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Eco-industrial parks (EIPs) exemplify sustainable industrial development by maximizing resource efficiency through waste material reuse. However, their global implementation encounters challenges. This paper introduces two key contributions to the EIP literature. Firstly, it presents a simple, interdisciplinary framework for assessing the feasibility of transitioning to or establishing new EIPs. Secondly, it applies this framework to evaluate EIP development in Vietnam, focusing on Thang Long Industrial Park II (TLIPII) as a case study and drawing implications for other developing nations. TLIPII is remarkable for its adherence to national environmental standards, with a dual status of partial occupancy and ongoing infrastructure development. This study suggests the potential for a partial EIP transition in the occupied area and establishing a new EIP in the remaining portion. Yet substantial challenges persist due to institutional barriers like the absence of incentive policies, specific implementation guidance, and environmental regulations. TLIPIIs case underscores crucial success factors for EIP development: active stakeholder engagement, a comprehensive EIP management framework, clear stakeholder responsibilities, and the involvement of local-level actors. It also highlights the importance of flexible environmental regulations, incentives, robust stakeholder engagement, and well-defined policy frameworks. These lessons from TLIPII can inform actionable policy recommendations for other developing countries. By applying these insights, these nations can chart a roadmap for sustainable industrialization while addressing the challenges and opportunities of the EIP model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic and semi-aquatic plants are vital components of aquatic ecosystems, contributing significantly to their ecological balance. This study focused on the analysis of marginal plants along the Arvandroud, conducting seasonal samplings with 1 x 1 square meters and 3 repetitions at each station across two periods: summer 2015 and winter 2016. The collected samples underwent pressing for herbarium studies. The survey identified 25 plant species spanning 11 families. Among these, 5 were monocotyledonous, encompassing Poaceae and Cyperaceae, while 18 were dicotyledonous, including Lamiaceae, Capparaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Convolvulaceae, Apocynaceae, Amaranthaceae, Tamaricaceae, and Polygonaceae. Notably, the dominant marginal plants observed during summer were Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. Ex. Steudel and Cyperus longus L., while in winter, it was Phragmites australis, Cyperus longus, and Senecio glaucus L. Phragmites australis emerged as the dominant species based on its density across both seasons. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed the influential environmental factors affecting these plants, with sediment particles, total organic matter, salinity, and electrical conductivity identified as the most significant. Interestingly, plant density was higher in winter compared to summer, highlighting seasonal variations in plant distribution along the Arvandroud.

The Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus, which is native to the western Atlantic coast and listed among the 100 most invasive alien species in the Mediterranean Sea, is attracting a great deal of interest because of its rapid colonisation of new areas, the significant increase in its population, and the impacts it may have on ecosystems and ecosystem services. Outside its natural distribution range, the species was first found on European Atlantic coasts in the early 1900s and was introduced into the Mediterranean Sea a few decades later, probably through ballast water. Currently, it is found in almost the entire Mediterranean Basin and is also expanding into the Black Sea and along the north African and Iberian Atlantic coasts. Based on a systematic review of C. sapidus occurrences, this study describes its distribution, aggregation patterns, and spatial structure in Northwest Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, and adjacent waters through a series of ecological indicators elaborated using GIS spatial–temporal statistics. The main results highlight that the species is expanding in the Mediterranean and adjacent waters, while in northern Europe, the population remains confined in some areas. Furthermore, the main species detection methods are analysed, finding that traps and nets are the most frequently used methods, and management suggestions are provided.

Byblos, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, stands as one of Lebanon’s most ancient urban centers, known for its expansive green spaces. However, ongoing urbanization threatens these valuable areas. This study uses a multi-faceted approach to evaluate the structure and landscape attributes of Byblos’ urban and peri-urban forests (UPFs). Landscape canopy cover, diversity indices, forest structure, and a silhouette perceptual test were assessed across 24 streets in the city center, residential zones, and areas with heavy vehicular traffic. Findings reveal that 28% of Byblos’ canopy cover is concentrated mostly in the northeastern region. Native tree species account for 30% of the total, and a notable variation in tree diversity exists among different land-use types (Shannon diversity index (H) was 1.02 for the city center, 1.35 for residential streets, and 0.64 for vehicular areas). Additionally, a normal J-shaped distribution of tree diameters was identified across all street types. This study highlights a correlation between tree silhouettes and visual preferences, with densely spreading canopies being favored. Residential trees demonstrate the highest structural diversity and varied blossoming seasons. This research represents the first investigation into the current state of urban forestry in Byblos and offers recommendations for sustainable management and planning strategies.

Global warming has been leading to frequent climate extremes, and a single variable of climate extremes is no longer sufficient to fully assess the impact of climate extremes on ecosystems, requiring a synergistic multivariate inquiry. We obtain the compound warm-dry index (CWD) and the compound cold-dry index (CCD), based on a Copula theory with a binary distribution of a standardized precipitation index (SPI) and a standardized temperature index (STI). Changes in the spatial and temporal patterns of the compound extreme climate indices (CECIs) and the direct and lag responses of ecological indicators (EIs) to the CECIs in Southwestern China (SWC) are analyzed using these two indices. We find that CECIs rise continually during 1980–2019 (p 3000 m). Spring CCD promotes the growth of vegetation at low elevation (

Sustainable range resource management relies heavily on the Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of indigenous peoples who have long inhabited the rangelands. Data gaps in rangeland monitoring could be reduced with the help of additional scientific techniques. The health of large-scale rangelands and the availability of their resources can be evaluated using a set of ecological indicators created by indigenous herders in those areas. Scientists from Pakistan's Punjab province interviewed herders in the Thal and Cholistan rangelands to learn more about the traditional ecological indicators used by locals to predict grazing resource availability. An ethnological and ecological survey was conducted through in-depth interviews. We conducted in-depth interviews with 80 herders from the Thal rangelands and focus groups with 120 herders from the Cholistan rangelands. Herders were asked what indicators they used to determine the quality of the forages, the health of the animals, and the extent of rangeland degradation. According to the results, all local herders evaluate the rangeland's resources using analogous indicators. Herders use four types of indicators: (a) plant indicators (Flora), (b) soil indicators, (c) animal indicators (Fauna), and (d) environmental indicators. When asked, 78% of respondents cited the variety of edible plants as the most critical factor in determining vegetation quality. Approximately 78.3% of the herders analysed the faeces to determine the general health of the animals in their range, revealing the rangeland's condition. The decrease in the litter was interpreted by 58.3% of the herders as a sign of land degradation; consequently, they reevaluated their grazing area and practices.

Ecotourism activities in riparian zones have heightened concern about protecting riparian health indicators (RHIs). Ecotourism in riparian zones is growing significantly, but its management requires trade-offs between recreational activities and ecological functions. This paper aims to show how people's recreational activities affect RHIs along mega-reservoirs and around dams. Investigators collected data from 301 transects inside the riparian zones of the Three Gorges Dam Reservoir (TGDR) in China, taking rural, rural–urban transitional, and urban land-use patterns into account. The Kruskal-Wallis tests (p

Understanding of secondary succession, long-used as a unifying theme in ecology, continues to be informed by early-20th century chronosequence studies of old fields in the southeastern United States. However, growing evidence suggests classical, site-based indicators of successional change alone are not robust enough to capture realized compositional variation in eastern North American forests a century later. We illustrate how long-term data can provide deeper insight into forest dynamics and help identify additional indicators for predicting successional change.Using 80 years of permanent plot data from 36 forest stands in the Piedmont of North Carolina (USA) as a case study within the model system examined by foundational authors, we examine long-term trends in tree species abundance in both old-field pine forests transitioning to hardwood dominance and long-standing hardwood stands representing a range of historical, topographic, and edaphic conditions. We use a suite of descriptive and multivariate analyses to examine these long-term data and to assess them within the context of site conditions and novel drivers of change (e.g., removal of chronic fire, hurricane damage, increase in herbivore populations, and introduction of non-native plants and pathogens).Results indicate that these southeastern forests have undergone various perturbations that have collectively resulted in forests that are developing differently than predicted by classical models. Of particular note is the low recruitment of putative climax species such as oaks (Quercus spp.) and hickories (Carya spp.) and their replacement by novel understory communities, dramatic loss of dominant species (e.g., Cornus florida) due to nonnative pathogens, overcrowding by invasive exotic species, shifts in stem size distributions due to deer herbivory, and overall accelerated shifts in successional trajectory due to hurricane damage.We propose that potential shifts in predator abundance, nonnative species dispersal risk, pest and pathogen potential, changes in disturbance regimes, and frequency and timing of high-intensity disturbance can interact in various ways leading to variable and sometimes stochastic successional outcomes, and so these variables should be considered repeatedly through time as indicators of successional change in addition to classically-utilized indicators such as underlying site and abundance conditions. Using such a broad (and even dynamic) suite of indicators of forest change can more comprehensively enable accurate, long-term successional floristics modeling and resulting ecological and silvicultural management of temperate forests.

