Future threats to biodiversity and pathways to their prevention

Study on trade-offs and synergies of rural ecosystem services in the Tacheng-Emin Basin, Xinjiang, China: Implications for zoning management of rural ecological functions

Rural areas are the main source of ecosystem services in arid and semi-arid areas, and ecosystem services are the background conditions for rural revitalization. In this study, the spatial pattern of key ecosystem services in the countryside was assessed, and the trade-offs and synergistic relationships among ecosystem services were investigated, using the Tacheng-Emin Basin in China as the study area. Finally, the types of ecological function zoning and development strategies for the countryside are proposed. The results showed that: (1) the area of ecological land was large, and the average land use intensity was 2.48, which belonged to the medium intensity. (2) The mean values of the six ecosystem services are all in the middle and lower classes, and the spatial distribution of the five ecosystem services is similar, except for food production. (3) Except for grain production, the other five ecosystem services showed positive feedback to elevation. The other five ecosystem services are synergistic, and there are trade-offs between grain production and other ecosystem services. In the nonlinear interaction mechanism of ecosystem services, the fluctuation constraint occupies the largest proportion. (4) At smaller spatial scales, there are more types of ecosystem service clusters. Combining the results of the study, the villages in the study area can be categorized into five types. This study formulates five priority levels of rural ecological revitalization and proposes different development recommendations for the sustainable development of each type of village. This study is helpful for the fine management of land resources and the revitalization of rural ecology and provides a reference for the sustainable development of ecosystem services in arid and semi-arid areas.

Four years monitoring of the endangered European plethodontid salamanders

The ongoing biodiversity crisis is strongly threatening amphibians, mostly because of their peculiar physiology, their sensitivity to climate change and the spread of diseases. Effective monitoring involving assessments of pressure effects across time and estimation of population trends play a key role in mitigating amphibian decline. To improve implementation of standardized protocols and conservation efforts, we present here a dataset related to one of the amphibian genera whose onservation status is considered the most declining according to the IUCN. We report information on 66 populations of the endangered European cave salamanders, genus Speleomantes, that was collected through a standardized monitoring along a four-year period (2021-2024). Demographics data of the populations and fitness-related data of single individuals are reported. Furthermore, we include 3,836 high quality images of individuals that can allow to perform studies aiming to assess the phenotypic variability within the genus, and to perform long-term capture-mark-recaptured studies.

The impact of habitat loss and fragmentation on biodiversity in global protected areas

Protected areas (PAs) serve as effective means for biodiversity conservation but face threats from habitat loss and fragmentation. Current research on the impact of habitat loss or habitat fragmentation on biodiversity in PAs mostly focuses on individual PA or regional scales. At the global scale, the extent of habitat loss and fragmentation in PAs and their effects on biodiversity remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the degree of habitat loss and fragmentation in global PAs from 2000 to 2020, analyzed the impact of habitat loss and fragmentation on biodiversity in PAs, identified hotspot PAs of severe habitat loss or fragmentation, and highlighted critically endangered species within these PAs. Our study reveals that, between 2000 and 2020, 19 % of global PAs experienced habitat loss, and 34 % experienced habitat fragmentation, with large PAs and South American tropical PAs exhibiting the most severe levels of habitat loss and fragmentation. The impact of habitat loss and fragmentation on biodiversity was most significant in small PAs and African tropical PAs. There are 10 global hotspot PAs of habitat loss or fragmentation, posing a serious threat to the survival of endangered species within PAs. Biodiversity conservation remains a prominent research focus globally, and the issues of habitat loss and fragmentation in PAs may impact the achievement of the COP15 biodiversity conservation goals. Therefore, this study aims to provide data support and scientific guidance for the management and development of global PAs.

Impact of biological manure substitution on grain yield, nitrogen recovery efficiency, and soil biochemical properties

Fertilization plays a crucial role in ensuring global food security and ecological balance. This study investigated the impact of substituting innovative biological manure for chemical fertilization on rice (Oryza sativa L) productivity and soil biochemical properties based on a three-year experiment. Our results suggested rice yield and straw weight were increased under manure addition treatment. Specifically, 70% of total nitrogen (N) fertilizer substituted by biological manure derived from straw, animal waste and microbiome, led to a substantial 13.6% increase in rice yield and a remarkable 34.2% boost in straw weight. In comparison to the conventional local farmer practice of applying 165 kg N ha-1, adopting 70% of total N plus biological manure demonstrated superior outcomes, particularly in enhancing yield components and spike morphology. Fertilization treatments led to elevated levels of soil microbial biomass carbon and N. However, a nuanced comparison with local practices indicated that applying biological manure alongside urea resulted in a slight reduction in N content in vegetative and economic organs, along with decreases of 10.4%, 11.2%, and 6.1% in N recovery efficiency (NRE), respectively. Prudent N management through the judicious application of partial biological manure fertilizer in rice systems could be imperative for sustaining productivity and soil fertility in southern China.

Evaluation method for ecology-agriculture-urban spaces based on deep learning

With the increasing global population and escalating ecological and farmland degradation, challenges to the environment and livelihoods have become prominent. Coordinating urban development, food security, and ecological conservation is crucial for fostering sustainable development. This study focuses on assessing the "Ecology-Agriculture-Urban" (E-A-U) space in Yulin City, China, as a representative case. Following the framework proposed by Chinese named "environmental capacity and national space development suitability evaluation" (hereinafter referred to as "Double Evaluation"), we developed a Self-Attention Residual Neural Network (SARes-NET) model to assess the E-U-A space. Spatially, the northwest region is dominated by agriculture, while the southeast is characterized by urban and ecological areas, aligning with regional development patterns. Comparative validations with five other models, including Logistic Regression (LR), Naive Bayes (NB), Gradient Boosting Decision Trees (GBDT), Random Forest (RF) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN), reveal that the SARes-NET model exhibits superior simulation performance, highlighting it's ability to capture intricate non-linear relationships and reduce human errors in data processing. This study establishes deep learning-guided E-A-U spatial evaluation as an innovative approach for national spatial planning, holding broader implications for national-level territorial assessments.

Distribution and Endemism Areas of Bonamia Thouars (Convolvulacea) in Brazil

Brazil harbors the highest richness of Convolvulaceae with 424 species recognized mainly distributed in the Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga and Cerrado phytogeographic domains. Seventeen of these species are representatives of Bonamia, with ten endemic to the country. The aim of the study was to map the distribution of this group to understand its richness, its sampling and detecting areas of endemism, valuable information for conservation. We collected data gathered from herbaria and from the online database. The data were refined (1) excluding of records not at the species level; (2) records with no identification of collection site or with only the identification of the state of collection. There was calculated the richness, the number of records and an estimate of richness per cell. We conducted a parsimony analysis of endemism for distribution analysis. Finally, the knowledge of richness for the species was analyzed. There were gathered 420 occurrence records, in 87 grid cells. Most grid cells observed in the study presented one species. Two endemic areas were found for the genus. The results contribute to the understanding of the distribution of the group in Brazil, highlighting shortfalls in collections.

