Pub Date : 2024-07-08DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2024.1358984
Andréa Barraux, Shanèze Noël, Virginie Roy, Lise Dupont
Specimen identification at the species level is a critical challenge for understanding community structure and conserving biodiversity. The use of mitochondrial DNA barcodes, in addition to morphology, has proven to be a useful tool for earthworm identification, but it has also raised difficulties. Thus, approaches to delineating molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) from cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) or 16S rDNA sequence data often reveal more mitochondrial lineages than morphospecies, raising the question of whether these MOTUs should be used as taxonomic entities in community structure studies. Here, we used a newly acquired dataset of 576 COI barcodes of earthworms from Metropolitan France that were clustered in 36 MOTUS, corresponding to 21 morphospecies. We also incorporated data gathered from the literature to investigate this question. In order to match our MOTUs with already-described mitochondrial lineages, we downloaded reference sequences from the GenBank and BOLD platforms. In light of the difficulties encountered in recovering these sequences, we recommend that any new mitochondrial lineage described in a study be named consistently with previous works. Next, we analyzed the biological, ecological, and molecular data available in the literature on the different mitochondrial lineages that matched our MOTUs in order to determine if there was a consensus for species delimitation. Although the study specimens mainly belong to the Lumbricidae, which is one of the most studied families of earthworms, the data are often missing to determine if the MOTUs correspond to different species. Pending revision of the taxonomy, MOTUs for which mitochondrial divergence has been confirmed by morphological differences should be considered distinct taxonomic entities in community structure studies. In the absence of morphological differences and pending more data, we propose to distinguish for these analyses, within sexually reproducing morphospecies, the MOTUs for which mitochondrial divergence has been confirmed by multilocus nuclear data, while in the case of reproduction by parthenogenesis, ecological differences between MOTUs are necessary to consider them as different taxonomic entities.
物种水平的标本鉴定是了解群落结构和保护生物多样性的关键挑战。除形态学外，线粒体 DNA 条形码的使用已被证明是鉴定蚯蚓的有用工具，但也带来了一些困难。因此，从细胞色素 c 氧化酶亚单位 1（COI）或 16S rDNA 序列数据中划分分子操作分类单元（MOTU）的方法往往揭示出比形态物种更多的线粒体系，这就提出了在群落结构研究中是否应将这些分子操作分类单元作为分类实体的问题。在这里，我们使用了新近获得的法国大都市蚯蚓的 576 个 COI 条形码数据集，这些数据集被聚类为 36 个 MOTUS，对应 21 个形态种。我们还结合了从文献中收集的数据来研究这个问题。为了将我们的 MOTU 与已描述的线粒体系进行匹配，我们从 GenBank 和 BOLD 平台下载了参考序列。鉴于在恢复这些序列时遇到的困难，我们建议研究中描述的任何新线粒体系的命名都应与之前的工作保持一致。接下来，我们分析了文献中与我们的 MOTUs 相匹配的不同线粒体系的生物学、生态学和分子数据，以确定在物种划分方面是否存在共识。虽然研究标本主要属于蚯蚓科（Lumbricidae），而该科是研究最多的蚯蚓科之一，但往往缺乏相关数据，无法确定 MOTU 是否对应不同的物种。在修订分类法之前，在群落结构研究中，线粒体分化已通过形态差异得到证实的 MOTU 应被视为不同的分类实体。在没有形态学差异的情况下，在获得更多数据之前，我们建议在有性生殖的形态种内区分线粒体差异已被多聚焦核数据证实的 MOTU，而在孤雌生殖的情况下，MOTU 之间的生态差异是将它们视为不同分类实体的必要条件。
{"title":"Challenges of molecular barcode-based identification of earthworm specimens for biodiversity assessment","authors":"Andréa Barraux, Shanèze Noël, Virginie Roy, Lise Dupont","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1358984","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1358984","url":null,"abstract":"Specimen identification at the species level is a critical challenge for understanding community structure and conserving biodiversity. The use of mitochondrial DNA barcodes, in addition to morphology, has proven to be a useful tool for earthworm identification, but it has also raised difficulties. Thus, approaches to delineating molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) from cytochrome <jats:italic>c</jats:italic> oxidase subunit 1 (COI) or 16S rDNA sequence data often reveal more mitochondrial lineages than morphospecies, raising the question of whether these MOTUs should be used as taxonomic entities in community structure studies. Here, we used a newly acquired dataset of 576 COI barcodes of earthworms from Metropolitan France that were clustered in 36 MOTUS, corresponding to 21 morphospecies. We also incorporated data gathered from the literature to investigate this question. In order to match our MOTUs with already-described mitochondrial lineages, we downloaded reference sequences from the GenBank and BOLD platforms. In light of the difficulties encountered in recovering these sequences, we recommend that any new mitochondrial lineage described in a study be named consistently with previous works. Next, we analyzed the biological, ecological, and molecular data available in the literature on the different mitochondrial lineages that matched our MOTUs in order to determine if there was a consensus for species delimitation. Although the study specimens mainly belong to the Lumbricidae, which is one of the most studied families of earthworms, the data are often missing to determine if the MOTUs correspond to different species. Pending revision of the taxonomy, MOTUs for which mitochondrial divergence has been confirmed by morphological differences should be considered distinct taxonomic entities in community structure studies. In the absence of morphological differences and pending more data, we propose to distinguish for these analyses, within sexually reproducing morphospecies, the MOTUs for which mitochondrial divergence has been confirmed by multilocus nuclear data, while in the case of reproduction by parthenogenesis, ecological differences between MOTUs are necessary to consider them as different taxonomic entities.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"84 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141575989","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-04DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2024.1405649