Eskers are complex geological formations shaped with a linear accumulation of sand and gravel under the glaciers during the last ice age and that provide crucial resources such as drinking water, sand/gravel, outdoor recreational sites, and productive forests. Surrounding sand and gravel and connection with the groundwater influences the physicochemical properties of lakes on esker which can benefit different biotic communities in the food web. The sustainable management of resources provided by eskers requires baseline ecological knowledge of these ecosystems. However, very little information exists about the ecology of freshwater ecosystems on eskers. This study uses a food web approach to identify the environmental variables, biological diversity, and indicator species associated with esker lakes to better understand their ecological functioning and biodiversity patterns to benefit their sustainable management and conservation. Fifty lakes were sampled in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region (Canada), half on eskers and half on the surrounding boreal clay belt to include the most abundant lake ecosystems of the region. Physicochemical, environmental, and anthropogenic variables measured in the two lake types showed that esker lakes differed markedly from clay lakes. Nutrient concentrations, conductivity, and macrophyte cover were significantly lower in esker lakes than in clay lakes, whereas dissolved oxygen saturation and concentration showed the opposite trend. Three interconnected trophic levels of the esker lake food webs—waterbird, fish, and macroinvertebrate communities—were characterized for biological diversity and the associated species. We found a significantly lower Shannon diversity index for waterbirds (mean ± standard deviation; 0.7 ± 0.2), fish (0.4 ± 0.3), and a tendency for a lower value for macroinvertebrates (0.9 ± 0.3) in esker lakes than the clay lakes (1.1 ± 0.4, 0.9 ± 0.3, and 1.3 ± 0.5, respectively). Common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) and Canada goose (Bucephala clangula) were associated significantly with esker lakes and identified as indicator species for esker lakes. In contrast, ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris) and hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) were associated significantly with clay lakes. Perlidae was similarly associated with esker lakes as an indicator for macroinvertebrates. Anthropogenic activities such as forest harvesting have altered the waterbird community, and recreational activities around the lakes have modified the fish and macroinvertebrate communities. We conclude that esker lakes differ from other regional lakes and are associated with specific environmental and biological variables and indicator species. The biological diversity in esker lakes is lower than that of clay lakes for all studied trophic levels of the food web, but these waterbodies provide preferential habitats for some species. This research provides the first baseline ecological information necessary to establish sustainable management and conservation strategies for this vulnerable ecosystem.

Distinct ecosystems have representative biota that can allow delineation of ecoregions. Despite being one of the most populated desert ecosystems in the world with extreme climatic conditions, Thar has been classified as a single ecoregion by WWF. The present study aimed to test this on the basis of biotic assessment using community science, also known as citizen science or crowdsourced data from eBird (492 species of birds through 50,000 checklists of 4000 birders). Unsupervised clustering (k = 4) and mathematical validation using cosine similarity revealed the presence of four distinct ecoregions- Eastern Thar (ET), Western Thar (WT), Transitional Zone (TZ) and Cultivated Zone (CZ) in Thar. Most strikingly, these ecoregions when overlaid on geographical regions of Thar show that the CZ ecoregion was split between three distant and distinct geographic regions. Further spatial diversity estimates show CZ had the least α diversity (273) and highest β diversity (1.8) indicating the least similarity between the districts that comprised this ecoregion. The results suggest CZ as an evolving ecoregion or a consequence of habitat fragmentation due to anthropogenic effects. The presence of least number of exclusive species in CZ (0.2%) and TZ (0.8%) including the near-threatened species like Laticilla burnesii (Rufous-vented grass babbler) and Pelecanus philippensis (Spot-billed pelican) and an endangered species Athene blewitti (Forest owlet) highlights the need for restoration of these threatened biota and ecoregions. This study for the first time proposes crowdsourced bird data as an important biota-based tool to understand (a) established ecoregions in an ecosystem, (b) anthropogenic effects of agri-farmlands and (c) relation between geographic regions and biota.