Climate change market-driven poleward shifts in cropland production create opportunities for tropical biodiversity conservation and habitat restoration

Although the impacts of climate change on the yields of crops have been studied, how these changes will result in the eventual realized crop production through market feedbacks has received little attention. Using a combination of attainable yield predictions for wheat, rice, maize, soybean and sugarcane, computable general equilibrium and land rent models, we project market impacts and crop-specific land-use change up to 2100 and the resulting implications for carbon and biodiversity. The results show a general increase in crop prices in tropical regions and a decrease in sub-tropical and temperate regions. Land-use change driven by market feedbacks generally amplify the effects of climate change on yields. Wheat, maize and sugarcane are projected to experience the most expansion especially in Canada and Russia, which also present the highest potential for habitat conversion-driven carbon emissions. Conversely, Latin America presents the highest extinction potential for birds, mammals and amphibians due to cropland expansion. Climate change is likely to redistribute agricultural production, generating market-driven land-use feedback effects which could, counterintuitively, protect global biodiversity by shifting global food production towards less-biodiverse temperate regions while creating substantial restoration opportunities in the tropics.

Systematic review of the impact of restrictive wildlife trade measures on conservation of iconic species in southern Africa

Trade restrictions are often advocated and implemented as measures to protect wild species threatened by overexploitation. However, in some instances, their efficacy has been questioned, notably by governments in the southern African (SADC) region, which tend to favor a sustainable use approach to wildlife management. We conducted a systematic review of published literature guided by the PRISMA process to examine the effectiveness of trade restrictions and directly related control measures in addressing threats to species conservation in the SADC region, with a focus on elephants (Loxodonta sp.), rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum, Diceros bicornis), lions (Panthera leo), and pangolins (Manis sp.). We focused in particular on the direct conservation impact of trade restrictions at species or population level, indirect conservation impact at human behavior or attitude level, and socioeconomic impact on rural livelihoods and well-being and on national economies. Research on these topics was uneven and focused strongly on the effects of trade restrictions and law enforcement on crime-related behavior. Research gaps include socioeconomic impacts of trade restrictions, including effects of international restrictions on local livelihoods and consequent secondary conservation impacts, and evaluations of attempts to disrupt criminal networks. Based on the reviewed impact evidence, the effectiveness of international trade restrictions depends on a range of fully aligned measures in countries of origin, transit, and consumption. For example, our results suggest positive ecological short-term but negative or unknown long-term socioeconomic impacts of domestic restrictions. Based on these findings, key policy requirements include more nuanced approaches to incorporate a range of appropriate measures in range, transit, and consumer countries, that focus on capacity development for early detection and apprehension of incursions inside protected areas; measures for constructive engagement with relevant local communities outside protected areas; and future research to improve understanding of the socioeconomic contribution of wildlife.

Consideration of nutrition and sustainability in public definitions of 'healthy' food: an analysis of submissions to the US FDA

OBJECTIVE

To better understand how the public defines 'healthy' foods and to determine whether the public considers sustainability, implicitly and explicitly, in the context of healthy eating.

DESIGN

We conducted a content analysis of public comments submitted to the US FDA in 2016 and 2017 in response to an invitation for feedback on use of the term 'healthy' on food labels. The analysis explored the ways in which commenters' definitions of 'healthy' aligned with the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and whether their definitions considered sustainability.

SETTING

The US Government's Regulations.gov website.

PARTICIPANTS

All 1125 unique comments from individuals and organisations.

RESULTS

Commenters' definitions of 'healthy' generally mirrored the recommendations that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans put forth to promote a 'healthy eating pattern'. Commenters emphasised the healthfulness of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, fish and other minimally processed foods and the need to limit added sugars, sodium, saturated and trans fats and other ingredients sometimes added during processing. One-third of comments (n 374) incorporated at least one dimension of sustainability, mainly the environmental dimension. Commenters who mentioned environmental considerations primarily expressed concerns about synthetic chemicals and genetic modification. Less than 20 % of comments discussed social or economic dimensions of sustainability, and less than 3 % of comments (n 30) used the word 'sustainability' explicitly.

CONCLUSIONS

This novel analysis provides new information about the public's perceptions of 'healthy' foods relative to nutrition and sustainability considerations. The findings can be used to advance policy discussions regarding nutrition labelling and guidance.

Effects of human depopulation and warming climate on bird populations in Japan

Quantifying biodiversity trends in economically developed countries, where depopulation, associated secondary succession, and climate warming are ongoing, provides insights for global biodiversity conservation in the 21st century. However, few studies have assessed the impacts of secondary succession and climate warming on species' population trends at a national scale. We estimated the population trends of common breeding bird species in Japan and examined the associations between the overall population trend and species traits with the nationwide bird count data on 47 species collected from 2009 to 2020. The overall population trend varied among species. Four species populations increased moderately, 18 were stable, and 11 declined moderately. Population trends for 13 species were uncertain. The difference in overall trends among the species was associated with their habitat group and temperature niche. Species with relatively low-temperature niches experienced more pronounced declines. Multispecies indicators showed a moderate increase in forest specialists and moderate declines in forest generalists (species that use both forests and open habitats) and open-habitat specialists. Forest generalists and open-habitat specialists also declined more rapidly at sites with more abandoned farmland. All species groups showed an accelerated decline or decelerated increase after 2015. These results suggest that common breeding birds in Japan are facing deteriorating trends as a result of nationwide changes in land use and climate. Future land-use planning and policies should consider the benefits of passive rewilding for forest specialists and active restoration measures (e.g., low-intensive forestry and agriculture) for nonforest specialists to effectively conserve biodiversity in the era of human depopulation and climate warming.

Examining the co-occurrences of human threats within terrestrial protected areas

Human threats to biodiversity are prevalent within protected areas (PAs), undermining their effectiveness in halting biodiversity loss. Certain threats tend to co-occur, resulting in amplified cumulative impact through synergistic effects. However, it remains unclear which threats are related the most. We analyzed a dataset of 71 human threats in 18 013 terrestrial PAs of the European Union's Natura 2000 network, using a Joint Species Distribution Modelling approach, to assess the threats' co-occurrence patterns and potential drivers. Overall, threats were more frequently correlated positively than negatively. Threats related to agriculture and urbanization were correlated strongly with most other threats. Approximately 70% of the variance in our model was explained by country-specific factors, indicating the importance of local drivers. Minimizing the negative impact of key threats can likely reduce the impact of related threats. However, more research is needed to understand better the relationships among threats and, importantly, their combined impact on biodiversity.

Estimation and interpretation problems and solutions when using proportion covariates in linear regression models

Proportion variables, also known as compositional data, are very common in ecology. Unfortunately, few scientists are aware of how compositional data, when used as covariates, can adversely impact statistical analysis. We describe here how proportion covariates result in multicollinearity and parameter identifiability problems. Using simulated data on bird species richness as a function of land use, we show how these problems manifest when fitting a wide range of models in R, both in a frequentist and Bayesian framework. In particular, we show that similar models can often generate substantially different parameter estimates, leading to very different conclusions. Dropping a covariate or the intercept from the model can solve the multicollinearity and parameter identifiability problems. Unfortunately, these solutions do not fix the inherent challenges associated with interpreting parameter estimates. To this end, we propose focusing the interpretation on the difference of slope parameters to avoid the inherent unidentifiability of individual parameters. We also propose conditional plots with two x-axes and marginal plots as visualization techniques that can help users better interpret their modeling results. We illustrate these problems and proposed solutions using empirical data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey. The practical and straightforward approaches suggested in this article will help the fitting of linear models and interpretation of its results when some of the covariates are proportions.