Bianca Berto, Alison L. Ritchie, Todd E. Erickson
Seed-based restoration in dryland environments is commonly limited by low and sporadic rainfall, extreme temperatures, and degraded soils. These challenges are exacerbated in dryland mine restoration sites where species are seeded onto mine waste substrates due to limited availability of topsoil. Native grasses are focal dryland and mine restoration species, though the ability to deliver seeds to targeted sites presents further constraints to seed-based restoration due to complex seed morphology and site attributes. Seed enhancement technologies (SETs) may help to mitigate environmental stressors and improving seed handling. In this study, SETs which promote seedling recruitment and/or address edaphic challenges while also improving seed morphology and handling were tested in four Australian native grasses (Cymbopogon ambiguus, C. obtectus, Eulalia aurea, and Eriachne obtusa). Flash flaming or acid digestion (depending on species), extruded seed pellets with or without the addition of topsoil, and flaming or acid digestion used in combination with extruded pellets (with or without topsoil) were evaluated on topsoil and mine waste substrates. Material treated with either flash flaming or acid digestion tended to produce similar maximum emergence (week 3), final emergence (week 14), and above-ground biomass (week 14) on both topsoil and mine waste when compared to the un-enhanced (‘control’) treatment. Extruded pellets enhanced emergence (maximum and final) on both soil types, though had no effect on biomass. Extruded pellets containing topsoil and/or when used in combination with flash flamed or acid digested florets, provided the most significant benefits to seedling emergence, particularly on mine waste soil. However, SETs were unable to mitigate the detrimental effects of mine waste substrates on seedling biomass. This study shows promise for improving seed-based restoration in post-mine and dryland environments using SETs, though also highlights potential limitations and the importance of understanding long-term (i.e., beyond emergence) plant recruitment outcomes in SET applications.
旱地环境中以种子为基础的恢复通常受限于零星的低降雨量、极端的温度和退化的土壤。在旱地矿山恢复地点，由于表土供应有限，需要将物种播种到矿山废料基质上，这些挑战更加严峻。本土禾本科植物是旱地和矿山恢复的重点物种，但由于种子形态和地点属性复杂，将种子运送到目标地点的能力进一步制约了以种子为基础的恢复工作。种子强化技术（SET）可帮助减轻环境压力并改善种子处理。本研究在四种澳大利亚本地草种（Cymbopogon ambiguus、C. obtectus、Eulalia aurea 和 Eriachne obtusa）中测试了可促进幼苗吸收和/或应对环境挑战，同时还能改善种子形态和处理的种子强化技术。在表土和矿山废料基质上对闪焰或酸性消化（取决于物种）、添加或不添加表土的挤压种子颗粒、闪焰或酸性消化与挤压颗粒（添加或不添加表土）结合使用进行了评估。与未强化（"对照"）处理相比，在表土和矿山废料上使用闪焰或酸解处理的材料往往能产生相似的最大出苗率（第 3 周）、最终出苗率（第 14 周）和地上生物量（第 14 周）。挤压颗粒提高了两种土壤的出苗率（最高出苗率和最终出苗率），但对生物量没有影响。含有表土的挤压颗粒和/或与闪蒸或酸性消化小花结合使用时，对出苗有最显著的益处，尤其是在矿山废土上。然而，SET 无法减轻矿山废料基质对幼苗生物量的不利影响。这项研究表明，使用 SET 有希望改善矿山开采后和旱地环境中以种子为基础的恢复，但也强调了 SET 应用的潜在局限性以及了解长期（即出苗后）植物恢复结果的重要性。
{"title":"Seed enhancements to improve direct-seeding outcomes for native grasses in mine restoration","authors":"Bianca Berto, Alison L. Ritchie, Todd E. Erickson","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1405649","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1405649","url":null,"abstract":"Seed-based restoration in dryland environments is commonly limited by low and sporadic rainfall, extreme temperatures, and degraded soils. These challenges are exacerbated in dryland mine restoration sites where species are seeded onto mine waste substrates due to limited availability of topsoil. Native grasses are focal dryland and mine restoration species, though the ability to deliver seeds to targeted sites presents further constraints to seed-based restoration due to complex seed morphology and site attributes. Seed enhancement technologies (SETs) may help to mitigate environmental stressors and improving seed handling. In this study, SETs which promote seedling recruitment and/or address edaphic challenges while also improving seed morphology and handling were tested in four Australian native grasses (<jats:italic>Cymbopogon ambiguus</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>C. obtectus</jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Eulalia aurea</jats:italic>, and <jats:italic>Eriachne obtusa</jats:italic>). Flash flaming or acid digestion (depending on species), extruded seed pellets with or without the addition of topsoil, and flaming or acid digestion used in combination with extruded pellets (with or without topsoil) were evaluated on topsoil and mine waste substrates. Material treated with either flash flaming or acid digestion tended to produce similar maximum emergence (week 3), final emergence (week 14), and above-ground biomass (week 14) on both topsoil and mine waste when compared to the un-enhanced (‘control’) treatment. Extruded pellets enhanced emergence (maximum and final) on both soil types, though had no effect on biomass. Extruded pellets containing topsoil and/or when used in combination with flash flamed or acid digested florets, provided the most significant benefits to seedling emergence, particularly on mine waste soil. However, SETs were unable to mitigate the detrimental effects of mine waste substrates on seedling biomass. This study shows promise for improving seed-based restoration in post-mine and dryland environments using SETs, though also highlights potential limitations and the importance of understanding long-term (i.e., beyond emergence) plant recruitment outcomes in SET applications.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"37 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141547706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-04DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2024.1375835
