Search

Seagrass meadows form the foundation of many coastal ecosystems, but are rapidly declining on a global scale. To conserve and restore these key-ecosystems, improved understanding of drivers behind seagrass presence and recovery is needed. Many animals are known to both facilitate and inhibit seagrasses, but biotic factors are still rarely used as indicators of seagrass presence. Hence, we investigate if macrozoobenthos could beused as an indicator for intertidal seagrass (Zostera marina and Zostera noltii) habitat suitability in the international Wadden Sea. Additionally, we explore if macrozoobenthos can explain the differing seagrass recovery rates that have been observed between the Northern (Denmark and Schleswig Holstein) and Southern (Lower Saxony and Netherlands) regions of the Wadden Sea. To achieve this, we performed a Wadden Sea-wide survey at 36 intertidal locations, across three countries, and investigated the importance of 21 abiotic and biotic variables in explaining the presence and absence of intertidal seagrasses. Seagrass presence or absence could be reliably predicted (prediction error: 16.7%) with a multivariate logistic regression with only four variables; chlorophyll a, bivalve, ragworm and mudsnail biomass. We also found higher chlorophyll concentrations and ragworm biomass in the South compared to the Northern Wadden Sea, suggesting that eutrophication and associated community shifts might still inhibit seagrass recovery in the South. Our findings highlight the potential of using macrozoobenthos as indicators for seagrass habitat suitability. In areas, like the Dutch Wadden Sea, where macrozoobenthic surveys are common and where benthic data is readily available, our findings can be used to improve the understanding of seagrass recovery dynamics and the selection of suitable seagrass restoration sites.

Efforts to manage small and medium-sized pelagic fishes (SMPF) using traditional stock assessment methods are hampered by the elusive relationship between spawning stock biomass and recruitment. We propose to compute a reproductive resilience index (RRI) in three steps: (i) we selected 16 biological traits related to distinct aspects of SMPF reproductive biology and char-acterized by a continuous (e.g., growth rate) or ordinal variable (e.g., spawning site fidelity) scored from 1 to 5 (1 representing a low contribution of the trait to reproductive resilience); (ii) an expert panel assigned the traits’ scores to five exploited species in the southern Humboldt Current Large Marine Ecosystem; (iii) a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) model was used to estimate an RRI based on the combination of the traits’ scores. The BBN was used to explore environmental effects on the species’ RRI, as some reproductive traits can show intraspecies variability under external forces (e.g., fishing pressure). Through proving the RRI application to detect variability in species’ resilience at local time series, we show how the resulting RRI can be interpreted by fishery managers to improve the current management of SMPF., Les efforts de gestion des petits et moyens poissons pélagiques (PMPP) par des méthodes traditionnelles d’évaluation des stocks sont limités par la mauvaise définition de la relation entre la biomasse du stock reproducteur et le recrutement. Nous proposons d’établir un indice de résilience reproductive (IRR) par les trois étapes suivantes : (i) nous avons choisi 16 caractères biologiques reliés à différents aspects de la biologie de reproduction des PMPP et caractérisés par une variable continue (p. ex., taux de croissance) ou ordinale (p. ex. fidélité au lieu de frai) notée de 1 à 5 (1 représentant une faible contribution du caractère à la résilience reproductive), (ii) un panel d’experts a assigné les notes pour ces caractères pour cinq espèces exploitées dans le grand écosystème marin du courant de Humboldt méridional, (iii) un modèle de réseau de croyances bayésien (RCB) a été utilisé pour estimer un IRR basé sur la combinaison des notes des caractères. Le RCB a été utilisé pour explorer les effets environnementaux sur l’IRR des espèces, certains caractères reproductifs pouvant présenter une variabilité intraspécifique sous l’effet de forçages externes (p. ex. la pression de pêche). En démontrant l’application de l’IRR pour détecter la variabilité de la résilience d’espèces pour des séries chronologiques locales, nous illustrons comment l’IRR résultant peut être interprété par les gestionnaires de pêches pour améliorer la gestion actuelle des PMPP.

In the current research, the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown period on sediment quality of the Meric-Ergene River Basin was evaluated by determining the potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in sediment samples collected from 25 sampling points in the basin. Also some important ecological indicators including potential ecological risk index (PERI), contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI), biological risk index (BRI), and geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and some important statistical indicators including the Pearson correlation index (PCI), factor analysis (FA), and cluster analysis (CA) were applied to collected data. Levels of all the investigated PTEs in sediment of the basin show significant differences between the pre-lockdown and lockdown periods. The PTE contents have considerably decreased by 12.8%–45.4% during the lockdown period. Similarly, the results of applied sediment quality risk assessment indices showed significant improvement and the values have decreased by 22.4%–35.8%. In the lockdown period, reduction of industrial activities or limited production at many industrial facilities located in the basin reduced the amount of effluent, leading to significant improvement in sediment quality.

The article concerns the research on the emission of pollutants of a rail-road tractor in two stationary research tests. The purpose of the tests was to carry out control tests of pollutant emissions and their analysis. The object used during the works was approved in accordance with the Stage V standard, which requires measurements of emissivity both in stationary, dynamic and real conditions. Despite the requirement to test engines installed on a vehicle during their normal duty cycle with PEMS, the emission limits measured in this test have not yet been defined. Therefore, the work below focuses on the stationary test cycle. The measurements were carried out in accordance with the combustion engine operating points described in the approval test, and then compared with the modernized NRSC test. It contains modified measuring points and rotational speeds of the crankshaft, adopted on the basis of the most common operating parameters of agricultural tractor combustion engines in real operating conditions. The measurements were performed with the use of a mobile dynamometer and devices for measuring emissions of harmful exhaust gas compounds and recording on-board data. In the test, the vehicle drive system worked at fixed operating points, with defined values of crankshaft rotational speed and load. Based on the recorded data on the concentrations of pollutants in the exhaust gases, the specific emission of the object was determined. In the final stage of the work, these data were used to perform a comparative analysis with the emission limits contained in the standard.

Ecosystem restoration has been practiced for over a century and is increasingly supported by the emergent applied science of restoration ecology. A prerequisite for successful ecosystem restoration is determining meaningful and measurable goals. This requires tools to monitor success in a standardized way. Photogrammetry uses images to reconstruct landscapes and organisms in three dimensions, enabling non-invasive measurement of key success indicators with unprecedented accuracy. We propose photogrammetry can improve restoration success by: (i) facilitating measurable goals; (ii) innovating and standardizing indicators of success; and (iii) standardizing monitoring. While the case we present is specific to coral reefs, photogrammetry has enormous potential to improve restoration practice in a wide range of ecosystems.

