Hot, dry, and salty: The present and future of an Extremophile model lizard from Argentina.

Global warming poses a threat to lizard populations by raising ambient temperatures above historical norms and reducing thermoregulation opportunities. Whereas the reptile fauna of desert systems is relatively well studied, the lizard fauna of saline environments has not received much attention and-to our knowledge-thermal ecology and the effects of global warming on lizards from saline environments have not been yet addressed. This pioneer study investigates the thermal ecology, locomotor performance and potential effects of climate warming on Liolaemus ditadai, a lizard endemic to one of the largest salt flats on Earth. We sampled L. ditadai using traps and active searches along its known distribution, as well as in other areas within Salinas Grandes and Salinas de Ambargasta, where the species had not been previously recorded. Using ensemble models (GAM, MARS, RandomForest), we modeled climatically suitable habitats for L. ditadai in the present and under a pessimistic future scenario (SSP585, 2070). L. ditadai emerges as an efficient thermoregulator, tolerating temperatures near its upper thermal limits. Our ecophysiological model suggests that available activity hours predict its distribution, and the projected temperature increase due to global climate change should minimally impact its persistence or may even have a positive effect on suitable thermal habitat. However, this theoretical increase in habitat could be linked to the distribution of halophilous scrub in the future. Our surveys reveal widespread distribution along the borders of Salinas Grandes and Salinas de Ambargasta, suggesting a potential presence along the entire border of both salt plains wherever halophytic vegetation exists. Optimistic model results, extended distribution, and no evidence of flood-related adverse effects offer insights into assessing the conservation status of L. ditadai, making it and the Salinas Grandes system suitable models for studying lizard ecophysiology in largely unknown saline environments.

A large-scale assessment of eastern whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus) occupancy across a gradient of forest management intensity using autonomous recording units.

Conservationists spend considerable resources to create and enhance wildlife habitat. Monitoring how species respond to these efforts helps managers allocate limited resources. However, monitoring efforts often encounter logistical challenges that are exacerbated as geographic extent increases. We used autonomous recording units (ARUs) and automated acoustic classification to mitigate the challenges of assessing Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus) response to forest management across the eastern USA. We deployed 1263 ARUs in forests with varying degrees of management intensity. Recordings were processed using an automated classifier and the resulting detection data were used to assess occupancy. Whip-poor-wills were detected at 401 survey locations. Across our study region, whip-poor-will occupancy decreased with latitude and elevation. At the landscape scale, occupancy decreased with the amount of impervious cover, increased with herbaceous cover and oak and evergreen forests, and exhibited a quadratic relationship with the amount of shrub-scrub cover. At the site-level, occupancy was negatively associated with basal area and brambles (Rubus spp.) and exhibited a quadratic relationship with woody stem density. Implementation of practices that create and sustain a mosaic of forest age classes and a diverse range of canopy closure within oak (Quercus spp.) dominated landscapes will have the highest probability of hosting whip-poor-wills. The use of ARUs and a machine learning classifier helped overcome challenges associated with monitoring a nocturnal species with a short survey window across a large spatial extent. Future monitoring efforts that combine ARU-based protocols and mappable fine-resolution structural vegetation data would likely further advance our understanding of whip-poor-will response to forest management.

Impact of crop rotation and tillage operations on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and evaluation of sustainability index in rice- wheat-green gram cropping system of north Bihar.

