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Marine debris significantly impacts coral ecosystems, especially in regions with high biodiversity like the Sempu Island Nature Reserve in Malang, Indonesia. According to the guidelines of ReefCheck and KLHK 2020, this indepth study looked at the types, amounts, and impacts of marine debris on coral health at five different sites close to the Pondokdadap Coastal Fishing Port. This study employs a belt transect method measuring 100 × 5 meters to systematically collect data. The obtained results indicate that cloth refuse is the most substantial form of waste, accounting for 84.65% of the weight of marine waste. The primary locations for this form of waste are areas with high human activity, particularly those near fishing ports. The impact of marine debris on coral reefs depends on its proximity to human activity, as it exhibits a wide range of density and composition. Millepora, a coral species characterized by its branching structure, was the most severely impacted, with damage levels spanning from 12.07% to 48.65%. This indicates its vulnerability to debris accumulation. The study determined the prevalence of a variety of waste categories, with plastic being the most prevalent. The study also focused on other types of inorganic waste, such as packaging, fishing lines, raffia ropes, rubber (flip-flops and tires), fabric, metal (cans and metal cutlery), glass bottles, and other items, primarily in the port area. The density of debris is an important indicator of the environmental pressure exerted on coral ecosystems. Among the examined locations, the Jetty station displayed the highest concentration of inorganic debris, with a density of 0.100 items/m2. In contrast, Watu Meja Station had the lowest density of inorganic waste at 0.008 items/m2, but the highest concentration of organic waste at 0.066 items/m2. This indicates that there is less human impact but more accumulation of natural refuse. This study highlights the pressing necessity for effective marine waste management strategies, particularly near active ports like Pondokdadap, to mitigate the detrimental effects on coral reefs. The health and sustainability of this critical marine ecosystem can be ensured by reducing refuse accumulation through enhanced waste management protocols and community engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: We used the line transect method and infrared camera traps to research the sable and yellow-throated marten in Taipinggou National Nature Reserve, Heilongjiang, China, to understand the distribution and overlap of their habitats and niches. In our study, the results showed that the habitat suitable for sables was larger than that for yellow-throated martens and that there is a partial overlap in terms of the suitable habitat for both species. There was a high degree of niche overlap between the sable and yellow-throated marten, primarily influenced by four environmental variables, i.e., "Distance from Settlements", "Distance from Roads", "Slope", and "Distance from Coniferous and Broadleaved Mixed Forest". This study can offer valuable insights for the development of policies aimed at conserving and managing sables and yellow-throated martens. The global focus on fostering harmonious interactions and promoting rational coexistence among wildlife species to uphold or reinstate biodiversity remains a prominent area of interest. We conducted a study on the sable and yellow-throated marten in Taipinggou National Nature Reserve, Heilongjiang, China, using the line transect method and infrared camera traps from 2022 to 2023. We then analyzed the overlap of their suitable habitats and niches with the aim of gaining insight into the interspecific competition between these two species. We found that the suitable habitat areas for the sable and yellow-throated marten were 55.20 km2 and 23.28 km2, accounting for 24.86% and 10.48% of the total area of this study, respectively. The overlap between the suitable habitats for the sable and yellow-throated marten was 15.73 km2, accounting for 28.5% and 67.6% of their suitable habitat, supporting our Hypothesis 1. The first principal component (Dim1) of the niche explained 35.4% of the overall variability, which is mainly related to the environmental variables "Distance from Settlements" and "Distance from Roads". Overall, 25.5% of the total variability was explained by the second principal component (Dim2), associated with "Slope" and "Distance from Coniferous and Broadleaved Mixed Forest". The niches occupied by the sable and yellow-throated marten were both off-center of the environmental background space, with the niches of the sable being larger than those of the yellow-throated marten. Schoener's D index was 0.56, indicating a high degree of niche overlap between the sable and yellow-throated marten, supporting our Hypothesis 2. Our study is helpful in terms of formulating conservation and management policies for the sable and yellow-throated marten. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mandothi Wetlands located in district Jhajjar of Haryana, India is about 1000 acres of farmland, serves as a crucial habitat for numerous species of winter migratory birds. From December 2021 to March 2023, fortnightly periodic visits were made to the area by using scan sampling and point-cum-line transect methods. A total of 54 winter migratory birds' species were recorded including 33 genera, 19 families, and 8 orders. Order Charadriiformes was highly diverse with the presence of 17 species in the study area. Feeding guild analysis expressed that Insectivores were the dominant ones among all guilds. As per the IUCN Red List criteria, 48 species were classified as least concern (LC) whereas, 3 species were classified as Near Threatened (NT) i.e., Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata, Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea, and 3 species were classified as Vulnerable (VU) such as Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca, Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga and Common Pochard Aythya ferina globally. Study area holds a significant role in sustaining the diversity of birds and also facing various stress factors thus it needs to be conserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) populations have been increasing in Europe in the last decades. Without reliable methods, game managers frequently underestimate the population size, leading to underharvesting. The aim of this research was to identify the most suitable method for roe deer density estimation in lowland, sparsely forested, high-visibility flat areas in Hungary. The census data of the total counting in the daytime strip transect and the night spotlight strip transect, as the total counting of the sample areas with a thermal camera from observation points within 0–250 m and 0–500 m ranges, were compared in seven hunting areas. It was revealed that using the thermal camera within 0–250 m and the spotlight method in the same range gave the statistically highest population density values. There was no significant difference between the two methods. The smallest mean was revealed in the case of the daytime strip transect data. The thermal imaging method gave significantly lower values for the greater distance (250–500 m) than for the range of spotlighting (250 m). The night spotlight strip transect method and the counting from observation points with a thermal camera, both to 250 m, provided the highest values; thus, they are recommended to determine the roe deer population density in open flat areas. They require the same amount of human resources and time, but due to the high cost of the thermal camera, the spotlight is also perfectly suited for widespread use by hunting companies. The results supported the underestimation of roe deer populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding a community's place attachment is vital for effective land-use planning and disaster risk management that aligns with local needs and priorities. This study examines the methodologies employed to grasp these values, emphasising the significance of meaningful participatory approaches. It sheds light on the challenges encountered due to COVID-19 restrictions, which prevented direct face-to-face engagement with community members. To address this issue, researchers devised "digital walking tours" as an alternative to traditional walking transect methods, aiming to investigate the relationship between place attachment and perceptions of the landscape in Patreksfjörður, a small fishing community in the Westfjords, during the pandemic. The evaluation of this method demonstrated its suitability for conducting comprehensive and cost-effective community consultations. Participants expressed enjoyment and found the technology (online video calls and StreetView imagery) user-friendly and engaging. To further enhance the method, several recommendations are proposed, including the integration of virtual tours with in-person methods whenever feasible, incorporating additional sensory input, adopting a slower pace, and offering more opportunities for participants to divert to personally significant locations. Other contextual considerations encompass the use of participants' native language and the facilitation of digital walking tours with pairs or small groups of participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Threatened Taxa is the property of Wildlife Information Liaison Development and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Termites