Bats have been proposed as reliable bioindicators for monitoring bioaccumulation of elements and chemicals in natural and transformed ecosystems. Non-invasive methods are becoming more popular as research moves away from destructive methodologies. We present the first concentrations of 23 elements in Mops condylurus and Tadarida aegyptiaca (Molossidae) fur and blood from an opencast diamond mine and reference area using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Concentrations of B, K, Rb and Cd in the bats’ fur were significantly higher in the mining footprint compared to the reference area (P < 0.05). Other elements such as Zn and Hg were significantly higher in the blood of bats from the mining footprint than the reference area (P < 0.05), whereas Mn was significantly higher in the blood of bats from the reference area than from the mining footprint (P < 0.05). Sixteen of the 22 elements above the limit of detection, with the exception of Ba, were significantly higher in the fur samples than in the blood due to elements being incorporated over time into the fur as it grows, whereas blood reveals short-term exposure to elements. Concentrations of most of the elements were reasonably low except Al, Fe and Zn. In general, the element concentrations particularly in the fur samples were comparable with other international studies reporting elemental fur concentrations from anthropogenically impacted and natural areas. Fur and blood have the potential to be viable indicators of environmental toxicity, but research is required on toxic thresholds and physiological and ecological unknowns around element concentrations in bat tissues and organs.

Climatic changes threaten the diverse and highly endemic paramo flora of the equatorial Andes with species loss and reduction of plant community diversity. Edward Whymper’s findings in his botanical exploration of the Ecuadorian Andes in 1880 offer an opportunity to examine the impact of climate changes on species distribution over time. To achieve these goals, we revised Whymper’s historical plant species collections, recorded elevational distribution of the same species along his 1880 sampling routes on two volcanoes, Chimborazo and Antisana, and applied to them ecological indicator values. Of the species recorded by Whymper, 24 on Antisana and 21 on Chimborazo, we resampled 21 and 14 of those species, respectively, in 2020. The highest record we found on Chimborazo was at 5385 m, seven meters above the zero-richness elevation predicted from Whymper’s distribution data, and at 4937 m on Antisana, 113 m below it. Mean upper range limits of species have shifted upward by 91.7 m on Chimborazo and by 27.1 m on Antisana, suggesting mean shift rates of 6.6 m and 1.9 m per decade, respectively. This rate of upslope migration ranks among the slowest reported worldwide. Humidity ecological indicator values suggest that species composition of paramo plant communities changed since 1880 in response not only to rising temperature, but also increasing dryness. Rather than a uniform upslope migration, the response of paramo plants to climate changes in the equatorial Andes has been species-specific, likely driven, among other factors, by coupled effects of increasing temperature and declining humidity.

The degradation of freshwater ecosystems can be attributed to stressors associated with the increased demand for water and other aquatic resources. Freshwater ecosystems face such challenges in sup...

Understanding the biological response to increasing anthropogenic stressors is an important consideration to make when evaluating ecosystem well-being. Among aquatic ecological indicators, fish are effective as they are mobile and can be monitored relatively easily. The socio-economically important uMngeni River in South Africa is a highly regulated ‘working river’ and has seen a reduction in the numbers of its iconic Labeobarbus spp. as a result, primarily the KwaZulu-Natal yellowfish Labeobarbus natalensis. To understand how this species has adapted to these anthropogenic changes, we evaluated the reach-scale movements and habitat use of L. natalensis (n = 43) from August 2018 to August 2019 between Midmar and Albert Falls Dams. We included monitoring environmental parameters using radio telemetry methods. We found that L. natalensis showed facultative movements and typically exhibited diurnal activities. Habitat availability was important and appeared to depend on refugia during the austral winter (May to July) and spawning or body condition during austral summer (December to February). Upstream reach-scale movements were cued primarily by water temperature where flow provided access and maintained available habitats for breeding. Maintaining adequate flows during critical periods of movement and spawning is important and will assist in maintaining the population of L. natalensis. Furthermore, removing redundant instream barriers or fitting these with adequate fish passages will improve the fragmented population resilience of L. natalensis. These mitigation measures will improve ecosystem resilience and reduce the impacts of increasing anthropogenic stressors associated with socio-economically important rivers.

Insect diversity and abundance are in drastic decline worldwide, but quantifying insect populations to better conserve them is a difficult task. Mark-release-recapture (MRR) is widely used as an ecological indicator for insect populations, but the accuracy of MRR estimates can vary with factors such as spatial scale, sampling effort and models of inference. We conducted a three-year MRR study of B. thaidina in Yanzigou valley, Mt. Gongga but failed to obtain sufficient data for a robust population estimate. This prompted us to integrate B. thaidina life history information to parameterize agent-based models and evaluate the conditions under which successful MRR studies could be conducted. We evaluated: (1) the performance of MRR models under different landscape types, and (2) the influence of experimental design on the accuracy and variance of MRR-based estimates. Our simulations revealed systematic underestimates of true population parameters by MRR models when sampling effort was insufficient. In a total of 2772 simulations, subjective decisions in sampling protocol (e.g. frequency, number of sampling locations, use of spatially explicit models, type of estimands) accounted for nearly half of the variation in estimates. We conclude that MRR-based estimates could be improved with the addition of more field-specific parameters. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The aim of the author is to gain insight into the results of the survey expeditions carried out on the Danube and its catchment area every 6 years. In order to maintain the good status required by the Water Framework Directive, the methods for assessing the status of waters include an overview of the methodology of ecological indicators. The article also presents methodologies and developments resulting from water quality analyses and related international conventions and collaborations. Most importantly, it aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the state of the Danube River Basin, which can be deduced from research data from the last 20 years. After the introduction, the author examines the results of the International Danube Commission’s survey of the entire Danube every 6 years in terms of improving the ecological status, with particular reference to technical or methodological developments between surveys.

