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ABSTRACT Aim Location Methods Results Main Conclusions People have strongly influenced the biosphere for millennia, but how their increasing activities have shaped wildlife distribution is incompletely understood. We examined how the distribution of European large (>8 kg), wild mammals has changed in association with changing anthropogenic pressures and climate change through the Holocene.Europe.We used over 17,000 zooarchaeological records of 20 species spanning 12,000 years to develop time‐calibrated species distribution models, incorporating dynamic data on cropland extent, natural vegetation fragmentation, human population density and climate. We assessed habitat availability and potential species richness across time and within seven biogeographical regions. We also compared anthropogenic pressures at zooarchaeological record sites with present‐day habitats of remaining large mammals to evaluate recent increases in their potential for coexistence with human activities.We found a continuous decline in potential large mammal species richness, particularly linked to changes in human population density. Most habitat loss became evident continentally after 1500 AD, but in the Atlantic and Mediterranean bioregions, habitat loss reached 20% during the Iron/Roman Ages (1000 BC–500 AD) due to increasing human population density. Climate change initially boosted species richness (+0.67 species/km2 on average) until the end of the Mesolithic but had negligible effects afterward. Today, large mammals appear to have a higher potential for coexisting with people compared to the past (e.g., herbivores today inhabit areas with a mean human population density of 95 people/km2, compared to an average of 17 people/km2 in the period 1500–2000 AD).Our study emphasizes the crucial role of anthropogenic pressures over natural climate change in determining the distribution and diversity of large mammal communities throughout history. Additionally, our results indicate that contemporary anthropogenic trends like land‐use de‐intensification and stronger conservation policies can counteract the impact of past, higher anthropogenic pressures and reverse defaunation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lualaba Province, located in the southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), consists of five territories with varied dominant land uses: agriculture (Dilolo, Kapanga, and Musumba in the west) and mining (Mutshatsha and Lubudi in the east). The province also includes protected areas with significant governance challenges. The tropical dry forests that cover the unique Miombo woodland of Lualaba are threatened by deforestation, which poses risks to biodiversity and local livelihoods that depend on these forests for agriculture and forestry. To quantify the spatio-temporal dynamics of Lualaba's landscape, we utilized Landsat images from 1990 to 2024, supported by a Random Forest Classifier. Landscape metrics were calculated at multiple hierarchical levels: province, territory, and protected areas. A key contribution of this work is its identification of pronounced deforestation trends in the unique Miombo woodlands, where the overall woodland cover has declined dramatically from 62.9% to less than 25%. This is coupled with a marked increase in landscape fragmentation, isolation of remaining woodland patches, and a shift toward more heterogeneous land use patterns, as evidenced by the Shannon diversity index. Unlike previous research, our study distinguishes between the dynamics in agricultural territories—which are particularly vulnerable to deforestation—and those in mining areas, where Miombo forest cover remains more intact but is still under threat. This nuanced distinction between land use types offers critical insights into the differential impacts of economic activities on the landscape. Our study also uncovers significant deforestation within protected areas, underscoring the failure of current governance structures to safeguard these critical ecosystems. This comprehensive analysis offers a novel contribution to the literature by linking the spatial patterns of deforestation to both agricultural and mining pressures while simultaneously highlighting the governance challenges that exacerbate landscape transformation. Lualaba's Miombo woodlands are at a critical juncture, and without urgent, coordinated intervention from local and international stakeholders, the ecological and socio-economic foundations of the region will be irreversibly compromised. Urgent action is needed to implement land conservation policies, promote sustainable agricultural practices, strengthen Miombo woodland regulation enforcement, and actively support protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and anthropogenic influences amplify drought complexity, entangle non‐stationarity (NS) and further challenge drought comprehension. This study aims to understand the dynamic evolution of drought propagation patterns due to climatic and anthropogenic pressures by assessing the non‐stationary linkages between hydrological variables and drought characteristics. It employs four standardized drought indicators to comprehensively examine the spatio‐temporal evolution of meteorological (MD) and hydrological (HD) drought characteristics. Data from 29 semi‐arid catchments from six river basins in Peninsular India, are analyzed to uncover distinct drought propagation patterns. This study utilizes a novel Non‐overlapping Block‐stratified Random Sampling (NBRS) approach to detect NS in drought characteristics and hydrological variables, shedding light on the underlying drivers of this dynamic behavior. The results indicate similarities in drought behavior for the Sabarmati, Mahi and Tapi (SMT) basins compared with the Godavari, Krishna and Pennar (GKP) basins, with shorter (longer) propagation times noted for SMT (GKP) basins. While HD severity decreases over time in SMT basins, it intensifies in GKP basins, which are linked to intensive anthropogenic interventions such as river regulation and reservoir operations, thus resulting in prolonged and intensified droughts. Rainfall primarily exhibits time‐invariance, while significant NS is observed in potential evapotranspiration (particularly in the Krishna and Pennar basins), streamflow and baseflow across all basins. The study also identified three distinct drought propagation patterns in these basins, highlighting cases where MD did not transition to HD, instances of HD occurring without preceding MD and synchronous propagation of MD to HD. The study outcomes provide profound insights into the evolution of drought dynamics under climatic and anthropogenic pressures, which will aid policymakers and stakeholders in formulating strategies for drought preparedness and response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal bottlenose dolphin populations are highly vulnerable due to their small population sizes and proximity to human activities. Long‐term studies in the UK have monitored populations protected within Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) since the 1990s, but a small community of bottlenose dolphins inhabiting the coastal waters of southern England has received much less attention. The English Channel is one of the most heavily impacted marine ecosystems worldwide and increasing anthropogenic pressures pose a severe threat to the long‐term viability of this population. Conservation measures to protect these animals have been hindered by a lack of knowledge of population size, distribution and ranging behaviour. This study aimed to fill these knowledge gaps. A citizen science sighting network yielded 7458 sighting reports of bottlenose dolphins between 2000 and 2020. Resightings of identified individuals were used to estimate abundance, distribution, and ranging behaviour. Social structure analysis revealed a discrete interconnected group of animals in shallow coastal waters, which did not appear to mix with conspecifics identified further offshore. A Bayesian multi‐site mark–recapture analysis estimated that this population comprises around 48 animals (CV = 0.18, 95% HPDI = 38–66). These dolphins ranged between North Cornwall and Sussex, with an average individual range of 530 km (68–760 km). Areas of high‐modelled habitat suitability were found to overlap with high levels of anthropogenic pressure, with pollution and boat traffic identified as the most pervasive threats. Although adult survival rates indicated that the population was relatively stable from 2008 to 2019 (0.945 (0.017 ± SE)), the small population size implies a significant risk to their long‐term viability and resilience to environmental change. By highlighting the most deleterious anthropogenic activities and regions of conservation significance, our results will be useful for developing management policies for threat mitigation and population conservation, to protect this vulnerable group of dolphins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This editorial provides an overview of the challenges faced by estuarine wetlands due to human activities and global climate change. It emphasizes the need for ecological restoration and adaptive management to protect the biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by these wetlands. The article discusses advancements in underground ecological observation technologies and their impact on estuarine wetlands, including plant root growth and their ability to absorb water and ions. It also explores the effects of plant root allelopathy, soil physicochemical properties, and bioturbation by burrowing organisms on plant-soil interactions and nutrient migration. The article highlights the importance of ecological restoration projects in mitigating degradation and improving the resilience of estuarine ecosystems, while acknowledging the challenges and the need for innovative approaches. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of monitoring restoration efforts and understanding long-term adaptation in estuarine wetland habitats. [Extracted from the article]