are considered as important pests of maize plantations in Republic of Benin. However, very little information is available on their assemblage composition, abundance, damages, and on the sensitivity of common maize varieties in Benin. This study aims to fill these gaps and provide baseline for the development of an integrated termite management in maize plantations. Therefore, 60 maize fields across 30 villages located in four agro-ecological zones of southern Benin were prospected using the standardized method of belt transects. In addition, the resistance of five maize varieties to termite attacks was evaluated on-farm during two consecutive seasons (2018 and 2019). Fifteen termite species belonging to 11 genera, 6 subfamilies and 3 families were collected in the prospected maize fields. Four species (Macrotermes subhyalinus Rambur, Coptotermes sjostedti Holmgren, Amitermes evuncifer Silvestri, and Trinevitermes germinatus Wasmann) were found in all agro-ecological zones with A. evuncifer as the most abundant species. High similarity indices of termite assemblages were found between the four agro-ecological zones. Wood-feeders group and species nesting in hypogeal nests were the mostly abundant in all agro-ecological zones. The attack rate of termites in maize fields was 16.9% and did not vary significantly between agro-ecological zones. A. evuncifer and C. sjostedti were significantly the most destructive species on the five evaluated varieties, although Trinevitermes oeconomus Trägardh was most abundant in leaf sheaths; M. subhyalinus and Macrotermes bellicossus Smeathman in the stem; Pseudacanthotermes militaris Hagen and Odontotermes sp. in the roots. Termite damage level to maize depended of the variety. Korga variety was classified as highly resistant to termite attacks; Agbadé kouin winiwini variety as resistant; Igbado tchakpa variety as moderately resistant. While, Elèkpèrè and Forkui varieties were classified as highly susceptible. The three maize varieties identified as resistant to termite attack should be included in the development of an integrated termite management program and in future breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study proposes to discuss the seasonal water bird diversity, habitat preference, assemblages of water bird species and their conservation problems in different agroecosystems. Field visits were done once in a week during Jan. 2021-Jan. 2023. Freshwater and saline agroecosystems are the study areas used for the water bird survey. The water bird study was conducted by direct observation method, point count method and line transect method. Observations were made using binoculars (10 × 50 Nikon) and video camera (Nikon Coolpix p1000). Based on the pilot study in 2020, we decided to concentrate on 16 species of waterbirds coming in the 3 different orders i.e., Order Pelecaniformes, Ciconiiformes and Suliformes. Compared to the different study areas, a greater abundance of water birds was recorded in the winter season, while a lesser abundance was observed in the monsoon season. The species richness was highest in saline agroecosystem and water bird congregation was more in freshwater agroecosystem. Saline agroecosystem was the most preferred habitat used for water bird species. Agroecosystems support the globally threatened water bird species such as spot billed pelican, darter, black headed ibis and painted stork. Many factors that are listed below threaten the agroecosystem and it causes the decreasing assemblages of water bird species. They are high water intake due to heavy rain, electric lines, high growth of water hyacinth, fishing nets, solid wastes and garbage deposited from toddy shops, pesticides used in fresh water rice farming, tourism, crackers, high level of fishing activities, habitat destruction, communication towers, predators and white flags were introduced by farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frogs play crucial roles in ecosystems as both predator and prey within food webs. The decline in their populations is attributed, in part, to modern, intensive rice farming practices. In the Tajima region of Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, a subset of farmers has embraced a "white stork friendly farming" (WSFF) method since 2003, which promotes environment-friendly rice production to preserve and restore biodiversity while aiding the reintroduction of the Oriental White Stork (Ciconia boyciana) into the ecosystem. Here, we hypothesize that the WSFF method has a positive impact on the conservation of black-spotted pond frog (Pelophylax nigromaculatus) populations inhabiting paddy fields. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the influence of the WSFF method on the population density of P. nigromaculatus. Using a line transect method, we identified and quantified individual frogs observed on the paddy field levees in June 2016. Subsequently, we analyzed the effects of rice production using the WSFF method and land-use factors on the frogs' population density. Our findings indicate that P. nigromaculatus population density increased with the expansion of paddy-field areas managed under the WSFF method within a 100 m radius of the paddy-field center. These results suggest that rice production following the WSFF method has a positive impact on the conservation of this frog species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands are crucial habitats for birds, with their ability to offer refuge, supplies and places to nest, when it comes to bird diversity and abundance, wetlands with low water vegetation tend to have more birds than places without wetlands. Greater species richness is found in wetlands with low proportions of nearby forest, although wetlands with high flooded area appear more diversified. The Sandi Bird Sanctuary was established and preserved in 1990 as a natural biodiversity centre for migratory birds, locals and aquatic plants. The entirety of the size of this sanctuary is 309 hectares. A study on the diversity of fauna was carried out between October 2021 and March 2024. Due to its unique collection of avifauna, particularly the migratory water birds that gather there during the winter, Sandi Bird Sanctuary is well known as a favourite spot for birdwatchers and environment enthusiasts. Seasonal surveys were conducted, and using a DSLR camera and binoculars, observations were made by applying the Line Transect Method. More than 193 different bird species were found at Sandi Bird Sanctuary's avifaunal richness. This study's primary goal was to determine the significance of wetland areas for waterbird species richness when taking into account other habitat characteristics. Out of many some of the migratory birds at Sandi Bird Sanctuary following are a few to name of-sarus crane, great crested grebe, black headed lbis, glossy lbis, spoonbill, ruddy shelduck, duck, mallard, gadwall, wigeon, tufted pochard, gargancey teal, graylag goose, painted stork, open billed stork, snake darter, purple heron, grey heron, greater spotted eagle, varied species of lapwings, moorhens, sandpipers, doves, parakeets, crow pheasants, owls, swifts, kingfishers, babblers, cormorants etc. The relative abundance of bird species per habitat/district was calculated to be 0.033. Based on species abundance, the species richness of each selected habitat was evaluated, and the Shannon-Weiner Index was computed to be 0.999 to determine the species diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loej coast situated near Mangrol of Saurashtra region, Arabian Sea, Gujarat is supported by diverse flora and fauna. The present study aimed to document seaweed diversity and distribution along intertidal region of Loej coast by using belt transect sampling method from October 2021 to March 2022. From the study area, a total of 56 seaweed species belonging to 3 phyla, 3 classes, 16 orders, 25 families and 36 genera were recorded. Out of these 12 species were green seaweed, 14 species were brown and 30 species were red seaweed. Maximum number of species diversity was reported from class Rhodophyceae. Dictyotales (16%, species) was found to be dominant order followed by Gigartinales (14%, species); Ceramiales (11%, species). Among 25 families, Dictyotaceae was the dominant family reported with 14 species. Distribution study observed vertical distribution from the seashore side to the seaside of green, brown and red seaweed. Also, horizontal distribution of green seaweed and red seaweed were seen in the upper intertidal area and in the lower intertidal area, respectively. In species distribution behaviour, out of 56 species of seaweed; 8 species show aggregated behaviour, 10 species show the regular distribution and 38 species show random aggregation behaviour. Ulva lactuca was most abundantly and frequently found species with maximum density during the whole study period. During the present study, diversity indices like species diversity index (H') indicate healthy diverse seaweed fauna. Species richness index/Margalef's diversity index (D) was in the range of 3.37-4.81. Maximum species richness was reported in winter month February and minimum species richness in October. Pielou's evenness index (J) showed that seaweed species were unevenly distributed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decline of pollinator insects in various parts of the world has increased the interest in studies on bee sampling. Because pollinator management and conservation policies depend on data representing their