Sustainable Blue Foods from Rice-Animal Coculture Systems

Global interest grows in blue foods as part of sustainable diets, but little is known about the potential and environmental performance of blue foods from rice-animal coculture systems. Here, we compiled a large experimental database and conducted a comprehensive life cycle assessment to estimate the impacts of scaling up rice-fish and rice-crayfish systems in China. We find that a large amount of protein can be produced from the coculture systems, equivalent to ∼20% of freshwater aquaculture and ∼70% of marine wild capture projected in 2030. Because of the ecological benefits created by the symbiotic relationships, cocultured fish and crayfish are estimated to be carbon-negative (-9.8 and -4.7 kg of CO2e per 100 g of protein, respectively). When promoted at scale to displace red meat, they can save up to ∼98 million tons of greenhouse gases and up to ∼13 million hectares of farmland, equivalent to ∼44% of China's total rice acreage. These results suggest that rice-animal coculture systems can be an important source of blue foods and contribute to a sustainable dietary shift, while reducing the environmental footprints of rice production. To harvest these benefits, robust policy supports are required to guide the sustainable development of coculture systems and promote healthy and sustainable dietary change.

Assessing habitat connectivity of rare species to inform urban conservation planning

Urbanization is commonly associated with biodiversity loss and habitat fragmentation. However, urban environments often have greenspaces that can support wildlife populations, including rare species. The challenge for conservation planners working in these systems is identifying priority habitats and corridors for protection before they are lost. In a rapidly changing urban environment, this requires prompt decisions informed by accurate spatial information. Here, we combine several approaches to map habitat and assess connectivity for a diverse set of rare species in seven urban study areas across southern Michigan, USA. We incorporated multiple connectivity tools for a comprehensive appraisal of species-habitat patterns across these urban landscapes. We observed distinct differences in connectivity by taxonomic group and site. The three turtle species (Blanding's, Eastern Box, and Spotted) consistently had more habitat predicted to be suitable per site than other evaluated species. This is promising for this at-risk taxonomic group and allows conservation efforts to focus on mitigating threats such as road mortality. Grassland and prairie-associated species (American Bumble Bee, Black and Gold Bumble Bee, and Henslow's Sparrow) had the least amount of habitat on a site-by-site basis. Kalamazoo and the northern Detroit sites had the highest levels of multi-species connectivity across the entire study area based on the least cost paths. These connectivity results have direct applications in urban planning. Kalamazoo, one of the focal urban regions, has implemented a Natural Features Protection (NFP) plan to bolster natural area protections within the city. We compared our connectivity results to the NFP area and show where this plan will have an immediate positive impact and additional areas for potential consideration in future expansions of the protection network. Our results show that conservation opportunities exist within each of the assessed urban areas for maintaining rare species, a key benefit of this multi-species and multi-site approach.

Food plants in Brazil: origin, economic value of pollination and pollinator shortage risk

Pollination is a key ecosystem service of critical importance for food production. However, globally, several regions are already experiencing pollinator shortage as pollinators are declining. Here, we investigate the origin, pollinator dependence and economic value of 199 food crops cultivated in Brazil to understand to which extent (1) Brazilian agriculture is vulnerable to pollinator shortage, and (2) Brazilian society has already achieved a comprehensive perspective about crop dependence. We used Brazil as a case study as it is a megadiverse tropical country and the 3rd largest world crop producer and exporter, with most of the crops depending on pollinators. Our findings revealed that over half (53.7%) of the food crops in Brazil are native, with the North region of Brazil housing the higher diversity of native crops, in contrast with the South and Southeast regions. Additionally, considering the reproductive systems, among native food crops, 65.6% exhibit self-incompatibility or dioecy (i.e., requiring obligatory cross-pollination), whereas 30.6% of exotic food crops display this trait. Overall, Brazilian municipalities produce more exotic crops than native ones, with almost 4/5 of the total agricultural area of the country dedicated to the cultivation of exotic crops, which are generally self-compatible commodities that rely low to modestly on pollinators. Regarding the biomes, we observe that this pattern is followed by most of them, but for the Caatinga dry forest, where native crops dependent on pollinators predominate. However, when soybean is removed from the analysis, the areas devoted to exotic crops always decreased, even being equal to native crops in the Atlantic forest. Our results also indicate that considering the pollinator shortage, some Brazilian biomes may be at risk of losing >20% of their yields, mainly in the Caatinga dry forest and the Atlantic forest. Therefore, in this paper, we are discussing that the expansion of monocultures in Brazil's agricultural lands may have several impacts on the provision of pollination services, food production and, then, on food security not only for the Brazilian population, as Brazil is the 3rd largest world agricultural producer and exporter.

Recent Developments and Challenges in Projecting the Impact of Crop Productivity Growth on Biodiversity Considering Market-Mediated Effects

The effect of an increase in crop productivity (output per unit of inputs) on biodiversity is hitherto poorly understood. This is because increased productivity of a crop in particular regions leads to increased profit that can encourage expansion of its cultivated area causing land use change and ultimately biodiversity loss, a phenomenon also known as "Jevons paradox" or the "rebound effect". Modeling such consequences in an interconnected and globalized world considering such rebound effects is challenging. Here, we discuss the use of computable general equilibrium (CGE) and other economic models in combination with ecological models to project consequences of crop productivity improvements for biodiversity globally. While these economic models have the advantage of taking into account market-mediated responses, resource constraints, endogenous price responses, and dynamic bilateral patterns of trade, there remain a number of important research and data gaps in these models which must be addressed to improve their performance in assessment of the link between local crop productivity changes and global biodiversity. To this end, we call for breaking the silos and building interdisciplinary networks across the globe to facilitate data sharing and knowledge exchange in order to improve global-to-local-to-global analysis of land, biodiversity, and ecosystem sustainability.

Effects of climate, land use, and human population change on human-elephant conflict risk in Africa and Asia

Human-wildlife conflict is an important factor in the modern biodiversity crisis and has negative effects on both humans and wildlife (such as property destruction, injury, or death) that can impede conservation efforts for threatened species. Effectively addressing conflict requires an understanding of where it is likely to occur, particularly as climate change shifts wildlife ranges and human activities globally. Here, we examine how projected shifts in cropland density, human population density, and climatic suitability-three key drivers of human-elephant conflict-will shift conflict pressures for endangered Asian and African elephants to inform conflict management in a changing climate. We find that conflict risk (cropland density and/or human population density moving into the 90th percentile based on current-day values) increases in 2050, with a larger increase under the high-emissions "regional rivalry" SSP3 - RCP 7.0 scenario than the low-emissions "sustainability" SSP1 - RCP 2.6 scenario. We also find a net decrease in climatic suitability for both species along their extended range boundaries, with decreasing suitability most often overlapping increasing conflict risk when both suitability and conflict risk are changing. Our findings suggest that as climate changes, the risk of conflict with Asian and African elephants may shift and increase and managers should proactively mitigate that conflict to preserve these charismatic animals.

Health psychology and climate change: time to address humanity's most existential crisis

Climate change is an ongoing and escalating health emergency. It threatens the health and wellbeing of billions of people, through extreme weather events, displacement, food insecurity, pathogenic diseases, societal destabilisation, and armed conflict. Climate change dwarfs all other challenges studied by health psychologists. The greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change disproportionately originate from the actions of wealthy populations in the Global North and are tied to excessive energy use and overconsumption driven by the pursuit of economic growth. Addressing this crisis requires significant societal transformations and individual behaviour change. Most of these changes will benefit not only the stability of the climate but will yield significant public health co-benefits. Because of their unique expertise and skills, health psychologists are urgently needed in crafting climate change mitigation responses. We propose specific ways in which health psychologists at all career stages can contribute, within the spheres of research, teaching, and policy making, and within organisations and as private citizens. As health psychologists, we cannot sit back and leave climate change to climate scientists. Climate change is a health emergency that results from human behaviour; hence it is in our power and responsibility to address it.

