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Accompanying the climate crisis is the more enigmatic biodiversity crisis. Rapid reorganization of biodiversity due to global environmental change has defied prediction and tested the basic tenets of conservation and restoration. Conceptual and practical innovation is needed to support decision making in the face of these unprecedented shifts. Critical questions include: How can we generalize biodiversity change at the community level? When are systems able to reorganize and maintain integrity, and when does abiotic change result in collapse or restructuring? How does this understanding provide a template to guide when and how to intervene in conservation and restoration? To this end, we frame changes in community organization as the modulation of external abiotic drivers on the internal topology of species interactions, using plant-plant interactions in terrestrial communities as a starting point. We then explore how this framing can help translate available data on species abundance and trait distributions to corresponding decisions in management. Given the expectation that community response and reorganization are highly complex, the external-driver internal-topology (EDIT) framework offers a way to capture general patterns of biodiversity that can help guide resilience and adaptation in changing environments.

Dispersal of reproductive propagules determines recruitment patterns and connectivity among populations and can influence how populations respond to major disturbance events. Dispersal distributions can depend on propagule release strategies. For instance, the bull kelp, Nereocystis luetkeana, can release propagules (spores) from two heights in the water column ("bimodal release"): at the water surface, directly from the reproductive tissues (sori) on the kelp's blades, and near the seafloor after the sori abscise and sink through the water column. N. luetkeana is a foundation species that occurs from central California to Alaska and is experiencing unprecedented levels of population declines near its southern range limit. We know little of the kelp's dispersal distributions, which could influence population recovery and restoration. Here, we quantify how bimodal spore release heights affect dispersal outcomes based on a numerical model specifically designed for N. luetkeana. The model incorporates oceanographic conditions typical of the species' coastal range and kelp biological traits. With bimodal release heights, 34% of spores are predicted to settle within 10 m of the parental alga and 60% are predicted to disperse beyond 100 m. As an annual species, bimodal release heights can facilitate the local regeneration of adults within a source kelp forest while also supporting connectivity among multiple forests within broader bull kelp metapopulations. To leverage this pattern of bimodal spore dispersal in bull kelp restoration management, directing resources toward strategically located focal populations that can seed other ones could amplify the scale of recovery.

The expansion of marine protected areas (MPAs) is a core focus of global conservation efforts, with the 30x30 initiative to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 serving as a prominent example of this trend. We consider a series of proposed MPA network expansions of various sizes, and we forecast the impact this increase in protection would have on global patterns of fishing effort. We do so by building a predictive machine learning model trained on a global dataset of satellite-based fishing vessel monitoring data, current MPA locations, and spatiotemporal environmental, geographic, political, and economic features. We then use this model to predict future fishing effort under various MPA expansion scenarios compared to a business-as-usual counterfactual scenario that includes no new MPAs. The difference between these scenarios represents the predicted change in fishing effort associated with MPA expansion. We find that regardless of the MPA network objectives or size, fishing effort would decrease inside the MPAs, though by much less than 100%. Moreover, we find that the reduction in fishing effort inside MPAs does not simply redistribute outside-rather, fishing effort outside MPAs would also decline. The overall magnitude of the predicted decrease in global fishing effort principally depends on where networks are placed in relation to existing fishing effort. MPA expansion will lead to a global redistribution of fishing effort that should be accounted for in network design, implementation, and impact evaluation.

The El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve is located in Baja California Sur, Mexico. This vast protected area is renowned for its biodiversity and ecological significance, particularly as a critical habitat for the Eastern subpopulation of the North Pacific Gray Whale. This project explores the perception and sustainability of the whale-watching industry in Guerrero Negro, and its role in conservation efforts. Through stakeholder interviews and analysis of management plans and specific research, the study examines the success of conservation strategies and the potential for increased tourism in the region. The end product, an informational StoryMap created using ArcGIS Pro, aims to promote ecotourism while fostering a deeper understanding of the importance of proper management and collaboration among stakeholders in preserving this unique marine environment. The project’s success will be measured by its ability to engage a wider audience and facilitate the connection between ecotourism and conservation in El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve.Please see media created for this project here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/10ca0e02402440b1b9f0a113b1accb89

Shakespeare's writing responded to ecological problems in his own time. Today, we can adapt his works to speak to the urgent environmental crises facing our communities, as the group Shakespeare in Yosemite does every spring.Based on the final chapter of Katherine Steele Brokaw's Shakespeare and Community Performance (Palgrave Macmillan, 2023) and “Shakespeare and Environmental Justice: Collaborative Eco-Theatre in YosemiteNational Park and the San Joaquin Valley.” In Situating Shakespeare Pedagogy in  US Higher Education: Social Justice and Institutional Contexts. Edited by Marissa Greenberg and Elizabeth Williamson (Edinburgh University Press, 2024), and on the work of Shakespeare in Yosemite, yosemiteshakes.ucmerced.edu

Understanding the relationship between physiological factors on social behavior in bees is critical to understanding their ecological dynamics. This study investigates the relationship between body mass, ovary size, Dufour’s gland size, and chill coma recovery time in female Xylocopa tabaniformis bees. Analyses reveal a significant predictive relationship between bee body mass and both ovariole length and Dufour’s gland length. Body mass does not emerge as a significant predictor of CCRT, suggesting other factors as better predictors for thermal tolerance. Conflicting conclusions arise regarding CCRT as a function of physical trauma or age, emphasizing a need for further investigation. Future research should expand the scope of species studied, and the timing of the study to include pre-reproductive female bees. The findings of this study provide insight into the physiological underpinnings of bee sociality and highlight the complexity of bee ecological dynamics.This poster was presented at the UCSB URCA colloquium in Spring 2024.

Abstract: Background: Contemporary and projected shifts in global fire regimes highlight the importance of understanding how fire affects ecosystem function and biodiversity across taxa and geographies. Pyrodiversity, or heterogeneity in fire history, is often an important driver of biodiversity, though it has been largely overlooked until relatively recently. In this paper, we synthesise previous research to develop a theoretical framework on pyrodiversity–biodiversity relationships and propose future research and conservation management directions. Theoretical Framework: Pyrodiversity may affect biodiversity by diversifying available ecological niches, stabilising community networks and/or supporting diverse species pools available for post‐fire colonisation. Further, pyrodiversity's effects on biodiversity vary across different spatial, temporal and organismal scales depending on the mobility and other life history traits of the organisms in question and may be mediated by regional eco‐evolutionary factors such as historical fire regimes. Developing a generalisable understanding of pyrodiversity effects on biodiversity has been challenging, in part because pyrodiversity can be quantified in various ways. Applying the Pyrodiversity Concept: Exclusion of Indigenous fire stewardship, fire suppression, increased unplanned ignitions and climate change have led to dramatic shifts in fire regimes globally. Such shifts include departures from historic levels of pyrodiversity and add to existing challenges to biodiversity conservation in fire‐prone landscapes. Managers navigating these challenges can be aided by targeted research into observed contemporary pyrodiversity–biodiversity relationships as well as knowledge of historical reference conditions informed by both Indigenous and local ecological knowledge and western science. Future Research Directions: Several promising avenues exist for the advancement of pyrodiversity science to further both theoretical and practical goals. These lines of investigation include but are not limited to (1) testing the increasing variety of pyrodiversity metrics and analytical approaches; (2) assessing the spatial and temporal scale‐dependence of pyrodiversity's influence; (3) reconstructing historical pyrodiversity patterns and developing methods for predicting and/or promoting future pyrodiversity; and (4) expanding the focus of pyrodiversity science beyond biodiversity to better understand its influence on ecosystem function and processes more broadly.

