The underwater soundscape was recorded in Seaview Bay off Inexpressible Island, Ross Sea region Marine protected area, for three days in December 2021. Leopard seal Hydrurga leptonyx vocalizations were a prominent sound source that led to variations in ambient sound pressure levels in a frequency range of approximately 150 to 4,500 Hz. Among the 14 call types previously identified, except ultrasound vocalizations, six types of broadcast calls were classified, and their acoustic characteristics were analyzed. We focused on the acoustic characteristics of four low-frequency calls, clustered in a relatively narrow bandwidth, which have been relatively less studied. We identified a new call type of a triple ascending trill consisting of three trill parts, expanding upon the findings of previous studies. The audio data extracted from leopard seal vocalization videos, recorded by a monitoring camera on sea ice, enhanced the reliability of identifications of the underwater triple ascending trill. We present the unique results of underwater passive acoustic monitoring conducted at Seaview Bay, designated as Antarctic Specially Protected Area No 178. Our results could contribute to the development of detection and localization algorithms for leopard seal vocalizations and can be used as fundamental data for studies related to the vocalization and behavior of this species.

Aim: This study aims to enhance our understanding of the temporal and spatial proceses scales governing the taxonomic diversification of Neotropical birds with Trans- and Cis-Andean populations. Location: Central America and South America. Taxon: Attila spadiceus (Bright-rumped Attila). Methods: Through a multilocus analysis of the mitochondrial (CytB and ND2) and nuclear genes (I7BF, I5BF, and G3PDH) of 41 samples representing six subspecies, we describe the existing molecular lineages of A. spadiceus, and estimate their demographic dynamics. We also modeled the climatic niche of the species. Results: The analysis confirms a relatively recent divergence of the Trans- and Cis-Andean lineages, at approximately 0.25 million years ago (Ma). The niche modeling supports the existence of a dynamic scenario of the expansion and retraction of forest corridors in northwestern South America during the last glaciation. This suggests that the earlier orogenesis of the Andes was not a primary determinant of this dichotomy. Additionally, the analysis of population dynamics indicated a trend of increasing population size starting at 0.05 Ma for both lineages. Main Conclusions: Our findings highlight the significance of Pleistocene Forest corridors north of the Andes as the key factor maintaining communication before the separation of the lineages, likely associated with the retraction of this forest. We highlight the absence of any significant differentiation between the disjunct Amazonian and Atlantic Forest populations, both part of the Cis-Andean lineage. The phylogeographic profile of A. spadiceus diverges from the patterns observed in other Neotropical birds, which emphasizes the need for further research on the role of the forest corridors of the northern Andes as drivers of diversification, to provide comprehensive insights into the processes that led to the formation of the region’s present-day avian diversity.

Carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) are essential nutrients that promote plant growth, development and maintain the stability of ecosystem structure and function. Analyzing the C, N, and P characteristics of plant leaves aids in understanding the plant’s nutrient status and nutrient limitation. Seasonal water level fluctuations in riparian zones lead to various ecological problems, such as reduced biodiversity and decreased ecosystem stability. Therefore, comprehending the stoichiometric characteristics of riparian zone plants and their nutrient response to plant traits is important for a deeper insight into riparian zone forest ecosystems. In this study, we analyzed the C, N, and P contents of the leaves of 44 woody plants in the riparian zone of the Dahuofang Reservoir to investigate the stoichiometric characteristics of C, N, and P of trees in the region. The results showed that the average C content of the leaves in woody plants was 446.9 g·kg-1; the average N content was 28.42 g·kg-1; and the average P content was 2.26 g·kg-1. Compared to global and regional scales, woody plants in the riparian zone of the Dahuofang Reservoir exhibited higher N and P contents but lower N:P ratios. Compared to other riparian zones, woody plant leaves in the riparian zone of Dahuofang Reservoir had relatively high N content and N:P ratios. Variations in plant stoichiometric characteristics across different life forms were minimal, with only tree leaf P content significantly lower than its in shrubs. There was no significant correlation between leaf C, N, and P in woody plants, while specific leaf area showed a negative correlation with leaf C content. It was preliminarily determined that trees were more affected by N elements during the growing season. This study provides a scientific foundation for riparian restoration and environmental protection in the region.

