Search

Determining biological status of freshwater ecosystems is critical for ensuring ecosystem health and maintaining associated services to such ecosystems. Freshwater macroinvertebrates respond predictably to environmental disturbances and are widely used in biomonitoring programs. However, many freshwater species are difficult to capture and sort from debris or substrate and morphological identification is challenging, especially larval stages, damaged specimens, or hyperdiverse groups such as Diptera. The advent of high throughput sequencing technologies has enhanced DNA barcoding tools to automatise species identification for whole communities, as metabarcoding is increasingly used to monitor biodiversity. However, recent comparisons have revealed little congruence between morphological and molecular-based identifications. Using broad range universal primers for DNA barcode marker cox1, we compare community composition captured between morphological and molecular-based approaches from different sources - tissue-based (bulk benthic and bulk drift samples) and environmental DNA (eDNA, filtered water) metabarcoding - for samples collected along a gradient of anthropogenic disturbances. For comparability, metabarcoding taxonomic assignments were filtered by taxa included in the standardised national biological metric IBMWP. At the family level, bulk benthic metabarcoding showed the highest congruence with morphology, and the most abundant taxa were captured by all techniques. Richness captured by morphology and bulk benthic metabarcoding decreased along the gradient, whereas richness recorded by eDNA remained constant and increased downstream when sequencing bulk drift. Estimates of biological metrics were higher using molecular than morphological identification. At species level, diversity captured by bulk benthic samples were higher than the other techniques. Importantly, bulk benthic and eDNA metabarcoding captured different and complementary portions of the community - benthic versus water column, respectively - and their combined use is recommended. While bulk benthic metabarcoding can likely replace morphology using similar benthic biological indices, water eDNA will require new metrics because this technique sequences a different portion of the community., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Protected and conserved areas (PCAs) are key ecosystem management tools for conserving biodiversity and sustaining ecosystem services and social cobenefits. As countries adopt a 30% target for protection of land and sea under the Global Biodiversity Framework of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, a critical question emerging is, which 30%? A risk-based answer to this question is that the 30% that returns the greatest reductions in risks of species extinction and ecosystem collapse should be protected. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List protocols provide practical methods for assessing these risks. All species, including humans, depend on the integrity of ecosystems for their well-being and survival. Africa is strategically important for ecosystem management due to convergence of high ecosystem diversity, intense pressures, and high levels of human dependency on nature. We reviewed the outcomes (e.g., applications of ecosystem red-list assessments to protected-area design, conservation planning, and management) of a symposium at the inaugural African Protected Areas Congress convened to discuss roles of the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems in the design and management of PCAs. Recent progress was made in ecosystem assessment, with 920 ecosystem types assessed against the IUCN Red List criteria across 21 countries. Although these ecosystems spanned a diversity of environments across the continent, the greatest thematic gaps were for freshwater, marine, and subterranean realms, and large geographic gaps existed in North Africa and parts of West and East Africa. Assessment projects were implemented by a diverse community of government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and researchers. The assessments have influenced policy and management by informing extensions to and management of formal protected area networks supporting decision-making for sustainable development, and informing ecosystem conservation and threat abatement within boundaries of PCAs and in surrounding landscapes and seascapes. We recommend further integration of risk assessments in environmental policy and enhanced investment in ecosystem red-list assessment to fill current gaps., (© 2023 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.)

The biodiversity of grasslands is important for ecosystem function and health. The protection and mana-gement of grassland biodiversity requires the collection of the information on plant diversity. Hyperspectral remote sensing, with its unique advantages of extensive coverage and high spectral resolution, offers a new solution for long-term monitoring of plant diversity. We first reviewed the development history of hyperspectral remote sensing technology, emphasized its advantages in monitoring grassland plant diversity, and further analyzed its specific applications in this field. Finally, we discussed the challenges faced by hyperspectral remote sensing technology in its applications, such as the complexity of data processing, accuracy of algorithms, and integration with ground-based remote sensing data, and proposes prospects for future research directions. With the advancement of remote sensing technology and the integrated application of multi-source data, hyperspectral remote sensing would play an increasingly important role in grassland ecological monitoring and biodiversity conservation, which could provide scientific basis and technical support for global ecological protection and sustainable development.

Ecosystem management in the face of global change requires understanding how co-occurring threats affect species and communities. Such an understanding allows for effective management strategies to be identified and implemented. An important component of this is differentiating between factors that are within (e.g. invasive predators) or outside (e.g. drought, large wildfires) of a local manager's control. In the global biodiversity hotspot of south-western Australia, small- and medium-sized mammal species are severely affected by anthropogenic threats and environmental disturbances, including invasive predators, fire, and declining rainfall. However, the relative importance of different drivers has not been quantified. We used data from a long-term monitoring program to fit Bayesian state-space models that estimated spatial and temporal changes in the relative abundance of four threatened mammal species: the woylie (Bettongia penicillata), chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii), koomal (Trichosurus vulpecula) and quenda (Isoodon fusciventor). We then use Bayesian structural equation modelling to identify the direct and indirect drivers of population changes, and scenario analysis to forecast population responses to future environmental change. We found that habitat loss or conversion and reduced primary productivity (caused by rainfall declines) had greater effects on species' spatial and temporal population change than the range of fire and invasive predator (the red fox Vulpes vulpes) management actions observed in the study area. Scenario analysis revealed that a greater extent of severe fire and further rainfall declines predicted under climate change, operating in concert are likely to further reduce the abundance of these species, but may be mitigated partially by invasive predator control. Considering both historical and future drivers of population change is necessary to identify the factors that risk species recovery. Given that both anthropogenic pressures and environmental disturbances can undermine conservation efforts, managers must consider how the relative benefit of conservation actions will be shaped by ongoing global change., (© 2023 The Authors. Global Change Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Biodiversity assessment is a mandatory task for sustainable and adaptive management for the next decade, and long-term ecological monitoring programs are a cornerstone for understanding changes in ecosystems. The Brazilian Long-Term Ecological Research Program (PELD) is an integrated effort model supported by public funds that finance ecological studies at 34 locations. By interviewing and compiling data from project coordinators, we assessed monitoring efforts, targeting biological groups and scientific production from nine PELD projects encompassing coastal lagoons to mesophotic reefs and oceanic islands. Reef environments and fish groups were the most often studied within the long-term projects. PELD projects covered priority areas for conservation but missed sensitive areas close to large cities, as well as underrepresenting ecosystems on the North and Northeast Brazilian coast. Long-term monitoring projects in marine and coastal environments in Brazil are recent (<5 years), not yet integrated as a network, but scientifically productive with considerable relevance for academic and human resources training. Scientific production increased exponentially with project age, despite interruption and shortage of funding during their history. From our diagnosis, we recommend some actions to fill in observed gaps, such as: enhancing projects' collaboration and integration; focusing on priority regions for new projects; broadening the scope of monitored variables; and, maintenance of funding for existing projects., Competing Interests: Juan P. Quimbayo is a PeerJ Academic Editor. The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2022 Cordeiro et al.)