A contributing element of the exceptional plant biodiversity of the Arizona-New Mexico sky islands is the numerous southern taxa at their northern extent, yet the local distribution and drivers of subtropical plant richness have not been delineated. We assess the proportion of subtropical richness (PSR) in sky islands as the ratio of subtropical taxa to total species richness. We (1) identified 284 subtropical vascular plant species at or near their northern range in 24 sky islands, (2) calculated PSR for each sky island, (3) quantified spatial patterns of PSR and subtropical beta diversity, (4) determined regional hotspots of PSR, and (5) analyzed independent eight variables as potential drivers of PSR and subtropical species turnover. Sky islands with the highest PSR occur in the southwestern portion of the region close to the international border. Four predictor variables (ordered by significance) strongly correlate with PSR: minimum winter temperature, monsoon season precipitation, area, and latitude. The primary subtropical hotspot occurs mostly within Santa Cruz County (southeastern Arizona), representing the largest regional concentration of rare subtropical taxa. We determined three primary clusters of species cooccurrence with a strong longitudinal trend driving subtropical beta diversity. Nearly half of subtropical taxa are regionally rare or vulnerable, illustrating the potential value of assessing regional peripheral plant taxa to discern hotspots of ecological significance. The sky islands of Santa Cruz County represent a unique botanical hotspot with exceptional subtropical richness and rarity. Understanding regional drivers of subtropical influences helps forecast potential responses to global change, while strengthening conservation strategies that minimize future losses of biodiversity.

We report the results of a faunistic survey focused on freshwater and limno-terrestrial meiofauna to improve biodiversity knowledge in a protected area in the Eastern part of the French Pyrénées: the Massane Forest Reserve (336 Ha). The survey provided 1187 occurrence records from 315 taxa (most resoved at species-level), uploaded as a shared online dataset. The highest number of occurrences and distinguishable morpho-taxon belong to the group Nematoda (775 occurrences, 172 taxa), followed by Rotifera (219 occurrences, 67 taxa), Platyhelminthes (85 occurrences, 32 taxa), Tardigrada (69 occurrences, 25 taxa), and Gastrotricha (39 occurrences, 19 taxa). A diversity of meiofaunal organisms was found, in large numbers, in all the samples screened: from stream biofilms and sediments, to forest floor soils, mosses, and litter, to a broad range of tree-related micro-habitats associated with beech-like epixylic mosses and lichens, tree cavities, woodpecker breeding holes, bark pockets and fruiting bodies of saproxylic fungi. This survey makes the Massane forest one of the few protected areas of the world with a taxa-inclusive meiofauna dataset, which could serve as a standard inventory to further consider micro-invertebrates in forest conservation.

Detection sensitivity of aquatic species using environmental DNA (eDNA) generally decreases in turbid water but is poorly characterized. In this study, eDNA detection targeted delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), a critically endangered estuarine fish associated with turbid water. eDNA sampling in the field was first paired with a trawl survey. Species-specific detection using a Taqman qPCR assay showed concordance between the methods, but a weak eDNA signal. Informed by the results of field sampling, an experiment was designed to assess how turbidity and filtration methods influence detection of a rare target. Water from non-turbid (5 NTU) and turbid (50 NTU) estuarine sites was spiked with small volumes (0.5 and 1 mL) of water from a delta smelt tank to generate low eDNA concentrations. Samples were filtered using four filter types: cartridge filters (pore size 0.45 μm) and 47 mm filters (glass fiber, pore size 1.6 μm and polycarbonate, pore sizes 5 and 10 μm). Prefiltration was also tested as an addition to the filtration protocol for turbid water samples. eDNA copy numbers were analyzed using a censored data method for qPCR data. The assay limits and lack of PCR inhibition indicated an optimized assay. Glass fiber filters yielded the highest detection rates and eDNA copies in non-turbid and turbid water. Prefiltration improved detection in turbid water only when used with cartridge and polycarbonate filters. Statistical analysis identified turbidity as a significant effect on detection probability and eDNA copies detected; filter type and an interaction between filter type and prefilter were significant effects on eDNA copies detected, suggesting that particulate-filter interactions can affect detection sensitivity. Pilot experiments and transparent criteria for positive detection could improve eDNA surveys of rare species in turbid environments.

Roadside habitat has been touted as a conservation opportunity for insect pollinators, including the declining monarch butterfly. The spectacular monarch migration is under threat from the loss of habitat and the decline of their milkweed host plants. In the northern part of their range, roadsides could potentially produce millions of monarchs annually due to high densities of milkweed; however, roadside milkweed can accumulate chemicals from roads, such as sodium from road salt. Controlled lab studies have shown mixed effects of sodium on monarch development: small increases can be beneficial as sodium is an important micronutrient in brain and muscle development, but large increases can sometimes decrease survival. It is unclear how dietary sodium affects performance in ecologically relevant conditions and the migration itself. In this experiment, we raised monarchs outdoors, in migration‐inducing conditions, on milkweed sprayed with three levels of sodium chloride. We released 2464 tagged monarchs and held an additional 246 for further lab assays. While our recovery rates to the wintering grounds were low (N = 7 individuals), individuals from all three sodium chloride treatments made it to Mexico. Butterflies reared on control milkweed and low salt concentrated sodium in their tissues, while those on high salt diets excreted sodium, suggesting high salt levels were above a physiological optimum. There were no effects of treatment on wing coloration, survival, body size, immunity, or parasite prevalence. Taken together, our results suggest that monarchs are robust to levels of sodium in milkweeds found along roadsides, which is promising with respect to the toxicity of roadside plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Southeast Asian (SEA) mangroves are globally recognized as blue carbon hotspots. Methodologies that measure mangrove soil carbon stock (SCS) are either accurate but costly (i.e., elemental analyzers), or economical but less accurate (i.e., loss-on-ignition [LOI]). Most SEA countries estimate SCS by measuring soil organic matter (OM) through the LOI method then converting it into organic carbon (OC) using a conventional conversion equation (%Corg = 0.415 * % LOI + 2.89, R2 = 0.59, n = 78) developed from Palau mangroves. The local site conditions in Palau does not reflect the wide range of environmental settings and disturbances in the Philippines. Consequently, the conventional conversion equation possibly compounds the inaccuracies of converting OM to OC causing over- or under-estimated SCS. Here, we generated a localized OM-OC conversion equation and tested its accuracy in computing SCS against the conventional equation. The localized equation was generated by plotting % OC (from elemental analyzer) against the % OM (from LOI). The study was conducted in different mangrove stands (natural, restored, and mangrove-recolonized fishponds) in Oriental Mindoro and Sorsogon, Philippines from the West and North Philippine Sea biogeographic regions, respectively. The OM:OC ratios were also statistically tested based on (a) stand types, (b) among natural stands, and (c) across different ages of the restored and recolonized stands. Increasing the accuracy of OM-OC conversion equations will improve SCS estimates that will yield reasonable C emission reduction targets for the country's commitments on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement. Results: The localized conversion equation is %OC = 0.36 * % LOI + 2.40 (R2 = 0.67; n = 458). The SOM:OC ratios showed significant differences based on stand types (x2 = 19.24; P = 6.63 × 10–05), among natural stands (F = 23.22; p = 1.17 × 10–08), and among ages of restored (F = 5.14; P = 0.03) and recolonized stands (F = 3.4; P = 0.02). SCS estimates using the localized (5%) and stand-specific equations (7%) were similar with the values derived from an elemental analyzer. In contrast, the conventional equation overestimates SCS by 20%. Conclusions: The calculated SCS improves as the conversion equation becomes more reflective of localized site conditions. Both localized and stand-specific conversion equations yielded more accurate SCS compared to the conventional equation. While our study explored only two out of the six marine biogeographic regions in the Philippines, we proved that having a localized conversion equation leads to improved SCS measurements. Using our proposed equations will make more realistic SCS targets (and therefore GHG reductions) in designing mangrove restoration programs