communities, knowledge of the systematic bias of sampling methods in relation to surrounding habitat is fundamental. This study examined the performance of standardized transect walks and colored pan traps considering differences in bee species richness, diversity, and composition, and the potential bias due to a different availability of floral sources throughout seasons. The study was conducted in a minor outlying island (Asinara, Italy), a natural park characterized by the prevalence of natural or semi-natural habitats and an Oceanic Pluviseasonal Mediterranean bioclimate. We found that transect and pan trap methods reflected different bee communities based on taxonomic families, genera, and species. In general, the transect method captured more varied samples than pan traps, despite the significantly lower number of individuals captured on transects. Moreover, pan traps captured more bees as floral abundance decreased, whereas transects showed greater bee abundance, richness, and diversity with increasing floral resource availability. In addition, 18 species out of the 68 observed in total were caught exclusively with pan traps, especially in July–October, when transect catches decreased due to substantial bloom reduction. Therefore, alternating the two methods according to season (i.e., transect in late winter-spring and pan trap in summer-autumn) might be the most suitable trade-off to obtain a better representation of the bee community by limiting sampling efforts and the negative impact on bee fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The climate of the study area, deep within the Eurasian land mass, varies greatly from warm summers to harsh winter conditions. Here we investigate birds in forests before and after the winter solstice for five years starting in winter 2018/9. Their distribution and abundance changed with respect to geographical location, forest composition, and food supply. Abundance was lower later in winter. However, even in this remote location, climate change is having an impact, with a greater diversity of bird species under more recent milder winters. Further change is expected under anticipated future warming. We show for the first time the results of a study into the spatial distribution of birds in forests at the eastern edge of Europe (Republic of Tatarstan, Russia) and changes from early to late winter. A transect method was used to census randomly selected plots spread over a large geographical area in the winters 2018/9–2022/3. We used regression and ordination methods to assess the influence of key environmental factors on species richness, total density of birds, biological diversity, and the probabilities of occurrence of individual species. The most abundant bird species in early winter was the Willow Tit, and in the late winter was the Common Redpoll. Compared with the end of the 20th century, the number of wintering bird species has increased in the study area, likely due to climate warming. Species richness, total density, and the Shannon Index of diversity were higher in early winter than in late winter. Species richness and the Shannon Index were also higher at low elevations and in the west of the study region. Our research shows strong ecological-geographical differences in the preferences of individual bird species in the studied forests. However, almost without exception, birds had a higher probability of occurrence at lower elevation and toward the west. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bhindawas Bird Sanctuary is a Ramsar site located in Haryana, India, which falls in the Central Asian flyway zone of the migratory birds. Its diverse ecological resources sustain a rich diversity of migratory and threatened birds. The species diversity, threat status, population trend and feeding guild of the avifauna in Bhindawas Bird Sanctuary, Haryana, India, was explored from October 2021 to October 2023. The data was collected every fortnightly using the line transects method. A total of 129 bird species belonging to 98 genera, 47 families and 17 orders were recorded. Order Passeriformes, with 45 species in 20 families, dominated the avifauna, followed by Anseriformes with 16 species, Charadriformes with 12 species and the rest of 15 orders. Anatidae was the most dominant family representing 12.40% (n=16). Among the reported species, 81 were residents, 36 were winter migrants and, 10 were summer migrants and 2 were passage migrants. One species was endangered and vulnerable in the threat status, while six were classified as near threatened as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (INUC) Red List, 2022. The bird sanctuary also supported 35 bird species with a declining population trend globally. The omnivorous and carnivorous feeding habits were equally dominant, followed by insectivorous and, nectarivorous and herbivorous birds, which were the least numerous. The presence of both resident and migrant birds of global conservation priority confirms the importance and conservation of Bhindawas Bird Sanctuary as a rich avifauna diversity habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study investigates the species–area relationship of amphibians on the Zhoushan Archipelago using eDNA metabarcoding. By analyzing amphibian species diversity on the Zhoushan Archipelago, the eDNA metabarcoding detected eight amphibian species on the islands and nine species in the mainland areas. Findings reveal that the amphibian species diversity is positively related to the island area. In comparison with the traditional line transect method, eDNA metabarcoding detected more amphibian species. eDNA showcases enormous potential in detecting amphibian species. The species–area relationship is important for understanding species diversity patterns at spatial scales, but few studies have examined the relationship using environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques. We investigated amphibian diversity on 21 islands of the Zhoushan Archipelago and nearby mainland areas in China using the combination of eDNA metabarcoding and the traditional line transect method (TLTM) and identified the species–area relationship for amphibians on the islands. The mean detection probability of eDNA is 0.54, while the mean detection probability of TLTM is 0.24. The eDNA metabarcoding detected eight amphibian species on the islands and nine species in the mainland areas, compared with seven species on the islands and nine species in the mainland areas that were identified by TLTM. Amphibian richness on the islands increased with island area and habitat diversity. The species–area relationship for amphibians in the archipelago was formulated as the power function (S = 0.47A0.21) or exponential function (S = 2.59 + 2.41 (logA)). Our results suggested that eDNA metabarcoding is more sensitive for the detection of amphibian species. The combined use of eDNA metabarcoding and the traditional line transect method may optimize the survey results for amphibians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate coral reef monitoring methods and descriptors determine the effectiveness of ecosystem status assessment. We combined line intercept transect (LIT) and SfM technologies for image acquisition, and the POS information of images is defined and assigned in the relative coordinate system we build. Then, constructed high-resolution orthomosaics of coral reefs along measuring tapes in Metashape. We compared the estimates of coral cover by three methodologies (LIT, LIT on orthomosaic (LITO), surface analyses on orthomosaic (SAO)) and used virtual transects on orthomosaics and their estimates of coral cover to assess the consistency and reliability of LIT. The results show that the estimation of coral cover by LITO or LIT is more consistent and reliable when coral cover is higher, and the probability of overestimation is lower. SfM technology is increasingly used in coral reef survey and assessment, and has the potential to become the new standard for coral reef survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian diversity is very poor in urban zones due to the loss of natural ecosystems, breeding sites, nesting substrates, and foraging resources. However, the variation of these elements following the urban gradient is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to look into the nesting substrates, breeding communities, habitat use, and bird abundance in the urban and peri-urban environments in central Morocco's Fez City. Field visits were conducted monthly from 2017 to 2019 in urban and peri-urban habitats with a 1–3 km transect method. Birds were identified visually and acoustically with points of count separated by 100 to 300 m. We noted bird species, populations, type of habitat, nesting site, and nesting substrate. A total of 140 avian species were identified in peri-urban (130 species) and urban (68 species) zones. Equally, 717 nests of 29 bird species were documented in urbanized (109 nests of 13 species) and peri-urban (608 nests of 20 species) habitats. In peri-urban ecosystems, nests of breeders were recorded in farmlands, wetlands, and forests. In the urban zone, nests were recorded in urban farms, green gardens, walls, and urban forests. Equally, nesting substrates were variable among surveyed zones. On the other hand, nests of four breeding birds were recorded commonly in urban and peri-urban ecosystems. This study elucidated the diversity of avifauna in the human-made landscapes of Morocco, which were neglected during the last decades and could