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The study of fish movement patterns in freshwater ecosystems remains a major focus of contemporary research. Small freshwater fish are known to migrate between tributaries and mainstems at different stages of their life history, helping to avoid local extinctions and maintain genetic diversity. However, fitting small fish species with telemetry equipment is difficult, making it challenging to track their detailed migration history via conventional methods. We evaluated the suitability of otolith isotope analysis for verifying the migration histories of small fish species inhabiting small tributaries. In this study, we compared the 87Sr/86Sr values in stream water and the otoliths of two fish species (Nipponocypris temminckii and Rhinogobius flumineus) inhabiting small streams. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios in the stream waters within the study area displayed considerable variation among tributaries. Our findings indicate that only N. temminckii has high dispersal ability, showing movement between tributaries or between tributaries and the mainstem in some locations. In contrast, such movement was not generally observed for R. flumineus. These results show the potential of 87Sr/86Sr as a tool for estimating the migration patterns of small fishes that inhabit small tributaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Species connectivity mapping is a technically challenging task for conservation practitioners and nongovernment organisations to undertake as it requires experience in geographic information systems and often some computer programming. Aims. We developed a decision support tool to provide spatial information and data on potential habitat connectivity and optimum connectivity pathways for a selection of forest-dependent vertebrate fauna in eastern and south-western Australia. Methods. We systematically searched spatial data repositories for Australian spatial datasets for modelling connectivity. A least cost paths and patch connectivity approach was used to map potential habitat connectivity for (1) a single species - the glossy black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami) of South East Queensland, and (2) four species guilds - rainforest pigeons, gliding possums, the black cockatoos of south-western Western Australia and a landscape level forest connectivity. Optimum connectivity pathways were assessed for protection status. Key results. In total 71 spatial datasets useful for habitat connectivity mapping were identified. Species and guild modelling found that the protection status for optimum connectivity pathways varied between 24.7% and 53.3%. A decision support mapping tool was then created to enable users to interactively explore the connectivity data and download the spatial datasets for further analysis. Conclusions. The development of a decision support tool for mapping habitat connectivity in eastern and south-western Australia represents a useful platform for conservation practitioners as it provides valuable spatial information on potential connectivity pathways for forest-dependent vertebrate fauna. Implications. The tool can aid in the prioritisation of conservation actions aimed at enhancing habitat connectivity and mitigating the impacts of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity in the two regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable effort and money are spent to promulgate greener, more biodiverse cities with a fundamental push to increase the green connectivity between remnant urban bushlands and with their surrounding natural habitats (ecological reserves and National Parks). Yet, cities are recognised as major point of entry for biological invasions and provide abundant shelter and food resources to sustain established populations of invasive species. An increased connectivity of green spaces across the cities could therefore create new hazards for the health and safety of native species and the human residents. In Australia, most greening strategies designed for large urban centres only consider invasive species as a secondary nuisance that can be managed a posteriori. Established pest populations are very difficult and costly to control unless the effort is invested at the early stage of invasion and lethal control of wildlife is often controversial in urban landscapes. A novel approach that has yet to be further explored consists of manipulating the habitat within the urban green spaces and corridors so as to maintain their functionality for biodiversity and their benefits for human residents while slowing the spread of invasive species. The key to success involves cross-disciplinary research between urban design, conservation and biosecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Habitat connectivity is integral to current biodiversity science and conservation strategies. Originally, the connectivity concept stressed the role of individual movements for landscape-scale processes. Connectivity determines whether populations can survive in sub-optimal patches (i.e., source-sink effects), complete life cycles relying on different habitat types (i.e., landscape complementation), and benefit from supplementary resources distributed over the landscape (i.e., landscape supplementation). Although the past decades have witnessed major improvements in habitat connectivity modeling, most approaches have yet to consider the multiplicity of habitat types that a species can benefit from. Without doing so, connectivity analyses potentially fail to meet one of their fundamental purposes: revealing how complex individual movements lead to landscape-scale ecological processes. Methods: To bridge this conceptual and methodological gap, we propose to include multiple habitat types in spatial graph models of habitat connectivity, where nodes traditionally represent a single habitat type. Multiple habitat graphs will improve how we model connectivity and related landscape ecological processes, and how they are impacted by land cover changes. Results: In three case studies, we use these graphs to model (i) source-sink effects, (ii) landscape supplementation, and (iii) complementation processes, in urban ecosystems, agricultural landscapes, and amphibian habitat networks, respectively. A new version of the Graphab open-source software implements the proposed approach. Conclusion: Multiple habitat graphs help address crucial conservation challenges (e.g., urban sprawl, biological control, climate change) by representing more accurately the dynamics of populations, communities, and their interactions. Our approach thereby extends the ecologist’s toolbox and aims at fostering the alignment between landscape ecology theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term declines in coastal water quality and sedimentation can affect the restoration success of ecosystems such as seagrass and shellfish reefs. Resnagging coastal seascapes offers a potential alternative restoration method that is not reliant on abiotic conditions and which may enhance degraded landscapes for fish and fisheries. While common in freshwater ecosystems, such interventions are unusual for coastal seascapes despite log snags supporting significant benefits for coastal fish. In this study, we identify the spatial (e.g. seascape connectivity), habitat condition (e.g. log snag complexity and food availability) and water quality variables that best explain variation in fish assemblages on log snags to help prioritise the placement and design of resnagging efforts in estuaries. We surveyed fish assemblages on log snags using underwater videography at 363 sites across 13 estuaries in southeast Queensland, Australia, over 3 years. Sites less than 10,000 m from the estuary mouth, more than 2500 m from urban structures and located in water depths of < 3 m harboured more diverse fish assemblages. Sites less than 10,000 m from the estuary mouth with lower (< 25%) algae cover harboured greater total fish abundance and harvested fish abundance. Similar trends were found for the abundance of individuals from key functional groups, although these trends were mediated by other seascape contexts (e.g. the area of natural habitat) and water quality variables (e.g. chlorophyll-a concentration and dissolved oxygen saturation). Our results indicate that log snag placement in estuaries for benefits to fish and fisheries can be maximised if sites are planned strategically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how animals respond to fire is crucial for conservation efforts in fire‐prone regions across the world. How fire affects animal movement is of particular interest, as it determines access to resources, exposure to risks, and connectivity of populations. We report on observations of the movement patterns and habitat selection of two northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus, an endangered marsupial predator), one male and one female, in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. We employed GPS tracking and integrated step selection functions to analyse habitat preferences in relation to fire, and used accelerometry data to assess the energetic costs of using burnt areas. The male northern quoll avoided recently burnt areas, likely due to increased energetic demands and predation risks during the breeding season. In contrast, the female northern quoll neither avoided nor preferred burnt areas, but showed a preference for rocky areas. The female appeared to move through burnt areas to access suitable breeding habitat. The movement patterns observed in the two individuals might reflect a broader pattern of sex‐specific responses to fire, but further research is required to confirm how general the pattern is. Our observations indicate that fire can influence northern quoll movement, with female dependence on rocky areas increasing use of suboptimal habitats, and male avoidance of burnt areas raising potential implications for breeding dispersal and population dynamics. Given the expected increases in fire size and frequency, further research on northern quoll responses to fire in the Pilbara is needed to determine if the pattern we observed is consistent across the broader population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Relations among hedgerow structure, biodiversity & ecosystem services are unclear. • We performed a systematic review including 89 studies from Central Europe and UK from 1974 to 2022. • Arthropods & birds, were most often, earthworms & bats least often studied. • Structural diversity, layering & woody vegetation promoted biodiversity. • Connectivity, density & structural complexity improved ecosystem service provision. Agricultural intensification decreases the heterogeneity of the landscape and leads to a decline in hedgerows. As hedgerows provide important habitats for many taxa, this contributes to the loss of biodiversity in agroecosystems. However, the extent to which hedgerows, and in particular their habitat quality in terms of structural characteristics, also influence biodiversity-based ecosystem services is poorly studied. Here, we conducted a systematic review of the Scopus and other literature databases focusing on Central European and UK studies examining (1) the influence of hedgerow habitat quality on the biodiversity of arthropods, earthworms, birds, bats and small mammals and (2) the relationship between selected hedgerow parameters, animal taxa, and ecosystem services such as pollination, seed dispersal, pest and disease control and soil quality regulation. A total of 2260 studies (cut-off date: 13 September 2022) published between 1974 and 2022 were found. After sorting based on inclusion criteria related to the research focus, 89 studies remained for evaluation. Arthropods, birds, and small mammals were studied most frequently, earthworms and bats least frequently. The selected studies showed that structural diversity, layering, woody biomass and density were strongly positively correlated with animal species diversity, while hedgerow length, width and age showed less relevant relationships. Hedgerow connectivity, density, structural diversity, and layering were strongly positive associated with the provision of ecosystem services. We conclude that the structural diversity of hedgerows needs to be increased if their impact on biodiversity and ecosystem service provision is to be improved. It is therefore recommended that hedgerow management measures should specifically consider the ecological importance of the structural diversity of hedgerows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural intensification decreases the heterogeneity of the landscape and leads to a decline in hedgerows. As hedgerows provide important habitats for many taxa, this contributes to the loss of biodiversity in agroecosystems. However, the extent to which hedgerows, and in particular their habitat quality in terms of structural characteristics, also influence biodiversity-based ecosystem services is poorly studied. Here, we conducted a systematic review of the Scopus and other literature databases focusing on Central European and UK studies examining (1) the influence of hedgerow habitat quality on the biodiversity of arthropods, earthworms, birds, bats and small mammals and (2) the relationship between selected hedgerow parameters, animal taxa, and ecosystem services such as pollination, seed dispersal, pest and disease control and soil quality regulation. A total of 2260 studies (cut-off date: 13 September 2022) published between 1974 and 2022 were found. After sorting based on inclusion criteria related to the research focus, 89 studies remained for evaluation. Arthropods, birds, and small mammals were studied most frequently, earthworms and bats least frequently. The selected studies showed that structural diversity, layering, woody biomass and density were strongly positively correlated with animal species diversity, while hedgerow length, width and age showed less relevant relationships. Hedgerow connectivity, density, structural diversity, and layering were strongly positive associated with the provision of ecosystem services. We conclude that the structural diversity of hedgerows needs to be increased if their impact on biodiversity and ecosystem service provision is to be improved. It is therefore recommended that hedgerow management measures should specifically consider the ecological importance of the structural diversity of hedgerows.

