Search Results (1,203)

Coastal cities are typical regions where economic growth, population agglomeration, and eco-environmental pressures are strongly coupled. Assessing the coordination between urban development and the eco-environment is therefore important for regional sustainability. This study selected seven representative coastal cities in China—Dalian, Qinhuangdao, Qingdao, Shanghai, Fuzhou, Xiamen, and Zhuhai—and integrated multisource remote sensing data with statistical yearbook data to construct a comprehensive evaluation system for urban development level (UDL) and eco-environmental quality (EEQ). An ecologically enhanced indicator system incorporating vegetation condition index (VCI), biological richness index (BRI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and dynamic habitat index (DHI) was developed. The coupling coordination degree (CCD) model was then used to evaluate urban sustainable development from 2014 to 2023. In addition, an EWM–MLP adaptive weighting strategy was applied to refine entropy-derived weights, and Random Forest was used to identify variables associated with CCD prediction. The results show that CCD values generally increased during the study period, indicating improved coordination between urban development and the eco-environment. However, the evolutionary pathways differed markedly among cities, and UDL and EEQ changes were not fully synchronized. The EWM–MLP strategy introduced adaptive numerical refinements to CCD values while maintaining the overall stability of coordination-level classification. Random Forest analysis showed that CCD prediction was mainly associated with a limited number of high-contribution indicators. For all indicators combined, approximately 7–10 top-ranked variables were generally required to exceed 80% of the total importance, whereas the UDL and EEQ subsystems reached this threshold with fewer indicators. UDL-related variation was mainly associated with land-use structure, population agglomeration, and economic activity, whereas EEQ-related variation was related to ecological conditions, land-cover composition, and environmental pressure. The high-importance indicators exhibited clear inter-city heterogeneity, suggesting the need for differentiated governance strategies. The proposed framework provides methodological support for sustainable development assessment and differentiated governance in coastal cities. Full article

Invasive alien species threaten the security of agricultural and natural ecosystems. Aethina tumida Murray, 1867, threatens bee colony health and apicultural sustainability. However, the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser, 1955), may be a potential biocontrol agent. Models (MaxEnt and CLIMEX) were used to predict the potential global distribution of both species under climate change. The results indicated that under the current climatic conditions, both models found suitable habitats for A. tumida primarily in South America, southern Africa, and South Asia, whereas S. carpocapsae exhibited a broader global spread. Notably, CLIMEX predicted a more extensive distribution than MaxEnt for both species. The MaxEnt results indicated that North America, Europe, and central Australia are suitable habitats for A. tumida expansion in SSP245 (2050s) and SSP585 (2070s), whereas S. carpocapsae was predicted to expand into Asia, North America, and Africa in SSP126 (2090s), SSP245 (2030s), and SSP585 (2070s). The CLIMEX results indicated that under the A1B and A2 climate scenarios, highly suitable habitats for both species decreased significantly, whereas they are predicted to moderately and marginally increase markedly in the 2100s. The potential distribution of A. tumida will depend on suitable climatic conditions and the presence of host bees. These results provide a scientific basis and support in preventing or controlling A. tumida. Full article

Climate change profoundly impacts insect distribution and ecological functions. For the predatory robber flies Microstylum dux and M. oberthurii (Diptera: Asilidae), clarifying their distribution and climatic responses is vital for natural enemy conservation and biological control. Using a parameter-optimized biomod2 ensemble model, we predicted their potential distributions under current and future climates, and analyzed key variables, centroid shifts, and niche dynamics. Current suitable habitats concentrate in southeast China and are scarce in the northwest. Future total suitable area remains stable but structurally reorganizes, with highly suitable habitats expanding and moderately suitable ones contracting. Key drivers are precipitation of the coldest quarter (bio19) and mean diurnal range (bio2). Habitat centroids migrate westward or southwestward with fluctuating range expansion. M. dux is a niche specialist (niche width = 0.257), while M. oberthurii is a generalist (niche width = 0.539). Their niche overlap shows non-linear “divergence-convergence-divergence” dynamics. This study supports natural enemy conservation and biological control strategy formulation. Full article