A century of industrial‐scale management has transformed vast swaths of forest land across the Pacific Northwest (PNW), USA, from ancient forests with complex structure and diverse habitats to young forests with simple structure and dominated by few species. Consequently, there have been calls to restore ecosystem integrity and resilience. Here, we apply data from a watershed‐scale experiment to determine if restoration treatments have achieved our management goal of accelerating the development of old‐growth forest characteristics. We provide empirical evidence of how restoration treatments have affected key old‐growth forest indicators resulting in larger trees, more complex vertical and horizontal forest structure, reduced stand density, and increased understory plant richness. Our study also demonstrates that some restoration indicators responded in counter‐intuitive ways contingent on interactions between stand age and restoration treatment. Through this work, we learned two important lessons: (1) more time and monitoring may be needed to fully understand the effects of restoration treatments and (2) a "one and done" approach of implementing restoration treatments may not achieve a full suite of old‐growth characteristics. Moreover, long‐term management for wildlife habitat and climate resilience will likely require an adaptive approach, with ongoing monitoring continually informing and adjusting management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic and semi-aquatic plants are vital components of aquatic ecosystems, contributing significantly to their ecological balance. This study focused on the analysis of marginal plants along the Arvandroud, conducting seasonal samplings with 1 x 1 square meters and 3 repetitions at each station across two periods: summer 2015 and winter 2016. The collected samples underwent pressing for herbarium studies. The survey identified 25 plant species spanning 11 families. Among these, 5 were monocotyledonous, encompassing Poaceae and Cyperaceae, while 18 were dicotyledonous, including Lamiaceae, Capparaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Convolvulaceae, Apocynaceae, Amaranthaceae, Tamaricaceae, and Polygonaceae. Notably, the dominant marginal plants observed during summer were Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. Ex. Steudel and Cyperus longus L., while in winter, it was Phragmites australis, Cyperus longus, and Senecio glaucus L. Phragmites australis emerged as the dominant species based on its density across both seasons. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed the influential environmental factors affecting these plants, with sediment particles, total organic matter, salinity, and electrical conductivity identified as the most significant. Interestingly, plant density was higher in winter compared to summer, highlighting seasonal variations in plant distribution along the Arvandroud. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural reforestation on abandoned arable lands is one of the characteristic processes that trigger the transformation of soil organic matter accompanied by changes in the abundance, biomass, and taxonomic structure of soil macrofauna. The assessment of the time for a potential return of soil properties and macrofauna to their natural state, dynamics of soil organic matter stocks, and the role of macrofauna in this process at different stages of postagrogenic successions is relevant in the context of predicting the changes in ecosystem components and their role in organic carbon sequestration under various land use scenarios. The stock of organic carbon, soil morphological properties, as well as the abundance, biomass, and taxonomic structure of soil macrofauna in arable lands of five stages of pine forest restoration (fallow meadows and pine forests of different ages), and primary forests in the Smolenskoye Poozerye (Smolensk Lakeland) National Park (Smolensk oblast, Russia) have been examined. The soils of 85–100-year-old pine forests retain the lower boundary of the former humus horizon; at the meadow stage, restoration signs appear, namely, a shallow humus horizon pierced with roots and later transformed into a raw-humus horizon in young forests. By the age of 80, the carbon stock in the mineral soil part restores to almost background values. The soil macrofauna composition radically changes with the substitution of meadow communities by forest ones. At the initial stages (in agrocenoses and fallow meadows), the macrofauna of organomineral soil horizons is prevalent, being represented by soil earthworms and larvae of scarab beetles. Further, the macrofauna of organic horizons is restored to contain a high share of saprophages, such as epigeic and epi-endogeic earthworms, which contribute to the differentiation of litter into subhorizons. The biomass of saprophages negatively correlates with the carbon stock in the mineral part of forest soils, its content in the litter, and litter thickness and positively correlates with the share of easily decomposable litter fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological indicators are commonly used to evaluate ecosystem condition. However, their use is often constrained by the availability of information with which to assign species‐specific indicator values, which reflect species' responses to the environmental conditions being evaluated by the indicator. As these responses are driven by underlying traits, and trait data for numerous species are available in publicly accessible databases, one possible approach to approximating missing bioindicator values is through traits. We used the Floristic Quality Assessment (FQA) framework and its component indicator of disturbance sensitivity, species‐specific ecological conservatism scores (C‐scores), as a study system to test the potential of this approach. We tested the consistency of relationships between trait values and expert‐assigned C‐scores and the trait‐based predictability of C‐scores across five regions. Furthermore, as a proof‐of‐concept exercise, we used a multi‐trait model to try to reconstruct C‐scores, and compared the model predictions to expert‐assigned scores. Out of 20 traits tested, there was evidence of regional consistency for germination rate, growth rate, propagation type, dispersal unit, and leaf nitrogen. However, the individual traits showed low predictability (R2 = 0.1–0.2) for C‐scores, and a multi‐trait model produced substantial classification errors; in many cases, >50% of species were misclassified. The mismatches may largely be explained by the inability to generalize regionally varying C‐scores from geographically neutral/naive trait data stored in databases, and the synthetic nature of C‐scores. Based on these results, we recommend possible next steps for expanding the availability of species‐based bioindication frameworks such as the FQA. These steps include increasing the availability of geographic and environmental data in trait databases, incorporating data about intraspecific trait variability into these databases, conducting hypothesis‐driven investigations into trait–indicator relationships, and having regional experts review our results to determine if there are patterns in the species that were correctly or incorrectly classified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural land is often located close to highly urbanised/industrialised areas and is subject to continuous anthropogenic pressure associated with the emission of many pollutants, ultimately deposited in the soil. Most studies on ecological risk assessment have only analysed the total contaminants' concentration, which does not reflect their bioavailability or toxicity and often leads to an overestimation of risk. Therefore, in our study, we used an interdisciplinary approach, whereby the final conclusions about the risk in a given area are based on the integration of detailed data from chemical, ecotoxicological and ecological analysis. The research was carried out on agricultural land exposed to high levels of anthropopression for more than 100 years. Chemical measurements comprised both the total and bioavailable PAH content. A battery of bio-assays describing effects on soil retention and habitat function was used for ecotoxicity testing, and ecological indicators included enzymatic activity, respiration, microbial biomass, carbon mineralisation and nitrification. The integrated IntRisk index ranged from 0.19 to 0.94, and this was mainly due to high values of the chemical risk index, while the ecotoxicological and ecological results indicated no or low risk. The majority of the area (almost 90%) had acceptable risk levels, no/low risk (IntRisk < 0.5) at 57% of the sites and medium risk at 28% of the area. Very high unacceptable risk (IntRisk 0.77–0.94) was only at three sampling sites. The integration of data from a set of 15 indicators allowed us to derive quantitative risk indexes and delineate the limited area which needs additional action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in forest regeneration has increased as secondary forests in regeneration process are cited as the forests of the future. However, remaining forests are subjected to chronic anthropogenic disturbances, which may reorganize tropical biodiversity. This paper investigates the recovery of fruit-feeding butterfly assemblages following slash-and-burn agriculture in the Caatinga dry forest, assessing the roles that chronic disturbances, tree species richness and biomass play in their taxonomic and functional recovery during secondary succession. Butterflies were recorded monthly across old-growth forest stands and areas previously subjected to slash-and-burn agriculture, and with differing times since abandonment. While there was a high degree of similarity in community-level attributes among regenerating forests of different ages, secondary and old-growth forests supported relatively distinct assemblages, both taxonomically and functionally. As expected, chronic disturbance, forest biomass and trees species richness were excellent predictors of taxonomic and functional changes. Specifically, large-bodied and canopy-inhabiting butterflies reached higher abundances in more disturbed habitats, while those ocellus-bearing species that fly in the understory and feed on monocot as larvae responded negatively to disturbance, but benefited from increased forest biomass and tree species richness. Our findings suggest that although regenerating secondary forests can recover values of community-level attributes of fruit-feeding butterflies similar to those of old-growth forests, chronic anthropogenic disturbances across the landscape may be selecting only specific ecological groups that are tolerant to adverse conditions. Implications for insect conservation: Chronic disturbance can taxonomically and functionally alter butterfly assemblages across forest regeneration and consequently impact their ecological functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Nematodes perform important ecosystem services in soils and are well studied in traditional farming, but their role in newer soil-less food production systems is unstudied. We determined the nematode assemblages from substrates within the hydroponic media beds of a commercial aquaponics system. Three substrates were studied: coir, compost and lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA), with the nematode assemblages ascertained via traditional morphological analysis. All substrates were suitable for nematodes but abundance was lower compared with traditional compost. Compost from within the hydroponic media beds had nematode assemblages with similar maturity indices (MI) to compost external to the system, and both composts housed nematodes with a high proportion of bacterivores, a high degree of enrichment and no structure. LECA that were regularly disturbed and had little organic build up resembled compost – highly enriched and lacking structure. LECA that had been left undisturbed for longer and allowed to accumulate more organic matter had highly structured assemblages and showed less enrichment than the other substrates. Nematode assemblages within the coir showed very little enrichment but had higher MI and were more structured than compost. Problematic plant-parasitic nematodes were not found in any of the samples. We present the first glimpse into the role of nematodes in aquaponics systems and encourage future studies to explore how nematodes in these systems affect yield and plant health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic factors cause an increase in the impact on the natural system as a whole and its components. An increase in the intensity of this influence is predicted in the 21st century, and its forms are very diverse and unevenly distributed across the globe. This is most noticeable in industrialized countries, but at the same time this influence largely depends not only on the industrial potential and the level of technology, but also on the population density and urbanization of territories. Currently, much attention is being paid to the ecological problems of river catchments, which are significantly transformed as a result of technogenic influence on the natural environment. Surface runoff of water and sediments is usually formed in the river basin as slope runoff entering the river network. The river basin regulates the surface runoff formed as a result of atmospheric precipitation, which discretely falls on its surface, transferring a significant part of it into the underground runoff. The state of forest landscapes plays an important role in the formation of floods in the Dniester basin. The forest performs important ecological functions, including water protection and soil protection. Forests stabilize soils, preventing their erosion. The presence of a sufficient area of forests contributes to the regulation of surface runoff and the hydrological regime, the prevention of soil erosion and the stabilization of riverbeds. The use of water and mineral resources, construction on the banks of rivers and the laying of engineering communications through them are always different forms of artificial influence on the natural course of channel processes, which change it to varying degrees. Measures that change the channel-forming activity of the river, disrupt the flow of sediments, or radically change the hydraulic characteristics and structure of the flow have a particularly negative impact. The generalization of the dynamics of the channel process and ecological indicators within the territories of the Carpathian region will allow us to assess their impact on the state of the river network, the change in the quality of natural waters, and predict floods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marine ecosystem provides numerous goods and services, dampens the impacts of floods and storms, and provides climate control, through the regulation of carbon fluxes, nutrient cycling, and the bioremediation of human waste and tourism. However, the ocean is vulnerable to anthropogenic threats and has been severely altered by humans.Seabirds and marine mammals are long lived, highly mobile, easily identifiable, and occupy the upper levels of trophic webs. These ecological features make them suitable as sentinels of the marine ecosystem.Sighting data collected during eight oceanographic surveys were analysed to describe and compare the biodiversity of the communities of top predators within the marine protected areas (MPAs) of Namuncurá/Burdwood Bank I and II and the surrounding areas in two contrasting seasons (summer and winter). Data were grouped into six zones based on depth and geographic position.Twenty‐five species of seabirds and 13 species of marine mammals were recorded in 113 days of surveys between 2014 and 2018. Top predator community composition varied seasonally in the different zones.A suite of indicator species was identified according to their specificity and fidelity to a particular zone. Most of the species identified as potentially useful indicators differed between summer and winter, highlighting the importance of conducting systematic surveys in both periods.The MPAs Namuncurá/Burdwood Bank I and II are key areas for top predator communities in the region, mainly in summer when the number and abundance of species increase. However, the waters around Isla de los Estados and the channel between Isla de los Estados and Burdwood Bank were also identified as a relevant habitat for many species. This knowledge should be included to create a regional network of areas under special management considerations that connect the established MPAs with other key pelagic and coastal areas (as found in this study) for the conservation of subantarctic marine megafauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The multi-purpose utilization of rangelands is a challenge that can alleviate grazing pressure, enhance rangeland well-being and empowerment, and preserve rangeland ecosystems. This research aimed to assess the suitability of mountain rangelands in the Marghevar region of Urmia for dualpurpose grazing and the exploitation of medicinal plants. Methodology: During the growing season of 2018-2019, vegetation data were collected in 60 plots of two square meters, spaced 10 meters apart along six 100-meter transects. Ecological indicators, including crown cover percentage, species density, forage production by grazed species, and medicinal plant organs used, were measured. Economic indicators, such as economic rent and expected value per hectare, were evaluated for both medicinal plants and forage. Social indicators, including marketability desirability and willingness to harvest medicinal plants, were extracted from questionnaire studies. Physical characteristics of the plant types (PTS) and soil erosion information from previous studies were also considered. Suitability classes (S1, S2, S3, N) for livestock grazing (sheep) and medicinal plant utilization were determined based on the total points of each indicator using the guidelines provided in the Manual of Suitability for Sheep Grazing (MSSG) and Manual of Suitability for Medicinal Plants (MSMP). The priority of dual-purpose use of rangelands was determined by comparing the merit classes of PTS for livestock grazing and medicinal plant utilization. Results: The results revealed that the crown cover percentage of medicinal plants in the composition of each PTS ranged from 5% to 40%. The share of medicinal plants in the habitat's plant composition ranged from 20% to 62%. The composition of medicinal plants and grazed species varied from 3% to 30%. Forage production by grazed species ranged from 65 to 850 kg/ha, while medicinal plant production ranged from 4 to 159 kg/ha during one growing season. The suitability assessment indicated that 77% of the rangeland area in the region had high suitability for dualpurpose use, 10.7% had moderate suitability, 0.9% had low suitability, and 3.3% were unsuitable based on ecological, environmental, economic, and social indicators. The presence and production capacity of medicinal plants were identified as limiting factors for the ability of PTS to exploit medicinal plants. Conclusion: Not all PTS are suitable for the utilization of medicinal plants, emphasizing the need for preserving genetic reserves. The policy regarding medicinal plants should consider this aspect and prioritize multi-purpose rangeland plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tidal wetlands are highly dynamic ecosystems that are susceptible to changes in sea level and flooding from storm surges. Among them, salt marshes play a key role in coastal protection as they contribute to wave attenuation through their regulating ecosystem services, thereby promoting sediment deposition and shoreline stabilization. However, the resilience of salt marshes, particularly those that have been modified and cultivated for centuries, is questionable in the face of accelerated sea-level rise (SLR) and increasing run-up heights of storm surges. In this context, this study aims to investigate the historical foraminiferal records of two sedimentary salt marsh archives from the Wadden Sea area (Dithmarschen and North Frisia, Germany) that have been modified to varying degrees by human management activities over the last century. The foraminiferal records document how physico-chemical traits of salt marshes of the central Wadden Sea have responded to storm tide inundation over the last century, providing information about salt marsh stability and vulnerability. Abnormally grown tests of the salt marsh indicator species Entzia macrescens increased in number between 1950 CE and the late 1980s, indicating the concurrent increase of environmental stress caused by the effects of times of increased salt marsh flooding. These trends can be linked to observations of amplified North Sea storm surges, corroborating that salt marsh ecosystems respond to changing climate conditions. Differences in the number of abnormal foraminifera between the studied salt marshes suggest a particularly high vulnerability of intensively human-modified coastal wetland ecosystems to amplified storm climate conditions.