In North Bihar (NB), the conventional rice-wheat cropping system has led to soil, water, and environmental degradation, alongside low profitability, threatening sustainability. To address these concerns, a thorough field research was conducted over the course of three years to assess different methods of tillage and crop establishment in a rice, wheat, and greengram cycle. The experiment involved five scenarios with different combinations of crop rotation, tillage techniques, seeding procedures, fertilizer use, and irrigation strategies. Uncertainty analysis showed no significant change in mean and variance estimation among seven scenario replications at 5% significance level. Compared to traditional farming (SN-1), managing DSR-rice (SN-5) increased profitability by 17.56%, improved energy use efficiency (EUE) by 32.16%, and reduced irrigation by 24.76% and global warming potential (GWP) by 23.46%. Similarly, substituting zero tillage wheat (ZTW) SN-5 resulted in comparable profitability gains (18.25%) and significant improvements in irrigation (10 %), EUE (+48.65%), and GWP (-20 %) compared to SN-1. Green gram ZT also showed increased profitability (17.35%), with notable improvements in EUE (+38.31%) and GWP (-12.92%) compared to SN-1. Principal component and correlation analyses revealed relationships between total energy inputs, yields, economic returns, and sustainability indices, highlighting the benefits of crop rotation and tillage practices in optimizing resource use. The study suggests that compared to conventional systems, significant improvements in productivity, profitability, energy-use efficiency, and environmental mitigation can be achieved with Crop Rotation and Tillage Operations techniques.

Multi-scale assessment of rainwater harvesting availability across the continental U.S.

Addressing resilience, sustainability, and water resource conservation has become increasingly important in the modern world. Challenges arise due to periodic droughts, climate change, and seasonal variability in areas with limited freshwater availability. Therefore, implementing and promoting water reuse is essential. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is one such alternative, offering benefits in conserving water resources and mitigating droughts while reducing urban flooding and costs by generating alternative lower-cost water sources. Providing users with knowledge of available volumes for harvesting, including homeowners and governmental entities, is key to encouraging this practice. Hydrological data and geographic information systems are fundamental for managing, designing, and projecting rainwater harvesting practices. However, no tools currently integrate this information at multiple scales with current and future climate scenarios. This research aimed to develop a multi-scale assessment tool named H2O HARVEST, for evaluating the availability and potential of rainwater harvesting. Additional benefits of the H2O HARVEST app include aiding decision-making by national governmental entities and analyzing potential future scenarios for homeowner users. The app also provides regulatory policy information at the state level. We offer an app with the necessary capabilities to bridge the technology gap and promote rainwater harvesting practices. Our research demonstrated that RWH has the potential to be a sustainable water reuse practice. For more than 50% of the states, the RWH could supply at least 50% of the water demand. The regions of the US with the greatest potential are the Central and East.

Diversity and relative abundance of immature mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Hohenbergia catingae Ule bromeliads and larvitraps in the Nísia Floresta National Forest, northeast Brazil.

The Nísia Floresta National Forest, located in Rio Grande do Norte (RN), is an important remnant of the Atlantic Forest biome in Brazil. Bromeliad tanks in this forest offer suitable breeding sites for mosquito species that may act as viral vectors, thus posing an epidemiological concern. However, studies investigating the presence of immature Culicidae in natural breeding sites in RN have thus far been restricted to Caatinga vegetation. This study investigated mosquitoes and their natural breeding sites in bromeliads growing in the Nísia Floresta National Forest. From March 2013 to February 2014, monthly samples were collected from the tanks of five randomly selected bromeliads and larvitraps placed in each of the three forest management areas. Hohenbergia catingae Ule (Hohenbergia bromeliad) is an important shelter for immature mosquitoes. Culex (Microculex) was the predominant species, representing 86% of the immature mosquitoes collected. A rare occurrence of Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) (generally associated with urban areas under high anthropogenic influence) was observed, highlighting the importance of investigating the presence of mosquitoes in different natural habitats. An analysis of species diversity revealed that species such as Culex imitator Theobald, 1903 and Culex davisi Kumm, 1933, have a strong association with bromeliads. In tire traps (larvitraps) Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus Skuse, 1894 was predominant. Environmental changes, such as deforestation, removal of bromeliads, and climate change in the area, can influence the migration of species and adaptation to new habitats in a peridomiciliary environment around the forest, consequently the possibility of transmission of virus and other pathogens.

Spermatogonial stem cell technologies: applications from human medicine to wildlife conservation.

Spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) technologies that are currently under clinical development to reverse human infertility hold the potential to be adapted and applied for the conservation of endangered and vulnerable wildlife species. The biobanking of testis tissue containing SSCs from wildlife species, aligned with that occurring in pediatric human patients, could facilitate strategies to improve the genetic diversity and fitness of endangered populations. Approaches to utilize these SSCs could include spermatogonial transplantation or testis tissue grafting into a donor animal of the same or a closely related species, or in vitro spermatogenesis paired with assisted reproduction approaches. The primary roadblock to progress in this field is a lack of fundamental knowledge of SSC biology in non-model species. Herein, we review the current understanding of molecular mechanisms controlling SSC function in laboratory rodents and humans, and given our particular interest in the conservation of Australian marsupials, use a subset of these species as a case-study to demonstrate gaps-in-knowledge that are common to wildlife. Additionally, we review progress in the development and application of SSC technologies in fertility clinics and consider the translation potential of these techniques for species conservation pipelines.

Guidelines for efficient nitrogen preservation in sewage sludge-based fertilizers.

This study explores sustainable methods to mitigate nitrogen (N) loss in agriculture amid rising food demands and limited arable land. It examines sewage sludge (SS) as an alternative to synthetic N fertilizers. SS is rich in nitrogen (4.21 ± 0.42 %) and phosphorus (3.60 ± 0.72 %), making it suitable for nutrient recovery and soil enhancement. Unfavorable sludge management methods result in the loss of 950,000 tons of nitrogen, meeting almost 10 % of the EU's nitrogen fertilization demand. This research evaluates SS treatment methods, including chemical conversion, thermal treatment, and biological composting, focusing on nitrogen conservation efficiency. Results show nitrogen loss during hydrolysis is minimized at pH 4 to 8 but increases significantly as ammonia (NH3) at pH 9 to 11, ranging from 4.2 % to 9 %. Neutralizing the hydrolysate is crucial; using solid KOH resulted in 13.5 % nitrogen loss, 11 times more than using slightly alkaline ash (1.22 %). Adding ash during drying reduced nitrogen emissions by 30 % compared to traditional drying at 105 °C. Improving the C/N ratio with food residues reduced nitrogen losses by 46.3 % during composting. These findings highlight the importance of pH control in chemical processes and temperature regulation in thermal treatments. Adding residues from other processes, such as biomass combustion waste, enhances SS processing conditions. Understanding nitrogen retention mechanisms is crucial for the environmental sustainability of SS usage. Efficient nitrogen retention strategies improve the fertilization value of SS and reduce its environmental footprint by lowering greenhouse gas emissions, particularly ammonia. Reducing nitrogen loss during SS treatment significantly lowers ammonia emissions, a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. These results help determine optimal methods for managing and processing SS to minimize emissions and increase agricultural usability.

Traditional ecological knowledge for monitoring Anaphalis javanica (DC.) Sch.Bip. (Asteraceae) in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, Indonesia.

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) possessed by indigenous communities offers a vital source of information regarding the status and threats faced by species. Anaphalis javanica (DC.) Sch.Bip. commonly known as Javanese edelweiss is a culturally significant species in Indonesia's mountainous regions, yet conservation efforts for it remain limited. We utilized TEK to assess the status and threats to the Javanese edelweiss in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, Indonesia. The research aims to assess the distribution, abundance, population trends, and threats faced by Javanese edelweiss using TEK. We interviewed 641 individuals from seven Tengger villages near the park to gather data on the distribution, status, and threats facing the Javanese edelweiss, contributing to conservation efforts. Data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models and ordinal logistic regression. TEK regarding the Javanese edelweiss was extensive, as 96.3% of respondents recognized the plant. A majority (73.2%) had observed Javanese edelweiss in the wild, yet a significant portion (85%) perceived it as "very rare" or "rare." Furthermore, 50% of respondents reported a decline in its population. Variations in sighting frequency, perceived abundance, and population trends across different locations provide crucial insights for identifying priority areas and shaping community-based conservation strategies for Javanese edelweiss. This research underscores the importance of integrating TEK into conservation planning, emphasizing community involvement for effective and sustainable biodiversity conservation.