to achieve the country's NDC commitments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preservation of genetic variation is fundamental in biodiversity conservation, yet its importance for population viability remains contentious. Mixed‐source reintroductions, where individuals are translocated into a single vacant habitat from multiple genetically divergent and often depauperate populations, provide an opportunity to evaluate how genetic variation and hybridization influence individual and relative population fitness. Population genetic theory predicts that individuals with higher genetic variation and hybrids among populations should have higher fitness. We tested these two hypotheses by analyzing individual and population‐scale data for westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) in four mixed‐source reintroductions. We observed more hybrid and fewer nonhybrid offspring than expected across four independent mixed‐source reintroductions. We also found clear evidence that heterozygosity influenced individual reproductive and relative population fitness. Overall, we found a strong, positive relationship between genetic variation, hybridization, and transplant fitness, emphasizing the importance of genetic variation and population mixing in conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizen science data on biodiversity has experienced significant growth, largely driven by advancements in technology that facilitate data sharing. In recent years, mobile applications have provided a substantial boost to both the collection and sharing of this data. While this accessible information is undoubtedly valuable, we must consider the numerous biases present in this data when used for high-quality research. In this study, we analyse citizen science data for the birds of the Iberian Peninsula, comprising over 23 million unique records after filtering for duplicates (i.e., instances where the same observation was uploaded more than once). Using a 10 × 10 km square grid, we present information on well-surveyed cells (completeness) as well as temporal, taxonomic, geographical, and land use coverages. We found that the completeness of information is generally high, with better coverage around densely populated areas such as major cities and coastal regions, as well as popular birding destinations, which are frequently visited. The Mediterranean ecoregion and wetlands exhibit the highest levels of surveying. Furthermore, we observed an increase in temporal coverage since the 1980s and broad taxonomic coverage across all bird orders in the Iberian region. Our results underscore the utility of citizen science for many locations, as expressed in 10 × 10 km cells. However, they also highlight the inadequate data completeness across part of the territory, particularly in forested or sparsely inhabited areas. These findings not only identify cells suitable for bird diversity or conservation studies but also indicate areas where citizen-driven bird recording efforts should be encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding what influences species and trait composition is critical for predicting changes in communities driven by landscape transformation. We explored how life‐history traits are associated with the persistence of mammal species in human‐dominated habitats within the Garden Route Biosphere Reserve, South Africa. We combined data from a camera trap study and a local ecological knowledge‐based survey in an integrated occupancy model to analyse species occurrence along a gradient of anthropogenic landscape transformation. Results confirmed that mammal occurrence in human‐modified habitats was related to specific life‐history traits. Species with more specialist diets, as well as larger body mass species were more likely to stay in protected areas. Species with slow reproductive strategies occupied more natural areas. Combining different monitoring methods enabled us to increase spatial coverage and mammal sighting numbers. This approach fostered research participation by various stakeholders, an important step for co‐designing wildlife‐friendly anthropogenic spaces. Synthesis and applications. Integrating data from a standard ecological protocol and structured participatory citizen knowledge allowed us to identify the species functional traits associated with mammal species occurrence in anthropogenic landscapes at a local scale. These results advocate for wisely combining methods and will guide conservation‐orientated land‐use planning towards the protection of natural habitats in the Garden Route Biosphere Reserve. This methodological approach will enable managers and conservationists to use data obtained from diverse protocols and should catalyse the involvement of citizens in biodiversity monitoring and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of high‐quality seeds is essential for reforestation and ecosystem restoration; however, few Andean species have been assessed to determine factors influencing seed quality. Most Andean native tree species used for restoration are propagated from naturally regenerated seedlings or cuttings. We evaluated the seed quality (germination, viability, vigor, and physical characteristics) of a central Peruvian population of the keystone high Andean tree species Polylepis incana (quinual) in relation to the mother tree and microsite characteristics. Our analysis, using 12,912 seeds categorized by weight, included germination tests in incubator, tetrazolium tests, and vigor test (germination in nursery conditions). Results showed a mean germination rate of 30.9 ± 22.4%, with a significant proportion of damaged (38.7%), empty (19.1%), and non‐viable (12.7%) seeds. Heavier seeds exhibited the highest germination, while dasometric variables of the mother tree were not related to seed performance. However, solar incidence and slope negatively impacted germination. We conclude that seed quality may be higher than previously estimated, supporting the need to re‐evaluate and promote the use of seeds for propagating P. incana. Furthermore, since the characteristics of mother trees seem not to be relevant for this species and only solar incidence and terrain slope seem to negatively affect seed quality, we consider it important to change the paradigm from identifying individual seed trees to identifying seed forests. Conservation of natural forests as primary seed sources should be the foundation of future reforestation and restoration efforts in the high Andes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post‐release monitoring is critical for assessing translocation outcomes. Yet the quality of information gained from monitoring can vary greatly, and perceived monitoring costs often results in reduced monitoring effort. Selecting cost‐effective monitoring strategies that provide high quality data are therefore important for assessing translocation outcomes and making informed management decisions. To compare how monitoring strategy affects information gained, we monitored a toutouwai/North Island robin (Petroica longipes) reintroduction in Aotearoa New Zealand, based on monitoring objectives of determining survival, site fidelity and whether the extent of management was large enough to protect dispersing individuals. We compared how these objectives were met through four monitoring strategies: (1) comprehensive surveys with ground radio telemetry and playback; (2) aerial drone telemetry; (3) dedicated playback by trained surveyors and (4) opportunistic playback by predator control contractors. We undertook a viewshed analysis to determine search coverage of each strategy and compared detection rates, efficiency and cost. Comprehensive ground telemetry and playback, while costly, covered the largest area and provided the most accurate data on dispersal, survival and the translocation outcome. In comparison, opportunistic playback monitoring detected substantially fewer individuals, giving a false impression of low site fidelity and survival and a failed translocation. Although drone telemetry had considerable site‐specific limitations, which limited its effectiveness during our study, it was the most cost‐effective with a high detection rate and low search effort. Synthesis and applications: Our study shows the value of intensive monitoring in facilitating management decisions for wildlife translocations. Comprehensive telemetry and playback, while costly, were invaluable for gaining high quality information on the translocation outcome. Without suitable monitoring, reintroduction outcomes can be difficult to assess and potentially result in unnecessary, ineffective or overly expensive management actions. We recommend that monitoring intensity and methodology should reflect the site, species and level of uncertainty regarding the translocation outcome. Prioritising monitoring can help reduce long‐term costs, increase quality of information gained and allow for more informed management decisions that can improve subsequent translocation outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engagement in biodiversity citizen science initiatives can confer health and wellbeing benefits to individuals and communities. Yet, few biodiversity citizen science initiatives are explicitly planned to optimize health and wellbeing as a potential co-benefit, leading to missed opportunities for biodiversity conservation and human health. In this perspective, we use a dose-response approach to discuss the components