The Francois' langur (Trachypithecus francoisi) is a rare primate species indicated as endangered and distributed in karst areas in northern Vietnam and southwestern China. However, research limited to specific nature reserves or sites has hampered holistic conservation management. A comprehensive map of the potential distribution for the Francois' langur is essential to advance conservation efforts and ensure coordinated management across regions. Here, we used 82 occurrence records of Francois' langur surveyed in Guangxi, Guizhou, and Chongqing from 2017 to 2020, along with 12 environmental variables, to build the potential habitat model under current and future climate (2030, 2050, 2070, and 2090s) using maximum entropy models (MaxEnt). Our results indicated that (1) precipitation‐ and temperature‐associated bioclimatic variables contributed the most to the distribution of Francois' langur. Vegetation, water sources, and anthropogenic variables also affected its distribution; (2) a total of 144,207.44 km2 of potential suitable habitat across the entire range in China was estimated by the current model. Moderate‐ and high‐suitability habitats accounted for only 23.76% (34,265.96 km2) of the predicted suitable habitat and were mainly distributed in southwest Guangxi, east of Chongqing, and the border between Guizhou and Chongqing; (3) the suitable habitats of Francois' langur will contract considerably under future climate change, and the habitat centroid will move in the southeast direction with a shifting distance of approximately 2.84 km/year from current to 2100. The habitat prediction of Francois' langur and the main drivers proposed in this study could provide essential insights for the future conservation of this endangered species. The existing distribution areas should be monitored and protected, but conservation beyond existing habitats should also be a focus of effort, especially in future expansion areas. This would ensure effective and timely protection under climate change and anthropogenic pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the growth in Antarctic tourism has stimulated research on the anthropogenic impacts on the region, boosted by advances in OMIC technologies applied to polar microbial communities. This study aimed to assess the human impacts on marine prokaryotic and viral communities of Deception Island by identifying potential taxonomic, functional, and resistome indicators of both anthropogenic and natural/volcanic pressures. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria were the dominant phyla, with notable variations attributed to volcanic activity and anthropogenic pressure. The abundance of Euryarchaeota in regions with increased volcanic activity underlines their adaptability to extreme conditions. Their mercury resistance coupled with their ability to cope with toxic heavy metals is a critical component in managing volcanic mercury concentrations. Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Synergistetes showed distinctive abundance patterns with potential ecological implications related to volcanic environments. Functional analyses revealed the enrichment of functions associated with metal-based, hydrocarbon degradation, and nitrogen metabolism. Submarine volcanic vents contributed significantly to the shape of functional diversity. Identification of specific functions related to nosocomial infections and gastroenteritis highlights the impact of anthropogenic activities on functional traits. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) showed nuanced patterns influenced by both anthropogenic pressure and volcanic activity. Actinobacteria were correlated with increased ARG abundance, which was enhanced by wastewater disposal. Remarkably, Fumarole Bay showed an increased prevalence of certain ARGs, despite a lower anthropogenic impact, suggesting a unique selective pressure induced by volcanic activity. The responsiveness of these indicators to varying levels of pressure characterizes them as valuable tools for assessing and mitigating anthropogenic impacts on the marine waters of Deception Island.

Coastal and estuarine habitats are essential for both growth and survival at juvenile stages for a large proportion of marine fish but are exposed to a variety of threats. However, the quantitative impacts of anthropic‐mediated nursery degradation on exploited population dynamics and productivity are rarely addressed. We developed a comprehensive steepness‐based parameterization of the stock–recruitment relationship that directly depends upon juvenile habitat quality and surface area and used a generic age‐ and stage‐structured model to simulate exploited population dynamics under nursery degradation/restoration scenarios. Population responses to juvenile habitat modification were estimated for three species with contrasting life histories. Modifying the surface area of nursery habitat has a predictable direct scaling effect on population size and affects biomass and fishing yield, with identical responses observed for various life histories. Modification of habitat quality affects both the population size and the shape of the productivity curve, leading to more complex responses of biomass and fishing yields that depend upon combinations of life history traits. Populations with low steepness and hence lower resiliency to fishing are the most sensitive to the degradation of habitat quality. Our study emphasizes the critical impact of juvenile habitat modification on population dynamics and productivity and the need to integrate habitat consideration into the management of exploited marine species. Our modelling framework is generalizable and can be extended to handle many diverse life histories and case studies to quantify the consequences of coastal habitat degradation/restoration for the dynamics of exploited marine fish populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical coastal benthic communities will change in species composition and relative dominance due to global (e.g., increasing water temperature) and local (e.g., increasing terrestrial influence due to land-based activity) stressors. This study aimed to gain insight into possible trajectories of coastal benthic assemblages in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, by studying coral reefs at varying distances from human activities and marine lakes with high turbidity in three temperature categories (<31 °C, 31-32 °C, and >32 °C). The benthic community diversity and relative coverage of major benthic groups were quantified via replicate photo transects. The composition of benthic assemblages varied significantly among the reef and marine lake habitats. The marine lakes <31 °C contained hard coral, crustose coralline algae (CCA), and turf algae with coverages similar to those found in the coral reefs (17.4-18.8% hard coral, 3.5-26.3% CCA, and 15-15.5% turf algae, respectively), while the higher temperature marine lakes (31-32 °C and >32 °C) did not harbor hard coral or CCA. Benthic composition in the reefs was significantly influenced by geographic distance among sites but not by human activity or depth. Benthic composition in the marine lakes appeared to be structured by temperature, salinity, and degree of connection to the adjacent sea. Our results suggest that beyond a certain temperature (>31 °C), benthic communities shift away from coral dominance, but new outcomes of assemblages can be highly distinct, with a possible varied dominance of macroalgae, benthic cyanobacterial mats, or filter feeders such as bivalves and tubeworms. This study illustrates the possible use of marine lake model systems to gain insight into shifts in the benthic community structure of tropical coastal ecosystems if hard corals are no longer dominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clarifying the driving mechanisms of spatial and temporal changes in the regulating ecosystem service value (RESV) is an important part of realizing the goal of sustainable development. Existing studies have focused on specific factors, ignoring the complex interactions between factors and their regional differences. In this regard, the spatial and temporal changes of RESV and its driving mechanisms in the different zones (core area, fringe area, and peripheral area) were explored in the Poyang Lake Area, China. The results showed that RESV spatially showed the distribution characteristics of fringe area > core area > peripheral area, while the lakes influenced the provision of regulating ecosystem services, showing that RESV per unit area was higher in the core area, and gradually declined with the increase of distance from the lakes, presenting the decreasing trend of fringe area > peripheral area. From 2000 to 2020, the study area lost 70.5988 billion CNY for RESV, in which the core area was the most affected. Further analysis of the driving mechanism of RESV in different areas found that there are regional differences in the paths of the driving factors: Population density mainly affects the core area, precipitation mainly affects the fringe area, and GDP per land mainly affects the peripheral area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of heavy metal pollution in agricultural fields has emerged as a pressing global environmental concern, significantly affecting agricultural productivity, food security, human health, and the integrity of ecosystems. Conducting soil heavy metal pollution prevention and remediation efforts to ensure environmental and food safety has become a critical practical requirement in the environmental field. This study investigates the levels of heavy metals, risk status, pollution sources, and contributions in rural, urban–rural interface, and urban agricultural lands in Chengdu, China. Additionally, it discusses the relationship between potential pollution factors and pathways and varying human pressures, aiming to assess the overall state of heavy metal pollution in agricultural lands in Chengdu, China. The research results indicate that rural, urban–rural interface, and urban agricultural lands in Chengdu exhibit varying degrees of heavy metal pollution, with arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) being the most severe pollutants. The concentrations of arsenic (As) (17.5 %, 15 %, 18.33 %) and cadmium (Cd) (23 %, 0.4 %, /) in soil samples from these areas all exceed the risk thresholds (Cd-0.6 mg/kg, As-20 mg/kg, pH > 8). Furthermore, the spatial variability of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) is high (CV > 35 %), suggesting significant influence from anthropogenic activities. Geostatistical analysis using the Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo) and Enrichment Factor (EF) indicates that As and Cd are present at slight to moderately pollution and enrichment levels across all areas, with some areas also showing slight pollution/enrichment levels of nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn), while lead (Pb) pollution was not detected. The APCS-MLR (Absolute Principal Component Scores-Multiple Linear Regression) analysis reveals that the sources of pollution in rural, urban–rural interface, and urban agricultural lands primarily include livestock manure and natural sources, as well as agricultural activities. In urban agricultural lands, pollution sources are more complex, including industrial activities. Livestock manure and natural sources contribute significantly to the presence of nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb) (45.09 %–93 %), whereas agricultural activities have a high contribution rate to arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) (27 %–72 %). Industrial sources significantly influence the levels of Zn (44.03 %) and Ni (35.55 %) in urban agricultural lands, and they also affect the concentrations of arsenic (As) (5.15 %) and cadmium (Cd) (20 %) to a notable extent. Building on existing literature, this study focuses on the characteristics of heavy metal pollution in agricultural lands across different areas of Chengdu under varying anthropogenic pressures. It emphasizes the influence of areal organizational functions and socio-industrial structures on the levels of heavy metal risk in agricultural soils by establishing a robust APCS-MLR model and employing integrated data analysis methods that incorporate Geo-accumulation (Igeo) and Enrichment factor (EF), this research provides valuable insights into the risk level, pollution sources, and contribution of heavy metals in agricultural land in Chengdu, China. These findings facilitate a prompt comprehension of the sources of metals in soil, and then formulate targeted control measures. To better solve the problem of heavy metal pollution in agricultural land in Chengdu, China.

