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The article discusses ways to teach engineering fundamentals with simple materials. Topics discussed include tips and tricks to use paper effectively to teach engineering principles to children, thousands of STEM/STEAM challenges available in books and online and working of Marina Bernasuli, Technology Coordinator at the Browning School, by using engineering with paper projects throughout the 2020-21 school year.

The expression of alternative traits that benefit eusocial individuals but are not directly involved in reproductive differences among those individuals, which I call ‘eusocially selected traits’, may vary in response to environmental changes if this increases an individual's inclusive fitness. In this study, I describe traits that separate individuals within the reproductive division of labor of Mischocyttarus mexicanus, a eusocial paper wasp, and determine whether observed eusocially selected traits vary across seasons. I examined M. mexicanus because females initiate new nests throughout most of the year where they experience different conditions depending on the season. Findings from this study suggest two main conclusions: (1) phenotypic differences among M. mexicanus females are mixed, showing specialized, generalized, and context-dependent eusocially selected traits and (2) a female's position within the reproductive division of labor may be influenced by its state. The presence of context-dependent traits, e.g. large females initiated solitary nests in the spring and grouped nests during the summer, suggests that the payoff for pursuing different positions within the reproductive division of labor changes across seasons. The expression of context-dependent eusocially selected traits also suggests that, roles, instead of castes, may better reflect the reproductive division of labor among individuals of eusocial species like M. mexicanus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A hybrid method of ecological habitat survey and mapping is presented, bridging paper-based methods and mobile electronic procedures. The hybrid approach uses a hand-held PDA with real-time dGPS to map habitats and record habitat attributes. It retains paper field maps to facilitate ecological decisions and to overcome the need for field surveyors to operate a fully functional mobile GIS system. The transition from paper records to a full GIS implementation is bridged by secondary digitisation in which a GIS specialist, trained in field survey procedures, interacts routinely with the field surveyors, throughout the field season to assure data quality standards. The methodology is practical and affordable, particularly if there are multiple field surveyors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aquatic habitat is affected by paper mill effluent discharge in many ways. The effect of paper mill effluent on the gill ATPases was studied in freshwater fish Channa punctata (Bloch) exposed to 1%(v/v) of effluent for 15, 30, and 60 days. There was a time-dependent significant (P<0.05–0.001) decrease in all the ATPase activities measured, viz., total, Na+, K+- and ouabain-insensitive ATPase in gill. ATPases play an important role in maintenance of functional integrity of plasma membrane and in several intracellular functions and are considered to be a sensitive indicator of toxicity. In addition to this, branchial ATPases are intimately involved in osmoregulation, acid–base regulation, and respiration of fish. The inhibition of ATPases in gills by, e.g., paper mill effluent could cause disruption of these processes. It is suggested that measurement of ATPases could also be used as a surrogate biomarker of exposure to chemical pollutants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Rosa, R., and Seibel, B. A. 2010. Voyage of the argonauts in the pelagic realm: physiological and behavioural ecology of the rare paper nautilus, Argonauta nouryi. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1494–1500.The metabolic demands of a rare paper nautilus, Argonauta nouryi, in the eastern tropical Pacific (ETP) are evaluated. After adjusting for temperature and size, the rates of oxygen consumption and of aerobic and anaerobic metabolic potential (as evidenced by citrate synthase and octopine dehydrogenase activities, respectively) of A. nouryi were much higher than those in holopelagic octopods that exhibit float-and-wait predation strategies. In fact, the rates were similar to those found in small epipelagic squids and benthic octopods. The critical oxygen partial pressure was 4.9 kPa at 20°C, suggesting that the strong oxygen minimum layer found at intermediate depths in the ETP may constrain the vertical distribution of A. nouryi to the upper few metres of the water column. We also report the occurrence of a chain of shelled females at the surface, in which each animal was attached, as if on the benthos, to the next individual in the chain. Although it may constitute an effective strategy to increase the rates of mate encounter in the vast open ocean, there may be an important ecological trade-off for such behaviour, namely the increase in visibility at the surface with concomitant attraction of predators. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This systematic review, part funded by Network Rail Ltd (UK), considers the role of transportation corridors in habitat connectivity within temperate climates, through verge habitat, surrounding matrix, movement along and across the corridor, the wider landscape context and management practices. PICO terms were developed for the bibliographic search on 15/11/22 using Web of Science (all databases), yielding 168 studies for review. The risk of bias was minimised by excluding non-peer reviewed papers. Large and exotic taxa were excluded due to a focus on temperate zones, as were studies on invasive species and climate change where the primary focus was not ecological connectivity. Emergent themes were used to structure the paper. Results indicate that transportation corridors have significant potential for habitat connectivity, especially for generalist and open-specialist species, which favour early to mid-successional habitats. However, physiology is a key determinant in dispersal ability. Vegetation management should consider representative communities rather than individual species. Gaps exist in the range of taxa studied, understanding of seasonal variations and lifecycle stages supported in verges, survival factors such as predation and disease and changes to community structure. Rail environments are under-represented and there is limited knowledge on the relative impacts of vegetation management regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological studies of orangutans have almost exclusively focused on populations living in primary or selectively logged rainforest. The response of orangutans to severe habitat degradation remains therefore poorly understood. Most experts assume that viable populations cannot survive outside undisturbed or slightly disturbed forests. This is a concern because nearly 75% of all orangutans live outside protected areas, where degradation of natural forests is likely to occur, or where these are replaced by planted forests. To improve our understanding of orangutan survival in highly altered forest habitats, we conducted population density surveys in two pulp and paper plantation concessions in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. These plantations consist of areas planted with fast-growing exotics intermixed with stands of highly degraded forests and scrublands. Our rapid surveys indicate unexpectedly high orangutan densities in plantation landscapes dominated by Acacia spp., although it remains unclear whether such landscapes can maintain long-term viable populations. These findings indicate the need to better understand how plantation-dominated landscapes can potentially be incorporated into orangutan conservation planning. Although we emphasize that plantations have less value for overall biodiversity conservation than natural forests, they could potentially boost the chances of orangutan survival. Our findings are based on a relatively short study and various methodological issues need to be addressed, but they suggest that orangutans may be more ecologically flexible than previously thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The role of tectonic uplift in stimulating speciation in South Africa's only alpine zone, the Drakensberg, has not been explicitly examined. Tectonic processes may influence speciation both through the creation of novel habitats and by physically isolating plant populations. We use the Afrotemperate endemic daisy genus Macowania to explore the timing and mode (geographic versus adaptive) of speciation in this region. Between sister species pairs we expect high morphological divergence where speciation has happened in sympatry (adaptive) while with geographic (vicariant) speciation we may expect to find less morphological divergence and a greater degree of allopatry. A dated molecular phylogenetic hypothesis for Macowania elucidates species' relationships and is used to address the potential impact of uplift on diversification. Morphological divergence of a small sample of reproductive and vegetative characters, used as a proxy for adaptive divergence, is measured against species' range distributions to estimate mode of speciation across two subclades in the genus. Results The Macowania crown age is consistent with the hypothesis of post-uplift diversification, and we find evidence for both vicariant and adaptive speciation between the two subclades within Macowania. Both subclades exhibit strong signals of range allopatry, suggesting that geographic isolation was important in speciation. One subclade, associated with dry, rocky environments at high altitudes, shows very little morphological and ecological differentiation but high range allopatry. The other subclade occupies a greater variety of habitats and exhibits far greater morphological differentiation, but contains species with overlapping distribution ranges. Conclusions Species in Macowania are likely to have diversified in response to tectonic uplift, and we invoke uplift and uplift-mediated erosion as the main drivers of speciation. The greater relative morphological divergence in sympatric species of Macowania indicates that speciation in the non-sympatric taxa may not have required obvious adaptive differences, implying that simple geographic isolation was the driving force for speciation ('neutral speciation'). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Springs are interfaces between groundwater and surface habitats and may play an important role in the study of subterranean animals. In this systematic evidence review and meta-analysis, we explore whether observations of stygobionts in springs are relevant and more common than observations of epigean animals in groundwater. We searched the Web of Science database for papers on groundwater fauna and spring fauna. For each paper we found, we recorded whether the paper reported the occurrence of typical stygobionts in springs, of surface animals in groundwater, or of the same taxa in both habitats. If so, we recorded how many such species were reported. We also recorded the scientific discipline of each study and the year of publication. Our search yielded 342 papers. A considerable number of these papers reported stygobionts in springs: 20% of papers dealing with groundwater fauna and 16% of papers dealing with spring fauna reported the occurrence of stygobionts in spring habitats. Both the number of papers that mentioned stygobionts in springs, and the number of stygobiont species that were documented in springs, were higher than equivalent measures for the occurrence of surface fauna underground. We also detected a positive relationship between year of publication and the number of reports of stygofauna in springs. To broaden the insights from biological research on underground environments, we suggest that springs should be considered not only as simple sampling points of stygobionts but also as core stygobiont habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxonomic notes are presented on the Polistes stigma species group of the subgenus Polistella Ashmead, 1904, of the genus Polistes Latreille, 1802, in continental Southeast Asia. Three new species are described and illustrated: Polistes brunus Nguyen & Carpenter, new species; P. communalis Nguyen, Vu & Carpenter, new species; and P. tenebris Nguyen & Lee, new species. A key to these species is provided. Their nests are also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The large daisy tribe Gnaphalieae occurs in extra-tropical habitats worldwide, but is most diverse in southern Africa and in Australia. We explore the age and evolutionary history of the tribe by means of a phylogenetic hypothesis based on Bayesian analysis of plastid and nuclear DNA sequences, maximum likelihood reconstruction of ancestral areas, and relaxed Bayesian dating. Early diversification occurred in southern Africa in the Eocene–Oligocene, resulting in a grade of mostly Cape-centred lineages which subsequently began speciating in the Miocene, consistent with diversification times for many Cape groups. Gnaphalieae from other geographic regions are embedded within a southern African paraphylum, indicating multiple dispersals out of southern Africa since the Oligocene to Miocene which established the tribe in the rest of the world. Colonisation of Australia via direct long-distance trans-oceanic dispersal in the Miocene resulted in the radiation which produced the Australasian gnaphalioid flora. The similarly diverse regional gnaphalioid floras of Australasia and southern Africa thus exhibit very different temporal species accumulation histories. An examination of the timing and direction of trans-Indian Ocean dispersal events in other angiosperms suggests a role for the West Wind Drift in long-distance dispersal eastwards from southern Africa. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Using radiotelemetry, we discovered that the Three-wattled Bellbird (Procnias tricarunculata ), one of Central America's largest frugivorous birds, has the most complex migratory pattern yet recorded for a tropical species. The annual migration cycle included 2- to 5-month stopovers in four distinct life zones: two middle-elevation and two lowland sites separated by as much as 200 km. We captured and radio-tagged bellbirds during 4 years between July and September in middle-elevation forest fragments of the Pacific slope, 6 km from Monteverde in the Tilaran mountain range of north-central Costa Rica. These habitats, which exist almost exclusively as small, isolated fragments on private farms, are poorly represented (<2%) in Costa Rica's system of protected areas. During September and October, the bellbirds migrated from this site to the northeast into the lowland Atlantic forest of southeastern Nicaragua and northeastern Costa Rica. In Costa Rica these habitats have been heavily fragmented. In Nicaragua they remain intact but are highly threatened. In November and December, the bellbirds migrated from these Atlantic forests to heavily modified, little-protected forests along the Pacific coast of southwestern Costa Rica, where they remained until March. Here, most individuals utilized forest remnants and second growth on private property. In March the Bellbirds moved from the coastal areas to middle-elevation (1000–1800 m) moist forest on the Atlantic slope of the Tilaran mountains sites, where they bred. In June and July, they left the breeding area and moved back across the continental divide of the Tilaran Mountains to return to the middle-elevation Pacific slopes where they had been captured. Our findings demonstrate the complicated ecological integration of geographically dispersed tropical ecosystems and the need for comprehensive conservation strategies that include representation of the full array of regional habitats and a greater emphasis on maintaining connectivity. The bellbird's migratory pattern reveals serious inadequacies in protected-area networks of Costa Rica, a country that is considered to have one of the best systems of national parks and reserves in the Neotropics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the formation of nestedness and species co-occurrence patterns at the local (sampling station), the intermediate (island group), and the archipelago scale. The study used data on the distribution of terrestrial isopods on 20 islands of the central Aegean (Greece). These islands are assigned to two distinct subgroups (Kyklades and Eastern islands). The Nestedness Temperature Calculator was used to obtain nestedness values and maximally nested matrices, the EcoSim7 software and a modified version of ) method were used for the analysis of species co-occurrences. Idiosyncratic temperatures of species and the order of species placement in the maximally nested matrices were used for further comparisons among spatial scales. The relationships of nestedness values with beta-diversity, habitat diversity and a number of ecological factors recorded for each sampling station were also investigated. Significant nestedness was found at all spatial scales. Levels of nestedness were not related to beta-diversity or habitat diversity. Nestedness values were similar among spatial scales, but they were affected by matrix size. The species that contributed most to the nested patterns within single islands were not the same as those that produce nestedness at the archipelago scale. There was significant variation in the frequency of species occurrence among islands and among spatial scales. There was no direct effect of ecological factors on the shaping of patterns of nestedness within individual islands, but habitat heterogeneity was crucial for the existence of such patterns. Positive associations among species prevailed at all scales when species per station were considered, while negative associations prevailed in the species per island matrices. All associations resulted from the habitat structure of sampling stations and from particularities of geographical distributions. There was no clear-cut distinction between nestedness patterns among spatial scales, even though different species, and partially different factors, contributed to the formation of these patterns in each case. There was a core of species that contributed to the formation of nested patterns at all spatial scales, while the patterns of species associations suggested that biotic interactions are not an important causal factor. The results of this study suggest that locally rare species cannot be widespread at a higher spatial scale, while locally common species can have a restricted distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the temporal and spatial patterns in deforestation and community structure of mammals in a fragmented old-growth, temperate rain forest to test the hypothesis that anthropogenic habitat conversion advances in a nonrandom manner across native landscapes, and that its effects on ecological communities are both persistent and predictable. The location is the Hood Canal district of Olympic National Forest, Washington, USA. Deforestation followed the apparently general pattern observed for deforestation of tropical rain forests and other native landscapes, advancing first along low and relatively level valleys, then to areas at higher elevations and along steeper slopes, and eventually to sites more distant from those of initial land conversion and transportation centres. Mammal surveys within this area indicated that this nonrandom advance of deforestation has created relatively steep geographical and topographic gradients in both local and landscape-level factors and, ultimately, in the structure of mammalian communities. The close and likely causal relationship between anthropogenic habitat loss and the ecological dynamics of mammalian communities and dependent species (e.g. spotted owls) indicates that our abilities to understand and eventually reduce