Biological invasions are among the main threats to freshwater biodiversity, yet ecological patterns associated with assemblage structure and high relative abundances of non-native fishes in spring ecosystems remain insufficiently documented. We evaluated seasonal variation in community composition, reproductive traits, and trophic interactions in La Zarcita springs, part of the Natural Protected Area Laguna de Zacapu, central Mexico. Bimonthly sampling was conducted, including stomach content analysis and reproductive trait assessment. A total of 14 fish taxa were recorded (seven native and seven non-native), with the assemblage numerically dominated by Oreochromis niloticus (30%), Pseudoxiphophorus bimaculatus (24%), and Xiphophorus hellerii (14%). Overall diet composition did not differ significantly between taxa classified as native and non-native (PERMANOVA, p > 0.05), consistent with overlap in resource use within the assemblage. Exploratory assemblage-level analyses detected differences in omnivory index values among taxa grouped according to species origin (LMM, p < 0.05). Reproductive analyses detected variation in fertility values (GLMM, p < 0.05), reproductive activity (Wilcoxon test, p < 0.05), gonadosomatic index values, and Fulton’s condition factor values (LMM, p < 0.01) among taxa within the assemblage. Physicochemical variables varied seasonally but were not significantly associated with trophic composition, condition factor values, or reproductive traits in the statistical analyses performed. Overall, the results document variation in reproductive characteristics and trophic patterns among taxa within this urbanized spring system and highlight the value of assemblage-level ecological studies for understanding fish community structure in small freshwater habitats. Full article

In Luoyuan Bay, China, Sporobolus alterniflorus invasion has hindered mangrove restoration and disrupted faunal communities within mangrove habitats. This study investigated its impact on mollusk, crab, and fish assemblages across mangrove, mudflat, and invaded habitats from 2019 to 2020. Results showed that species diversity of three assemblages did not differ significantly between invaded and non-invaded mangrove habitats; however, assemblage structure was altered and functional traits declined markedly in invaded areas. Compared with non-invaded mangroves, invaded habitats showed decreases of 81.6% in mollusk density, 50.7% in mollusk biomass, 66.6% in crab density and 84.2% in crab biomass. Dominant fish species (Acanthogobius ommaturus, Liza carinata, Stolephorus chinensis) also exhibited lower body size, total size and biomass in invaded habitats. Given the close dependence of coastal residents on these faunal resources, a socioeconomic analysis of livelihood strategies was conducted, revealing Sinonovacula constricta aquaculture achieved the highest net income-to-investment ratio, 122.7% higher than nearshore fishery and 308.3% higher than shallow-sea oyster cultivation, while professional shellfish farming yielded the highest net income per hectare, 23.6% higher than oyster cultivation. Thus, both forms of shellfish aquaculture provide greater economic returns than other livelihood options. Based on these findings and niche theory, we propose a management framework: after removing S. alterniflorus, plant native mangroves (Kandelia obovata) in mid-to-high intertidal zones and lease lower flats for shellfish farming. This framework has the potential to integrate ecological restoration with local livelihoods and may inform similar efforts in other regions facing biological invasions and restoration challenges. Full article

Phlebotomine sand flies remain poorly studied in southeastern Peru, a region with a high burden of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Using modified ultraviolet (UV) light traps, we surveyed sand fly assemblages at Manu Biological Station during the wet season within secondary forest, Guadua bamboo forest, fruit crop plots, and peridomicile habitats. We collected 2641 sand flies representing 32 species. Habitat type was the primary driver of assemblage composition, with minimum nightly temperature as the strongest environmental correlate. Sand fly abundance was highest in secondary forest (n = 921) and peridomicile habitats (n = 836), where assemblages were dominated by Nyssomyia shawi, a generalist species. Although Guadua bamboo forests harbored lower abundance (n = 386), potential vector species comprised 92% of the assemblage compared to 42–86% in other habitats, suggesting that expanding bamboo forests may favor a higher proportion of potential CL vectors. Peridomicile assemblages consisted largely of generalist species that overlapped with adjacent forested habitats, indicating potential pathways for sylvatic-to-peridomestic spillover. Although the study’s limited scope (i.e., limited to a single season and locality) does not allow broad generalization, our findings suggest the importance of habitat in structuring patterns of potential vector exposure. Full article