Abstract Background Understanding how landscape characteristics affect animal movement is essential for conservation in human-dominated habitats. A fundamental question is how monoculture agroforests, including rubber and tea plantations, affect wildlife and its movement. Experimental translocations represent an important technique to assess animals’ habitat selection while moving through agricultural matrices, especially when complemented with observations of birds’ natural movements, and with “control” translocations, in which birds are moved within their natural habitat such as forest. Yet, experimental translocations have been little used for birds outside the Western Hemisphere. Methods We conducted experimental translocations and home-range measurements on an understory forest specialist, Brown-capped Babbler (BCBA, Pellorneum fuscocapillus), and a forest generalist, Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher (TBFL, Cyornis tickelliae). These species were studied in three rubber plantations, which also included some open areas mostly planted with tea, and in three forest reserves of Sri Lanka. Results Four of the five BCBAs translocated within disturbed habitats (rubber plantations) could not return to their capture locations. However, all four individuals within undisturbed habitats (forest reserves) successfully returned to their point of origin within 10.5 daytime hours. In contrast, all TBFLs returned to their capture locations in both disturbed (n = 7) and undisturbed habitats (n = 3) within 11.3 daytime hours. A Cox-proportional survival model demonstrated that the percentage of rubber cover decreased return time, similar to the effect of open-area cover. The home range surveys (n = 13 for BCBA, n = 10 for TBFL) revealed that very little of the birds’ natural home-ranges was covered by rubber (0.2% for BCBA, 13.1% for TBFL at 50% Kernel Density Estimates KDE). Home range size for BCBA was approximately half the size in disturbed habitats compared to undisturbed ones, although there was no significant difference between habitats for TBFL. Conclusions We conclude that rubber plantations can be impermeable to understory habitat specialist birds, and even generalist species may avoid them long-term. Our findings highlight the potential utility of strips of native vegetation, particularly those featuring understory layers, as corridors to facilitate the movement of forest specialists in landscapes dominated by rubber plantations and other types of disturbed habitats.