Abstract In the face of climate change, the accelerating nature crisis, and other anthropogenic impacts, conserving biodiversity demands effective monitoring. While innovative approaches have emerged to enhance biodiversity assessment, significant data gaps persist, particularly within marine ecosystems. In this study, we assess the utility of combining citizen (community) science with environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding for characterizing and quantifying marine fish biodiversity. Over the summer of 2022, 32 volunteers conducted extensive water sampling in a large Norwegian fjord, yielding 96 samples. Contrasting eDNA findings with conventional observational surveys (such as a national species registration database and beach seine surveys) unveiled a substantial overlap in recorded species inventories. The eDNA citizen science initiative identified previously undocumented species and rediscovered others emphasizing an increase in warm‐water species within the study area. Additionally, eDNA data unveiled reduced diversity within the inner fjord relative to the outer fjord. To conclude, our study demonstrates the successful integration of eDNA within a citizen science framework, facilitating comprehensive biodiversity tracking across coastal marine regions. These findings hold promise for advancing marine conservation efforts by providing valuable data to inform critical decision‐making processes.

Abstract The Francois' langur (Trachypithecus francoisi) is a rare primate species indicated as endangered and distributed in karst areas in northern Vietnam and southwestern China. However, research limited to specific nature reserves or sites has hampered holistic conservation management. A comprehensive map of the potential distribution for the Francois' langur is essential to advance conservation efforts and ensure coordinated management across regions. Here, we used 82 occurrence records of Francois' langur surveyed in Guangxi, Guizhou, and Chongqing from 2017 to 2020, along with 12 environmental variables, to build the potential habitat model under current and future climate (2030, 2050, 2070, and 2090s) using maximum entropy models (MaxEnt). Our results indicated that (1) precipitation‐ and temperature‐associated bioclimatic variables contributed the most to the distribution of Francois' langur. Vegetation, water sources, and anthropogenic variables also affected its distribution; (2) a total of 144,207.44 km2 of potential suitable habitat across the entire range in China was estimated by the current model. Moderate‐ and high‐suitability habitats accounted for only 23.76% (34,265.96 km2) of the predicted suitable habitat and were mainly distributed in southwest Guangxi, east of Chongqing, and the border between Guizhou and Chongqing; (3) the suitable habitats of Francois' langur will contract considerably under future climate change, and the habitat centroid will move in the southeast direction with a shifting distance of approximately 2.84 km/year from current to 2100. The habitat prediction of Francois' langur and the main drivers proposed in this study could provide essential insights for the future conservation of this endangered species. The existing distribution areas should be monitored and protected, but conservation beyond existing habitats should also be a focus of effort, especially in future expansion areas. This would ensure effective and timely protection under climate change and anthropogenic pressures.

Lualaba Province, located in the southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), consists of five territories with varied dominant land uses: agriculture (Dilolo, Kapanga, and Musumba in the west) and mining (Mutshatsha and Lubudi in the east). The province also includes protected areas with significant governance challenges. The tropical dry forests that cover the unique Miombo woodland of Lualaba are threatened by deforestation, which poses risks to biodiversity and local livelihoods that depend on these forests for agriculture and forestry. To quantify the spatio-temporal dynamics of Lualaba’s landscape, we utilized Landsat images from 1990 to 2024, supported by a Random Forest Classifier. Landscape metrics were calculated at multiple hierarchical levels: province, territory, and protected areas. A key contribution of this work is its identification of pronounced deforestation trends in the unique Miombo woodlands, where the overall woodland cover has declined dramatically from 62.9% to less than 25%. This is coupled with a marked increase in landscape fragmentation, isolation of remaining woodland patches, and a shift toward more heterogeneous land use patterns, as evidenced by the Shannon diversity index. Unlike previous research, our study distinguishes between the dynamics in agricultural territories—which are particularly vulnerable to deforestation—and those in mining areas, where Miombo forest cover remains more intact but is still under threat. This nuanced distinction between land use types offers critical insights into the differential impacts of economic activities on the landscape. Our study also uncovers significant deforestation within protected areas, underscoring the failure of current governance structures to safeguard these critical ecosystems. This comprehensive analysis offers a novel contribution to the literature by linking the spatial patterns of deforestation to both agricultural and mining pressures while simultaneously highlighting the governance challenges that exacerbate landscape transformation. Lualaba’s Miombo woodlands are at a critical juncture, and without urgent, coordinated intervention from local and international stakeholders, the ecological and socio-economic foundations of the region will be irreversibly compromised. Urgent action is needed to implement land conservation policies, promote sustainable agricultural practices, strengthen Miombo woodland regulation enforcement, and actively support protected areas.

We conducted the first extensive breeding bird and habitat survey across 21 islands and islets spanning 600 km of the eastern Mediterranean coastline of Turkey in 2016. Eight of the 21 islands hosted breeding colonies of at least one of three seabird species: European Shag ( Gulosus aristotelis ) on four islands and two coastal cliffs with 9–29 breeding pairs, Yellow-legged Gull ( Larus michahellis ) on eight islands with 145–175 breeding pairs, and Audouin’s Gull ( Ichthyaetus audouinii ) on one island with 6–7 breeding pairs. Two Scopoli’s Shearwaters ( Calonectris diomedea ) were also observed during the coastal cruise, but no conclusive breeding evidence was collected. The single Audouin’s Gull breeding colony alternated between two nearby islands, and the breeding population fluctuated between 6–10 pairs between 2016 and 2023. Comparisons between previous population estimates and the present survey indicated that the Audouin’s Gull breeding colony has suffered a ~65–80% population loss in the last five decades. Habitat surveys revealed that 13 islands had some vegetation cover. Bushes were the dominant vegetation and hosted the highest seabird nest abundance. However, the highest seabird nest density was observed in herbaceous vegetation, which had only marginal coverage on the islands, potentially due to overgrazing by introduced rabbits and goats. Furthermore, surveys revealed occasional mortality of gull eggs, chicks, and adults as well as anthropogenic pressures on seabird breeding habitats such as uncontrolled recreational use and introduced mammals. The islands also hosted 15 other breeding bird species, including large populations of Alpine Swift ( Tachymarptis melba , ~270 pairs) as well as several raptor species. Overall, our results indicated that there is significant seabird breeding activity in the eastern Mediterranean coastline of Turkey and an urgent need for ecosystem management to protect the habitat quality of these islands for seabird breeding populations.