Maddalena Ranucci, Melanie Court, Beatriz P. Pereira, Daniele Romeo, José Ricardo Paula
Animal cognition is deeply influenced by interactions with the environment. A notable example of sophisticated cognition in the animal kingdom is described by the mutualistic relationship between cleaner fish and clients, where decision-making processes play a pivotal role in partner choice and fish survival. In this context, while extensive research has explored the cognition of the cleaner wrasse Labroides dimidiatus, it is important to note that studies on the cognition of other wrasse species and on its Caribbean counterparts, Elacatinus spp., are limited. Therefore, to extend our comprehension of cognition in cleaner fish with different evolutionary backgrounds, it is important to focus our attention on the genus Elacatinus spp. In this study, we used plexiglass plates as surrogates for clients and assessed the ability of cleaner gobies, Elacatinus oceanops, to solve a biological market task where prioritizing an ephemeral food plate over a permanent one would double the food reward. We varied cue-based decision-making using both ecologically relevant cues (plate, size, and color) and non-relevant ones (presentation side). Additionally, we tested their capacity for reversal learning, an indicator of complex cognitive abilities. Notably, cleaner gobies were able to solve the biological markets task when the distinguishing cue was a larger plate size. Given that these gobies tend to prioritize larger predatory clients in nature, our results align with their natural inclination. Consequently, further research, including studies involving wild individuals, is essential to elucidate the cognitive abilities of the studied species and their implications in the ecological context and evolutionary history.
{"title":"Frontiers | Cleaner gobies can solve a biological market task when the correct cue is larger","authors":"Maddalena Ranucci, Melanie Court, Beatriz P. Pereira, Daniele Romeo, José Ricardo Paula","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1375835","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1375835","url":null,"abstract":"Animal cognition is deeply influenced by interactions with the environment. A notable example of sophisticated cognition in the animal kingdom is described by the mutualistic relationship between cleaner fish and clients, where decision-making processes play a pivotal role in partner choice and fish survival. In this context, while extensive research has explored the cognition of the cleaner wrasse Labroides dimidiatus, it is important to note that studies on the cognition of other wrasse species and on its Caribbean counterparts, Elacatinus spp., are limited. Therefore, to extend our comprehension of cognition in cleaner fish with different evolutionary backgrounds, it is important to focus our attention on the genus Elacatinus spp. In this study, we used plexiglass plates as surrogates for clients and assessed the ability of cleaner gobies, Elacatinus oceanops, to solve a biological market task where prioritizing an ephemeral food plate over a permanent one would double the food reward. We varied cue-based decision-making using both ecologically relevant cues (plate, size, and color) and non-relevant ones (presentation side). Additionally, we tested their capacity for reversal learning, an indicator of complex cognitive abilities. Notably, cleaner gobies were able to solve the biological markets task when the distinguishing cue was a larger plate size. Given that these gobies tend to prioritize larger predatory clients in nature, our results align with their natural inclination. Consequently, further research, including studies involving wild individuals, is essential to elucidate the cognitive abilities of the studied species and their implications in the ecological context and evolutionary history.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141743224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-04DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2024.1412124
Mercedes Berlanga, Pere Picart, Arnau Blasco, Robert Benaiges-Fernandez, Ricardo Guerrero, Andrea Butturini, Jordi Urmeneta
La Muerte lagoon is an ephemeral endorheic water body located in the Monegros desert, Zaragoza, Spain. Amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was performed to analyze the bacterial and archaeal communities in biofilm-sediment samples over three years, to understand the dynamic changes in the microbial community. PICRUSt and shotgun metagenomics were used to examine energy production and carbohydrate metabolism pathways. The dominant bacterial phyla were Actinobacteriota, Bacteroidota, Cyanobacteriota, and Pseudomonadota, while Halobacteriota was the predominant archaeal phylum. Despite seasonal environmental fluctuations, the biofilm community remained stable over time, suggesting resilience. The Calvin-Benson cycle was the main carbon fixation pathway, carried out by Cyanobacteria and purple non-sulfur bacteria. Nitrogen fixation by diazotrophs supplied an important nitrogen source. Organic carbon was derived primarily from autotrophs, with little use of allochthonous plant material. The comparison of biofilm-sediment and water column biotopes showed distinct but related prokaryote communities. Biofilm-sediments showed higher taxonomic diversity and different proportions of microbial phyla compared to the water column. This study provides initial insights into the complex microbial life in endorheic lagoons and underscores the importance of protecting these globally threatened habitats. The limited sample size in this study warrants further investigation with a more comprehensive sampling strategy to fully characterize the microbial communities and their functional roles in the different biotopes of La Muerte lagoon.