In this study the approach and method on its basis for calculated assessment of reference values of complex fuel-ecological criterion of Prof. І. Parsadanov as separate independent ecological safety factor and as reference points of psychophysical scale of the partial desirability function when using it as the ecological safety factor of power plants with reciprocating internal combustion engines exploitation process was proposed. Also in the study calculated assessment of reference values of ecological indicators of reciprocating internal combustion engines as components of complex fuel-ecological criterion depending on magnitudes of effective power and coordinates of field of engine operating regimes for different levels of statutory ecological standards in force in Ukraine and previously in force was carried out. Thus, calculated assessment of reference values of complex fuel-ecological criterion and its components was performed and obtained the distribution of such reference values in field of 2Ch10.5/12 autotractor diesel engine operating regimes depending as well as dependences of such reference values on magnitudes of level of ecological standards EURO, engine effective performance and lower calorific value of engine fuel. So, the study for the first time proposes the approach to calculated assessment of reference values of the complex fuel-ecological criterion of Prof. І. Parsadanov as reference points of the psychophysical scale of the Harrington's partial desirability function when using it as the separate independent ecological safety factor of exploitation process of power plants with reciprocating ICE. The method, based on the proposed approach for calculative evaluation of reference values of the complex fuel-ecological criterion of Prof. I. Parsadanov as reference points of psychophysical scale of partial desirability function is suitable for obtaining necessary data for the complex criterion evaluation of the ecological safety level of operation process of power units with piston ICE using generalized Harrington desirability function, in the structure of which the complex fuel-ecological criterion acts as a distinct factor of environmental safety.

Forestry plantations have been established globally to meet timber demands, often leading to the conversion of natural to artificial forests. Forestry plantations may support natural elements of forest biodiversity, but understanding their role in the maintenance of biodiversity is a crucial question. We performed a meta-analysis of 48 studies to determine how forestry plantations relative to natural forests influence the species richness and abundance of three important coleopteran groups (i.e., ground beetles, rove beetles, and dung beetles), given their essential role in ecosystem functioning. We assessed whether beetle responses depended on taxonomic group, geographical location, native or exotic character of the planted tree species, and associated management characteristics (i.e., composition, size, age, and connectivity of the plantations). We found that forestry plantations negatively affected coleopteran species richness and abundance compared to natural forests. The negative impact was most severe in plantations with exotic tree species and located in tropical biomes. Species richness and abundance of beetles significantly increased with plantation age in native plantations but decreased in exotic ones. Also, small plantations close to native forest had higher beetle species richness and abundance than ones located far away from native forest. Stopping the conversion of natural forests to plantations, promoting the use of native tree species, and lengthening rotations are critical for allowing biodiversity recovery in forestry plantations, combined with a robust conservation strategy to protect threatened biodiversity and ecosystem functioning., Hungarian Basic Research Fund, Remedinal, Natural Environment Research Council, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación

A cross-cultural approach to conservation and natural resource management will enable resource managers to access the full potential of dual knowledge epistemologies and facilitate genuine co-management. To achieve this epistemological convergence in Aotearoa, New Zealand, a framework and an ecological assessment tool are required that can employ indicators from both neoclassical ecological science and indigenous science, in particular mātauranga Māori. The Ecological State Assessment Tool (ESAT) was developed to assess quantitative scientific data using Māori ecological indicators. ESAT models population or social data weighted according to an applied Māori ecological perspective. ESAT may be applied to any conservation project to integrate Māori ecological knowledge in resource management. We illustrate the utility of ESAT in a case study of how different conservation management practices affect the ecological health of a short-tailed bat colony (Mystacina tuberculata), Pekapeka O Puketītī-Piopio. Applying ESAT shows that although pest control programs were achieving management targets, social engagement had a significant effect on ecological health outcomes for the bats. ESAT may assist territorial authorities and the Crown to meet their resource management obligations to Māori under the Treaty of Waitangi, value mātauranga and provide a way for Māori and ecologists to conceptualise and understand each other’s epistemology. Furthermore, ESAT can be adapted to include any cultural or ecological indicators, enabling its application internationally.

South Brazilian grasslands are at risk due to climate change and activities that convert native vegetation into agricultural lands. We used 12 native palm species as ecological indicators of these ecosystems to evaluate the impact of climate and land-use changes on their geographical distribution. We estimated the potential distribution of species for current and future (year 2050; RCP 4.5 and 8.5) climate and land-use conditions considering two dispersal scenarios. We also assessed the coverage of protected areas (PAs) for current and future species distribution. Our results indicated that the future distribution of all species will decrease under scenarios with no dispersal and increase under scenarios with dispersal; however, a dispersal scenario might be unlikely considering species dispersal ability and the increased pressure on grasslands. A comprehensive strategy is fundamental to ensure species conservation and recovery since the current PAs network covers less than 2% of the current distribution for nine out of the 12 species. Assessing the synergy of trends in climate and land-use changes is essential to improve conservation strategies for these emblematic species.

Ecological fiscal transfers (EFT) transfer public revenue between governments within a country based on ecological indicators. EFT can compensate subnational governments for the costs of conserving ecosystems and in principle can incentivize greater ecological conservation. We review established EFT in Brazil, Portugal, France, China and India, and emerging or proposed EFT in ten more countries. We analyse common themes related to EFT emergence, design and effects. EFT have grown rapidly from US$0.35 billion yr−1 in 2007 to US$23 billion yr−1 in 2020. We discuss the scope of opportunity to expand EFT to other countries by ‘greening’ intergovernmental fiscal transfers. The transfer of public funds between governments within a country based on ecological indicators is an emerging tool in environmental policy. A review of extant and proposed schemes identifies challenges and opportunities to expand the use of this instrument.

Introducción: El banco de semillas en el suelo es uno de los indicadores ecológicos más importantes para la evaluación y monitoreo de recuperación de ecosistemas degradados. Así mismo, actualmente indicadores ecológicos de restauración son usados en áreas afectadas por la ruptura de la represa de relaves de Fundão en Mariana, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Objetivo: En este estudio se evaluó la variación de la riqueza, composición de especies, densidad y parámetros fitosociológicos del banco de semillas en dos profundidades de relaves mineros en Mariana, municipio de Mariana, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Métodos: Se recolectaron 15 muestras por nivel de profundidad, en la capa superior (Profundidad1, P1 = 0-2.5 cm) y capa inferior (Profundidad2, P2 = 2.5-5.0 cm) del relave de minería para examinar el banco de semillas viable, que luego se colocó en un invernadero para la germinación. Posteriormente se contaron e identificaron semanalmente todos los individuos de cada especie durante un período de seis meses. Resultados: Se demostró que existe un banco de semillas en las capas superficiales de relaves mineros acumulados en las áreas afectadas de Mariana, con una marcada diferencia entre profundidades en términos de riqueza de especies y densidad de individuos. Se observó una mayor riqueza y número de individuos en P1, (1 165 semillas germinadas), pertenecientes a 18 familias y 47 especies, en comparación a P2 (197 individuos), pertenecientes a 12 familias y 23 especies. El banco de semillas de la capa P1 está influenciado por la lluvia de semillas del bosque cercano. Por otro lado, el banco de semillas de P2, puede ser característico de los relaves mineros. Conclusiones: El banco de semillas estudiado puede tener efectos positivos sobre la recuperación en el área de estudio, debido a la alta proporción de especies nativas, pioneras y anemocóricas típicas de etapas iniciales de sucesión secundaria.