Subterranean ecosystems are among the most widespread environments on Earth, yet we still have poor knowledge of their biodiversity. To raise awareness of subterranean ecosystems, the essential services they provide, and their unique conservation challenges, 2021 and 2022 were designated International Years of Caves and Karst. As these ecosystems have traditionally been overlooked in global conservation agendas and multilateral agreements, a quantitative assessment of solution-based approaches to safeguard subterranean biota and associated habitats is timely. This assessment allows researchers and practitioners to understand the progress made and research needs in subterranean ecology and management. We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed and grey literature focused on subterranean ecosystems globally (terrestrial, freshwater, and saltwater systems), to quantify the available evidence-base for the effectiveness of conservation interventions. We selected 708 publications from the years 1964 to 2021 that discussed, recommended, or implemented 1,954 conservation interventions in subterranean ecosystems. We noted a steep increase in the number of studies from the 2000s while, surprisingly, the proportion of studies quantifying the impact of conservation interventions has steadily and significantly decreased in recent years. The effectiveness of 31% of conservation interventions has been tested statistically. We further highlight that 64% of the reported research occurred in the Palearctic and Nearctic biogeographic regions. Assessments of the effectiveness of conservation interventions were heavily biased towards indirect measures (monitoring and risk assessment), a limited sample of organisms (mostly arthropods and bats), and more accessible systems (terrestrial caves). Our results indicate that most conservation science in the field of subterranean biology does not apply a rigorous quantitative approach, resulting in sparse evidence for the effectiveness of interventions. This raises the important question of how to make conservation efforts more feasible to implement, cost-effective, and long-lasting. Although there is no single remedy, we propose a suite of potential solutions to focus our efforts better towards increasing statistical testing and stress the importance of standardising study reporting to facilitate meta-analytical exercises. We also provide a database summarising the available literature, which will help to build quantitative knowledge about interventions likely to yield the greatest impacts depending upon the subterranean species and habitats of interest. We view this as a starting point to shift away from the widespread tendency of recommending conservation interventions based on anecdotal and expert-based information rather than scientific evidence, without quantitatively testing their effectiveness., (© 2022 The Authors. Biological Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Cambridge Philosophical Society.)

Harmonious coexistence between humans, other animals and ecosystem services they support is a complex issue, typically impacted by landscape change, which affects animal distribution and abundance. In the last 30 years, afforestation on grasslands across Great Britain has been increasing, motivated by socio-economic reasons and climate change mitigation. Beyond expected benefits, an obvious question is what are the consequences for wider biodiversity of this scale of landscape change. Here, we explore the impact of such change on the expanding population of common buzzards Buteo buteo , a raptor with a history of human-induced setbacks. Using Resource-Area-Dependence Analysis (RADA), with which we estimated individuals' resource needs using 10-day radio-tracking sessions and the 1990s Land Cover Map of GB, and agent-based modelling, we predict that buzzards in our study area in lowland UK had fully recovered (to 2.2 ind km -2 ) by 1995. We also anticipate that the conversion of 30%, 60% and 90% of economically viable meadow into woodland would reduce buzzard abundance nonlinearly by 15%, 38% and 74%, respectively. The same approach used here could allow for cost-effective anticipation of other animals' population patterns in changing landscapes, thus helping to harmonize economy, landscape change and biodiversity.

The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem services is one of the hot topics in ecological research. The ways that the relationship is applied to the development of ecosystem management and policy have gradually gained attention after the Millennium Ecosystem Services Assessment in 2005. However, applying theoretical understanding of the relationship into practical management still faces challenges. Examining recent progresses may help to guide practices and po-licies. We summarized recent progress in researches on the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem services in terms of the impacts of biodiversity on single ecosystem service, ecosystem multifunctionality and trade-offs of ecosystem services, as well as how environmental changes affected these relationships. Moreover, we outlined the application of these relationships in nature reserve management, forest management, degraded ecosystem restoration, and agro-ecosystem improvement. We further analyzed the shortcomings in relationship studies and then emphasized that future research and practice trends are the interaction of different biodiversity components and multiple trophic levels on ecosystem services, the coupling effects of environmental changes on the relationships, and practical approaches to biodiversity for improving ecosystem services.

Rewilding is emerging as a promising restoration strategy to enhance the conservation status of biodiversity and promote self-regulating ecosystems while re-engaging people with nature. Overcoming the challenges in monitoring and reporting rewilding projects would improve its practical implementation and maximize its conservation and restoration outcomes. Here, we present a novel approach for measuring and monitoring progress in rewilding that focuses on the ecological attributes of rewilding. We devised a bi-dimensional framework for assessing the recovery of processes and their natural dynamics through (i) decreasing human forcing on ecological processes and (ii) increasing ecological integrity of ecosystems. The rewilding assessment framework incorporates the reduction of material inputs and outputs associated with human management, as well as the restoration of natural stochasticity and disturbance regimes, landscape connectivity and trophic complexity. Furthermore, we provide a list of potential activities for increasing the ecological integrity after reviewing the evidence for the effectiveness of common restoration actions. For illustration purposes, we apply the framework to three flagship restoration projects in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Argentina. This approach has the potential to broaden the scope of rewilding projects, facilitate sound decision-making and connect the science and practice of rewilding.This article is part of the theme issue 'Trophic rewilding: consequences for ecosystems under global change'., (© 2018 The Authors.)

The field of eco-engineering has burgeoned in recent years in response to the proliferation of artificial structures. Adding water-retaining features to seawalls has been successful in increasing biodiversity relative to the surrounding structure. Artificial rock pools may not, however, completely mimic natural rock pools. Here, we compared natural colonisation, through dispersal and recruitment, of intertidal mobile species to water-retaining flowerpots on seawalls with that into rock pools. This represents the more usual 'passive' approach to eco-engineering where features are built to enhance biodiversity and are allowed to colonise naturally, as opposed to seeding or transplanting organisms to features. While flowerpots supported some mobile species not found on the seawall, other species common on natural shores did not recruit to flowerpots. Thus, in a second experiment we tested the effectiveness of an 'active' approach through transplanting mobile organisms to flowerpots to expedite the colonisation process. For the species examined, however, most individuals did not stay in the flowerpots for more than 24 h after being transplanted. Further understanding of the processes (e.g. dispersal distances, recruitment) influencing colonisation of eco-engineered habitats is needed to effectively inform management of marine infrastructure, particularly for projects targeted at restoration rather than enhancement., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

While coral reefs are increasingly threatened worldwide, they are also increasingly used for recreational activities. Given the environmental and socio-economic significance of coral reefs, understanding the links between human activities and coral health and evaluating the efficacy of marine protected areas (MPAs) as a management regime to prevent further deterioration are critically important. The aim of this study was to quantify indicators of coral health at sites inside and outside a newly rezoned MPA framework in the dive tourism hotspot of Koh Tao, Thailand. We found that patterns in the health and diversity of coral communities one year on did not reflect the protected status conferred by newly zoned MPAs, but instead reflected past history of recreational use around the island. Sites characterised as past high-use sites had lower mean percent cover of hard corals overall and of corals in the typically disease- and disturbance-susceptible family Acroporidae, but higher mean cover of species in the more weedy family Agariciidae. Past high use sites also had higher mean prevalence of infectious diseases and other indicators of compromised health. Sites within the newly established MPAs are currently subjected to higher levels of environmental and anthropogenic pressures, with sedimentation, algal overgrowth, feeding scars from Drupella snails, and breakage particularly prevalent compared to sites in non-MPA areas. Given the greater prevalence of these factors within protected sites, the capacity of the MPA framework to effectively prevent further deterioration of Koh Tao's reefs is unclear. Nevertheless, our study constitutes a strong baseline for future long-term evaluations of the potential of MPAs to maintain coral health and diversity on highly threatened reefs., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The ecosystem approach--as endorsed by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CDB) in 2000-is a strategy for holistic, sustainable, and equitable natural resource management, to be implemented via the 12 Malawi Principles. These principles describe the need to manage nature in terms of dynamic ecosystems, while fully engaging with local peoples. It is an ambitious concept. Today, the term is common throughout the research and policy literature on environmental management. However, multiple meanings have been attached to the term, resulting in confusion. We reviewed references to the ecosystem approach from 1957 to 2012 and identified 3 primary uses: as an alternative to ecosystem management or ecosystem-based management; in reference to an integrated and equitable approach to resource management as per the CBD; and as a term signifying a focus on understanding and valuing ecosystem services. Although uses of this term and its variants may overlap in meaning, typically, they do not entirely reflect the ethos of the ecosystem approach as defined by the CBD. For example, there is presently an increasing emphasis on ecosystem services, but focusing on these alone does not promote decentralization of management or use of all forms of knowledge, both of which are integral to the CBD's concept. We highlight that the Malawi Principles are at risk of being forgotten. To better understand these principles, more effort to implement them is required. Such efforts should be evaluated, ideally with comparative approaches, before allowing the CBD's concept of holistic and socially engaged management to be abandoned or superseded. It is possible that attempts to implement all 12 principles together will face many challenges, but they may also offer a unique way to promote holistic and equitable governance of natural resources. Therefore, we believe that the CBD's concept of the ecosystem approach demands more attention., (© 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.)