Abstract A century of industrial‐scale management has transformed vast swaths of forest land across the Pacific Northwest (PNW), USA, from ancient forests with complex structure and diverse habitats to young forests with simple structure and dominated by few species. Consequently, there have been calls to restore ecosystem integrity and resilience. Here, we apply data from a watershed‐scale experiment to determine if restoration treatments have achieved our management goal of accelerating the development of old‐growth forest characteristics. We provide empirical evidence of how restoration treatments have affected key old‐growth forest indicators resulting in larger trees, more complex vertical and horizontal forest structure, reduced stand density, and increased understory plant richness. Our study also demonstrates that some restoration indicators responded in counter‐intuitive ways contingent on interactions between stand age and restoration treatment. Through this work, we learned two important lessons: (1) more time and monitoring may be needed to fully understand the effects of restoration treatments and (2) a “one and done” approach of implementing restoration treatments may not achieve a full suite of old‐growth characteristics. Moreover, long‐term management for wildlife habitat and climate resilience will likely require an adaptive approach, with ongoing monitoring continually informing and adjusting management practices.

Sandy beaches are ecologically important, physically dynamic, and heterogeneous habitats intrinsically related to human culture. However, these interactions present challenges for sandy beaches in the Anthropocene as stressors from urbanization increase. This study investigated sandy beach community responses to local urbanization in two periods. Beaches were classified into three urbanization categories: conserved (C), modified (M), and urbanized (U), and compared temporally (1997/1998 – first period; 2012 – second period). We hypothesized that community structure descriptors (total abundance, biomass, and richness) and bioindicator abundance (Emerita brasiliensis and Atlantorchestoidea brasiliensis) decreased temporally and be lower in urbanized beaches. The results partially corroborate the main hypothesis since there were different temporal responses from biological variables between each urbanization category (C, M, and U). The data supported that community structure descriptors decreased as local urbanization increased between categories (C, M, and U). Conserved beaches (C) presented higher values for community descriptors, and populations of E. brasiliensis and A. brasiliensis were more abundant compared to other groups (M and U). Modified beaches (M) presented resilience to local urbanization pressures since they are recently urbanized habitats, and some beaches are inside protected areas. The urbanized beaches (U) were impacted by the long-term pressures of urbanization and recreation, and community descriptors and bioindicators presented the lowest values in both periods. Species undergoing direct development, such as A. brasiliensis, should preferably be used as indicators of temporal changes due to local urbanization on sandy beaches, rather than indirect developers like E. brasiliensis. Identifying suitable indicators for long-term anthropogenic impacts from increasing urbanization is necessary for protecting sandy beach ecology.