Understanding how soil fertility changes due to environmental conditions and stand-age-dependent forest attributes is important for local-scale forest restoration. We evaluated the effects of stand-age-dependent forest attributes (plant community composition and litter stock) on soil and technosol fertility across two second-growth Atlantic forests (SGF) after the deposition of mining tailings in Mariana, southeastern Brazil. We hypothesized that technosol fertility in the SGF tailings is positively affected by plant community composition variability, stand age, and litter stock. We used total exchangeable bases and organic matter as fertility indicators for technosol and soil, and species composition and litter stock as stand-age-dependent forest attributes. Our results showed significant differences in the stand-age-dependent forest attributes and soil chemical properties between the two forest patches (SGF tailing and SGF non-tailing) evaluated. Thus, there was a marked gradient of litter storage and fertility between soil and technosol that can be important forest recovery indicators for the affected plant communities. Furthermore, according to the tested models, we corroborated the hypothesis that technosol fertility is positively affected by stand age, plant community composition variability, and litter stock, which may contribute considerably to forest recovery on tailings. Our results demonstrate that the fertility predictors analyzed to explain the forest recovery on tailings can also be considered as ecological indicators for assessing forest restoration in areas impacted by mining tailings in Mariana.

All data collected here are part of the ebook "Footprints of foods and culinary preparations consumed in Brazil". Here is presented the complete data used to calculate carbon, water and ecological footprints of foods and culinary preparations consumed in Brazil, a tool developed to enable the studies of a thesis named The food and its environmental impacts: approaches of national food guides and study of Brazilians diet , which was presented at the Global Health and Sustainability PhD Program of the Faculty of Public Health of the University of São Paulo. The e.book has both Portuguese and English versions. DOI: 10.11606/9788588848368 (ebook in Portuguese) DOI: 10.11606/9788588848405 (e.book in English) Licença: “É permitida a reprodução parcial ou total desta obra, desde que citada a fonte e autoria, proibindo qualquer uso para fins comerciais.”

In the present study, the spatial-temporal variations of iron, lead, copper, cadmium, mercury, nickel, and zinc accumulations in the water of Sehriban Stream (northern Turkey) were investigated. Water Quality Index (WQI), Heavy Metal Evaluation Index (HEI), Pearson Correlation Index (PCI), and Factor Analysis (FA) were used in analyzing the water quality. Sampling was performed in 12 stations on monthly basis between February 2019 and January 2020 (a hydrological year). The data showed that the Sehriban Stream had significantly high water quality characteristics and the investigated toxicants were not found as dangerous for health. Although there was a slight decrease in the water quality from upstream to downstream, the stream was found to have 1st class water quality in general. As a result of WQI and HEI, although it was determined that the water quality decreased slightly in autumn, the stream was found to be "A Grade - Excellent (

RIVER restoration is a popular technique to rehabilitate degraded river habitat. Given the nature of these types of engineering projects, using ecological indicators to monitor the restoration effectiveness has been a traditional approach. However, as this approach emphasizes the post-project performance, environmental impact attributed to a project’s construction phase has received little attention directly or indirectly. This study quantified the carbon footprint of ecological river restoration, using a project in California as a case study. A topographic diversity index (TDI) was developed as a functional unit of the river restoration project, indicating how a restoration project can increase the variation of habitat topography. The results show that river restoration can lead to greenhouse gas emissions ranging from 288 to 336 kg CO2 equivalent (kg CO2e) for every 1% of TDI improvement, or 9–14 kg CO2e per meter stream restored. This study identified that improving raw material acquisition plans and heavy-duty equipment rental decision can be feasible strategies leading to the reduction of carbon footprint.

Landscape conversion becomes a continuous process in a natural landscape for any strategic development. In a forest landscape mosaic, the conversion from non-forest land to forest land implies a constructive approach. Various bio-geographic processes are enriched and developed when the land was converted to forest land in a given landscape matrix. The present study evaluated how the increased forest cover improves the ecological quality of forest in Jhargram District of West Bengal State, India, from 1985 to 2015. The quality of forests includes dominance, fragmentation and connectivity, which are the basis ecological indicators of habitat structure. To address this issue, we extracted forest cover maps of 1985 and 2015 from land use/land cover classification. A grid framework was overlaid on these forest cover maps for patch-matrix model analysis. Reliable landscape ecological indices were used for the measurements of forest landscape quality in 1985 and 2015. Then a simple linear regression model was used to compare the results. Temporally, forest cover increased in Jhargram District from 1985 to 2015. The comparison of measurement indices depicts that although only a small amount of land was changed into forest land in the study area, this small change has greatly improved the structural compositional quality of the forest land. Compared with 1985, the forest land area increased by about 6930.56 ​hm2 in 2015. This increased forest cover improved the basic landscape ecological characters, such as inter patch connectivity, forest core area, forest habitat dependence, forest habitat dominance and forest edge effect. As a result, the ecosystem function in Jhargram District has been improved, which again attracts wildlife and enriches biodiversity.

Selected field vegetable crop combinations and increasing dosage of bio-char application, together with other alternative agronomic components of ecological agriculture (EA) were compared with conventional agriculture (CA) during the first three seasons of transition from CA to EA under hot-humid tropical conditions and sandy regasolic soils in Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka. The recommendations of the Department of Agriculture (Sri Lanka) was followed for managing conventional agriculture plots while alternative ecological options were followed for plant nutrient and pest managements. Capsicum-beet, Okra-beet and mae-spinach and radish-onion crop combinations could be selected for intercropping under ecological as well as conventional cropping systems based on their yield performances (Land Equivalent Ratio -LER) or other yield components. Even though plant growth rates and crop yields were lower at the beginning, EA was able to outrank CA by the third consecutive season. A bio-char amendment of 2 kg m-2 could be identified as the best among the different dosages tested. Soil N, P and K contents were increased while accumulation of Cd and Hg were reduced at the end of a three season long ecological agriculture practices. Insect pest/natural enemy incidence were not different between two cropping systems.

