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This paper is concerned with the propagation dynamics of the time periodic Lotka-Volterra competition systems with nonlocal dispersal in a shifting habitat. We first obtain three types of time-periodic forced waves connecting the extinction state to the co-existence state, itself and the semi-trivial state, which describe the conversion from the state of two aboriginal co-existent competing species, two invading alien competitors, and a saturated aboriginal competitor with another invading alien competitor to the extinction state, respectively. This provides a comprehensive explanation of the point-wise extinction dynamics of these two competing species under such a time-periodic worsening habitat. Then, we establish the spreading properties of the associated Cauchy problem depending on the range of the shifting speed. More specifically, we give a complete description on the threshold values for the extinction as well as persistence (by moving with asymptotic speed). Our results reveal the possibility that a competitively weaker species with a much faster spreading speed can drive a competitively stronger species with a slower spreading speed to extinction. The discussion in this paper applies to both cases of weak competition and strong-weak competition. In particular, we need to point out that some combined effects of nonlocal dispersal, two-variable coupling and time-periodic shifting heterogeneity in this system pose extra difficulties in mathematical treatment, which are dealt with by introducing new approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to the study of the propagation dynamics of a Lotka-Volterra two-species competition system in a periodic discrete habitat. Under appropriate assumptions, we show that a semi-trivial equilibrium is globally stable for the spatially periodic initial value problem. Then we establish the existence of the rightward spreading speed and its coincidence with the minimal wave speed for the spatially periodic rightward traveling waves. We further obtain sufficient conditions for the linear determinacy of the rightward spreading speed. Finally, we apply these results to a specific model of two-species competition and conduct numerical simulations for the spreading speed and traveling waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the propagation dynamics of nonlocal dispersal monostable equations in time-space periodic habitats. We first show that such an equation admits a single spreading speed in every direction under certain conditions and then give several spreading properties in terms of spreading speeds such as asymptotic spreading ray speeds and asymptotic spreading sets. Furthermore, we consider the dependence of the spreading speed on the dispersal rate and reaction term and prove that taking the temporal average or spatial average can decrease the spreading speed. Finally, we employ the viscosity vanishing method to establish the existence of time-space periodic traveling fronts with the critical speed in every direction under the partially temporally homogeneous case and partially nearly flat case, which solves partially the open problem raised by Rawal, Shen, and Zhang (Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst. 35 (2015) 1609–1640). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impact-generated hydrothermal systems are a potential habitat for life on Earth and other planetary bodies. The ubiquity of impact craters on Mars makes them of particular interest for the search for life on this planet although their viability as a habitat is not well understood. To better understand such systems, two analogue impact structures on Earth were investigated, as their dominantly basaltic target rock makes them similar to impact structures in the Martian crust: the Vista Alegre and Vargeão Dome impact structures in Brazil. The goals of this paper are to 1) better understand the Vista Alegre and Vargeão Dome impact structures, and 2) understand how impact-generated hydrothermal systems on Earth can be compared with similar systems on Mars. To enable comparison, the software HYDROTHERM is used to reconstruct the hydrothermal evolution of both impact systems on Earth. Permeability, porosity, thermal conductivity, and initial temperature distributions are varied to simulate slow--, medium-, and fast-cooling models. The medium cooling rate models are then adapted to Martian conditions and scaled to 1×, 2×, 4×, and 8× the size on Earth, also adapting the impact energy and initial heat distribution, to check the comparability using similar target rocks. Finally, target rocks are changed to a basaltic composition only, to check how a lower-permeability Martian surface composition would affect the hydrothermal system. The models indicate between 150 and 650 thousand years (ka) of hydrothermal activity for both the Vista Alegre and Vargeão Dome impact structures. Due to the limited availability of water in the initial, high-temperature situation in the crater centre, water flux first increases and then decreases, although after 650 kyr the water flux towards the crater centre remains active in Vargeão Dome only. This sustained water flux is likely related to the low relative pressure in the crater centre due to the lack of overlying rock in comparison to outside the crater, as well as the direct connection of an underlying sandstone aquifer with high-permeability, fractured basalt in the centre of the structure. The Martian models with the same lithologies as on Earth show overall lower water flux and contain permafrost, which prevents the water flux within the aquifer from outside the crater towards the crater centre as seen in Vargeão Dome. The cooling times increase with scaling from 1× to 8× the size to ∼0.2 and 5 Myr, respectively. With only basalts in the target, cooling times reach ∼0.2 to 9 Myr. However, in that case, the water flow only remains active for up to the first Myr, and a minimum crater diameter of approximately 40 km is needed to achieve surface water fluxes close to those in Vargeão Dome and Vista Alegre. Below the Martian surface, hydrothermal system activity can persist for millions of years, providing potential for supporting life. Unfortunately, these parts of the system are currently unreachable for both sampling and spectroscopic techniques, and the short lifetime and low water fluxes at the surface related to the permafrost layers do not favour impact-generated hydrothermal systems on present-day Mars as targets for the search for life. However, these systems are highly dependent on the rock types and related permeabilities and could have provided habitats before 3.5 Ga, when the planet was warmer and liquid water was present at the surface. • This is the first fluid-flow model of terrestrial impact craters in basaltic targets. • This is the first direct comparison of fluid-flow models for impact-generated hydrothermal systems on Earth and Mars. • This is the first time a (semi)quantitative limit is set for impact-generated hydrothermal systems on Mars. • The paper provides new insights into impact-generated hydrothermal systems on Mars and their potential as a habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the stability of the Rosenzweig–MacArthur model distributed to identical discrete habitat patches. Migration between patches is assumed to follow the non-diffusive rule that individuals have a fixed rate of leaving their local habitat patch and migrating to another. Under this non-diffusive migration rule, we found that population dispersal on a non-regular and connected habitat network can both stabilize and destabilize the Rosenzweig–MacArthur model. It is also shown that our non-diffusive migration rule apparently becomes diffusive if the habitat network is regular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existence, uniqueness and stability of forced pulsating waves as well as gap formation of reaction diffusion models in a shifting habitat are challenging problems in the field of propagation dynamics. In this paper, we design to tackle these problems for a time periodic Lotka-Volterra competition system. By using alternatively-coupling upper-lower solution method, we establish the existence of forced pulsating traveling wave, as long as the shifting speed falls in a finite interval where the end points are obtained from KPP-Fisher speeds. The asymptotic behaviors of the forced pulsating traveling wave are derived and this helps us show that this wave is unique. Moreover