The aim of this work is to present the food web models developed using the Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) software tool to describe structure and functioning of various European marine ecosystems (eastern, central and western Mediterranean Sea; Black Sea; Bay of Biscay, Celtic Sea and Iberian coast; Baltic Sea; North Sea; English Channel, Irish Sea and west Scottish Sea; and Norwegian and Barents Seas). A total of 195 Ecopath models based on 168 scientific publications, which report original, updated and modified versions, were reviewed. Seventy models included Ecosim temporal simulations while 28 implemented Ecospace spatiotemporal dynamics. Most of the models and publications referred to the western Mediterranean Sea followed by the English Channel, Irish Sea and west Scottish Sea sub-regions. In the Mediterranean Sea, the western region had the largest number of models and publications, followed by the central and eastern regions; similar trends were observed in previous literature reviews. Most models addressed ecosystem functioning and fisheries-related hypotheses while several investigated the impact of climate change, the presence of alien species, aquaculture, chemical pollution, infrastructure, and energy production. Model complexity (i.e., number of functional groups) increased over time. Main forcing factors considered to run spatial and temporal simulations were trophic interactions, fishery, and primary production. Average scores of ecosystem indicators derived from the Ecopath summary statistics were compared. Uncertainty was also investigated based on the use of the Ecosampler plug-in and the Monte Carlo routine; only one third of the reviewed publications incorporated uncertainty analysis. Only a limited number of the models included the use of the ECOIND plug-in which provides the user with quantitative output of ecological indicators. We assert that the EwE modelling approach is a successful tool which provides a quantitative framework to analyse the structure and dynamics of ecosystems, and to evaluate the potential impacts of different management scenarios.

Microplastic (MP) contamination of marine ecosystems has been confirmed as an environmental issue of global concern. A growing number of monitoring surveys has extensively documented the occurrence and distribution of a wide array of MPs of different sizes, shapes, colours, and polymeric compositions in seawater, sediments, and marine organisms worldwide. The presence of MPs in marine organisms has been explored in many species belonging to different taxonomic groups collected in diverse geographical locations. These studies have revealed the ingestion and the bioaccumulation of MPs in organisms at each trophic level, confirming the ubiquity of MP contamination in marine ecosystems. This systematic review aimed at summarizing the results of the vast literature concerning the bioaccumulation of MPs in marine organisms to 1) shed light on potential differences in MP body burden among different taxonomic groups and 2) investigate the spatial and temporal variation of MP bioaccumulation at the global level. Our analyses showed that, independently of the geographic origin of the sample, the MP body burden significantly differed among trophic levels and/or taxonomic groups. Zooplankton showed the lowest MP levels, while the highest levels were observed in vertebrates other than fish (i.e. mammals, birds and reptiles). In contrast, no temporal or geographical differences in MP bioaccumulation were noted, independently of the taxonomic groups. These results confirmed that all marine organisms can ingest and accumulate MPs, but the large variability in body burden within and among the taxonomic groups precludes the opportunity to identify global patterns of contamination.