The physicochemical heterogeneity of large river ecosystems generates a mosaic of habitats that support diverse fish communities. Understanding the connectivity between habitats and exploited fish populations is necessary for the sustainable management of fisheries. This study evaluates the spatial concordance between elemental fingerprints of fish otoliths and surface waters in the St. Lawrence River (Canada) and its tributaries. We sampled 16 tributaries and various freshwater habitats of the St. Lawrence River and collected 136 water samples and 930 fish, representing 21 species. We observed a high spatial variability of trace element composition in the water and fish otolith samples. Reclassification using Sr and Ba concentrations of the collected water and otoliths was sufficiently accurate to correctly assign most fish to their capture region. We also observed significant variation in the elemental deposition relationships for Sr and Ba among fish families. The development of this elemental fingerprint reference database is fundamental for understanding the structure of exploited fish populations, validating the connectivity among habitats, and reconstructing habitat use by invasive fish species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Giraffe populations have declined by around 40% in the last three decades. Climate change, poaching, habitat loss, and increasing human pressures are confining giraffes to smaller and more isolated patches of habitats. Masai giraffes (Giraffa tippelskirchi) have been subjected to habitat loss and fragmentation, diseases, poaching, and unpredictable calamities such as wildfires and climate change. In this study, we aimed to identify (1) suitable Masai giraffe habitats within the transboundary landscape of Tsavo‐Mkomazi in Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania; and (2) key connecting corridors in a multiple‐use landscape for conservation prioritization. We combined Masai giraffe presence data collected through a total aerial survey with moderate resolution satellite data to model habitat suitability at 250 m resolution using species distribution models (SDMs) implemented in Google Earth Engine (GEE). Model accuracy was assessed using area under precision recall curve (AUC‐PR). We then used the habitat suitability index as a resistance surface to model functional connectivity using Circuitscape theory and cost‐weighted distance pairwise methods. Human habitat modification, rainfall, and elevation were the main model predictors of Masai giraffe habitat and corridors. On average, our 10‐fold model fitting attained a good predictive performance with an average AUC‐PR = 0.80 (SD = 0.01, range = 0.79–0.83). The model predicted an area of 15,002 km2 as potential suitable Masai giraffe habitat with over 17% outside protected areas within the landscape. Although Tsavo West National Park formed a key habitat and a key connecting corridor, nonprotected community ranches connecting Tsavo West and Tsavo East National Parks are equally important in maintaining landscape connectivity joining more than two Masai giraffe core areas with low resistance and high permeability. To maintain critical Masai giraffe's habitats and landscape functional connectivity, especially in multiple‐use landscapes, conservation‐compatible land use practices, capacity building, and land use planning should be considered at the outset of any new infrastructure development and land use changes. This modeling shows the potential of utilizing remotely sensed information and ground surveys to guide the management of habitats and their connecting corridors across important African landscapes, complementing existing efforts to identify, conserve, and protect wildlife habitats and their linkage zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Understanding how landscape characteristics affect animal movement is essential for conservation in human-dominated habitats. A fundamental question is how monoculture agroforests, including rubber and tea plantations, affect wildlife and its movement. Experimental translocations represent an important technique to assess animals' habitat selection while moving through agricultural matrices, especially when complemented with observations of birds' natural movements, and with "control" translocations, in which birds are moved within their natural habitat such as forest. Yet, experimental translocations have been little used for birds outside the Western Hemisphere. Methods: We conducted experimental translocations and home-range measurements on an understory forest specialist, Brown-capped Babbler (BCBA, Pellorneum fuscocapillus), and a forest generalist, Tickell's Blue Flycatcher (TBFL, Cyornis tickelliae). These species were studied in three rubber plantations, which also included some open areas mostly planted with tea, and in three forest reserves of Sri Lanka. Results: Four of the five BCBAs translocated within disturbed habitats (rubber plantations) could not return to their capture locations. However, all four individuals within undisturbed habitats (forest reserves) successfully returned to their point of origin within 10.5 daytime hours. In contrast, all TBFLs returned to their capture locations in both disturbed (n = 7) and undisturbed habitats (n = 3) within 11.3 daytime hours. A Cox-proportional survival model demonstrated that the percentage of rubber cover decreased return time, similar to the effect of open-area cover. The home range surveys (n = 13 for BCBA, n = 10 for TBFL) revealed that very little of the birds' natural home-ranges was covered by rubber (0.2% for BCBA, 13.1% for TBFL at 50% Kernel Density Estimates KDE). Home range size for BCBA was approximately half the size in disturbed habitats compared to undisturbed ones, although there was no significant difference between habitats for TBFL. Conclusions: We conclude that rubber plantations can be impermeable to understory habitat specialist birds, and even generalist species may avoid them long-term. Our findings highlight the potential utility of strips of native vegetation, particularly those featuring understory layers, as corridors to facilitate the movement of forest specialists in landscapes dominated by rubber plantations and other types of disturbed habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) in the high seas has focussed on identifying concentrations of indicator species and prohibiting the operation of bottom‐contact fishing gears where those occur in significant concentrations. Most such species have planktonic larvae and depend on dispersal networks for inter‐generational persistence. Yet, connectivity amongst patches of VME has seldom been considered when spatial management measures are introduced. Here, the relative importance of individual patches for the maintenance of their connectivity networks is evaluated, and a prioritization scheme for management action is proposed. Effective conservation measures should maintain approximately natural network configurations whenever possible. Location: Grand Bank and Flemish Cap, Northwest Atlantic Ocean. Methods: 3‐D Lagrangian particle tracking was used to model larval dispersal connections between known patches of each of seven groups of benthic invertebrate taxa, previously recognized as indicators of VME. Connectivity networks were constructed and the effects of habitat loss simulated by systematic removal of whole patches, to determine the importance of each patch to connectivity within its respective network. Results: The various patches differed widely in their contributions to network connectivity. Each taxon group had both some patches that, if removed from the network, would result in a major decline in connectedness but also several which could be lost with negligible consequences for the remainder. Main Conclusions: While protecting each patch of VME has conservation value, the wide variation in connectedness shows that some patches are much more critical than others to the long‐term persistence of the taxa, providing a foundation for prioritization of conservation actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation planners often rely on heuristic indices when challenged with prioritizing potential projects under a constrained budget. This paper presents a comparative analysis of several prioritization indices (PIs) of culvert fish passage barriers, which can contribute to declines in anadromous fish populations. A federal injunction requires Washington state to restore 90% of habitat blocked by state‐owned culverts by 2030, prompting the development of numerous PIs, by various entities (i.e., counties, cities) within the injunction area. Our comparative analysis of PIs within the injunction Case Area investigates their ability to distinguish between barriers, their transferability in terms of scoring metrics, how scoring weights differ, and the preferences implied thereby. We document the use of six distinct PI methods by 10 entities and find that some PIs used many shared metrics, whereas others used a high percentage of unique metrics that would be difficult to replicate outside the entity's jurisdiction. Although habitat potential, habitat quantity, and connectivity were considered across all PIs, we found a high level of variation in terms of the metric weights. Our methods can be employed in other geographies or for other restoration PI planning efforts, and our results may facilitate the development and refinement of future PIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological control line (ECL) has become an important policy for enhancing ecological conservation and achieving sustainable urban development. Landscape connectivity of ecological network provides a method for exploring the effect of ECL policy on biodiversity conservation. This study used Shenzhen as an example to analyze the distribution of important habitats based on species occurrence points, environmental factors and artificial neural network methods. Four-phase ecological networks of focal species (Ardea cinerea, Callosciurus erythraeus, Copsychus saularis, Egretta garzetta, Pycnonotus sinensis) in 2000, 2010, 2015, and 2020 were constructed, and the effects and changes of ECL on habitat connectivity of species, geographical zone, and species zone scales were sequently analyzed using the difference-in-difference method. The results showed that: (1) Forty-one important habitats were identified, with a total area of 743 km2, and the average area of each habitat was 18.1 km2. The number of ecological corridors and the area of ecological pinch points in Shenzhen decreased in the first ten years but remained stable over the final ten years. (2) ECL delineation can promote habitat connectivity of regional species and with the passage of time, this promoting effect increases. The protective effect in the high habitat quality zone was greater than that in the low habitat quality zone. (3) City managers can develop habitat connectivity conservation schemes for different species according to the five habitat quality zones: high, mid-high, middle, mid-low, and low. This study proposes a method to assess the effectiveness of the existing ecological control line, and provide a scientific basis for formulating, adusting and optimizing ecological management.

Land-use changes lead to habitat loss and fragmentation, which poses a further threat to the survival of species. Therefore, it is crucial to analyze how land-use change affects its habitat. 37 counties in Sichuan Province, China, where giant pandas are distributed, were selected as the subjects. Through analyzing land-use change, habitat suitability and connectivity characteristics over the past 20 years, and establishing a correlation between them, the impacts of land-use change on the habitat suitability and connectivity of giant pandas were explained. The results showed that from 2000 to 2020, the different land-use areas in the study area showed a pattern of change with an increase in forest area, built-up area and water area, and a decrease in grassland area and cropland area. There were significant differences in the characteristics of land-use dynamics changes among counties. Changes in land-use dynamics have a significant impact on the habitat suitability and connectivity of giant pandas, which is manifested in the fact that the conversion of forestland to grassland and grassland to cultivated land significantly reduces habitat suitability, while the conversion of grassland to forestland and cultivated to forestland significantly increases the connectivity of giant panda habitats. Changes in the habitat suitability index were significantly and positively correlated with the land-use dynamics index and the land-use degree index. Our findings emphasize the importance of balancing socio-economic development, land-use, and conservation efforts to maintain giant panda habitat. Therefore, the development of rational land-use patterns in future management is key to maximizing the comprehensive social, economic and ecological benefits.

Life history characteristics, habitat landscape, and historical events are believed to have shaped the patterns of genetic variation in many taxa. The bony lip barb, Osteohilus vittatus, represent a potamodromous fish that complete all life cycle in freshwater and is widely distributed in Southeast Asia. It usually lives in small rivers and other freshwater habitats, and movement between habitats for either food or reproduction has been typical. These life history characteristics may promote gene flow, leading to less structured populations. However, many freshwateOsteochilus vittatusr habitats are fragmented, which restricts gene flow. We investigate how this interplay has shaped patterns of genetic variation and phylogeographic structure within this species in the Sundaland, a biodiversity hotspot with a complex geological history, using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) as a genetic marker. Forty-six mtCOI sequences of 506 bp long were collected from ten localities, eight geographically isolated and two connected. The sequences were used for population genetic and phylogeographic analyses. Our results showed a low genetic diversity within populations but high between populations. There was a deep phylogeographic structure among geographically isolated populations but a lack of such structure in the connected habitats. Among geographically isolated populations, sequence divergence was revealed, ranging from 1.8% between Java and Sumatra populations to 12.2% between Malaysia and Vietnam. An indication of structuring was also observed among localities that are geographically closer but without connectivity. We conclude that despite high dispersal capacity, the joint effects of historical events, long-term geographic isolation associated with sea level oscillation during the Pleistocene, and restricted gene flow related to lack of habitat connectivity have shaped the phylogeographic structure within the O. vittatus over the Sundaland.

Alpine rivers are among the most heavily modified ecosystems in Europe. Following massive interventions in the 18th and 19th centuries, many plant species specialized in these challenging environments declined and are now endangered or even locally extinct. Today, attempts are being made to reintroduce these species as part of restoration measures, but only a few are successful. The selection of potential sites for reintroduction is commonly intuitive and based on practical considerations, while a prior scientific assessment of habitat availability and habitat connectivity is lacking. To increase the success of future reintroductions, we employ a habitat suitability model and subsequent habitat connectivity analysis to identify promising regions and patches for reintroduction within a riverscape. We demonstrate this approach using the Alpine river specialists Chondrilla chondrilloides and Myricaria germanica in three differently degraded and one restored section of the large Alpine river Isar. All river sections provide habitats for both species, but with increasing degradation, habitats become fewer and less connected. For the species with a narrower habitat niche and lower dispersal ability, suitable and connected patches that support a self-sustained metapopulation are only found in the near-natural sections. Despite an improvement in the habitat situation, the patch size in the restored section is too small, and the patches are too scattered to support a successful reintroduction of the species. We show that this evidence-based approach outperforms an intuitive selection of out-planting sites. The results further underline the importance of using scientific habitat analysis to increase the success of reintroduction measures.