The increasing abundance of ticks poses a growing public health concern due to heightened human exposure to tick bites. The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum: Ixodida: Ixodidae), a common human-biting species in the United States, has expanded its range in recent years. However, how its different life stages vary across time, habitats, and locations remains insufficiently understood. We analyzed tick abundance data collected in southeastern Virginia between 2009 and 2018, focusing on larval, nymphal, and adult life stages. A Bayesian multivariate modelling framework was used to examine seasonal patterns, habitat effects, spatial variation, and biological links between life stages. Two commonly used count models were compared to determine which best described the observed tick abundance patterns. Tick abundance showed strong and distinct seasonal patterns across life stages. Adult ticks were most abundant in late spring to early summer (May–June), nymphs peaked in early to mid-summer (June–July), and larvae peaked later in summer (August). Wooded habitats consistently supported higher tick abundance than grassy areas. Although both models captured these trends, the negative binomial model provided a more stable and biologically meaningful representation of tick dynamics. Several counties, including Chesapeake, York, Portsmouth, and Northampton, were identified as areas of elevated tick abundance, indicating increased tick bite exposure risk. This study highlights clear seasonal and habitat-specific windows of increased tick activity that are relevant for surveillance and control planning. By clarifying when and where different tick life stages are more abundant, the findings support targeted public health interventions aimed at reducing human exposure to tick bites in Virginia. The modelling approach is also applicable to other regions, including settings where ticks affect livestock health and food security. Full article

As a typical mountain ecosystem in the western Tianshan Mountains, the Ili River Valley possesses abundant vegetation resources. Soil nematodes are effective biological indicators for evaluating soil micro-food webs. Nevertheless, the response mechanisms of nematode community structure to distinct vegetation types, especially native trees and forest-edge shrubs, remain poorly understood in this region. In this study, two dominant tree species (Picea schrenkiana and Malus sieversii) and two forest-edge shrub species (Berberis heteropoda and Berberis sibirica) were investigated. We analyzed the composition, diversity, and energy structure of rhizosphere soil nematodes and further compared their differences among plant species. The results indicated that tree rhizospheres had significantly higher amounts of nitrate nitrogen ($\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{O}}_3^{-}$-N and microbial biomass carbon (MBC), along with a lower amount of extractable organic carbon/extractable total nitrogen (EOC:ETN) than shrub rhizospheres (p < 0.05). Picea schrenkiana (PS) exhibited greater root carbon storage, higher root biomass, and a higher root carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (RC:RN) than Berberis heteropoda (BH) and Berberis sibirica (BS) (p < 0.05). The genus Chiloplacus dominated the nematode community across all four woody plants. The relative abundance of omnivore-predatory nematodes was markedly higher in shrubs (BH and BS) than in trees (PS and MS). The soil food webs of PS and MS were degraded, whereas shrub food webs were in a transitional state between structured and degraded habitats. Shrubs presented a higher maturity index, structural metabolic footprint, and energy flux of omnivore-predatory nematodes, but a lower energy flux of bacterivorous nematodes. Additionally, PS had the highest nematode carbon use efficiency (NCUE) and the lowest energy flux uniformity (U). $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{O}}_3^{-}$-N extractable total nitrogen (ETN), soil organic carbon (SOC), and root traits were the primary factors driving variations in nematode communities and carbon indicators. Therefore, nematode carbon indicators closely associated with soil carbon and nitrogen cycling have the potential to serve as sensitive auxiliary biological metrics for evaluating material cycling and energy flow in pure forests and shrub ecosystems. This study provides empirical support for the assessment of regional ecosystem stability. Full article

The global invasion of the shrub L. camara poses a significant threat to ecosystems. Understanding the roles of human activity and climate in driving its spread is crucial for management. This study aimed to quantify its global invasion dynamics, identify key drivers, and predict future distribution shifts. We constructed a high-precision ensemble species distribution model by integrating historical global occurrence records, multi-source environmental variables (climate and human activity indices), and future climate scenarios (SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5). The global invasion showed a clear four-stage acceleration pattern (1900–1960, 1961–1980, 1981–2000, and 2001–2025). Variable importance and response curve analysis revealed a two-phase “dispersal–colonization” mechanism: human activities (e.g., gross domestic product) acted as a “dispersal amplifier,” while a climatic factor (isothermality) served as a critical “colonization filter.” Under two future climate scenarios assuming unchanged human activity patterns, the potential suitable habitat of L. camara exhibits structural changes while maintaining stable total area. The highly suitable areas continue to shrink, with nearly half the area lost by the end of the century under the high-emission SSP5-8.5 pathway, while low-suitability zones expand significantly—yet the overall suitable habitat remains stable. Under SSP1-2.6, structural changes in suitable habitats occur more gradually. The study clarifies the distinct roles of human activity and climate in the invasion process, providing a scientific basis for differentiated global risk management strategies targeting dispersal pathways and colonization thresholds. Full article