The habitats present in research sites across Amazonia have usually been characterized only very broadly, for example, as inundated or non-inundated (terra firma) forests. However, within each of these categories there is considerable variation in soil properties and floristic composition. This variation is likely to determine habitat quality for animal populations through its effects on primary productivity and food availability, thereby affecting carrying capacity. Therefore, comparison of edaphic properties across sites could provide new insight into which factors affect animal foraging patterns, population densities, and home-range sizes. We provide an example from Estacion Biologica Quebrada Blanco in Peruvian Amazonia, where behavioral studies on primates (especially tamarins) have been conducted for more than three decades but little is known about the edaphic or floristic characteristics of the forest they occupy. We used indicator plant species to estimate and map soil base cation concentration and its variability at Estacion Biologica Quebrada Blanco. We found that soils in the study area are relatively cation-poor in a western Amazonian context, which probably translates into low primary productivity. Some differences in soils among the home-ranges of three tamarin groups were also observed, illustrating the usefulness of the method for detailed habitat mapping. in Spanish is available with online material.

The Altitudinal Atlantic Forest is comprised of humid forest enclaves on top of the mountains surrounded by the Caatinga's xeric shrubland vegetation. It is considered a humidity refuge of endemism in semi-arid regions, and it is under intense anthropogenic pressure. Dung beetle communities are widely used as an ecological indicator of environmental conservation. However, dung beetle communities of the Altitudinal Atlantic Forest are poorly studied, and their value for biodiversity conservation in semi-arid regions is unknown. We describe and compare dung beetle communities of Altitudinal Atlantic Forest remnants located in the Brazilian Northeast semi-arid region to evaluate whether diversity patterns and species composition differ among the remnants. We captured 1,333 beetles belonging to 24 species. Only one remnant showed a statistically significant difference in diversity based on species richness and abundance, and beta diversity showed a high dissimilarity among remnants. The remnants had in common only one species, and the dominant species were distinct among them. Species composition was 16% similar among the sampled remnants, and we registered species commonly found in the Atlantic Forest, the Caatinga, and Amazonia. The structure of the dung beetle community in each remnant could be related to the historical origin and maintenance of the Altitudinal Atlantic Forest. Species compositions changed as a result of geographic location and surrounding environments, which act as filters to dung beetle species flow and establishment. We highlight the importance of the Altitudinal Atlantic Forest for the conservation and maintenance of biodiversity in the semi-arid region.

Birds are considered as ecological indicators and most sensitive health indicators of an ecosystem. Wetlands are used by birds for various purposes such as breeding, nesting, roosting, and foraging. This study was designed to fulfill this research gap on avian diversity comparison of different wetlands in various habitats. The objective of the study was to generate information on avian diversity with seasonal variability of different wetlands of various habitats. Sampling was done in eight different wetlands from different districts of Odisha. The study was carried out during October 2015 to September 2018, and the point count method was used. A total number of 109 species of birds covering 16 order and 42 families were recorded. Maximum waterbird richness was found at Chilika (62%, N=68) and minimum species richness (15%, N=17) found at Talcher. Six species were recorded under Near Threatened category according to International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN 2020 ). The reason behind this occurrence of more numbers species in Chilika, Hirakud, and Koraput may be because of the habitat suitability and low anthropogenic pressure. The Talcher sampling site had the lowest species richness because of the highly polluted mining area with high anthropogenic pressure. Conservation of these small wetlands is also required to conserve the declining native avifauna.

There is an increasing need for long-term monitoring of ecosystems and their services to inform on-ground management and policy direction. The supply of many ecosystem services relies on connections that span multiple ecosystems. Monitoring the underlying condition of interconnected ecosystems, using established indicators, is therefore required to track effectiveness of past interventions and, ideally, identify impending change. Here we conduct performance testing of ecological indicators for a catchment-to-coast system with the aim of identifying the time-scales over which they respond to change. We chose a case-study of a coastal fishery in Northern Australia that exhibits strong catchment-to-coast connectivity, has long-term available data and is under threat from water resource development. We developed a novel approach to performance testing. Our model drew on state-space modelling to capture ecological dynamics, and structural equation modelling to capture covariation in indictors timeseries. We first quantified covariation among three established ecological indicators: pasture biomass, vegetation greenness and barramundi catch per unit effort. Covariation in the indicators was driven by river flow, with higher values of all indicators occurring in years with greater river flow. We then defined reference bounds for each indicator that accounted for natural variation in river flow. We predicted the emergence times for each indicator, as the time taken for each indicator to emerge from the background of natural variation. Emergence times quantified at 80% and higher confidence levels were >10 years in all cases. Past trends and current status of ecosystem service flows are often used by decision makers to directly inform near-term actions, particularly provisioning services (such as barramundi catch) due to their important contribution to regional economies. We found that the ecological indicators should be used to assess historical performance over decadal timespans, but not as short-term indicators of recent change. More generally, we offer an approach to performance testing of indicators. This approach could be useful for quantifying time-scales of ecosystem response in other systems where cross-ecosystem connections are important.

Aerated flow characterized by complex mass transfer processes with multiple hydraulic properties is a common enviro-hydraulics phenomenon, which have a variety of profound effects on aquatic ecosystems and the environment. Accurate prediction of the mass transfer process between air and water is crucial to manage the water ecosystem. In this research, an improved two-phase mass transfer smoothed particle hydrodynamics (ITMT-SPH) model is developed with considering the inherent hydrodynamic equations and transport equations to investigate multiple key factors that have ecological implications such as DO (dissolved oxygen) concentration and TDG (total dissolved gas) level. The established model can eliminate the effects of phase separation and non-physical voids for conventional SPH models, which performs better than conventional grid-based methods in terms of prediction accuracy of hydraulic calculation. In addition, to improve the prediction accuracy of mass transfer calculation, experimental and observed field data from a physical model and a practical project are used to calibrate the source parameter of transport equations. Then, a physical model of Songta Hydropower Station (1:80) is established to simulate DO concentration. At the same time, the practical project of Tongjiezi Hydropower Station is used to explore dynamics of TDG level. Simulation results show that ITMT-SPH can simulate ecological indicators of the aerated flow well. The maximum relative error of DO deficit recovery rate between simulation and experiment is 7.8% downstream of dam of Songta physical model. The predicted result of TDG level downstream of Second Dam is 130–148% for Tongjiezi Project, which is close to the monitoring result (138%). This work provides an important theoretical and technical support for the application of ITMT-SPH model to accurately simulate ecological indicators in the ecosystem management.