Slope protection effect of typical vegetation in the Three Gorges reservoir area under extreme rainfall.

In recent years, vegetation plays a key role in landslide stability under extreme rainfall in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, so it is very important to identify the mechanism of vegetation slope protection. This study takes wildcat landslide in Three Gorges Reservoir area as the research object, using indoor landslide model test and building monitoring systems such as stress field, displacement field, and soil erosion, to illustrate the protective effect of typical vegetation. Furthermore, Bermuda cover effectively reduces pore water pressure, pore soil pressure, displacement, and turbidity. In particular, the three stages of interception and buffering of rainfall by stems and leaves, infiltration and absorption of rainfall by the root system, and the reinforcement of the slope against sliding forces by the root system have been divided. Moreover, these findings offer valuable preliminary insights for guiding landslide mitigation strategies in the Three Gorges Reservoir area.

The role of social media in public health awareness during times of war in Sudan: snakebites and scorpion stings.

BACKGROUND: Snakebite envenomation (SBE) and scorpion sting envenomation (SSE) are significant neglected tropical diseases that primarily affect impoverished communities in rural areas of developing nations. A lack of understanding about snake and scorpion species and their distribution exacerbates the disabilities and fatalities caused by SBE and SSE. In Sudan, particularly in regions affected by ongoing conflicts where healthcare resources are scarce, social media platforms offer a cost-effective approach to addressing public health challenges. Our aim in this study is to highlight the benefits of using social media for data collection and health promotion in such environments. METHODS: We present a cost-effective communication and data collection strategy implemented at the Toxic Organisms Research Centre (TORC) of the University of Khartoum, focusing on a Facebook group, "Scorpions and Snakes of Sudan", as our primary social media platform. Additionally, we discuss the lessons learned and the initial impact of this strategy on enhancing population health literacy. RESULTS: The group community is composed of ~ 5000 members from 14 countries. During the period from January 2023 to January 2024, we received 417 enquiries about snakes and scorpions belonging to 11 families and composed of 55 species. In addition, 53 other enquiries covered a range of organisms and their tracks (e.g., spiders, skinks, chameleons, foxes, sun spiders, centipedes, lizards, moth larvae, and insect tracks). The first photographic evidence of Malpolon monspessulanus in Sudan was via the group activities. The rare species Telescopus gezirae, the Blue Nile cat snake, is also documented via the group member's queries. Recognizing the evolving nature of social media use in public health, we also address the current limitations and evidence gaps that need to be addressed to effectively translate best practices into policy. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, utilizing Facebook as an institutional platform to share scientific information in simple Arabic language underscores the proactive roles that citizens, scientists, and public health stakeholders can play in leveraging social media for eHealth, eAwareness, and public health initiatives. This approach highlights the potential for collaborative efforts, particularly during crises, to maximize the benefits of social media in advancing public health.

Sex-specific diet differences in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) via spatial assortment.

The lack of recovery of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Pacific Northwest has been blamed in part on predation by pinnipeds, particularly the harbor seal (Phoca vitulina). Previous work at a limited number of locations has shown that male seal diet contains more salmon than that of female seals and that sex ratios at haul-out sites differ spatiotemporally. This intrapopulation variation in predation may result in greater effects on salmon than suggested by models assuming equal spatial distribution and diet proportion. To address the generality of these patterns, we examined the sex ratios and diet of male and female harbor seals from 13 haul-out sites in the inland waters of Washington State and the province of British Columbia during 2012-2018. DNA metabarcoding was conducted to determine prey species proportions of individual scat samples. The sex of harbor seals was then determined from each scat matrix sample with the use of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). We analyzed 2405 harbor seal scat samples using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) to examine the factors influencing harbor seal sex ratio at haul-out sites and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) to examine the influence of sex and haul-out site on harbor seal diet composition. We found that the overall sex ratio was 1:1.02 (female:male) with notable spatiotemporal variation. Salmoniformes were about 2.6 times more abundant in the diet of males than in the diet of females, and Chinook salmon comprised ca. three times more of the average male harbor seal's diet than the average female's diet. Based on site-specific sex ratios and diet data, we identified three haul-out sites where Chinook salmon appear to be under high predation pressure by male harbor seals: Cowichan Bay, Cutts Area, and Fraser River. Our study indicates that combining sex-specific pinniped diet data with the sex ratio of haul-out sites can help identify priority sites of conservation concern.