that determine how engagement in biodiversity citizen science initiatives map onto opportunities to foster health and wellbeing benefits. We considered aspects related to the duration and frequency of contact with nature, and the intensity of interactions with nature and between individuals to highlight the different health benefits across the variety of citizen science initiatives. To illustrate these aspects, we use a sample of 95 citizen science initiatives from seven English and non-English-speaking countries and show how careful project design can increase the potential to confer health and wellbeing benefits to participants. We conclude with considerations on how to enhance the health and wellbeing benefits from citizen science initiatives, and propose potential research avenues to assess synergies and trade-offs between benefits to biodiversity and human health from these initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In texts, films, paintings and speeches, New Deal policymakers and allied intellectuals deployed biblical language and images to evoke contrition for environmental "sins." The sins of the fathers, namely the exploitative land use on the part of settlers and agro-capitalists, were now being visited on the Depression generation in the catastrophes not only of wind-born soil erosion (as in the Dust Bowl) but also the more extensive threat of gullying and water-born erosion. New Deal uses of the Bible, we argue, were not an instrumental conceit designed to manipulate hearts and minds. Rather, New Deal environmental thought, even at its seemingly most technocratic, was profoundly embedded within Christian imaginaries of sin and redemption. Scientific and religious modes of authority merged with the offices of state. As such, the soil Jeremiad is one illustration of both the need for and potential benefit of thickening "inter-field" religious and environmental methodologies—a potential we explore in this essay. In historicizing the soil Jeremiad, we also offer an example of how we might better understand the importance of religion for the history of the environmental movement beyond stories from activists' biographies and move toward a religious-environmental history of the public sphere itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No single studies on the Burmese Red Serows, a little known bovid to date yet considered as nationally endangered species, have been conducted in Bangladesh. As part of a systematic wildlife inventory and monitoring project, this study utilized 48 camera traps to elucidate their occurrence, activity pattern and possible sympatric association with other artiodactyls species inhabiting Baraiyadhala National Park. The study found 25 independent serow events with relative abundance index (RAI) of 0.89. The number of individuals seems low, but this is by far the country's stronghold population. The Red Serows are mostly nocturnal and showed moderate temporal activity with barking dear (∆1 = 0.59) and wild boar (∆1 = 0.62) in this area. Anthropogenic pressures due to tourists (RAI = 4.8) and poachers (RAI = 1.7) were highly evident and must have negative impact on overall wildlife of the national park. The study suggests similar studies in adjacent protected area (Hazarikhil Wildlife Sanctuary), habitat protection and restoration program, and awareness raising program targeting forest dependent communities for long term conservation of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A species is expected to be most resilient to environmental change when it occurs across a broad diversity of habitats. However, there is often no visual representation of the past (i.e. prehistoric and historical) context for a species in the range maps published by national and global authorities. Therefore, it is easy to overlook the fact that many species once occupied a broader geographic range, or greater diversity of habitats. Such oversights hinder the effective conservation of species that have become restricted to a subset of their formerly occupied habitats. Here, we quantified the shifted baseline that may underpin some of the ecological misconceptions about species, and developed a rapid assessment method to aid the identification and prioritisation of 'potential refugee species' (i.e. species that have become restricted to a subset of their formerly occupied niche). The assessment of potential refugee status is different from, but complementary to, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and Green Status frameworks. Our framework defines a continuum of potential refugee status, which was demonstratable in continent‐scale maps drawn from biogeographic regionalisation. Applying this framework to all native rodent species across the continent of Australia (a group that has suffered several extinctions and notable declines), we found that the risk of ecological misconceptions caused by shifted baselines (i.e. resulting from 'shifting baseline syndrome') was prevalent. This suggests that in many cases, translocation opportunities that might be avoided because they are perceived as conservation introductions (as defined by the IUCN translocation guidelines), may in fact fall within the indigenous range, and should therefore be considered reasonable reintroductions. Ultimately, our potential refugee assessment framework will help to facilitate the undertaking of ambitious translocations that will build species' resilience to environmental change by resuming their adaptation to habitats across all formerly occupied bioregions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pearl darter Percina aurora, a member of the species-rich family Percidae, is endemic to the Pearl and Pascagoula river systems in Louisiana and Mississippi, USA. However, this fish is now only found in the Pascagoula River and is listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act. This study, for the first time, assembled and characterised in detail the mitochondrial genome of P. aurora. The mitochondrial genome of P. aurora is 16,646 bp in length and comprises 13 protein coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, and 2 ribosomal RNA genes (rrnS [12s ribosomal RNA] and rrnL [16s ribosomal RNA]). A 33 bp long region was identified as the origin of replication for the light strand (OL), and a putative non-coding control region (CR), 987 bp in length, contains the origin of replication for the heavy strand (OH). The two ribosomal RNA genes, the majority of the PCGs, and the majority of the tRNA genes are encoded on the positive, or heavy, strand. The gene order in P. aurora is identical to that previously reported for confamilial species. All tRNAs exhibit a cloverleaf secondary structure except tRNA-Serine 1 which lacked the D-arm loop. An analysis of selective pressure (Ka/Ks ratios) for all the PCGs showed Ka/Ks values ≤1, suggesting that all these PCGs experience strong purifying selection. This new genomic resource will aid with bioprospecting and biomonitoring of P. aurora using environmental DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hazel dormice Muscardinus avellanarius have severely declined since 2000 leading to increased legislative protection in the UK and Europe. Artificial nestboxes are widely used for its conservation and monitoring. Previous research has focused on how to identify suitable areas for nestboxes, but where to place individual boxes to promote occupancy is less well understood. Here, we demonstrate the use of machine learning Random Forest regression to predict nestbox occupancy from a wide range of microhabitat variables using a UK woodland as a case study. Random forest models are powerful predictive tools that allow simultaneous testing of many predictors with relatively few observations. Field data included observed nestbox occupancy (2017–2021) and measurements of 76 microhabitat variables collected in the summer of 2021 from 45 occupied and unused nestboxes located in a deciduous woodland in Berkshire, UK. We applied Random Forest regression to identify important variables and predict nestbox occupancy demonstrating robust approaches to tune model hyperparameters and evaluate importance metrics. In our study area, nestboxes were more likely to be occupied in sites with more hazel Corylus avellana, greater overall tree abundance but not fully closed canopies (optimal 80–85%), more honeysuckle Lolium periclymenum and hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, and when located further from footpaths and woodland margins. Occupancy over the study period was well predicted using microhabitat variables (13.3% OOB error) but future occupancy was more uncertain (33.3% error for 2021–2023 records). Modelling approaches that allow consideration of numerous variables from few locations or observations can be help identify relevant features and predict desirable outcomes of conservation actions. Here we demonstrate this approach identifying microhabitat variables that influence artificial nestbox occupancy by hazel dormice in a UK woodland. Findings offer some recommendations for local management that could promote nestbox occupancy and improve monitoring and conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater biodiversity is under great threat across the globe as evidenced by more severe declines relative to other types of ecosystems. Some of the main stressors responsible for these concerning trends is habitat fragmentation, degradation, and loss stemming from