serve as references for future and comparative studies of biodiversity in urban zones. Equally, this study could serve as a tool for management programs of landscapes and their diversity in urban areas. However, more investigations are needed to analyze how other factors such as noise, buildings, and traffic affect the diversity of avifauna in urbanized landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taman Safari Indonesia Bogor is a buffer zone for the Mountain Gede Pangrango National Park conservation forest area and is one of the habitats for the Javan surili (Presbytis comata), but there is no research data on wild Javan surili populations. The object of research is to find out how many populations of Javan surili are in the TSI Bogor forest area. The research method used the line transect method by collecting data on the number of individuals, the number of groups, the sex ratio, and the age structure. The research was conducted at four observation locations with a duration of three months, observations were made from 06.00 WIT to 17.00 WIT, and four repetitions were carried out on each observation path, the results obtained were a total of 16 Javan surili individuals found which were divided into one group, and the estimated population density is 0.06 individuals/hectare. The sex composition of male and female Javan surili in the TSI Bogor forest area is 1:6 where there are more female Javan surili than male Javan surili, and for the age structure of the Javan surili the most are in the adult age class with a percentage of 43.75%, juvenile 31.25%, and the percentage of infent by 25%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyze the threat of edge effects on endemic animal populations due to the presence of causeways in the TNGHS corridor habitat. Indicators of the occurrence of edge effects are characterized by the further distance of wildlife populations from sources of disturbance such as noise, light, and frequency of human activity mechanisms. Belt transect research method for population study and distribution of Javan Gibbon and Surili. Intensive Point Account (IPA) to measure the diversity index of bird species and Javan eagles. Encounter Rate is used for animal distribution studies. Results On the observation transect made along 3 km, the population density of Javan Gibbons was obtained 0.114 ind/ha, Surili 0.024 indv/ha, and Monkey 0.028 indv/ha. Bird species diversity index in 3 habitat patches each Purasari H'= 2.78 with 38 species; Garehong with 27 species, and Corridor H'= 3,087 with 27 species. The similarity of species is that there are only 7 species of birds found in the 3 habitats of the patch. As a result of primate population density and burng species similarity, it can be concluded that the cross-corridor access road area has experienced an edge effect and tends to be a bottle-neck area for the distribution of animals, especially primates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biotropica is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Christmas tree worm (Spirobranchus spp.) is a biota that lives in association with hermatypic corals. This bioeroder damages the structural integrity of corals, making them susceptible to breakage. Therefore, further investigation is required to determine the distribution, diversity, uniformity, and predominance of CTW on hard corals in the Sempu Island Nature Reserve's waters. The method used is the belt transect method, which refers to the reef check. CTW species will be identified based on their operculum, and corals will be identified based on their growth form, genus, and species. The data gathered were processed, and the abundance value and ecological index were obtained. The CTW species found at the five stations were Spirobranchus gardineri, Spirobranchus cruciger, and Spirobranchus spp., associated with massive corals of the genus Porites and genus Goniastrea. Water quality factors such as currents, sedimentation, and nitrates affect CTW's presence. Medium-to-fast currents circulate around Sempu Island, where high sedimentation rates of 73.73 mg/cm2/day decrease light penetration into the waterways. Additionally, elevated nitrate levels contribute to the growth of CTW operculum-covering turf algae. CTW abundance values ranged from 0.018 to 0.084 individuals/m2, diversity index (H') ranged from 0.403 to 0.760 (low), and uniformity index (E) ranged from 0.582 to 0.966 (unstable to stable). The dominance index (C) values ranged from 0.513 to 0.705 (medium). Based on the index value, it was found that the CTW in Sempu Island was in the unstable category, so there was moderate dominance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the woody plant community in the Sygera Mountains to reveal the diversity changes and phylogenetic structure of woody plants in different vertical zones. Three plots of 400 m2 and two plots of 900 m2 are set up in each zone. The line transect method is used to supplement the woody plant species list. Meteorological data are adopted to analyze the composition of woody plant flora, the characteristics of the phylogenetic structure, and their relationship with annual average temperature. Results showed that (1) temperate woody plants account for a large proportion (65.6%) in the woody plant community of the Sygera Mountains, and widespread woody genera account for a small proportion (12.6%). The composition of families and genera is rich in the mountainous warm temperate zone, and the species composition is rich in the mountainous temperate zone. (2) The Gleason index and phylogenetic diversity of the woody plant communities in the five vertical zones are significantly positively correlated with the annual average temperature (P < 0.01), whereas the net relatedness and nearest taxon indices are not correlated with the annual average temperature. (3) The woody plant communities in the alpine frigid and alpine desert zones of the Sygera Mountains exhibit phylogenetic clustering, which suggests that habitat filtering plays an important role in the construction of woody plant communities in these vertical zones. However, the other vertical zones show either phylogenetic clustering or phylogenetic overdispersion, indicating that the results might be the combined effects of habitat filtering and competitive exclusion. This study provides new insights into the diversity composition and construction mechanisms of woody plant communities in the Sygera Mountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The characterization of soil properties is an important part of many different types of agri-environmental research including inventory, comparison, and manipulation studies. Sediment source fingerprinting is a method that is increasingly being used to link sediment sources to downstream sediment. Characterization of sediment sources is a key part of this method as it serves as the base to identify and quantify soil properties (fingerprints) that can discriminate between sources. There is currently not a standard approach to characterizing sources and the different approaches to sampling have not been well assessed. Methods: Grid (n = 49), transect (n = 14), and likely to erode (n = 8) sampling designs were used to characterize the geochemical, colour, grain size distribution, and soil organic matter content at two sites under contrasting land uses (agricultural and forested). The impact of the three sampling designs on characterization of fingerprint properties, the relationship between particle size and organic matter content on fingerprint properties, fingerprint selection, source discrimination, and mixing apportionment results were evaluated using a range of methods including 21 virtual mixtures. Results: The likely to erode design resulted in a unique fingerprint signature compared to the other two sampling designs. The correlation between particle size and organic matter varied between fingerprint, source, and sampling design. While the number and composition of the fingerprints selected varied between sampling designs there was a strong (100%) discrimination between sources regardless of the sampling approach. The maximum absolute difference between the virtual mixtures and the modeled proportions was 7.7%, 7.8%, and 8.9% for the grid, transect, and likely to erode sampling designs, respectively. Conclusions: The likely to erode sampling design was not representative of the upslope areas as characterized by the grid and transect methods. Despite these differences the final apportionment results using virtual mixtures were qualitatively similar between the three sampling designs. Continued work at the watershed scale is needed to fully evaluate the importance of source sampling design on the sediment source fingerprinting approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring avian species diversity and distribution patterns is vigorous for conservation efforts in biodiversity-rich countries such as Ethiopia. Compared to other species, birds are relatively well-known and easily observed, making them great markers of productivity or biodiversity. Although bird species are found all across the world, their survival and range have been negatively impacted by habitat loss, fragmentation, and destruction. Thus, the goal of this study is to provide baseline data on avifaunal diversity in the Northeast of Addis Ababa, including species richness, distribution, and relative abundance in various habitats conducted from January 2023 to September 2023 using a stratified sampling design into three habitat