Our concept of where life can thrive on Earth has advanced over the past 70 years to include extreme ionizing radiation, high temperatures, the deep subsurface, hydrothermal vents on the deep ocean floor, extreme arid deserts, and the ice-covered lakes and high mountain valleys of Antarctica. This expanding understanding of the biosphere has coincided with the development of space exploration programs, and it has informed those programs with regard to the search for life on other water worlds in our Solar System—especially Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. Titan presents a reverse of this approach. The interesting organic solids and fluids on that world have no analog in Earth habitability but have inspired suggestions of possible biological systems unlike any on Earth. If realized, the discovery of life on Titan would stretch the concept of habitability just as it stretches the concept of life as we know it. Habitability studies on exoplanets may follow both of these paths: we will look for habitability on exoplanets based on observed habitats on Earth, and we will also use observations of exoplanets as grist for contemplation of lifestyles different from anything we know on Earth. Full article

Locust outbreaks are major biological disturbances in grassland ecosystems of arid and semi-arid regions. Accurate identification of locust suitable habitats is important for regional monitoring and management. However, direct comparisons between multi-criteria analysis (MCA) and species distribution models (SDMs) under a unified framework remain limited. In this study, we compared these two approaches for dominant locust species in Xinjiang, China, including Calliptamus italicus, Gomphocerus sibiricus, and Locusta migratoria manilensis. We used the same environmental variables and occurrence records for all models. The MCA methods included the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), and ordered weighted averaging (OWA). The SDMs included the generalized linear model (GLM), maximum entropy model (MaxEnt), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and an ensemble model. The results showed that SDMs had higher area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and true skill statistic (TSS) values than MCA under the internal point-based evaluation framework, although both approaches effectively identified locust-suitable habitats. The two approaches also showed high spatial agreement in moderately and highly suitable habitats, with Jaccard indices of 0.88–0.92, and consistently identified the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains, the Ili River Valley, and the margins of the Junggar Basin as core suitable areas. These results indicate that the two approaches are complementary for locust monitoring and management. Full article

Nowadays, the global demand for medicinal plants, including A. absinthium L. (wormwood), has increased considerably, leading to significant pressure on their wild populations and the biodiversity of ecosystems. Consequently, the rates of exploitation may exceed those of natural regeneration. This destructive process can be reduced by cultivating plants with the desired secondary metabolites by transferring them from their natural habitats. The present study investigates phytochemistry and the potential antioxidative/prooxidant activity of low-thujone A. absinthium plants. The chemical composition of wormwood extracts and essential oils (EOs) was determined by HPLC/DAD/TOF and GC/MS techniques, respectively. Trans-Sabinyl acetate (59.6 ± 10.1%) predominated in the wormwood EOs, while the content of toxic trans-thujone was negligible (1.2 ± 0.5%). Eighteen acids, such as fumaric, ascorbic, succinic, quinic, malic, gallic, benzoic, (neo/iso)chlorogenic, (di)ferulic, caffeic, etc., were found in 50% methanolic wormwood extracts. Additionally, (epi)catechin, astragalin, diosmetin, piceatannol-3’-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside-7-O-glucoside, hesperidin, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, baicalin, 5,7,3′-trihydroxy-3,6,4′,5′-tetramethoxyflavone and rutin were tentatively identified in the extracts. Total phenolic content was found 412.82 ± 11.10 mg/L (of gallic acid equivalent) in A. absinthium methanolic extracts. Using conventional spectroscopic methods, the antioxidant activity (DPPH radicals scavenging) was determined to be 0.83 ± 0.06 mmol/L (TROLOX equivalent) in the wormwood essential oil. ABTS^●+ and DPPH^● scavenging activity means, 3.485 ± 0.07 (TROLOX, mmol/L) and 6.48 ± 0.25 (TROLOX, mmol/L) were revealed for A. absinthium methanolic extracts. Less commonly used methods, electrochemical tests showed the presence of oxidizable compounds with characteristic E_pa values of 0.38 and 0.61 V. Moreover, hydrogen peroxide scavenging tests were performed. The largest quantity of peroxide (31.86 ± 0.1 μmol/L) was formed in the wormwood boiling infusions (at pH = 7.2). As the presence of toxic and neurotoxic thujone isomers is undesirable, therefore, the search for low- or thujone-free plants from natural populations that exhibit biological activity (i.e., antioxidant/prooxidant) is of great importance. Full article