The policy and practice of ecological restoration and conservation in China obtained some remarkable results. For example, Sphagnum moss growing on abandoned farmland, which was peatland before agricultural use, has rapidly expanded the wetland area in SW China. Microorganisms such as testate amoebae are sensitive to environmental change and thus have been widely used as ecological indicators in various habitats. We analyzed differently aged Sphagnum growing plots on a Sphagnum growing farmland and natural Sphagnum plots in SW China to examine how Sphagnum-dwelling testate amoeba communities and corresponding protozoic silicon (Si) pools respond to ecological restoration practice. We found that abundance, taxon richness, and diversity of testate amoebae were higher in Sphagnum growing farmland plots compared to natural Sphagnum plots. Protozoic Si pools showed an increase with Sphagnum growing time representing increased Si accumulation by idiosomic testate amoeba shells. However, protozoic Si pools were negatively correlated with taxon richness and diversity of testate amoebae. Our results showed that (i) natural Sphagnum plots were not characterized by the expected higher biodiversity of testate amoebae compared to Sphagnum growing plots and (ii) consequently protozoic Si pool quantity in natural Sphagnum plots was less driven by biodiversity of testate amoebae than expected. We concluded our results to underline the value of (i) environmental restoration policy in general and (ii) testate amoeba communities and corresponding protozoic Si pools for Si cycling in restoration areas of peatlands in particular. Based on our results, we recommend a sustainable cultivation of Sphagnum moss and an additional establishment of protected areas, where no Sphagnum harvesting occurs. These protected Sphagnum areas might represent hot spots of undisturbed testate amoeba communities and corresponding protozoic Si pools and thus of microbial Si cycling.

The Pladias (Plant Diversity Analysis and Synthesis) Database of the Czech Flora and Vegetation was developed by the Pladias project team in 2014-2018 and has been continuously updated since then. The flora section of the database contains critically revised information on the Czech vascular flora, including 13.6 million plant occurrence records, which are dynamically displayed in maps, and data on 120 plant characteristics (traits, environmental associations and other information), divided into the sections: (1) Habitus and growth type, (2) Leaf, (3) Flower, (4) Fruit, seed and dispersal, (5) Belowground organs and clonality, (6) Trophic mode, (7) Karyology, (8) Taxon origin, (9) Ecological indicator values, (10) Habitat and sociology, (11) Distribution and frequency, and (12) Threats and protection. The vegetation section of the database contains information on Czech vegetation types extracted from the monograph Vegetation of the Czech Republic. The data are supplemented by national botanical bibliographies, electronic versions of the standard national flora and vegetation monographs, a database of more than 19,000 pictures of plant taxa and vegetation types, and digitalmaps (shapefiles) with botanical information. The data from the database are available online on a public portal www.pladias.cz, which also provides download options for various datasets and online identification keys to the species and vegetation types of the Czech Republic. In this paper, we describe the general scope, structure and content of the database, and details of the data on plant characteristics. To illustrate the data and describe the main geographic patterns in selected plant characteristics, we provide maps of mean values of numerical characteristics or proportions of categories for categorical characteristics on the map of the country in a grid of 5 longitudinal × 3 latitudinal minutes (approximately 6.0 km × 5.5 km). We also summarize the main variation patterns in the functional traits in the Czech flora using the principal component analysis.

Ecological disturbances are recognized as a crucial factor influencing the attributes of ecological communities. Depending on the specific adaptation or life cycle, plant species show different responses to disturbances of different magnitudes. Herben et al. (Journal of Vegetation Science, 27, 628–636) proposed six disturbance indicator values (DIVs) that describe the niches of Central‐European plant species along gradients of disturbance frequency and severity. Here, we ask if the DIVs can be used in community ecology for bioindication of disturbance regime? We used a dataset of riparian forests sampled within mountain catchments (the Sudetes, SW Poland). As the regime of disturbance is driven by changes in floods from the spring toward the mouth, we calculated the position of every plot along longitudinal (upstream–downstream) gradient and used it as a proxy for the disturbance severity and frequency. We then calculated the community‐weighted means (CWMs) for each of the six indices for each plot and analyzed whether these indices reflected the position of the plots along the rivers. We expected an increase in the severity indices and a decrease in the frequency indices downstream along the rivers. Moreover, we analyzed relationships between disturbance indices and species optima along longitudinal gradient. Surprisingly, means for all analyzed indices increased along the rivers. Severity indices showed the strongest association with the longitudinal gradient. The disturbance severity index for herbs was the only index that differed significantly among species with different responses along longitudinal gradient. On these results, we identified a strong correlation between the severity and frequency indices as the main problem. We conclude that the DIVs have considerable applicative potential; however, the determination of ecological niches separately for disturbance severity and frequency is difficult because different components interact to shape the realized niche of each species. All analyzed indices encompass different attributes of the disturbance regime including both severity and frequency., We tested disturbance indicator values (DIVs) for its potential use in community ecology for bioindication of disturbance regime. The DIVs have considerable applicative potential; however, the determination of ecological niches separately for disturbance severity and frequency is difficult because different components interact to shape the realized niche of each species. All analyzed indices encompass different attributes of the disturbance regime including both severity and frequency.

International audience; River-groundwater exchanges are crucial for several ecological processes, but diffi- cult to localize. Hyporheic oligochaetes may represent efficient biological indicators of these exchanges, but hydrological disturbance may alter oligochaete distribution and blur the spatial patterns of river-groundwater exchanges. Oligochaete assem- blages were compared in the Drôme River, which is a semi-natural braided river with an unmodified discharge, and the Ain River, which has reduced sediment mobility and hydropeaking due to several upstream dams. In the semi-natural river, the oligo- chaete distribution was mostly controlled by the origin of the water: some stygoxene species (e.g., Chaetogaster spp. and Vejdovskyella intermedia) were restricted to or more abundant in downwellings, whereas a set of stygophiles (e.g., Stylodrilus sp. and Cernovitoviella sp.) and stygobites (e.g., Aberrantidrilus cuspis) were present or more abundant only in upwellings. Species living in fine sediment (e.g., Potamothrix sp. and Tubifex sp.) also occurred in upwellings due to their location at the border of the braided strip. Conversely, in the regulated river, oligochaete assemblages were abun- dant and diversified, with species living in fine sediment being dominant in the par- tially clogged stations. The spatial distribution of most species did not follow typical surface-hyporheic exchange patterns: most stygophiles (e.g., Proppapus volki and Mar- ionina argentea) and some stygobites (e.g., Haber turquini) were found in both upwell- ings and downwellings or even at stations without water exchanges (e.g., Rhyacodrilus balmensis). In rivers subjected to hydrological disturbance and hydropeaking, oligochaetes became poor indicators of river-groundwater exchanges.

Microalgae are unicellular microorganisms with unique features and can be used as indicators for air pollutants. Microalgae have been found to withstand the negative effects of air pollutants. This...

