Hasil untuk "General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution"

R. Hodge, Trygve E Bakken, Jeremy A. Miller et al.

Elucidating the cellular architecture of the human cerebral cortex is central to understanding our cognitive abilities and susceptibility to disease. Here we used single-nucleus RNA-sequencing analysis to perform a comprehensive study of cell types in the middle temporal gyrus of human cortex. We identified a highly diverse set of excitatory and inhibitory neuron types that are mostly sparse, with excitatory types being less layer-restricted than expected. Comparison to similar mouse cortex single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets revealed a surprisingly well-conserved cellular architecture that enables matching of homologous types and predictions of properties of human cell types. Despite this general conservation, we also found extensive differences between homologous human and mouse cell types, including marked alterations in proportions, laminar distributions, gene expression and morphology. These species-specific features emphasize the importance of directly studying human brain. RNA-sequencing analysis of cells in the human cortex enabled identification of diverse cell types, revealing well-conserved architecture and homologous cell types as well as extensive differences when compared with datasets covering the analogous region of the mouse brain.

M. Chandler, L. See, Kyle Copas et al.

To meet collective obligations towards biodiversity conservation and monitoring, it is essential that the world's governments and non-governmental organisations as well as the research community tap all possible sources of data and information, including new, fast-growing sources such as citizen science (CS), in which volunteers participate in some or all aspects of environmental assessments. Through compilation of a database on CS and community-based monitoring (CBM, a subset of CS) programs, we assess where contributions from CS and CBM are significant and where opportunities for growth exist. We use the Essential Biodiversity Variable framework to describe the range of biodiversity data needed to track progress towards global biodiversity targets, and we assess strengths and gaps in geographical and taxonomic coverage. Our results show that existing CS and CBM data particularly provide large-scale data on species distribution and population abundance, species traits such as phenology, and ecosystem function variables such as primary and secondary productivity. Only birds, Lepidoptera and plants are monitored at scale. Most CS schemes are found in Europe, North America, South Africa, India, and Australia. We then explore what can be learned from successful CS/CBM programs that would facilitate the scaling up of current efforts, how existing strengths in data coverage can be better exploited, and the strategies that could maximise the synergies between CS/CBM and other approaches for monitoring biodiversity, in particular from remote sensing. More and better targeted funding will be needed, if CS/CBM programs are to contribute further to international biodiversity monitoring.

T. Domenech, R. Bleischwitz, A. Doranova et al.

Abstract Last years have seen a surge of Industrial Symbiosis (IS) development in association with ad-hoc widespread policies to encourage more circular and sustainable practices in the manufacturing sector. Developments in Europe, despite having attracted less attention in the literature, have been significant, driven both by public and private initiative. This paper provides an updated overview of IS activity in Europe, with a mapping of key networks, and a study of prevailing typologies of networks, size, geographical distribution and main streams/ resources traded. The analysis is based on a combination of desk research, gathering of primary data from case studies, a survey to IS network facilitators (n = 22) and in-depth interviews and focus groups (3) with IS practitioners, policy officers and industry representatives (n = 25). The analysis identified pockets of IS activity across all Europe, although varying in nature, resources exchanged and scale and scope of the initiatives. The average size of the mapped networks is approx. 473 members, but the median is approx. 100 members, which indicates high variability of sizes. The geographical scope of the synergies also seems to be dependent upon the following factors: 1) the type of waste stream/by-product; 2) transport costs and 3) market value of secondary materials. Types of waste streams exchanged common to most networks, are chemicals (e.g. chemical base products), biomass and agriculture by-products, wood and wood pellets, plastics, reusable construction materials, equipment, inert waste and water (different qualities including industrial water), residual heat and steam. The paper also discusses key obstacles facing IS development in Europe highlighting: 1) weakness of economic incentives given the low margin of IS projects associated to undeveloped secondary markets; 2) geographical variation of incentives and drivers, given differences in policy frameworks and support mechanisms (e.g. landfill tax levels) and 3) legislative issues that make transport over geographic boundaries extremely complex and administratively burdensome. Finally, the paper concludes with a general discussion of the potential of IS to contribute to the transition to the circular economy (CE) in Europe and identifies some key areas of future research.