Climate warming and landscape fragmentation are both factors well known to threaten biodiversity and to generate species responses and adaptation. However, the impact of warming and fragmentation interplay on organismal responses remains largely under-explored, especially when it comes to gut symbionts, which may play a key role in essential host functions and traits by extending its functional and genetic repertoire. Here, we experimentally examined the combined effects of climate warming and habitat connectivity on the gut bacterial communities of the common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) over three years. While the strength of effects varied over the years, we found that a 2°C warmer climate decreases lizard gut microbiome diversity in isolated habitats. However, enabling connectivity among habitats with warmer and cooler climates offset or even reversed warming effects. The warming effects and the association between host dispersal behaviour and microbiome diversity appear to be a potential driver of this interplay. This study suggests that preserving habitat connectivity will play a key role in mitigating climate change impacts, including the diversity of the gut microbiome, and calls for more studies combining multiple anthropogenic stressors when predicting the persistence of species and communities through global changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic loss of biodiversity continues to increase worldwide, and existing conservation area networks (CANs) are inadequate for its adequate representation and persistence. To identify a set of new nominal conservation areas in Oaxaca, a Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot in Mexico, for terrestrial vertebrate species, we used a multi‐criteria systematic conservation planning approach. Besides minimizing the area incorporated into the nominal CAN, we incorporated 25 socioeconomic variables using multi‐attribute value theory. We constructed a portfolio of nominal CAN solutions for four different scenarios all of which satisfied a 10% representation target for the modeled suitable habitat of each vertebrate species: (1) existing protected area‐based (PA) solution; (2) voluntary conservation area‐based (VCA) solution; (3) PA‐VCA solution; and (4) R‐C solution (rarity‐complementary algorithm). The PA‐VCA and PA solutions were the most expensive in terms of area that had to be included in the nominal CANs (13,352 km2 and 12,587 km2, respectively). In all our multi‐criteria analyses, highest costs were associated with maximizing the number of airports, amount of tourism, and length of available highways in a nominal CAN. We have thus established a portfolio of multi‐criteria solutions to the problem of creating an adequate CAN for the representation of terrestrial vertebrate species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Closed landfills represent a large portion of land that cannot be developed but can potentially be ecologically rehabilitated using capping technologies such as phytocapping. This study aims to identify and quantify the value of landfills for ecological rehabilitation in Queensland, Australia, using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and multi-criteria analysis. Multiple environmental features were used for this study and were selected to represent ecosystem services and connectivity. These features were used to create two novel scores (environmental and habitat score), representing the total area and number of environmental features. The evaluation shows there is high value for ecological rehabilitation of landfills in South East Queensland and the Wet Tropics, signifying the importance of ecological rehabilitation in these biogeographic regions. Landfill rehabilitation can create high-value habitats for endangered species and enhance connectivity. It is recommended that landfill after-use is considered by regulators and stakeholders as a potential vehicle for achieving environmental sustainability and ecological conservation. The developed methodology in this study can be used to inform the decision-making process for landfill after-use and the strategic prioritisation of landfills within local governmental areas for achieving ecological rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporary rivers (TRs) have been largely overlooked in conservation assessments. Because TRs are such dynamic ecosystems, spatial and temporal aspects of their hydrology and ecology need to be taken into account when designing conservation plans.The aim of this paper is to propose a set of recommendations that could be useful for managers to do this, using seasonal diatom and macroinvertebrate data from north‐eastern Spain as a case study. Beta diversity was partitioned into local and species contributions to beta diversity (LCBD and SCBD). Additionally, priority conservation sites covering the spatial distribution of all species were identified using Marxan and the selection frequency (MSF) of the sites served as a measure of the relative irreplaceability of each site.Using both approaches (beta diversity and Marxan), the effects of changing spatiotemporal connectivity and habitat heterogeneity on the selection and prioritization of sites to be conserved were assessed.It was found that LCBD and MSF ranged widely both in space and time. However, LCBD and MSF were weakly related. Marxan adequately represented all taxa by selecting a few sites, while LCBD selected communities with higher differentiation but not necessarily those with rare species. In addition, SCBDs assigned low values to rare taxa, thus care must be taken when using this index for conservation planning.Spatiotemporal connectivity and local habitat heterogeneity played a critical role at the regional and local scales, driving site prioritization.Overall, we recommend: 1) monitoring multiple hydrological phases to encompass the different community types and capturing total diversity; 2) using Marxan and LCBD in combination, to benefit from their complementary insights; and 3) integrating spatiotemporal isolation and habitat heterogeneity into conservation plans, since they are the main drivers of community variation over space and time in TRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: After being close to extinction, the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) is now recovering throughout Europe. The Eurasian beaver is a keystone species, and an ecosystem engineer, capable of modifying ecosystems at multiple levels. In the last years, the species reappeared in Italy due to natural recolonization and illegal reintroductions, while in Spain, after being confined to the Ebro basin, the beaver has been recently reported at the border with Portugal. Objectives: In this study, we evaluated both functional and structural connectivity for the Eurasian beaver in Italy and in the Iberian Peninsulas, to deepen the understanding of its expansion process, and to prioritize the barriers that occur in the areas where the species is reported, and that could limit this expansion. Methods: We generated resistance layers for each study area, based on key variables for the target species. Circuit theory was applied to evaluate functional connectivity, summarizing it at the basin and protected areas (PAs) level. We applied different fluvial connectivity indices to characterize, at-reach-scale, structural connectivity, and identify barriers within each hydrographic network. Results: In both study areas, there are several corridors mainly linked to rivers with high tree cover that occur in flat areas, like the valleys in the Apennines and the Cantabrian mountain systems. Despite the distances and the extant barriers, the occurrences in Central Italy and Spain are respectively well-connected. In general, in each hydrographic network, only a few barriers impede connectivity, with the Iberian Peninsula more impacted, especially in the Douro basin. In the Ebro basin, several barriers contribute to fragmentation, especially in the northern area considering the Population Connectivity Indices; however, high connectivity is found within the protected areas. Conclusions: The recent return of the Eurasian beaver in Italy, and its recent expansion in the Iberian Peninsula, could continue in the near future, considering both the fair habitat connectivity and the adaptability of the species. Although both areas are impacted by man-made dams, only a specific set possibly limits the Eurasian beavers’ expansion. In general, the current PAs arrangement does not protect the areas important for the beaver connectivity, with some of them impacted by man-made dams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Giraffe populations have declined by around 40% in the last three decades. Climate change, poaching, habitat loss, and increasing human pressures are confining giraffes to smaller and more isolated patches of habitats. Masai giraffes (Giraffa tippelskirchi) have been subjected to habitat loss and fragmentation, diseases, poaching, and unpredictable calamities such as wildfires and climate change. In this study, we aimed to identify (1) suitable Masai giraffe habitats within the transboundary landscape of Tsavo‐Mkomazi in Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania; and (2) key connecting corridors in a multiple‐use landscape for conservation prioritization. We combined Masai giraffe presence data collected through a total aerial survey with moderate resolution satellite data to model habitat suitability at 250 m resolution using species distribution models (SDMs) implemented in Google Earth Engine (GEE). Model accuracy was assessed using area under precision recall curve (AUC‐PR). We then used the habitat suitability index as a resistance surface to model functional connectivity using Circuitscape theory and cost‐weighted distance pairwise methods. Human habitat modification, rainfall, and elevation were the main model predictors of Masai giraffe habitat and corridors. On average, our 10‐fold model fitting attained a good predictive performance with an average AUC‐PR = 0.80 (SD = 0.01, range = 0.79–0.83). The model predicted an area of 15,002 km2 as potential suitable Masai giraffe habitat with over 17% outside protected areas within the landscape. Although Tsavo West National Park formed a key habitat and a key connecting corridor, nonprotected community ranches connecting Tsavo West and Tsavo East National Parks are equally important in maintaining landscape connectivity joining more than two Masai giraffe core areas with low resistance and high permeability. To maintain critical Masai giraffe's habitats and landscape functional connectivity, especially in multiple‐use landscapes, conservation‐compatible land use practices, capacity building, and land use planning should be considered at the outset of any new infrastructure development and land use changes. This modeling shows the potential of utilizing remotely sensed information and ground surveys to guide the management of habitats and their connecting corridors across important African landscapes, complementing existing efforts to identify, conserve, and protect wildlife habitats and their linkage zones.