the current extinction crisis may rely heavily on our understanding of, and abilities to modify, the manner in which we expand across and transform native landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Step selection functions (SSFs) are used to jointly describe animal movement patterns and habitat preferences. Recent work has extended this framework to model inter‐individual differences, account for unexplained structure in animals' space use and capture temporally varying patterns of movement and habitat selection.In this paper, we formulate SSFs with penalised smooths (similar to generalised additive models) to unify new and existing extensions, and conveniently implement the models in the popular, open‐source mgcv R package.We explore non‐linear patterns of movement and habitat selection, and use the equivalence between penalised smoothing splines and random effects to implement individual‐level and spatial random effects. This framework can also be used to fit varying‐coefficient models to account for temporally or spatially heterogeneous patterns of selection (e.g. resulting from behavioural variation), or any other non‐linear interactions between drivers of the animal's movement decisions.We provide the necessary technical details to understand several key special cases of smooths and their implementation in mgcv, showcase the ecological relevance using two illustrative examples and provide R code to facilitate the adoption of these methods. This paper offers a broad overview of how smooth effects can be applied to increase the flexibility and biological realism of SSFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scenario of developed and developing countries nowadays is disturbed due to modern living style which affects environment, wildlife and natural habitat. Environmental quality has become or is a subject of major concern as it is responsible for health hazard of mankind and animals. Measurements and prediction of hazardous parameters in different fields of environment is a recent research topic for safety and betterment of people as well as nature. Pollution in nature is an after-effect of civilization. To combat the damage already happened, some processes should be evolved for measurement and prediction of pollution in various fields. Researchers of all over the world are active to find out ways of predicting such hazard. In this paper, application of neural network and deep learning algorithms is chosen for air pollution and water pollution cases. The purpose of this review is to reveal how family of neural network algorithms has applied on these two pollution parameters. In this paper, importance is given on algorithm, and datasets used for air and water pollution as well as the predicted parameters have also been noted for ease of future development. One major concern of this paper is Indian context of air and water pollution research, and the research potential presents in this area using Indian dataset. Another aspect for including both air and water pollutions in one review paper is to generate an idea of artificial neural network and deep learning techniques which can be cross applicable for future purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mediterranean Temporary Ponds (MTPs) are among the most precious habitats in the Mediterranean bioclimatic because they shelter extremely rare and isolated organisms from different taxa and are included in Annex 1 of the Habitat Directive under code 3170*. Nevertheless, their conservation is highly precarious to such an extent to be considered a disappearing ecosystem. To evaluate the perspectives of MTPs in the third millennium, we carried out a literature search, getting on the trail of the string "Mediterranean Temporary Ponds" to answer the following questions: is the focus of these research papers on MTPs sensu Habitat Directive? Do the research areas of investigation mirror the habitat distribution? Which are the main gaps in the issues analysed? Are all the components of the system considered? Our results highlighted the great interest of the scientific community in MTPs. However, it also brought out several problems and knowledge gaps related to the different features analysed: in many cases in which code 3170* is reported, it is just mentioned; the geographical distribution of the studied areas revealed gaps, particularly in the east Mediterranean and throughout the biogeographic regions; among the issues analysed a dearth of research papers related to the identification of the habitat and effects of climate change has emerged; the studies on the biotic components are strongly unbalanced on vascular plants and abiotic components, such as hydrology and water quality, are scarcely investigated. We believe that great efforts should be made to improve practical conservation actions for this habitat in the medium and long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat change and fragmentation are the primary causes of biodiversity loss worldwide. Recent decades have seen a surge of funding, published papers and citations in the field as these threats to biodiversity continue to rise. However, how research directions and agenda are evolving in this field remains poorly understood. In this study, we examined the current state of research on habitat fragmentation (due to agriculture, logging, fragmentation, urbanisation and roads) pertaining to two of the most threatened vertebrate groups, reptiles and amphibians. We did so by conducting a global scale review of geographical and taxonomical trends on the habitat fragmentation types, associated sampling methods and response variables. Our analyses revealed a number of biases with existing research efforts being focused on three continents (e.g., North America, Europe and Australia) and a surplus of studies measuring species richness and abundance. However, we saw a shift in research agenda towards studies utilising technological advancements including genetic and spatial data analyses. Our findings suggest important associations between sampling methods and prevalent response variables but not with the types of habitat fragmentation. These research agendas are found homogeneously distributed across all continents. Increased research investment with appropriate sampling techniques is crucial in biodiversity hotpots such as the tropics where unprecedented threats to herpetofauna exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports that the International Paper Company (IP) agreed to forgo harvesting on 4,500 acres of south Alabama woodlands that are home to the Red Hills salamander. Loss of $9 million in profits for IP; Decrease in number of Red Hills salamander due to destruction of habitat.