Assessment of stress levels and reproductive condition in giant pandas: insights from hair, faecal and saliva samples.

Concerted conservation efforts have brought the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) back from the brink of extinction, but pandas continue to face anthropogenic threats in the wild and breeding success in captivity remains low. Because stress can have detrimental impacts on reproduction, monitoring stress- and sex-steroid levels would help assess the effectiveness of conservation mitigation measures in panda populations as well as monitor the welfare and reproductive health of captive animals. In this proof-of-concept study, we used faecal sex steroid and cortisol concentrations (n = 867 samples collected from five males and five females at Beijing Zoo every 4 days over the course of 12 months) as a reference to investigate if testosterone, estradiol, progesterone and cortisol can be meaningfully measured in panda hair (n = 10) using radio-immuno-assays. Additionally, we calculated the ratio of testosterone to cortisol (T:C ratio) for each male, which can provide a biomarker of stress and physical performance. Our findings revealed distinct monthly variations in faecal sex-steroid and cortisol concentrations, reflecting reproductive seasonality and visitor-related stress among individual pandas. Notably, the oldest male had a significantly lower T:C ratio than other males. Our results confirm that the level of sex steroids and cortisol can be assayed by panda hair, and the hair cortisol concentrations correlate significantly with that in faeces with one month lag behind (r = 0.68, P = 0.03). However, the concentrations of hormones detected in saliva are lower than those in faeces by two orders of magnitude, making it difficult to ensure accuracy. By assessing the applicability of hair, faecal and salivary sampling, we can infer their utility in monitoring the reproductive status and acute and chronic stress levels of giant pandas, thereby providing a means to gauge the success of ongoing habitat restoration efforts and to discuss the feasibility of sample collection from wild populations.

Ecotourism and mangrove conservation in Southeast Asia: Current trends and perspectives.

Mangroves in Southeast Asia provide numerous supporting, provisioning, regulating, and cultural services that are crucial to the environment and local livelihoods since they support biodiversity conservation and climate change resilience. However, Southeast Asia mangroves face deforestation threats from the expansion of commercial aquaculture, agriculture, and urban development, along with climate change-related natural processes. Ecotourism has gained prominence as a financial incentive tool to support mangrove conservation and restoration. Through a systematic literature review approach, we examined the relationships between ecotourism and mangrove conservation in Southeast Asia based on scientific papers published from 2010 to 2022. Most of the studies were reported in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, respectively, which were associated with the highest number of vibrant mangrove ecotourism sites and largest mangrove areas compared to the other countries of Southeast Asia. Mangrove-related ecotourism activities in the above countries mainly include boat tours, bird and wildlife watching, mangrove planting, kayaking, eating seafood, and snorkeling. The economic benefits, such as an increase in income associated with mangrove ecotourism, have stimulated infrastructural development in ecotourism destinations. Local communities benefited from increased access to social amenities such as clean water, electricity, transportation networks, schools, and health services that are intended to make destinations more attractive to tourists. Economic benefits from mangrove ecotourism motivated the implementation of several community-based mangrove conservation and restoration initiatives, which attracted international financial incentives and public-private partnerships. Since mangroves are mostly located on the land occupied by indigenous people and local communities, ensuring respect for their land rights and equity in economic benefit sharing may increase their intrinsic motivation and participation in mangrove restoration and conservation initiatives. Remote sensing tools for mangrove monitoring, evaluation, and reporting, and integrated education and awareness campaigns can ensure the long-term conservation of mangroves while sustaining ecotourism's economic infrastructure and social amenities benefits.