La Muerte泻湖位于西班牙萨拉戈萨的莫内格罗斯沙漠，是一个短暂的内流水体。为了了解微生物群落的动态变化，对生物膜沉积物样本中的细菌和古细菌群落进行了 16S rRNA 基因扩增子测序分析。利用 PICRUSt 和枪式元基因组学研究了能量生产和碳水化合物代谢途径。主要的细菌门为放线菌门、类杆菌门、蓝藻菌门和假单胞菌门，而卤杆菌门是主要的古细菌门。尽管存在季节性环境波动，但生物膜群落在一段时间内保持稳定，这表明生物膜群落具有恢复能力。卡尔文-本森循环是主要的碳固定途径，由蓝细菌和紫色非硫细菌进行。重氮菌的固氮作用提供了重要的氮源。有机碳主要来自自养菌，很少利用同源植物材料。生物膜-沉积物和水柱生物群落的比较显示了不同但相关的原核生物群落。与水柱相比，生物膜沉积物显示出更高的分类多样性和不同的微生物门类比例。这项研究初步揭示了内河泻湖中复杂的微生物生命，并强调了保护这些受到全球威胁的栖息地的重要性。这项研究的样本量有限，需要采用更全面的取样策略进行进一步调查，以全面了解拉穆埃尔特泻湖不同生物群落的微生物群落特征及其功能作用。
{"title":"Biodiversity and potential functionality of biofilm-sediment biotope in La Muerte lagoon, Monegros Desert, Spain","authors":"Mercedes Berlanga, Pere Picart, Arnau Blasco, Robert Benaiges-Fernandez, Ricardo Guerrero, Andrea Butturini, Jordi Urmeneta","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1412124","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1412124","url":null,"abstract":"La Muerte lagoon is an ephemeral endorheic water body located in the Monegros desert, Zaragoza, Spain. Amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was performed to analyze the bacterial and archaeal communities in biofilm-sediment samples over three years, to understand the dynamic changes in the microbial community. PICRUSt and shotgun metagenomics were used to examine energy production and carbohydrate metabolism pathways. The dominant bacterial phyla were Actinobacteriota, Bacteroidota, Cyanobacteriota, and Pseudomonadota, while Halobacteriota was the predominant archaeal phylum. Despite seasonal environmental fluctuations, the biofilm community remained stable over time, suggesting resilience. The Calvin-Benson cycle was the main carbon fixation pathway, carried out by Cyanobacteria and purple non-sulfur bacteria. Nitrogen fixation by diazotrophs supplied an important nitrogen source. Organic carbon was derived primarily from autotrophs, with little use of allochthonous plant material. The comparison of biofilm-sediment and water column biotopes showed distinct but related prokaryote communities. Biofilm-sediments showed higher taxonomic diversity and different proportions of microbial phyla compared to the water column. This study provides initial insights into the complex microbial life in endorheic lagoons and underscores the importance of protecting these globally threatened habitats. The limited sample size in this study warrants further investigation with a more comprehensive sampling strategy to fully characterize the microbial communities and their functional roles in the different biotopes of La Muerte lagoon.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141547704","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
IntroductionThis study aims to investigate the impact of human activities on the evolution of coastal wetlands in the Liaohe River Delta. Understanding these impacts is crucial for the management, protection, and sustainable development of the ecological environment in the region.MethodsQuantitative analysis of the evolution of coastal wetlands along the Liaohe River from 1995 to 2020 using Landsat series remote sensing images. This study examines the changes in different landscapes and explores the impact of human activities on wetlands through methods such as land transfer matrix, landscape pattern index, and human activity hotspots.ResultsThe results show that the area of coastal wetlands in the Liaohe River Delta exhibited a fluctuating downward trend from 1995 to 2020. The eastern and western parts of the delta experienced greater disturbance to wetland landscapes due to human activities, while the northern and southern parts were mostly waters and reed lands with a smaller degree of human disturbance. Human activities have led to significant changes in farmland, ponds, rice paddies, construction land, and reed fields, thereby promoting the evolution of coastal wetlands.DiscussionThis article discusses the characteristics of landscape pattern evolution in the study area, as well as the impact of human interference, economy, policies, and other factors on it, and compares it with the evolution patterns of other coastal wetlands in China. The changes in the landscape pattern of the study area are mainly reflected in the reduction and fragmentation of natural wetland areas, which are closely related to human activities, especially the development of construction and agriculture. The main economic manifestation is that the increase in land demand due to economic and urban development has led to the transformation of natural wetlands into construction land and other artificial landscapes. The implementation of regulations such as the Wetland Protection Law has contributed to the rational use and ecological restoration of wetlands, and also reflects the influence of policy factors. Compared with other studies, coastal wetlands in China generally face issues of degradation and loss, mainly caused by human activities, but also affected by natural factors such as rising sea levels, changes in coastlines, and climate change.