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Focuses on the instinctive architectural innovation of animals. Usability of animal architect body parts on execution of inborn plants; Implication of architectural achievement for animal life habits; Impact of paper wasp on the discovery of paper making.

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The primary objective of this paper was to compare the nutrient content (N, Ca, S, K, P, Mg) of bilberry biomass, both aboveground and underground, growing in different habitats along the altitudinal gradient. The research was conducted in protected areas of the High Tatras National Park (Slovakia). Two different habitats subjected to study, namely spruce forest stands affected by disturbances (D - disturbed forest stands) and stands unaffected by disturbances (U - undisturbed forest stands), were located at different altitudes: 1 100 m a.s.l., 1 250 m a.s.l., and 1 400 m a.s.l. We found significant differences in the soil nutrient content along the altitudinal gradient. The highest content of nutrients was detected mostly at the highest altitudes in both habitats. The minimum reached 0.01 g·kg-1 (phosphorus), while the maximum was 8.33 g·kg-1 (nitrogen). In the case of the bilberry biomass, we found statistically non-significant differences in the content of nutrients among the altitudes within both habitats (D vs. U). The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the aboveground biomass of bilberry had a significantly higher nutrient content compared to the underground biomass. Nutrient content in aboveground and underground biomass ranged from 1.00 g·kg-1 (phosphorus) to 13.49 g·kg-1 (nitrogen) and from 0.38 g·kg-1 (magnesium) to 7.55 g·kg-1 (nitrogen), respectively. The biological absorption coefficient (element content in dry biomass/element content in soil) reached the highest values mostly at the lowest altitude for both aboveground and underground biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, titled "How do we design a habitat? Influence and implications of urban design in territorial, social, economic and environmental sustainability," is a thematic dossier that explores the influence and implications of urban design on territorial, social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The authors argue that discussions on housing need to move beyond just housing and focus on the creation of habitat, considering political, urban, and social conditions that shape domestic space. The article highlights the importance of urban design in improving housing conditions and programs, as well as its impact on the construction of cities. It also discusses various papers from different fields that reflect on the role of urban design in housing and habitat. [Extracted from the article]

Illegal wildlife trade (IWT) poses a threat to many countries in Africa, Asia, South and Central America. While the role of informal networks in sustaining wildlife trafficking is ever more on the radar of scholars and practitioners, their modus operandi remains largely understudied. The literature tells us that these informal networks play a role in sustaining this illicit cross-border trade. This paper deep-dives into this and the roles and strategies used by informal networks of poachers, intermediaries, traffickers, and buyers to transport high volumes of wildlife products into, through and out of Uganda. This East African country is an essential entrepôt for wildlife trafficking in East Africa. The analysis is informed by qualitative fieldwork conducted in Uganda between 2019 and 2020. It comprises 47 interviews with Ugandan-based and international anti-IWT experts and 8 focus group discussions (FGDs) with wildlife conservation and anti-corruption experts in Kampala, and members of reformed poachers' networks in Western Uganda and individuals living around a wildlife habitat in Northern Uganda. This research focuses on the types of actors, functions, and strategies significant for facilitating IWT in the country. The empirical findings confirm the role of informal networks in promoting the illegal wildlife trade in Uganda. First, this paper differentiates between categories of actors depending on their key role in managing illegal wildlife trade in Uganda. Second, it explores the mechanisms of coordination that these actors use to govern network relations for achieving various illicit goals. Third, it analyses the type of informal governance system that enables such mechanisms of network coordination, as based on a mix of centralisation and decentralisation, and organized and opportunistic strategies. Lastly, the empirical findings highlight these informal cross-border networks for being flexible structures that adapt to so-called patterns of 'least resistance'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been argued that historical biogeography, the study of how processes that occur over long periods of time influence the distribution of life forms, is in the midst of a scientific revolution. The aim of this paper is to analyze the evolution of historical biogeography during the first decade of the 21st century and to identify major trends for the near future. We constructed a database containing all articles