Search Results (379)

Amazon River dolphins often form multi-species aggregations at water confluences. This study used a multi-year data set to examine dolphins, fish, and geomorphology at dolphin aggregations. Methods included dolphin transect surveys, dolphin point counts, net and line fish captures, side-scan sonar, and eDNA analyses at five dolphin aggregations and two control sites. Amazon River dolphins (Inia geoffrensis and Sotalia fluviatlis) are typically found at aggregation sites that occur at water confluences that have greater dolphin numbers than control sites. The confluences had riverbed depressions averaging six metres in depth where fish were concentrated. Pink river dolphins preferred to form aggregations in flooded forest tributaries and large rivers, while grey river dolphins preferred the larger rivers. There were eighty-nine fish species at the confluences within the size of fish consumed by dolphins, and a higher abundance of fish occurred in and around the aggregation sites compared to control sites. The number of dolphins present at the aggregation sites correlated with fish abundance. Dolphin life history, such as fishing, resting, raising calves, and social interactions, occur at the aggregation sites. The aggregation sites are important conservation areas of the endangered pink and grey river dolphins, and through their folklore, Indigenous people living at confluence sites assist in the conservation of the aggregations and have lived with dolphins at confluences for thousands of years, contributing to their survival. Full article

Stomoxys calcitrans (Linnaeus, 1758) is a hematophagous fly species of veterinary importance, known for its negative effects on animal health and productivity. The stress caused by their painful bites results in losses in milk and meat production. Despite its impact, data on its ecology and activity in Algeria are lacking. Such knowledge is needed to evaluate its potential effects on livestock production and rural health, and to support surveillance, outbreak prediction, and control strategies. This study aimed to investigate the monthly and daily dynamics of S. calcitrans in livestock farms in the Batna region and evaluate the influence of climatic factors on its abundance. From July 2022 to July 2023, Vavoua traps were placed monthly from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on four farms in the Batna region, representing different livestock types. Captured flies were identified, sexed, and counted every two hours. Climatic data were collected both in situ and from NASA POWER datasets. Fly abundance was analyzed using non-parametric statistics, Spearman’s correlation, and multiple regression analysis. A total of 1244 S. calcitrans were captured, mainly from cattle farms. Activity occurred from August to December, with a peak in September. Males were more abundant and exhibited a bimodal activity in September. Fly abundance was positively correlated with temperature and precipitation and negatively correlated with wind speed and humidity. This study presents the first ecological data on S. calcitrans in northeastern Algeria, highlighting its seasonal dynamics and the climatic drivers that influence it. The results highlight the species’ preference for cattle and indicate that temperature and rainfall are key factors influencing its abundance. These findings lay the groundwork for targeted control strategies against this neglected pest in Algeria. Full article

With worldwide development of wind energy, birds have grown increasingly vulnerable to collisions with wind turbines. For several species of eagles, which in many countries are accorded special protection due to a host of anthropogenic threats, accurate estimates of collision mortality are needed to assess impacts and to formulate appropriate mitigation strategies. Unfortunately, estimates of wind turbine collision mortality are often biased low by failing to account for carcasses that fall beyond the fatality search area boundary, B. In some instances, carcass density is modeled across the fatality search area to adjust for these undetected fatalities. Yet for more accurate fatality estimates, it is important to determine $\widehat{B}$, the search area boundary within which all carcasses could be found. We used eagle carcass data from multi-year fatality studies conducted at the Island of Smøla, Norway, and the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area, California, USA, to assess carcass density (i) as a contributor to mortality estimation (ii) as a predictor variable of B, and (iii) to test whether the cumulative carcass counts with increasing distance from the wind turbine can predict $\widehat{B}$. We found that carcass counts within 5 m annuli change little with increasing distance from modern wind turbines, and that carcass density is largely a function of the area calculated. Characterization of the spatial distribution of carcasses within the search area varies with the search radius that determines B. However, this may not represent the true spatial distribution of carcasses, including those found beyond B. We assert that the available data are unsuitable for predicting the number of eagle carcasses within and beyond a given search area, nor for determining $\widehat{B},$ but they do indicate that $\widehat{B}$ lies much farther from wind turbines than previously assumed. Ultimately, modeling available carcass distribution data cannot replace the need for searching farther from wind turbines to account for the true number of eagle collision victims at any given wind project. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different dosimetric parameters of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) in an experimental model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). C57BL/6 mice were assigned to the following groups: Baseline, COPD, and COPD treated with PBMT at doses of 1 J, 3 J, 5 J, and 7.5 J. Treatment was performed using a diode laser (660 nm, 100 mW) applied for 10 s, 30 s, 50 s, and 120 s, respectively, over 15 consecutive days. COPD was induced by orotracheal instillation of cigarette smoke extract twice weekly for 45 days. Analyses included total cell count, immune cell profiling by flow cytometry, pulmonary infiltration of inflammatory markers, necrosis, apoptosis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by the Newman–Keuls post hoc test, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. PBMT significantly reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, with the most pronounced anti-inflammatory effects observed at doses of 1 J and 3 J, highlighting the importance of appropriate dosimetry in optimizing the therapeutic outcomes of PBMT for COPD. Full article