{"title":"The impact mechanism of human activities on the evolution of coastal wetlands in the Liaohe River Delta","authors":"Qinghai Deng, Xinming Zhang, Liping Zhang, Xin Shao, Tianshuo Gu","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1423234","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1423234","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionThis study aims to investigate the impact of human activities on the evolution of coastal wetlands in the Liaohe River Delta. Understanding these impacts is crucial for the management, protection, and sustainable development of the ecological environment in the region.MethodsQuantitative analysis of the evolution of coastal wetlands along the Liaohe River from 1995 to 2020 using Landsat series remote sensing images. This study examines the changes in different landscapes and explores the impact of human activities on wetlands through methods such as land transfer matrix, landscape pattern index, and human activity hotspots.ResultsThe results show that the area of coastal wetlands in the Liaohe River Delta exhibited a fluctuating downward trend from 1995 to 2020. The eastern and western parts of the delta experienced greater disturbance to wetland landscapes due to human activities, while the northern and southern parts were mostly waters and reed lands with a smaller degree of human disturbance. Human activities have led to significant changes in farmland, ponds, rice paddies, construction land, and reed fields, thereby promoting the evolution of coastal wetlands.DiscussionThis article discusses the characteristics of landscape pattern evolution in the study area, as well as the impact of human interference, economy, policies, and other factors on it, and compares it with the evolution patterns of other coastal wetlands in China. The changes in the landscape pattern of the study area are mainly reflected in the reduction and fragmentation of natural wetland areas, which are closely related to human activities, especially the development of construction and agriculture. The main economic manifestation is that the increase in land demand due to economic and urban development has led to the transformation of natural wetlands into construction land and other artificial landscapes. The implementation of regulations such as the Wetland Protection Law has contributed to the rational use and ecological restoration of wetlands, and also reflects the influence of policy factors. Compared with other studies, coastal wetlands in China generally face issues of degradation and loss, mainly caused by human activities, but also affected by natural factors such as rising sea levels, changes in coastlines, and climate change.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141530748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-02DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2024.1419245
Hannah A. Miller, Jenilee Gobin, Melanie R. Boudreau, Liam G. Horne, Lee E. Scholl, Jacob L. Seguin, Samuel Sonnega, Charles J. Krebs, Rudy Boonstra, Alice J. Kenney, Thomas S. Jung, Stan Boutin, Dennis L. Murray
Animals exhibit dynamic movement and activity in response to environmental variation including changes in reproductive opportunities, predation risk, or food availability. Yet, it remains unclear which factors are primary in affecting animal movement, and whether the relative importance of these factors are consistent through time. We tracked snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) using GPS telemetry during eight summers spanning a hare population cycle (2015–2022) in southwestern Yukon, Canada, to determine associations between environmental variation and hare movement and home range size. Hare density varied 25-fold during the study and home range size increased markedly during low hare density, especially for males. Both sexes retained similar core space use and linearity of movements, but at low densities males had greater and more variable movement rates and time spent travelling. Trail cameras revealed that annual changes in hare movement were also correlated with relative abundance of lynx (Lynx canadensis) and coyotes (Canis latrans). However, hare detection rates within a season were not closely associated with seasonal variation in predator detection. Observed differences between male and female hares in some metrics highlighted that different life histories and reproductive behavior are likely the main drivers of hare movement dynamics. Therefore, fitness rewards associated with successful mate search and reproduction appear to outweigh risks associated with increased movement, even in highly variable environments where costs of prioritizing reproduction-related activities are notably high and variable.