As the threat of climate change and associated heatwaves grows, we need to understand how natural populations will respond. Inter-generational non-genetic inheritance may play a key role in rapid adaptation, but whether such mechanisms are truly adaptive and sufficient to protect wild populations is unclear. The contribution of paternal effects in particular is not fully understood, even though the male reproductive system may be highly sensitive to heatwaves. We used the zebrafish Danio rerio to investigate the effects of heatwaves on male fertility and assess potential adaptive benefits to their offspring in a number of large-scale heatwave experiments. Heatwave conditions had negative effects on male fertility by reducing gamete quality and fertilisation success, and we found indications of an adaptive effect on hatching in offspring produced by heatwave-exposed males. Our findings highlight the importance of including male and female fertility when determining species ability to cope with extreme conditions and suggest that parental effects provide limited adaptive benefits.

1. Introduction Ongoing climate change poses an increasing threat to biodiversity. To avoid decline or extinction, species need to either adjust or adapt to new environmental conditions or track their climatic niches across space. In sessile organisms such as plants, phenotypic plasticity can help maintain fitness in variable and even novel environmental conditions and is therefore likely to play an important role in allowing them to survive climate change, particularly in the short term. Understanding a species’ response to rising temperature is crucial for planning well-targeted and cost-effective conservation measures. 2. Methods We sampled seeds of three Hypericum species (H. maculatum, H. montanum, and H. perforatum), from a total of 23 populations originating from different parts of their native distribution areas in Europe. We grew them under four different temperature regimes in a greenhouse to simulate current and predicted future climatic conditions in the distribution areas. We measured flowering start, flower count, and subsequent seed weight, allowing us to study variations in the thermal plasticity of flowering phenology and its relation to fitness. 3. Results Our results show that individuals flowered earlier with increasing temperature, while the degree of phenological plasticity varied among species. More specifically, the plasticity of H. maculatum varied depending on population origin, with individuals from the leading range edge being less plastic. Importantly, we show a positive relationship between higher plasticity and increased flower production, indicating adaptive phenological plasticity. 4. Synthesis The observed connection between plasticity and fitness supports the idea that plasticity itself may be adaptive. This study underlines the need for information on plasticity for predicting species’ potential to thrive under global change and the need for studies on whether higher phenotypic plasticity is currently being selected for as natural populations experience a rapidly changing climate.

Objective: Exploring the evolving geographical distribution pattern of Tetracentron sinense and its main influencing factors since the last interglacial can provide a scientific foundation for the efficient conservation and administration of the species. Methods: The MaxEnt model was used to construct the potential distribution areas of T. sinense in different periods such as the last interglacial, the last glacial maximum, the Mid-Holocene, the current and future. On the premise of discussing the influence of dominant environmental factors on its distribution model, the suitable area changes of T. sinense under different ecological climate situations were quantitatively analyzed. Results: The AUC value predicted by the optimized model was 0.959, indicating a good predictive effect by the MaxEnt model; the potential suitable areas for T. sinense in the current are mainly located in southwest China, which are wider compared to the actual habitats. Jackknife testing showed that the lowest temperature in the coldest month, elevation, seasonal variation coefficient of temperature and surface calcium carbonate content are the dominant environmental factors affecting the distribution of T. sinense. From the last interglacial to the current, the total suitable area of T. sinense showed a decreasing trend; the distribution points of T. sinense populations in Mid-Holocene may be the origin of the postglacial population, and Southwest China may be its glacial biological refuge. Compared with the current, the total suitable area ranges of T. sinense in China in the future decreased, and the centroid location of its total fitness area all migrated to the northwest, with the largest migration distance in 2070s under the SSPs 7.0 climate scenario. Conclusion: Temperature was the most important factor affecting the distribution of T. sinense. With the global warming, its suitable area ranges will show a shrinking trend. Ex-situ conservation measures could be taken to preserve its germplasm resources.