Salix riparian communities are particularly diverse and of extraordinary ecological importance. This study will analyze the diversity of Salix riparian communities (S. alba, S. fragilis, S. purpurea and S. triandra), their distribution, ecological importance, and conservation. There were 444 records for S. alba, 417 for S. fragilis, 457 for S. purpurea, and 375 for S. triandra, both from the literature and herbaria. Thus, it can be seen that the distribution of the four Salix species studied is very widespread throughout the territory where this study was carried out. According to EIVE (Ecological Indicator Values of Europe) but also to the national list values for niche positions and niche widths, they were noted to be very close for all ecological indicators: M (soil moisture), L (light), and T (temperature), but not for the ecological indicator of soil nitrogen (N) availability or R (soil reaction). Obviously, those riparian Salix communities are important for the functions they indicate, primarily for climate change mitigation, but also for regulating water flow, improving water quality, and providing habitats for wildlife. Conservation and management of these important ecosystems are necessary to maintain their biodiversity, and ecological services and strategies that can be used to protect and manage these communities are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to halt the loss of global biodiversity and considering the United Nations Decade for Ocean Conservation Agenda, increasing efforts to improve biomonitoring programs and assessment of ecosystem health are needed. Aquatic environments are among the most complex to monitor, requiring an array of tools to assess their status and to define conservation targets. Although several parameters need to be considered for a comprehensive ecological status assessment, it is important to identify easy-to-apply high-resolution monitoring methods. Shifts in fish composition and abundance are often good indicators of ecosystem health status in relation to anthropogenic activities. However, traditional monitoring methods are strictly related to the habitat under study and cannot be applied universally. This review summarizes the importance of ecological indicators for aquatic environments subjected to anthropogenic stressors, with a particular focus on fish communities and transitional water ecosystems. We describe the main characteristics of both traditional and novel methods for fish monitoring, highlighting their advantages and shortcomings in an attempt to identify simple and reliable ways for a correct evaluation of the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been well documented that periphyton communities play a key role in primary productivity, nutrient cycling, and food web interactions. However, a worldwide overview of research on the key themes, current situation, and major trends within the field is lacking. In this study, we applied the machine learning technique (latent Dirichlet allocation, LDA) to analyze the abstracts of 6690 publications related to periphyton from 1991 to 2020 based on the Web of Science database. The relative frequency of classical and basic research on periphyton related to colonization, biomass, growth rate, and habitats has been clearly decreasing. The increasing trends of research on periphyton are embodied in the periphyton function in freshwater ecosystems (e.g., application as ecological indicators, function in the removal of nutrients, and application in paleolimnology), the research at macroscales (e.g., spatial–temporal variation, and functional and taxonomic diversity), and the anthropogenic themes (e.g., climate warming, response to multiple stressors, and land use type). The keyword and title analysis showed that the periphyton studies are concentrated mainly on diatom aspects, especially with respect to streams relative to lakes. The thematic space based on non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) showed that the classical themes such as growth rate, colonization, and environmental factors (e.g., multiple stressors and climate warming) were most linked to other research themes. We proposed that future trends in the periphyton should focus on the function of periphyton in lakes and their response to multiple environmental pressures with the increasingly extensive eutrophication in lakes and the increasingly significant change in the climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of safety and quality of drinking water is relevant at the level of each administrative unit and the state as a whole. The ecological state of surface waters and the quality indicators of the water in them are decisive factors for the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population. There is an urgent need to improve drinking water preparation and supply technologies. The important problems that need to be solved include: the unsatisfactory emergency state of water supply networks, the lack of experts in their technical maintenance; contamination of wells and untimely implementation of preventive measures by the owners. The sixth goal of sustainable development of Ukraine "Clean water and proper sanitary conditions" declares that every resident of our country should have access to safe drinking water. Water quality should be improved by minimizing pollution, reducing untreated discharges, and increasing levels of safe reuse of water resources. Drinking water must be safe in terms of epidemics and radiation. The article defines and substantiates the indicators that should be used to develop an assessment of the transition of rural communities to sustainable development. The authors identified the main problems associated with the evaluation of such processes and outlined the tasks of further scientific research in this direction. Theoretical and analytical research methods are used in the work. An analysis of the results of monitoring studies on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2021 was performed. Priority indicators and approaches for evaluating the processes of the transition of rural communities to sustainable development using statistical data are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we conduct a phytosociological analysis of the Pulmonario rubrae-Fagetum association, identified in the northern part of the Semenic Mountains in southwestern Romania. The aim of the research is to perform a floristic, phytocenological, ecological, ecoprotective and bioeconomic study of the beech forests in the Banat region, formed by Fagus sylvatica, Abies alba, Pulmonaria rubra and Symphytum cordatum, identified in the northern part of the Semenic Mountains. The phytocoenoses of these forests have been analyzed in terms of physiognomy, floristic composition, spectrum of life forms, floristic elements and the influence of ecological factors. The discussions summarize the main differences in biodiversity research between the Semenic Mountains and the results of research in the Orăștie River Basin (Șureanu Mountains). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spiders have a critical role in the ecological web. They are significant ecological indicators. In central India Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh is known for having the highest forest density, biological diversity, and ecological values. In the present study, a total of 65 spider species from 15 families and 47 genera were identified. In total, 2340 individual spiders have been observed in the Wainganga basin of Balaghat. Family Araneidae has the most species (30.76%) out of the 15 families studied. This was followed by Salticidae (21.53%), Lycosidae (10%), Theridiidae (10%), and Tetragnathidae (6.1%). Habitat heterogeneity, availability of water resources, rich vegetation, and an abundance of prey density ultimately increase the abundance and diversity of spiders in the present study site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated whether green urban areas (GUA) improve the urban environment. Field measurements were conducted to record noise and light pollution as well as other environmental characteristics in four GUA in Athens. The biodiversity status of the examined areas was derived from the existing data. Not all GUA represent ecological refuges, mostly depending on their configuration. Special attention should be drawn to planning and designing GUA so that human pressures could not penetrate. Soundscape assessment combined with artificial lighting, environmental and biodiversity status investigation of a site clarifies the edge effect of ecosystems leading to an alternative, integrated, multidimensional management approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic eutrophication is one of the consequences of human activities observed from the beginning of urbanization processes and is now a widespread problem around the globe. Mitigation of eutrophication directly corresponds to the achievement of at least three main Sustainable Development Goals. Due to the complexity of eutrophication mechanisms, there are still many issues with managing this process and its consequences, that complicate the achievement of the above-mentioned objectives. So far, there is no universal definition of eutrophication and there is no unified methodological approach to surface water trophic status assessment. In connection with the above, a need arises for the development of scientifically and economically justified methods of reliable trophic state assessment, useful for solving application and engineering tasks. This paper presents a new approach to trophic state assessment based on the innovative universal trophic index (UTI), which can be used for fresh, brackish and saltwater bodies. The proposed UTI index was developed and verified using an extensive database of the Baltic Sea monitoring data for over 100 years. The elaborated method is a reliable tool for the assessment of water trophic status, which also allows for the development of predictive mathematical models as the basis for effective eutrophication management. In addition, the method is simple to use and enables the trophic state assessment at low cost, time and effort. The above-mentioned features make the proposed indicator meet the requirements set for modern ecological indicators and determine the advantage of the proposed methodological approach over other currently used methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The litterfall production, foliar nutrient dynamics and decomposition are essential to maintain nutrient cycling, soil fertility, and carbon regulation in terrestrial ecosystems. With several studies addressing the variation of these processes, their dynamics in tropical dry forests (TDFs) remain unclear, due to its complex interaction of biotic and abiotic factors. Objective: To evaluate litterfall, nutrient potential return and use efficiency, and decomposition variation in a TDF successional gradient in Tolima, Colombia. Methods: We quantified litterfall from November 2017 to October 2019 in 12 plots distributed in four successional stages: initial, early, intermediate, and late forests. We identified key tree species in foliar litter production and characterized the foliar decomposition of these species. At the community level, we quantified the C, N and P potential return, the N and P use efficiency, and the C:N and N:P ratio. Subsequently, we analyze relationships between vegetation characteristics and some soil chemical properties with these ecological processes. Results: We found that total litterfall in late forests (8.46 Mg ha-1 y-1) was double that found in initial forests (4.45 Mg ha-1 y-1). Decomposition was higher in initial (k = 1.28) compared to intermediate (k = 0.97) and late forests (k = 0.87). The nutrient potential return didn't change along succession, but it did show differences between study sites. The structural development and species richness favored litterfall, while soil chemical conditions influenced nutrient returns and decomposition. Conclusions: TDFs could recover key ecosystem function related to litterfall and nutrient dynamics after disturbances cessation; however, the soil quality is fundamental in return and release of nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Dry-phase indicators are needed to achieve a complete assessment of temporary rivers. • The physico-chemistry of dry riverbeds is sensitive to impacts at a local and basin scale. • NO 3 – in leachates is a suitable indicator of agricultural impact. • Selection of indicators should be adapted to the catchment features. Temporary rivers, which support a dry phase, are abundant and expected to increase worldwide in the face of global change. The European Water Frame Directive still overlooks these ecosystems since information about a proper ecological assessment is scarce, especially during the complete absence of water. As a result, rivers that mostly run dry cannot be assessed yet. We aimed to examine the potential use of physico-chemical elements as suitable indicators during the dry phase of temporary rivers. We monitored 41 Mediterranean rivers (dry channel sediments and co-occurring riparian soils) previously categorized according to their level of anthropogenic impact by using both qualitative attributes at local scale (Mediterranean Reference Criteria) and by land use coverage at catchment scale. We examined common physico-chemical parameters used in monitoring programs (nutrients, electrical conductivity, pH), as well as organic matter and carbon, albeit measured in sediments and soils, to test whether they significantly changed across the monitored sites as impact level increased. Results from both approaches showed that leaching nitrate (NO 3 –) from dry-channel sediments and riparian zones increased significantly with the level of exposure of stressors in the study sites. High NO 3 – content, especially within sediments, seemed to respond to agriculture presence, which supports this parameter as a suitable indicator. However, natural variability linked to climate and geology of the study area hinders the reliability of the rest of parameters as robust indicators of the dry phase. We encourage more research across different regions to refine the physico-chemistry of dry phase to advance in properly assessing the ecological quality of temporary rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estuaries provide critical ecosystem services, and yet are increasingly under threat from urbanization. Non-invasive approaches to monitor biodiversity resident to or migrating through estuaries is critical to evaluate the holistic health of these ecosystems, often based entirely on water quality. In this study we compared tree of life metabarcoding (ToL-metabarcoding) biodiversity detections with measurements of physico-chemical variables (chlorophyll a , turbidity, total nitrogen, total phosphorous, dissolved oxygen) at eight sites of varying degrees of water quality in the Gold Coast Broadwater Estuary (Queensland, Australia). These sites were ranked according to an adapted Water Quality Index (WQI) score. Here, we detected 787 unique taxa, adding 137 new biodiversity records to the region, mostly micro-organisms such as bacteria, ciliates, diatoms, dinoflagellates, and cryptomonads. Sites with the lowest WQI were characterised by higher turbidity, lower dissolved oxygen, as well as higher total nitrogen and phosphorous, which correlated with an increased diversity of bacteria, ciliates, and green algae. Similarly, the composition of taxa was significantly different between sites with variable WQI values for most taxa but was less apparent for larger vertebrate groups. These findings suggest that rapid ToL-metabarcoding biodiversity detections, particularly for lower order taxonomic groups, can serve as valuable indicators of flora and fauna across the tree of life associated with dynamically shifting estuarine health along urbanized coastlines. • Estuaries are among the ecosystems most vulnerable to urbanization. • Compared taxon detections in an urbanized estuary using ToL-metabarcoding relative to water quality. • Sites with lower water quality had greater diversity of microorganisms, plants, and small eukaryotic fauna. • Select taxa significantly correlated with water quality index, suggesting they can serve as bioindicators. • Combining ToL-metabarcoding with water quality indexes can be an effective method to assess estuarine health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disasters caused by climate change are continuing around the world. Densely populated urban areas have been pushed to the forefront of global climate change, and ecological security has gradually become the focus of global attention. Whether it is predictable natural disasters, or it is long-term global warming, or any unexpected events, exploring green development that coexists with them, green urban environmental strategies will play an important role in urban development. We analyzed data from 31 sample cities in China, accurately quantified indicators through qualitative and quantitative analysis, and then explored the development status and related indicator systems of green cities in China by “Driving Force–State–Response” model. The results reveal that (1) economic factors are the fundamental and decisive factors for the development of green cities. The higher the level of economic development, the stronger the ability of urban development; we also revealed the indicators that are significantly correlated with the level of green city construction and clarified the important factors of green cities; (2) technological factors are crucial for the construction of green cities. Only with continuous improvement at the technological level do green industries have the driving force for sustainable development, and traditional high-energy consuming and high-pollution industries can be continuously eliminated so as to promote the construction of green cities. (3) Based on the correlation analysis between each indicator and comprehensive scores, this study also pointed out that there is a significant gap in the level of green city construction among different regions in China.