{"title":"Cyclic dynamics drive summer movement ecology of snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus)","authors":"Hannah A. Miller, Jenilee Gobin, Melanie R. Boudreau, Liam G. Horne, Lee E. Scholl, Jacob L. Seguin, Samuel Sonnega, Charles J. Krebs, Rudy Boonstra, Alice J. Kenney, Thomas S. Jung, Stan Boutin, Dennis L. Murray","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1419245","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1419245","url":null,"abstract":"Animals exhibit dynamic movement and activity in response to environmental variation including changes in reproductive opportunities, predation risk, or food availability. Yet, it remains unclear which factors are primary in affecting animal movement, and whether the relative importance of these factors are consistent through time. We tracked snowshoe hares (<jats:italic>Lepus americanus</jats:italic>) using GPS telemetry during eight summers spanning a hare population cycle (2015–2022) in southwestern Yukon, Canada, to determine associations between environmental variation and hare movement and home range size. Hare density varied 25-fold during the study and home range size increased markedly during low hare density, especially for males. Both sexes retained similar core space use and linearity of movements, but at low densities males had greater and more variable movement rates and time spent travelling. Trail cameras revealed that annual changes in hare movement were also correlated with relative abundance of lynx (<jats:italic>Lynx canadensis</jats:italic>) and coyotes (<jats:italic>Canis latrans</jats:italic>). However, hare detection rates within a season were not closely associated with seasonal variation in predator detection. Observed differences between male and female hares in some metrics highlighted that different life histories and reproductive behavior are likely the main drivers of hare movement dynamics. Therefore, fitness rewards associated with successful mate search and reproduction appear to outweigh risks associated with increased movement, even in highly variable environments where costs of prioritizing reproduction-related activities are notably high and variable.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141530749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-28DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2024.1363423
He Zhang, Chonghan Yu, Zhenglong Jiang, Xuqian Zhao
BackgroundCalcareous nannofossils are minute microfossils widely present in marine strata. Their identification holds significant value in studies related to stratigraphic dating, paleo-environmental evolution, and paleoclimate reconstruction. However, the process of identifying these fossils is time consuming, and the discrepancies between the results obtained from different manual identification methods are substantial, hindering quantification efforts. Therefore, it is necessary to explore automated assisted identification of fossil species. This study mainly focused on 18 key fossil species from the Miocene era. Five convolutional neural network (CNN) models and 10 data augmentation techniques were compared. These models and techniques were employed to analyze and collectively train two- and three-dimensional fossil morphologies and structures obtained from three different fossils observed under single-polarized light microscopy, orthogonal polarized light microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Finally, the model performance was evaluated based on the predictive outcomes on the test set, using metrics such as confusion matrix and top-k accuracy.ResultThe results indicate that, for the calcareous nannofossil images, the most effective data augmentation approach is a combination of four methods: random rotation, random mirroring, random brightness, and gamma correction. Among the CNN models, DenseNet121 exhibits the optimal performance, achieving an identification accuracy of 94.56%. Moreover, this model can distinguish other fossils beyond the 18 key fossil species and non-fossil debris. Based on the confusion matrix, the evaluation results reveal that the model has strong generalization capability and outputs highly credible identification results.ConclusionDrawing on the identification results from CNN, this study asserts a robust correlation among extinction photographs, planar images, and stereoscopic morphological images of fossil species. Collective training facilitates the joint extraction and analysis of fossil features under different imaging methods. CNN demonstrates many advantages in the identification of calcareous nannofossils, offering convenience to researchers in various fields, such as stratigraphy, paleo-ecology, paleoclimate, and paleo-environments of ancient oceans. It has great potential for advancing the development of marine surveys and stratigraphic recognition processes in the future.
{"title":"A new method for identifying key fossil species in the Miocene Calcareous Nannofossil Zone: insights from deep convolutional neural networks","authors":"He Zhang, Chonghan Yu, Zhenglong Jiang, Xuqian Zhao","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1363423","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1363423","url":null,"abstract":"BackgroundCalcareous nannofossils are minute microfossils widely present in marine strata. Their identification holds significant value in studies related to stratigraphic dating, paleo-environmental evolution, and paleoclimate reconstruction. However, the process of identifying these fossils is time consuming, and the discrepancies between the results obtained from different manual identification methods are substantial, hindering quantification efforts. Therefore, it is necessary to explore automated assisted identification of fossil species. This study mainly focused on 18 key fossil species from the Miocene era. Five convolutional neural network (CNN) models and 10 data augmentation techniques were compared. These models and techniques were employed to analyze and collectively train two- and three-dimensional fossil morphologies and structures obtained from three different fossils observed under single-polarized light microscopy, orthogonal polarized light microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Finally, the model performance was evaluated based on the predictive outcomes on the test set, using metrics such as confusion matrix and top-k accuracy.ResultThe results indicate that, for the calcareous nannofossil images, the most effective data augmentation approach is a combination of four methods: random rotation, random mirroring, random brightness, and gamma correction. Among the CNN models, DenseNet121 exhibits the optimal performance, achieving an identification accuracy of 94.56%. Moreover, this model can distinguish other fossils beyond the 18 key fossil species and non-fossil debris. Based on the confusion matrix, the evaluation results reveal that the model has strong generalization capability and outputs highly credible identification results.ConclusionDrawing on the identification results from CNN, this study asserts a robust correlation among extinction photographs, planar images, and stereoscopic morphological images of fossil species. Collective training facilitates the joint extraction and analysis of fossil features under different imaging methods. CNN demonstrates many advantages in the identification of calcareous nannofossils, offering convenience to researchers in various fields, such as stratigraphy, paleo-ecology, paleoclimate, and paleo-environments of ancient oceans. It has great potential for advancing the development of marine surveys and stratigraphic recognition processes in the future.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141505856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-27DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2024.1411290
Xiaoyan Ren, Fengying Yan
Sustainable spatial planning increasingly emphasizes the protection and restoration provided by nature to human welfare, yet scientifically assessing and managing the societal utilization status of natural ecological assets (EAs) remains a challenge. This study introduces a novel classification of EAs based on the degree of dependency of human societies, and establishes an assessment framework for the spatial utilization status of EAs, incorporating indicators related to “pattern-quality-supply-demand-risk”. These indicators are integrated into the construction of ecological security patterns to optimize the management of EAs. Validated in Changxing County, Zhejiang Province, China, key findings include: (1) In 2020, the EAs of Changxing provided a value of CNY 77.936 billion, with livable climate assets dominating and carbon assets least prevalent. (2) Urban development has led to EA loss, with the most significant losses in high-supply areas and the highest loss risks in areas with scarce EAs, yet maintaining an overall balance of supply and demand. (3) In 2020, the total area of EA sources in Changxing was 487.34 km², accounting for 34% of the total land area, with 42.34% classified as high-security zones and 11.21% as high-alert zones. This study proposes an approach to ecological spatial optimization management that integrates the spatial utilization status of EAs, providing planners with practical tools and illustrative cases for seamlessly incorporating localized ecological elements into spatial planning. Our research applies to regions facing challenges related to EA loss and striving for sustainable development, offering strategies for ecological restoration, compensation, and optimization management.