Marine sponges are predicted to be winners in the future ocean due to their exemplary adaptive capacity. However, while many sponge groups exhibit tolerance to a wide range of environmental insults, calcifying sponges may be more susceptible to thermo-acidic stress. To describe the gene regulatory networks that govern the stress response of a calcareous sponge, Leucetta chagosensis (class Calcarea, order Clathrinida), individuals were subjected to warming and acidification conditions based on the climate models for 2100. Transcriptome analysis and gene co-expression network reconstruction revealed that the unfolded protein response (UPR) was activated under thermo-acidic stress. Among the upregulated genes were two lineage-specific homologs of X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), a transcription factor that activates the UPR. Alternative dimerization between these XBP1 gene products suggests a clathrinid-specific mechanism to reversibly sequester the transcription factor into an inactive form, enabling the rapid regulation of pathways linked to the UPR in clathrinid calcareous sponges. Our findings support the idea that transcription factor duplication events may refine evolutionarily conserved molecular pathways and contribute to ecological success.

Analyzing the temporal dynamics of ecological communities can shed light on coexistence mechanisms and help understand how populations and communities will behave in the face of climate change. However, little is known about how frog communities respond to climate in urban ecosystems, especially in the Global South. Here, we analyzed how frog species richness and abundance are influenced by microclimate both intra- and inter-annually. We surveyed a peri-urban area in central Brazil, monthly for three years. To test the effect of microclimate on species richness and abundance, we used Generalized Additive Mixed-effects Models. We assessed seasonality using circular statistics. We also tested for differences in temporal beta diversity within and among years by estimating species disappearance and temporal rank shift, in addition to a multivariate model-based method to test the effect of year on species composition. Finally, we tested how taxonomic and phylogenetic alpha diversity changed through time using a novel approach based on Hill numbers. We found that species richness varied little among years and was affected only by photoperiod, while species abundance was more variable both between and within years, being mostly affected by humidity, temperature, and photoperiod. Species composition varied little between years, mostly between the first and subsequent years. Conversely, beta diversity was highest within years. Only the effective taxonomic richness changed significantly through time. Our results help not only understand temporal mechanisms that allow species coexistence, but also allow to make inferences about the impact of urbanization on biodiversity in recently urbanized landscapes, showing that species composition in peri-urban sites remains unaltered in a mid-timescale, especially when climate conditions changes little across years.

Fjord systems in the Norwegian Arctic are experiencing an increasing frequency and magnitude of marine heatwaves. These episodic heat stress events can have varying degrees of acute impacts on primary production and nutrient uptake of mixed kelp communities, as well as modifying the biogeochemical cycling in nearshore systems where vast areas of kelp create structural habitat. To assess the impact of future marine heatwaves on kelp communities, we conducted a 23 d mesocosm experiment exposing mixed kelp communities to warming and heatwave scenarios projected for the year 2100. Three treatments were considered: a constant warming (+1.8C from the control), a medium magnitude and long duration heatwave event (+2.8C from the control for 13 d), and two short-term, more intense, heatwaves (5 d long scenarios with peaks at +3.9C from the control). The results show that both marine heatwave treatments reduced net community production whereas the constant warm temperature treatment displayed no difference from the control. The long marine heatwave scenario resulted in reduced accumulated net community production, indicating that prolonged exposure had a greater severity than two high magnitude, short-term heatwave events. We estimated an 11C temperature threshold at which negative effects to primary production appeared present. We highlight that marine heatwaves can induce sublethal effects on kelp communities by depressing net community production. These results are placed in the context of potential physiological resilience of kelp communities and implications of reduced net community production to future Arctic fjord environmental conditions.

Mountains play a crucial role in shaping the climate of an area and subsequently, the habitat and species that are suited to those particular conditions. Understanding the relationships between environmental conditions and their influence on the occurrence of a species is necessary to make informed decisions when conserving relevant habitats. This study evaluated and compared the potential for different interactions between climatic variables to describe the habitat preferences and the range of the Ladakh urial, a narrowly distributed sub-species of Ovis vignei, in the arid Himalayas. Habitat suitability models were created from spatially thinned presence-only occurrence data of 55 locations using a Maximum Entropy (Maxent) model. For this, we subdivided the modeled habitat into habitat categories with varying degrees of suitability. We identified a high cold precipitation to annual precipitation ratio typical of cold desert climates well suited to describe the highest quality habitat for urial. The inverse, low warm precipitation to annual precipitation ratio was found to better describe the urial’s range at the lower end of potential habitat. In this comparison, we observed that with the exclusion of unsuitable cold steppe habitat with a higher warm precipitation to annual precipitation ratio, we were able to refine the extent of this species range but at a tradeoff to the accurate description of high quality habitat. The results have implications for identifying areas for the conservation and management of the species in the high altitude rangelands of Ladakh.