which dealt with historical biogeography published in the Journal of Biogeography during 1998–2010. The database included 610 contributions. Our results indicated that historical biogeography is going through a growth period. The papers analyzed were written by 2018 authors, with a mean of 3.3 authors per paper. Authors from 62 countries were involved, and most of them worked in Europe or North America. The Palearctic was the most analyzed region. Most contributions dealt with terrestrial habitats and were devoted to animal (especially Chordata) and plant taxa. Phylogeography was the most used approach (35%), followed by biota similarity and PAE (13%) and molecular biogeography (12%), with cladistic biogeography and event-based methods at 6% each. Some of the future challenges that historical biogeography faces are summarized: (1) to increase the study of taxa which are underrepresented according to the segment of biodiversity they represent; (2) to balance the amount of work devoted to different biogeographical regions; (3) to increase biogeographical knowledge of aquatic habitats; (4) to maintain the diversity of approaches, preventing the reduction of time, spatial, and taxonomic scales addressed by the discipline; and (5) to continue integrating historical biogeography along with other sources of information from other disciplines (e.g. ecology, paleontology, geology, isotope chemistry, remote sensing) into a richer context for explaining past, present, and future patterns of biodiversity on Earth. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The seagrass ecosystems found in the marine and coastal areas, with substantial economic and ecological services and span all over the globe excluding the Antarctic region. The Coral Triangle and Southeast Asia are recognized as a worldwide hotspot of seagrass species and habitats, encompassing 10-21 species of seagrass in every nation, although the study, understanding, and quantity of publications on seagrass ecosystems are rather limited in the region, including Malaysia. Malaysia contains 18 seagrass species from three families, which occupy 16.8 km² of coastal area, where the study and discovery of seagrass species and meadows began in 1904 with the report of Beccari. All of the published papers reviewed reported on Malaysian seagrassrelated research, which was divided into nine topic groups: biology and distribution, carbon sequestration, fauna, remote sensing, impact and pollution genetic study, restoration, microbiological investigation, and others. The extensive study of the seagrass ecosystem began in 1993, and we have identified 183 published papers from Scopus, 141 publications from Web of Science, and 42 from Google Scholar. However, the average trend of the number of publications from 1993 to 1999 was 0.71 ± 0.36, while from 2000 to 2022 was 7.70 ± 1.16 followed by the average trend of the yearly number of publications was 6.78 ± 1.08. The highest number of publications was found on faunal categories (43.17%), followed by biology and distribution (21.85%). The number of articles that were published on Malaysian seagrass meadows each year has been discovered to be rising, which indicates that the trends in seagrass study and publishing were progressively garnering the attention of researchers, academics, and the government. However, to better understand the sustainable ecology and ecosystem services provided by seagrass habitats, an emphasis on certain research niches, such as the genetic study of flora and fauna in seagrass meadows, microbial ecology, and restoration as well as conservation of seagrass species might be helpful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper analyzes some forest habitats from Oltenia, which are affected by different invasive and potentially invasive species. The large number of habitats present on the territory of Oltenia did not allow their unitary research. In this paper, references are made only to the habitats 91M0, 91E0*, 91Y0, and 92A0. The main factor that greatly contributed to the introduction and rapid spread of these invasive and potentially invasive plants in the analyzed habitats was zoo-anthropogenic. The changes that occurred affected both the structure and the functions of these habitats. Among the invasive and potentially invasive species identified in the studied habitats, which affect their floristic composition, we mention: Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Acer negundo L., Artemisia annua L., Asclepias syriaca L., Bidens frondosus L., Echinocystis lobata (Michx) Tor. et A. Gray, Prunus cerasifera Ehrh., Robinia pseudoacacia L., and Xanthium orientale L. subsp. italicum (Moretti) Greuter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the tips on how to design a sustainable habitat for Madagascar hissing cockroach (MHC). Accordingly, the MHC is considered very useful in science experiments and cites its unique structure. In addition, the MHC can be a perfect pet for pet lovers. Meanwhile, it highlights the materials needed in designing MHC habitat including beverage bottles, plastic containers, egg trays, toilet paper, and discarded clothing. Furthermore, methods on how to give MHC the exact humidity, rooms, water, and food are also highlighted.