{"title":"Integrating the social utilization status of ecological assets for spatial optimization management: a comprehensive framework","authors":"Xiaoyan Ren, Fengying Yan","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1411290","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1411290","url":null,"abstract":"Sustainable spatial planning increasingly emphasizes the protection and restoration provided by nature to human welfare, yet scientifically assessing and managing the societal utilization status of natural ecological assets (EAs) remains a challenge. This study introduces a novel classification of EAs based on the degree of dependency of human societies, and establishes an assessment framework for the spatial utilization status of EAs, incorporating indicators related to “pattern-quality-supply-demand-risk”. These indicators are integrated into the construction of ecological security patterns to optimize the management of EAs. Validated in Changxing County, Zhejiang Province, China, key findings include: (1) In 2020, the EAs of Changxing provided a value of CNY 77.936 billion, with livable climate assets dominating and carbon assets least prevalent. (2) Urban development has led to EA loss, with the most significant losses in high-supply areas and the highest loss risks in areas with scarce EAs, yet maintaining an overall balance of supply and demand. (3) In 2020, the total area of EA sources in Changxing was 487.34 km², accounting for 34% of the total land area, with 42.34% classified as high-security zones and 11.21% as high-alert zones. This study proposes an approach to ecological spatial optimization management that integrates the spatial utilization status of EAs, providing planners with practical tools and illustrative cases for seamlessly incorporating localized ecological elements into spatial planning. Our research applies to regions facing challenges related to EA loss and striving for sustainable development, offering strategies for ecological restoration, compensation, and optimization management.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"97 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141505815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-27DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2024.1289139
Pavel Kotyza, Inna Cabelkova, Bartłomiej Pierański, Karel Malec, Barbara Borusiak, Luboš Smutka, Sandor Nagy, Aleksandra Gawel, David Bernardo López Lluch, Krisztián Kis, József Gál, Jana Gálová, Anna Mravcová, Blaženka Knezevic, Martin Hlaváček
Pro-environmental intentions encourage individuals to make conscious decisions that help protect the environment, reduce waste, conserve resources, and preserve natural habitats. This study aims to assess the predictive power of environmental concern, perceived behavioral control and social norms in determining the pro-environmental intentions in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework. Methodologically we rely on Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), applied to the survey study among 2,702 university students majoring in economics, finance, management, or marketing from Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Spain. The results show that the model explained 51% of the total variance of pro-environmental intentions, with the predictive power of environmental concern and perceived behavioral control at 42% and 45%, respectively, and social norms at only 6% (out of total 51% of explanatory power). The implications of our results suggest a major focus on increasing environmental concern and perceived behavioral control in behavioral interventions to support pro-environmental behavior. The effectiveness of social pressure produced by injunctive social norms proved limited. The cross-country differences were not statistically significant. More research must be done to study the relative effect of injunctive and descriptive social norms on pro-environmental behavior.
