Mapping the ecological dimensions and potential distributions of endangered relic shrubs in western Ordos biodiversity center

The Relationship and Influencing Factors between Endangered Plant Tetraena mongolica and Soil Microorganisms in West Ordos Desert Ecosystem, Northern China

Soil microorganisms play crucial roles in improving nutrient cycling, maintaining soil fertility in desert ecosystems such as the West Ordos desert ecosystem in Northern China, which is home to a variety of endangered plants. However, the relationship between the plants-microorganisms-soil in the West Ordos desert ecosystem is still unclear. Tetraena mongolica, an endangered and dominant plant species in West Ordos, was selected as the research object in the present study. Results showed that (1) there were ten plant species in the Tetraena mongolica community, belonging to seven families and nine genera, respectively. The soil was strongly alkaline (pH = 9.22 ± 0.12) and the soil nutrients were relatively poor; (2) fungal diversity was more closely related to shrub diversity than bacterial and archaeal diversity; (3) among the fungal functional groups, endomycorrhizal led to a significant negative correlation between shrub diversity and fungal diversity, because endomycorrhizal had a significant positive effect on the dominance of T. mongolica, but had no significant effect on other shrubs; (4) plant diversity had a significant positive correlation with the soil inorganic carbon (SIC), total carbon (TC), available phosphorus (AVP) and available potassium (AVK). This study revealed the effects of soil properties and soil microorganisms on the community structure and the growth of T. mongolica and provided a theoretical basis for the conservation of T. mongolica and the maintenance of biodiversity in desert ecosystems.

Temporal variations in root-associated fungal communities of Potaninia mongolica, an endangered relict shrub species in the semi-arid desert of Northwest China

The semi-arid region of the Western Ordos plateau in Inner Mongolia, China, is home to a critically endangered shrub species, Potaninia mongolica, which originates from ancient Mediterranean regions. Root-associated microbiomes play important roles in plant nutrition, productivity, and resistance to environmental stress particularly in the harsh desert environment; however, the succession of root-associated fungi during the growth stages of P. mongolica is still unclear. This study aimed to examine root-associated fungal communities of this relict plant species across three seasons (spring, summer and autumn) using root sampling and Illumina Miseq sequencing of internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS 2) region to target fungi. The analysis detected 698 fungal OTUs in association with P. mongolica roots, and the fungal richness increased significantly from spring to summer and autumn. Eurotiales, Hypocreales, Chaetothyriales, Pleosporales, Helotiales, Agaricales and Xylariales were the dominant fungal orders. Fungal community composition was significantly different between the three seasons, and the fungal taxa at various levels showed biased distribution and preferences. Stochastic processes predominantly drove community assembly of fungi in spring while deterministic processes acted more in the later seasons. The findings revealed the temporal dynamics of root-associated fungal communities of P. mongolica, which may enhance our understanding of biodiversity and changes along with seasonal alteration in the desert, and predict the response of fungal community to future global changes.

Assessing the habitat use, suitability and activity pattern of the rusty-spotted cat Prionailurus rubiginosus in Kanha Tiger Reserve, India

The rusty-spotted cat Prionailurus rubiginosus is the smallest wildcat in the world, endemic to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Although new occurrence records have recently been reported from different geographic localities in India and Nepal, there is still a lack of information on its biology and habitat use that are required for its conservation planning. Herein, we report results from systematic, long-term (2014–2018) camera trapping in Kanha Tiger Reserve, India, to evaluate the habitat use, suitability and activity pattern of the rusty-spotted cat and model its local distribution with habitat and anthropogenic covariates. Thick canopied forest and rugged terrain were found to be extensively used and preferred by the rusty-spotted cat. It was also recorded in the multiple-use buffer zone forests in close proximity to agriculture. The species is nocturnal and its activity seems to coincide with its major prey. The guiding philosophy of tiger reserves in India is to use the tiger as an umbrella species for biodiversity conservation, and often these reserves are intensively managed to enhance tiger and prey populations. This approach, however, may not cater to the requirements of other less charismatic sympatric species, and those of the rusty-spotted cat also need to be considered for its continued survival.

Niche divergence corresponds to genetic differentiation within the parrot-beaked tortoise Homopus areolatus (Reptilia: Testudinidae), endemic to South Africa

We assessed genetic differentiation and habitat suitability for Homopus areolatus during current and Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) conditions. The ND4 locus retrieved two monophyletic mtDNA clades with lower diversity in clade 1, in the west, than in clade 2, in the south-east. Clade 1 showed a north–south and clade 2 a west-to-east genetic divergence, and the clades co-occur in the syntaxis zone of the Cape Fold Mountains. The clades occupy distinct niches with limited overlap. Rainfall seasonality contributed most to habitat suitability, with clade 1 being restricted to winter rainfall and clade 2 to all-year rainfall regions. Precipitation variables contributed 90% and 60%, respectively, to habitat suitability of clades 1 and 2, with temperature, particularly mean temperature of the driest quarter, being of greater importance for clade 2 than clade 1. Suitable habitat shrank from the LGM to current conditions, probably due to reduced rainfall in the west and higher temperatures in most regions. We conclude that patterns of genetic divergence are strongly associated with ecological niche divergence of H. areolatus clades. More studies are needed to assess the taxonomic status of clade 1, particularly in view of its shrinking habitat due to climate change and anthropogenic factors.

Modelling environmentally suitable areas for the potential introduction and cultivation of the emerging oil crop Paeonia ostii in China

Paeonia ostii is a traditional ornamental and medicinal species that has attracted considerable interest for its high oil value. To facilitate the effective and rational cultivation and application of P. ostii in China, it is necessary to determine its potential spatial habitat distribution and environmental requirements. Using high-resolution environmental data for current and future climate scenarios, the potential suitable area and climatic requirements of P. ostii were modelled. Among the 11 environmental variables investigated, growing degree days, precipitation of the wettest month, mean temperature of the coldest quarter, global UV-B radiation, annual precipitation, and soil pH played major roles in determining the suitability of a habitat for the cultivation of P. ostii. Under the current environmental conditions in China, a total area of 20.31 × 105 km2 is suitable for growing P. ostii, accounting for 21.16% of the country's total land area. Under the two future climate scenario/year combinations (i.e., representative concentration pathways [RCPs], RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 in 2050), this species would increase its suitable area at high latitudes while decrease at low latitudes. These results present valuable information and a theoretical reference point for identifying the suitable cultivation areas of P. ostii.