types: settlement, farmland, and abattoir. A fixed-width line transect sampling method was used at the farmland and settlement, and a point transect was employed at the abattoir site to collect the bird data. The data were compared using Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis statistical tests in both seasons and habitat types. A total of 42 bird species belonging to twenty-three families, and nine orders were recorded during the study period. Of these, blue-winged goose and wattled ibis are endemic to Ethiopia. Hooded vultures and White-backed vultures are critically endangered species. The mean abundance of bird species significantly varied in the three habitat types ( χ 2 = 13.6, df = 2, p = 0.001). The abundance of bird species was nonsignificant difference between wet and dry seasons (U = −0.874, p = 0.381). The highest diversity (H′ = 2.74) was recorded at settlement, and the lowest diversity index (H′ = 1.09) was recorded at the abattoir in the dry season. In the wet season, the highest diversity (H′ = 2.66) was recorded in the farmland, and the lowest (H′ = 1.08) was recorded at the abattoir. The highest evenness (J = 0.94 and J = 0.93) was recorded on the farmland in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. In the study area, urbanization is extremely impacting the environment and altering ecosystem services upon which human civilization depends. Most of the avian species observed in the study area are capable and tolerant of human-induced habitats in the city. Therefore, city planners must consider conserving urban bird species' habitats and feeding sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparative study of termite diversity in different ecosystems (agricultural, horticultural and silvicultural ecosystems) was carried out in mid-hills of Meghalaya to understand the species diversity, richness and abundanceof termite. A standard transect method and tissue paper bait method were used for sampling the termites.Alpha diversity was analysed by using Shannon wiener index and Margalef's D index for Species richness; and Simpson's index for Species dominance; whereas Beta diversity was analysed by using Routledge Be index, Cody Bc index, Whittaker Bw index and Wilson and Shmida Bt index. In the study, a total of 10 species of termites were identified which belonged to three subfamilies viz., Macrotermitinae, Amitermitinae and Termitinae. Macrotermitinae was the most presiding subfamily among the collected termite fauna. Individual species dominance was observed to differ in different ecosystems however, Odontotermes spp. was widely distributed across the ecosystems.The number of species recorded in silvicultural, horticultural and agricultural ecosystem were 7, 3 and 1 respectively. The termite diversity was highest in silvicultural ecosystem and lowest in agricultural ecosystem. The lowest numbers of species recorded in ecosystem may be attributed to its abrupt human disturbance. Shannon Wiener, Margalef's D and Simpson index in agricultural ecosystem, depicted less values compared to horticultural and silvicultural ecosystem. Among the ten species collected, one species i.e. Pseudocapritermis tikaderi which was sampled from silvicultural ecosystems was soil/humus feeder and the rest were wood/litter feeders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Established butterfly survey methods that are useful for monitoring species that are widely distributed and numerous may be less accurate for more rare species. We therefore need new monitoring approaches.We describe a plot‐based survey method, where butterflies or larvae nests are counted within 1‐ha grid cells. The aim was to compare this grid method with more traditional transect counts and evaluate both methods in relation to high‐quality capture–mark–release (CMR) population estimates (reflecting the 'true' population). We do this using data from a large population of the marsh fritillary butterfly in Sweden. Moreover, we followed the overall population trend from 2017 to 2021 for both adult butterflies and larvae.Results showed a higher detection probability using the grid method compared with transect counts, which for adult butterflies seem to be explained by time effort. Moreover, grid surveys of adult butterflies showed a clear significant relationship with the estimated 'true' population size from CMR, while transect counts did not. For larvae, both methods showed significant relationships with the estimated adult population size, but the grid method found 5.7 times more larvae. The overall population fluctuated significantly across years. In years with low densities, the transect method largely failed to detect the species.The grid method seems more reliable for detecting the marsh fritillary and for estimating its population size, and thus, tracking the population trend. We propose this novel method to be integrated into surveys and monitoring of biodiversity, especially when focusing on rare habitat specialists that are normally underrepresented in monitoring based on volunteer counts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Altitude is one of the factors that decrease butterfly diversity due to the different types of habitats. Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park is one of the places at different altitudes, such as Situgunung Resort. This study aimed to investigate butterfly species' diversity, richness, and evenness at three altitude levels. This study was completed in October 2019 at altitudes 750, 850, and 950 meters above sea level (masl). Butterfly inventory (diversity) data were collected using the transect method, and data on habitat characteristics were acquired through direct observation. The richness, diversity, evenness, and community similarity of butterfly species and the biotic and abiotic habitat characteristics were then analyzed. The result showed 51 butterfly species at Situgunung Resort, Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park. The highest diversity index and richness index were found at an altitude of 750 masl (3.22 and 7.91) and the lowest at 950 masl (2.46 and 3.98). The highest evenness index was found at 750 masl, while the highest similarity community index was found at altitudes 750 and 850 masl. The relation between altitude and butterfly diversity is that the higher the altitude, the lower the butterfly diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass bleaching occurred in 2010 in Southeast Asia waters such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. One of the Indonesian waters that experienced bleaching was Weh Island area, which then underwent bleaching again in 2016 and had impacts on the coral ecosystem. Substrate changes and coral cover conditions are noteworthy to determine the potential for coral recovery after bleaching. Therefore, the study aims to measure the condition of coral cover and the potential for coral resilience after bleaching in 2016. Benthic data collection used the Point Intercept Transect method while measuring coral resilience potential used the resilience index through coral cover indicators, fleshy seaweed, and rubble. The observation showed that the coral cover in the waters of Ujong Seuke was 34%, fleshy seaweed by 2.83%, and rubble by 21.17%. This research concludes that the condition of coral reef ecosystems after the bleaching phenomenon in 2016 was in moderate condition, and it has a high potential for resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rivers across the globe experience and respond to changes within the riparian corridor. Disturbance of the riparian corridor can affect warmwater, intermediate, and coldwater streams, which can negatively influence instream physical structure and biological communities. This study focused on assessing the influence of the riparian habitat on instream structure within the Whitewater River, a coldwater stream system within an agricultural watershed in southeastern Minnesota, USA. To understand the influence of the riparian zone on the physical instream habitat, twenty variables (riparian, n = 9; instream, n = 11) were measured at 57 sites across three forks of the Whitewater using a transect method every 10 m across a 150 m reach. We used a modified Wentworth scale approach to assess coarse and fine substrates to describe habitat conditions. Canonical correlation detected significant associations between riparian and instream variables across the river forks, and indicated that wider riparian buffers, more bank grass and shrubs, longer overhanging vegetation, limited bare soil, and more rocks on banks were significantly associated with increased instream cover, high levels of coarse substrates with reduced embeddedness, increased pool habitats, and reduced fine sediments. In contrast, excessive fine sediments, lack of riffle habitat, reduced coarse substrates, and high width to depth ratios indicative of an impaired instream habitat were associated with narrow riparian buffers and high percentages of bare soil on banks. Riparian corridors have the capacity to enhance and protect physical instream habitats and overall ecosystem health when managed properly. Wide, grassy riparian corridors with stable banks, overhanging vegetation, and limited shade from trees should protect and/or enhance the instream physical habitat, providing the structural diversity favored by aquatic communities. We recommend revising the current Best Management Practices to include monitoring for impairments in the riparia, while promoting and developing good land