anthropogenic activities, including energy production, urbanization, agriculture, and resource extraction. Habitat protection and restoration both play an integral role in efforts to save freshwater biodiversity and associated ecosystem services from further decline. In this paper, we summarize the sources of threats associated with habitat fragmentation, degradation, and loss and then outline response options to protect and restore freshwater habitats. Specific response options are to legislate the protection of healthy and productive freshwater ecosystems, prioritize habitats for protection and restoration, enact durable protections, conserve habitat in a coordinated and integrated manner, engage in evidence-based restoration using an adaptive management approach, ensure that potential freshwater habitat alterations are mitigated or off-set, and future-proof protection and restoration actions. Such work should be done through a lens that engages and involves local community members. We identify three broad categories of obstacles that could arise during the implementation of the response options outlined: (a) scientific (e.g., inaccessible data or uncertainties), (b) institutional and management (e.g., capacity issues or differing goals across agencies), and (c) social and political (e.g., prioritizing economic development over conservation initiatives). The protection and restoration of habitats is key to Bend the Curve for freshwater biodiversity, with a comprehensive, connected, and coordinated effort of response options needed to protect intact habitats and restore fragmented, degraded, and lost habitats and the biodiversity and ecosystem services that they support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the post-nesting migration and foraging areas of hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting on St. Kitts and Nevis, an important nesting site for hawksbills in the eastern Caribbean. To elucidate internesting, migration and foraging patterns of hawksbills from Nevis, we satellite tagged 28 post-nesting turtles between 2006 and 2022. Internesting, migrating and foraging activity periods were determined using a switching state–space model to estimate the behavioral state of the turtle's locations. Twenty-five turtles (83–2,171 tracking days) established a foraging area, migrating between 5.3 and 2,799.5 km from the nesting beach. Twenty-one turtles were tracked during internesting movements with internesting areas ranging between 1.9 and 28.2 km2. Nearly half of the internesting centroids were located closer to a different beach than the beach where the turtle was originally encountered nesting. Hawksbills crossed through 29 different Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), including zones with legal sea turtle fisheries or traditional subsistence use. Core foraging areas (KDE 50%) ranged between 3.8 and 69.0 km2. Nearly a third of foraging centroids were within a Marine Protected Area (MPA), while nearly a quarter were within a legal sea turtle fishery EEZ. Hawksbills nesting on Nevis disperse to local, regional, and Caribbean wide foraging grounds, emphasizing the necessity of cooperative efforts to protect turtles and their habitats to ensure support of the recovery of hawksbill turtles throughout the wider Caribbean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insular evolution on archipelagos generates a significant proportion of global biodiversity, yet islands are among the ecosystems most sensitive to accelerating anthropogenic disturbance, introductions of non‐native species, and emerging pathogens, among other conservation challenges. The Alexander and Haida Gwaii archipelagos along North America's North Pacific Coast support a disproportionate number of endemic taxa compared to other high‐latitude terrestrial ecosystems. In this region, endemics in Canada are explicitly protected, but in the United States, endemics have been operationally ignored. We reviewed regional research on terrestrial mammals and endemics from 2000–2022 to guide wildlife management. Elevated regional endemism is due to a combination of deep and shallow temporal processes (i.e., long‐term refugial isolation vs. recent colonization). With adequate sampling, genomic analyses are well‐suited to identifying nuanced patterns of divergence and endemism, thereby facilitating a deeper understanding of regional diversity. We identified 18 mammalian endemics in Southeast Alaska, USA, at varying taxonomic scales, but research effort has significant taxonomic biases and sampling infrastructure remains inadequate. Of the 66 terrestrial and aquatic mammal species in Southeast Alaska, only 55% are represented by ≥10 archived samples over the last 2 decades. Across taxa, major spatial and temporal sampling gaps limit interpretations of wildlife responses to changing environmental conditions. The Tongass National Forest is spread across an island archipelago, and climate change is projected to have disproportionate impacts on island endemics worldwide. In this case, the United States Forest Service is not closely monitoring endemic taxa, as was required by the Tongass Land Management Plan in 1997. Our review underscores a need for increased consideration of how endemism can be incorporated into land and wildlife management across the Alexander Archipelago. Moving forward, we encourage state and federal agencies, Indigenous communities, and international collaborators to continue to partner with natural history biorepositories to ensure strategic wildlife sampling infrastructure is built and made accessible to the broader scientific community as part of the land management process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volunteer‐based roadkill monitoring schemes, including road carcass sampling, can represent considerable advances with respect to classical methods employed in conservation biology. We studied the genetic diversity, structure, and dynamics of the European polecat (Mustela putorius) across the Iberian Peninsula. We used samples of road carcasses collected by volunteers because this carnivore is an elusive species otherwise difficult to monitor with standard field protocols. We gathered 238 samples obtained from 2004 to 2022 from 13 different areas (8–31 samples/area). Using microsatellite loci, we identified 4 genetic units with gene flow among 3 of them in the Iberian Peninsula. The genetic variability was steadily low in 1 of the areas (Girona) for all the parameters evaluated. This area is also genetically isolated from the other studied areas. The inbreeding coefficient was significant in the north‐ and south‐Iberia units, and we did not detect a bottleneck signature in any of the 4 genetic units. Future conservation actions should consider the genetic dissimilarity among detected units and elucidate the ecological factors that have led to the observed genetic patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infections of endoparasites in primates in natural habitats are highly prevalent and can cause disease, reduce health quality, and disrupt their life. This study investigated endoparasites prevalence value in the endangered Javan gibbon (Hylobates moloch) in Citalahab Forest, Gunung Halimun Salak National Park, Indonesia, from June to August 2022 by collected fecal samples (N = 10) and analyzed it using floatation methods. As a result, we found five genera of nematodes Trichuris trichiura (10% egg worm prevalence, Oesophagostomum spp. (50%), Trichostrongylus spp. (60%), Ancylostoma spp. (80%), and Strongyloides spp. (100%). The prevalence value of the worms in the larvae stage of Trichostrongylus spp. 20% and Strongyloides spp. 70%. Nematode infection status successively is Strongyloides spp., which is, frequently; Trichostrongylus spp. and Ancylostoma spp., which is, often; Oesophagostomum spp. and Trichuris trichiura which is, occasionally. Four species of nematode were found in both ages, and only Trichuris trichiura was found in one adolescent individual. The threat posed by this parasite deserves attention; further research is needed to fill the gap in our knowledge of their pathogenicity and transmission in Javan gibbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Euphorbia bupleurifolia is exploited extensively for traditional medicine. • Harvesting is unsustainable as all plants are wild-sourced. • Whole plant is used for muthi resulting in destructive harvesting practices. • Participants harvest for personal use, treating patients and to sell. • Plant part substitution, use of fast-growing species and cultivation is recommended. Euphorbia bupleurifolia is a slow-growing dwarf succulent used for its medicinal properties by the Zulu and Xhosa people of South Africa. The latex reportedly cures several skin ailments, and it has been observed in traditional medicine (muthi) markets in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. To assess the impact of traditional medicine use and trade on E. bupleurifolia and gain insight into its demand and availability, surveys were conducted with traditional health practitioners (THPs) and traders in the KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and Gauteng provinces using semi-structured questionnaires. These took place between November 2018 and January 2019. According to the participants (n = 23), an estimated 1721 E. bupleurifolia plants were harvested in a year for medicinal use. Approximately 6 % of participants harvested strictly for trade at