Li He, Jing Shen, Yang Zhang

Tao Liu, Canchao Yang

Athanasios Gkanasos, Kostas Tsiaras, George Triantafyllou

This study presents the development of a three-dimensional, Wisconsin-type bioenergetic/population model, two-way coupled with a biogeochemical model (POM-ERSEM) that simulates physical, chemical, and biological processes in the marine environment, to investigate the dynamics of anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and sprat (Sprattus sprattus)—the two most ecologically and economically significant fish species in the Black Sea. The model simulates key energetic processes, including growth and reproduction, and, in conjunction with the population module, it was used to estimate the two species biomass spatiotemporal variability. A long-term simulation over 1960–2020 period was performed, using ECMWF ERA5 atmospheric forcing. The model successfully reproduces the interannual variability in both species’ stocks and highlights the formation of distinct anchovy and sprat habitats. To explore the effects of atmospheric forcing, a perpetual simulation for the same period was conducted. The analysis reveals a negative correlation between sea surface temperature and anchovy biomass, primarily due to reduced adult weight and increased energetic demands, which negatively impact productivity. In contrast, sprat populations exhibit a positive response to warming, with increased survival rates across life stages despite a decline in egg productivity due to habitat limitations. Furthermore, the study examines the species responses to varying fishing pressure. While both species and especially sprat, are threatened by overfishing, they demonstrate rapid recovery rates, indicating susceptibility to effective management measures. These findings provide valuable insights into the sustainable exploitation of anchovy and sprat under changing climatic conditions, aiding in the development of adaptive fisheries management strategies.

Yan-xu Liu, B. Fu, Shuai Wang et al.

Synergistically maintain or enhance the numerous beneficial contributions of nature to the quality of human life is an important but challenging question for achieving Sustainable Development Goals. However, the spatiotemporal distributions of global nature's contributions to people (NCPs) and their interactions remain unclear. We built a rapid assessment indicator framework and produced the first spatially explicit assessment of all 18 NCPs at a global scale. The 18 global NCPs in 1990 and 2018 were globally assessed in 15,204 subbasins based on two spatial indicator dimensions, including nature's potential contribution and the actual contribution to people. The results show that most of the high NCP values are highly localized. From 1992 to 2018, 6 regulating NCPs, 3 material NCPs, and 2 nonmaterial NCPs declined; 29 regulating-material NCP combinations (54 in total) dominated 76% of the terrestrial area, and the area with few NCPs accounted for 22%; and synergistic relationships were more common than tradeoff relationships, while the relationships among regulating and material NCPs generally traded-off with each other. Transitional climate areas contained few NCPs and have strong tradeoff relationships. However, the high synergistic relationship among NCPs in low latitudes could be threatened by future climate change. These findings provide a general spatiotemporal understanding of global NCP distributions and can be used to interpret the biogeographic information in a functional way to support regional coordination and achieve landscape multifunctionality for the enhancement of human well-being.

Y. Sawadogo, Mamounata Belem, Prospère Sabo et al.

Ahmed R. Mahmoud, Emad A. Farahat, Loutfy M. Hassan et al.

Holly J. Niner, Siân E. Rees, Giulia La Bianca et al.

Degradation of the natural world and associated ecosystem services is attributed to a historical failure to include its ‘value’ in decision-making. Uncertainty in the quantification of the relationship between natural capital ‘assets’ that give rise to critical societal benefits and people is one reason for the omission of these values from natural resource management. As this uncertainty increases in marine systems and further still with distance from the coast, the connection between society and natural capital assets is less likely to be included adequately in decision-making. Natural capital assets of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ), including those of the deep sea, are distant but are known to generate many benefits for society, from the diffuse and broad-scale benefits of climate regulation to the provision of wild fish for food. While our understanding of the precise relationships (the status of asset stocks, ecosystem functions and processes) that control the availability of ecosystem services and the flows of benefits is limited, this does not preclude opening a discourse on how these natural capital assets could best be managed to continue to benefit society. Here we apply a natural capital approach to the South East Atlantic ABNJ, one of the least scientifically understood regions of the planet, and develop a framework for risk assessment. We do this by describing the benefit flows from the natural capital assets of the region, appraising how activities are creating pressures on these flows and whether the controls for these pressures protect them. Our risk register highlights how governance currently favours the protection of direct (extractive) benefit flows from natural capital assets of the region, which are primarily targeted for financial benefit. Without a systems-based framework that can account for the cumulative pressures on natural capital assets their status, associated ecosystem services and benefits are at risk. Such an approach is essential to capture and protect the foundational and often diffuse connections between marine natural capital and global society.