Habitat fragmentation has become a serious threat to amphibian populations worldwide. Concrete anti-seepage, widely applied in waterway construction, has posed a threat by causing amphibians to easily fall into concrete irrigation channels and struggle to escape. However, our understanding of the impact of irrigation channels on frog movement and survival remains limited. In this study, we evaluated the effects of concrete-lined irrigation channels on the escape ability of a common Chinese frog (Pelophylax nigromaculatus). We also analyzed the correlation between the morphology and locomotion ability of the frogs, tested the impact of irrigation channel slope gradient and substrate material on their escape ability, and proposed an optimized design for frog ramps to assist trapped frogs in escaping. The results showed that the frogs have easily fallen into these channels and encountered difficulties in escaping during field activities. As body size was positively related to the frogs’ ability to climb the slope of irrigation channels, the design parameters of the frog ramps should focus on the movement ability of the frogs. The maximum climbing gradients for most frogs on concrete, reverse slope (the protruding structure is placed in the opposite direction of the channel slope), grass and crushed stone are 40°, 50°, 60° and 65°, respectively. Based on experimental tests of the ability of the frogs to climb on various slopes and substrates, we suggest that the slope gradient of concrete irrigation channels should be less than 40°. The findings offer references for scholars and engineers to improve ecological engineering designs of irrigation channels throughout the world.

The Japanese giant salamander, Andrias japonicus, is an iconic but declining species of aquatic amphibian. A population within the Nawa River Basin of Tottori Prefecture persists but faces two significant threats. The first major threat is waterway obstructions, in the form of dams, weirs, and concrete embankments, which severely fragment and degrade the habitat. The second is water pollution, primarily caused by runoff from animal farms. Both threats to A. japonicus can be mitigated with proper actions. We provide science-based recommendations, advocating for the modification of dams and weirs by implementing ladderways to restore habitat connectivity and the provisioning of adequate breeding habitat in the form of artificial nest boxes. We also recommend the implementation of regular water quality monitoring and the enforcement of regulations regarding allowed runoff from animal farms. The Nawa River Basin could also be designated as an official sanctuary area for the Japanese Giant Salamander, lending additional formal protection and providing ecotourism opportunities for economically declining rural areas. Though the threats to A. japonicus are serious, the implementation of these mitigation measures and continual monitoring can allow this remarkable species to thrive.

Abstract Conservation planners often rely on heuristic indices when challenged with prioritizing potential projects under a constrained budget. This paper presents a comparative analysis of several prioritization indices (PIs) of culvert fish passage barriers, which can contribute to declines in anadromous fish populations. A federal injunction requires Washington state to restore 90% of habitat blocked by state‐owned culverts by 2030, prompting the development of numerous PIs, by various entities (i.e., counties, cities) within the injunction area. Our comparative analysis of PIs within the injunction Case Area investigates their ability to distinguish between barriers, their transferability in terms of scoring metrics, how scoring weights differ, and the preferences implied thereby. We document the use of six distinct PI methods by 10 entities and find that some PIs used many shared metrics, whereas others used a high percentage of unique metrics that would be difficult to replicate outside the entity's jurisdiction. Although habitat potential, habitat quantity, and connectivity were considered across all PIs, we found a high level of variation in terms of the metric weights. Our methods can be employed in other geographies or for other restoration PI planning efforts, and our results may facilitate the development and refinement of future PIs.