Real-time insect monitoring is essential for sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation. The traditional method of attracting insects to colored glue traps and manually counting the catch is time-intensive and requires specialized taxonomic expertise. Moreover, these traps are often lethal to pests and beneficial insects alike, raising both ecological and ethical concerns. Camera-based trap designs have recently emerged to lower the amount of manual labor involved in determining insect species, yet they are still deadly to the catch. This study presents the design and evaluation of a non-lethal acoustic monitoring system capable of detecting and classifying insect species based on their sound signatures. A first prototype was developed with a focus on low self-noise and suitability for autonomous field deployment. The system was initially validated through laboratory experiments, and subsequently tested in six rapeseed fields over a 25-day period. More than 3400 h of acoustic data were successfully collected without system failures. Key findings highlight the importance of carefully selecting each component to minimize self-noise, as insect sounds are extremely low in amplitude. The results also underscore the need for efficient data and energy management strategies in long-term field deployments. This paper aims to share the development process, design decisions, technical challenges, and practical lessons learned over the course of building our IoT sensor system. By outlining what worked, what did not, and what should be improved, this work contributes to the advancement of non-invasive insect monitoring technologies. Full article

We developed a forecast model for cyanobacteria bloom formation in two contrasting inland lakes in Australia by combining in situ sampling and continuous remote sensing hyperspectral reflectance (HydraSpectra) with hydrodynamic and algal growth models. Cyanobacterial distribution of a buoyant species was simulated with an algal growth model, driven by forecasted meteorological data, and modeled temperature stratification and mixing dynamics from a one-dimensional, vertical k-epsilon turbulence hydrodynamic model. The cyanobacteria model was re-initialized daily with measured cell counts derived from the hyperspectral reflectance data. Simulations of cyanobacterial concentrations (cell counts) reflected the dynamic mixing behavior in the lakes with daily phases of near-surface accumulation and subsequent daily mixing due to wind or night-time cooling. To determine the surface concentration of cyanobacteria on sub-daily time scales, it was demonstrated that the combined use of high-resolution water temperature profiles, HydraSpectra reflectance data, and a hydrodynamic model to quantify the mixing dynamics is essential. Overall, the model results demonstrated a prototype for a cyanobacteria short-term forecast model. Having these tools in place allows us to quantify the risks of cyanobacterial blooms in advance to inform options for lake management. Full article

Background: Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum), a key cultivated grass worldwide, includes both sexual diploid and apomictic tetraploid cytotypes. Finding new diploid populations is crucial for the species’ genetic improvement and conservation. Objectives: We aimed to determine the ploidy levels of 168 P. notatum accessions from subtropical South America, analyze the geographic distribution of cytotype diversity, and identify new diploid zones. Methods: Using chromosome counts and flow cytometry, we georeferenced our data with existing literature to map cytotype distribution. Results: We discovered five previously unknown diploid centers in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, two of which resulted from the naturalization of diploid cultivars. One location hosted a mixed-ploidy population (diploid, tetraploid, and pentaploid), confirming ongoing hybridization. Our results show that human activity actively creates new centers of genetic diversity, serving as a dynamic source of raw material for crop resilience. These neonative diversification zones are not only of scientific interest but also vital, evolving hotspots for germplasm conservation. Conclusions: This study presents a new framework for understanding the interactions between crop and wild relatives and highlights the urgent need for conservation in the rapidly changing South American grasslands. Full article