in the Lyapunov sense, the stability of the forced pulsating wave is also studied. Finally, when the forced speed is beyond the finite interval, gap formation is investigated theoretically and illustrated further by numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study deals with the problem of the population shrinking in habitats affected by aging and excessive migration outflows. First, a control-oriented population dynamics model was proposed that catches the effect of depopulation. The model also includes the effect of spatial interaction-driven migration flows on population size. The resulting model is a non-homogeneous ordinary differential equation. It includes such phenomena that are important from the control point of view, such as the influence of migration costs on population dynamics, the impact of aging on population size, or the effect of the habitats' carrying capacity on migration flows. Based on the model, controllability conditions are formulated and a control strategy was developed that is meant to avoid the depopulation of the habitat. The control method acts on the migration costs to achieve the control goal and requires only population size measurements. Simulation measurements are presented in the paper to show the effectiveness of the proposed modeling and control methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reaction-diffusion model which is called the field-road model was introduced by Berestycki, Roquejoffre and Rossi [9] to describe biological invasion with fast diffusion on a line. In this paper, we investigate this model in a heterogeneous landscape and establish the existence of the asymptotic spreading speed c ⁎ as well as its coincidence with the minimal wave speed of pulsating fronts along the road. We start with a truncated problem with an imposed Dirichlet boundary condition. We prove the existence of spreading speed c R ⁎ which coincides with the minimal speed of pulsating fronts for the truncated problem in the direction of the road. The arguments combine the dynamical system method with PDE's approach. Finally, we turn back to the original problem in the half-plane via generalized principal eigenvalue approach as well as an asymptotic method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The assessment of burn severity is highly important in order to describe and measure the effects of fire on vegetation, wildlife habitat and soils. The estimation of burn severity based on remote sensing is a powerful tool that, to be useful, needs to be related and validated with field data. The present paper explores the relationships between field accessible variables and Relative Differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (RdNBR) index by using linear mixed-effects models and boosted regression trees, based on data from 28 large fires and 668 field measurements across three countries in southern Europe. The RdNBR clearly reflected the mean height of charred stem and loss of ligneous, living shrub and tree cover during the fire. The paper confirms that remote sensing indices provide an acceptable assessment of fire induced impact on forest vegetation but also highlights there are important between-fire variations due to specific contexts that modify these relationships. These variations can be effectively assessed and should be taken into account in future predictive efforts. Highlights • Significant relationships were found between RdNBR and field measured variables. • The correct design of field inventories is key to assess burn severity. • RdNBR provides acceptable assessments of fire induced impact in the Mediterranean. • Between-fire variations need to be considered in burn severity assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic actions have direct and indirect impacts on natural systems, leading to significant alterations in marine ecosystems worldwide. One of the most notable problems is species loss, as the disappearance of species from an area can compromise ecological functions. This is at the core of a severe biodiversity crisis. To address and reverse these processes, marine protected areas (MPAs) have been utilized as a crucial tool to mitigate species loss, increase biomass, and serve as a fisheries management tool. However, there is a lack of information assessing MPAs from the perspective of their contribution to maintaining ecological functions. In recent decades, functional diversity (FD) indices have been widely used to assess ecosystem functioning. In this paper, we conducted an assessment using a global database of reef fish abundance to analyze the effect of No-Take Zones (NTZ) on the FD and "true" diversity (TD) indices of tropical reef fish assemblages in seven tropical biogeographic regions. We found a significant protective effect for some indices, although these responses were dependent on the bioregion. At the bioregional level, NTZs included lower numbers of species and functional entities than open access areas. Consequently, the functional richness protected within these zones partially represented the functional diversity in each biogeographic province. However, smaller-scale functional diversity indices responded to NTZ protection depending on the bioregion. Therefore, these results reinforce that the assessed NTZs are responsive to the protection of functional diversity, although they are not sufficient for safeguarding ecosystem functions in tropical reefs. This highlights the importance of expanding the number of protection entities worldwide with management strategies focused on coral reef fish functionality, as well as effective local/regional assessments. Thus, a new paradigm is necessary in the planning and creation of MPAs to safeguard ecosystem functions, with a priority given to the protection of ecosystem functions and habitats. [Display omitted] • Functional diversity indices as an indicator of the protection effect in MPAs. • Current management tools are insufficient for safeguarding functions in reefs fish. • A new paradigm for the planning and creation of marine protected areas. • Consider the ecosystem functions, habitats and functional ecology in decision makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spreading speed of spatio-temporal nonlinear dynamical system can sometimes be determined either by its corresponding linear system with an explicit speed formula, or by the complicated nonlinear system itself with the existence of a pushed wavefront. In this paper, the spreading speed (the minimal speed of wavefronts) for a Lotka-Volterra competition model in spatially periodic habitats is investigated. We establish new results on the linear and nonlinear selections in terms of the spatio-periodic coefficient functions. In the case of nonlinear selection, lower and upper bound estimates of the minimal speed are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) play a significant role in Internet of Things (IoT) to provide cost effective solutions for various IoT applications, e.g., wildlife habitat monitoring, but are often highly resource constrained. Hence, preserving energy (or, battery power) of sensor nodes and maximizing the lifetime of WSNs is extremely important. To maximize the lifetime of WSNs, clustering is commonly considered as one of the efficient technique. In a cluster, the role of individual sensor nodes changes to minimize energy consumption, thereby prolonging network lifetime. This paper addresses the problem of lifetime maximization in WSNs by devising a novel clustering algorithm where clusters are formed dynamically. Specifically, we first analyze the network lifetime maximization problem by balancing the energy consumption among cluster heads. Based on the analysis, we provide an optimal clustering technique, in which the cluster radius is computed using alternating direction method of multiplier. Next, we propose a novel On-demand, oPTImal Clustering (OPTIC) algorithm for WSNs. Our cluster head election procedure is not periodic, but adaptive based on the dynamism of the occurrence of events. This on-demand execution of OPTIC aims to significantly reduce computation and message overheads. Experimental results demonstrate that OPTIC improves the energy balance by more than 18% and network lifetime by more than 19% compared to a non-clustering and two clustering solutions in the state-of-the-art. • We analyze the energy balancing approach aimed at maximizing network lifetime. • We provide an optimal clustering technique, where cluster radius is computed using ADMM. • We propose