Unacceptable use of substandard metrics in policy decisions which mandate large reductions in animal-source foods

Many recent very influential reports, including those from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Risk Factor Collaborators, the EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health, and the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, have recommended dramatic reductions or total exclusion of animal-source foods, particularly ruminant products (red meat and dairy), from the human diet. They strongly suggest that these dietary shifts will not only benefit planetary health but also human health. However, as detailed in this perspective, there are grounds for considerable concern in regard to the quality and transparency of the input data, the validity of the assumptions, and the appropriateness of the statistical modelling, used in the calculation of the global health estimates, which underpin the claimed human health benefits. The lessor bioavailability of protein and key micronutrients from plant-source foods versus animal-source foods was not adequately recognised nor addressed in any of these reports. Furthermore, assessments of bias and certainty were either limited or absent. Despite many of these errors and limitations being publically acknowledged by the GBD and the EAT-Lancet authors, no corrections have been applied to the published papers. As a consequence, these reports continue to erroneously influence food policy decisions and international dietary guidelines, such as the World Wildlife Fund's Livewell Diet, and the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023.

Thinking outside the ocean-climate nexus: Towards systems-informed decision making in a rapidly changing world

Despite repeated calls for more inclusive practices, approaches used to address current challenges within the ocean-climate nexus do not sufficiently account for the complexity of the human-social-ecological system. So far, this has prevented efficient and just decision-making and policies. We propose to shift towards systems-informed decision making, which values transdisciplinary system-thinking and cumulative impact assessments, and encourages multi-system collaboration among decision-makers in order to address the recurring technicality of policies and to foster just solutions that account for the needs of varied actors across the sustainable development spectrum.

A big-headed problem drives an ecological chain reaction

Disruption of key species interactions reverberates across an African savanna.

FSC forest certification effects on biodiversity: A global review and meta-analysis

FSC is a worldwide recognized forest certification scheme, that aims to promote the environmentally responsible management and conservation of the world's forests. Despite its broad application, there is little evidence of its effect on biodiversity. To address this important knowledge gap, here we conducted a systematic review and a hierarchical meta-analysis of the effects of FSC on biodiversity worldwide. Our review yielded 57 studies spanning 2004-2022. Most studies were in the Americas and Europe (31 % and 28 %, respectively), and largely focused on vascular plants (41 %). Half (51 %) of the studies aimed to determine the effect of FSC certification on biodiversity. There were 15 studies with sufficient information for meta-analysis, resulting in 231 effect sizes for mammal, bird, and vascular plant abundance and 10 for vascular plant richness. Overall, there is a neutral effect of certification on taxa abundance, with only a positive effect on mammal assemblages. Responses varied considerably between mammals' traits. Threatened species, individuals with reduced body weight, and omnivorous species benefit from management under the FSC scheme. Vascular plant richness exhibited significantly higher values in FSC-certified areas. Moreover, the abundance of vascular plants also differs among traits, with shrubs and adult trees benefiting from FSC certification. Our systematic review and meta-analysis revealed strong variation in biodiversity responses to FSC, and major geographic and taxonomic knowledge gaps. The overall neutral effect and the divergent responses of taxa and species traits suggest that taxa/species-specific management and improvement of FSC criteria are required.

The 8 billion milestone: Risk perceptions of global population growth among UK and US residents

In November 2022, the global human population reached 8 billion and is projected to reach 10 billion by 2060. Theories, models, and evidence indicate that global population growth (GPG) increases the likelihood of many adverse outcomes, such as biodiversity loss, climate change, mass migrations, wars, and resource shortages. A small body of research indicates that many individuals are concerned about the effects of GPG, and these concerns are strongly related to the willingness to engage in mitigative and preventative actions. However, scientific understanding of the factors that influence GPG risk perceptions remains limited. To help address this research gap, we conducted a study of the perceived risk of GPG among UK and US residents (N = 1029) shortly after the "8 billion milestone." Our results confirmed that GPG is perceived as a moderate-to-high risk and these perceptions have a strong positive relationship with the willingness to engage in and support risk management actions. Our participants believed that the worst effects of GPG were yet to come but would largely be geographically and socially remote. Despite their willingness to engage in risk management actions, our participants reported low self-efficacy and that governments (cf. individuals and communities) have the greatest capacity to influence GPG. Risk perceptions were strongly predicted by worldviews and were higher among our UK (cf. US) participants. We also found that the perceived benefits of GPG were low and found no evidence to suggest that risk perceptions were affected by exposure to media coverage of the 8 billion milestone.

Biodiversity loss through cropland displacement for urban expansion in China

As a result of rapid economic development, urban expansion reduced the cropland in China. To secure the food supply, cropland displacement to maintain the quantity and quality of cropland has been implemented. Here, we quantified the biodiversity losses due to cropland displacement resulting from urban expansion from a telecoupling perspective in China from 1980 to 2020. A comprehensive multimodel assessment demonstrated that the indirect biodiversity losses due to cropland displacement resulting from urban expansion were approximately 2 to 3 times higher than its direct biodiversity losses, at a total loss of approximately 0.6 % to 1.0 %, as indicated by three biodiversity indicators. Displaced cropland with a higher biodiversity cost but lower cropland productivity is the main reason for the excessive indirect losses and suggests that socioecological processes may be detrimental to the synergistic benefits of the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for food security and terrestrial biodiversity. This study also identified source-sink hotspots for indirect biodiversity losses, which can contribute to improving biodiversity conservation, optimizing the spatial distribution of cropland and thus enhancing socioecological system sustainability.

Diversifying crop rotation increases food production, reduces net greenhouse gas emissions and improves soil health

Global food production faces challenges in balancing the need for increased yields with environmental sustainability. This study presents a six-year field experiment in the North China Plain, demonstrating the benefits of diversifying traditional cereal monoculture (wheat-maize) with cash crops (sweet potato) and legumes (peanut and soybean). The diversified rotations increase equivalent yield by up to 38%, reduce N2O emissions by 39%, and improve the system's greenhouse gas balance by 88%. Furthermore, including legumes in crop rotations stimulates soil microbial activities, increases soil organic carbon stocks by 8%, and enhances soil health (indexed with the selected soil physiochemical and biological properties) by 45%. The large-scale adoption of diversified cropping systems in the North China Plain could increase cereal production by 32% when wheat-maize follows alternative crops in rotation and farmer income by 20% while benefiting the environment. This study provides an example of sustainable food production practices, emphasizing the significance of crop diversification for long-term agricultural resilience and soil health.