Dynamic shifts of functional diversity through climate-Resilient strategies and farmland restoration in a mountain protected area.

Land-use land-cover (LULC) change contributes to major ecological impacts, particularly in areas undergoing land abandonment, inducing modifications on habitat structure and species distributions. Alternative land-use policies are potential solutions to alleviate the negative impacts of contemporary tendencies of LULC change on biodiversity. This work analyzes these tendencies in the Montesinho Natural Park (Portugal), an area representative of European abandoned mountain rural areas. We built ecological niche models for 226 species of vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) and vascular plants, using a consensus modelling approach available in the R package 'biomod2'. We projected the models to contemporary (2018) and future (2050) LULC scenarios, under four scenarios aiming to secure relevant ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation for 2050: an afforestation and a rewilding scenario, focused on climate-smart management strategies, and a farmland and an agroforestry recovery scenario, based on re-establishing human traditional activities. We quantified the influences of these scenarios on biodiversity through species habitat suitability changes for 2018-2050. We analyzed how these management strategies could influence indices of functional diversity (functional richness, functional evenness and functional dispersion) within the park. Habitat suitability changes revealed complementary patterns among scenarios. Afforestation and rewilding scenarios benefited more species adapted to habitats with low human influence, such as forests and open woodlands. The highest functional richness and dispersion was predicted for rewilding scenarios, which could improve landscape restoration and provide opportunities for the expansion and recolonization of forest areas by native species. The recovery of traditional farming and agroforestry activities results in the lowest values of functional richness, but these strategies contribute to complex landscape matrices with diversified habitats and resources. Moreover, this strategy could offer opportunities for fire suppression and increase landscape fire resistance. An integrative approach reconciling rewilding initiatives with the recovery of extensive agricultural and agroforestry activities is potentially an harmonious strategy for supporting the provision of ecosystem services while securing biodiversity conservation and functional diversity within the natural park.

Chromosome level assembly and annotation of the genome of the endangered giant Patagonian bumble bee Bombus dahlbomii.

This article describes a genome assembly and annotation for Bombus dahlbomii, the giant Patagonian bumble bee. DNA from a single, haploid male collected in Argentina was used for PacBio (HiFi) sequencing and HiC technology was then used to map chromatin contacts. Using Juicer and manual curation, the genome was scaffolded into 18 main pseudomolecules, representing a high quality, near chromosome-level assembly. The sequenced genome size is estimated at 265Mb. The genome was annotated based on RNA-sequencing data of another male from Argentina, and BRAKER3 produced 15,767 annotated genes. The genome and annotation show high completeness, with >95% BUSCO scores for both the genome and annotated genes (based on conserved genes from Hymenoptera). This genome provides a valuable resource for studying the biology of this iconic and endangered species, as well as for understanding the impacts of its decline and designing strategies for its preservation.

Dependence of Europe's most threatened mammals on movement to adapt to climate change.

Current rates of climate change and gloomy climate projections confront managers and conservation planners with the need to integrate climate change into already complex decision-making processes. Predicting and prioritizing climatically stable areas and the areas likely to facilitate adaptive species' range adjustments are important stages in maximizing conservation outcomes and rationalizing future land management. I determined, for the most threatened European terrestrial mammal species, the spatial adaptive trajectories (SATs) of highest expected persistence up to 2080. I devised simple spatial network indices for evaluation of species in those SATs: total persistence; proportion of SATs that offer in situ adaptation (i.e., stable refugia); number of SATs converging in a site; and relationship between SAT convergence and persistence and protected areas, the Natura 2000 and Emerald networks, and areas of low human disturbance. I compared the performance of high-persistence SATs with a scenario in which each species remained in the areas with the best climatic conditions in the baseline period. The 1000 most persistence SATs for each of the 39 species covered one fifth of Europe. The areas with the largest adaptive potential (i.e., high persistence, stability, and SAT convergence) did not always overlap for all the species. Predominantly, these regions were located in southwestern Europe, Central Europe, and Scandinavia, with some occurrences in Eastern Europe. For most species, persistence in the most climatically suitable areas during the baseline period was lower than within SATs, underscoring their reliance on adaptive movements. Importantly, conservation areas (particularly protected areas) covered only minor fractions of species persistence among SATs, and hubs of spatial climate adaptation (i.e., areas of high SAT convergence) were seriously underrepresented in most conservation areas. These results highlight the need to perform analyses on spatial species' dynamics under climate change.