Peatlands play a pivotal role in global carbon cycling and the conservation of biodiversity even though they cover a small fraction of the Earth's terrestrial surface. These ecosystems are, however, increasingly vulnerable due to climate change impacts and anthropogenic activities, leading to significant degradation in many areas. This review compiles and analyses various studies that employ remote sensing for comprehensive peatland mapping and monitoring. Remote sensing offers detailed insights into critical peatland features, including the classification of peatland vegetation, assessment of water table dynamics, mapping of vegetation condition and diversity and the estimation of carbon stocks. Furthermore, the review delineates the utility of remote sensing in monitoring the recovery processes of restored peatlands, highlighting the scarcity of long-term studies. It also emphasizes the potential of integrating hyperspectral, multispectral and SAR data as well as cross-scale analyses. Concluding with future directions, the review underscores the necessity for enhanced upscaling techniques, integration of multi-sensor data and the application of modelling to enrich our understanding and management of peatland ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rivers are constantly disturbed by anthropogenic stressors. Developing robust biotic indicators to assess river environments across large spatial scales is important. In the subtropical Liuxi River of China, 34 native fish indicators, including 4 genera and 30 species, were selected from 108 fish species by linear discriminant analysis. These indicators were grouped into 19 ecological items and assigned evaluation scores according to the roles they played in the food web (e.g., keystoneness and trophic level) and their positive feedback on the environment (e.g., requirements for feeding, spawning/nursing, and migrating). Three formulae for calculating the index of fish indicators (IFI) were developed based on the scoring of each indicator and weighted by relative abundance (individual number, i.e., IFI[INF]N[/INF]) and relative biomass (wet weight, i.e., IFI[INF]B[/INF]). Spearman correlation analysis showed that IFI[INF]B[/INF], which had positive (P< 0.05) correlations with elevation (m), dissolved oxygen (mg/L), flow velocity (cm/s), Shannon-Wiener diversity, benthic index of biotic integrity, exhibited a more powerful explanation of biodiversity and environmental factors than IFI[INF]N[/INF] and unweighted IFI. Therefore, IFI[INF]B[/INF] was most suitable for constructing a scoring system to evaluate ecological status (e.g., water and habitat quality). These results suggested that fish indicator-based scoring and evaluation system was effectively in not only assessing the siteor region-specific ecological status bot also reflecting the fluvial biodiversity and food web integrity. Further application and promotion of this indicator-based evaluation method may improve field investigation efficiency and contribute greatly to the conservation and management of river ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional and biodiversity genomics is essential for assessment and monitoring of planetary health and species-specific management in changing ecosystems. However, experimental knowledge of gene functions is limited to a few species, and dependencies on distantly related models. Combined with unrecognized degrees of lineage-specific gene family expansion, this means that traditional comparative methods are insufficient. Here, we introduce the concept of a hotspot, defined as innovations underlying the evolution of lineage-specific biology. We illustrate hotspots using molluscs having chromosome-scale genome assemblies and focus on heat-sensing TRPM channels and species living in environments of extreme heat stress (e.g., high intertidal and hydrothermal vent gastropods and bivalves). Integrating gene family, orthogroup, and domain-based methods with genomic hotspots (local homolog expansions on chromosomes), we show that conventional approaches overlook substantial amounts of species-specific gene family diversity due to limitations of distant homology detection. In contrast, local segmental duplications are often recent, lineage-specific genetic innovations reflecting emerging adaptions and can be identified for any genome. Revealed TRPM gene family diversification highlights unique neural and behavioral mechanisms that could be beneficial in predicting species' resilience to heat stress. In summary, the identification of hotspots and their integration with other types of analyses illuminate evolutionary (neuro)genomic strategies that do not depend on knowledge from model organisms and unbiasedly reveal evolutionarily recent lineage-specific adaptations. This strategy enables discoveries of biological innovations across species as prospective targets for modeling, management, and biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic habitat loss is widely recognized as a primary environmental concern. By contrast, debates on the effects of habitat fragmentation persist. To facilitate overcoming these debates, here we: (i) review the state of the literature on habitat fragmentation, finding widespread confusion and stigma; (ii) identify consequences of this for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management; and (iii) suggest ways in which research can move forward to resolve these problems. Confusion is evident from the 25 most‐cited fragmentation articles published between 2017 and 2021. These articles use five distinct concepts of habitat fragmentation, only one of which clearly distinguishes habitat fragmentation from habitat area and other factors ('fragmentation per se'). Stigmatization is evident from our new findings that fragmentation papers are more charged with negative sentiments when compared to papers from other subfields in the environmental sciences, and that fragmentation papers with more negative sentiments are cited more. While most empirical studies of habitat fragmentation per se find neutral or positive effects on species and biodiversity outcomes, which implies that small habitat patches have a high cumulative value, confusion and stigma in reporting and discussing such results have led to suboptimal habitat protection policy. For example, government agencies, conservation organizations, and land trusts impose minimum habitat patch sizes on habitat protection. Given the high cumulative value of small patches, such policies mean that many opportunities for conservation are being missed. Our review highlights the importance of reducing confusion and stigma in habitat fragmentation research. To this end, we propose implementing study designs in which multiple sample landscapes are selected across independent gradients of habitat amount and fragmentation, measured as patch density. We show that such designs are possible for forest habitat across Earth's biomes. As such study designs are adopted, and as language becomes more precise, we expect that confusion and stigma in habitat fragmentation research will dissipate. We also expect important breakthroughs in understanding the situations where effects of habitat fragmentation per se are neutral, positive, or negative, and the reasons for these differences. Ultimately this will improve efficacy of area‐based conservation policies, to the benefit of biodiversity and people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization inevitably interfered with the supply and demand of ecosystem services (ESs), which has a crucial impact on the ESs balance. Scientific exploration and clarification of the coupling and decoupling relationship between them can effectively reveal the disturbance of urbanization to the ecosystem, which can help to reasonably manage and protect the ecosystem. Previous studies have paid more attention to the coupling relationship but less attention to the decoupling relationship. This study comprehensively reflected urbanization from the three aspects of construction land, population, and economy and used the evaluation matrix to measure ESs. On this basis, coupling and decoupling analyses were taken to fully clarify the complex relationship between urbanization and ESs balance in China, so as to provide a reference for the formulation of relevant policies. Coupling aspect, the coupling degrees between the proportion of construction land (CLP) and ESs balance index (ESBI) were higher only in the central and eastern plains. The coupling degrees between population density (PD) and ESBI, economic density (ED) and ESBI, and land development index (LDI) and ESBI were only lower in the central and eastern plains than in other regions. Decoupling aspect, strong, weak negative, weak, and strong negative decoupling were the main decoupling types between urbanization and ESs balance in China. Among them, the proportion of the strong decoupling type is much higher than other types, which proves the opposite relationship between the two. Weak decoupling can not only promote economic growth and social development but also protect the ecological environment and biodiversity, which is a type of sustainable development and an ideal state that urbanization should pursue. The results can provide scientific guidance for the formulation of differentiated ecosystem management policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European grassland management has often favoured high production through frequent mowing and heavy fertilisation over biodiversity conservation, which is typically supported by less intensive management. Besides management, climate change and extremes are increasingly affecting grassland productivity and biodiversity, requiring timely adaptation of management practices. Here, we describe the development of a prototype Digital Twin (pDT) of grassland biodiversity dynamics intended to support researchers, farmers or regulatory decision-makers in monitoring the current state of selected grassland sites and projecting their future state under various management and climate scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phylogenetic diversity (PD) represents a fundamental measure of biodiversity, encapsulating the extent of evolutionary history within species groups. This measure, pivotal for understanding biodiversity's full dimension, has gained recognition by major environmental and scientific organisations, including the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Unlike traditional taxonomic richness, PD offers a comprehensive, evolutionary perspective on biodiversity, essential for conservation planning and biodiversity management. This manuscript describes the development of a BioDT (Biodiversity Digital