Conserving coral reefs is critical for maintaining marine biodiversity, protecting coastlines, and supporting livelihoods in many coastal communities. Climate change threatens coral reefs globally, but researchers have identified a portfolio of coral reefs (bioclimatic units [BCUs]) that are relatively less exposed to climate impacts and strongly connected to other coral reef systems. These reefs provide a proactive opportunity to secure a long-term future for coral reefs under climate change. To help guide local management efforts, we quantified marine cumulative human impact (CHI) from climate, marine, and land pressures (2013 and from 2008 to 2013) in BCUs and across countries tasked with BCU management. Additionally, we created a management index based on common management measures and policies for each pressure source (climate, marine, and land) to identify a country's intent and commitment to effectively manage these pressures. Twenty-two countries (79%) had increases in CHI from 2008 to 2013. Climate change pressures had the highest proportional contribution to CHI across all reefs and in all but one country (Singapore), but 18 BCUs (35%) and nine countries containing BCUs (32%) had relatively high land and marine impacts. There was a significant positive relationship between climate impact and the climate management index across countries (R2 = 0.43, p = 0.02), potentially signifying that countries with greater climate impacts are more committed to managing them. However, this trend was driven by climate management intent in Fiji and Bangladesh. Our results can be used to guide future fine-scale analyses, national policies, and local management decisions, and our management indices reveal areas where management components can be improved. Cost-effectively managing local pressures (e.g., fishing and nutrients) in BCUs is essential for building a climate-ready future that benefits coral reefs and people.

Bharathapuzha, the second largest west-flowing river in the Western Ghats, originates from the northern and southern parts of the Palghat gap and debouches into the Arabian Sea at Ponnani. This river is exposed to high levels of anthropogenic pressures. This study looks into avifaunal assemblage patterns and the factors influencing the structure of bird communities in different ecological zones of the Bharathapuzha River Basin. The syntropic birds and flocking birds contribute variations in the bird community assemblage in the river basin. For the water-dependent and water-associated birds, mudflats, water flow, riverside vegetation, and distance from the forest were found to be the influencing factors in the migratory season. The study also emphasized the importance of protecting these river-associated habitats for the conservation of birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological invasions threaten global biodiversity and can have severe economic and social impacts. The complexity of this problem challenges effective management of invasive alien species as the contribution of many factors involved in the invasion processes across different spatial scales is not well understood.Here, we identify the most important determinants associated with the occurrence of two invasive alien plants, the North American goldenrods (Solidago canadensis and S. gigantea), commonly found in agricultural landscapes of Europe. We used Google Street View images to perform a remote, large‐scale inventory of goldenrods along 1347 roadside transects across Poland. Using open access geospatial data and machine learning techniques, we investigated the relative role of nearly 50 variables potentially affecting the distribution of studied species at five spatial scales (from within 0.25 to 5 km of the studied locations).We found that the occurrence of goldenrods along roadsides was simultaneously associated with multiple drivers among which those related to human impacts, climate, soil properties and landscape structure were the most important, while local characteristics, such as road parameters or the presence of other alien plants were less influential. However, the relative contribution of different variables in predicting goldenrod distribution changed across spatial scales.Synthesis: Mechanisms underlying plant invasions are highly complex and a number of factors can jointly influence the outcomes of this process. However, since different invasion drivers operate at different spatial scales, some important associations may be overlooked when focusing on a single spatial context. Although associations were consistent in direction (positive or negative) across scales, their relative influence on goldenrod occurrence often changed. Socio‐economic factors were largely important at local scales, while the effect of landscape factors broadly increased with increasing spatial scale. We highlight that using multi‐scale approaches involving a wide range of variables may enable setting priorities for the management of invasive alien plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rise in human disturbance in Comoé National Park (CNP) has led to lion (Panthera leo) extirpation. After the crisis, there have been numerous efforts to restore this ecosystem and CNP's management authority is considering reintroducing lions. This ideally requires an understanding of the earlier process of lion extirpation. We assessed the causes of lion extirpation through semi-structured questionnaires to 307 volunteer participants in surrounding 23 villages. Respondents reported that lions were extirpated two decades ago (19.75 years ± 8.15). Bouna was the sector that lions seem to have disappeared first (mean = 23.61 years± 9.14) and recently on Nassian and Téhini sectors (mean = 18.43 years ± 8.17 and 18.74 years ± 6.74 respectively). People identified civil war from 2002 as the main facilitator of lion extirpation (85%; n = 261), which led to the abandonment of CNP, and opened the way for all forms of anthropogenic pressures including illegal hunting and prey depletion (70%; n = 216), illegal gold mining (74%; n = 227), direct lion killing due to transhumance and human-wildlife conflict (15%; n = 45), and wildfires (23%; n = 72). Historically, prey density curves show a progressive decrease with a drastic drop during the civil war period before a post-crisis recovery from 2016 to 2022. We recommend intensifying CNP monitoring and local measures to limit anthropogenic disturbances and improve indigenous communities' involvement to ensure the success of potential lion reintroduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a part of the marine ecosystem, seagrass plays a significant role in the coastal environment. However, due to increased threats from natural causes and anthropogenic pressures, seagrass decline will likely begin in many areas of the world. Therefore, several studies have been carried out to observe seagrass distribution to help resolve the issue. Remote sensing is often used due to its ability to achieve high accuracy when distinguishing seagrass distribution. Still, this method lacks in species classification because not all satellites and similar aerial vehicles have fine spatial resolution to distinguish distinct species of seagrass. In this study, we aim to address the issue by utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), which are known for providing finer resolution and better imagery. Samuh Beach at Tanjung Benoa, Bali, Indonesia, was chosen as the study site location because it experiences high levels of marine tourism and anthropogenic activities. From the UAV flight mission, the images obtained were processed. The result's accuracy was also tested with an error matrix. The species found in this study are Enhalus acoroides, Halodule pinifolia, Thalassia hemprichii, Cymodocea rotundata, and Syringodium isoetifolium, with 65% overall accuracy of the species classification map. This result indicates that UAVs can be a strong option for similar studies in the future. In addition to that, this study was able to observe the scars on the seagrass beds left by boat propeller activities from marine tourism. However, further research is needed to gain a better understanding of these objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The state of sea trout in 1251 Norwegian watercourses was assessed based on a scoring system for human pressures, abundance data, and local knowledge.Over 16,000 km of rivers and lakes were available to sea trout in these watercourses, spanning from the temperate to Arctic regions.Sea trout were classified to be in a good or very good state in fewer than 25% of the watercourses and in a poor or very poor state in almost 40%. Twenty‐nine watercourses had lost their sea trout populations.Salmon lice from aquaculture salmon farms had by far the largest adverse effect on sea trout among the human impact factors, both in the number of watercourses (83%) and river area affected (60%), and the total effect on sea trout abundance.Agriculture and hydropower production also had strong adverse impacts (35% and 19% of watercourses), but substantially lower than that caused by salmon lice. Culverts related to road crossings and other habitat alterations also had impacts on sea trout in many watercourses (27%).Exploitation of sea trout has been reduced in Norway in recent years, both in the marine and freshwater fisheries. Yet, the exploitation pressure was moderate or high in almost 14% of the watercourses where the state of sea trout was poor or very poor, suggesting a high potential for overexploitation in these.The state of sea trout was best in the northern sparsely populated areas. However, distribution of watercourses with sea trout in a poor or very poor state was more linked to aquaculture, agriculture, and hydropower production than human population density.The developed approach for large‐scale mapping of state and pressures, which is vital for prioritizing management measures, may inspire other nations in their conservation effort for this important species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diatoms are reliable environmental bioindicators, but their application in coastal environments remains limited. Substrate has been put forward in the literature as an important variable in determining diatom habitat preferences. This study focuses on benthic diatom assemblages and their relationship with substrate specificity in a subarctic tidal environment, which could be relevant for environmental monitoring and management. A variety of substrates were sampled and physicochemical variables measured in various areas of the Bay of Sept-Îles region (northern Gulf of Saint-Lawrence, Canada). We recorded 606 species at 14 sites from 11 substrate types to determine the associations between diatoms and their habitats. Our results suggest that the variability of assemblages in the bay is the result of a combination of the identified variables (temperature, salinity, and total dissolved solids), explaining 26.5% of the variation, and other unmeasured variables (e.g., nutrients, wave action, and currents). Substrate was not identified as a significant variable in the statistical analyses. However, some common species in the surveyed assemblages appeared to show preferences for the substrates they colonized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical coastal benthic communities will change in species composition and relative dominance due to global (e.g., increasing water temperature) and local (e.g., increasing terrestrial influence due to land-based activity) stressors. This study aimed to gain insight into possible trajectories of coastal benthic assemblages in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, by studying coral reefs at varying distances from human activities and marine lakes with high turbidity in three temperature categories (32 °C). The benthic community diversity and relative coverage of major benthic groups were quantified via replicate photo transects. The composition of benthic assemblages varied significantly among the reef and marine lake habitats. The marine lakes 32 °C) did not harbor hard coral or CCA. Benthic composition in the reefs was significantly influenced by geographic distance among sites but not by human activity or depth. Benthic composition in the marine lakes appeared to be structured by temperature, salinity, and degree of connection to the adjacent sea. Our results suggest that beyond a certain temperature (>31 °C), benthic communities shift away from coral dominance, but new outcomes of assemblages can be highly distinct, with a possible varied dominance of macroalgae, benthic cyanobacterial mats, or filter feeders such as bivalves and tubeworms. This study illustrates the possible use of marine lake model systems to gain insight into shifts in the benthic community structure of tropical coastal ecosystems if hard corals are no longer dominant.