a novel on-demand clustering algorithm based on dynamic cluster head selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study an integro-difference equation that describes the spatial dynamics of a species in a shifting habitat. The growth function is nondecreasing in density and space for a given time, and shifts at a constant speed c. The spreading speeds for the model were previously studied. The contribution of the current paper is to provide sharp conditions for existence of forced traveling waves with speed c. We show the existence of traveling waves with zero value at ∞ or −∞ for c in different value ranges determined by the spreading speeds. We also show the existence of a traveling wave with any speed c for the case that the species can grow everywhere. Our results demonstrate the existence of different types of traveling waves with the same speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to the study of the propagation dynamics of a nonlocal dispersal Fisher-KPP equation in a time-periodic shifting habitat. We first show that this equation admits a periodic forced wave with the speed at which the habitat is shifting by using the monotone iteration method combined with a pair of generalized super- and sub-solutions. Then we establish the nonexistence, uniqueness and global exponential stability of periodic forced waves by applying the sliding technique and the comparison argument. Finally, we obtain the spreading properties for a large class of solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper is devoted to the study of pulsating fronts and pulsating front-like entire solutions for a reaction–advection–diffusion model of two competing species in a periodic habitat. Under certain assumptions, the competition system admits a leftward and a rightward pulsating fronts in the bistable case. In this work we construct some other types of entire solutions by interacting the leftward and rightward pulsating fronts. Some of these entire solutions behave as the two pulsating fronts approaching each other from both sides of the x -axis, which turn out to be unique and Liapunov stable 2-dimensional manifolds of solutions, furthermore, the leftward and rightward pulsating fronts are on the boundary of these 2-dimensional manifolds. The others behave as the two pulsating fronts propagating from one side of the x -axis, the faster one then invades the slower one as t → + ∞. These kinds of pulsating front-like entire solutions then provide some new spreading ways other than pulsating fronts for two strongly competing species interacting in a heterogeneous habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a comprehensive and updated overview of river restoration and covers all relevant aspects from drivers of restoration, linkages between hydromorphology and biota, the current restoration paradigm, effects of restorations to future directions and ways forward in the way we conduct river restoration. A large part of this paper is based on the outcomes of the REFORM (REstoring rivers FOR effective catchment Management, http://reformrivers.eu/) project that was funded by EU's 7th Framework Programme (2011-15). REFORM included the most comprehensive comparison, to date, of existing river restorations across Europe and their effect on biota, both in relation to preintervention state and project size in terms of river length restored. The REFORM project outcomes are supplemented by an extensive literature review and two case studies to illustrate key points. We conclude that river restorations conducted up until now have had highly variable effects with, on balance, more positives than negatives. The largest positive effects have interestingly been in terrestrial and semiaquatic organism groups, in widening projects, while positive effects on truly aquatic organisms groups are only seen when in-stream measures are applied. The positive responses of biota are primarily seen as increased abundance of organisms with very little indication that overall biodiversity has increased: specific traits rather than mere species number or total abundance have benefited from restoration interventions. This modest success rate can partly be attributed to the fact that the catchment filter is largely ignored; large-scale pressures related to catchment land use or the lack of source populations for the recolonisation of the restored habitats are inadequately considered. The key reason for this shortfall is a lack of clear objective setting and planning processes. Furthermore, we suggest that there has been a focus on form rather than processes and functioning in river restoration, which has truncated the evolution of geomorphic features and any dynamic interaction with biota. Finally, monitoring of restoration outcomes is still rare and often uses inadequate statistical designs and inappropriate biological methods which hamper our ability to detect change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic marine debris, mainly of plastic origin, is accumulating in estuarine and coastal environments around the world causing damage to fauna, flora and habitats. Plastics also have the potential to accumulate in the food web, as well as causing economic losses to tourism and sea-going industries. If we are to manage this increasing threat, we must first understand where debris is accumulating and why these locations are different to others that do not accumulate large amounts of marine debris. This paper demonstrates an advection-diffusion model that includes beaching, settling, resuspension/re-floating, degradation and topographic effects on the wind in nearshore waters to quantify the relative importance of these physical processes governing plastic debris accumulation. The aim of this paper is to prioritise research that will improve modelling outputs in the future. We have found that the physical characteristic of the source location has by far the largest effect on the fate of the debris. The diffusivity, used to parameterise the sub-grid scale movements, and the relationship between debris resuspension/re-floating from beaches and the wind shadow created by high islands also has a dramatic impact on the modelling results. The rate of degradation of macroplastics into microplastics also have a large influence in the result of the modelling. The other processes presented (settling, wind drift velocity) also help determine the fate of debris, but to a lesser degree. These findings may help prioritise research on physical processes that affect plastic accumulation, leading to more accurate modelling, and subsequently management in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nubian Flapshell Turtle, Cyclanorbis elegans , is classified as one of the most threatened chelonian species globally (Critically Endangered according to the IUCN Red List). The species is presumed extinct in most of its historical distribution range, but still survives along the White Nile between South Sudan and northern Uganda. In this paper, we utilised the maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) to evaluate the habitat suitability of the species to explore its distribution decline by comparing historical and current presence data, as well as correlate the predicted past and present distribution with human population density. Our assumption is that overexploitation of the turtle occurs (and has occurred in the past) in sites with high human density. We show that: (1) a large number of historical sites where the turtle was present had high human population densities, whereas (2) the current distribution model showed low overlap between areas with high probability of turtle presence and high human population density. We suggest that Nubian flapshells are likely to have become extinct because of high human density (and therefore high overexploitation) and remnant populations have only survived along waterbodies with low numbers of people. However, the presence sites of this species in northern Uganda are under pressure by rapidly growing refugees'settlements. We also hypothesize that the range of the Nubian Flapshell may be shifting to the south (where the general environment is wetter and cooler) due to climate change affecting the distribution of this freshwater species. The conservation implications of these evidence are also presented. • The Nubian flapshell turtle is one of the most threatened reptile species in the world. • A spatial modelling approach revealed intriguing extinction patterns across Africa. • There was an association