{"title":"The predictive power of environmental concern, perceived behavioral control and social norms in shaping pro-environmental intentions: a multicountry study","authors":"Pavel Kotyza, Inna Cabelkova, Bartłomiej Pierański, Karel Malec, Barbara Borusiak, Luboš Smutka, Sandor Nagy, Aleksandra Gawel, David Bernardo López Lluch, Krisztián Kis, József Gál, Jana Gálová, Anna Mravcová, Blaženka Knezevic, Martin Hlaváček","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1289139","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1289139","url":null,"abstract":"Pro-environmental intentions encourage individuals to make conscious decisions that help protect the environment, reduce waste, conserve resources, and preserve natural habitats. This study aims to assess the predictive power of environmental concern, perceived behavioral control and social norms in determining the pro-environmental intentions in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework. Methodologically we rely on Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), applied to the survey study among 2,702 university students majoring in economics, finance, management, or marketing from Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Spain. The results show that the model explained 51% of the total variance of pro-environmental intentions, with the predictive power of environmental concern and perceived behavioral control at 42% and 45%, respectively, and social norms at only 6% (out of total 51% of explanatory power). The implications of our results suggest a major focus on increasing environmental concern and perceived behavioral control in behavioral interventions to support pro-environmental behavior. The effectiveness of social pressure produced by injunctive social norms proved limited. The cross-country differences were not statistically significant. More research must be done to study the relative effect of injunctive and descriptive social norms on pro-environmental behavior.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141532547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-06-26DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2024.1377214
Clinton W. Epps, P. Brandon Holton, Ryan J. Monello, Rachel S. Crowhurst, Sarah M. Gaulke, William M. Janousek, Tyler G. Creech, Tabitha A. Graves
IntroductionTerrestrial species in riverine ecosystems face unique constraints leading to diverging patterns of population structure, connectivity, and disease dynamics. Desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) in Grand Canyon National Park, a large native population in the southwestern USA, offer a unique opportunity to evaluate population patterns and processes in a remote riverine system with ongoing anthropogenic impacts. We integrated non-invasive, invasive, and citizen-science methods to address questions on abundance, distribution, disease status, genetic structure, and habitat fragmentation.MethodsWe compiled bighorn sightings collected during river trips by park staff, commercial guides, and private citizens from 2000–2018 and captured bighorn in 2010–2016 to deploy GPS collars and test for disease. From 2011–2015, we non-invasively collected fecal samples and genotyped them at 9–16 microsatellite loci for individual identification and genetic structure. We used assignment tests to evaluate genetic structure and identify subpopulations, then estimated gene flow and recent migration to evaluate fragmentation. We used spatial capture-recapture to estimate annual population size, distribution, and trends after accounting for spatial variation in detection with a resource selection function model.Results and discussionFrom 2010–2018, 3,176 sightings of bighorn were reported, with sightings of 56–145 bighorn annually on formal surveys. From 2012–2016, bighorn exhibiting signs of respiratory disease were observed along the river throughout the park. Of 25 captured individuals, 56% were infected by Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, a key respiratory pathogen, and 81% were recently exposed. Pellet sampling for population estimation from 2011–2015 yielded 1,250 genotypes and 453 individuals. We detected 6 genetic clusters that exhibited mild to moderate genetic structure (FST 0.022–0.126). The river, distance, and likely topography restricted recent gene flow, but we detected cross-river movements in one section via genetic recaptures, no subpopulation appeared completely isolated, and genetic diversity was among the highest reported. Recolonization of one large stretch of currently empty habitat appears limited by the constrained topology of this system. Annual population estimates ranged 536–552 (95% CrI range 451–647), lamb:ewe ratios varied, and no significant population decline was detected. We provide a multi-method sampling framework useful for sampling other wildlife in remote riverine systems.
{"title":"Population and spatial dynamics of desert bighorn sheep in Grand Canyon during an outbreak of respiratory pneumonia","authors":"Clinton W. Epps, P. Brandon Holton, Ryan J. Monello, Rachel S. Crowhurst, Sarah M. Gaulke, William M. Janousek, Tyler G. Creech, Tabitha A. Graves","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1377214","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1377214","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionTerrestrial species in riverine ecosystems face unique constraints leading to diverging patterns of population structure, connectivity, and disease dynamics. Desert bighorn sheep (<jats:italic>Ovis canadensis nelsoni</jats:italic>) in Grand Canyon National Park, a large native population in the southwestern USA, offer a unique opportunity to evaluate population patterns and processes in a remote riverine system with ongoing anthropogenic impacts. We integrated non-invasive, invasive, and citizen-science methods to address questions on abundance, distribution, disease status, genetic structure, and habitat fragmentation.MethodsWe compiled bighorn sightings collected during river trips by park staff, commercial guides, and private citizens from 2000–2018 and captured bighorn in 2010–2016 to deploy GPS collars and test for disease. From 2011–2015, we non-invasively collected fecal samples and genotyped them at 9–16 microsatellite loci for individual identification and genetic structure. We used assignment tests to evaluate genetic structure and identify subpopulations, then estimated gene flow and recent migration to evaluate fragmentation. We used spatial capture-recapture to estimate annual population size, distribution, and trends after accounting for spatial variation in detection with a resource selection function model.Results and discussionFrom 2010–2018, 3,176 sightings of bighorn were reported, with sightings of 56–145 bighorn annually on formal surveys. From 2012–2016, bighorn exhibiting signs of respiratory disease were observed along the river throughout the park. Of 25 captured individuals, 56% were infected by <jats:italic>Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae</jats:italic>, a key respiratory pathogen, and 81% were recently exposed. Pellet sampling for population estimation from 2011–2015 yielded 1,250 genotypes and 453 individuals. We detected 6 genetic clusters that exhibited mild to moderate genetic structure (<jats:italic>F</jats:italic><jats:sub>ST</jats:sub> 0.022–0.126). The river, distance, and likely topography restricted recent gene flow, but we detected cross-river movements in one section via genetic recaptures, no subpopulation appeared completely isolated, and genetic diversity was among the highest reported. Recolonization of one large stretch of currently empty habitat appears limited by the constrained topology of this system. Annual population estimates ranged 536–552 (95% CrI range 451–647), lamb:ewe ratios varied, and no significant population decline was detected. We provide a multi-method sampling framework useful for sampling other wildlife in remote riverine systems.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141505826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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