Abstract: Aim We investigated the ichthyofauna parasite component community across a gradient of anthropogenic pressures of the Guaraguaçu River, south Brazil, a Neotropical river of central importance for biodiversity conservation. Methods After fish sampling, all fish were identified, measured, weighed and eviscerated. The viscera and gills were inspected for parasite screening and subsequent identification. Parasite diversity estimators were calculated for the most abundant host species. Results A total of 159 host specimens from 12 species were examined, being 140 (88.05%) found to be infected with at least one parasite, including 14 new parasite occurrences. The most widely distributed parasite was the nematode Contracaecum sp., found in 8 host species. The highest mean infection intensity and mean abundance was observed for the monogenean Aphanoblastella mastigatus, infecting the Silver catfish Rhamdia quelen. The Shannon-Wiener, Jost and Simpson indexes were higher for the more abundant fishes, except for the Trahira Hoplias malabaricus. Most host species harbored parasites in poorly aggregated distribution, according to the discrepancy index. The Berger-Parker index showed monogenean dominance in all hosts except for H. malabaricus. We found little evidence for parasite infracommunity changes across the gradient of the river. Conclusions We described the infection patterns in an important Neotropical river. The new parasite occurrences highlight the contribution of our study. Fish-parasite interactions changed throughout the river stretches, and we argue that it does not necessarily means changes in diversity and abundance of parasite within species, but the rearrange of interactions. Moreover, it seems that parasites are more abundant in most impacted sites, another reason to continue the monitoring.

Diatoms are reliable environmental bioindicators, but their application in coastal environments remains limited. Substrate has been put forward in the literature as an important variable in determining diatom habitat preferences. This study focuses on benthic diatom assemblages and their relationship with substrate specificity in a subarctic tidal environment, which could be relevant for environmental monitoring and management. A variety of substrates were sampled and physicochemical variables measured in various areas of the Bay of Sept-Îles region (northern Gulf of Saint-Lawrence, Canada). We recorded 606 species at 14 sites from 11 substrate types to determine the associations between diatoms and their habitats. Our results suggest that the variability of assemblages in the bay is the result of a combination of the identified variables (temperature, salinity, and total dissolved solids), explaining 26.5% of the variation, and other unmeasured variables (e.g., nutrients, wave action, and currents). Substrate was not identified as a significant variable in the statistical analyses. However, some common species in the surveyed assemblages appeared to show preferences for the substrates they colonized.

The world's primates have been severely impacted in diverse and profound ways by anthropogenic pressures. Here, we evaluate the impact of various infrastructures and human‐modified landscapes on spatial patterns of primate species richness, at both global and regional scales. We overlaid the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) range maps of 520 primate species and applied a global 100 km2 grid. We used structural equation modeling and simultaneous autoregressive models to evaluate direct and indirect effects of six human‐altered landscapes variables (i.e., human footprint [HFP], croplands [CROP], road density [ROAD], pasture lands [PAST], protected areas [PAs], and Indigenous Peoples' lands [IPLs]) on global primate species richness, threatened and non‐threatened species, as well as on species with decreasing and non‐decreasing populations. Two‐thirds of all primate species are classified as threatened (i.e., Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable), with ~86% experiencing population declines, and ~84% impacted by domestic or international trade. We found that the expansion of PAST, HFP, CROP, and road infrastructure had the most direct negative effects on primate richness. In contrast, forested habitat within IPLs and PAs was positively associated in safeguarding primate species diversity globally, with an even stronger effect at the regional level. Our results show that IPLs and PAs play a critical role in primate species conservation, helping to prevent their extinction; in contrast, HFP growth and expansion has a dramatically negative effect on primate species worldwide. Our findings support predictions that the continued negative impact of anthropogenic pressures on natural habitats may lead to a significant decline in global primate species richness, and likely, species extirpations. We advocate for stronger national and international policy frameworks promoting alternative/sustainable livelihoods and reducing persistent anthropogenic pressures to help mitigate the extinction risk of the world's primate species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit bats serve as crucial bioindicators, seed dispersers, pollinators, and contributors to food security within ecosystems. However, their population and distribution were threatened by climate change and anthropogenic pressures. Understanding the impacts of these pressures through mapping distribution and habitat suitability is crucial for identifying high‐priority areas and implementing effective conservation and management plans. We predicted the distribution and extent of habitat suitability for Rousettus aegyptiacus and Epomophorus labiatus under climate change scenarios using average predictions from four different algorithms to produce an ensemble model. Seasonal precipitation, population index, land‐use land cover, vegetation, and the mean temperature of the driest quarter majorly contributed to the predicted habitat suitability for both species. The current predicted sizes of suitable habitats for R. aegyptiacus and E. labiatus were varied, on average 60,271.4 and 85,176.1 km2, respectively. The change in species range size for R. aegyptiacus showed gains in suitable areas of 24.4% and 22.8% in 2050 and 2070, respectively. However, for E. labiatus, suitable areas decreased by 0.95% and 2% in 2050 and 2070, respectively. The range size change of suitable areas between 2050 and 2070 for R. aegyptiacus and E. labiatus shows losses of 1.5% and 1.2%, respectively. The predicted maps indicate that the midlands and highlands of southern and eastern Ethiopia harbor highly suitable areas for both species. In contrast, the areas in the northern and central highlands are fragmented. The current model findings show that climate change and anthropogenic pressures have notable impacts on the geographic ranges of two species. Moreover, the predicted suitable habitats for both species are found both within and outside of their historical ranges, which has important implications for conservation efforts. Our ensemble predictions are vital for identifying high‐priority areas for fruit bat species conservation efforts and management to mitigate climate change and anthropogenic pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maldivian coral reefs have been experiencing significant degradation due to a combination of global climate change and local anthropogenic pressures. To enforce the conservation of coral reefs worldwide, coral restoration is becoming a popular tool to restore ecosystems actively. In the Maldives, restoration interventions are performed only around touristic islands, where there are economic resources available to support these projects. Unfortunately, on local islands, coral restoration does not benefit from the same support and is rarely boosted. A challenging coral restoration experiment has been performed, for the first time, on a local island of the Maldives affected by intense human pressures that caused the degradation of its reefs. A total of 242 coral fragments were collected from impacted colonies and transferred to the coral nursery of the island. Survival and growth rates of the fragments were monitored for 12 months. After one year, a survival rate of 70% was recorded. Although this rate might appear lower when compared to other restoration experiences, it is very promising considering the origin of the fragments and the poor quality of the environment where they have been transplanted. Some potential threats to the success of this restoration have also been identified, i.e., water temperature anomaly, diseases, and parasites, the latter being the leading causes of coral mortality. The procedure presented here is less expensive compared to the