Twin) prototype, aimed at facilitating the calculation and visualisation of biodiversity metrics from global, dynamic data sources. By utilising the PhyloNext pipeline and integrating with global phylogenetic and species occurrence databases like the Open Tree of Life (OToL) and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), the prototype aims to significantly reduce computation time and enhance user interaction. This enables dynamic visualisation and potentially hypothesis testing, making it a valuable tool for researchers, monitoring initiatives, policy-makers and the public. The prototype's development focuses on improving the PhyloNext pipeline's scalability and creating a more intuitive user interface, expanding its utility for conservation efforts and biodiversity exploration. Our work illustrates the potential impact of the BioDT prototype in supporting diverse user groups in visualising and exploring PD, thus contributing to more informed decision-making in conservation and biodiversity management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brief introduction: What are microclimates and why are they important? Microclimate science has developed into a global discipline. Microclimate science is increasingly used to understand and mitigate climate and biodiversity shifts. Here, we provide an overview of the current status of microclimate ecology and biogeography in terrestrial ecosystems, and where this field is heading next. Microclimate investigations in ecology and biogeography: We highlight the latest research on interactions between microclimates and organisms, including how microclimates influence individuals, and through them populations, communities and entire ecosystems and their processes. We also briefly discuss recent research on how organisms shape microclimates from the tropics to the poles. Microclimate applications in ecosystem management: Microclimates are also important in ecosystem management under climate change. We showcase new research in microclimate management with examples from biodiversity conservation, forestry and urban ecology. We discuss the importance of microrefugia in conservation and how to promote microclimate heterogeneity. Methods for microclimate science: We showcase the recent advances in data acquisition, such as novel field sensors and remote sensing methods. We discuss microclimate modelling, mapping and data processing, including accessibility of modelling tools, advantages of mechanistic and statistical modelling and solutions for computational challenges that have pushed the state‐of‐the‐art of the field. What's next?: We identify major knowledge gaps that need to be filled for further advancing microclimate investigations, applications and methods. These gaps include spatiotemporal scaling of microclimate data, mismatches between macroclimate and microclimate in predicting responses of organisms to climate change, and the need for more evidence on the outcomes of microclimate management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large-scale expansion of tea plantations has been associated with biodiversity decline and an increased vulnerability due to climate fluctuations within the tea cultivation landscape. In contrast, the millennium-old tea forest in Jingmai Mountain, along the Mekong River Basin in Pu'er Prefecture of Yunnan province, China, showcases a longstanding symbiosis between biodiversity conservation and the stability of rural livelihoods. This study explored indigenous knowledge pertaining to the sustainable management of the millennium-old tea forest. In the study, 239 individual farmers and key informants were interviewed for data collection. The results illustrated the profound reservoir of indigenous knowledge on sustainable management of the millennium-old tea forest preserved by the Blang community. The ecological perspective and internalized constraints of sacred knowledge, combined with productive knowledge in practice, contribute to the sustainable management of this unique ecosystem. The goal of the study is to share a success story and impart the teachings of a wise indigenous group to others for biodiversity conservation and sustainable rural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Forest disturbances are projected to increase in intensity and frequency in the upcoming decades. The projected change in disturbance regimes is expected to alter the provision of ecosystem services and affect biodiversity. Both are critical for forest ecosystems to provide livelihoods for human societies. Forest management after natural disturbances shapes successional pathways of forest ecosystems. Therefore, the management of post-disturbance sites deserves critical attention to avoid negative effects of management interventions on ecosystem services and biodiversity. The two most common management interventions after natural disturbances are salvage logging (comparator: no salvage logging) and tree planting (comparator: natural regeneration). This planned systematic map of reviews aims to aggregate the existing evidence syntheses on the implications of common forest management interventions after natural disturbances on successional trajectories with regard to selected ecosystem services and biodiversity. Evidence-based post-disturbance management is highly relevant for protected area management as well as for the management of commercial forests. Methods: We will systematically search the databases Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection and the Forest Science Collection of the CABI Digital Library for reviews and meta-analyses (after 2003). We will apply eligibility criteria for review selection and assess the evidence synthesis validity of selected reviews using the most recent version of CEESAT (Collaboration for Environmental Evidence Synthesis Assessment Tool). The results will be displayed in topic subgroups in summary of scope and summary of findings tables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The decline of the greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis), or Ngarlgumirdi (Yawuru), like other critical-weight range Australian mammals, is believed to be primarily due to the synergetic impacts of predation by feral cats and foxes, habitat disturbance caused by large introduced herbivores, and increases in the frequency and intensity of wildfires. Although it has been demonstrated that low-intensity prescribed burning mosaics in some habitats have the potential to benefit mammals, including Ngarlgumirdi, by creating habitat with sufficient vegetation cover, the contributions of specific fire-mosaic attributes to Ngarlgumirdi persistence remain unclear. Aims: To elucidate the impacts of fire-mosaic attributes on the occupancy of Ngarlgumirdi on the Dampier Peninsula. Methods: We used 2-ha sign-plot data collected by four Indigenous Ranger groups, in combination with 20 years of satellite-derived fire-history information to investigate the multiscale impacts of fire attributes on Ngarlgumirdi and feral cats (Felis catus) on the Dampier Peninsula in the West Kimberley region, a large, unfenced landscape in the most fire-prone section of the Ngarlgumirdi's current range. Key results: We found that Ngarlgumirdi was more common in areas that had a higher proportion of habitat that had not burnt for at least 3 years, whereas feral cats were less prevalent in these areas. Similarly, Ngarlgumirdi was less likely to occur in landscapes affected by frequent fires, whereas cats were more common there. Conclusions: Our findings have highlighted the importance of decreasing fire frequency and increasing the extent of long-unburnt habitats (>3 years) for preserving Ngarlgumirdi on the Dampier Peninsula and mitigating ecological damage inflicted by feral cats. Findings were consistent across spatial scales (1-, 3-, 5- and 10-km radius from each monitoring site). Implications: These results have demonstrated the potential of fire management to increase native species resilience in the absence of direct feral cat control methods. Further, they support a recent cross-tenure initiative led by Traditional Owners to implement fire management that aims to reduce large, frequent high-severity wildfires and increase areas of long-unburnt vegetation on the Dampier Peninsula. We studied the impacts of fire-mosaic attributes on the occurence of Ngarlgumirdi on the Dampier Peninsula. Ngarlgumirdi were more prevalent in areas with higher proportions of habitat that had not burnt for at least 3 years, or had burnt less frequently. Feral cats were less common in these habitats. These results emphasise the importance of reducing fire frequency and protecting long-unburnt habitats to maintain Ngarlgumirdi habitat, and supporta cross-tenure initiative to manage fire more effectively in the region. Gamba nalgumirdi, marlu manyja yagarrmurungun miliya, Manyjanyurdany gurdirdi warli yingarrbangngaran gangajunu, warligarra waranygabu buru yingarrarlin gangajunu gamba gurlju yirr jaril yagarraman ngarraya. Marlugarriny yagarralangan narlinyurdany jalaluyi janangarru nyamba miliya. Dampiergun juluburu yagarrabaran yirr yagarrabanggan gamba ngurru nalgumirdigarra burugun gamba jarriny ngurru marlu junggu yinganda gurdidiyi wula, buru junggu manyjan wubardujina yinganda yirr marlu manyjan gurdirdi minyaw nyambagun. Nyamba galwaragaja gamba jurrungu yingan yagarramaguran wubardu buruyi junggu yilurran yirr yagarrajalalan buru Marlu jungu yinganngany nalgumirdi, barndany yinamalyjan nganinya yagarragurndin jurrungu nyambagun buru. The translation of this short summary from English into Yawuru language was provided by the Mabu Yawuru Ngan-ga Language Centre. Yawuru language is a Western Nyulnyulan language spoken by people from the Broome region in Western Australia. Photograph by Harry Moore. This article belongs to the Collection Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing mixed‐species plantations has become the most promising planting method to provide various goods and improve multiple environmental services. Although mixed planting has the potential to increase tree biomass, the divergent findings make it challenging to understand the mixing effects on whole forest (trees, shrubs, herbs, and litter) biomass. Therefore, we conducted a meta‐analysis compiling 156 studies published from 1982 to 2021 across 128 sites in China. We aimed to quantify the mixing effects on forest biomass between mixed plantations and monocultures and disentangle the driving factors. Our results showed that mixed planting significantly increased the total biomass, biomass of tree, and shrub layer by 14.07%, 22.49%, and 34.84%, respectively, when compared with monocultures. The effects of mixed planting on biomass were more