Copepods are one of the most abundant invertebrate groups in the seas and oceans and are a significant food source for marine animals. Copepods are also particularly sensitive to elevated temperatures. However, it is relatively unknown the role of the internal microbiome in shaping copepod susceptibility to warming. We addressed this fundamental knowledge gap by assessing key life history traits (survival, development, reproduction), and changes in the internal microbiome in the tropical calanoid copepod Acartia sp. in response to warming (26, 30, and 34°C). Copepod microbiomes were analyzed using high throughput DNA sequencing of V1–V9 of 16S rRNA hypervariable regions. Copepod performance was better at 30°C than at 26°C as indicated by higher survival, faster growth rate and development, and higher fecundity. However, these parameters strongly decreased at 34°C. We recorded 1,262,987 amplicon sequence reads, corresponding to 392 total operational taxonomic units at 97% similarity. The copepod microbiomes contained Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Planctomycetes, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria. Importantly, the internal microbiota biodiversity was strongly reduced at higher temperatures. The highest number of OTUs was obtained at 26°C (126/392 OTUs), and the lowest was at 34°C (31/392 OTUs). The thermophilic Proteobacteria was dominant under elevated temperatures (30°C and 34°C). At 34°C, Vibrio accounted for 70% of bacterial species in copepods. The reduced OTUs number with an increased relative abundance of Vibrio seemed to be related to the reduced copepod growth and survival. Profiling the functional role of all internal bacterial groups as a function of the temperature change will fundamentally advance our mechanistic understanding of the performance of tropical copepods and, more generally, marine invertebrates to a warming climate.

Process-based models for range dynamics are urgently needed due to increasing intensity of human-induced biodiversity change. Despite a few existing models that focus on demographic processes, their use remains limited compared to the widespread application of correlative approaches. This slow adoption is largely due to the challenges in calibrating biological parameters and the high computational demands for large-scale applications. Moreover, increasing the number of simulated processes (i.e. mechanistic complexity) may further exacerbate those reasons of delay. Therefore, balancing mechanistic complexity and computational effectiveness of process-based models is a key area for improvement. A promising research direction is to expand demographically-explicit metapopulation models by integrating metabolic constraints. We translated and expanded a previously developed R metapopulation model to Julia language and published it as a Julia module. The model integrates species-specific parameters such as preferred environmental conditions, biomass, and dispersal ability with demographic rates (e.g. reproductive and mortality rates) derived from local temperature and biomass via the metabolic theory of ecology. We provide a simple application example for the model in which we illustrate a typical use case by predicting the future occurrence of Orchis militaris in Bavaria under different climate change scenarios. Our results show that climate change reduces habitat suitability overall, but some regions like the Franconian Forest and the Alps see increased suitability and abundance, confirming their role as refugia. Simulating metapopulation dynamics reveals that local population dynamics and dispersal are crucial for accurate predictions. For instance, increasing dispersal distance reduces overall abundance loss but also lessens population growth in refugia. This highlights the importance of measuring traits like dispersal ability to improve climate change forecasts.

The vertebrate skull is a complex structure, and studies of skull shape have yielded considerable insight into the evolutionary forces shaping specialized phenotypes in organisms as diverse as bats, frogs, and fossorial animals. Here, we used phylogenetic comparative analyses of CT scans of male skulls from 57 species of Sceloporus lizards to explore patterns of skull evolution in a group of generalist species. We found that most interspecific variation is in terms of skull and snout elongation such that some species have long, narrow snouts, whereas others exhibit more compact snouts and wide jaws. We also found strong links to overall body size, with evolutionary shifts to larger bodies being associated with more compact skulls and slower evolutionary rates. This is the opposite of the pattern in mammals in which larger-bodied species have longer snouts (likely reflecting developmental processes), and more like the pattern in frogs in which function has played a more important evolutionary role. Also, unlike other vertebrates, the jaw, anterior, and posterior parts of the Sceloporus skull are largely integrated, having evolved independently of each other only to a limited, albeit significant, degree. Our results emphasize the importance of body size in evolutionary shaping of the skull and suggest that additional studies of behavioral function in a generalist group are warranted.