The present study examined fish biodiversity, livelihood dependence, cultural importance, and genetic connectivity in two ecologically linked habitats of the Sylhet region, Bangladesh: Hakaluki Haor and the Surma River. Surveys documented 60 fish species with distinct assemblage patterns between sites. Hakaluki Haor was dominated by floodplain spawners and small indigenous species that contribute to year-round subsistence harvests, whereas the Surma River supported a greater proportion of migratory and pelagic species, most notably Tenualosa ilisha. These ecological contrasts reflected differences in hydrology, habitat diversity, and fishing intensity. Household surveys confirmed the central role of fisheries in sustaining income and food security, while cultural practices surrounding hilsa consumption reinforced local stewardship norms. Mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence analysis of T. ilisha revealed low genetic differentiation between sites, indicating a single, well-connected stock maintained by seasonal flooding and the absence of major migration barriers. This convergence of ecological and genetic evidence supports treating the two sites as an integrated management unit. Effective conservation will require protecting hydrological connectivity, safeguarding dry season refugia, coordinating seasonal fishing restrictions across habitats, and incorporating cultural values into policy frameworks. The findings strengthen the scientific basis for national and regional conservation strategies and demonstrate the value of combining biological, socio-economic, and cultural dimensions in managing connected wetland–river systems. This approach can serve as a transferable model for other tropical floodplain–river complexes facing similar ecological and livelihood challenges. Full article

Mangroves are important coastal wetland ecosystems with high ecological service values and strong carbon sequestration capacity, serving as a crucial barrier for coastal ecological security. However, current afforestation efforts often ignore environmental suitability differences among mangrove species, while the applicability value and ecological risks of exotic species (Laguncularia racemosa and Sonneratia apetala) for restoration remain poorly understood. Five native and two exotic mangrove species along China’s coasts were selected in this study. Using the MaxEnt model, we identified key environmental factors governing their distribution, predicted their current and future suitable habitats (under the SSP245 scenario in the 2070s), and quantified niche overlap between native and exotic mangroves. The results showed that temperature-related factors (air and sea temperature) are the core climatic drivers shaping the typical mangrove distribution, followed by sea surface salinity, with precipitation contributing little. Currently, niche overlap between native and the two exotic species is low (D.overlap: 0.129–0.340), indicating certain niche differentiation. Under the SSP245 scenario in the 2070s, except for Rhizophora stylosa, other studied species appear to experience expanded suitable habitat areas and a northward latitudinal distribution shift. Compared with Sonneratia apetala, Laguncularia racemosa exhibits a more pronounced expansion of suitable habitats in the future, with its overall suitable area second only to the native Kandelia obovata, indicating its stronger adaptive potential to climate change. Clarifying niche differentiation and constructing species-specific management frameworks may facilitate biological invasion control, mangrove restoration, and species diversity improvement. Full article

Anthropogenic activities and environmental changes have exerted an increasingly high impact on the habitats of wild animals, especially endangered species. Researchers have paid attention to the effects of future climate change on wildlife habitats. However, the impact of climate change on the suitable habitats of Tragopan birds has rarely been reported. Here, we used the Maxent model to assess the influence of climate change on the geographical distribution of five Tragopan species. The results showed that the SSP585 scenario projected relatively favorable conditions, with the total area of suitable habitats expected to show an overall increasing trend over time. Centroid analysis revealed that the centroid gradually shifts toward lower latitudes and elevations due to climate warming. Environmental factor analysis showed that human-induced factors (particularly land use) are the main determinants affecting the habitat suitability of Tragopan birds. Notably, a comparison between dispersal velocity and biological velocity showed that despite the predicted gradual expansion of habitat area, Tragopan birds may be difficult to expand into the newly suitable habitat regions. We further emphasize that establishing ecological corridors and setting up new protected areas will have a more significant impact on conserving the Tragopan birds. Full article