pronounced in plantations with both nitrogen‐fixing trees and non‐nitrogen‐fixing trees, plantations with both coniferous and broad‐leaved trees, as well as uneven‐aged plantations containing young‐ and middle‐aged species. Furthermore, our results demonstrated the effects of mixed planting were predominantly governed by climatic conditions and woodland characteristics. The effect size of total biomass exhibited a significant positive correlation with mean annual temperature and precipitation, while the shrub and herb layers showed a significant negative relationship with these climatic variables. Our findings highlighted the importance of complementarity effects in mixed plantations, especially establishing uneven‐aged plantations with different leaf morphology types and N acquisition strategies. Overall, our meta‐analysis could provide strategies for future sustainable ecosystem management and improving the terrestrial carbon sink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As infectious diseases have a severe impact on the individual survival and competitive ability of host species in grassland communities, competition between relevant species may have different consequences, potentially influencing the species composition of grassland communities and the functioning of grassland ecosystems. Understanding the impact of infectious diseases on competition is thus crucial for the health management of grassland ecosystems. How do infectious diseases affect the competitive coexistence of grassland plant species? In this study, by drawing on Tilman's multispecies competition model and incorporating the spread characteristics of grassland plant diseases, we built three spatial competition models of two grass species subject to infectious diseases, and we analyzed the invasion conditions of infectious diseases and how they impact the population dynamics and competitive consequences of the species. Our model revealed the following: (1) Diseases with high transmission rates and low virulence are more likely to invade populations, while the presence of non-host species is detrimental to disease invasion. (2) Disease promotes the coexistence of competing species, breaking down the original competition–compromise trade-off mechanism for species coexistence and greatly expanding the range of parameters within which the two species can coexist. (3) Pathogen infections indirectly weaken the suppression of inferior species by dominant species, which is similar to the cascade effect seen in trophic interactions. Our findings highlight the importance of disease in species coexistence and grassland biodiversity maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation efforts have focused largely on species, yet ecosystem management is suggested to be a more efficient strategy for biodiversity management. With increasing numbers of threatened species, ecosystems and ecological communities, and limited resources, an approach that delivers the best conservation outcomes across multiple levels of biodiversity is crucial. In this study, we compared a species approach and a community approach to management by evaluating the number of threatened species benefiting from actions targeted at threatened ecological communities (TECs), and vice versa. We ran three analyses: one theoretical, and two spatially‐explicit analyses accounting for co‐occurrence in distributions and site‐based actions. We found that of 124 actions, 61 were common to species and TECs. Yet, the overlap of actions was lower when considering species and TEC co‐occurrences across the distributions, and was mostly lost at the site‐scale. In all analyses, focusing on species management resulted in a greater percentage of actions considered, thus potentially benefiting more species and TECs. We suggest that when there is limited capacity to perform formal prioritization analyses, our process could identify actions addressing widespread and common threats impacting both species and communities. Further, simultaneously managing both species and TECs would potentially deliver a more effective solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring programs that integrate both structural and functional ecosystem components play integral roles in ecosystem management and conservation planning. In the early 1990's, the marine ecosystem of the waters surrounding Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) underwent a regime shift. Several demersal and pelagic fish stocks collapsed simultaneously, and this had significant ecological and socioeconomic consequences. As this regime shift impacted numerous commercial and non-commercial species, assessments based on individual species would be insufficient. We explored a variety of metrics that capture different facets of diversity across multiple species to provide a more robust ecosystem assessment. These were species richness, evenness, community-weighted means of maximum body length and trophic level (i.e., the mean maximum body size or trophic level of the species present in a community), and functional dispersion (FDis). The objectives of this study were 1) to assess trends in community structure of the NL demersal community during the post-collapse period (1995-2018), 2) explore how the various community-level metrics differ or are redundant, and 3) investigate how these metrics are associated with important covariates. Several metrics were redundant and displayed strongly positive, temporal trends being consistent with expectations for a recovery encompassing the entire demersal community. In particular, unweighted community-weighted means of body length and trophic level displayed nearly equal temporal patterns, showing increasing trends throughout the study period which were most prominent in the northern study area and within a limited depth range at the upper shelf break. Corresponding biomass-weighted metrics were also correlated with each other but only showed similar increasing tendencies after the first decade. In contrast, species richness did not show any temporal increase. Evenness and biomass-weighted FDis showed similar temporal patterns, decreasing during the first decade followed by strong increases during subsequent years, patterns that were directly linked to variation in Northern shrimp and Atlantic cod biomass. This study demonstrates how a variety of community metrics can provide insight into different aspects of the post-collapse recovery of the demersal community and help us better understand the complexity of the changes the ecosystem is undergoing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peat ecosystems have very important ecosystem services and functions, and roles for human life, the flora and fauna. Management of Lepironia articulata Retz. become an alternative business carried out by forest farmers in peat ecosystems. This study aims to evaluate the management of L.articulata in supporting peat ecosystem conservation. The research conducted in Haur Gading sub-district, South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Data collection carried out through the interview on the stages of L.articulata management and socio-economic data on the community. Field survey were done by collecting ecological data from L.articulata habitat. Conservation support for peat ecosystems from L.articulata management analyzed using 7 variables and 17 indicators. Conservation support for the peat ecosystem from the management of L.articulata result is high (90.24%). Conservation support obtained from the indicator values of social benefits, economic benefits, technical aspects of L.articulata management stages, and several ecological benefits. The management of L.articulata by forest farmers able to reduce illegal logging and forest fires. Revegetation activities by forest farmers on enrichment planting is one option to increase the diversity of vegetation in peat ecosystems and also the form of conservation based on the utilization of the biodiversity of peat ecosystems. It contributes for improving the socioeconomic community and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tolerance of aquatic organisms to stressors is widely used to monitor and evaluate the condition of freshwater ecosystems. Tolerance values (TV) derived from analyses of the relationship between species and their environment are considered to be more objective than those that rely on expert opinion. We used principal component analysis (PCA) to derive a generalized stressor gradient based on physicochemical characteristics and physical habitat quality and structure. Scores of the first principal component axis (PC1) were used to estimate TV for 37 fish species collected from 54 sites in the Karun River basin, Iran. PCA of 17 variables identified stressors that were influential such as total phosphate, total nitrogen, total coliform, and habitat and morphological score. The species were separated into three categories on the stressor gradient: sensitive (18.9%), semi‐tolerant (48.6%), and tolerant species (32.4%). Based on these results we developed the Karun Fish Tolerance Index (KFTI) and demonstrated that it performed well in separating the least, moderate, and most disturbed sites in the study area. The discrimination efficiency of the KFTI was 82.5%, which makes it a robust management tool for the protection and conservation of streams and rivers in the Karun River watershed. TV developed here reflect objective characteristics of the sensitivity of fish species to the predominant stressors in the Karun and similar systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystems are multifaceted and complex systems and understanding their composition is crucial for the implementation of efficient conservation and management. Conventional approaches to biodiversity surveys can have limitations in detecting the complete range of species present. In contrast, the study of environmental RNA (eRNA) offers a non-invasive and comprehensive method for monitoring and evaluating biodiversity across different ecosystems. Similar to eDNA, the examination of genetic material found in environmental samples can identify and measure many species, including ones that pose challenges to traditional methods. However, eRNA is degraded quickly and therefore shows promise in detection of living organisms closer to their actual location than eDNA methods. This method provides a comprehensive perspective on the well-being of ecosystems, facilitating the development of focused conservation approaches to save at-risk species and uphold ecological equilibrium. Furthermore, eRNA has been recognized as a valuable method for the identification of COVID-19 in the environment, besides its established uses in biodiversity protection. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is accountable for the worldwide epidemic, releases RNA particles into the surrounding environment via human waste, providing insights into the feasibility of detecting it in wastewater and other samples taken from the environment. In this article, we critically reviewed the recent research activities that use the eRNA method, including its utilization in biodiversity conservation, ecological surveillance, and ecotoxicological monitoring as well as its innovative potential in identifying COVID-19. Through this review, the reader can understand the recent developments, prospects, and challenges of eRNA research in ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Papers including articles that are produced because of the activities of LifeWatch ERIC, in the context of its second implementation period (2022 - 2026) and through the implementation of its new Strategic Working Plan, are published in this special collection. The articles include data papers, papers describing the development and functioning of analytical services and papers describing any other research outcome, produced either by LifeWatch ERIC or by any collaboration with any other ERIC, Research Infrastructure, global aggregator or other legal entity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring the effectiveness of protected areas (PAs) has become a top-priority conservation action. Without management plans to define clear conservation goals and actions, PAs risk failing to protect biodiversity. Yet, management plans are insufficiently detailed or absent for several PAs worldwide. Although biodiversity knowledge is a cornerstone to guide the creation of PAs, we still lack information on its impact on long-term management. Thus, to better understand how biodiversity inventories might bias the management of protected areas, we investigate how these plans relate to the number of threatened species in PAs. Thus, we mapped 10,407 records corresponding to 1,395 threatened flora species in 863 PAs of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest under different jurisdictions and found that PAs with management plans hold twice the number of threatened flora species than those without such plans. Additionally, we found no support for the idea that larger PAs or those under higher anthropic pressure are more likely to have management plans, suggesting that management plans represent a proxy for the attention that PAs receive that goes far beyond necessity. We suggest two major reasons for this result. First, better-studied PAs are more likely to receive public funds to establish their management plans. Second, PAs with management plans and well-defined conservation goals may attract more studies. Both reasons may act synergistically, and we provide guidance on how managers and scientists should overcome these biases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem management aims at providing many ecosystem services simultaneously. Such ecosystem service multifunctionality can be limited by tradeoffs and increased by synergies among the underlying ecosystem functions (EF), which need to be understood to develop targeted management. Previous studies found differences in the correlation between EFs. We hypothesised that correlations between EFs are variable even under the controlled conditions of a field experiment and that seasonal and annual variation, plant species richness, and plot identity (identity effects of plots, such as the presence and proportion of functional groups) are drivers of these correlations. We used data on 31 EFs related to plants, consumers, and physical soil properties that were measured over 5 to 19 years, up to three times per year, in a temperate grassland experiment with 80 different plots, constituting six sown plant species richness levels (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 60 species). We found that correlations between pairs of EFs were variable, and correlations between two particular EFs could range from weak to strong or negative to positive correlations among the repeated measurements. To determine the drivers of pairwise EF correlations, the covariance between EFs was partitioned into contributions from species richness, plot identity, and time (including years and seasons). We found that most of the covariance for synergies was explained by species richness (26.5%), whereas for tradeoffs, most covariance was explained by plot identity (29.5%). Additionally, some EF pairs were more affected by differences among years and seasons, showing a higher temporal variation. Therefore, correlations between two EFs from single measurements are insufficient to draw conclusions on tradeoffs and synergies. Consequently, pairs of EFs need to be measured repeatedly under different conditions to describe their relationships with more certainty and be able to derive recommendations for the management of grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questions: Although the relationships between biodiversity and individual ecosystem functions under resource enrichment have been extensively studied, there is limited understanding of how resource‐induced changes affect ecosystem multifunctionality and its temporal stability, along with the underlying biological mechanisms. Location: Inner Mongolia, China. Methods: We investigated the impact of biodiversity mechanisms on ecosystem multifunctionality and its temporal stability through a 3‐year field experiment. This experiment involved augmenting growing season precipitation and nitrogen deposition, conducted in a typical steppe ecosystem of Inner Mongolia alongside regular mowing. Results: Our findings revealed that the addition of water (W) and nitrogen (N) had varying effects on ecosystem multifunctionality and its temporal stability. The combination of N and W additions enhanced ecosystem multifunctionality, whereas both W and N + W additions promoted the temporal stability of ecosystem multifunctionality. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that the community‐weighted mean height, in response to nitrogen addition, played a key role in enhancing ecosystem multifunctionality. By contrast, increased species asynchrony because of water addition and greater functional diversity in terms of leaf area contributed to heightened temporal stability of ecosystem multifunctionality. Furthermore, the positive effects of community‐weighted mean height on ecosystem multifunctionality exhibited a gradual increase with rising threshold levels. Conclusions: Our study provides the first evidence of the independent effects of selection, exemplified by community‐weighted mean and complementarity, represented by factors such as species richness, functional diversity and species asynchrony on both ecosystem multifunctionality and its temporal stability. This underscores how global change factors can directly influence ecosystem multifunctionality and its temporal stability while also indirectly modulating biodiversity effects in the short term. Overall, our findings underscore the vital role of biodiversity conservation in enhancing grassland management and the delivery of ecosystem services in the context of global change, particularly in regions subject to extensive mowing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel wildfire regimes are rapidly changing global ecosystems and pose significant challenges for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management. In this study, we used DNA metabarcoding to assess the response of arthropod pollinator communities to large‐scale wildfires across diverse habitat types in California. We sampled six reserves within the University of California Natural Reserve System, each of which was partially burned in the 2020 Lightning Complex wildfires in California. Using yellow pan traps to target pollinators, we collected arthropods from burned and unburned sites across multiple habitat types including oak woodland, redwood, scrub, chamise, grassland, forest, and serpentine habitats. We found no significant difference in alpha diversity values between burned and unburned sites; instead, seasonal variations played a significant role in arthropod community dynamics, with the emergence of plant species in Spring promoting increased pollinator richness at all sites. When comparing all sites, we found that burn status was not a significant grouping factor. Instead, compositional differences were largely explained by geographic differences, with distinct communities within each reserve. Within a geographic area, the response of arthropods to fire was dependent on habitat type. While communities in grasslands and oak woodlands exhibited recovery following burn, scrublands experienced substantial changes in community composition. Our study highlights the importance of examining community responses to wildfires across broad spatial scales and diverse habitat types. By understanding the nuanced dynamics of arthropod communities in response to fire disturbances, we can develop effective conservation strategies that promote resilience and maintain biodiversity in the face of increasing wildfire frequency and severity driven by climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A scientifically informed approach to decision-making is key to ensuring the sustainable management of ecosystems, especially in the light of increasing human pressure on habitats and species. Protected areas, with their long-term institutional mandate for biodiversity conservation, play an important role as data providers, for example, through the long-term monitoring of natural resources. However, poor data management often limits the use and reuse of this wealth of information. In this paper, we share lessons learned in managing long-term data from the Italian Alpine national parks. Our analysis and examples focus on specific issues faced by managers of protected areas, which partially differ from those faced by academic researchers, predominantly owing to different mission, governance, and temporal perspectives. Rigorous data quality control, the use of appropriate data management tools, and acquisition of the necessary skills remain the main obstacles. Common protocols for data collection offer great opportunities for the future, and complete recovery and documentation of time series is an urgent priority. Notably, before data can be shared, protected areas should improve their data management systems, a task that can be achieved only with adequate resources and a long-term vision. We suggest strategies that protected areas, funding agencies, and the scientific community can embrace to address these problems. The added value of our work lies in promoting