Shuxia Sun, Yang Zhang, Dizhou Huang et al.

Increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the air is acknowledged as one of the main reason for observed global climatic change. This phenomenon significantly affects the species geographical distribution, and changes their richness distribution pattern. Oak (Quercus L.) is an important component of forests in China, and it has significant ecological value. Based on the distribution data of 35 species and 19 bioclimatic variables, the potential richness distribution of Quercus L. in China was predicted using the MaxEnt model under present climatic conditions and three different emission scenarios in the years 2050 and 2070 with six General Circulation Models (GCMs). The results revealed that Quercus L. at present was primarily distributed in the mountainous areas of southwestern China. The simulations indicated that climate change could affect the spatial pattern of the richness distribution, and if climate change intensified, its impact would gradually increase. As temperatures rise, the distribution of Quercus L. was predicted to be concentrated, and suitable areas of certain species would contract. These species may migrate to high altitudes or high latitudes. The high percentage of species lost is the reason for the higher turnover values in the mountainous areas, while other regions are mostly be influenced by the high percentage of species gained associated with the northward shift of species. Predicting changes in the richness distribution pattern of Quercus L. as a result of climate change can help us understand the biogeography of Quercus L. and enact conservation strategies to minimize the impacts of climate change.

N. Lloyd, Laura M. Keating, A. Friesen et al.

Over 1 million species around the world are at risk of extinction, and conservation organizations have to decide where to invest their limited resources. Cost‐effectiveness can be increased by leveraging funding opportunities and increasing collaborative partnerships to achieve shared conservation goals. We devised a structured decision‐making framework to prioritize species’ conservation programs based on a cost–benefit analysis that takes collaborative opportunities into account in an examination of national and global conservation return on investment. Conservation benefit is determined by modifying the novel International Union for the Conservation of Nature Green Status for Species to provide an efficient, high‐level measure that is comparable among species, even with limited information and time constraints. We applied this prioritization approach to the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, Canada, a nonprofit organization seeking to increase the number of species it assists with conservation translocations. We sought to identify and prioritize additional species’ programs for which conservation translocation expertise and actions could make the most impact. Estimating the likelihood of cost‐sharing potential enabled total program cost to be distinguished from costs specific to the organization. Comparing a benefit‐to‐cost ratio on different geographic scales allowed decision makers to weigh alternative options for investing in new species’ programs in a transparent and effective manner. Our innovative analysis aligns with general conservation planning frameworks and can be adapted for any organization.

E. Juhász, Z. Mólnar, Ákos Bede‐Fazekas et al.

Along small watercourses, the growth and renewal of native willows and poplars ( Salicaceae species) are hindered by the effects of past and recent man-made landscape alteration and climate change, while the selective foraging of the beaver ( Castor fiber ) is also becoming an increasingly important driver. Knowledge about foraging decisions can refine predictions about vegetational processes and help to develop better nature conservation and forest management strategies. We surveyed the woody plant supply (13,304 units) and its utilization by the beaver at 11 study sites along Central European small watercourses, at two fixed distances from the water. We collected information about the taxon, trunk diameter, and type of utilization (cutting, carving, debarking) of each unit. We built (generalized) linear mixed models aimed at answering questions regarding taxon and diameter preference, their interrelatedness, and their importance in foraging decisions. All of the factors examined had a significant effect on foraging decisions. Utilization was mostly explained by the taxon, with Salicaceae species being generally preferred and utilized in all diameter classes with a high ratio. Several further genera were frequently utilized (mainly Cornus and Ulmus ), while others were almost completely avoided (including invasive Amorpha and Robinia ). The beavers preferred units with a diameter of 5–9 cm. The type of utilization depended primarily on diameter class. Because native softwoods are the most affected by beaver impact, regardless of trunk diameter, their survival and regrowth should be consciously supported by increasing the water table and improving hydrological conditions.

Harsh Yadav, Shyam S Phartyal, Yuki Iwachido et al.

Jianfeng Tong, Jianfeng Tong, Jianfeng Tong et al.