Los mamíferos más amenazados de Europa y su dependencia del movimiento para adaptarse al cambio climático Resumen La tasa actual del cambio climático y las proyecciones climáticas pesimistas confrontan a los gestores y a los planeadores de la conservación con la necesidad de integrar este cambio a la ya de por sí compleja toma de decisiones. La predicción y priorización de áreas con estabilidad climática y áreas con probabilidad de facilitarles ajustes adaptativos de distribución a las especies son etapas importantes para maximizar los resultados de conservación y racionalizar la gestión futura de las tierras. Determiné las trayectorias espaciales adaptativas (TEA) para la mayoría de los mamíferos terrestres más amenazados de Europa con la persistencia esperada más alta hasta el 2080. Diseñé los siguientes índices de redes espaciales simples para la evaluación de especies en aquellas TEA: persistencia total, proporción de TEA que brindan adaptación in situ (refugios estables), número de TEA que convergen en un sitio y relación entre la convergencia de TEA y la persistencia con las áreas protegidas, las redes Natura 2000 y Emerald y las áreas de poca perturbación humana. Comparé el desempeño de las TEA de gran persistencia con un escenario en el que las especies permanecían dentro de las áreas con las mejores condiciones climáticas en el periodo de línea base. Las mil TEA más persistentes para cada una de las 39 especies cubrieron la quinta parte de Europa. Las áreas con el mayor potencial adaptativo (es decir, gran persistencia, estabilidad y convergencia de TEA) no siempre se traslaparon para todas las especies. Estas regiones predominaron en el suroeste de Europa, Europa Central y Escandinavia, con algunas ocurrencias en el este de Europa. Para la mayoría de las especies, la persistencia de las áreas con el mejor clima posible durante el periodo de línea base fue menor que dentro de las TEA, lo que resalta su dependencia por los movimientos adaptativos. Destaca que las áreas de conservación (en particular las áreas protegidas) cubrieron sólo pequeñas fracciones de la persistencia de las especies entre las TEA y los núcleos de adaptación climática (es decir, las áreas de gran convergencia de TEA) contaban con muy poca representación dentro de la mayoría de las áreas de conservación. Estos resultados enfatizan la necesidad de realizar análisis de las dinámicas espaciales de las especies bajo el cambio climático.

Detour canal, a civil engineering heritage created through historical struggle for water resources, now provides the habitats for a rare freshwater fish.

The Ariake catfish, Tachysurusaurantiacus, is a freshwater fish endemic to Kyushu Island, Japan. However, these catfish are now endangered owing to environmental changes. Despite their status, there is scant quantitative research on the Ariake catfish regarding their potential conservation. The Yabe River is a typical catfish habitat situated in the northern part of Kyushu Island (Ariake Area) and has a unique civil engineering heritage, as represented by the so-called 'detour canal'. The canals were created owing to competition by two Domains to divert additional water resources into their own territory for rice cultivation during the Edo Period (1603-1867). To fill the research gap on the Ariake catfish and assess the ecological value of detour canals, in this study, we conducted a survey of local catfish populations and nine environmental parameters that can affect them. We found that the population volume of the Ariake catfish was significantly higher in canals than in ordinary branch rivers. Although the detour canals were not originally constructed for biodiversity conservation, they nonetheless unintentionally provide catfish habitat at present. As these canals represent a remarkable example of a contribution by a civil engineering heritage structure to biodiversity conservation, our study should be used as a potential justification for preserving the canals, as well as conserving the aquatic species that utilise them as vital habitat.