Spodoptera frugiperda is a major transboundary migratory pest under global alert by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The accurate identification and counting of trapped adults in the field are key technologies for achieving quantitative monitoring and precision pest control. However, precise recognition is challenged by issues such as scale loss and the presence of mixed insect species in trapping images. To address this, we constructed a field image dataset of trapped Spodoptera frugiperda adults and proposed an improved YOLOv5s-based detection method. The dataset was collected over a two-year sex pheromone monitoring campaign in eastern–central Yunnan, China, comprising 9550 labeled insects across six categories, and was split into training, validation, and test sets in an 8:1:1 ratio. In this study, YOLOv7, YOLOv8, Mask R-CNN, and DETR were selected as comparative baselines to evaluate the recognition of images containing Spodoptera frugiperda adults and other insect species. However, the complex backgrounds introduced by field trap photography adversely affected classification performance, resulting in a relatively modest average accuracy. Considering the additional requirement for model lightweighting, we further enhanced the YOLOv5s architecture by integrating Mosaic data augmentation and an adaptive anchor box strategy. Additionally, three attention mechanisms—SENet, CBAM, and Coordinate Attention (CA)—were embedded into the backbone to build a multidimensional attention comparison framework, demonstrating CBAM’s superiority under complex backgrounds. Ultimately, the CBAM-YOLOv5 model achieved 97.8% mAP@0.5 for Spodoptera frugiperda identification, with recognition accuracy for other insect species no less than 72.4%. Based on the optimized model, we developed an intelligent recognition system capable of image acquisition, identification, and counting, offering a high-precision algorithmic solution for smart trapping devices. Full article

The marine environment has long been affected by chronic operational oil pollution, leading to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of seabirds. In many countries Beached Bird Survey programmes have been established, in which dead birds with oil-contaminated plumage are counted along shorelines. This study analyses data from Beached Bird Surveys conducted in the western Gulf of Gdańsk (southern Baltic Sea) between 1965/66 and 2024/25 to assess long-term trends in oil pollution. Over a total of 55 seasons, 12,264 dead birds representing 49 different species were recorded, of which 2748 individuals (22%) had oiled plumage. The oil rate was very high up to the 1977/78 season, ranging from 58% to 95%. During that period, the highest densities of oiled birds were also recorded, with values exceeding 20 individuals. A significant decline in the number of oiled birds occurred in the early 1980s, and, apart from two anomalous seasons in the mid-1990s, numbers have remained low since then. This sharp drop coincides with the enforcement of MARPOL regulations and the introduction of regular aerial surveillance to detect oil spills and identify violators. The resulting reduction in ship-based pollution has supported more sustainable use of this ecologically important marine region. The findings highlight the effectiveness of international regulations and monitoring efforts in reducing chronic oil pollution and improving the health of the Baltic Sea ecosystem. Full article

Bats are ecologically vital mammals, serving as pollinators, seed dispersers, and bioindicators of ecosystem health. Many species inhabit natural caves, which offer optimal conditions for survival but present challenges for direct ecological monitoring due to their dark, complex, and inaccessible environments. Traditional monitoring methods, such as mist-netting, are invasive and limited in scope, highlighting the need for non-intrusive alternatives. In this work, we present a portable multisensor platform designed to operate in underground habitats. The system captures multimodal data, including near-infrared (NIR) imagery, ultrasonic audio, 3D structural data, and RGB video. Focusing on NIR imagery, we evaluate the effectiveness of the YOLO object detection framework for automated bat detection and counting. Experiments were conducted using a dataset of NIR images collected in natural shelters. Three YOLO variants (v10, v11, and v12) were trained and tested on this dataset. The models achieved high detection accuracy, with YOLO v12m reaching a mean average precision (mAP) of 0.981. These results demonstrate that combining NIR imaging with deep learning enables accurate and non-invasive monitoring of bats in challenging environments. The proposed approach offers a scalable tool for ecological research and conservation, supporting population assessment and behavioral studies without disturbing bat colonies. Full article

Urban forests provide many ecosystem services in urbanized landscapes, including biodiversity conservation. The sustainable management of urban forests requires a thorough understanding of biodiversity changes in the context of rapid urbanization. As biodiversity in rapidly changing urban areas is very dynamic, we need a better understanding of long-term biodiversity changes in urban forests. Birds are very good bioindicators of urban forest biodiversity because they are strongly habitat-sensitive. However, a major knowledge gap exists in long-term trends in bird diversity in temperate urban forests. This study analyzed a comparison of bird-species richness in a temperate Central European urban forest over a time span of 37 years. Bird-counts using the standard line-transect method conducted in 2023–2024 were compared with older field data from 1987 gained using the same method in a lowland hardwood floodplain forest in the Czech Republic. The results revealed significant faunistic similarities in the bird-species diversity of an urban forest during the 1987–2024 period. The high local alpha diversity of the bird community (42 nesting bird species) as well as the relatively high long-term stability in bird richness indicated the importance of the studied urban forest as a stable biodiversity refugium in a dynamic urbanized landscape. Therefore, urban forests can be considered very stable biodiversity refugia in dynamically changing urban areas. Full article