stewardship with private landowners which can be effective in improving river ecosystems in agricultural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intertidal zones are crucial ecological interfaces, but there is a lack of comprehensive studies on mollusk communities in Surigao City, Philippines. This research aimed to assess intertidal mollusk profiles, including species density, diversity, evenness, and richness, addressing a knowledge gap in regional mollusk biodiversity. Using a belt transect quadrat method in three sampling areas during 2021, the study employed a descriptive correlation design to investigate relationships between mollusk profiles and seawater physico-chemical parameters (conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, and temperature). In Surigao City's Day-asan, Hikdop Island, and Sibale, 44 gastropod species (19 families) and 11 bivalve species (9 families) were identified. Conidae and Strombidae families dominated. Average seawater parameters were conductivity 51.33, dissolved oxygen 7.45, pH 7.84, salinity 32, and temperature 28.52. Day-asan exhibited the highest species count (49), followed by Hikdop Island (42) and Sibale Island (37). Hikdop Island had the highest species density and evenness, Day-asan had the highest species diversity index, and Sibale Island had the highest species richness. Mollusk profiles showed no significant differences between sampling areas, and a strong negative correlation between pH and species evenness was observed. Surigao City displayed diverse mollusk biodiversity, but a declining trend in diversity indices was noted. This study fills a critical knowledge gap in understanding mollusk community dynamics, providing essential baseline data for future conservation and management strategies in the region, while also shedding light on the impact of environmental factors on intertidal mollusk populations in Surigao City. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The level of diversity has a crucial role in the stability of the ecosystem. The higher the variety, the more stable an ecosystem, including agricultural land cultivated by farmers. Increasing of population affected the higher demanding of community towards their consumption activities. Especially, the natural resources that comes from local area such as Sukamaju District. Biodiversity of resources urgently needed to preserve the ecosystems meanwhile being the potential source to fulfilled nourishment of the people. This study aims to determine the diversity of peatland ecosystems by using a purposive sampling method in every selection of subject groups based on the characteristics or characteristics of a specific population. Methods: Field and Laboratory activities are needed in this research. Sample collection using several methods according to the targeted sample. Most of the sample using purposive sampling but also line intercept transect method. Fish sampling used a fishing gear called a gill net with a mesh size of 2-7 inches. The fish caught is placed in a labeled coolbox. Insect collection was running in the morning at 07.00-11.00 and in the afternoon at 3-5 pm (UTC+09:00). Sampling is held once a month for three months at predetermined coordinate points. Diversity was analyzed using Shannon-Wienner diversity, evenness index, dominance index and intensity on peatlands. Result: The results found seven orders and 30 families, with a total population of 1,231 individuals. The most dominant types of insects are the orders Coleoptera, Hemiptera and Lepidoptera. High diversity index (H'=3.021), high evenness index (E=0.86243) and low dominance index (D=0.3101). Fish community structure obtained diversity index (H') included in the medium category, for uniformity values in the high class and dominance index values in the low sort. The dominant fish species found were Channa striata, Anabas testudineus, Lates calcalifer, Mugil cephalus, Plotosus papuensis and Toxotes chataerus, while Oreochromis niloticus, Oreochromis mossambicus, Hexanematichthys sagor and Megalops cyprinoides. While the types of molluscs found to have the highest abundance were Pila ampullacea, Pomacea canaliculata and Pilsbryoconcha exilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The edge is a meeting place between two ecosystems, or it can also be interpreted as a boundary where two habitats meet and interact. The presence of edges can create an edge effect and increase richness and species abundance. In the present study, we analyzed how edge and vegetation diversity affect a) bird communities and b) how birds respond to edges. Observation plots were placed in jamblang stands and coconut plantations (edge and interior). Bird communities were observed using point counts with a fixed radius of 25 m, and the distance between plots was 50 m. A survey of vegetation diversity was conducted using a combination of the transect and plot methods. The research showed that the highest species richness and diversity of birds (128 individuals of 18 species) and vegetation (168 individuals of 20 species) were found at the edge, although there were only slight differences in the number of species in each habitat. This was influenced by the structure and composition of the vegetation at the observation site. Nevertheless, this proves that the edge effect shapes the composition of bird communities. There are 9 species of bird can be mapped into 4 response models: generalis neutral, generalist edge exploiter, specialist edge exploiter, and edge specialist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A methodology for monitoring the food resources of two threatened species of European mustelids was developed and successfully tested. It was based on abundance estimates of rodents considered the main prey of the Marbled and the Steppe polecats in Bulgaria: the European ground squirrel, the lesser blind mole-rat, and the voles. Most of the sampling sites were characterized by low abundance of all three investigated prey species. Differences in rodent species' abundance were observed among regions. Among the five examined regions, West Central Bulgaria, which exhibits the highest occurrence of the marbled polecat, is characterized by the most abundant prey, although the optimal prey was not present in the studied sites. Our results suggest that in the western part of its range the distribution of the marbled polecat may not be as reliant on the presence of the European ground squirrel as traditionally assumed. Being simple and unexpensive the proposed transect method for assessment of the polecats' prey abundance is suitable for conservation purposes and national or regional monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population structure and herd pattern of the blackbucks were investigated in a semi-arid area of village Badopal, Fatehabad, Haryana, which is surrounded by human settlements and agricultural intensification. Fortnightly, 25 field visits were conducted from September 2019 to August 2020 during four different season(s) and data was recorded by Scan sampling and line transect method in morning and evening hours. Total of 1900 individuals were screened which were divided into six herd categories with six age groups of both sexes. The adult male to adult female ratio during study period was recorded 25.02 with maximum 51.10% contribution in the population from adult females. Out of the total 133 groups screened, maximum 45 groups were sighted in autumn and minimum 14 in summer and overall annual group mean was 14.54 ± 2.43 with a mean crowding of 26.39. Out of the total six herd categories sighted at the site, maximum number was 42 for harem herd (HH = 42) and minimum was 9 for female herd (FH = 9) and the species exhibited partial social organization because both herd and solitary animals were observed. On the basis of seasonal and annual means, the DMRT test revealed that the size of harem herd (HH) was statistically maximum (P < 0.05) among all other categories. It is practically difficult to make a species-specific efficient conservation plan without regular monitoring of population size and knowledge of a species' sociality. Present study provide an insight of population structure and social behavior of blackbuck among a human dominating landscape, therefore, it can be implemented for long term habitat management of this isolated fragmented population and many such small populations throughout the western Haryana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects are key fauna species that respond quickly to disturbances and environmental changes. They act as good indicators of habitat, community, or ecosystem quality. Among the great diversity of insects, butterflies stand as ideal bio-indicators for ecosystem function and are sensitive to changes in habitat composition and structure. This study was carried out to examine the diversity and abundance of butterflies across the restored habitats in Usangu area part of Ruaha National Park (RUNAPA) from May 2022 to June 2022 using the walking transect method supplemented by sweep nets and butterfly baited traps. A total of six transects of 1 km in length were laid in the four main habitat types selected in Usangu area including grassland, Miombo woodland, Vachellia/Commiphora woodland, and riverine forest. Searches were conducted in the morning and evening. The Miombo woodland and riverine forest habitats exhibited relatively higher species diversity, richness, evenness, abundance, and a higher number of habitat-restricted species, while Vachellia/Commiphora