The freshwater oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus is tank cultured to provide organisms for aquatic habitat assessments and regeneration research and to produce a clean source of live food for aquarium fishes. Shredded paper is the typical substrate in small-scale culture of L. variegatus. However, the effort needed to separate large numbers of individuals from decomposing paper can be prohibitive. Burlap and nylon mesh materials were compared with paper as potential alternatives for reducing this effort. Production and the time needed to separate L. variegatus from substrate were compared for 8 weeks among cultures with burlap, mesh, and paper substrates. Cultures with paper increased in number and weight faster than those with burlap or mesh, but cultures using the alternative substrates also expanded their populations quickly. The time required to separate oligochaetes from substrate was initially longer with paper and became significantly longer at 6 weeks as the paper decomposed. Burlap frayed, but mesh exhibited no degradation. Elevated ammonia and nitrite concentrations may have suppressed production in mesh treatments throughout the study, and ammonia was lethal in paper treatments during the final 2 weeks. Slow initial production in burlap treatments may have been due to chemical applications to the fabric, which may limit the utility of burlap as a substrate. Culture systems that maintain adequate water quality could increase production from burlap and mesh substrates to levels observed with paper substrate. Mesh is recommended because it is nontoxic and nonbiodegradable and can significantly reduce the effort required to obtain oligochaetes and to maintain and monitor the cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is focused on the interdisciplinary and cross-cultural paradigm of 'habitat' – as the anthropological and ecological interdependency between domestic space and its environment. Since the mid-twentieth century, our built environment has faced a long totalizing, planetary urbanization process, which urges us to review the old conventional urban-architectural categories we use to describe and understand our cities and countryside. Faced with the urgency of a more inclusive understanding of our built environment, this paper sheds more light on the paradigm of Habitat as an interdisciplinary urban lexicon, as it gained momentum in post-war urban thinking and has influenced urban design ever since. The paper holds that the post-war discussion on Habitat represented a unique moment in which interdisciplinary thinking on the built environment became central. The paper shows alliances and resonances between the post-war CIAM's discourse on Habitat and other coeval sociological and philosophical studies to delineate a complex theoretical framework. Beyond the parameters and boundaries that have been considered and presumed conventionally within ordinary urban design and social science, the paper focuses on the complex interdisciplinary meanings, interpretations, and translations regarding the paradigm of post-war Habitat as a complex social and spatial notion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the genus Vitrea Fitzinger, 1833 in Serbia is reviewed. All previous literature data on this genus from Serbia are summarised and used to discuss its distribution in the country and create distribution maps, supplemented by new material collected by the authors. All Serbian species are figured. For each species, a brief description of the examined specimens, data on previous findings in Serbia, the material (including types) that were analysed, the distribution and habitats in Serbia they inhabit, as well as remarks on specific species are given. A new species, Vitrea virgo Gojšina & Dedov, sp. nov., is described from a pit on Mt. Devica in eastern Serbia. Vitrea pygmaea (O. Boettger, 1880) is reported for the first time for the territory of Serbia. As some Vitrea species have a narrow geographical range and prefer certain habitats, they are particularly vulnerable to habitat changes, which is also discussed in the paper. An identification key for all hitherto known Serbian species is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban expansion is a major threat to diversity, especially in rapidly developing tropical countries where urban areas are growing at great pace and protection is limited.We conducted a systematic review of published research on the ecology of lentic habitats in tropical urban areas. The review focused on understanding: (1) how much is currently known about the biodiversity of these habitats; (2) whether this knowledge is biased towards certain taxonomic groups and/or geographic areas; (3) what is known about the factors influencing their diversity; and (4) which ecosystem services urban lentic habitats provide. The review aimed to establish whether existing knowledge is sufficient to help guide conservation and provide evidence to policy makers of the importance of conserving tropical urban wetlands.We found 64 papers that addressed questions about the diversity and/or distribution of lentic ecosystems within tropical urban areas. Papers came from 15 countries, although almost half (45%) were from India; relatively few countries from Southeast Asia, tropical Africa, or South America were represented in the literature.Publication patterns revealed a growing interest in urban wetlands, but several biases and gaps were evident from the review. Firstly, papers generally focused on larger natural or semi‐natural wetlands, with other types and sizes of lentic habitat under‐represented in published work. Secondly, most papers focused on a single site, with a limited number of multi‐site, city‐wide, or landscape‐scale diversity assessments. Thirdly, studies tended to focus on understanding the influence of water quality on diversity, with work assessing the influence of physical habitat or factors related to dispersal and connectivity very limited. Finally, work assessing the ecosystem services provided by wetlands in tropical urban areas remains narrow in focus, with few quantitative assessments of the relationship between ecological characteristics and ecosystem functions and services.We suggest a number of research focal points and approaches to help address these biases. Research is needed to improve understanding of the distribution patterns tropical freshwater species in urban areas and of the relationships between species diversity and a wider set of environmental and spatial conditions. Overall, there is a need for diversity assessments of tropical urban wetlands of all types and sizes, especially new and novel habitats, and scope for much greater adoption of ecosystem service concepts and evaluation tools to help emphasise the importance of these habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metapopulation models have been used to better understand