Environmental fluctuations, such as changes in climate, agricultural management and anthropogenic land-use patterns can affect the diversity of organisms inhabiting an area. Losses of biodiversity alter ecosystems processes, eroding their capacity to deliver ecosystem services. Dung beetles are critical ecosystem service providers, making them an ideal ecological indicator to explore the effects of land-use change on biodiversity. Dung beetles were sampled across three land-use types, in the summers of 2015 and 2016 in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. Game ranching is regarded as a relatively low-intensity land use type. It was compared with cattle ranching (medium intensity) and dairy farming (high intensity) to examine their effect on dung beetle assemblage metrics (abundance, species richness and true Shannon diversity index), guild diversity (as nesting guilds) and spatial turnover. The intermediate grazing intensity of cattle ranching supported a higher abundance and diversity of both whole dung beetle assemblage and the nesting guilds, followed by the game ranches and then dairy farms. Differences between the sampling years were dependent on the beetle nesting guild, and largely correlated with rainfall and temperature. Cattle and game ranches shared a higher number of species than either shared with dairy farms. Whittaker's Beta-diversity index showed the highest species turnover between game ranches and dairy farms. A mix of game and cattle ranching, minimising dairy farming or restricting it to already ecological degraded sites, appears the best alternative for maintenance of dung beetle diversity and their ecosystem services. The year-to-year trends of the data were in general consistent, confirming that dung beetles are reliable ecological indicators; but also suggest that climate change that affects rainfall will result in the reduction of the abundance and diversity of this key ecological group.

Given the background of rural revitalization, it is considered crucial for solving various village problems caused by fast urbanization, including the underuse of rural land resources and ...

The paper examines environmental problems of a city with a developed mining industry. Their influence on social stability, public health and demography, labor activity, migration, etc. was revealed. The methodology for assessing social and ecological tension for the city of Sibay in the Republic of Bashkortostan was tested, based on the approaches developed by I.A. Sosunova for the regions of Russia. The main materials for calculating the socio-ecological tension of the city were data from the analysis of information on the socio-economic and ecological state of the territory, conducting a sociological survey of the population, as well as assessing the ecological and geochemical state of the environment by a set of ecological indicators. All indicators were assessed using five-point scales. The final indicator was the index of social and ecological tension, which was determined by dividing the sum of points for the indicators under consideration by their number. As a result of a comprehensive analysis, it was revealed that the socio-ecological tension of the city of Sibay includes: Gorny (3,7) Yuzhny (3,2) Center (2,7) Gold (2,6) Eastern (2,4) Fishermans House (2,3) Arkaim (1,6). The use of the category of socio-ecological tension in the proposed interpretation makes it possible to identify sociological problems of behavior and society. The results of the study are recommended to be used for a comprehensive analysis of indicators for monitoring urbanized territories of a mining region, which determine its environmental safety and sustainable development, ranking the territory as well as a set of economically justified measures to include them in the programs of strategic development of the region.

The Index of Atmospheric Purity (IAP) is a popular tool used for the assessment of air quality in polluted urban areas, on the basis of phytosociological data of epiphytic lichen communities. We hypothesized that this indicator could also be used in less polluted forest areas to determine the quality of ecological conditions for lichens. The aim of the present study was to verify the use of IAP method in the assessment of environmental pollution, and alternatively for the assessment of general ecological conditions in protected mountain forests of Gorce National Park (Polish Western Carpathians) based on the epiphytic lichen biota associated with Picea abies. The spatial distribution of IAP values on monitored sites in GNP was compared with: 1) spatial distribution of accumulated sulfur, nitrogen, selected heavy metals, and total heavy metals in Hypogymnia physodes thalli in 1993 and 2018 (30 sites), 2) mean ecological indicator values characterizing species requirements for light (L), substrate reaction (R) and nutrients (N), in 1993, 2013 and 2018 (33 sites). Generalized linear model and redundancy analysis were performed for disclosing most influencing factors affecting lichen communities. The study revealed a few negligible relationships between IAP values and accumulation of such elements as Ni, Mn, Cd, and Cr in both monitoring periods. Simultaneously, IAP can be useful for the identification of forest areas with a high degree of naturalness.

Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is increasingly used in aquaculture studies to quantitatively assess materials, energy flows and impacts of a production system and to evaluate the environmental performance of products and services. The application of LCA to sea bass production in two marine farms located in Greece and Albania demonstrated that feed and accordingly feed conversion ratio, followed by fry were the two predominant factors mostly affecting the eighteen ecological impact categories assessed. In particular, for the Greek farm, feed affected all but one of the impact categories from 76.5 to 99.9%, reflecting the relation of fish feed not only to resource use, but also to impacts during processing, transportation and to its distribution to the farmed stocks. The role of feed was also reflected on its share (90.6%) in the ‘global warming’ indicator. Fry production resulted in a major contribution (99.0%) to the ‘water consumption’ impact category, which is related to the hatchery operation. Concerning the Albanian farm, the impact of fish feed was even more pronounced in most of the ecological indicators, due to the absence of motorised equipment. It is concluded that feeding management and initiatives to improve the cost and the environmental impact in both counties could result in immediate improvements of the ecological and economical outcomes of the mariculture industry in the region. Further benefits are also expected for the ecological sustainability and economic viability of the sector, as consumers are exhibiting interest in environmental awareness and eco-labelling.

A comprehensive understanding of annual net primary productivity (ANPP) and rain‐use efficiency (RUE) along precipitation gradients is critial for grassland conservation under climate change. However, how ANPP and RUE respond to changes in precipitation at different spatial and temporal scales remains uncertain. The aim of this research was to clarify these things. Using data from 21 field experiments, with an average sampling period of 14.3 years in 32 sites, 18 of which are in China, we evaluated the relationship of mean annual precipitation (MAP) with ANPP and RUE across spatial and temporal scales in grassland ecosystems. Our study showed different degrees of sensitivity of ANPP and RUE to changing precipitation spatially and temporally. First, analysis supports the well‐known positive linear relationship between ANPP and MAP. Second, we found that ANPP increases with increasing precipitation regardless of the actual precipitation amount of the study sites, whereas ANPP increased 0.2 g m⁻² more than it declined per 1 mm change in precipitation. Third, RUE increased with increasing MAP across sites, whereas RUE generally decreased with annual precipitation within most sites. Finally, the temporal variation in RUE within sites is lower than the overall spatial pattern of variation across sites. The lack of consistency in ANPP and RUE among years and across sites in response to interannual variation in precipitation indicates the complexity of ecological indicators characterizing precipitation changes. These findings highlight the prevalence of site‐specific variation in precipitation‐ANPP relationships.