woodland and grassland habitats recorded the lowest diversity and abundance as well as the lowest number of habitat-restricted species. Family Nymphalidae was the most dominant followed by Pieridae while Papilionidae and Hesperiidae were scarce in the study area. This study clearly shows the importance of Miombo woodland and riverine forest habitats in sustaining rich butterfly diversity and abundance in Usangu area. The two habitats must be effectively managed and conserved for sustaining ecological health and integrity of Usangu area. The Usangu area's Miombo woodland and riverine forest habitats have immense potential for butterfly tourism and they can offer an excellent opportunity to promote conservation efforts and raise public awareness. However, it is crucial to monitor these habitats closely as any environmental changes that may occur could harm the butterfly diversity and abundance in the area. Preserving this wilderness to maintain a thriving butterfly population is of utmost importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: While laparoscopic pelvic exenteration reduces intraoperative blood loss, dorsal venous complex bleeding during this procedure causes issues. We previously introduced a method to transect the dorsal venous complex and urethra using a linear stapler during cooperative laparoscopic and transperineal endoscopic (two-team) pelvic exenteration. The present study assessed its effectiveness in reducing intraoperative blood loss by comparing it with conventional laparoscopic pelvic exenteration. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at a Japanese tertiary referral center. Eleven cases of two-team laparoscopic pelvic exenteration with staple transection of the dorsal venous complex (T-PE group) were compared to 25 cases of conventional laparoscopic pelvic exenteration (C-PE group). The primary outcome measure was intraoperative blood loss. Results: There were no significant between-group differences in patient background. The mean intraoperative blood loss was significantly lower in the T-PE group than in the C-PE group (200 vs. 850 mL, p = 0.01). The respective mean operation time, postoperative complication rate, and R0 resection rate were similar between the T-PE and C-PE groups (636 min vs. 688 min, p = 0.36; 36% vs. 44%, p = 0.65; 100% vs. 100%, p = 1.00). Conclusions: Two-team laparoscopic pelvic exenteration with staple transection of the dorsal venous complex reduced intraoperative blood loss from the dorsal venous complex in a technically safe and oncologically feasible manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long‐term species monitoring programmes have revealed catastrophic declines in insect populations and disruption of biological communities that are contributing to biodiversity loss. Such discoveries have been possible because of standardised methods, such as line transects, of counting butterflies and other insects. However, line transects are not feasible in many tropical and mountainous habitats, so alternative methods must be explored.To tackle this issue, we devised time‐constrained (30‐min) counts and compared butterfly diversity estimated through timed counts and line transects in three tropical habitats in India (evergreen forest, dry deciduous forest and an urban woodland). We tested the relative performance of the two methods in sampling species richness and abundance, as well as numbers of rare, endemic and specialist butterflies.We observed greater overall species richness, and more species of habitat specialists and endemics per sample in time‐constrained counts in the evergreen forest, but not in the other two habitats. Thus, time‐constrained counts were relatively more efficient in detecting species in the species‐rich evergreen habitat. Apart from this difference, the two sampling methods captured similar levels of species richness and other measures of diversity.Our study thus shows that time‐constrained counts are a suitable if not a superior alternative to line transects to conduct butterfly diversity surveys and population monitoring in complex tropical landscapes. Due to methodological flexibility and simplicity, time‐constrained counts may be particularly useful to study the impacts of climate change, habitat fragmentation and land use practices on butterfly, Odonata and other insect populations in populous and tech‐ready tropical countries using citizen science frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The reef flats at the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan, are exposed to the accelerated development associated with increased interest in recreational marine activities such as diving and snorkeling. The physical damage from net entanglement and overfishing has also affected the coral reef. This research evaluated the effects of aquatic, commercial, and land-based activities on the total coral cover in the Aqaba Marine Park (Now the Aqaba Marine Reserve) and the power station located north of the reserve. Materials and Methods: The line transect method was used to estimate the coral cover, followed by measuring the distance of the 13 diving sites to the different landscape disturbances and applying a linear regression analysis. Results: The results showed no significant relationship between the distance to the nearest human disturbance and the entire coral cover in the depth categories. In addition, there was no significant difference between low and high-frequency diving pressure and the mean coral cover at any depth category and no significant difference in the mean coral cover between low and high-frequency snorkeling sites. Sites with higher fishing activity had significantly lower coral cover than sites with lower fishing activity. However, there was no significant difference in the mean coral cover between sights with higher and lower fishing activity at the 21-30 m depth range. Conclusion: The study illustrated that local marine recreational activities (diving and snorkeling) do not affect the coral cover structure up to 10 meters depths. However, considerable coral degradation was found in high fishing zones less than 10 meters deep, which correlates with illegal fishing activities. We believe illegal fishing has negatively affected the coral cover, and recreational marine activities reduced coral cover, especially in diving areas requiring shore entrance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In the central Mexican Pacific, there are few studies on asteroid ecology. These species are generally distributed randomly, although in some cases groups or aggregations can be found. In Los Arcos, south of Puerto Vallarta, in Bahía de Banderas, Mexico, Luidia bellonae was observed for the first time in a massive aggregation in 2021. Objective: To report the new record of this species in this region of the Mexican Pacific and its massive aggregation event. Methods: Transects and surveys were carried out to quantify the density and measure the sea star individuals in Los Arcos, Bahía de Banderas during 2021, 2022, and 2023. Results: Average densities of 2.65 ind/m2 and up to 7 ind/m2 were found. In total, in the approximate area of 900 m2, 630 individuals were registered. The specimens measured (R) between 2 and 12 cm, and most measured between 4 and 8 cm. Conclusions: L. bellonae has been reported in different places in some states of the Mexican Pacific; however, it was not registered for Bahía de Banderas nor Los Arcos, nor in the amount reported here, therefore this is the first record for the species with a massive presence for the Mexican Pacific. The appearance of the large number of L. bellonae specimens in Los Arcos in 2021 could have been the result of a combination of factors, including the low water temperature, with values up to 15 °C, and the high amount of nutrients. This finding demonstrates the need for more studies on echinoderms and marine species to understand the influence of environmental conditions on their life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The line transect survey method is commonly used to estimate the population size. However, recent developments in this field have tended to prefer practical mathematical models for this purpose. In this study, a new model called the weighted Weibull detection model was introduced to specifically address certain criteria related to line transect data. This study thoroughly explored the characteristics of this new model, including its shapes, moments, and probability density functions. The maximum likelihood estimation and Bayesian estimation methods were employed to ensure accurate parameter estimation. To gauge the performance of this model, population size estimates were generated and compared with various existing parametric estimation methods that are commonly used in the field. Through simulations, the resulting estimates were assessed and compared to widely adopted approaches for estimating population size. Additionally, this mathematical model was applied to real-world data involving perpendicular distances, allowing for a direct comparison of its performance against both traditional and contemporary methods using various measures of goodness of fit. Moreover, the study calculates statistical metrics, such as the variance-covariance matrix, parameter confidence intervals, and estimated population size, were obtained using the proposed detection model. These metrics provide valuable insights into the precision and uncertainty associated with estimated parameters and population size estimates. Confidence