Recent developments in microscopic and molecular tools have opened new avenues for assessing parasitic infections in wildlife populations. This is particularly important for the noninvasive detection and quantification of endoparasites in live animals. Here, we combined copromicroscopic (Mini-FLOTAC) and molecular (qPCR) techniques to detect the infection of the macroparasite Ligula intestinalis (Cestoda, Pseudophyllidea) in fresh droppings of Gull-billed Terns Gelochelidon nilotica (Charadriiformes, Laridae) breeding in southwestern Spain. Additionally, we sequenced the cytochrome b gene in parasite isolates from Gull-billed Terns (definitive host) and Common Bleak Alburnus alburnus (second intermediate host) sampled around tern colonies to explore potential genetic differences between the isolates. The qPCR test showed a higher prevalence (18%; in 13/73 samples) than Mini-FLOTAC (8%; in 7/87 samples), indicating that qPCR is more sensitive for diagnostic purposes than fecal flotation alone. Although the agreement between both techniques was substantial (84.2%) mainly due to the large number of uninfected samples, only Mini-FLOTAC allowed us to quantify parasite loads. When combining techniques, prevalence of infection did not differ between adults and chicks, suggesting frequent trophic transmission from parents to their offspring via food provisioning. Phylogenetic analyses identified four haplotypes in the isolates from Gull-billed Terns and Bleak, all of which were placed within a European clade composed of tapeworms recovered exclusively from phylogenetically derived cyprinid fish. This, combined with the short lifespan of mature tapeworms, suggests that Gull-billed Terns became infected after consuming infected fish around their breeding colonies rather than on their West African wintering grounds. Altogether, our results represent the first record of L. intestinalis in Gull-billed Terns and the first molecular characterization of the parasite for the Iberian Peninsula. This integrative copro-diagnostic protocol can be applied to other host–parasite systems, allowing researchers to study helminth infections in wild populations in a noninvasive manner.

Variations in coat morphology are well-documented among felids and are theorised to aid in camouflage during stalk and ambush hunting. A diverse array of coat types has arisen in Felis silvestris catus (feral cats) through domestication and subsequent selective breeding. This species has successfully spread across Australia over the past 200 years, raising the question of whether any specific coat types offer an adaptive advantage. We used 24 657 camera-trap images of feral cats in Tasmania, Australia, and assigned each cat observation a coat colour and pattern. We analysed these data to examine how different spatial features affect the presence or absence of coat types. We also tested if cats with differing coat types were active on different days in response to temporal features, including moon luminosity (full or new). Elevation was positively associated with the presence of orange (odds ratio= 1.74, 97.5% confidence interval= 1.25, 2.4) and tortoiseshell (odds ratio= 1.93, CI= 1.32, 2.83) cats, while blotched brown cats were negatively associated with elevation (odds ratio= 0.74, CI= 0.59, 0.93), relative to black cats. All coat types were 1.2 to 2 times more likely to be active on nights with a new moon, except for orange cats who were equally active regardless of moon luminosity (odds ratio= 0.94, CI= 0.62, 1.42). Our results indicate that coat types are equally successful across Tasmania, perhaps owing to naïve prey or limited predator competition. The high activity of orange cats irrespective of moon phase may be reflective of the male cat’s tendency to patrol territory, as opposed to favouring dark nights for hunting. Future studies should consider comparing the coat types found in feral cats to adjacent domestic populations, and against a wider array of habitat types to further investigate the potential for selective pressure on feral cat coat types in Australia.