Nowadays, most fishing vessels are equipped with high-resolution commercial echo sounders. However, many instruments cannot be calibrated and missing data occur frequently. These problems impede the collection of acoustic data by commercial fishing vessels, which are necessary for species classification and stock assessment. In this study, an automatic detection and classification model for echo traces of the Pacific saury (Cololabis saira) was trained based on the algorithm YOLO v5m. The in situ measurement value of the Pacific saury was measured using single fish echo trace. Rapid calibration of the commercial echo sounder was achieved based on the living fish calibration method. According to the results, the maximum precision, recall, and average precision values of the trained model were 0.79, 0.68, and 0.71, respectively. The maximum F1 score of the model was 0.66 at a confidence level of 0.454. The living fish calibration offset values obtained at two sites in the field were 116.30 dB and 118.19 dB. The sphere calibration offset value obtained in the laboratory using the standard sphere method was 117.65 dB. The differences between in situ and laboratory calibrations were 1.35 dB and 0.54 dB, both of which were within the normal range.

Barbara J. Cade-Menun, Rosalind J. Dodd, Solange Duhamel et al.

Yu Peng, Jinchao Feng, W. Sang et al.

D. G. Chapple, U. Roll, M. Böhm et al.

Our knowledge of the conservation status of reptiles, the most diverse class of terrestrial vertebrates, has improved dramatically over the past decade, but still lags behind that of the other tetrapod groups. Here, we conduct the first comprehensive evaluation (∼92% of the world's ∼1714 described species) of the conservation status of skinks (Scincidae), a speciose reptile family with a worldwide distribution. Using International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria, we report that ∼20% of species are threatened with extinction, and nine species are Extinct or Extinct in the Wild. The highest levels of threat are evident in Madagascar and the Neotropics, and in the subfamilies Mabuyinae, Eugongylinae and Scincinae. The vast majority of threatened skink species were listed based primarily on their small geographic ranges (Criterion B, 83%; Criterion D2, 13%). Although the population trend of 42% of species was stable, 14% have declining populations. The key threats to skinks are habitat loss due to agriculture, invasive species, and biological resource use (e.g., hunting, timber harvesting). The distributions of 61% of species do not overlap with protected areas. Despite our improved knowledge of the conservation status of the world's skinks, 8% of species remain to be assessed, and 14% are listed as Data Deficient. The conservation status of almost a quarter of the world's skink species thus remains unknown. We use our updated knowledge of the conservation status of the group to develop and outline the priorities for the conservation assessment and management of the world's skink species.

Haiwei Zhao, Ruidong Wu, Feiling Yang et al.

Abstract China's Grain for Green Program (GGP) is the largest reforestation program in the world. Previous studies lacked targeted assessments regarding its effectiveness in vegetation conversion. Using the time series of Vegetation Continuous Fields in southwest China, we derived the spatiotemporal variations in total vegetation cover, short vegetation (SV) cover and tree canopy (TC) cover during the period from 2000 to 2016. By conducting residual trend analyses independently on the SV and TC cover time series, the trends in human‐induced SV cover (SVH) and TC cover (TCH) were detected. Then, we performed overlay analyses to derive the human‐induced SV–TC conversion in cropland. The study found that the SV in southwest China showed a net browning trend whereas the TC presented a net greening trend. Approximately 69.5% of the pixels with a significant browning trend in SVH showed a significant greening trend in TCH. Furthermore, 50.6% of the human‐induced SV–TC conversion in southwest China occurred in cropland, and the proportion was even larger for the eastern provinces. Our study provides a targeted evaluation of the performance of the GGP and highlights that the implementation of the GGP has caused widespread SV–TC conversion that potentially mitigates global climate change.

Scott Bennett, Scott Bennett, Raquel Vaquer-Sunyer et al.

Comparative patterns in thermal performance between populations have fundamental implications for a species thermal sensitivity to warming and extreme events. Despite this, within-species variation in thermal performance is seldom measured. Here we compare thermal performance both within-species and between-species, for two species of seagrass (Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa) and two species of seaweed (Padina pavonica and Cystoseira compressa) across the Mediterranean Sea. Experimental populations from four locations representing between 75 and 99% of each species thermal distribution and a 6°C gradient in summer temperatures, were exposed to 10 temperature treatments between 15 and 36°C. Experimental thermal performance displayed the greatest variability between species, with optimal temperatures differing by over 10°C within the same location. Within-species differences in thermal performance were also important for P. oceanica which displayed large thermal safety margins within cool and warm-edge populations and small safety margins within central populations. Our findings suggest patterns of thermal performance in Mediterranean seagrasses and seaweeds retain deep “pre-Mediterranean” evolutionary legacies, suggesting marked differences in sensitivity to warming within and between benthic marine communities.