Sustainable poverty alleviation through forests: Pathways and strategies

Forests are the most productive terrestrial ecosystems across the world. They can play both a direct and indirect role in global poverty alleviation through their social, economic and environmental functions. However, the potential of forests in poverty alleviation is underestimated to a great extent. Sustainability, the most essential advantage and characteristic of forests for poverty alleviation, has not been fully recognized. To that end, we propose the concept of sustainable poverty alleviation through forests (SPAF). This concept shifts the vision of poverty alleviation through forests from a narrow focus on subsistence and livelihood to a sustainable poverty alleviation that promotes all dimensions of human development. There is abundant evidence that forests can at least contribute to sustainable poverty alleviation through a synergy of seven pathways: subsistence materials, health, income, employment, women's empowerment, climate change mitigation and biodiversity, which are highly consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. SPAF also faces enormous implementation challenges, so a sustainable global strategy is urgently needed to provide direction for worldwide poverty alleviation at the crossroads of nature and humanity.

Biodiversity Impact Assessment Considering Land Use Intensities and Fragmentation

Land use is a major threat to terrestrial biodiversity. Life cycle assessment is a tool that can assess such threats and thereby support environmental decision-making. Within the Global Guidance for Life Cycle Impact Assessment (GLAM) project, the Life Cycle Initiative hosted by UN Environment aims to create a life cycle impact assessment method across multiple impact categories, including land use impacts on ecosystem quality represented by regional and global species richness. A working group of the GLAM project focused on such land use impacts and developed new characterization factors to combine the strengths of two separate recent advancements in the field: the consideration of land use intensities and land fragmentation. The data sets to parametrize the underlying model are also updated from previous models. The new characterization factors cover five species groups (plants, amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles) and five broad land use types (cropland, pasture, plantations, managed forests, and urban land) at three intensity levels (minimal, light, and intense). They are available at the level of terrestrial ecoregions and countries. This paper documents the development of the characterization factors, provides practical guidance for their use, and critically assesses the strengths and remaining shortcomings.

How (not) to talk about plant-based foods: using language to support the transition to sustainable diets

Reducing meat consumption is essential to curb further climate change and limit the catastrophic environmental degradation resulting from the current global food system. However, consumers in industrialised countries are hesitant to reduce their meat intake, often because they find plant-based foods less appealing. Despite the climate emergency, eating meat is still perceived as the norm, and recommended in most national dietary guidelines. To support the transition to more sustainable diets by providing insights for increasing the appeal of plant-based foods to mainstream consumers, this review presents recent research findings on how people think and communicate about meat-based and plant-based foods. The key findings we review include: (1) while vegans think about plant-based foods in terms of enjoyable eating experiences, omnivores think about plant-based foods in terms of health, vegan identity and other abstract information that does not motivate consumption in the moment. (2) Packages of ready-meals and social media posts on Instagram present plant-based foods with fewer references to enjoyable eating experiences than meat-based foods. (3) Presenting plant-based foods with language that references enjoyable eating experiences increases their appeal, especially for habitual meat eaters. This language includes words about sensory features of the food (e.g., crunchy, creamy), eating context (e.g. pub; with family) and immediate positive consequences of eating (e.g. comforting, delicious). In contrast, the term 'vegan' is strongly associated with negative stereotypes. Hence, rather than referring to being vegan, meat-free or healthy, the language used for plant-based foods should refer to sensory appeal, attractive eating situations and enjoyment.

Species-specific traits affect bird species' susceptibility to global change

The current ecological crisis has risen extinction rates to similar levels of ancient mass extinctions. However, it seems to not be acting uniformly across all species but affecting species differentially. This suggests that species' susceptibility to the extinction process is mediated by specific traits. Since understanding this response mechanism at large scales will benefit conservation effort around the world, we used the IUCN global threat status and population trends of 8281 extant bird species as proxies of the extinction risk to identify the species-specific traits affecting their susceptibility to extinction within the biogeographic regions and at the global scale. Using linear mixed effect models and multinomial models, we related the global threat status and the population trends with the following traits: migratory strategy, habitat and diet specialization, body size, and generation length. According to our results and independently of the proxy used, more vulnerable species are sedentary and have larger body size, longer generation time, and higher degree of habitat specialization. These relationships apply globally and show little variation across biogeographic regions. We suggest that such concordant patterns might be caused either by a widespread occurrence of the same threats such as habitat modification or by a uniform capacity of some traits to reflect the impact of different local threats. Regardless of the cause of this pattern, our study identified the traits that affect species' response capability to the current ecological crisis. Conservation effort should focus on the species with trait values indicating the limited response capacity to overcome this crisis.

Spatiotemporal patterns and prediction of landscape ecological security in Xishuangbanna from 1996-2030

In recent years, the landscape ecological security of Xishuangbanna in southwest China has become an essential factor affecting the cross-border ecological security in South Asia and Southeast Asia. Based on the change of land use in Xishuangbanna, with the help of "3S" technology, landscape ecology theory, and gray prediction model, the spatial and developmental trends of landscape ecological security in Xishuangbanna from 1996-2030 could be determined. In more than 20 years, the woodland landscape area in Xishuangbanna decreased, and the fragmentation of construction land has increased overall. In 1996, the overall landscape ecological safety was good, with 63.5% of the total area of grade I and II. In 2003, the proportion of the grade I and grade II areas decreased, with landscape ecological security problems appearing. In 2010, the overall landscape ecological security area reached 74.5%, the largest proportion in more than 20 years. The grade V area accounted for only 9% and was mainly distributed on the border of Menghai County and central Jinghong City. In 2017, The grade IV and V areas was further increased, and the ecological security problem intensified. The prediction results showed that from 2023 to 2030, the regions of grades I and II increased, but the proportion of level V regions increased. Furthermore, the grade IV transformed to grade V rapidly, reaching its highest value in more than 20 years. From 1996 to 2030, the landscape ecological security space significantly evolved, showing an evident "east-south" trend in movement and eventually shifting to the southeast.

Snow patch refugia benefits for species of periglacial zones-Evidence from a high-elevation obligate

Conserving Earth's most rapidly changing biomes necessitates understanding biological consequences of altered climes. Past species- and taxa-level responses to warming environs include numerous concentrated extirpations at the southern peripheries of distributions during the late Pleistocene. Less clear are localized capacities of cold-adapted species to mitigate thermal challenges against warming temperatures, especially through proximate behavioral and physiological adjustments. Whereas snow patches persist in periglacial zones and elsewhere, broad reductions in seasonal snow raise concerns about how and why species continue to use them. If snow patches play a functional role to combat increasing thermal demands, we predicted individuals would display an array of autonomic responses to increased temperatures modulated by wind, ambient temperature, and winter fur on and away from snow patches. We tested these predictions using a mammalian exemplar of high latitude and high elevation, mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus), using two sites in the northern Rocky Mountains, USA. Surprisingly, and contrary to expectations of reduced thermal stress, respiration rates were not decreased on snow patches but use of snow was strongly correlated with decreased metrics of insect harassment. As snow cover continues to decline in montane environs, the persistence of cold-adapted species depends on navigating concurrent changes in biotic communities and thermal environments and balancing competing pressures on behavioral and biological responses.

Relocating built-up land for biodiversity conservation in an uncertain future

Land use changes associated with habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation exert profoundly detrimental impacts on biodiversity conservation. Urban development is one of the prevailing anthropogenic disturbances to wildlife habitat, because these developments are often considered permanent and irreversible. As a result, the potential benefits of built-up land relocation for biodiversity conservation have remained largely unexplored in environmental management practices. Here, we analyze recent built-up land relocation in Shanghai and explore how such restoration programs can affect future land change trajectories with regards to biodiversity conservation. Results show that 187.78 km2 built-up land in Shanghai was restored to natural habitat between 2017 and 2020. Further simulation analysis highlights that relocating built-up land can substantially promote conserve biodiversity. In particular, there would be less habitat loss, better natural habitat quality and more species habitat-suitable range under the scenarios with built-up land relocation. Species extinction assessment suggest that amphibians, mammals, and reptiles will all have an increasingly high extinction risk without built-up land relocation. However, there will even be a marginal decrease in extinction risk over time for mammals and reptiles if the relocation of built-up land is permitted, but still a moderate increase in extinction risk for amphibians. This study highlights the importance of incorporating rigorous conservation planning prior to development activities, thereby underpinning a sustainable approach to environmental management.