intervals offer a range of plausible parameter values, whereas the variance- covariance matrix quantifies the relationships and uncertainties between the estimated parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A census was carried out using the method of transects along stretches of coast of the Province of Trapani in order to estimate the wintering population of Common Sandpiper and Ruddy Turnstone. Although the International Waterbird Census (IWC) provides accurate estimation of wintering waders in Italy, the number of wintering individuals of Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos and Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres are strongly underestimated. The reason for this underestimation lies in the type of habitat they are used to populate along with the solitary life habits of the Common Sandpiper. To address this issue, we inspected 46.9 km of coastline where we recorded to 92 Ruddy Turnstones and 56 Common Sandpipers. For both species, the sites (coast) where bird-sightings occurred were marked with georeferenced data and classified as harbour area, sandy, rocky (including vermetid reefs) and posidonia banquettes. For each species, the IKA (Index of Abundance per Kilometer) was calculated, both global index and relative to each type of coast. As for the Common Sandpiper we observed 87 individuals, between transects and spot observations in the province of Trapani, which is the 22% of the whole wintering population estimated in Italy. Notably, even greater is the importance of our observations of the Ruddy Turnstone, which accounting for up to 154 individuals corresponds to the 71% of the whole Italian wintering population. Projection of these data to the entire Italian coast allows estimating a wintering population in Italy much larger than that reported so far, especially for the Common Sandpiper, which uses not only the sea cost but also inland wetlands and rivers as suitable wintering habitats for wintering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted from March 2021 to February 2022 in the Thal desert and Trimmu barrage of district Jhang located in the Punjab province of Pakistan to find out the diversity, abundance, and distribution of birds. The point count method was used for the Trimmu barrage, and the line transect method was used for the collection of data in the Thal desert area. We recorded 31,696 individuals belonging to 67 species of birds from two distinct types of habitats (Thal desert and Trimmu barrage) of district Jhang. Among these species, 39 species were residents, 18 species were winter visitors, 9 species were summer breeders, and a single species (Terek sandpiper) was a passage migrant. Highly significant differences ( X 2 = 14979.7 , df = 11 , and P < 0.01) were observed in the abundance of birds between both habitats on every month. From the Thal desert area, 12,905 individuals belonging to 45 species were identified while 18,791 individuals from 58 bird species were observed in the Trimmu barrage, with 36 bird species among 67 species being common at both habitats. The most dominant species of the Trimmu barrage were the common pochard, little grebe, common coot, cattle egret, gadwall, little egret, red-wattled lapwing, and common teal. On the other hand, the Indian roller, common quail, cattle egret, common myna, and Indian kite were found to be the most common species in the Thal desert. The most notable feature of the present study is the identification of Xenus cinereus (Terek sandpiper) and Ammomanes phoenicura (rufous-tailed lark) in district Jhang as both species had no previous record in the study area. The Trimmu barrage was the more diverse and abundant site compared to the Thal desert as it provides both terrestrial and aquatic habitats for birds. The study determined that more varieties in the habitat and thermal changes affect the diversity, abundance, and distribution of birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A geospatial analysis of shoreline change pattern is most significant parameter to understand the behavioral interaction between land and sea water. Geospatial analyses using various statistical and quantitative methods which are more applicable, accurate and dependable to measures the spatio-temporal trend of erosion accretion and estimate the change rate of shoreline. Remote sensing and GIS techniques have been used for the identification of shoreline change over the various time scales. To identify the rate Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) was applied in the current research. The present study aimed to identify the trend of coastal erosion accretion during 43 years (1975–2018) which is divided into four short term period (1975–1988, 1988–2000, 2000–2010 and 2010–2018) between the coastal stretch of Subarnarekha and Rasulpur estuary along Bay of Bengal using multi temporal satellite images. The accurate shoreline position has been delineated by the histogram threshold method using the images of Landsat Multi Spectral Scanner, Thematic Mapper and Enhanced Thematic Mapper. The shoreline change rate has been calculated based on cast transect method through some statistical techniques such as End Point Rate (EPR) and Net Shoreline Movement (NSM) in GIS application. 70.42 km long coastal stretch along Bay of Bengal has been divided into three littoral zones (LZ) to analyze the shoreline shifting on a zone basis. From the analysis it has been observed that maximum erosion occurred between 1988 and 2000 time period in all zones. The result shows that highest rate of net shoreline movement has been found in LZ I (− 1715.71 m) in 1975–1988 and LZ III (− 1719.65 m) in 2000–2010 at Subarnarekha estuary and Junput respectively. The present study reveals that most of the accretive formation is observed in 2000–2010 and 2010–2018. Major accretion is identified in the southern part of Subarnarekha estuary, 23.93 m/year in EPR method. Maximum shades of changes was experienced in LZ I, especially in Subarnarekha estuary area. In the time span of 1975–1988 this area faced the highest erosion and highest accretion with the rate of − 78.54 m/year and 23.93 m/year respectively through EPR method. During 1988–2000, − 37.35 m/year erosional rate was found in the Subarnarekha estuary. The highest erosional rate was − 8.48 m/year in Beguran Jalpai during 1988–2000 by EPR. The maximum rate of accretion has been noticed as 7.7 m/year in LZ II in the time period of 2010–2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the sensitivity of invertebrates to environmental changes, their presence can serve as an indicator of coral reef health and water quality. This study seeks to ascertain the abundance of invertebrates, the structure of the invertebrate community, and their relationship with coral cover and water quality parameters in the waters of Sempu Strait. The belt transect method and the underwater photo transect (UPT) are used to determine the abundance of invertebrates and coral cover, respectively. Temperature, pH, DO, salinity, and water clarity are measured for water quality. According to the study's findings, seven of the nine invertebrate species were found. Between October 2021 and May 2022, seven of nine invertebrate biota categories, 733 species, and 606 species dominated by Diadema sea urchins were observed every two months. The invertebrate abundance ranged from 0.024 to 0.512. A low and imbalanced invertebrate diversity ranges from 0.078 to 0.493 (H' < 1). The range of the equality index (E < 0.4) is between 0.04 and 0.22, indicating a low community index. There are three levels of dominance index values: low, medium, and high. Due to their abundance, Diadema sea urchins dominate the Sempu Strait, particularly near the Jetty Station with its port activity. Coverage of coral reefs varies between 6% and 21.3%, indicating low and damaged corals. The correlation between coral cover and invertebrate abundance is moderate in Banyu Tawar and Rumah Apung (0.480 to 0.490), whereas it is weak in Waru-Waru, Watu Meja, and Jetty (-0.037-0.225). The abundance of invertebrates has a weak link with values ranging from -0.037 to -0.283 for water clarity, temperature, salinity, DO, and pH, but it has a strong correlation with a value of 0.610 for current velocity. The environment, including human activities and water quality, has a significant impact on macroinvertebrate communities. Environmentally tolerant macroinvertebrates will outcompete the vulnerable ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pink pigmentation on massive corals is quite commonly observed in the global reefs, but its function on the surface area of corals is less understood. In the present study, the coral video transect method was employed to document the incidence of pink pigmentation on Porites colonies from 21 islands under the Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve (GoMMBR), India. Results revealed that 19% (n = 77 out of 517) of Porites sp. colonies displayed pink pigmentation as a stress indicator in response to the colonization of epibionts. Porites colonies exhibited pink pigmentation when infected with epibionts like a vermetid snail, Ceraesignum sp. (12%; n = 49), a rhodolith, Hydrolithon sp. (5%; n = 21), or both (2%; n = 7). This study indicates that Porites pink pigment deposition aids in minimizing surface tissue area damage by preventing further progression of infesting agents such as vermitid snails and rhodoliths on the surface areas of corals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]