between historical sites of presence and high density of humans (hence fishers). • There i san association between current remnant presence sites and low human density. • Refugees' settlements represent a serious torea for turtles in northern Uganda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article illustrates how the creation of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Malta is failing to adequately include stakeholders in the configuration of conservation targets and measures, leaving local fishers increasingly disempowered. Through a series of interviews and long-term participatory observation, it has been found that the leaders who represent local fishers are failing to communicate the MPA process to their community. Instead, they are using their position in the MPA negotiations to subjugate and silence the fishing community in general and trammel netters in particular. Moreover, in their support for the MPA, these community leaders reproduce the state's conservation discourse to pressure authorities to ban trammel net fishing, with whom they tend to be in competition. It is concluded that the state's narrow focus on ecology, the tight deadlines set out in the EU Habitats Directive, and the misrepresentation of the fishers, has characterised the process of creating this MPA. If artisanal livelihoods are not protected by conservation policies, fishers may regard conservation as a threat to their way of life, and resist policy measures. This compromises conversation efforts and can make the enforcement of the MPAs more expensive. This paper recommends a revision of the community consultation policies of the MPA to allow broader and more representative participation from the local community by encouraging engagement throughout the process as part of a consensual approach to effective marine conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a time-periodic competition system with a free boundary, which can be used to describe two species that are struggling on the free boundary to obtain their own habitats and the final competition result is the regional partition of two species. In [15] , we have studied the (classical) traveling wave solutions of the temporal homogeneous problems. In this paper, we consider the time-periodic case and study periodic traveling wave solutions of the problem. More precisely, we will prove the existence and uniqueness of the periodic traveling wave solution, and show that the speed of the periodic traveling wave is uniquely determined by and monotonically dependent on the time-periodic terms in the system. Moreover, we will present some sufficient conditions to guarantee that the wave travels with a positive speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landscape structure and vegetation coverage are important habitat conditions for Oriental Migratory Locust infestation in East Asia. Characterizing the landscape's dynamics of locust habitat is meaningful for reducing the occupation of locusts and limiting potential risks. To better understand causes and consequences of landscape pattern and locust habitat, it is not enough to simply detect locust habitat of each year. Rather, landcover transitions causing the change of locust habitat area must also be explored. This paper proposes an integrated implement to quantify the influence of landscape's dynamics on locust habitat changes based on three tenets: 1) temporal context can provide insight into the land cover transitions, 2) the detection of locust habitat area is operated on patches rather than pixels with full consideration of landscape's ecology, 3) the modeling must be flexible and unsupervised. These ideas have not been previously explored in demonstrating the possible role of changes in landscape characteristics to drive locust habitat transitions. The case study focuses on the Dagang district, a hot spot of locust infestation of China, from 2000 to 2015. Firstly, the seasonal characteristics of typical landcovers in NDVI, TVI, and LST were extracted from fused Landsat-MODIS surface reflectance imagery. Subsequently, a landscape membership-based random forest (LMRF) algorithm was proposed to quantify the landscape structure and hydrological regimen of locust habitat at the patch level. Finally, we investigated the correlations between the specific landcover transitions and habitat changes. Within the 16 years observations, our findings suggest that the sparse reeds and weeds in the vicinity of beach land, riverbanks, and wetlands are the dominant landscape structure associated with locust habitat change (R 2  > 0.68), and the fluctuation in the water level is a key ecological factor to facilitate the locust habitat change (R 2  > 0.61). These results are instrumental for developing precision pesticide use to reduce environmental degradation, and providing positive perspectives for ecological management and transformation of locust habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key issue in ecology is whether a population will survive long term or go extinct. This is the question we address in this paper for a population in a bounded habitat. We will restrict our study to the case of a single species in a one-dimensional habitat of length L . The evolution of the population density distribution ρ ( x, t ), where x is the position and t the time, is governed by elementary processes such as growth and dispersal, which, in standard models, are typically described by a constant per capita growth rate and normal diffusion, respectively. However, feedbacks in the regulatory mechanisms and external factors can produce density-dependent rates. Therefore, we consider a generalization of the standard evolution equation, which, after dimensional scaling and assuming large carrying capacity, becomes ∂ t ρ = ∂ x ( ρ ν − 1 ∂ x ρ ) + ρ μ , where μ , ν ∈ R . This equation is complemented by absorbing boundaries, mimicking adverse conditions outside the habitat. For this nonlinear problem, we obtain, analytically, exact expressions of the critical habitat size L c for population survival, as a function of the exponents and initial conditions. We find that depending on the values of the exponents ( ν, μ ), population survival can occur for either L  ≥  L c , L  ≤  L c or for any L . This generalizes the usual statement that L c represents the minimum habitat size. In addition, nonlinearities introduce dependence on the initial conditions, affecting L c . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the effects of increasing spatial subdivision of habitat on competition between two species. An increase in the degree of subdivision without any increase in the total amount of resources in the environment leads to smaller patch sizes, and thus, fewer individuals supported per patch. This fact suggests that when the degree of subdivision is high, the minimum resources that an individual must obtain before reproduction become important. Competition equations derived from first-principles that incorporate the minimum resource requirement are employed to investigate the effects of spatial subdivision and how these effects depend on the minimum requirements of the two species, type of resource competition such as scramble or contest, and spatial aggregation level of individuals. The results show that increased subdivision leads to changes in “effective fecundities” of the species, and consequently, affects their competitive superiority. Species coexistence is promoted at intermediate subdivision levels, especially if there is a trade-off between the minimum resource requirement and inherent fecundity. The range of subdivision in which coexistence occurs depends on the spatial aggregation of individuals and inequality in competitive ability between the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strontium isotopic ratio 87 Sr/ 86 Sr has been studied in the Sterkfontein Valley of South Africa to infer both habitat usage and residence for a number of early hominins. This paper examines the existing 87 Sr/ 86 Sr data collectively derived from three studies of Paranthropus robustus teeth with the aim of exploring whether the dataset as a whole may provide deeper insight into habitat, mobility, and growth for this species. 