Population status, habitat preferences and predictive current and future distributions of three endangered Silene species under changing climate.

One of the most crucial steps in the practical conservation of endangered endemic mountain plants is to address their population size status and habitat requirements concurrently with understanding their response to future global warming. Three endangered Silene species-Silene leucophylla Boiss., S. schimperiana Boiss., and S. oreosinaica Chowdhuri-in Egypt were the focus of the current study. These species were examined for population status change, habitat quality variables (topography, soil features, and threats), and predictive current and future distributions. To find population size changes, recent field surveys and historical records were compared. Using Random Forest (RF) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA), habitat preferences were assessed. To forecast present-day distribution and climate change response, an ensemble model was used. The results reported a continuous decline in the population size of the three species. Both RF and CCA addressed that elevation, soil texture (silt, sand, and clay fractions), soil moisture, habitat-type, chlorides, electric conductivity, and slope were among the important variables associated with habitat quality. The central northern sector of the Saint Catherine area is the hotspot location for the predictive current distribution of three species with suitable areas of 291.40, 293.10, and 58.29 km2 for S. leucophylla, S. schimperiana, and S. oreosinaica, respectively. Precipitation-related variables and elevation were the key predictors for the current distribution of three Silene species. In response to climate change scenarios, the three Silene species exhibited a gradual contraction in the predictive suitable areas with upward shifts by 2050 and 2070. The protection of these species and reintroduction to the predicted current and future climatically suitable areas are urgent priorities. Ex-situ conservation and raised surveillance, as well as fenced enclosures may catapult as promising and effective approaches to conserving such threatened species.

Applying a modified streamlined disease risk analysis framework to a platypus conservation translocation, with special consideration for the conservation of ecto- and endoparasites.

Platypuses are the world's most evolutionarily distinct mammal and have several host-specific ecto- and endoparasites. With platypus populations declining, consideration should also be given to preserving these high conservation priority parasites alongside their charismatic host. A disease risk analysis (DRA) was performed for a platypus conservation translocation, using a modified streamlined methodology that incorporated a parasite conservation framework. DRA frameworks rarely consider parasite conservation. Rather, parasites are typically considered myopically in terms of the potential harm they may cause their host. To address this, a previously proposed parasite conservation framework was incorporated into an existing streamlined DRA methodology. Incorporation of the two frameworks was achieved readily, although there is opportunity for further refinement of this process. This DRA is significant as it is the first performed for any monotreme species, and implements the emerging approach of balancing the health and disease risk of the host with parasite conservation.

Land-cover change in Cuba and implications for the area of distribution of a specialist's host-plant.

Changes in land cover directly affect biodiversity. Here, we assessed land-cover change in Cuba in the past 35 years and analyzed how this change may affect the distribution of Omphalea plants and Urania boisduvalii moths. We analyzed the vegetation cover of the Cuban archipelago for 1985 and 2020. We used Google Earth Engine to classify two satellite image compositions into seven cover types: forest and shrubs, mangrove, soil without vegetation cover, wetlands, pine forest, agriculture, and water bodies. We considered four different areas for quantifications of land-cover change: (1) Cuban archipelago, (2) protected areas, (3) areas of potential distribution of Omphalea, and (4) areas of potential distribution of the plant within the protected areas. We found that "forest and shrubs", which is cover type in which Omphalea populations have been reported, has increased significantly in Cuba in the past 35 years, and that most of the gained forest and shrub areas were agricultural land in the past. This same pattern was observed in the areas of potential distribution of Omphalea; whereas almost all cover types were mostly stable inside the protected areas. The transformation of agricultural areas into forest and shrubs could represent an interesting opportunity for biodiversity conservation in Cuba. Other detailed studies about biodiversity composition in areas of forest and shrubs gain would greatly benefit our understanding of the value of such areas for conservation.