engagement with managers of protected areas and in reporting and analysing their concrete requirements and problems, thereby contributing to the ongoing discussion on data management and sharing through a bottom-up approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater is an important global resource, providing water for irrigation, industry, geothermal uses and potable water. Moreover, groundwater contains the world's largest terrestrial freshwater biome with ecosystems, inhabited mainly by invertebrates (stygofauna) and microbes, undertaking important services including water purification, as well as nutrient and carbon cycling. Despite investigations on the spatial and temporal variations of groundwater fauna and the influence of environmental parameters on these organisms, in parts of the world, even the most basic knowledge of these ecosystems is still lacking. The aims of this study are to provide an overview on groundwater fauna (stygofauna) research, including the historical evolution of research topics and the development of sampling methods and secondly to identify the global distribution of groundwater fauna research and resulting data gaps. To achieve this, an extensive review of accessible groundwater fauna data was conducted by analysing 859 studies. It was evident that over time, there has been an exponential increase in the number of groundwater fauna studies together with changing paradigms in the research focus, particularly as sampling methods have developed from using simple nets, substrate samples and hand‐pumps in the beginning to recent molecular analyses (e.g. eDNA). As application of molecular methods becomes more common, knowledge on groundwater diversity and functional ecology is expected to increase. Studies on groundwater fauna are spatially uneven and are dominated by research in Europe and Australia, with few studies in Africa, Asia and the Americas. This presently biased view on groundwater biota hinders the identification of biodiversity patterns and ecosystem functions on a wider geographic and climatic scale. In the future, a more evenly distributed stygofauna sampling effort in currently underrepresented areas of the globe is necessary to ensure a more comprehensive perspective on stygofauna biodiversity, roles and functional significances. This is increasingly important with the accumulating knowledge of the sensitivities of these ecosystems to anthropogenic activities, including climate change, and is fundamental to effective management of these ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ramaroshan Lake Complex, situated in the mid-hills of Sudurpaschim Province, is renowned for its scenic beauty, yet there is a notable dearth of information regarding its biodiversity and ecological status. This study represents the first systematic examination of seasonal variations in water quality parameters and biodiversity encompassing aquatic macroinvertebrates, fishes, birds, herpetofauna, mammals, and macrophytes, as well as the surrounding vegetation within the complex, spanning the winters and summers of 2018 and 2019. Among the twenty water quality parameters investigated, thirteen displayed significant seasonal differences across the lakes (p <0.05), with Batula and Ramaroshan lakes exhibiting elevated nutrient levels. Lamadaya Lake stood out with a highly diverse macroinvertebrate community compared to other lakes, while overall, the study recorded 45 aquatic macroinvertebrate families, three fish species, 79 bird species, 12 herpetofauna species, 12 mammal species, and 26 macrophyte species within the complex. Additionally, the surrounding vegetation comprised 193 distinct plant species. Notably, the complex currently hosts 14 IUCN Red List species, including Near Threatened (5), Vulnerable (5), Critically Endangered (1), and Endangered (3) species, as well as five migratory wetland bird species, underscoring its significance for wildlife conservation. Given the diverse and cross-cutting nature of wetlands, the development of sciencebased policies and coordinated efforts among central, provincial, and local governments are essential for the preservation and sustainable management of these vital ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the use of high-throughput sequencing data, specifically metabarcoding datasets, to study ecological and evolutionary questions. The authors discuss the power of this technology in understanding community assembly dynamics, interaction networks, invasive species, and cross-scale interactions. The article emphasizes the importance of this research for effective conservation and management of ecosystems. It also presents case studies on various biological communities, including terrestrial and marine systems, microbial communities, and shifts in community composition. Another article discusses the use of metabarcoding to study species interactions, biodiversity response to global change, and the impact of urbanization on diversity and trophic interactions. It also explores the role of microbiomes in diet and niche partitioning. The document discusses the findings and implications of studies on biodiversity dynamics using high-throughput approaches, such as metabarcoding. The studies cover topics such as the impact of salinity on gut community richness, the role of microbiomes in disease resilience, the detection and impact of non-native species, and the importance of museum collections in metabarcoding research. The document emphasizes the potential of high-throughput analyses in answering complex questions in biodiversity science and highlights the need for robust methods and interdisciplinary collaboration. The authors declare no conflict of interest. [Extracted from the article]

Simple Summary: The decline in global biodiversity due to habitat loss, climate change, and human activities necessitates effective monitoring. Flying insects, such as pollinators, which are crucial for ecosystem functions, require a thorough assessment. While informative, conventional methods, including hand netting, transect surveys, and pan traps, are labour-intensive or offer snapshots of limited scope. This study conducts a comparative analysis of traditional and innovative methods involving the recording and analysis of buzzing sounds emitted by flying insects. Insect abundance, reported as counts for traditional methods gathered by pan traps, and average buzzes per hour, measured by acoustic IoT (Internet of Things) sensors, were correlated. This finding suggests that acoustic automatic monitoring shows the potential to circumvent the limitations of conventional methods, emphasising continuous, non-intrusive monitoring for robust data acquisition. The development of passive detection devices will pave the way to implement new, sustainable approaches to enhance conservation efforts and ecosystem management, advancing our understanding of flying insect dynamics amidst global biodiversity challenges. The global loss of biodiversity is an urgent concern requiring the implementation of effective monitoring. Flying insects, such as pollinators, are vital for ecosystems, and establishing their population dynamics has become essential in conservation biology. Traditional monitoring methods are labour-intensive and show time constraints. In this work, we explore the use of bioacoustic sensors for monitoring flying insects. Data collected at four Italian farms using traditional monitoring methods, such as hand netting and pan traps, and bioacoustic sensors were compared. The results showed a positive correlation between the average number of buzzes per hour and insect abundance measured by traditional methods, primarily by pan traps. Intraday and long-term analysis performed on buzzes revealed temperature-related patterns of insect activity. Passive acoustic monitoring proved to be effective in estimating flying insect abundance, while further development of the algorithm is required to correctly identify insect taxa. Overall, innovative technologies, such as bioacoustic sensors, do not replace the expertise and data quality provided by professionals, but they offer unprecedented opportunities to ease insect monitoring to support conservation biodiversity efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although bush encroachment in rangelands is a widely reported phenomenon, particularly in the arid and semi‐arid regions of southern Africa, the knowledge of the impact of bush encroachment in montane rangelands is inadequate to support the sustainable management of these important ecosystems. This study assessed how herbaceous vegetation changes along a bush encroachment intensity gradient in the montane rangelands of Sehlabathebe in the Qacha's Nek District of Lesotho. Fifty 16 m2 vegetation plots were randomly selected on a bush‐encroached rangeland area. In each plot, bush species data, including canopy cover, richness, density and height, were recorded. The Braun‐Blanquet method was used to assess herbaceous vegetation. The data were analysed using regression analysis, correlation analysis and ordination. Forb and graminoids attributes (Shannon‐Wiener diversity, species richness, evenness and percentage cover) together with bush attributes (height, density, diversity, evenness, richness and cover %) were subjected to regression and ordination. Results revealed that bush cover was negatively correlated with both forb and graminoids vegetation cover. While forb species richness, evenness and Shannon‐Wiener diversity increased with an increase in bush encroachment intensity, graminoid species abundance and diversity decreased. Overall, bush encroachment negatively impacted the structure and composition of graminoids. This implies that bush encroachment compromises the condition of montane rangelands because graminoids contribute to grazable forage more than forbs in these montane ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA barcoding is a crucial method for assessing and monitoring species diversity amidst escalating threats to global biodiversity. I explore DNA barcoding's potential as a robust and reliable tool for biodiversity assessment. It begins with a comprehensive review of existing literature, delving into the theoretical foundations, methodologies and applications of DNA barcoding. The suitability of various DNA regions, like the COI gene, as universal barcodes are extensively investigated. Additionally, the advantages and limitations of different DNA sequencing technologies and bioinformatics tools are evaluated within the context of DNA barcoding. To evaluate the efficacy of DNA barcoding, diverse ecosystems, including terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats, are sampled. Extracted DNA from collected