Living on the edge: Predicting songbird response to management and environmental changes across an ecotone

Effective wildlife management requires robust information regarding population status, habitat requirements, and likely responses to changing resource conditions. Single-species management may inadequately conserve communities and result in undesired effects to non-target species. Thus, management can benefit from understanding habitat relationships for multiple species. Pinyon pine and juniper (Pinus spp. and Juniperus spp.) are expanding into sagebrush-dominated (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems within North America and mechanical removal of these trees is frequently conducted to restore sagebrush ecosystems and recover Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). However, pinyon-juniper removal effects on non-target species are poorly understood, and changing pinyon-juniper woodland dynamics, climate, and anthropogenic development may obscure conservation priorities. To better predict responses to changing resource conditions, evaluate non-target effects of pinyon-juniper removal, prioritize species for conservation, and inform species recovery within pinyon-juniper and sagebrush ecosystems, we modeled population trends and density-habitat relationships for four sagebrush-associated, four pinyon-juniper-associated, and three generalist songbird species with respect to these ecosystems. We fit hierarchical population models to point count data collected throughout the western United States from 2008 to 2020. We found regional population changes for 10 of 11 species investigated; 6 of which increased in the highest elevation region of our study. Our models indicate pinyon-juniper removal will benefit Brewer's Sparrow (Spizella breweri), Green-tailed Towhee (Pipilo chlorurus), and Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus) densities. Conversely, we predict largest negative effects of pinyon-juniper removal for species occupying early successional pinyon-juniper woodlands: Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii), Black-throated Gray Warblers (Setophaga nigrescens), Gray Flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii), and Juniper Titmouse (Baeolophus ridgwayi). Our results highlight the importance of considering effects to non-target species before implementing large-scale habitat manipulations. Our modeling framework can help prioritize species and regions for conservation action, infer effects of management interventions and a changing environment on wildlife, and help land managers balance habitat requirements across ecosystems.

Predicting the spatial expansion of an animal population with presence-only data

Predictive models can improve the efficiency of wildlife management by guiding actions at the local, landscape and regional scales. In recent decades, a vast range of modelling techniques have been developed to predict species distributions and patterns of population spread. However, data limitations often constrain the precision and biological realism of models, which make them less useful for supporting decision-making. Complex models can also be challenging to evaluate, and the results are often difficult to interpret for wildlife management practitioners. There is therefore a need to develop techniques that are appropriately robust, but also accessible to a range of end users. We developed a hybrid species distribution model that utilises commonly available presence-only distribution data and minimal demographic information to predict the spread of roe deer (Capreolus caprelous) in Great Britain. We take a novel approach to representing the environment in the model by constraining the size of habitat patches to the home-range area of an individual. Population dynamics are then simplified to a set of generic rules describing patch occupancy. The model is constructed and evaluated using data from a populated region (England and Scotland) and applied to predict regional-scale patterns of spread in a novel region (Wales). It is used to forecast the relative timing of colonisation events and identify important areas for targeted surveillance and management. The study demonstrates the utility of presence-only data for predicting the spread of animal species and describes a method of reducing model complexity while retaining important environmental detail and biological realism. Our modelling approach provides a much-needed opportunity for users without specialist expertise in computer coding to leverage limited data and make robust, easily interpretable predictions of spread to inform proactive population management.

Impacts of land use change on native plant-butterfly interaction networks from central Mexico

Background

Land use change is a key catalyst of global biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. Deforestation and conversion of natural habitats to agricultural or urban areas can profoundly disrupt plant-flower visitor interactions by altering their abundances and distribution. Yet, specific studies analyzing the effects of land use change on the structure of networks of the interactions between particular groups of flower visitors and their plants are still scarce. Here, we aimed to analyze how converting native habitats affects the species composition of butterfly communities and their plants, and whether this, in turn, leads to changes in the structure of interaction networks in the modified habitats.

Methods

We performed bi-monthly censuses for a year to record plant-butterfly interactions and assess species diversity across three habitat types, reflecting a land-use change gradient. From original native juniper forest to urban and agricultural zones in central Mexico, one site per land use type was surveyed. Interactions were summarized in matrices on which we calculated network descriptors: connectance, nestedness and modularity.

Results

We found highest butterfly diversity in native forest, with the most unique species (i.e., species not shared with the other two sites). Agricultural and urban sites had similar diversity, yet the urban site featured more unique species. The plant species richness was highest in the urban site, and the native forest site had the lowest plant species richness, with most of the plants being unique to this site. Butterfly and plant compositions contrasted most between native forest and modified sites. Network analysis showed differences between sites in the mean number of links and interactions. The urban network surpassed agriculture and native forest networks in links, while the native forest network had more interactions than the agriculture and urban networks. Native plants had more interactions than alien species. All networks exhibited low connectance and significant nestedness and modularity, with the urban network featuring the most modules (i.e., 10 modules).

Conclusions

Converting native habitats to urban or agricultural areas reshapes species composition, diversity and interaction network structure for butterfly communities and plants. The urban network showed more links and modules, suggesting intricate urban ecosystems due to diverse species, enhanced resources, and ecological niches encouraging interactions and coexistence. These findings emphasize the impacts of land use change on plant-butterfly interactions and the structure of their interaction networks.

A general framework to quantify and compare ecological impacts under temporal dynamics

Biodiversity is diminishing at alarming rates due to multiple anthropogenic drivers. To mitigate these drivers, their impacts must be quantified accurately and comparably across drivers. To enable that, we present a generally applicable framework introducing fundamental principles of ecological impact quantification, including the quantification of interactions between multiple drivers. The framework contrasts biodiversity variables in impacted against those in unimpacted or other reference situations while accounting for their temporal dynamics through modelling. Properly accounting for temporal dynamics reduces biases in impact quantification and comparison. The framework addresses key questions around ecological impacts in global change science, namely, how to compare impacts under temporal dynamics across stressors, how to account for stressor interactions in such comparisons, and how to compare the success of management actions over time.

Use of carrion fly iDNA metabarcoding to monitor invasive and native mammals

Severely fragmented habitats increase the risk of extirpation of native mammal populations through isolation, increased edge effects, and predation. Therefore, monitoring the movement of mammal populations through anthropogenically altered landscapes can inform conservation. We used metabarcoding of invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA) from carrion flies (Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae) to track mammal populations in the wheat belt of southwestern Australia, where widespread clearing for agriculture has removed most of the native perennial vegetation and replaced it with an agricultural system. We investigated whether the localization of the iDNA signal reflected the predicted distribution of 4 native species-echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus), woylie (Bettongia penicillata), and chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii)-and 2 non-native, invasive mammal species-fox (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cat (Felis catus). We collected bulk iDNA samples (n = 150 samples from 3428 carrion flies) at 3 time points from 3 conservation reserves and 35 road edges between them. We detected 14 of the 40 mammal species known from the region, including our target species. Most detections of target taxa were in conservation reserves. There were a few detections from road edges. We detected foxes and feral cats throughout the study area, including all conservation reserves. There was a significant difference between the diversity (F3, 98  = 5.91, p < 0.001) and composition (F3, 43  = 1.72, p < 0.01) of taxa detections on road edges and conservation reserves. Conservation reserves hosted more native biodiversity than road edges. Our results suggest that the signals from iDNA reflect the known distribution of target mammals in this region. The development of iDNA methods shows promise for future noninvasive monitoring of mammals. With further development, iDNA metabarcoding could inform decision-making related to conservation of endangered taxa, invasive species management, and impacts of habitat fragmentation.