muthi markets. Only 25 % of participants claimed to have noted a decline in wild populations, while 44 % believe the species is still abundant in the wild. However, only four E. bupleurifolia plants were encountered at a street market in King Williams Town (Eastern Cape province) while conducting surveys, suggesting that it has indeed become harder to find and hence scarcer in the wild. Common names of 10 other plant species which can be used as alternatives for E. bupleurifolia in healing were supplied by THPs, with uchithibhunga (Rhoicissus spp.) the most frequently cited. The high demand and noted declines in E. bupleurifolia in field surveys signifies the need for increased efforts directed at educating stakeholders on sustainable harvesting practices and promoting artificial propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• For the first time PCR was used to determine the sex in the genus Encephalartos (Zamiaceae). • Sex determination makers were used to identify sex potential sex change events occurring in cycads. • The use sex determination markers for Encephalartos greatly benefits ex situ conservation of the genus. Species within Encephalartos Lehm., the largest cycad genus in Africa, face considerable threats from habitat loss and illegal collection. Living collections in botanical gardens play a crucial role in conserving these slow-growing plants, necessitating the presence of both male (microsporangiate) and female (megasporangiate) individuals for successful sexual reproduction. Recent genomic research has identified sex-specific genes in cycads, offering an opportunity for sex determination in ex situ collections. This study tested the utility of the CYCAS_034085 gene, found exclusively in microsporangiate plants, for identifying the sex of Encephalartos individuals using a simple qualitative PCR assay. A total of 88 accessions representing six Encephalartos species were collected from Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. The results demonstrated that the developed primer combination effectively differentiated between microsporangiate and megasporangiate plants, achieving an accuracy of 86.3 %. This PCR-based sex determination method represents a valuable tool for cycad conservation management and the establishment of effective ex situ collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The first study on the diversity of plant species of locally protected forests patches in Inhambane Province, southern Mozambique. • Vepris myrei (Rutaceae) dominated a quadrat and it is simultaneously a near endemic and endangered tree species. • Dolichandrone alba (Bignoniaceae) dominated a quadrat and it is simultaneously a near endemic and vulnerable tree species. • Communities and their local heritage practices play a fundamental role in safeguarding plant diversity in non-officially protected forests. This study presents the vegetation composition of two forests, Chitanga and Mafai in Inhambane Province, Mozambique, which are protected by local communities. Plant diversity, forest structure and the existence of threatened plant species are assessed. This is the first biological study carried out in locally protected forests in Inhambane Province. Plant species were recorded in twelve 20 m × 20 m plots. A total of 952 plants from 151 species, 166 genera and 30 families were identified. 50 plant species occurred in both forests; 64 were only recorded in Chitanga; and 37 were unique to Mafai. In both forests, plant communities were dominated by the Fabaceae and Malvaceae families. Statistical analysis on the number of plants, genera, stand density, stand basal area, species richness, Shannon diversity, Inverse Simpson, and Piélou evenness indices shows that on average Chitanga is similar to Mafai. Both forests host near endemic and red listed plant species (Cissampelos hirta, Dolichandrone alba, Diospyros inhacaesis, Hyperacanthus microphyllus, Paropsia braunii, Synaptolepis oliveriana, and Vepris myrei). The study is significant in demonstrating the biological richness of locally protected forests. It illustrates how locally organised protection through customary laws plays an important role in the biodiversity and conservation status of non-formally protected areas. Inventories of other heritage forests in Inhambane province and Mozambique are recommended for the future firstly, as a means of providing botanical data and, secondly, as a means of supporting the formal adoption of heritage forest as conservation areas in a manner that does not alienate the communities safeguarding the forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hands-on activities are considered to be particularly suitable for generating long-term knowledge that increases environmentally friendly behaviour. Appropriate flagship species in a respective curricular context can enable high-quality education. We have developed a teaching concept and material for hands-on activities with bumblebees. This includes aspects of outdoor bumblebee-keeping in a teaching unit, together with the identification of bumblebee species and conservation activity in the context of biodiversity; bumblebees can act as umbrella species because their conservation needs incidentally protect other species. Moreover, the project involves keeping bumblebees indoors in a teaching unit that covers ethology and neurobiology. A total sample size of 188 German high school students from the fifth to seventh grade (lower and intermediate secondary-school levels) participated in the project. We measured students' knowledge about bumblebees in general and insect decline, as well as fear of bumblebees in a pre-test, post-test and follow-up test. Learning enjoyment was also measured in the post-test. Students acquired long-lasting knowledge and considerably enjoyed the learning experience. Fear of bumblebees decreased long-term, although knowledge that bumblebees can sting increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overfishing and unsustainable practices have caused drastic declines in shark populations worldwide; these decreases are largely attributed to the demand for shark products (e.g., fins and meat) and shark bycatch associated with the global fishing industry. In an effort to understand the species composition of the shark fin trade in Singapore – a globally significant trade hub, we collected and genetically identify a total of 6840 shark fins collected between January 2021 and February 2022. We then adopted a Bayesian modelling approach to understand how the identified species contributed to the overall trade within Singapore. The Singapore market appears distinct in terms of species composition when compared to the markets of Hong Kong and mainland China. In Singapore 81% of samples belonged to ten species, whereas, in Hong Kong and mainland China a single species dominated the trade. Of those identified in Singapore, the IUCN considers six to be threatened species and eight are listed in CITES Appendix II (in online). The differences in species composition between East and Southeast Asian markets suggest that different supply chains are sustaining these hubs. Given these differences, it is important that conservation, sustainable fisheries management and policy decisions are based upon the findings from multiple trade centres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over one third of sharks, rays and chimaeras (chondrichthyans) are threatened with extinction globally. In the Mediterranean Sea, more than half of chondrichthyan species face this risk, although a variety of international, regional, and national rules and regulations apply directly and indirectly targeting management and conservation for these species. In this work, we provide an overview of relevant legislation and policies in the region, which regulate, inter alia, commercial fisheries, while highlighting through cases studies how implementation in practice at national level looks like. Horizontal gaps and inconsistencies that hinder chondrichthyan management in the region are also illustrated. Furthermore, we present recommendations for improvement and additional tools that can be used, even if not originally or explicitly targeting chondrichthyans, for improving the management of these taxa in the Mediterranean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), is one of the most important coffee pests, and is present in almost all countries producing this crop, causing annual losses of US$350 million. Natural factors regulate H. hampei populations in coffee crops. Ecological life table analysis is a robust tool that allows the estimation of the mortality caused by these factors. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to determine the critical stage and the key mortality factors affecting H. hampei in the field. Data for constructing life tables were collected over 2 years in six coffee plantations in the regions of Paula Cândido and Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The average mortality of H. hampei was 75.34% ± 5.85%. The mortality at each developmental stage was 24.32% ± 2.83% (eggs), 7.29% ± 1.01% (first instar), 11.58% ± 1.46% (second instar), 9.68% ± 1.10% (third instar), 7.45% ± 1.01% (pupa), and 15.02% ± 1.29% (adult; n = 124). The mortality factors observed and quantified in this study were parasitism by Prorops nasuta (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), predation by ants (Crematogaster spp., Pheidole spp. and Solenopsis spp.), physiological disorders and fungal infection by Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae. The critical mortality stage of H. hampei was the adult stage. The key factors for mortality of H. hampei adults were predatory ants, followed by B. bassiana and malformations (these insects had deformities in the head, wings, legs, or abdomen). This information is essential to conserve the activities of natural enemies and, thus maintain H. hampei natural mortality factors in coffee plantations, reducing damage to the crops and the need for excessive insecticide interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation and elimination of the growing point of Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel. are two common contrasted scenarios during grazing. However, the biomass and nutrient allocation in L. chinensis, as well as their contribution to yield under these conditions are unclear. Therefore, a simulated grazing experiment was conducted using a factorial design that combined two defoliation heights (conservation versus elimination of growing points) and four plant heights (18, 24, 31, and 35 cm) during two growing seasons (2020 and 2021), resulting in eight treatments. Additionally, the experiment also included two identical control treatments with a single mowing in mid‐August. The results demonstrated that conservation treatments for the growing point increased the regeneration time of L. chinensis during the entire growing season in both years compared to elimination treatments for the growing point, due to the alteration in biomass allocation priority and C: N: P stoichiometric ratio between stems and leaves of L. chinensis, as well as root morphological traits. The growth strategy in the treatment with 17 cm defoliation height at 35 cm plant height demonstrated the optimal combination, resulting in stabling the accumulated DM yield of L. chinensis in both years. The findings emphasize the significance of comprehending the correlation between the growing point of L. chinensis and its yield, providing a pioneering approach to guide sustainable grazing practices for L. chinensis grassland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the conservation of easel paintings, black draperies or dark backgrounds often prove problematic to treat and understand in terms of condition. Despite most black pigments in Old Master paintings not intrinsically containing high atomic number elements, the investigation of black paints is one of the National Gallery's major uses and most helpful applications of x‐ray fluorescence (XRF) scanning. As a visual tool, XRF element distribution maps of black paints are useful for assessing the extent of overpainting or condition of any surviving original paint beneath, and for revealing the original modelling. However, interpreting the XRF element maps can be challenging. It is important to consider not only the primary compositions of black or dark pigments, but to have an understanding of other possible associated materials and more broadly of historical painting techniques, artists' practices and the paint stratigraphy. Through a series of case studies, this paper demonstrates how a detailed knowledge of historic painting materials and techniques, based on study of documentary sources and archives of materials‐based evidence from the analysis of paint cross‐sections—both from the paintings being studied and related works—aids and enriches interpretation of XRF element maps of black paints. While samples are invaluable in understanding exactly how—and with what materials—such regions were painted, they are not always representative and scanning XRF may be of complementary benefit in providing a more holistic view of pigment distribution. The examples presented range from the fifteenth to the seventeenth century from both Northern Europe and Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We aim to find the main drivers of the taxonomic and functional richness and functional dispersion of vertebrates (amphibians, birds, primates, marsupials, rodents, bats and medium‐ and large‐sized mammals) across the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We also aim to identify hotspots of vertebrate diversity and quantify the extent to which they are legally protected. Location: Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Methods: We gathered data on the occurrence of vertebrates based on the most recent published databases for Atlantic Forest vertebrates and measured taxonomic richness, functional richness and functional dispersion. We then related variation in diversity, within each group and overall, to environmental and landscape variables. Also, we modelled the diversity of each group for the entire extent of the Atlantic Forest, superimposing the diversity maps to delimit the vertebrate biodiversity hotspots and verified how much of these hotspots are covered by protected areas. Results: Taxonomic/functional diversity were driven by environmental (e.g., average annual precipitation and precipitation of the driest quarter) and landscape variables (e.g., amount of forest and agricultural areas) for most taxonomic groups. The main hotspots of taxonomic richness are located in the central region of the Atlantic Forest, whereas those for functional diversity occur in the southern region of the biome. Only a little over 10% of the Atlantic Forest is covered by protected areas, and, as such, the vast majority of the medium and high diversity areas fall outside of protected areas, being therefore not legally protected. Main Conclusions: We found evidence for previously described patterns, including the predicted positive effects of the amount of forest in the landscape and precipitation and the negative effects of agricultural areas on vertebrate diversity. Finally, our results show that most diversity hotspots are outside of legally protected areas, indicating that more conservation efforts should be made towards safeguarding these important areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bridle shiner (Notropis bifrenatus) is a small cyprinid native to the eastern United States and Canada. Bridle shiner populations have declined across their range, and the species now receives concern status or legal protection in 13 states and two provinces. Bridle shiners were historically found in southern and western Maine in densely vegetated, shallow habitats along the shorelines of streams and ponds. We surveyed areas of Maine that supported historical bridle shiner populations using environmental DNA (eDNA) and traditional seine netting methods, and then used eDNA sampling to survey areas with unknown bridle shiner presence. We rediscovered bridle shiner populations at 11 of 32 historically occupied waterbodies and documented bridle shiners in four additional waterbodies. We determined that both eDNA and seine net surveys are viable options for monitoring bridle shiners in Maine and identified ways to streamline the eDNA methods used in this study to reduce the time and cost of future surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to understand the developmental experiences that unfold in youth development contexts, and why they matter for character development. Drawing on pre- and post-program data provided by 846 adolescents (47% female, 63% youth of color), this paper empirically investigated the role of three developmental experiences―developmental relationships, critical reflection, and intrinsic program engagement―in promoting civic, moral, intellectual, and performance character strengths in a conservation context in the United States. Results provide robust evidence of the pervasive power of all three developmental experiences, and especially youth-adult developmental relationships and critical reflection, in promoting key elements of character. Specific suggestions are described for organizational action to invest strategically and systematically in these program features to support young people's character development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nothapodytes nimmoniana (J. Graham) Mabb., commonly known as Narkya, holds immense potential as a medicinal plant, exhibiting a wide array of pharmacological activities. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the methods used for extracting bioactive compounds from different plant parts, along with an exploration of their diverse pharmacological activities. The plant's significance stems from its high content of camptothecin (CPT), a potent anti-cancer alkaloid. We delve into the plant's anti-microbial, antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-helminthic, anti-malarial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, we highlight the challenges faced by N. nimmoniana (J. Graham) Mabb., due to overexploitation and its endangered status. To address these concerns, the review underscores the importance of sustainable conservation strategies and the implementation of advanced techniques like plant tissue culture and endophyte production for increased CPT production. This holistic analysis not only sheds light on the plant's multifaceted benefits but also underscores the need for responsible utilization and conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scale at which New Zealand is currently storing and sequestering blue carbon, and could create additional blue carbon via restoration, has been unclear. Here, we calculate a preliminary estimate for the current extent of three key blue carbon ecosystems (saltmarshes, mangrove forests and seagrass meadows), their carbon stocks and their carbon sequestration rates using the best available data to provide a preliminary estimate of blue carbon in New Zealand. We also use local examples to explore opportunities to create additional blue carbon. Based on the available literature, we estimate the current extent of New Zealand's blue carbon ecosystems to be 76,152 ha, which is 1.0% of the area of terrestrial native forests. Our preliminary estimate of New Zealand's blue carbon stock is 2.66–3.76 Mt of carbon, with a current carbon sequestration rate of 0.12 (0.05–0.26) Mt/CO2/yr, which is equivalent to 0.16% of New Zealand's 2021 gross emissions. Restoration of saltmarshes could enhance their carbon sink capacity, mangrove forests are naturally expanding and seagrass meadow restoration techniques at scale are still in development. Developing a national framework for blue carbon protection, monitoring and restoration is important as part of New Zealand's climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement: Political interests and power structures shape state‐led crop conservation and food policy. As a crop that relates to culture and belonging, the chile crop is ideal for exploring how food security policy and crop conservation schemes integrate aspects beyond staple crops, calories and/or electoral incentives. What do these schemes mean for the food and ingredients we love? Reflecting from this perspective can be useful to grasp, re‐frame and create more effective and inclusive food policies—ones that embody and valorise flavour, identities and territories beyond statements on paper. Summary: In line with the Food and Agriculture Organisation's (FAO) international action plan for crop genetic resources, the Mexican state inaugurated the National System of Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (SINAREFI) in 2002. In this paper, I explore SINAREFI's interest in landraces and in situ conservation through the case of chile pepper, set under the Ministry of Agriculture's interests of promoting industrial agriculture and paternalistic food security welfare programmes.Through the analyses of existing literature on food security in Mexico state programmes, archival work and interviews, this article analyses how discourses on food security shape research trajectories, some of which are inevitably constrained by current market‐based agricultural systems.By exploring the state's chile research and conservation programme, this work demonstrates the complexity of international food security discourse and its application domestically. Particularly, this analysis highlights the limitations of state crop research and conservation efforts imposed by contradictory agricultural policies. In the case of chile, its link to Mexican culture and diet uncovers an important, but often overlooked, aspect of food security: flavour.In the case of chile, a non‐staple but culturally symbolic crop, welfare programmes remained paternalistic and focused on caloric intake despite the transformation of national discourse on food security towards the integration of landraces and local cultures through the inauguration of SINAREFI. This case study reflects on the limits of current framings and strategies regarding food security and the need to direct policies towards local food sovereignty to achieve the necessary stability for food security to endure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement: The problem of genetically modified maize contamination in Mexico is the result of both planned and unplanned consequences of scientific and political choices. We show how a risk management strategy based on the modernist dichotomy between "modern" and "native" has failed to protect Mexican landraces and has marginalized other forms of knowledge that are urgently needed to understand and support the fluidity of Mexican biocultural landscapes. Farmers' seed systems are a fundamental source of crop resilience and evolution. They can constitute safe pathways for creating new maize varieties able to withstand climate and societal changes. Summary: In 2001, an alert on the contamination of Mexican maize landraces by genetically modified (GM) maize spurred new actions to conserve the world's biggest reservoir of maize genetic diversity. We analyze how the largest maize collection effort in Mexican history, and the definition of the conservation procedures employed in it, either involved or marginalized different approaches to this environmental problem.The article is grounded in the sociohistorical analysis of the controversy of GM maize contamination and brings together new historiographical perspectives on Mexican scientific and political interest in native maize. It also draws on ethnographic approaches, extended fieldwork, and analysis of data from Mexican government agencies.We show how different epistemological traditions have made the risk of GM maize contamination (in)visible and thereby generated normative choices. We illustrate how the GMO controversy brought the theme of native maize back onto the Mexican political and scientific agenda. The normativity that shaped the controversy in the 2000s influenced current knowledge and how the problem of GM maize introgression is still addressed today.The entanglements between biotechnology, native landraces, and farmers' practices are too dense to be "scientized" and kept separate to be made manageable as areas of purely technical "risk." The result is a geography of maize infused with all sorts of temporalities and materiality, which escapes the bounds of technoscientific framings. This intricate environment‐making process calls for new collaborations among epistemic cultures to tackle the possible consequences of GMOs for agrobiodiversity, seed systems, and their resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Golden Jackal, Canis aureus Linnaeus, 1758 is widely distributed in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Its range has considerably expanded in Europe over the past few decades. In the Middle East, the species occurs in Levant, including Israel and Palestine, just across the eastern border of Egypt. The first documented occurrence of the species in Egypt was in 2009 from a small area in extreme northeastern Sinai Peninsula, suggesting a very limited distribution within that part of the country. In this paper I report a recent range expansion of the Golden Jackal into large areas in eastern and southern Sinai Peninsula, including well-studied and monitored National Parks where this jackal has never been previously recorded, but is now quite common. I describe the new habitats now colonized by this jackal and discuss its ecological relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding patterns of species-genetic diversity correlations (SGDC) is important for conservation purposes because it allows us to infer whether conservation of species diversity (SD) influences conservation of genetic diversity (GD) and the other way around. Here, we studied SGDCs using aquatic macrofauna in a set of 31 urban ponds in the metropolitan area of Stockholm, Sweden. We also estimated how land use and pond environmental factors affect SD and GD. SD was estimated as species richness. GD was estimated in four focal species that differed in their dispersal abilities: Asellus aquaticus (Isopoda), Haliplus ruficollis (Coleoptera), Planorbis planorbis (Gastropoda), Rana temporaria (Amphibia), using double digest restriction associated DNA (ddRAD) sequencing data. There were no significant SGDCs for any of the species. Similarly, GD was not related to land use or pond environment. However, SD had a significant positive correlation with total invertebrate abundance and pond area. Given the absence of significant SGDCs in our study, and the mixed positive and negative patterns found in previous studies reporting SGDCs, we suggest that simultaneously preserving species and genetic diversity in urban areas will prove challenging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species distribution modelling is a technique used in ecology and conservation biology to predict the potential distribution of a species based on environmental variables. It involves analysing the relationship between known occurrences of a species and environmental factors to create a model that can then predict where the species might be found. Amblypodia anita is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Lycaenidae, found primarily in Southeast Asia. Information about the specific conservation status of Amblypodia anita varies based on regional assessments. However, like many butterfly species, threats such as habitat destruction, climate change, and habitat fragmentation pose risks to its populations. The study trained a model on the current distribution of Amblypodia anita in West Bengal, India, using MaxEnt modelling. Fourteen environmental variables were selected to build the model. Results suggest that cultivated and managed vegetation (36.5%) serves as the most important variable. Running the developed model, the team was then able to predict that 6619 km2 of suitable habitat for Amblypodia anita butterflies exists in West Bengal, India. This analytical approach to area-based conservation may be used in conservation management and focuses on protecting specific geographical areas to preserve biodiversity, ecosystems, and natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]