specimens undergoes amplification and sequencing of the target barcode region. Comparison of the obtained DNA sequences with reference databases allows for the identification and classification of the sampled organisms. Findings demonstrate that DNA barcoding accurately identifies species, even in cases where morphological identification proves challenging. Moreover, it sheds light on cryptic and endangered species, aiding conservation efforts. I also investigate patterns of genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships among different taxa through the analysis of genetic data. This research contributes to the growing knowledge on DNA barcoding and its applicability for biodiversity assessment. The advantages of this approach, such as speed, accuracy and cost-effectiveness, are highlighted, along with areas for improvement. By unlocking the genetic code, DNA barcoding enhances our understanding of biodiversity, supports conservation initiatives and informs evidence-based decision-making for the sustainable management of ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses what Ghana needs for the development of legal and scientific education programmes to manage framework of biodiversity and the ecosystem. The first part of the article examines literature produced on this topic, which offers many clues about the challenges and opportunities facing Ghana, as well as the lessons that can be learned from both other space nations and actors in this field. When looking at perceptions, the second part explores material taken from ethically approved interviews which were conducted with experts in this field, whilst the third section provides an analysis of data taken from a survey in which respondents were asked targeted questions about Ghana's space and science education programmes, before summarising the key findings. The findings help to better understand the effect of biodiversity and the ecosystem. Finally, it is recommended that future work is required in the areas of: preserving, sustaining and maintaining biodiversity and the ecosystems; management frameworks for invasive species and biosecurity; management frameworks for environmental degradation and climate change; a management framework that focuses on the fair and equitable access to and sharing of the benefits of biodiversity resources with all communities in Ghana; and assessing and including biodiversity and ecosystem in the development process of space law and science education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the use of remote sensing technology in biodiversity and ecosystem functioning research. It highlights the importance of understanding the variation of biodiversity across scales and the role of remote sensing in monitoring and predicting ecosystem patterns and processes. The article presents various studies that utilize remote sensing techniques, such as high-resolution mapping, mobile technology, and UAV-based approaches, to observe and manage diverse ecosystems. It also explores the assessment of ecosystem functioning at large scales and the analysis of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning under environmental changes. The findings emphasize the significance of spatial analysis, remote sensing technologies, and tailored conservation strategies for effective ecosystem management. [Extracted from the article]

It is vital to integrate local communities' perception of ecosystem services (ES) into the management planning of protected areas. We investigated community perceptions of a broad range of ES in the Overa-Aru Wildlife Sanctuary, a designated protected area in Kashmir Himalaya. We conducted focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with selected respondents from five villages inside and around the Sanctuary. We used the Likert scale to evaluate responses. The respondents identified a range of ES furnished by the Sanctuary, with provisioning services being the most important (47.82%) and regulating and cultural services of less but equal importance (26.09% each). In terms of tangible benefits of provisioning services, all the respondents were satisfied with forest and agro-ecosystems (100% respondents). Based on the indicators used to assess the ecological health of the Sanctuary, all respondents supported improvements such as increase in areas of dense forest. Overall, respondents were satisfied with the governmental agencies monitoring biodiversity and supply of drinking water, but not with natural forest regeneration. We found significant variation in community perceptions of ES, revealing relative heterogeneity among the respondents of the surveyed villages. Our results reveal that a suite of ecosystem services furnished by the Sanctuary are valued by the villagers for their basic livelihood requirements. Maintenance of these ES are crucial in achieving regional and global goals of sustainability. Based on our findings, we suggest policy recommendations for the managers of the Sanctuary to develop ES-integrated management strategies that may have more general applications in similar circumstances elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The set of functions and resources derived from ecosystems are broadly described as ecosystem services. Human society is gratified by a diverse range of services from the freshwater ecosystems to which fungi contribute significantly; yet they are unacknowledged for the services they provide. Aquatic fungi, especially aquatic hyphomycetes, are a distinct ecological group of organisms, accomplishing critical functions in the freshwater food web dynamics. Here, we conceptualize and categorize ecosystem services provided by aquatic hyphomycetes according to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, specifically (i) regulating services, such as leaf litter decomposition and the self-cleaning capacity of freshwaters; (ii) supporting services, like nutrient cycling and bioindicators of environmental conditions; (iii) provisioning services, notably metabolites and clean water; and ultimately (iv) cultural services, particularly educational and inspirational values. Increased awareness and valuation of the ecosystem services delivered by aquatic hyphomycetes is essential to reinforce freshwater ecosystem management and policymaking. Overall, our perspective will serve as a wake-up call to map, quantify, and valorize the critical ecosystem services offered by these fungi across the globe. We also highlight the need to consider interactions between ecosystem services and a consistent life cycle assessment, i.e., from resource extraction to end-of-life disposal, promoting sustainable use of ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Globalisation and international trade, in particular, are the major drivers of introduction and the spread of non-native species. To date, more than 30 species of non-native Hemiptera Auchenorrhyncha have been accidentally introduced into Europe. Some species are invasive with important repercussions primarily for agricultural activities, while almost no information exists on their impacts within natural ecosystems. Therefore, early detection of non-native species and their subsequent monitoring are extremely important actions to undertake. New information The North American Osbornellus auronitens (Provancher, 1889), firstly recorded for the Palearctic and Europe in Switzerland in 2016, is recorded in Italy for the first time on the basis of 77 specimens collected between August 2015 and October 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands are a critical component of the landscape for climate mitigation, adaptation, biodiversity, and human health and prosperity. Keeping an eye on wetland vegetation is crucial due to it playing a major role in the planet's carbon cycle and ecosystem management. By measuring the chlorophyll fluorescence (ChF) emitted by plants, we can get a precise understanding of the current state and photosynthetic activity. In this study, we applied the Extreme Gradient Boost (XGBoost) algorithm to map ChF in the Biebrza Valley, which has a unique ecosystem in Europe for peatlands, as well as highly diversified flora and fauna. Our results revealed the advantages of using a set of classifiers derived from EO Sentinel-2 (S-2) satellite image mosaics to accurately map the spatio-temporal distribution of ChF in a terrestrial landscape. The validation proved that the XGBoost algorithm is quite accurate in estimating ChF with a good determination of 0.71 and least bias of 0.012. The precision of chlorophyll fluorescence measurements is reliant upon determining the optimal S-2 satellite overpass time, which is influenced by the developmental stage of the plants at various points during the growing season. Finally, the model performance results indicated that biophysical factors are characterized by greenness- and leaf-pigment-related spectral indices. However, utilizing vegetation indices based on extended periods of remote sensing data that better capture land phenology features can improve the accuracy of mapping chlorophyll fluorescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of eco-sanctuaries has been an important response to the biodiversity crisis in New Zealand. They combine intensive predator control and biodiversity conservation, with a particular focus on endangered endemic wildlife within the local ecosystems. Tourism has been harnessed to fund conservation efforts, raising important questions about the experiences of visitors to eco-sanctuaries. This paper explores international visitors' perceptions and experiences of ecological restoration at New Zealand eco-sanctuaries. Theoretically framed by the field of environmental philosophy, we present an analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with international visitors to eco-sanctuaries. Our findings identified competing interests among humans, endemic wildlife, invasive animals and the wider biological community tied to visitor perceptions of ecological restoration. These perceptions are largely found to be shaped by the interplay between environmental ethics and relevant awareness/knowledge of international visitors. The research contributes to emerging trans-disciplinary discourses that address tourism and environmental philosophy by offering an environmental ethics-awareness/knowledge framework to elucidate different visitor mindsets, with implications drawn for their distinct and nuanced experiences at the eco-sanctuaries. It also sheds light on the demand side of nature-based tourism by interrogating the perceived intrinsic value of the natural world and the potential of aesthetic value in conservation management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]