87 Sr/ 86 Sr from seven Swartkrans Member I third molars varies in a well defined narrow range, and while some canines were consistent with this range, a number of P. robustus canines and first and second molars were not, and therefore represent individuals who had arrived from other localities. A first and third molar 87 Sr/ 86 Sr was found to differ in TM1517c, the holotype P. robustus specimen from Kromdraai, suggesting this individual had moved to the locality sometime after the first molar and before the third molar had completely mineralized. While early forming teeth vary widely, the relatively low variation and absence of exogenous 87 Sr/ 86 Sr in third molars suggest that these teeth mineralized relatively late when compared to life history events bearing on higher primate residence patterns. The implications for further study of habitat, residence, and growth are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The depletion of resource reserves will cause stagnation of socio-economic development in resource-based cities. The formation of new sources of economic growth in resource-depleted cities can profoundly change the structure of human activities and affect the environment. The Chinese government has established a list of resource-depleted cities in three batches since 2008 to support these cities in finding new sources of economic growth. The article analyzes the impact of the regeneration process of resource-based cities on ecosystem quality. The paper constructs an inter-city panel dataset covering 281 cities from 2003 to 2018. The article valued the habitat quality of Chinese cities. Habitat quality index and normalized vegetation index were used to measure the long-term and short-term ecological impacts of economic recovery in resource-based cities. Using a difference-in-difference technique, the results show that the central government's economic support for resource-based cities significantly improves the condition of urban ecosystems. However, the long-term ecological effects are still smaller than the short-term changes in ecosystems. The transmission path of support policies affecting the ecological quality of cities depends on the shift in industrial structure and economic scale at the provincial level. In addition, urban-rural differences, regional distribution, and resource endowment also significantly affect the ecological effects of supportive policies. • Economic recovery in resource-depleted cities changes the economic structure and affects the urban ecosystem. • Economic recovery can improve the environmental quality of resource-depleted cities. • The variability of resource endowments affects environmental quality during the economic recovery process in cities. • The environmental benefits of economic recovery tend to decay over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European hedged agricultural landscapes provide a range of ecosystem services and are an important component of cultural and biodiversity heritage. This paper investigates the extent of hedges, their woody species diversity (including the influence of historical versus recent hedge origin) and dynamics of change. The rationale is to contribute to an ecological basis for hedge habitat management. Sample sites were allocated based on a multivariate classification of landscape attributes. All field boundaries present in each site were mapped and surveyed in 1998 and 2007. To assess diversity, a list of all woody species was recorded in one standard 30 m linear plot within each hedge. There was a net decrease in hedge habitat extent, mainly as a result of removal, and changes between hedges and other field boundary types due to the development and loss of shrub growth-form. Agricultural intensification, increased rural building, and variation in hedge management practices were the main drivers of change. Hedges surveyed at baseline, which were lost at resurvey, were more species rich than new hedges gained. Hedges coinciding with historical land unit boundaries of likely Early Medieval origin were found to be more species rich. The most frequent woody species in hedges were native, including a high proportion with Fraxinus excelsior , a species under threat from current and emerging plant pests and pathogens. Introduced species were present in circa 30% of hedges. We conclude that since hedge habitat distribution and woody species diversity is a function of ecology and anthropogenic factors, the management of hedges in enclosed agricultural landscapes requires an integrated approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hunting groups are closely linked to the environments in which they live, especially in the deserts. This paper explores the relationship between people and desert environments in the long term using key concepts such as resilience, refugia and habitat loss. A thorough paleoenvironmental analysis was conducted to improve our understanding about continuities and discontinuities in the archaeological record of the South Andean highlands. This allowed us to test ideas about the availability of adequate human habitats during the Holocene. Cultural archives such as archaeofauna and lithic technology are employed to illustrate and discuss methodological perspectives for the identification and description of resilient human habitats in arid landscapes in the South Andean Puna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia has a rich terrestrial and marine biodiversity and high species endemism. However, the oceanic continent is facing the biodiversity extinction crisis. The primary factors are anthropogenic induced environmental changes, including wildlife habitat destruction through urbanisation and predation by feral animals (e.g. red foxes and feral cats), increased severity of diseases (e.g. chytridiomycosis and chlamydia), and increased occurrence of summer heat waves and bush fires. Stress physiology is a dynamic field of science based on the studies of endocrine system functioning in animals. The primary stress regulator is the hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal (interrenal) axis and glucocorticoids (corticosterone and/or cortisol) provide stress index across vertebrate groups. This review paper focuses on physiological stress assessments in Australian wildlife using examples of amphibians, reptiles, birds and marsupials. I provide a thorough discussion of pioneering studies that have shaped the field of stress physiology in Australian wildlife species. The main findings point towards key aspects of stress endocrinology research, such as quantification of biologically active levels of glucocorticoids, development of species-specific GC assays and applications of stress physiology approaches in field ecology and wildlife conservation programs. Furthermore, I also discuss the importance of chronic stress assessment in wildlife populations. Finally, I provide a conceptual framework presenting key research questions in areas of wildlife stress physiology research. In conclusion, wildlife management programs can immensely benefit from stress physiology assessments to gauge the impact of human interventions on wildlife such as species translocation and feral species eradication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we model patterns of expansion and contraction of settlement in Bronze Age Messenia (ca. 3100–1050 BCE) using the ideal free distribution (IFD). We rank potential settlement locations on the landscape using environmental and cultural variables, including watershed size, which is a proxy for fresh water availability, net primary productivity, and the distance to the location of the Palace of Nestor at Pylos, a central site of political importance throughout most of the Bronze Age. The settlement chronology for the region is derived from an existing database of survey data and conforms to the predictions of the IFD. The highest-ranked habitats were settled first and the population expanded to lower-ranked habitats as population density increased. The data also conforms to the IFD prediction that important political centers should follow the same pattern, expanding from higher- to lower-ranked habitats. This model helps to provide an understanding of the effects of the unique environmental and cultural landscape of the region on settlement prior to the rise of the major Mycenaean centers in mainland Greece. The application of the IFD to a sociopolitically complex case demonstrates its broad potential for understanding historical trajectories in settlement patterns throughout the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the most biodiversity-rich part of the protected areas system, habitats within the pilot national parks have long been threatened by drastic human-induced land use and land cover changes. The growing concern about habitat loss has