Priority areas to protect mangroves and maximise ecosystem services

Anthropogenic activities threaten global biodiversity and ecosystem services. Yet, area-based conservation efforts typically target biodiversity protection whilst minimising conflict with economic activities, failing to consider ecosystem services. Here we identify priority areas that maximise both the protection of mangrove biodiversity and their ecosystem services. We reveal that despite 13.5% of the mangrove distribution being currently strictly protected, all mangrove species are not adequately represented and many areas that provide disproportionally large ecosystem services are missed. Optimising the placement of future conservation efforts to protect 30% of global mangroves potentially safeguards an additional 16.3 billion USD of coastal property value, 6.1 million people, 1173.1 Tg C, and 50.7 million fisher days yr-1. Our findings suggest that there is a pressing need for including ecosystem services in protected area design and that strategic prioritisation and coordination of mangrove conservation could provide substantial benefits to human wellbeing.

Mitigating Human Impacts on Wild Animal Welfare

Human activities negatively impact the welfare of wild vertebrates in many different contexts globally, and countless individual animals are affected. Growing concern for wild animal welfare, especially in relation to conservation, is evident. While research on wild animal welfare lags behind that focused on captive animals, minimising human-induced harm to wild animals is a key principle. This study examines examples of negative anthropogenic impacts on wild animal welfare, how these may be mitigated and what further research is required, including examples from wildlife management, biodiversity conservation, wildlife tourism and wildlife trade. Further, it discusses the relationship between animal welfare and biodiversity conservation, and synergies that may be achieved between these. Ultimately, it is discussed how the welfare of wild animals may be balanced with other priorities to ensure that welfare is afforded due consideration in interactions between people and wildlife.

A combination of machine-learning and eDNA reveals the genetic signature of environmental change at the landscape levels

The current advances of environmental DNA (eDNA) bring profound changes to ecological monitoring and provide unique insights on the biological diversity of ecosystems. The very nature of eDNA data is challenging yet also revolutionizing how biological monitoring information is analysed. In particular, new metrics and approaches should take full advantage of the extent and detail of molecular data produced by genetic methods. In this perspective, machine learning algorithms are particularly promising as they can capture complex relationships between the multiple environmental pressures and the diversity of biological communities. We investigated the potential of a new generation of biomonitoring tools that implement machine-learning techniques to fully exploit eDNA datasets. We trained a machine learning model to discriminate between reference and impacted communities of freshwater macroinvertebrates and assessed its performances using a large eDNA dataset collected at 64 standard federal monitoring sites across Switzerland. We show that a model trained on eDNA is significantly better than a naive model and performs similarly to a model trained on traditional data. Our proof-of-concept shows that such a combination of eDNA and machine learning approaches has the potential to complement or even replace traditional environmental monitoring, and could be scaled along temporal or spatial dimensions.

Avian Diversity Responds Unimodally to Natural Landcover: Implications for Conservation Management

Predicting species' ecological responses to landcovers within landscapes could guide conservation practices. Current modelling efforts derived from classic species-area relationships almost always predict richness monotonically increasing as the proportion of landcovers increases. Yet evidence to explain hump-shaped richness-landcover patterns is lacking. We tested predictions related to hypothesised drivers of peaked relationships between richness and proportion of natural landcover. We estimated richness from breeding bird atlases at different spatial scales (25 to 900 km2) in New York State and Southern Ontario. We modelled richness to gradients of natural landcover, temperature, and landcover heterogeneity. We controlled models for sampling effort and regional size of the species pool. Species richness peaks as a function of the proportion of natural landcover consistently across spatial scales and geographic regions sharing similar biogeographic characteristics. Temperature plays a role, but peaked relationships are not entirely due to climate-landcover collinearities. Heterogeneity weakly explains richness variance in the models. Increased amounts of natural landcover promote species richness to a limit in landscapes with relatively little (<30%) natural cover. Higher amounts of natural cover and a certain amount of human-modified landcovers can provide habitats for species that prefer open habitats. Much of the variation in richness among landscapes must be related to variables other than natural versus human-dominated landcovers.

Guild Vertical Stratification and Drivers of Bat Foraging in a Semi-Arid Tropical Region, Kenya

Africa faces significant challenges in reconciling economic and social development while preserving its natural resources. Little is known about the diverse bat community on the continent, particularly in drier ecosystems. A better understanding of the bat community will help improve and inform the management of these ecosystems. Our study aimed to provide detailed information on the main drivers of bat richness and activity at three different heights above the ground in a semi-arid region of Kenya. We assessed how bat activity varied with space and height using acoustic sampling and complementary methods. We sampled 48 sites at ground level and two sites on meteorological masts at 20 m and 35 m above the ground. We recorded more than 20 bat species, including one species of concern for conservation. Our models showed that the use of space varies with bat guild, creating trade-offs in the variables that affect their activity. Low-flying bat species are mostly associated with habitat variables, whereas high-flying species are more dependent on weather conditions. Our study highlights the richness of bat assemblages in semi-arid environments and emphasizes the need for management measures to protect bat diversity in the face of habitat degradation caused by climate change, land management, and development projects.

Occurrence dynamics of mammals in protected tropical forests respond to human presence and activities

Protected areas (PAs) play a vital role in wildlife conservation. Nonetheless there is concern and uncertainty regarding how and at what spatial scales anthropogenic stressors influence the occurrence dynamics of wildlife populations inside PAs. Here we assessed how anthropogenic stressors influence occurrence dynamics of 159 mammal species in 16 tropical PAs from three biogeographic regions. We quantified these relationships for species groups (habitat specialists and generalists) and individual species. We used long-term camera-trap data (1,002 sites) and fitted Bayesian dynamic multispecies occupancy models to estimate local colonization (the probability that a previously empty site is colonized) and local survival (the probability that an occupied site remains occupied). Multiple covariates at both the local scale and landscape scale influenced mammal occurrence dynamics, although responses differed among species groups. Colonization by specialists increased with local-scale forest cover when landscape-scale fragmentation was low. Survival probability of generalists was higher near the edge than in the core of the PA when landscape-scale human population density was low but the opposite occurred when population density was high. We conclude that mammal occurrence dynamics are impacted by anthropogenic stressors acting at multiple scales including outside the PA itself.

Human appropriation of net primary production as driver of change in landscape-scale vertebrate richness

Aim

Land use is the most pervasive driver of biodiversity loss. Predicting its impact on species richness (SR) is often based on indicators of habitat loss. However, the degradation of habitats, especially through land-use intensification, also affects species. Here, we evaluate whether an integrative metric of land-use intensity, the human appropriation of net primary production, is correlated with the decline of SR in used landscapes across the globe.

Location

Global.

Time period

Present.