typical relocation of entire coral colonies from donor-healthy reefs to degraded reefs, thus providing an opportunity and a viable option for local islands to restore their reefs and preserve local biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stimulating the expansion of agricultural frontiers tends to locate mosaics of land use that are adverse to those recommended according to their agricultural aptitude. The concept of agricultural suitability of soils is fundamentally associated with that of environmental fragility, however, the product map of agricultural suitability, when interpreted without the support of studies of environmental fragility, limits the interpretation and territorial planning. In order to highlight inconsistencies in land use and potential impacts to the natural capital in the municipalities that make up the Araguaia Valley, Goiás State, a region of unique economic and ecological importance to the cerrado biome, this work comparatively analyzes the current use of land, in front of to their agricultural aptitude in contrast to the environmental fragilities evidenced in these municipalities, allowing subsidizing the management of natural resources, through environmental planning and instrumentalizing development policies. The results showed the predominance of municipalities with medium to very high weaknesses and limited aptitude for use by pastures, under any type of management, predominant use in the Vale do Araguaia-GO territory. Despite the existence of municipalities that presented the medium fragility class, which is designated as good aptitude for intensive agriculture, the predominance of aptitude restrictions, and, therefore, susceptibility to problems arising from inadequate agricultural management on fragile soils, accentuates the risk of processes of environmental degradation and calls attention to the management of natural capital in the territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal sand dunes are amongst the world’s most sensitive and dynamic landforms. Unfortunately, during the last thirty years, heavy anthropogenic alterations have been observed, encompassing the greater part of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast (BBSC), which has changed the land-sea interactions significantly. As a consequence, the depositional coast has shrunk to 131 km or 25% of the aggregate Bulgarian Black Sea shoreline length. Although our research reveals that 86% of BBSC dunes are included in the Natura 2000 network of protected sites established under the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC 1992), they are often heavily modified, subjected to environmental vandalism and destroyed due to mismanagement or lack of accurate information and prevention. These facts were the main reason for carrying out an inventory of the Bulgarian Black Sea coastal dune systems in 2021-2022. Our research aimed to identify all dune systems/ sand dunes, update their spatial distribution and classify the observed coastal sand dunes landforms along the BBSC. The article demonstrates a successful methodology for combining unmanned aerial systems (UAS), Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry, in situ sediment sampling, video imaging and verification and GNSS-RTK ground control points for coastal mapping. As of June 2022, over 97% of the Bulgarian shoreline has been surveyed with this technique, excluding military areas and national security sites. Based on the acquired data, as of 2021, the shoreline length was estimated to be 518.7 km at a scale 1:5000. The integrated UAS approach includes using Digital surface models (DSM), raster orthophotomosaics (OM) and 3D models, based on SfM photogrammetry to analyse the coastal topography, detect dune forms and update their spatial distribution. Throughout the inventory, 46 beach-dune systems were identified along the BBSC, which were divided into 62 dune sectors. The area of coastal dune systems was estimated at 988.21 ha (0.0089% of Bulgaria) and a total length of 73 km (14% of the shoreline). A comprehensive geomorphological analysis of the relationships between landforms morphology, aeolian and morphodynamic processes, vegetation density and type was the basis for the coastal dune landforms (CDLs) or dune systems to be classified into primary (312 ha; 32%) and secondary (676 ha; 68%). Additionally, the CDLs were classified according to Natura 2000 habitats: fixed (grey) dunes (546.27 ha; 55.28%), wooded dunes (222.61 ha; 22.53%), shifting (white) dunes (150.30 ha; 15.21%), embryonic dunes (68.3 ha; 6.91%) and humid dune slacks (0.94 ha; 0.09%). The highest positioned CDLs on the Balkan Peninsula were registered at perched Sozopol Sand Dunes (61 m a.s.l.) and cliff-top dunes at Arkutino (50.2 m a.s.l.). The multi-temporal analysis of photogrammetric DSMs and raster OMs showed the permanent loss of five dune systems in the Pomorie-Burgas-Rosenets coastal sector. The accrued UAS data approach allowed us to identify and map eight dune systems for the first time: Zlatni Pyasatsi (Panorama), Asparuhovo (Varna), Byala, Atanasovska Kosa, Central Beach (Burgas), Chernomorets, Kavatsite (partly) and Rezovo-Kastrich. A high anthropogenic footprint was registered on 50.7 ha (5.1%) of the entire dune surface. In the final stage of the study, human interventions that caused degradation and permanent loss of dunes (12 ha) over the last 15 years along the BBSC were shown. The main causes for dune degradation along BBSC have been documented, such as massive tourism development after the socialist period, road construction, recreational pressure exerted on the dunes, human trampling, lack of designated footpaths in areas with fixed and mobile dunes, off-road vehicles and parking lots (especially at camping sites), dumping of garbage and anthropogenic marine litter on the sand dunes etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to an ever‐increasing demographic pressure, coastal areas are hotspots of anthropogenic impact on marine ecosystems. Understanding the extent and nature of these impacts is critical for developing effective conservation and management strategies to protect and restore coastal marine ecosystems and the services they provide. The Gulf of Naples is a coastal embayment in the Tyrrhenian Sea, Western Mediterranean Sea, which is severely impacted by human activities. Here, we discuss the intertwining of anthropogenic pressures and climate variations in regulating phytoplankton biomass dynamics in the Gulf and the presence of possible long‐term changes. We analysed three decades of T‐S, nutrient, and chlorophyll a data collected at a fixed station, the LTER‐MC site. Despite some spikes in nutrient concentrations (up to 9.92 mmol m−3 for NO3−, 13.12 mmol m−3 for NH4+, 0.75 mmol m−3 for PO43−, and 13.59 mmol m−3 for Si(OH)4), median surface and depth‐integrated concentrations are relatively low (0.73 mmol m−3 and 0.45 mmol m−3 for NO3−, 0.73 mmol m−3 and 0.47 mmol m−3 for NH4+, 0.07 mmol m−3 and 0.04 mmol m−3 for PO43−, 1.61 mmol m−3 and 1.44 mmol m−3 for Si(OH)4, respectively). Chlorophyll a concentrations, here taken as a proxy of phytoplankton biomass, occasionally display high values (up to 17.33 mg m−3) and fluctuating highs and lows lasting several months, with an overall median value of 1.37 mg m−3 at the surface, and 0.55 mg m−3 as integrated mean. These values are nine and three times higher than the offshore concentrations. The plankton food web at the site is mostly driven by terrestrial inputs. The effect of large‐scale–long‐term trends in nutrient inputs (e.g., phosphate load reduction) is comparable to that of local drivers, also because of the relatively shallow depth (75 m) of the station and its vicinity to the coastline. Importantly, the physical dynamics, despite the more closed morphology of the Gulf with respect to other bays in the Tyrrhenian Sea, efficiently removes excess nutrients and biomass, preventing dystrophic phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating the effects of anthropogenic pressures on several biodiversity metrics can inform the management and monitoring of biodiversity loss. However, the type of disturbances can lead to different responses in different metrics. In this study, we aimed at disentangling the effects of different types of anthropogenic disturbances on freshwater fish communities. We calculated diversity indices for 1109 stream fish communities across France by computing richness and evenness components for ecological, morphological, and phylogenetic diversity, and used null models to estimate standardized effect sizes. We used generalized linear mixed models to assess the relative effects of environmental and anthropogenic drivers in driving those diversity indices. Our results demonstrated that