spurred China's national park project to shift from pilot to construction phase with the official establishment of China's first group of national parks (CFGNPs) in October 2021. But far too little attention has been paid to the synergistic work concerning the habitat quality (HQ) dynamics of all five national parks. Here, the InVEST model, combined with a satellite-derived land use and land cover product and a hot spot analysis (HSA) method, was used to investigate the HQ dynamics at the park- and pixel-scale within the CFGNPs. Our results demonstrate that the past ecological conservation practices within national parks have been unpromising, especially in Giant Panda National Park, Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park (NCTL), and Wuyi Mountain National Park (WYM), where HQ as a whole showed a significant decline. Furthermore, more than half of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park (87.2%), WYM (77.4%), and NCTL (52.9%) showed significant HQ degradation from 1980 to 2019. Besides, increasing trends in the area shares of HQ degraded pixels were observed in all five national parks from 1980–1999 to 2000–2019. The HSA implied that the hot spots of high HQ degradation rates tend to occur in areas closer to urban settlements or on the edge of national parks, where human activities are intensive. Despite these disappointing findings, we highlighted from the observed local successes and the HQ plateau that the construction of CFGNPs is expected to reverse the deteriorating HQ trends. Thus, we concluded our paper by proposing an HSA-based regulatory zoning scheme that includes five subzones to guide the future construction of China's national park system. [Display omitted] • The first known investigation to reveal the habitat quality trends for China's first group of national parks was presented. • The past ecological conservation practices within national parks have been unpromising over the past four decades. • The area shares of habitat quality degraded pixels show an increasing trend in all five national parks from 1980 to 2019. • We developed a regulatory zoning scheme for habitat protection or ecosystem restoration within these national parks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we describe seafloor terrain of nearly the entire Disko Bay region and provide scientific baseline information about surface geology and sedimentary environments that can support the seafloor management plan in Greenland. Our study utilized multiple datasets of multibeam bathymetry and backscatter, seismic profiles and ground-truthing consisting of video footage from drop camera and benthic video sled, as well as sediment samples from grab and corers. Our results revealed that the key geological units in Disko Bay characterize the scale of geomorphic features, which in turn affects the distribution and complexity of habitat zones. The NE sub-region is underlain by Cretaceous sandstone and characterized by large-scale landforms, mainly vast flat areas draped by glacial lineations, bedrock ridges and pockmark fields. This setting promotes less topographically complex habitats, i.e. coarse plain, muddy/sandy plain with dropstones, and muddy plain. The SW sub-region is characterized by Precambrian Gneiss and Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks with complex system of small-scale geomorphic features, such as cross-cutting channels. This results in topographically complex habitats in the area, such as rocky bank, coarse rugged terrain, and rocky slopes. Two distinctive habitat areas, associated with potential gas seeps, i) southern pockmark field and ii) western zoanthid-sponge wall, were discovered at the geological boundary separating the two sub-regions. Our study highlights the importance of seafloor habitat mapping and analyses by providing fundamental geophysical knowledge necessary to comply with long-term sustainable use of marine resources in Greenland. • Nearly entire Disko Bay seafloor was mapped with high-resolution datasets • Classified geo habitats highlighted geomorphic features and sediment types • SW Disko showed rugged-type habitats with complex terrain and small-scale features • NE Disko showed flat-type habitats with large-scale features • Unique zoanthid-sponge wall was discovered at geological boundary and nearby seeps [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grande Riviere beach, located on the north coast of Trinidad, West Indies, is internationally recognised as a critical habitat/nesting ground for the endangered leatherback turtles ( Dermochelys coriacea ). Episodic extreme flooding of the Grande Riviere River led to the shifting of the river mouth and resulted in backshore beach erosion, with the most recent recorded event occurring in 2012. Following this event, the construction of a sand dam to arrest further erosion which threatened coastal infrastructure, precipitated a host of new problems ranging from beach instability to public health threats. In January 2013, high energy swell waves naturally in-filled the erosion channel, and the beach recovery continued over the successive months, thereby rendering the intervention in the previous year questionable. This paper presents a geomorphological analysis of beach dynamics for Grande Riviere, within the context of this erosion event. Data on beach profiles, sediment and coastal processes were collected using standard geomorphological techniques. Beach topographic analysis and water quality tests on impounded water in the erosion channel were conducted. Results indicate that the event created an erosion channel of 4843.42 m 3 over a contiguous area of 2794.25 m 2 . While swell waves were able to naturally infill the channel, they also eroded 17,762 m 3 of sand overall across the beach. Water quality tests revealed that the impounded water was classified as a pollutant, and created challenges for remediation. Hydrologic and coastal geomorphologic interplay is responsible for the existence and sustainability of this coastal system. It is also evident that the beach system is able to recover naturally following extreme events. Our results demonstrate that effective and integrated management of such critical habitats remains dependent upon continuous monitoring data which should be used to inform policy and decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a summary of 25 years of research on Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus) in the western Ligurian Sea. Seasonal variations in abundance, distribution and habitat use were observed. Photographic mark-recapture methods provided a population size estimate for the period from 1998 to 2012, of about 100 individuals (95% CI of 60-220 individuals). The same methods detected a decline in population size from an average of about 120-150 from 2000 to 2005, to an average of 70-100 during 2010 to 2014. Species occurrence appeared to be significantly decreasing in coastal and continental slope areas, while it seemed to be stable in the most pelagic area. In addition, a dramatic change was observed in the local primary production, which was analysed based on time series of sea surface temperature and chlorophyll data from 1990 to 2014. Based on fisheries landings, there may have been a general decrease in fishery productivity, both in the western Ligurian Sea and in adjacent regions. Environmental variability, depletion of resources by fisheries and possibly interspecies competition may all have contributed to cause changes in Risso's dolphin habitat use and occurrence in the western Ligurian Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In fragmented but temporally stable landscapes, kin competition selects for dispersal when habitat patches are small, whereas the loss of dispersal is favoured when dispersal is costly and local populations are large enough for kin interactions to be negligible. In heterogeneous landscapes with both small and large patches, contrasting levels of kin competition facilitate the coexistence of low-dispersal and high-dispersal strategies. In this paper, I use both adaptive dynamics and inclusive fitness to analyse the evolution of dispersal in a simple model assuming that each patch supports either a single individual or a large population. With this assumption, many results can be obtained analytically. If the fraction of individuals living in small patches is below a threshold, then evolutionary branching yields two coexisting dispersal strategies. An attracting and evolutionarily stable dimorphism always exists (also when the monomorphic population does not have a branching point), and contains a strategy with zero dispersal and a strategy with dispersal probability between one half and the ESS of the classic Hamilton–May model. The present model features surprisingly rich population dynamics with multiple equilibria and unprotected dimorphisms, but the evolutionarily stable dimorphism is always protected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine unconsolidated sediment habitats, the largest benthic ecosystem, are considered physically controlled ecosystems driven by a number of local physical processes. Depth and sediment type are recognised key drivers of these ecosystems. Seascape (i.e., marine landscape) habitat classifications are based solely on consistent geophysical features and provide an opportunity to define unconsolidated sediment habitats based on processes which may vary in distribution through space and time. This paper aimed to classify unconsolidated sediment seascapes and explore their diversity in an eastern boundary upwelling region at the macro-scale, using the South African west coast as a case study. Physical variables such as sediment grain size, depth and upwelling-related variables (i.e., maximum chlorophyll concentration, austral summer bottom oxygen concentration and sediment organic carbon content) were included in the analyses. These variables were directly measured through sampling, or collated from existing databases and the literature. These data were analysed using multivariate Cluster, Principal Components Ordination and SIMPER analyses (in PRIMER 6 + with PERMANOVA add-in package). There were four main findings; (i) eight seascapes were identified for the South African west coast based on depth, slope, sediment grain size and upwelling-related variables, (ii) three depth zones were distinguished (inner, middle and outer shelf), (iii) seascape diversity in the inner and middle shelves was greater than the outer shelf, and (iv) upwelling-related variables were responsible for the habitat diversity in both inner and middle shelves. This research demonstrates that the inclusion of productivity and its related variables, such as hypoxia and sedimentary organic carbon, in seascape classifications will enhance the ability to distinguish seascapes on continental shelves, where productivity is most variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of environmental flows is of paramount importance in regulated water resources systems to preserve river ecosystems. This work proposes a methodology to assess habitat alteration in river basins altered by management activities. The methodology is based on the joint application of a basin management model (SIMGES, AQUATOOL) and a model to estimate habitat time series (CAUDECO). CAUDECO is based on the weighted useable areas of the species in their different vital stages that, in turn, depend on the flows in each river stretch and the biological periods of the species. The final output is an indicator of habitat alteration, which is defined ad hoc for this work to relate the habitat suitability under regulated and natural regimes. The methodology was applied to a case study in north-western Spain: the Órbigo River basin. The results in the current management scenario highlight that the ecological flows improve the habitat suitability of several species with respect to natural regime conditions. For instance, the mean values of the habitat time series in the Órbigo River for the brown trout and bermejuela under regulated conditions are 69.6% and 88%; whereas in natural regime they are equal to 55.1% and 72.9%, respectively. Based on these results, eight additional scenarios of ecological flows were tested and their effects on both habitat alteration and water demand reliability were quantified and discussed. It was found that increases in the ecological flows up to 30% do not affect the reliability of water demands and reduce habitat alteration (i.e., lead to values of the habitat alteration indicator closer to 1) for all species present in the river basin. These results highlight that the methodology and indicator of habitat alteration proposed in this paper are useful to support the management of regulated river basins, since they allow assessing the implications of ecological flows on both habitat suitability and reliability of water demands. • A methodology is proposed to assess habitat alteration in regulated basins. • The methodology is applied to the Órbigo River basin (north-western Spain). • Environmental flows can improve habitat suitability compared to natural conditions. • Increases in environmental flows reduce habitat alteration for all species. • Rises in environmental flows up to 30% do not affect the reliability of water demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding and quantifying the trade-off between the requirement for clean safe bathing water and beaches and their wider ecosystem services is central to the aims of the European Union (EU) Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), and vital for the sustainability and economic viability of designated bathing waters. Uncertainty surrounding the impacts of ensuing bathing water policy transitions, e.g. the EU revised Bathing Waters Directive (rBWD), puts new urgency on our need to understand the importance of natural beach assets for human recreation, wildlife habitat and for protection from flooding and erosion. However, managing coastal zones solely in terms of public health could have potentially negative consequences on a range of other social and cultural ecosystem services, e.g. recreation. Improving our knowledge of how bathing waters, surrounding beach environments and local economies might respond to shifts in management decisions is critical in order to inform reliable decision-making, and to evaluate future implications for human health. In this paper we explore the conflicts and trade-offs that emerge at public beach environments, and propose the development of an evaluative framework of viable alternatives in environmental management whereby bathing waters are managed for their greatest utility, driven by identifying the optimal ecosystem service provision at any particular site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents new data for secondary metabolites and biological activity of the insufficiently studied European inland halophytes as remarkable indicators of Balkan saline habitats. Phenolic content, flavonoid concentrations and antioxidant activity were analyzed in fifteen terrestrial salt tolerant plants collected from eight saline habitats situated in two distinct semiarid regions of Serbia. Total phenols ranged from 31.86 to 212.71 mg of GA/g of extract (gallic acid equivalent – milligrams of gallic acid per gram of extract). Concentration of flavonoids ranged from 41.21 to 146.06 mg of RU/g of extract (rutin equivalent – milligrams of rutin per gram of extract). Antioxidant activity was determined using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical reagent; obtained values was ranged from 1785.81 to 17.55 μg/ml. A significant relation was noticed between the concentration of phenols and antioxidant activity. Parallel to the analysis of researched halophytes, Camellia sinensis and Ginkgo biloba were analyzed for comparison. The best antioxidant properties were determined for Statice gmelinii , Artemisia santonicum and Mentha pulegium . The results indicate a potential of studied halophytic species as candidates for natural sources of secondary metabolites with high biological activity, whereas their bioactive compounds might have a significant role in adaptations to salt and drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this current paper, we investigate a periodic bio-reactor model where microorganisms compete for two essential nutrient resource(s) needed for growth. For the single population growth model: we show that when the trivial solution is (locally) asymptotically stable, then the single population will be washed out; when the trivial solution is unstable, there is a unique periodic positive solution which attracts all solutions with nonzero initial data. For the two species model, we prove that the existence of a periodic coexistence state is possible if each species can invade the semi-trivial periodic state established by the other species. More precisely, if the semi-trivial periodic solutions are both unstable, there exists at least one periodic coexistence solution. Numerical work indicates