To help determine whether planktonic eggs of fishes on the West Florida Shelf (WFS) are retained locally or exported elsewhere, we collected fish eggs by plankton net from 17 locations (stations) and identified them using DNA barcoding. We then entered the station coordinates into the West Florida Coastal Ocean Model (WFCOM) and simulated the trajectories of the passively drifting eggs over 2 weeks at three depths (surface, midwater, and near bottom). The results indicated there were two groups of trajectories: a nearshore group that tended to be retained and an offshore group that tended toward export and potential long‐distance dispersal. We also found evidence of a relationship between retention and higher fish‐egg abundance; nearshore stations were associated with higher fish‐egg abundances and higher retention. We suggest this is the result of (1) increased spawning in high‐retention areas, (2) increased drift convergence in high‐retention areas, or both processes acting together. Community analysis using SIMPROF indicated the presence of a depth‐related (retention‐related) difference in species assemblages. Fish‐egg species were also categorized as pelagics or non‐pelagics; there was no evidence of pelagic species being more likely to be exported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial forestry activities can increase landscape fragmentation, impacting wildlife populations, particularly Canada's woodland caribou, Rangifer tarandus caribou. To protect caribou in areas with forestry activities, the province of Ontario, Canada, implemented a Dynamic Caribou Harvest Schedule (DCHS). The DCHS spatially aggregates harvest disturbance into regions and distributes them across the landscape to maintain forest patch size–age distributions consistent with a natural variation range. However, the DCHS may negatively impact the cost of timber supply. We compared the DCHS with an alternative zoning approach that assigned the harvest deferral and operational management zones within a large forest area. We compared these approaches using an optimization model that combined harvest scheduling, access road construction, and caribou protection sub-problems. We formulated the protection of caribou habitat and road construction as network flow problems, while the harvesting problem incorporated the ecological constraints prescribed by the forest management plan. We compared the DCHS and zoning approaches in the Wabadowgang Noopming Forest of Ontario, a boreal area within the caribou distribution zone. For the same volume of sustainable harvest, the zoning approach protected less total area but more habitat and old-growth stands over the long term, and yielded lower timber costs by 1.2–2.2 $·m−3 than the DCHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing agricultural intensification, combined with land transformation and fragmentation, poses significant threats to biodiversity. While extensively cultivated landscapes serve as vital refuges against biodiversity loss, they are modified by land abandonment and intensification. Orchard meadows in Central Europe represent traditional extensive land management systems, exhibiting high biodiversity. Comprising cultivated grasslands and scattered fruit trees, orchard meadows feature structures rich in different habitats supporting a diverse flora and fauna. However, their decreasing economic importance in recent decades has resulted in severe degradation or abandonment. Despite their importance for biodiversity conservation, there remains no comprehensive overview of orchard meadow biodiversity and management in Central Europe. This review aims to summarize existing knowledge on orchard meadows' role in biodiversity conservation and the effects of management practices on habitat diversity and quality at both smaller (structure and microhabitats, local scale) and larger scales (surrounding landscape, regional scale). The first part focuses on orchard meadow biodiversity, including both plants and animals and their link to landscape-scale factors. Biodiversity in orchard meadows is predominantly affected by patch size, determining species richness and composition, and connectivity to neighbouring orchard meadows, influencing species migration and recolonization success. The second part evaluates management impacts, illustrating differences in the benefits of mowing versus grazing across taxonomic groups. An intermediate management intensity for orchard meadows determines their conservation value in terms of species composition, varying among different taxonomic groups. To prevent area loss and abandonment of orchard meadows, we advocate for political and public support, along with incentives for farmers to maintain their biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limpets are keystone grazers on rocky shores. We studied spatial patterns of four co-occurring patellids (Patella ulyssiponensis, Patella depressa, Patella rustica, Patella vulgata) and one siphonariid (Siphonaria pectinata) across rockpools and their surrounds. Our approach considered each rockpool as a concentric system of three micro-habitats where limpets were censused (species, counts, and size of individuals): inside rockpool, edge zone, and surrounding open-rock. The whole intertidal zone was sampled on six rocky shores with contrasting landscape variability (amount of open-rock and other micro-habitats) in Southwest Portugal. Additionally, open-rock surfaces far away (>25cm) from rockpools were surveyed on the mid-shore. Three groups of predictors (“physical, habitat-composition, and connectivity variables”) were assessed for each rockpool system. Limpets of various sizes of the three most common species—P. ulyssiponensis, P. depressa, and S. pectinata—were found to coexist inside and outside rockpools on all shores, with rockpools extending their vertical distribution upwards. Patella vulgata was rare; P. rustica was absent from rockpools and their edges. Intra-specific connectivity (correlations in density of the same species between adjacent micro-habitats) showed a decreasing gradient with distance from the pool, being sharper for P. ulyssiponensis (a largely rockpool-resident) than for P. depressa and S. pectinata (suggesting their emergence from rockpools to edges and surrounding open-rock). Abundance and size structure of both P. depressa and S. pectinata were similar on mid-shore open-rock surrounding rockpools and far from rockpools. Landscape variability explained distribution of P. depressa (shores with less open-rock had more and smaller limpets). Habitat-composition (assemblages and substrata) was more important than physical predictors in explaining among-rockpool variability of each limpet species. Densities of P. ulyssiponensis and P. depressa inside rockpools were positively associated with cover of coralline algae and negatively associated with sand cover. Less explanatory power was found in predictive models of S. pectinata, suggesting a more opportunistic nature. There was limited evidence of inter- or intra-specific competition of the three species in rockpools and open-rock. Competition between P. ulyssiponensis and P. depressa was most likely in rockpool edges. Rockpool-generated mosaic landscapes are linked by intra-specific connectivity of limpet populations and modulated by interactions among different limpet species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disentangling the relative role of environmental filtering and spatial processes in driving metacommunity structure across mountainous regions remains challenging, as the way we quantify spatial connectivity in topographically and environmentally heterogeneous landscapes can influence our perception of which process predominates. More empirical data sets are required to account for taxon‐ and context‐dependency, but relevant research in understudied areas is often compromised by the taxonomic impediment. Here we used haplotype‐level community DNA metabarcoding, enabled by stringent filtering of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), to characterize metacommunity structure of soil microarthropod assemblages across a mosaic of five forest habitats on the Troodos mountain range in Cyprus. We found similar β diversity patterns at ASV and species (OTU, operational taxonomic unit) levels, which pointed to a primary role of habitat filtering resulting in the existence of largely distinct metacommunities linked to different forest types. Within‐habitat turnover was correlated to topoclimatic heterogeneity, again emphasizing the role of environmental filtering. However, when integrating landscape matrix information for the highly fragmented Quercus alnifolia habitat, we also detected a major role of spatial isolation determined by patch connectivity, indicating that stochastic and niche‐based processes synergistically govern community assembly. Alpha diversity patterns varied between ASV and OTU levels, with OTU richness decreasing with elevation and ASV richness following a longitudinal gradient, potentially reflecting a decline of genetic diversity eastwards due to historical pressures. Our study demonstrates the utility of haplotype‐level community metabarcoding for characterizing metacommunity structure of complex assemblages and improving our understanding of biodiversity dynamics across mountainous landscapes worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metacommunity theory has advanced scientific understanding of how species interactions and spatial processes influence patterns of biodiversity and community structure across landscapes. While the central tenets of metacommunity theory have been promoted as pivotal considerations for conservation management, few field experiments have tested the validity of metacommunity predictions. Here, we tested one key prediction of metacommunity theory—that decreasing habitat connectivity should erode metacommunity structure by hindering species movement between patches. For 2 years, we manipulated an experimental old‐field grassland ecosystem via mowing to represent four levels of habitat connectivity: (1) open control, (2) full connectivity, (3) partial connectivity, and (4) no connectivity. Within each treatment plot (10 × 10 m, n = 4 replicates), we measured the abundance and diversity (i.e., alpha and beta) of both flying and ground arthropods using sticky and pitfall traps, respectively. We found that the abundance and diversity of highly mobile flying arthropods were unaffected by habitat connectivity, whereas less mobile ground arthropods were highly impacted. The mean total abundance of ground arthropods was 2.5× and 2× higher in the control and partially connected plots compared to isolated patches, respectively. We also reveal that habitat connectivity affected the trophic interactions of ground arthropods, with predators (e.g., wolf spiders, ground spiders) being highly positively correlated with micro‐detritivores (springtails, mites) but not macro‐detritivores (millipedes, isopods) as habitat connectivity increased. Together these findings indicate that changes in habitat connectivity can alter the metacommunity structure for less mobile organisms such as ground arthropods. Because of their essential roles in terrestrial ecosystem functioning and services, we recommend that conservationists, restoration practitioners, and land managers include principles of habitat connectivity for ground arthropods when designing biodiversity management programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuation of the isolated Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) population living along the China–Russia border is facing serious challenges due to factors such as its small size (including 38 individuals) and canine distemper virus (CDV). We use a population viability analysis metamodel, which consists of a traditional individual‐based demographic model linked to an epidemiological model, to assess options for controlling the impact of negative factors through domestic dog management in protected areas, increasing connectivity to the neighboring large population (including more than 400 individuals), and habitat expansion. Without intervention, under inbreeding depression of 3.14, 6.29, and 12.26 lethal equivalents, our metamodel predicted the extinction within 100 years is 64.4%, 90.6%, and 99.8%, respectively. In addition, the simulation results showed that dog management or habitat expansion independently will not ensure tiger population viability for the next 100 years, and connectivity to the neighboring population would only keep the population size from rapidly declining. However, when the above three conservation scenarios are combined, even at the highest level of 12.26 lethal equivalents inbreeding depression, population size will not decline and the probability of extinction will be <5.8%. Our findings highlight that protecting the Amur tiger necessitates a multifaceted synergistic effort. Our key management recommendations for this population underline the importance of reducing CDV threats and expanding tiger occupancy to its former range in China, but re‐establishing habitat connectivity to the neighboring population is an important long‐term objective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Anthropogenic loss of biodiversity continues to increase worldwide, and existing conservation area networks (CANs) are inadequate for its adequate representation and persistence. To identify a set of new nominal conservation areas in Oaxaca, a Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot in Mexico, for terrestrial vertebrate species, we used a multi‐criteria systematic conservation planning approach. Besides minimizing the area incorporated into the nominal CAN, we incorporated 25 socioeconomic variables using multi‐attribute value theory. We constructed a portfolio of nominal CAN solutions for four different scenarios all of which satisfied a 10% representation target for the modeled suitable habitat of each vertebrate species: (1) existing protected area‐based (PA) solution; (2) voluntary conservation area‐based (VCA) solution; (3) PA‐VCA solution; and (4) R‐C solution (rarity‐complementary algorithm). The PA‐VCA and PA solutions were the most expensive in terms of area that had to be included in the nominal CANs (13,352 km2 and 12,587 km2, respectively). In all our multi‐criteria analyses, highest costs were associated with maximizing the number of airports, amount of tourism, and length of available highways in a nominal CAN. We have thus established a portfolio of multi‐criteria solutions to the problem of creating an adequate CAN for the representation of terrestrial vertebrate species.

Although the rational use of water resources through damming rivers can improve economic benefits, it inevitably changes the connectivity of rivers and the hydraulic characteristics of water reduced river reaches, posing a threat to fish habitats. Habitat assessment can provide a reference for assessing the ecological impact of hydropower development and the effectiveness of habitat restoration. However, previous evaluation methods only considered the number of habitats, which may mislead the evaluation results. In this article, we proposed a novel fish habitat assessment model based on the landscape pattern index method and circuit theory, which additionally considers the spatial pattern and connectivity of habitat patches. This model is applied to the Anshunchang reach of the Dadu River, and the target fish is Schizothorax prenanti. We obtained a suitable ecological discharge range for this river reach from 163.0 m3/s to 217.4 m3/s. To improve the suitability of fish habitats, we have also attempted multiple restoration measures. Comparing different habitat restoration measures, it was ultimately found that the river dredging scenario had the best ecological improvement effect, with a maximum improvement rate of 9.87 %. The habitat assessment model in this article can help reservoir managers evaluate fish habitats and formulate habitat restoration plans.