This study evaluated the effectiveness of individual clean-in-place (CIP) steps in removing biofilms from reverse osmosis (RO) membranes under dynamic flow conditions using the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) biofilm reactor. Biofilms were developed in the laboratory under continuous flow, using mixed-species bacterial isolates obtained from 10-month-old RO membrane biofilms from a commercial facility. Individual CIP chemicals, representative of those used in commercial protocols, were tested against 24 h-old biofilms. Additionally, a complete six-step sequential CIP process was conducted under dynamic conditions, consisting of treatments with alkali, surfactant, acid, enzyme, a secondary surfactant, and sanitizer. All experiments were performed in quadruplicate, and data were subjected to statistical analysis. Among individual treatments, the acid step was the most effective, significantly outperforming the other CIP cleaning steps by reducing bacterial counts from 5.62 to 4.10 log units, a 96.98% reduction. The full six-step CIP protocol reduced counts to 2.24 log units, indicating the persistence of resistant cells. The presence of viable cells post-treatment highlights the limited efficacy of the tested CIP chemicals in fully eradicating mature biofilms. Additionally, skipping any step in the membrane cleaning can significantly compromise the efficiency and performance during production. These findings suggest that biofilms grown in vitro under dynamic conditions using the CDC reactor exhibit a more robust assessment of the CIP treatments in accomplishing the biofilm control. This study highlights the need for optimized, scientifically validated CIP protocols targeting biofilms to improve cleaning efficacy and food safety. Full article

The genus Raiamas currently comprises 18 valid species, only 2 of which occur in Asia; the remaining 16 are endemic to Africa. Raiamas harmandi was originally described by Sauvage in 1880 as Bola harmandi, which is distributed in the Great Lakes, Cambodia, the Mekong River Basin. It was considered a synonym of R. guttatus by later researchers. In this study, we examined 49 Raiamas individuals from the Mekong, Irrawaddy, and Salween river basins, recording both meristic counts and morphometric measurements. Based on the morphological evidence, we revised the taxonomy of Raiamas in the Mekong River Basin, confirming R. harmandi as a valid species and providing a comprehensive redescription. Raiamas harmandi can be distinguished from R. guttatus mainly by having more predorsal scales (25–28 vs. 21–23) and a different color pattern on the lateral body. Utilizing a total of 44 aligned COI and Cyt b sequences—including eight newly sequenced individuals of Raiamas from three river basins—we reconstructed its phylogenetic relationships. The analysis strongly supported four R. harmandi individuals from the Mekong River Basin forming a distinct clade, which was the sister to the clade comprising five R. guttatus individuals from the Irrawaddy and Salween river basins. Genetic distances between R. harmandi and R. guttatus ranged from 14.0 to 14.9% for COI and 16.1 to 17.0% for Cyt b. Distributionally, R. harmandi occurs throughout the Mekong River Basin, as evidenced by combined voucher specimens and molecular sequence data. Full article

The Northern Rocky Mountains, USA contain a vast forested landscape, managed primarily by the federal government. This region contains some of the highest elevations forests and most iconic endangered and threatened species in the contiguous United States. The influence of human impacts and climate change are evident on the landscape today, with larger and more frequent fires impacting vegetation composition and recovery. This project uses paleoecological data from six lake sediment cores to investigate what drives fire across this region over the Holocene. Count regression was used to predict charcoal influx as a function of Pinus pollen accumulation rates (PAR) and percent. The results show that fire activity increases significantly with Pinus pollen, and that baseline fire activity varies significantly across sites, largely following an elevation gradient. The results of this analysis illustrate a novel way to use paleoecological data to provide valuable information to federal agencies as they prepare for future management of these ecologically valuable areas. Full article

Background/Objective: Candidemia is a serious complication following intensive chemotherapy and is associated with high mortality in pediatric patients. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with 28-day mortality in pediatric patients with candidemia. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 63 pediatric patients diagnosed with acute leukemia and candidemia following intensive chemotherapy. Clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, and epidemiological data were collected. Antifungal susceptibility data were available for 60 patients. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was used to estimate the 28-day mortality rate, and Cox regression was performed to identify prognostic factors. Results: The 28-day mortality rate among the 63 patients (57.1% male, median age 9.74 years) was 36.5%. Candida tropicalis was the predominant species (96.8%). Antifungal susceptibility rates were 100% for amphotericin B and caspofungin and 22.2% for fluconazole. The factors independently associated with reduced 28-day mortality were an absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) ≥ 0.2 G/L at the time of candidemia diagnosis (5.3% vs. 50% mortality; hazard ratio [HR] = 0.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01–0.61), the use of antifungal prophylaxis (AFP) (26.3% vs. 52%; HR 0.31; 95% CI, 0.13–0.74), and granulocyte transfusion (GTX) combined with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) (20% vs. 47.4%; HR = 0.31; 95% CI, 0.11–0.85). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that an ALC ≥ 0.2 G/L, AFP, and the administration of a GTX combined with G-CSF may be considered favorable prognostic factors. Full article