Functional characteristics and habitat suitability of threatened birds in northeastern China.

Northeast China, rich in natural resources and diverse biodiversity, boasts a unique habitat for threatened bird species due to its remote location and perennial cold climate. An analysis assessed the adaptability of these species using data on their geographic distribution and functional traits collected through database queries. The results revealed that threatened bird species share similar functional traits and a stronger phylogenetic signal (Blomberg mean K = 0.39) compared to common species. The Biomod2 model analyzed potentially suitable ranges and environmental drivers under current and future climate scenarios, showing a pattern of larger suitable areas in southern regions and smaller suitable areas in the north. The most critically threatened species faced greater geographical constraints (0.989), with mean annual temperature being a key influence. Altitude and water system distribution were also key factors impacting the distribution of other threatened bird species. Simulated projections under different climate scenarios (RCP 45 and 85) indicated varying degrees of expansion in the suitable range for these species. This research sheds light on the functional traits and distribution of threatened bird species in Northeast China, providing a scientific foundation for future conservation and management efforts.

Removal of sulfonamide antibiotics by constructed wetland substrate with NaOH-modified corn straw biochar under different operating conditions.

This study examined the elimination of sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs) by constructed wetland substrates with NaOH-modified corn straw biochar and assessed the impact of environmental conditions on the effectiveness of SAs removal. The study demonstrated that the constructed wetland substrate with NaOH-modified biochar significantly eliminated eight SAs, with a removal rate of over 94 %. During the removal process, the intermediates will undergo regeneration of the parent compounds under low DO concentrations. This was based on the linear stepwise regression analysis and Geodetector models. The results showed that SA types COD, NH4+-N, TN, and DO had a stronger influence. The dominant bacteria in the constructed wetland system were mainly affected by antibiotic concentration, DO, NH4+-N and NO3--N, which affected the removal of antibiotics. Overall, the constructed wetland substrate with NaOH-modified corn straw biochar can be effectively employed as an ecological method for eliminating SAs from the environment.

Projecting the response of ecological risk to land use/land cover change in ecologically fragile regions.

Anthropogenic activities have dramatically altered land use/land cover (LULC), leading to ecosystem service (ES) degradation and further ecological risks. Ecological risks are particularly serious in ecologically fragile regions because trade-offs between economic development and ecological protection are prominent. Thus, ways in which to assess the response of ecological risks to LULC change under each development scenario in ecologically fragile regions remain challenging. In this study, future LUCC and its impact on ESs under four development scenarios in 2040 in western Jilin Province were predicted using a patch-generating land use simulation model and the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) model. Ecological risk was assessed based on future LUCC possibilities, and potential ES degradation and potential drivers of ecological risks were explored using a geographic detector. The results showed that the cropland development scenario (CDS) would experience large-scale urbanization and cropland expansion. Carbon storage (CS), habitat quality (HQ), and water purification (WP) degraded the most under the CDS, and grain yield (GY) and water yield (WY) degraded the most under the ecological protection scenario (EPS). The LUCC probability under the CDS (14.37 %) was the highest, while the LUCC probability under the comprehensive development scenario (CPDS) (8.68 %) was the lowest. The risk of WP degradation was greatest under the CDS, but the risk of soil retention (SR) degradation was greatest under the natural development scenario (NDS), EPS, and CPDS. Ecological risk coverage was the largest (98.04 %), and ecological risks were the highest (0.21) under the CDS, while those under the EPS were the opposite. Distance to roads and population density had a higher impact on ecological risks than other drivers. Further attention should be given to the ecological networks and pattern establishment in urbanized regions. This study will contribute to risk prevention and sustainable urban and agricultural development.

Effects of gold and copper mining on the structure and diversity of the surrounding plant communities in Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park.

Introduction: Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park is home to the largest and only breeding family of wild tigers and leopards in China. The mining of open-pit gold and copper mines in the core zone might affect the surrounding forest ecosystem and the survival activities of wild tigers and leopards. Methods: In order to understand the impacts of gold and copper mining on the structure and diversities of the surrounding plant communities, the vegetation of the forest layer, shrub layer and herb layer of the forest community in the original forest area, mining area, tailings area and restoration area of the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park were investigated, and the influence of plant community structure on species diversity was also evaluated. Results: This study concluded that there are 25 species belonging to 11 families, 16 genera of trees, 43 species belonging to 22 families, 35 genera of shrubs, and 57 species belonging to 23 families, 46 genera of herb in the sampling sites. There were no significant differences in the community structure characteristics and species diversities of the tree layer and the shrub layer in different operational areas. However, in herb layer, the heights, the coverage and the species diversity index were higher in the restoration area. Additionally, the community structure was one of the major factors that influence the diversity indices, which might be an important way for mining to impact plant diversity. Discussion: Therefore, mining had some impacts on the structure and diversity of the surrounding plant communities, but the impacts did not reach a significant level. These results could provide scientific support for the management of the forest ecosystems around the mining area of Northeast Tiger and Leopard Park.