all diversity indices exhibited significant responses to both climatic conditions and anthropogenic disturbances. While we observed a decrease of ecological and phylogenetic richness with the intensity of disturbance, a weak increase in morphological richness and evenness was apparent. Overall, our results demonstrated the importance of disentangling various types of disturbances when assessing human‐induced ecological impacts and highlighted that different facets of diversity are not impacted identically by anthropogenic disturbances in stream fish communities. This calls for further work seeking to integrate biodiversity responses to human disturbances into a multifaceted framework, and could have beneficial implications when planning conservation action in freshwater ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Declines in European bird populations are reported for decades but the direct effect of major anthropogenic pressures on such declines remains unquantified. Causal relationships between pressures and bird population responses are difficult to identify as pressures interact at different spatial scales and responses vary among species. Here, we uncover direct relationships between population time-series of 170 common bird species, monitored at more than 20,000 sites in 28 European countries, over 37 y, and four widespread anthropogenic pressures: agricultural intensification, change in forest cover, urbanisation and temperature change over the last decades. We quantify the influence of each pressure on population time-series and its importance relative to other pressures, and we identify traits of most affected species. We find that agricultural intensification, in particular pesticides and fertiliser use, is the main pressure for most bird population declines, especially for invertebrate feeders. Responses to changes in forest cover, urbanisation and temperature are more species-specific. Specifically, forest cover is associated with a positive effect and growing urbanisation with a negative effect on population dynamics, while temperature change has an effect on the dynamics of a large number of bird populations, the magnitude and direction of which depend on species' thermal preferences. Our results not only confirm the pervasive and strong effects of anthropogenic pressures on common breeding birds, but quantify the relative strength of these effects stressing the urgent need for transformative changes in the way of inhabiting the world in European countries, if bird populations shall have a chance of recovering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community Reserves, which are Community Conserved Areas, form the majority of the Protected Area Network in northeast India. Because this biodiverse region is threatened by a variety of anthropogenic activities, Community Reserves likely serve as refugia sites for stenotopic, cavity-nesting species such as some owls. To test this hypothesis, we conducted nocturnal surveys in 11 Community Reserves comprised of primary or secondary forest and outside Community Reserves in Meghalaya state, northeast India. We then used nonparametric tests to assess differences in the occurrence of owls among these three categories. We found that on average, occurrence of owls was higher inside Community Reserves. Inside Community Reserves with secondary forests, we found significantly higher occurrence of the Asian Barred Owlet (Glaucidium cuculoides) and Collared Scops-Owl (Otus lettia), while in Community Reserves with primary forest, we found significantly higher occurrence of the Brown Wood-Owl (Strix leptogrammica), a declining old-growth forest specialist. Hence, Community Reserves are serving as sites of refugia for owls in northeast India. However, anthropogenic pressures such as logging, shifting cultivation, and developmental activities threaten the forests of the region. Old-growth forests are also scarce in Meghalaya and were present in only two of the Community Reserves. Therefore, we find it of prime importance to conserve these reserves, especially those containing primary forests, and to allocate more areas as Community Reserves in the region. Las Reservas Comunitarias son Áreas Conservadas por las Comunidades locales y constituyen la mayor parte de la Red de Áreas Protegidas en el noreste de India. Debido a que esta región biodiversa está amenazada por una variedad de actividades antropogénicas, las Reservas Comunitarias probablemente sirvan como sitios de refugio para especies estenotópicas que anidan en cavidades, como algunos búhos. Para probar esta hipótesis, realizamos censos nocturnos en 11 Reservas Comunitarias compuestas por bosques primarios o secundarios, y fuera de las Reservas Comunitarias, en el estado de Meghalaya, al noreste de India. Utilizamos pruebas no paramétricas para evaluar las diferencias en la presencia de búhos entre estas tres categorías. Encontramos que, en promedio, la presencia de búhos era mayor dentro de las Reservas Comunitarias. Dentro de las Reservas Comunitarias con bosques secundarios, encontramos una presencia significativamente mayor de Glaucidium cuculoides y Otus lettia, mientras que en las Reservas Comunitarias con bosque primario encontramos una presencia significativamente mayor de Strix leptogrammica, un especialista de bosques maduros en declive. Por lo tanto, las Reservas Comunitarias están sirviendo como sitios de refugio para los búhos en el noreste de India. Sin embargo, las presiones antropogénicas como la tala, el cambio en los cultivos y las actividades de desarrollo amenazan los bosques de la región. Los bosques maduros también son escasos en Meghalaya y solo estuvieron presentes en tres de las Reservas Comunitarias. Por lo tanto, nos parece de suma importancia conservar estas reservas, especialmente aquellas que contienen bosques primarios, y asignar más áreas como Reservas Comunitarias en la región. [Traducción del equipo editorial] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mediterranean coastal systems, particularly those characterized by river mouths, have played an important role in the history of human civilization, thanks to unique species assemblages, a high biodiversity, and complex ecological interactions. The overlapping of multiple cross-scale effects, triggered by the ongoing climate change, makes these systems particularly important sites for ecological studies. Here, we have investigated the phytoplankton community structure in the terminal stretch of the Sele River (Tyrrhenian Sea) under two different hydrological regimes: i) with river mouth occluded by sediments preventing water exchange with the sea; ii) with river mouth completely opened, which allowed the maximum water mass exchanges between the river and the sea. The strong variations in physical-chemical properties of the water column, the point-distribution of total phytoplankton biomass, and the dominance of cryptophytes and cyanophytes under occluded and opened river mouth, respectively, indicate the presence of strong allogenic pressures acting on the system. Our data suggest that the monitoring of phytoplankton communities in the terminal stretch of micro-tidal estuaries, could be a useful tool for studying the extent of climate change underway in Mediterranean coastal marine areas.

In the context of Morocco’s rich biodiversity and pressing environmental challenges, this paper delves into the intricate dynamics of sustainable development in the country. With a focus on biodiversity conservation, water scarcity, climate change impacts, anthropogenic pressures, and energy resource management, Morocco is navigating ecosolutions and sustainable development. This research highlights the critical importance of biodiversity conservation efforts in preserving the nation’s diverse ecosystems while contributing to national development. Challenges such as forest reduction, agricultural water stress, and declining mammal diversity underscore the urgency of conservation actions. Climate change exacerbates issues in oases, impacting agricultural yields and ecosystem health. This paper also addresses the management of mineral resources and waste production, which pose significant challenges to environmental sustainability. Through strategic policies, international engagements, and capacity-building initiatives, Morocco is striving to achieve resilience and sustainability in the face of evolving global dynamics. By integrating governance, environmental diplomacy, and multilateral cooperation, Morocco is laying a robust foundation for economic growth, social progress, and environmental protection. This manuscript provides a comprehensive overview of Morocco’s environmental challenges, innovative solutions, and commitment to sustainable development in a rapidly changing world.