This study took the Meijiang River Basin, China, as an example, to simulate the resilience interactions of three key subsystems of land, water and biodiversity from 2000 to 2015, using a spatially explicit model. Twelve environmental variables were selected from natural, landscape pattern and socioeconomic dimensions to detect the dominant factors of system resilience interactions using a geographic detector model. We found that the resilience of water yield, soil retention and biodiversity were mainly influenced by landscape pattern factors. Additionally, terrain is a main driver of soil retention resilience, precipitation plays a critical role influencing water yield resilience variations and biodiversity resilience variations remain stable influenced by landscape pattern. Larger synergy and loss occurred between water yield resilience and biodiversity resilience compared with other pairs of resilience, while greater tradeoffs occurred between soil retention resilience and biodiversity resilience. The interactions among landscape pattern, precipitation, terrain and GDP were the main driving forces of land and water resilience interactions. The interactions of landscape pattern and terrain were the main driving forces of land and biodiversity resilience interactions. The interactions of landscape pattern, precipitation and GDP were the main driving forces of water and biodiversity resilience interactions. Our study implied that improving habitat connectivity could maximize benefits. HIGHLIGHTS The resilience interactions of land, water and biodiversity are simulated using a spatially explicit model in the Meijiang River Basin, China.; Natural, landscape pattern and socioeconomic variables are selected to detect the dominant factors of system resilience interactions.; The embedded resilience interaction mechanisms for making adaptive strategies for sustainable watershed management are evaluated.;

Limpets are keystone grazers on rocky shores. We studied spatial patterns of four co-occurring patellids (Patella ulyssiponensis, Patella depressa, Patella rustica, Patella vulgata) and one siphonariid (Siphonaria pectinata) across rockpools and their surrounds. Our approach considered each rockpool as a concentric system of three micro-habitats where limpets were censused (species, counts, and size of individuals): inside rockpool, edge zone, and surrounding open-rock. The whole intertidal zone was sampled on six rocky shores with contrasting landscape variability (amount of open-rock and other micro-habitats) in Southwest Portugal. Additionally, open-rock surfaces far away (>25cm) from rockpools were surveyed on the mid-shore. Three groups of predictors (“physical, habitat-composition, and connectivity variables”) were assessed for each rockpool system. Limpets of various sizes of the three most common species—P. ulyssiponensis, P. depressa, and S. pectinata—were found to coexist inside and outside rockpools on all shores, with rockpools extending their vertical distribution upwards. Patella vulgata was rare; P. rustica was absent from rockpools and their edges. Intra-specific connectivity (correlations in density of the same species between adjacent micro-habitats) showed a decreasing gradient with distance from the pool, being sharper for P. ulyssiponensis (a largely rockpool-resident) than for P. depressa and S. pectinata (suggesting their emergence from rockpools to edges and surrounding open-rock). Abundance and size structure of both P. depressa and S. pectinata were similar on mid-shore open-rock surrounding rockpools and far from rockpools. Landscape variability explained distribution of P. depressa (shores with less open-rock had more and smaller limpets). Habitat-composition (assemblages and substrata) was more important than physical predictors in explaining among-rockpool variability of each limpet species. Densities of P. ulyssiponensis and P. depressa inside rockpools were positively associated with cover of coralline algae and negatively associated with sand cover. Less explanatory power was found in predictive models of S. pectinata, suggesting a more opportunistic nature. There was limited evidence of inter- or intra-specific competition of the three species in rockpools and open-rock. Competition between P. ulyssiponensis and P. depressa was most likely in rockpool edges. Rockpool-generated mosaic landscapes are linked by intra-specific connectivity of limpet populations and modulated by interactions among different limpet species.

Abstract Metacommunity theory has advanced scientific understanding of how species interactions and spatial processes influence patterns of biodiversity and community structure across landscapes. While the central tenets of metacommunity theory have been promoted as pivotal considerations for conservation management, few field experiments have tested the validity of metacommunity predictions. Here, we tested one key prediction of metacommunity theory—that decreasing habitat connectivity should erode metacommunity structure by hindering species movement between patches. For 2 years, we manipulated an experimental old‐field grassland ecosystem via mowing to represent four levels of habitat connectivity: (1) open control, (2) full connectivity, (3) partial connectivity, and (4) no connectivity. Within each treatment plot (10 × 10 m, n = 4 replicates), we measured the abundance and diversity (i.e., alpha and beta) of both flying and ground arthropods using sticky and pitfall traps, respectively. We found that the abundance and diversity of highly mobile flying arthropods were unaffected by habitat connectivity, whereas less mobile ground arthropods were highly impacted. The mean total abundance of ground arthropods was 2.5× and 2× higher in the control and partially connected plots compared to isolated patches, respectively. We also reveal that habitat connectivity affected the trophic interactions of ground arthropods, with predators (e.g., wolf spiders, ground spiders) being highly positively correlated with micro‐detritivores (springtails, mites) but not macro‐detritivores (millipedes, isopods) as habitat connectivity increased. Together these findings indicate that changes in habitat connectivity can alter the metacommunity structure for less mobile organisms such as ground arthropods. Because of their essential roles in terrestrial ecosystem functioning and services, we recommend that conservationists, restoration practitioners, and land managers include principles of habitat connectivity for ground arthropods when designing biodiversity management programs.

Traditionally managed grasslands rank among the most species-rich ecosystems. However, in agricultural landscapes of Western and Central Europe, their extent has severely decreased. The remaining patches are mostly fragmented and suffer from habitat deterioration. Here, we studied the effects of environmental conditions on species richness of butterflies and grasshoppers in highly fragmented hay meadows. Our study revealed that environmental parameters at the habitat and landscape level influenced species richness of butterflies and grasshoppers in low-intensity hay meadows. In the univariable models, two groups of parameters consistently affected the number of all and threatened species: at the habitat level, species richness was fostered by structural richness, which was indicative of the overall management intensity of the grassland patches. At the landscape level, a higher number of mowing events in the landscape surrounding the hay meadows had a negative effect and higher elevations exhibiting a cooler and wetter climate had a positive effect on species richness. The former reflected the overall intensity of grassland management in the landscape and the later, together with further predictors (cover of forest, habitat connectivity, slope), the landscape heterogeneity. Consequently, the intensity of grassland management at the habitat and landscape level as well as the landscape heterogeneity, which was also related to land-use intensity, determined species richness of butterflies and grasshoppers. Based on these findings, there is an urgent need to enlarge the proportion of grasslands with low land-use intensity in the wider countryside. Additionally, conservation measures should aim at increasing landscape heterogeneity and habitat connectivity.