Field monitoring plays a crucial role in understanding insect dynamics within ecosystems. It facilitates pest distribution assessment, control measure evaluation, and prediction of pest outbreaks. Additionally, it provides important information on bioindicators with which the state of biodiversity and ecological integrity in specific habitats and ecosystems can be accurately assessed. However, traditional monitoring systems can present various difficulties, leading to a limited temporal and spatial resolution of the obtained information. Despite recent advancements in automatic insect monitoring traps, also called e-traps, most of these systems focus exclusively on studying agricultural pests, rendering them unsuitable for monitoring diverse insect populations. To address this issue, we introduce the Field Automatic Insect Recognition (FAIR)-Device, a novel non-lethal field tool that relies on semi-automatic image capture and species identification using artificial intelligence via the iNaturalist platform. Our objective was to develop a low-effort, cost-effective, and non-specific monitoring solution capable of providing high-resolution data for assessing insect diversity. During a 26-day proof-of-concept evaluation, the FAIR-Device recorded 24.8 GB of video, identifying 431 individuals from 9 orders, 50 families, and 69 genera. While improvements are possible, our device demonstrated potential as a cost-effective, non-lethal tool for monitoring insect biodiversity. Looking ahead, we envision new monitoring systems such as e-traps as valuable tools for real-time insect monitoring, offering unprecedented insights for ecological research and agricultural practices.

Juvenile growth rates play an important role in demography, as they shorten time to maturity and often dictate how long individuals remain vulnerable to predation. However, developing a mechanistic understanding of the factors determining growth rates can be difficult for wild populations. The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is an ecosystem engineer threatened by loss and deficient management of its pineland habitats in the southeastern United States. To aid management, we investigated the factors governing growth of immature gopher tortoises and explored use of drone-based imagery as a habitat assessment tool. From 2021-2022, we captured, measured, and radio-tagged immature tortoises in native sandhill and human-modified, ruderal habitat in south-central Florida. We used quarterly, high-resolution drone imagery to quantify plant cover types and vegetation indices at each occupied burrow, and measured frequency of occurrence of forage species by hand. Annual growth rates of immature tortoises in ruderal, grass-dominated habitat were higher than those in shrub-dominated sandhill and were the highest published for this species (x̄ = 34.4 mm carapace length/year). Models based on drone-derived data were able to explain similar proportions of variation in growth as those based on ground-based measures of forage, especially for data acquired during the late dry season when both types of models were most predictive. Habitat differences in forage nitrogen content were also more pronounced during the late dry season. Despite concerns about potential growth-survival trade-offs, tortoises in ruderal habitat did not exhibit lower apparent survivorship. These findings indicate that habitat dominated by nutritious non-native grass can provide a valuable supplement to native sandhill through the mechanism of increased growth rates due to higher forage quality, especially in late dry season. Finally, our study demonstrates that drone technology may facilitate management by providing less labor-intensive ways to assess habitat quality for this and other imperiled herbivores.

Maintaining a healthy status is crucial for the successful captive breeding of critically endangered Rhinopithecus brelichi, it is conducive to ex situ conservation of this species and rejuvenation of its population. However, changes in the feeding environment and food can affect the composition and function of the gut microbiota in R. brelichi, ultimately impacting its health and adaptation. Herein, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was employed to determine the gut microbiota composition and functional variations between wild and captive R. brelichi populations. The results showed that the captive group had higher alpha diversity than the wild group, and significant differences were observed in their beta diversity. Captive and wild R. brelichi showed similar microbiota at the phylum level, which mainly comprised Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, and Spirochaetota, but captivity reduced the Firmicutes/Bacteroides ratio. LEfSe analysis revealed that the relative abundance of microbiota related to cellulose degradation, such as Prevotellaceae_UCG_001, Christensenellaceae_R_7_group, Ruminococcus, and Fibrobacter, differed significantly between the two groups. Furthermore, the potential pathogens Acinetobacter and Treponema were significantly abundant in wild and captive groups, respectively. Functional predictions demonstrated that the most significant functional pathways at the second level between captive and wild monkeys were carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolisms. The captive monkeys exhibited higher digestive capacity and endocrine regulation as well as a higher risk of infectious diseases than wild monkeys. These findings can serve as a valuable theoretical basis for promoting the healthy breeding of R. brelichi and as a guide for future evaluation of the health of wild and captive monkeys.