In times of population growth, climate change, and increasing water scarcity around the world, it is important to take an objective look at water, a fundamental resource for life. Hydrodynamic modeling makes possible the research of different aspects of the water cycle and the evaluation of different hydrological and hydrogeological forecasting scenarios in the short and medium terms. The present research offers a more detailed scope at the hydrodynamic processes and their space-time distributions on a UE pilot in the Júcar River Basin, providing a calibrated and validated hydrodynamic model of 121 km river reach for 45 years period (1974–2019) on a daily scale. The obtained information is about discharge and water depths along the Júcar River reach within the hydrogeological boundaries of the Mancha Oriental Aquifer (MOA). The river–aquifer interactions have been represented as dynamic boundary conditions expressed as a difference between observed discharges measured in 3 gauging stations. The obtained calibration error performance evaluations of observed and simulated values cover two periods, according to observed data availability from gauging station 08036 with resulting R2 for both discharges and water depths over 0.96. The model validation results were obtained for a different gauge 08132 and the determination coefficients R2 also perform very well with value of 0.90. The model developed might be useful for decision making in water resources management and can be used to generate simulated time series of water depths, levels, discharges, and velocities in reaches where gauging measurements are not available with a desired space-time resolution (from meter/second to kilometer/month). Estimation of critical discharge value (1.973 m3s−1) for system equilibrium, based on the balance between losing and gaining sub-reaches of the river, is also made with a statistical significance at 95% for hydrologic years 2007–2010, period influenced by restrictions in groundwater withdrawals. The results of the present research are important for the proper and objective management of the scarce water resources on a watershed scale in Júcar River Basin, a complex case study representing semiarid climate, growing anthropogenic pressures, and complex river–aquifer interactions. The used approach of dynamic representation of the river–aquifer interactions as distributed source boundary condition in the one-dimensional hydrodynamic model might be applied in another study case on similar scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

River ecosystems face numerous human pressures that can lead to certain impacts on the environment. However, there is limited information available regarding the prevalence, spatial patterns, mutual impacts, and simultaneous occurrences of these pressures. In this pilot study, we aimed to identify and assess various types of human pressures at different scales within the Talar River catchment. In this regard, a total of 43 sites within the Talar River catchment were selected for investigation. We employed a comprehensive approach by selecting 30 key indicators that represent major human pressures on river ecosystems. These indicators were combined to create a pressure index, enabling us to showcase the synergistic effects of these pressures. The findings revealed that 93% of the studied sites experienced land use pressure, indicating significant human modification in those areas. Additionally, 69% of the sites were subjected to connectivity pressure, 88% to morphological pressure, 86% to water quality pressure, and 41% finally exhibited hydrological pressure. Importantly, our analysis also revealed complex interactions between multiple human pressures. Approximately 8.4% of the sites were affected by two distinct human pressures, while 2.3% experienced three overlapping pressures. Moreover, an overwhelming majority (92%) of the sites were impacted by combinations of more than three human pressures, emphasizing the cumulative impacts of all pressures. These findings underscore the need for comprehensive and systematic consideration of multiple factors when undertaking integrated river basin management and restoration efforts. In other words, effective management and restoration strategies should account for the different scales within the catchment and address the specific combinations of human pressures present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The biodiversity crisis has highlighted the need to assess and map biodiversity in order to prioritize conservation efforts. Clearwing butterflies (tribe Ithomiini) have been proposed as biological indicators for habitat quality in Neotropical forests, which contain the world's richest biological communities. Here, we provide maps of different facets of Ithomiini diversity across the Neotropics to identify areas of evolutionary and ecological importance for conservation and evaluate their overlap with current anthropogenic threats. Location: Neotropics. Methods: We ran species distribution models on a data set based on 28,986 georeferenced occurrences representing 388 ithomiine species to generate maps of geographic rarity, taxonomic, phylogenetic and Müllerian mimetic wing pattern diversity. We quantified and mapped the overlap of diversity hotspots with areas threatened by or providing refuge from current anthropogenic pressures. Results: The eastern slopes of the Andes formed the primary hotspot of taxonomic, phylogenetic and mimetic diversity, with secondary hotspots in Central America and the Atlantic Forest. Most diversity indices were strongly spatially correlated. Nevertheless, species‐poor communities on the Pacific slopes of the Andes also sheltered some of the geographically rarest species. Overall, tropical montane forests that host high species and mimetic diversity as well as rare species and mimicry rings appeared particularly under threat. Main conclusions: Remote parts of the Upper Amazon may act as refuges against current anthropogenic pressures for a limited portion of Ithomiini diversity. Furthermore, it is likely that the current threat status may worsen with ongoing climate change and deforestation. In this context, the tropical Andes occupy a crucial position as the primary hotspot for multiple facets of biodiversity for ithomiine butterflies, as they do for angiosperms, tetrapods and other insect taxa. Our results support the role of ithomiine butterflies as a suitable flagship indicator group for Neotropical butterfly diversity and reinforce the position of the tropical Andes as a flagship region for biodiversity conservation in general, and insect and butterfly conservation in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trophic evolution of the Venice lagoon was analyzed by studying the particulate collected monthly with sedimentation traps in many areas of the Venice lagoon since 1989, and at Goro in 2018–2019. Sedimentation rates were strongly related to the presence of macrophytes, which reduced sediment resuspension, and to anthropogenic pressures, such as clam harvesting and naval-boat traffic, that triggered sediment resuspension and loss. The highest mean annual sedimentation rates (from 2000 to over 4000 g DWT m−2 day−1) have been recorded in many areas of the Venice lagoon between 1998–1999 to 2001–2002, during the intense fishing activities of the clam Ruditapes philippinarum. High values (daily peaks up to 5224 g DWT m−2 day−1) were also recorded in areas affected by marine and/or recreational traffic, due to the high wave motion. In contrast, the presence of high biomasses of macroalgae, or seagrasses, reduced significantly sediment resuspension and settlement, with mean annual sedimentation rates ranging between 40 and 140 g DWT m−2 day−1 and minimum values of 6–10 g DWT m−2 day−1. High sedimentation rates were strongly related to a lower sediment grain-size, with loss of the fine fraction and dispersion of nutrients and pollutants in the whole lagoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to decades of persistent anthropogenic pressures, lowland rivers represent one of the most severely impaired habitats in Europe. Despite improved water quality, novel stressors, particularly climate change, are emerging with most lowland rivers suffering from past hydromorphological degradation. We aim to elucidate how such degradation alters the biological response in multiple-stressor environments, as this has rarely been considered in studies documenting long-term development of anthropogenically impacted rivers. Here, benthic macroinvertebrates, water quality and hydroclimatic variables were monitored over a period of two decades in nine of the largest Czech rivers. Detailed data on hydromorphological degradation allowed us to track distinct patterns in rivers with high and low levels of degradation. Temporal changes in environmental variables showed similar patterns in both site groups, characterised by reduced organic and nutrient pollution but increased hydroclimatic and salinity stress. 150 % increase in total abundance, especially in abundance and richness of sediment-dwelling and non-native taxa was found in both site groups. While the increase in abundance was due to improved water quality and rising water temperature, the longer duration of minimal flows had a negative effect on species richness, hampering species gain particularly at highly degraded sites. Our results provide novel evidence that degree of hydromorphological degradation modifies long-term macroinvertebrate responses to anthropogenic pressures. Less degraded sites displayed several favourable changes, such as 27 % increase in total and 23 % increase in potamal indicator richness, and stabilisation of the assemblages with few functional changes. In contrast, highly degraded sites experienced 9 % reduction in evenness, 235 % increase in proportion of non-native taxa and functional reorganisation, changes congruent with continuous deterioration. While overall water quality at studied sites has improved, consequences of climate change and high degree of hydromorphological degradation limit biotic recovery in multiple-stressor lowland rivers. [Display omitted] • Water quality improved but climate change amplified over last 15–25 years • Abundance is positively influenced by T a and negatively by BOD 5 and TP • Hydromorphological degradation modifies biotic development, but not water quality • Increased total & potamal indicator richness, stabilisation at less degraded sites • Functional reassembly, non-native taxa proportion increased at highly degraded sites [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maldivian coral reefs have been experiencing significant degradation due to a combination of global climate change and local anthropogenic pressures. To enforce the conservation of coral reefs worldwide, coral restoration is becoming a popular tool to restore ecosystems actively. In the Maldives, restoration interventions are performed only around touristic islands, where there are economic resources available to support these projects. Unfortunately, on local islands, coral restoration does not benefit from the same support and is rarely boosted. A challenging coral restoration experiment has been performed, for the first time, on a local island of the Maldives affected by intense human pressures that caused the degradation of its reefs. A total of 242 coral fragments were collected from impacted colonies and transferred to the coral nursery of the island. Survival and growth rates of the fragments were monitored for 12 months. After one year, a survival rate of 70% was recorded. Although this rate might appear lower when compared to other restoration experiences, it is very promising considering the origin of the fragments and the poor quality of the environment where they have been transplanted. Some potential threats to the success of this restoration have also been identified, i.e., water temperature anomaly, diseases, and parasites, the latter being the leading causes of coral mortality. The procedure presented here is less expensive compared to the typical relocation of entire coral colonies from donor-healthy reefs to degraded reefs, thus providing an opportunity and a viable option for local islands to restore their reefs and preserve local biodiversity.