We created a geomarker pipeline to link residential addresses from hospital admissions at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) between July 2016 and June 2022 to place-based data. Linkage methods included by date of admission, geocoding to census tract, street range geocoding, and probabilistic address matching. We assessed 4 methods for probabilistic address matching. RESULTS: We characterized 124 244 hospitalizations experienced by 69 842 children admitted to CCHMC. Of the 55 684 hospitalizations with residential addresses in Hamilton County, Ohio, all were matched to 7 temporal geomarkers, 97% were matched to 79 census tract-level geomarkers and 13 point-level geomarkers, and 75% were matched to 16 parcel-level geomarkers. Parcel-level geomarkers were linked using our exact address matching tool developed using the best-performing linkage method. DISCUSSION: Our multimodal geomarker pipeline provides a reproducible framework for attaching place-based data to health data while maintaining data privacy. This framework can be applied to other populations and in other regions. We also created a tool for address matching that democratizes parcel-level data to advance precision population health efforts. CONCLUSION: We created an open framework for multimodal geomarker assessment by harmonizing and linking a set of over 100 geomarkers to hospitalization data, enabling assessment of links between geomarkers and hospital admissions.

Tree growth potential and its relationship with soil moisture conditions across a heterogeneous boreal forest landscape.

Forest growth varies across landscapes due to the intricate relationships between various environmental drivers and forest management. In this study, we analysed the variation of tree growth potential across a landscape scale and its relation to soil moisture. We hypothesised that soil moisture conditions drive landscape-level variation in site quality and that intermediate soil moisture conditions demonstrate the highest potential forest production. We used an age-independent difference model to estimate site quality in terms of maximum achievable tree height by measuring the relative change in Lorey's mean height for a five year period across 337 plots within a 68 km2 boreal landscape. We achieved wall-to-wall estimates of site quality by extrapolating the modelled relationship using repeated airborne laser scanning data collected in connection to the field surveys. We found a clear decrease in site quality under the highest soil moisture conditions. However, intermediate soil moisture conditions did not demonstrate clear site quality differences; this is most likely a result of the nature of the modelled soil moisture conditions and limitations connected to the site quality estimation. There was considerable unexplained variation in the modelled site quality both on the plot and landscape levels. We successfully demonstrated that there is a significant relationship between soil moisture conditions and site quality despite limitations associated with a short study period in a low productive region and the precision of airborne laser scanning measurements of mean height.

Effects of Eucalyptus wood and leaf litter on saproxylic insects in the southeastern United States.

Although Eucalyptus is widely planted outside its native range for timber and pulp production, the effects of these exotic plantations on biodiversity relative to native semi-natural forests or plantations of native tree species remain incompletely understood. Here, we compare the diversity of saproxylic beetles (Coleoptera) and true bugs (Hemiptera) between non-native Eucalyptus benthamii Maiden and Cambage (Camden white gum) and native Pinus taeda L. (loblolly pine) stands on the upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina, U.S.A. We sampled insects emerging from logs of both species placed in both stand types after 1, 2, 6, and 12 months in the field. Beetle and true bug richness and diversity were both significantly lower from eucalypt than from pine wood. Moreover, the two communities were compositionally distinct. Whereas pine supported many species of host-specific phloeoxylophagous beetles, most species collected from eucalypts were mycophagous or predatory taxa capable of utilizing a wide range of hosts. Species richness did not differ between logs placed in eucalypt vs. pine stands but Shannon's diversity was significantly higher in the eucalypt stands, possibly due to greater sun exposure in the latter. Contrary to a previous study, we found no support for the idea that eucalypt litter reduces the diversity of saproxylic insects. Our findings add to the growing body of evidence that non-native plantations are less favorable to biodiversity than those consisting of native tree species.

Benefits of tropical peatland rewetting for subsidence reduction and forest regrowth: results from a large-scale restoration trial.

Drainage and deforestation of tropical peat swamp forests (PSF) in Southeast Asia cause carbon emissions and biodiversity loss of global concern. Restoration efforts to mitigate these impacts usually involve peatland rewetting by blocking canals. However, there have been no studies to date of the optimal rewetting approach that will reduce carbon emission whilst also promoting PSF regeneration. Here we present results of a large-scale restoration trial in Sumatra (Indonesia), monitored for 7.5 years. Water levels in a former plantation were raised over an area of 4800 ha by constructing 257 compacted peat dams in canals. We find peat surface subsidence rates in the rewetted restoration area and adjoining PSF to be halved where water tables were raised from ~ - 0.6 m to ~ - 0.3 m, demonstrating the success of rewetting in reducing carbon emission. A total of 57 native PSF tree species were found to spontaneously grow in the most rewetted conditions and in high densities, indicating that forest regrowth is underway. Based on our findings we propose that an effective PSF restoration strategy should follow stepwise rewetting to achieve substantial carbon emission reduction alongside unassisted regrowth of PSF, thereby enabling the peat, forest and canal vegetation to establish a new nature-based ecosystem balance.

Effect of plant-soil system on the restoration of community stability after wildfire in the northeast margin of Qinghai-Tibet plateau.

Wildfires, as an environmental filter, are pivotal ecological disturbances that reshape plant communities and soil dynamics, playing a crucial role in regulating biogeographic patterns and ecosystem services. In this study, we aim to explore the effects of wildfires on forest ecosystems, specifically focusing on the plant-soil feedback mechanisms within the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). Utilizing Partial Least Squares Path Modeling (PLS-PM), we investigated the interrelationships among soil physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, species diversity, and community stability at varying post-fire recovery stages (5, 15, and 23 years). Results indicated that in the early recovery stages, rapid changes in soil properties such as decreased pH (p < 0.001) and increased nutrient availability facilitate the emergence of early successional species with high resource utilization traits. As the ecosystem evolved toward a climax community, the soil and vegetation exhibit increased stability. Furthermore, soil enzyme activities displayed dynamic patterns that corresponded with changes in soil nutrient content, directly influencing the regeneration and diversity of plant communities. Importantly, our study documented a transition in the influence of soil properties on community stability from direct positive effects in initial recovery phases to negative impacts in later stages, while indirect benefits accrue through increased species diversity and enzyme activity. Vegetation composition and structure changed dynamically with recovery time during community succession. Plant nutrient absorption and accumulation affected nutrient dynamics in the soil, influencing plant regeneration, distribution, and diversity. Our results underscore the complex interactions between soil and vegetation that drive the recovery dynamics post-wildfire, highlighting the resilience of forest ecosystems to fire disturbances. This study contributes to the understanding of post-fire recovery processes and offers valuable insights for the management and restoration of fire-affected forest ecosystems.