In modern conditions, an important component of environmental monitoring is record of the ecological state of soil cover, implying active use of geographic information systems. The existing spatial contrast of soil cover and varia-tion in the indicators of soil ecological state greatly complicates the interpretation and implementation of the results of soil-ecological monitoring into environmental practice. Traditional studies of spatial diversity considering soil properties and using geoinformation technology are of applied nature and primarily associated with the introduction of precision farming technologies into practice. GIS technologies are aimed at inventorying and assessing the state of natural resources of a particular territory, taking into account the peculiarities of their spatial dynamics. However, the use of geographic information systems to study the spatial variation of soil ecological indicators in forest ecosystems is also very relevant. These studies allow not only trace the actual changes in the ecological state of the forest soil cover, but also reveal their dependence on the level of anthropogenic load of ecosystems and carry out modeling and forecasting of the forest ecosystems' state. The article discusses the main regularities of the spatial variation of physicochemical and chemical properties of soils depending on the relief variegation . Different dispersion degrees of indicators of physical, chemical and chemical properties of soils, according to the calculated coefficient of variation have been revealed. The greatest range of variation is typical for litter and sod thickness, humus content and exchangeable potassium. (V > 33%).

Context Several initiatives seek to increase the pace and scale of dry forest restoration and fuels reduction to enhance forest resilience to wildfire and other stressors while improving the quality and reliability of key ecosystem services. Ecological effects models are increasingly used to prioritize these efforts at the landscape-scale based on simulated treatment outcomes. Objectives Treatments are often simulated using uniform post-treatment target conditions or proportional changes to baseline forest structure variables, but do not account for the common objective of restoration to mimic the complex forest structure that was present historically which is thought to provide an example of structural conditions that contributed to ecosystem diversity and resilience. Methods We simulate spatially homogenous fire hazard reduction treatments along with heterogeneous restoration treatments in dry conifer forests to investigate how spatial complexity affects ecological indicators of (1) forest structural heterogeneity, (2) forest and watershed vulnerability to high-severity fire, and (3) feasibility of future prescribed fire use. Results Our results suggest that spatially explicit restoration treatments should produce similar wildfire and prescribed fire outcomes as homogeneous fuels reduction treatments, but with greater forest structural heterogeneity. The lack of strong tradeoffs between ecological objectives suggests the primary benefit of spatially complex treatments is to increase forest structural heterogeneity which may promote biodiversity. Conclusions We show that landscape-scale prioritization to maximize ecological benefits can change when spatially complex restoration treatments are modeled. Coupling landscape-scale management simulations and ecological effects models offers flexible decision support for conservation assessment, prioritization, and planning.

China’s rapid economic development has initiated the deterioration of its ecological environment, posing a threat to the sustainable development of human society. As a result, an assessment of regional sustainability is critical. This paper researches China’s most forested province, Fujian Province, as the study area. We proposed a grid-based approach to assess the regional carbon footprint in accordance with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) carbon emission guidelines. Our method of assessment also introduced carbon emission indicators with our improved and published Net Primary Production (NPP) based on process simulation. The carbon footprint in Fujian Province from 2005–2017 was calculated and examined from a spatiotemporal perspective. Ecological indicators were used in the sustainability assessment. The research draws the following conclusions: 1) the carbon footprint in the eastern regions of Fujian Province was higher due to rapid economic development; 2) that of the western regions was lower; 3) an uptrend in the carbon footprint of Fujian Province was observed. All five ecological indicators based on carbon emissions and economic and social data showed an ecologically unsustainable trend over 13 years in the research area due to unsustainable economic development. Therefore, it is urgent to balance the relationship between economic development and environmental protection. Our research provides scientific references for achieving ecological civilization and sustainability in a similar region.

The Maritime Antarctica region has terrestrial ecosystems dominated by lichens and mosses, representing important ecological indicators of climate change. However, little is known about environmental factors that shape regional cryptogam communities at local scale. In this study we analyse changes in species richness, species composition and coverage of representative cryptogam communities across a pedoenvironmental gradient in Maritime Antarctica. We hypothesized that soil texture and chemical properties shape variations in species richness and composition. We selected fifteen different pedoenvironments, where 20 plots (20 × 20 cm) were sampled for obtaining phytosociological parameters of cryptogamous communities, and in each plot a composite topsoil sample was collected to determine chemical and physical soil properties. We then evaluated the main effects of soil attributes on the richness and composition of cryptogam species using direct gradient analysis and linear models. The ecological value of species was determined, allowing to identify the type of plant community and species associations in each pedoenvironment. Differences in species composition, richness and coverage were detected along the pedoenvironmental gradient. The model analysis showed that soil fertility has significant effects on species composition, but not on species richness. Based on gradient analysis, variability on soil fertility and nutrient contents were important pedoenvironmental filters for cryptogam communities in Maritime Antarctica. This study reveals that small-scale heterogeneity contributes to specific associations along pedoenvironmental gradients. We conclude that soil attributes drive the composition pattern of cryptogam species and also the type of communities present.

The consumption of materials and products is one of the drivers of biodiversity loss, which in turn affects ecosystem functioning and has socio-economic consequences worldwide. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a reference methodology for appraising the environmental impacts of products along their value chains. Currently, a generally accepted life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) framework for assessing biodiversity impacts is lacking. The existing LCIA models present weaknesses in terms of the impact drivers considered, geographical coverage, as well as the indicators and metrics adopted. Sound ecological indicators and metrics need to be integrated in order to better assess the impacts of value chains on biodiversity on a global, regional, and local scale. This review analyses studies which, using a life cycle perspective, assess the impacts of products' and services' value chains on biodiversity. We identify and discuss promising synergies between the studies which look beyond the life cycle context, and apply other biodiversity metrics. Our results highlight that the existing metrics of biodiversity impact assessment in LCA are poor at capturing the complexities of biodiversity. There are operational models at the midpoint level that expand on the assessed dimensions of biodiversity (e.g., ecosystem structure), and the drivers of biodiversity loss (e.g., assessment of species exploitation), but efforts are required to fully include these models in the LCA framework. In the business domain, many initiatives are developing frameworks to assess impacts on biodiversity. Many approaches make use of LCIA methods and input-output databases. However, these are generally coupled with other biodiversity metrics. This shows that the current LCA framework is not yet sufficient to support decision-making based on different sets of biodiversity indicators. Ecosystem accounting may provide important ecological information for both the inventory and the impact assessment stages of LCA, helping to disentangle the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem services. Looking beyond the LCA domain can lead us to new ways of advancing the coverage of biodiversity impacts, in a way that increases the relevance of LCA across a wider range of areas. Future work should assess the indicators provided in various policy contexts.