conditions for persistence depend on the flow characteristics (advection and diffusivity). From our numerical simulations, competitive exclusion, bistability, and coexistence are all observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity is an essential part of properly functioning ecosystems, yet the loss of biodiversity currently occurs at rates unparalleled in the modern era. One of the major causes of this phenomenon is habitat loss and modification as a result of intensified agricultural practices. This paper provides a starting point for considering biodiversity within dairy production, and, although focusing primarily on the United States, findings are applicable broadly. Biodiversity definitions and assessments (e.g., indicators, tools) are proposed and reviewed. Although no single indicator or tool currently meets all the needs of comprehensive assessment, many sustainable practices are readily adoptable as ways to conserve and promote biodiversity. These practices, as well as potential funding opportunities are identified. Given the state of uncertainty in addressing the complex nature of biodiversity assessments, the adoption of generally sustainable environmental practices may be the best currently available option for protecting biodiversity on dairy lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xinqing Wetland and Shengjin Lake Wetland are the main habitats of Hooded Crane in China. However, in recent years, the irrational land use situation of occupied wetlands has occurred frequently, resulting in the destruction of the breeding of the Hooded Crane population and the destruction of the wintering habitat. The paper takes Xinqing Wetland and Shengjin Lake Wetland as the research area, and uses landscape ecology and geostatistics as the theoretical basis to reveal the changes of land landscape in the study area, and analyze the main breeding and wintering habitat types of Hooded Crane. The landscape ecological risk assessment model is constructed by the landscape pattern index method, and the ecological risk in the study area is divided into five levels: extremely low ecological risk, low ecological risk, medium ecological risk, high ecological risk and extremely high ecological risk. The landscape ecological risk of the study area is analyzed from the aspects of single landscape type, spatial distribution characteristics and time series changes. Overall, from 1986 to 2018, the landscape ecological risks of Xinqing Wetland and Shengjin Lake Wetland all showed an upward trend, both from the low ecological risk level in 1986 to the middle ecological risk level in 2018. The ecological risk value of Xinqing Wetland increased from 0.3777 in 1986 to 0.5882 in 2018; the ecological risk value of Shengjin Lake wetland landscape increased from 0.2706 in 1986 to 0.5709 in 2018. The growth rate of the Shengjin Lake wetland is higher than that of the Xinqing Wetland. In order to better protect the ecological environment of the wetland and protect the habitat of the Hooded Crane, this paper will propose corresponding suggestions and countermeasures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many important Pliocene hominin specimens have been recovered from Woranso-Mille, a paleontological research area in the Afar region of Ethiopia, including the complete cranium of Australopithecus anamensis , a partial skeleton of Australopithecus afarensis , mandibular and maxillary elements representing a new species, Australopithecus deyiremeda , and a partial foot of an as-yet-unnamed species. Woranso-Mille is the only site, so far, to have reported the co-existence of more than one early hominin species between 3.8 and 3.3 Ma and the temporal overlap between A. anamensis and A. afarensis. Thus, the site has important implications for our understanding of the paleoecology and taxonomic diversity of early hominins and their ecological niche. This paper explores the paleohabitats of Woranso-Mille through its faunal community ecological structure and taxonomic composition using correspondence analysis and Forbes modified similarity index. The results suggest that Pliocene Woranso-Mille was a mosaic of different habitat types, with riparian woodland and floodplain grassland along rivers draining into a lake, along with less mesic habitats such as woodland, grassland, and shrubland. The apparent high level of vegetation heterogeneity may have promoted dietary specializations and niche differentiation among the different Australopithecus species at Woranso-Mille and allowed for their co-existence at the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation of habitat patches and the related environment benefits both the focal species and human well-being. Many indices use the dispersal range to identify habitat patches with conservation priorities. However, there lacks approaches to identify environmental variables with conservation priorities (noted as target variables) in those identified patches. Therefore, this paper proposes an approach to identify environmental variables with conservation priorities in habitat patches using perception range and introduces the related assumption. It is assumed the agents select habitats based on their prior preference and perceived information in their perception ranges, which avoids the omniscient assumption of agents. Based on such assumptions, the proposed approach identifies the target variables by approximating how animals identify their habitats. It highlights the use of perception range and identifies target variables using the maximum information gain. The variables that contribute the largest reduction of uncertainty are regarded as the target variables in the habitat patches. Taking the Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) living in Tianjin, China as the case, different scenarios with 100 m, 250 m and 500 m perception ranges are designed to illustrate the feasibility of the proposed approach. The proposed approach identifies the normalized vegetation index, rather than the distance to water surface, is the target variable in 42.3%, 58.9% and 72.1% habitat patches with given perception ranges. Adjustments are made on areas within the given perception range of each patch. More grid cells that has increased suitability index can be found in scenarios given 250 m perception range, which indicates the conservation area is not always the large the better. Optimizations are expected on both a better approximation method and a more thorough hypothesis of using perception range. • The hypothesis and the rationale of using perception range are organized. • The information gain method is used to approximate the perception of agents. • Different performance of scenarios can be observed with different perception ranges. • 250 m perception range performs best for the Common Moorhen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tidal channels are structurally and functionally prominent features in tidal marshes, so their restoration is central to marsh restoration. Prominent design questions in tidal marsh restoration include: How many tidal channels can a restoration site support, and thus, how many dike breaches should be made to restore tidal inundation and tidal channels? How much total channel surface area will be supported by a restored marsh, and thus, how many fish, shrimp, or other organisms can be supported by restored channel habitat? These basic design questions can be addressed by landscape allometry, which describes the proportional relative rates of change in a system between two entities of particular interest—in the case of marsh restoration, between the amount of marsh area to be restored and a wide variety of measures of tidal channel network geometry. This paper briefly reviews the development of landscape allometry, insights that it provides into landforms and related ecological patterns, and its utility and application to marsh restoration planning, design and monitoring. Its practical application is illustrated in a conceptual restoration design that is the basis for a current restoration project. Image 1 • Scaling of tidal landforms has practical implications for habitat restoration. • Scaling reveals non-linear cumulative effects of marsh area on channel geometry. • Scaling patterns can reveal cryptic anthropogenic historical legacies. • Restoration planning, design, and monitoring can be usefully informed by scaling. • Application of landform scaling is illustrated in a restoration design example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]