We evaluated band planting (BP) to assess its efficiency in the early restoring of ecological processes using a multi-criteria protocol known as Framework for the Evaluation of Natural Resource Management Systems Incorporating Sustainability Indicators (MESMIS) to obtain the ecological functionality consolidation index (EFCI). We sampled a 4.3 ha-1 plantation, aged 3 years, with BP, 1.5-m space between bands, 2-m space between seedlings, and a 3.5-m band of natural regeneration, ten areas with conventional planting (CP), aged 5 years, in the coverage and diversity models, and ten areas restored by natural regeneration (NR), aged 4 years. Sampling was carried out in 36 10 m x 10 m blocks, totaling 144 plots, 15 blocks for BP, 11 blocks for CP, and 10 blocks for NR. Species richness was similar between the areas; however, there was a significant difference between BP and the other areas (CP and NR) by the Dunn’s test (p < 0.05). The NR area had the highest diversity (H’ = 3.03; J’ = 0.76), followed by BP (H’ = 2.56; J’ = 0.62), and CP (H’ = 2.0; J’ = 0.48), whereas the BP area (4.348 ind.ha-1) had the highest density. The BP had the highest EFCI for diversity (0.100), control, and management (0.067) compared to NR, for diversity (0.022), and similar to CP in soil protection and nutrient cycling (0.047). BP was efficient in recovering early ecological processes under conditions similar to fragments in the initial stage of succession.

Understanding of the Everglades’ ecological vulnerabilities and restoration needs has advanced over the past decade but has not been applied in an integrated manner. To address this need, we developed the Everglades Vulnerability Analysis (EVA), a decision support tool that uses modular Bayesian networks to predict the ecological outcomes of a subset of the ecosystem’s health indicators. This tool takes advantage of the extensive modeling work already done in the Everglades and synthesizes information across indicators of ecosystem health to forecast long-term, landscape-scale changes. In addition, the tool can predict indicator vulnerability through comparison to user-defined ideal system states that can vary in the level of certainty of outcomes. An integrated understanding of the Everglades system is essential for evaluation of trade-offs at local, regional, and system-wide scales. Through EVA, Everglades restoration decision makers can provide effective guidance during restoration planning and implementation processes to mitigate unintended consequences that could result in further damage to the Everglades system.

Biodiversity monitoring represents a major challenge to supporting proper forest ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation. The latter is indeed shifting in recent years from single-species to multi-taxon approaches. However, multi-taxonomic studies are quite rare due to the effort required for performing field surveys. In this context, remote sensing is a powerful tool, continuously providing consistent and open access data at a different range of spatial and temporal scales. In particular, the Sentinel-2 (S2) mission has great potential to produce reliable proxies for biological diversity. In beech forests of two Italian National Parks, we sampled the beetle fauna, breeding birds, and epiphytic lichens. First, we calculated Shannon’s entropy and Simpson’s diversity. Then, to produce variables for biodiversity assessment, we exploited S2 data acquired in the 4 years 2017–2021. S2 images were used to construct spectral bands and photosynthetic indices time series, from which 91 harmonic metrics were derived. For each taxon and multi-taxon community, we assessed the correlation with S2 harmonic metrics, biodiversity indices, and forest structural variables. Then, to assess the potential of the harmonic metrics in predicting species diversity in terms of Shannon’s and Simpson’s biodiversity indices, we also fit a random forests model between each diversity index and the best 10 harmonic metrics (in terms of absolute correlation, that is, the magnitude of the correlation) for each taxon. The models’ performance was evaluated via the relative root mean squared error (RMSE%). Overall, 241 beetle, 27 bird, and 59 lichen species were recorded. The diversity indices were higher for the multi-taxon community than for the single taxa. They were generally higher in the CVDA site than in GSML, except for the bird community. The highest correlation values between S2 data and biodiversity indices were recorded in CVDA for multi-taxon and beetle communities (| r| = 0.52 and 0.38, respectively), and in GSML for lichen and beetle communities (| r| = 0.34 and 0.26, respectively). RMSE% ranged between 2.53 and 9.99, and between 8.1 and 16.8 for the Simpson and Shannon index, respectively. The most important variables are phase and RMSE of red-Edge bands for bird and lichen communities, while RMSE and time of tassel cap and from EVI indices for beetles and multi-taxon diversity. Our results demonstrate that S2 data can be used for identifying potential biodiversity hotspots, showing that the herein presented harmonic metrics are informative for several taxa inhabiting wood, giving concrete support to cost-effective biodiversity monitoring and nature-based forest management in complex mountain systems.

The soil response to a jet-fuel contamination is uncertain. In this article, original data on the influence of a jet-fuel spillage on the topsoil properties are presented. The data set is obtained during a one-year long pot and field experiments with Dystric Arenosols, Fibric Histosols and Albic Luvisols. Kerosene loads were 1, 5, 10, 25 and 100 g/kg. The data set includes information about temporal changes in kerosene concentration; physicochemical properties, such as рН, moisture, cation exchange capacity, content of soil organic matter, available P and K, exchangeable NH4+, and water-soluble NO3–; and biological properties, such as biological consumption of oxygen, and cellulolytic activity. Also, we provide sequencing data on variable regions of 16S ribosomal RNA of microbial communities from the respective soil samples.

Sandy shorelines present a first line of defense against the catastrophic effects of storms and oil spills within the coastal zone of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Immediately following the DwH oil spill prior to any spill related impacts, we conducted a rapid response survey of the sandy shoreline benthic macrofauna from throughout the National Park Service - Gulf Islands National Seashore (GINS) in Mississippi and Florida. To characterize pre-spill macrofaunal assemblages, we surveyed seven barrier island or peninsular areas comprising nine exposed and 12 protected shoreline sites. A comparable benthic macrofaunal inventory had been conducted 17 years earlier using a parallel study design. The primary objective of this study was to distinguish hierarchical spatiotemporal scales of macrofaunal variation within the 1993 and 2010 GINS data. We hypothesized that the 1993 GINS macrofaunal inventory baseline was stable, despite multiple disturbances by large storms within the intervening 17-year period. Additionally, the relative importance of hierarchical spatial scales of macrofaunal dissimilarity was examined so suitable scales of macrofaunal variation could be identified for assessments of stressor effects at commensurate scales. An Implicit Nested Mixed Model PERMANOVA using Type 1 sequential Sum of Squares delineated variation components of nested scales which ranked Station > Shore Side > Site > Habitat > District > Year. The Year main factor had the smallest effect on macrofaunal variation, confirming that the 1993 GINS macrofaunal inventory can serve as the foundation for a robust baseline including both the 1993 and the 2010 macrofaunal data for the GINS. A literal Hierarchical Nested Mixed Model PERMANOVA using Type 1 sequential Sum of Squares (SS) partitioned effects among nested factors and their interactions. Definitive macrofaunal variation was expressed for all combinations of two levels for each of the three spatially nested fixed factors, District, Shore Side, and Habitat. Variation in macrofaunal dissimilarity for combined levels of fixed factors reflected corresponding differences in the macrofauna. The use of sandy shoreline macrofaunal assemblages as ecological indicators would fulfill the need to focus on cumulative effects of oil spills and should be eminently tractable when responses and impacts are considered on commensurate scales.