the conditions necessary for the persistence of the metapopulation. In this paper, we study a stochastic patch occupancy model that incorporates variation in quality and connectivity of the habitat patches. Two important assumptions are imposed in our analysis. Firstly, the distance between patches has a special form. This amounts to assuming that migrating individuals follow certain pathways. Secondly, the area of the habitat patches is assumed to scale with the number of patches in the metapopulation. Under these assumptions, a deterministic limit is obtained as the number of patches goes to infinity. Using the deterministic limiting process, a condition for persistence of the metapopulation is derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camera traps are automated cameras, triggered by movements, used to collect photographic evidence of the presence of animals in field research. I asked whether the use of camera traps in mammalian field research is distributed evenly and increasing equally in a range of habitats, taxa and study types. I aimed to understand where camera traps are used and for what purposes., I identified the population of papers published since 1994 in which camera trap methodology was used. I then explored the population for defined habitats, taxa and study types. I tested the derived data for growth and distribution. Over 96% of the population of camera trap papers identified were focused on mammalian species., Between 1994 and 2011, the use of camera traps for mammalian research increased: 73% of 414 studies were published after 2005. Over time, equipment has become more sophisticated, reliable, flexible, cost-effective and easy to deploy, and there have been other methodological advances., Growth in the number of mammal-related camera trap studies was matched by an expansion in the taxa studied and in study types. The most studied taxon is the order Carnivora; forests are the most studied habitat. No single study type dominates, although there are more population density studies than any other. Camera trap studies are focused on a limited number of habitats and taxa due to their particular strengths and the characteristics of the species that they are used to investigate., Developments such as infrared illumination and triggering, greater battery life, improved lenses, digital storage capacity, miniaturization, video and real-time links will enable camera traps to be used for an increasing range of habitats, taxa and study types and will reinforce their growing value in the areas in which they currently predominate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oscillations of ocean pH are largely unknown in coastal environments and ocean acidification studies often do not account for natural variability yet most of what is known about marine species and populations is found out via studies conducted in near shore environments. Most experiments designed to make predictions about future climate change scenarios are carried out in coastal environments with no research that takes into account the natural pH variability. In order to fill this knowledge gap and to provide reliable measures of pH oscillation, seawater pH was measured over time using moored pH sensors in four contrasting phytocenoses typical of the north Atlantic subtropical region. Each phytocenosis was characterized by its predominant engineer species: (1) Cystoseira abies-marina, (2) a mix of gelidiales and geniculate corallines, (3) Lobophora variegata, and (4) encrusting corallines. The autonomous pH measuring systems consisted of a pH sensor; a data logger and a battery encased in a waterproof container and allowed the acquisition of high-resolution continuous pH data at each of the study sites. The pH variation observed ranged by between 0.09 and 0.24 pHNBS units. A clear daily variation in seawater pH was detected at all the studied sites (0.04-0.12 pHNBS units). Significant differences in daily pH oscillations were also observed between phytocenoses, which shows that macroalgal communities influence the seawater pH in benthic habitats. Natural oscillations in pH must be taken into account in future ocean acidification studies to put findings in perspective and for any ecological recommendations to be realistic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the possibilities for nature in contemporary times through a ground‐up investigation of nature practices in Chennai, India. It navigates dissonant strands of scholarship on the promise of urban regions as sites of exemplary social natures with an analytical framework that examines how autonomous nonhuman life in Chennai is variously enabled and inhibited. By studying a breadth of natures and nature practices within this urban site (instead of focusing on a particular species or habitat), the paper illuminates the socio‐material processes that undermine some natures even while supporting others, highlighting paradoxical responses to nonhuman agencies and resilience within the domain of ecological concern. The simultaneous analysis of Chennai's abundant and diminishing natures explains dissonances in urban natures scholarship, while offering fresh insights on more equitable approaches to nonhuman nature in human‐dominated landscapes. Specifically, it points to the value of reconfiguring concepts and practices of nature, both within and beyond conservation, in ways that are attentive to the plural forms of nonhuman flourishing and experiential vulnerability. Any meaningful prospect for more‐than‐human futures in urbanising worlds, the paper argues, rests not on biopolitical conservation that seeks to reproduce the past or build future ecologies of ‘legitimate’ natures, but on desisting from the displacement of, and re‐allowing room – conceptual, material and ethical – for already existing natures, whether scientifically valued or unintentional, whether imperilled or flourishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world collectively looks to technology to salvage what is left of our world to sustain a habitat that can accommodate our way of life, users are increasingly exposed to technological solutions, rarely developed with an offset in their practice. This also holds for the maritime sector in Denmark, where the way of developing technology is limited to the applicability of technological artifacts and can reduce the potential efficiency gains that technologies can introduce. This paper applies qualitative research to show that there is a disconnect between, on the one hand, funders, technology developers, and decision-makers and, on the other hand, technology users and practitioners in the Danish maritime sector. It argued that if technology is to replace or assist any human practice and solve for example the climate crises, then knowledge of users’ practices must be key to developing the technological solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]