Major taxa studied

Birds, mammals and amphibians.

Methods

Based on species range maps (spatial resolution: 20 km × 20 km) and an area-of-habitat approach, we calibrated a "species-energy model" by correlating the SR of three groups of vertebrates with net primary production and biogeographical covariables in "wilderness" areas (i.e., those where available energy is assumed to be still at pristine levels). We used this model to project the difference between pristine SR and the SR corresponding to the energy remaining in used landscapes (i.e., SR loss expected owing to human energy extraction outside wilderness areas). We validated the projected species loss by comparison with the realized and impending loss reconstructed from habitat conversion and documented by national Red Lists.

Results

Species-energy models largely explained landscape-scale variation of mapped SR in wilderness areas (adjusted R 2-values: 0.79-0.93). Model-based projections of SR loss were lower, on average, than reconstructed and documented ones, but the spatial patterns were correlated significantly, with stronger correlation in mammals (Pearson's r = 0.68) than in amphibians (r = 0.60) and birds (r = 0.57).

Main conclusions

Our results suggest that the human appropriation of net primary production is a useful indicator of heterotrophic species loss in used landscapes, hence we recommend its inclusion in models based on species-area relationships to improve predictions of land-use-driven biodiversity loss.

Personal, behavioural and socio-environmental correlates of emerging adults' sustainable food consumption in a cross-sectional analysis

OBJECTIVE

Describe how dietary intake patterns of US young adults align with the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet (PHD) sustainable diet goals and identify personal, behavioural, and socio-environmental correlates of sustainable intake.

DESIGN

Data on past-year dietary intake were captured using a FFQ. The PHD was applied to specific food groups, and a total PHD score was calculated. Linear regression models were used to identify associations between personal, behavioural and socio-environmental factors and PHD scores.

SETTING

This cross-sectional analysis uses data from the second wave of EAT 2010-2018 (Eating and Activity over Time), a population-based longitudinal study recruited in Minnesota.

PARTICIPANTS

Ethnically/racially diverse group of participants (n 1308) with a mean age of 22·1 (sd 2·0) years.

RESULTS

The mean PHD score was 4·1 (sd 1·4) on a scale of 0-14, with 14 representing the most sustainable. On average, participants consumed fewer whole grains, fish, legumes, soya, and nuts than ideal for a sustainable diet, and an excess of eggs, added sugar, and meat. The PHD score was higher for participants with higher socio-economic status (SES) and greater educational attainment. Higher home availability of healthy food (β = 0·24, P < 0·001) and less frequent fast-food consumption (β = -0·26, P < 0·001) were the strongest correlates of PHD scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that a high percentage of participants may not be achieving the sustainable diet goals defined by the PHD. Reductions in meat consumption and increases in plant-based foods are necessary to increase the sustainability of US young adults' diets.

Warming-driven indirect effects on alpine grasslands: short-term gravel encroachment rapidly reshapes community structure and reduces community stability

The community stability is the main ability to resist and be resilient to climate changes. In a world of climate warming and melting glaciers, alpine gravel encroachment was occurring universally and threatening hillside grassland ecosystem. Gravel encroachment caused by climate warming and glacial melting may alter community structure and community stability in alpine meadow. Yet, the effects of climate warming-induced gravel encroachment on grassland communities are unknown. Here, a 1-year short-term field experiment was conducted to explore the early stage drive process of gravel encroachment on community structure and stability at four different gravel encroachment levels 0%, 30%, 60%, and 90% gravel coverage at an alpine meadow on the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau, by analyzing the changes of dominant species stability and species asynchrony to the simulated gravel encroachment processes. Gravel encroachment rapidly changed the species composition and species ranking of alpine meadow plant community in a short period of time. Specifically, community stability of alpine meadow decreased by 61.78-79.48%, which may be due to the reduced dominant species stability and species asynchrony. Species asynchrony and dominant species stability were reduced by 2.65-17.39% and 46.51-67.97%, respectively. The results of this study demonstrate that gravel encroachment presents a severe negative impact on community structure and stability of alpine meadow in the short term, the longer term and comprehensive study should be conducted to accurate prediction of global warming-induced indirect effects on alpine grassland ecosystems.

Forest buffer-strips mitigate the negative impact of oil palm plantations on stream communities

The global area cultivated with oil palm has doubled in the past two decades, causing deforestation, land-use change, freshwater pollution, and species loss in tropical ecosystems worldwide. Despite the palm-oil industry been linked to severe deterioration of freshwater ecosystems, most studies have focused on terrestrial environments, while freshwaters have been significantly less studied. We evaluated these impacts by contrasting freshwater macroinvertebrate communities and habitat conditions in 19 streams from primary forests (7), grazing lands (6), and oil palm plantations (6). In each stream, we measured environmental characteristics, e.g., habitat composition, canopy cover, substrate, water temperature, and water quality; and we identified and quantified the assemblage of macroinvertebrates. Streams in oil palm plantations lacking riparian forest strips showed warmer and more variable temperatures, higher turbidity, lower silica content, and poorer macroinvertebrate taxon richness than primary forests. Grazing lands showed higher conductivity and temperature, and lower dissolved oxygen and macroinvertebrate taxon richness than primary forests. In contrast, streams in oil palm plantations that conserved a riparian forest, showed a substrate composition, temperature, and canopy cover more similar to the ones in primary forests. These habitat improvements by riparian forests in the plantations increased macroinvertebrate taxon richness and maintained a community resembling more the one in primary forests. Therefore, the conversion of grazing lands (instead of primary forests) to oil palm plantations can increase freshwater taxon richness only if riparian native forests are safeguarded.

Life-cycle assessment of yeast-based single-cell protein production with oat processing side-stream

Production of fish meal and plant-based feed proteins continues to increase to meet the growing demand for seafood, leading to impacts on marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Microbial proteins such as single-cell proteins (SCPs) have been introduced as feed alternatives since they can replace current fish feed ingredients, e.g., soybean, which are associated with negative environmental impacts. Microbial protein production also enables utilization of grain processing side-streams as feedstock sources. This study assesses the environmental impacts of yeast-based SCP using oat side-stream as feedstock (OS-SCP). Life-cycle assessment with a cradle-to-gate approach was used to quantify global warming, freshwater eutrophication, marine eutrophication, terrestrial acidification, land use, and water consumption of OS-SCP production in Finland. Dried and wet side-streams of oat were compared with each other to identify differences in energy consumption and transportation effects. Sensitivity analysis was performed to examine the difference in impacts at various locations and fermentation times. Benchmarking was used to evaluate the environmental impacts of OS-SCP and other feed products, including both conventional and novel protein products. Results highlight the importance of energy sources in quantifying the environmental performance of OS-SCP production. OS-SCP produced with dried side-streams resulted in higher global warming (16.3 %) and water consumption (7.5 %) than OS-SCP produced from wet side-streams, reflecting the energy and water requirements for the drying process. Compared with conventional products, such as soy protein concentrates, OS-SCP resulted in 61 % less land use, while exacerbating the environmental impacts in all the other categories. OS-SCP had more impact on global warming (205-754 %), water consumption (166-1401 %), freshwater eutrophication (118-333 %), and terrestrial acidification (85-340 %) than other novel products, including yeast protein concentrate, methanotrophic bacterial SCP, and insect meal, while lowering global warming (11 %) and freshwater eutrophication (20 %) compared with dry microalgae biomass.