As biodiversity decreases worldwide, the development of effective techniques to track changes in ecological communities becomes an urgent challenge. Together with other emerging methods in ecology, acoustic indices are increasingly being used as novel tools for rapid biodiversity assessment. These indices are based on mathematical formulae that summarise the acoustic features of audio samples, with the aim of extracting meaningful ecological information from soundscapes. However, the application of this automated method has revealed conflicting results across the literature, with conceptual and empirical controversies regarding its primary assumption: a correlation between acoustic and biological diversity. After more than a decade of research, we still lack a statistically informed synthesis of the power of acoustic indices that elucidates whether they effectively function as proxies for biological diversity. Here, we reviewed studies testing the relationship between diversity metrics (species abundance, species richness, species diversity, abundance of sounds, and diversity of sounds) and the 11 most commonly used acoustic indices. From 34 studies, we extracted 364 effect sizes that quantified the magnitude of the direct link between acoustic and biological estimates and conducted a meta‐analysis. Overall, acoustic indices had a moderate positive relationship with the diversity metrics (r = 0.33, CI [0.23, 0.43]), and showed an inconsistent performance, with highly variable effect sizes both within and among studies. Over time, studies have been increasingly disregarding the validation of the acoustic estimates and those examining this link have been progressively reporting smaller effect sizes. Some of the studied indices [acoustic entropy index (H), normalised difference soundscape index (NDSI), and acoustic complexity index (ACI)] performed better in retrieving biological information, with abundance of sounds (number of sounds from identified or unidentified species) being the best estimated diversity facet of local communities. We found no effect of the type of monitored environment (terrestrial versus aquatic) and the procedure for extracting biological information (acoustic versus non‐acoustic) on the performance of acoustic indices, suggesting certain potential to generalise their application across research contexts. We also identified common statistical issues and knowledge gaps that remain to be addressed in future research, such as a high rate of pseudoreplication and multiple unexplored combinations of metrics, taxa, and regions. Our findings confirm the limitations of acoustic indices to efficiently quantify alpha biodiversity and highlight that caution is necessary when using them as surrogates of diversity metrics, especially if employed as single predictors. Although these tools are able partially to capture changes in diversity metrics, endorsing to some extent the rationale behind acoustic indices and suggesting them as promising bases for future developments, they are far from being direct proxies for biodiversity. To guide more efficient use and future research, we review their principal theoretical and practical shortcomings, as well as prospects and challenges of acoustic indices in biodiversity assessment. Altogether, we provide the first comprehensive and statistically based overview on the relation between acoustic indices and biodiversity and pave the way for a more standardised and informed application for biodiversity monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban lakes and ponds (L&Ps) provide numerous ecological and social services for local populations living in urban areas. Their monitoring and management are mostly based on water quality and ecological indicators and poorly consider public preferences and expectancies related to these artificial ecosystems. Even fewer studies bring together expert indicators and public expectations to inform management objectives for urban lakes. Based on an interdisciplinary study, this paper compares an expert assessment of the ecological quality of three urban L&Ps located in the Ile-de-France area with the public perception of these lakes. This approach permits us to explore the compatibilities and incongruences between the various ways in which scientists, managers and urban users assess urban L&P quality. Based on these data, we discuss how it could be possible to define management objectives that integrate quality indicators and expect these objectives to be used in a territorial approach that might allow to obtain a better adequacy between social users' expectations and the ecological status of these L&Ps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current research, the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown period on groundwater quality of Lower Meriç Plain (Thrace Region of Türkiye) was evaluated. Some significant nutrient characteristics (NO3−, NO2−, and PO43−), salinity characteristics (EC, TDS, and salinity), and physical characteristics (temperature, DO, pH, and turbidity) were investigated in groundwater samples collected from 45 sampling points in pre-lockdown and lockdown periods. Water quality index (WQI) and nutrient pollution index (NPI), Pearson correlation index (PCI), cluster analysis (CA), one-way ANOVA test (OWAT), and factor analysis (FA) were applied to assess ecological risk. Excluding recorded statistical differences in temperature and DO due to climatic conditions (p < 0.05), levels of all the investigated water quality parameters show no statistically significant differences and no significant reduction in pollutants measured in the lockdown period. On the contrary, the WQI and NPI scores have increased between the rates of 4.76–27.10% during the lockdown period. In the lockdown period, although the reduction of industry or limited production of many industrial facilities reduced the inorganic contaminant releases to the environment, ongoing agricultural activities and domestic wastes caused to prevent the reduction of organic pollutants in groundwater of the region during the lockdown period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The blue swimming crab Portunus segnis is native to the western Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. It entered the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal at the end of the 19th century and has colonized most of the eastern Mediterranean coasts, becoming an invasive species. This study describes the distribution, aggregation patterns, and spatial structure of this species in the Mediterranean Sea through a series of ecological indicators. The results indicated a long phase of establishment and a recent, rapid expansion phase. Several settlement areas, where the species continues to be reported, were found. Since 2015 P. segnis has shown a conspicuous presence in Tunisia from where it is spreading northward and eastward. The study provides an insight on the impact of P. segnis on biodiversity and ecosystem services and proposes a series of desirable management actions to mitigate the expansion of its population. Invasive alien species represent one of the main environmental emergencies and are considered by the scientific community as being among the leading causes of biodiversity loss on a global scale. Therefore, detecting their pathways, hotspot areas and invasion trends becomes extremely important also for management purposes. A systematic review on presence of Portunus segnis in the Suez Canal and Mediterranean Sea was carried out in order to study the invasion paths from its entry from the Red Sea into the Suez Canal (1886) until recently (2021) through ecological indicators elaborated with GIS spatial–temporal statistics. Arrival, establishment and expansion phases and areas of P. segnis in the Mediterranean were identified. Settlement areas were detected along the Suez Canal as well as in the Levantine Sea, western Ionian Sea and Tunisian plateau ecoregions. Since 2015 a persistent area has formed in Tunisia from where the species is spreading northward and eastward. The study provides an insight on the impact of P. segnis on biodiversity and ecosystem services and proposes a series of desirable management actions to mitigate the expansion of its population. Following the 8Rs model that introduces the rules to mitigate non–indigenous species pollution, six of them (Recognize, Reduce, Replace, Reuse, Remove, and Regulate) have been identified as applicable and are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem status assessments are generally separated into realm-specific analyses (terrestrial, freshwater, estuarine or marine), but without integrating these into a coherent assessment of coastal biodiversity across the land–sea interface. Trends in assessment indicators in coastal versus non-coastal areas have also rarely been considered. In this study we aimed to compile the first cross-realm national biodiversity assessment for the South African coast using three key indicators. The ecological condition, ecosystem threat status, and ecosystem protection level of coastal ecosystem types (n = 186) were determined and compared with those of non-coastal ecosystem types (n = 444). Nearly half (46.9%) of the South African coastal habitat has been degraded compared with 20% of non-coastal areas. Proportionately, there are three-times (60%) as many threatened coastal ecosystem types (or 55% by area) as there are threatened non-coastal ecosystem types (19%, 6% by area). Despite the impacted state of coastal biodiversity, protection levels are generally higher in the coastal zone (87% of ecosystem types have some protection) compared with non-coastal areas (75%), although fewer coastal ecosystem types have met their biodiversity targets (24%, vs 28% for non-coastal ecosystem types). These results illustrate the importance of using a cross-realm approach for status assessments, management and conservation of coastal biodiversity. The assessment methods described are flexible and widely applicable to other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Benthic macroinvertebrates of inland waters, including running waters and lakes, are frequently used in biomonitoring. Sometimes, environmental data associated with species lists are not available; in this situation traits or functional adaptations of species to environment can be considered as a tool to translate the list of species into a useful index to evaluate the environmental quality a body of water. Chironomids are the species-richest family among macroinvertebrates and are often used as indicators of ecological conditions in inland waters. High taxonomic expertise is needed for identification and new species are still being described even in the well-known West Palearctic region. Our Microsoft Access relational database comprises data on Chironomid species collected in rivers and lakes in Italy and some other European countries over a period of about 50 years, often associated with physical-chemical data, but in some cases, only data on Chironomids are available with no associated environmental data. The aim of the present paper was to propose the calculation of ecological traits of Chironomid species as a tool to derive information on water quality, when only data on Chironomid species composition are present, while environmental data are lacking. Traits summarizing the species' response to environmental variables were evaluated, with emphasis on natural and man-influenced factors: current velocity, water temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and nutrients. Traits calculations were carried out in the R environment using a subset of our data, including both environmental data and Chironomid abundances. The relations between sites, Chironomid, species and traits were evaluated using correspondence analysis and other multivariate methods. The response of species showed an interaction among different factors, with the possibility of ordering species along a single environmental gradient, extending from cold running waters to warm standing waters, with few exceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]