The maintenance, restoration, and improvement of habitat structure are critical for biodiversity conservation. Under this context, studies assessing habitat connectivity become essential, especially those focused on anthropized regions holding high species richness. We calculated the habitat connectivity of four species of insectivorous bats with different dispersal capacity and habitat preferences in a highly anthropized region in central Mexico, Idionycteris phyllotis and Myotis thysanodes, with a high dispersal capacity and forest-dependency, and Eptesicus fuscus with a low dispersal capacity, and Tadarida brasiliensis with a high dispersal capacity, as the more tolerant bat species to anthropogenic disturbance. We developed niche-based species distribution models to identify suitable habitat patches for each species. We then assessed habitat connectivity and the importance of suitable habitat patches for maintaining connectivity using a graph theory approach. Our results showed that forest dependency was most important than dispersal capacity for connectivity. We also found that the Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl mountain, a National Park comprising 4.2% of natural vegetation in the study area, was the most critical patch for maintaining connectivity for most of the study species. Our study demonstrates the importance of conserving the remnants of natural vegetation for maintaining habitat connectivity within a fragmented landscape and demonstrates the importance of conserving protected areas as well as other remnants of vegetation for the maintenance of habitat connectivity within a fragmented landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this work is to present a novel methodology to assess the environmental, ecological, and conservation status of mid-latitude estuaries by means of an index-based method, EstuarIndex. The EstuarIndex is an integration of four sub-indexes, assessing the status of the main subsystems present on estuaries: sandy environments, dunes, tidal flats, and the drainage network. Each sub-index includes variables combining three types of factors: morphosedimentary and oceanographic factors, ecological factors, and management and protection factors. The environmental status is finally evaluated in five possible classes: (1) Very low, (2) Low, (3) Medium, (4) High, and (5) Very High, according to EU requirements for classifying the conservation status of habitats. Three pilot zones along the Spanish coast have been chosen for testing the method: San Vicente de la Barquera estuary (N Spain), Guadiana estuary (SW Spain), and Ebro River delta mouth (E Spain). They present different oceanographic and geomorphological conditions. The results obtained have proven that EstuarIndex is a suitable methodology for the application to other estuaries. The systematic application of EstuarIndex on broad time scales would allow evaluating the system trends, what seems key for implementation of more realistic restoration strategies, and it has a great potential as a tool for environmental management in natural protected areas. Furthermore, it may help in the detection of the most relevant site-specific vulnerabilities for long-term sustainability in response to both natural and artificial drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic ecosystems offer a continuum of water flow from headwater streams to inland lakes and coastal marine systems. This spatial connectivity influences the structure, function and dynamics of aquatic communities, which are among the most threatened and degraded on the Earth. Here, we determine the spatial resolution of environmental DNA (eDNA) in dendritic freshwater networks, which we use as a model for connected metacommunities. Our intensive sampling campaign comprised over 420 eDNA samples across 21 connected lakes, allowing us to analyse detections at a variety of scales, from different habitats within a lake to entire lake networks. We found strong signals of within-lake variation in eDNA distribution reflective of typical habitat use by both fish and zooplankton. Most importantly, we also found that connecting channels between lakes resulted in an accumulation of downstream eDNA detections in lakes with a higher number of inflows, and as networks increased in length. Environmental DNA achieves biodiversity surveys in these habitats in a high-throughput, spatially integrated way. These findings have profound implications for the interpretation of eDNA detections in aquatic ecosystems in global-scale biodiversity monitoring observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Case studies can highlight opportunities for mainstreaming connectivity into environmental assessment (EA) and reveal relevant conditions for success or failure. We examined five cases from Canada, Spain, Sweden, and the UK to address three questions: (1) What are major challenges? (2) What are relevant opportunities and lessons learnt? (3) What research directions should be promoted? We identified 15 challenges and 19 lessons that can help improve connectivity consideration. Common challenges include i) late consideration; ii) lack of resources; iii) lack of explicit requirements; iv) lack of guidance; v) limited recognition of the importance of connectivity; and vi) absence of a landscape-scale perspective. Lessons learnt include the need for rooting connectivity assessments in scientific knowledge and for considering multiple scales of analysis. The findings revealed multiple pathways that can lead to inclusion of connectivity, such as the involvement of knowledgeable EA practitioners, and governments providing a supportive framework. The findings can be applied to advance connectivity assessments in EA, emphasizing the need for guidance and the role of cumulative effects assessment and strategic environmental assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydropower plants represent one of the greatest threats for freshwater fish by fragmenting the habitat and avoiding the species dispersal. This type of dispersal barrier is often disregarded when predicting freshwater species distribution due to the complexity in inserting the species dispersal routes, and thus the barriers, into the models. Here, we evaluate the impact of including hydroelectric dams into species distribution models through asymmetrical dispersal predictors on the predicted geographic distribution of freshwater fish species. For this, we used asymmetrical dispersal (i.e., AEM) as predictors for modeling the distribution of 29 native fish species of Tocantins-Araguaia River basin. After that, we included the hydropower power plant (HPP) location into the asymmetrical binary matrix for the AEM construction by removing the connections where the HPP is located, representing the downstream disconnection a dam causes in the fish species dispersal route. Besides having higher predicted accuracy, the models using the HPP information generated more realistic predictions, avoiding overpredictions to areas suitable but limited to the species dispersal due to an anthropic barrier. Furthermore, the predictions including HPPs showed higher loss of species richness and nestedness (i.e., loss of species instead of replacement), especially for the southeastern area which concentrates most planned and built HPPs. Therefore, using dispersal constraints in species distribution models increases the reliability of the predictions by avoiding overpredictions based on premise of complete access by the species to any area that is climatically suitable regardless of dispersal barriers or capacity. In conclusion, in this study, we use a novel method of including dispersal constraints into distribution models through a priori insertion of their location within the asymmetrical dispersal predictors, avoiding a posteriori adjustment of the predicted distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The risk of large, severe bushfires is increasing in Australia, and little is known about their impact on threatened species. Aims. This study aimed to investigated the abundance, occupancy and metapopulation structure of the quokka (Setonix brachyurus) for 5 years following a large, severe bushfire in Western Australia. Methods. Data collected across spatiotemporally replicated transects were used to estimate probabilities of occupancy and abundance, and to evaluate the influence of covariates. Key results. Quokka abundance was reduced to 16% of pre-fire levels, with distances up to 74 km separating subpopulations. Recolonising quokkas occupied habitat in parts of the landscape that had retained some vertical vegetation structure and contained a sedge-dominated understorey, and where damage by feral pigs was low. This coincided with topographic refugia that consisted of deep, mesic riparian systems or perched wetland systems. After 5 years, abundance had increased to 46% of pre-fire levels, with distances of 5-30 km separating subpopulations. Conclusion. Quokka recovery rate is slower than expected, and the metapopulation remains vulnerable to further fragmentation arising from disturbances that affect habitat patch suitability and movement corridors. Implications. Proactive protection of refugia and spatiotemporal habitat connectivity within and surrounding the fire scar is critical for metapopulation recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

River dikes are secondary habitats that support species-rich grasslands when maintained by low-intensity mowing or grazing. Besides erosion control and habitat creation, dike grasslands have provided several other ecosystem services (ESs), such as biomass production and recreation. Despite the existence of trade-offs between ESs, the overarching aim of restoration and management on river dikes is to increase its multifunctionality. We believe that multiple land uses can be reconciled with biodiversity conservation. Here, we propose a conceptual framework for assessing grassland multifunctionality, and test its application using river dikes as a model system. We also present some practical implications based on vegetation surveys and manipulative experiments along the Rivers Danube and Inn in S Germany. We identified four main ESs of dike grasslands ranked by importance: erosion control, conservation of habitats, recreation and biomass production. These ESs are closely linked to general biodiversity aspects, such as species richness. Therefore, ESs can be controlled by site preparation, trait-based seeding design and grassland management. As the multifunctionality of dikes becomes more important under climate change, the spatio-temporal variability of the dike vegetation must also be considered. In conclusion, dike grasslands are an interesting model for restoration and nature conservation, since they have high potential to deliver multiple ESs while increasing biodiversity. However, restoration and management of dike grassland would benefit from more cooperation between conservation and river authorities, and by implementing ecological knowledge and using experiments to test new management or restoration approaches.

Abstract Landscape connectivity is a major factor shaping the spread of pathogens in wildlife populations. By managing connectivity, transmission pathways can be broken and disease spread be contained, particularly in the early phases of an outbreak. Having witnessed recent outbreaks of African Swine Fever in free‐ranging wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Belgium, Germany and Italy, offices for disease control are on the alert also in other western European countries. This study investigates the potential effect of managing landscape connectivity to contain disease spread among free‐ranging wild boar in disparate landscapes. It involves research into (1) the ease with which wildlife corridors can be blocked for wild boar, (2) the connectivity of wild boar habitat and (3) the impact of landscape fragmentation on connectivity management. This is addressed by carrying out GIS analyses and performing graph operations on the wild boar networks in different biogeographical regions of Switzerland. The results of doing research into the three above‐mentioned objects show that, regarding the first, most wildlife corridors are hard to block for wild boar, because their features or location make fencing difficult. Regarding the second, the wild boar habitat is connected. Opening wildlife passages that are currently under construction may allow wild boar to disperse to hitherto uncolonized areas. Regarding the third, all wild boar networks could be partially decomposed by blocking the easy to block corridors and closing the passages. Network decomposition would be easiest to achieve in the region where the built infrastructure is most abundant. All over Switzerland, the potential epidemic size could be reduced by 25% when blocking the minimal set of corridors and passages that cut the networks to non‐decomposable components. This study suggests that (a) combining connectivity analysis with fragmentation analysis is key to explaining why a specific measure of disease containment is more effective in one landscape than in the other, (b) complementing the permeability model with a species distribution model is essential to identify connected habitat patches for the species of concern and (c) connectivity metrics should consider also the surface area of occupied habitat patches and relative abundance of the species of concern.

Abstract Golden‐winged warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera) are facing population declines in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Breeding habitat loss is considered one of the primary reasons for golden‐winged warbler declines in the region. Expanding breeding habitat availability in a manner that promotes population expansion across an interconnected network of habitat patches is particularly problematic in a landscape dominated by private land ownership. We assessed the connectivity of golden‐winged warbler breeding habitat in a 29,680‐ha landscape with 5,664 ownership parcels between 2 state‐owned game lands in northwestern North Carolina, USA, in fall 2021. We created a connectivity map and provided examples of 3 means of prioritizing parcels for golden‐winged warbler habitat maintenance and management based on dispersal distances of fledglings that could return the following spring with prior familiarity of potential nesting areas. Prioritized parcels can guide land acquisition and conservation easement development as well as active management. Despite being highly parcelized, the area has both well‐connected and disjointed clusters of core habitat patches, but habitat management on privately owned parcels would be needed to connect core habitat patches to enable dispersing golden‐winged warbler fledglings to encounter potential breeding habitat that they could use the following spring.