Article
Biology
Vera Weisbecker, Robin M. D. Beck, Thomas Guillerme, Arianna R. Harrington, Leonie Lange-Hodgson, Michael S. Y. Lee, Karine Mardon, Matthew J. Phillips
Summary: Incorporating morphological data into modern phylogenies can enhance divergence dating and macroevolutionary inferences. However, the usefulness of morphological data in phylogenetic reconstructions, especially in specific anatomical regions such as the basicranium, varies. This study demonstrates that basicranial data show less phylogenetic signal compared to the rest of the cranium, suggesting that easily computed metrics can provide guidance on phylogenetic information.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Zafar Iqbal, Shamsuddin Shahid, Kamal Ahmed, Tarmizi Ismail, Ghaith Falah Ziarh, Eun-Sung Chung, Xiaojun Wang
Summary: The study evaluated the performance of 35 GCMs of CMIP6 in replicating rainfall in Mainland South-East Asia. Most models were able to capture the rainfall climatology of the region, but their performance varied in terms of different metrics. The study identified MRI-ESM2-0, EC-Earth3 and EC-Earth3-Veg as the most suitable subset of GCMs for rainfall projections in MSEA.
ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biology
J. H. Arbour, A. A. Curtis, S. E. Santana
Summary: The study found that bats underwent profound adaptive divergences in skull shape during evolution, leading to significant changes in allometric relationships and modularity.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Maliwan Namkhan, George A. Gale, Tommaso Savini, Naruemon Tantipisanuh
Summary: The study estimated the loss of lowland tropical forests from 1998 to 2018 and evaluated the vulnerability of remaining forests. Results showed that over 120,000 square kilometers of forest were lost in the past 20 years, with more than 50% of the area disappearing. Most of the remaining forests at risk of destruction are located within protected areas.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Mengjie Wang, Qinfeng Guo, Anping Chen
Summary: This study used satellite data to analyze the changes in tropical forests in mainland Southeast Asia. The results showed that during the period from 2000 to 2020, tropical forests gradually transformed into savannahs, and the reasons for this transformation varied in different time periods. In the early period, the increase in savannahs was mainly due to tree regeneration from grasslands, while in the recent period, the degradation of forests was the main cause. This study provides important references for land management and tropical forest protection.
Article
Zoology
Martin Haase, Stefan Meng, Michal Horsak
Summary: Species are forced to disperse or adapt locally either genetically or via phenotypic plasticity in response to changing environmental conditions. Predictability of genetic adaptation is limited, but understanding of evolutionary adaptation is improving through studies of parallel adaptation.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Yishan Li, Hui Lu, Dara Entekhabi, Daniel J. Short Gianotti, Kun Yang, Caihong Luo, Andrew F. Feldman, Wei Wang, Ruijie Jiang
Summary: This study develops a soil moisture drought index based solely on satellite soil moisture to assess drought in Mainland Southeast Asia. The study reports on an exceptionally severe drought in Mainland Southeast Asia in 2016, which is believed to be strongly linked to the 2015-2016 super El Nino event.
IEEE JOURNAL OF SELECTED TOPICS IN APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATIONS AND REMOTE SENSING
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shannon Brandt, Catherine Sole, Robin Lyle
Summary: The Karoo region in South Africa is facing development pressure due to economic incentives. The species diversity in the area is largely unknown. A phylogenetic analysis of Stasimopus, a difficult-to-identify spider genus, was conducted to understand the relationships between species in the region. However, the species delimitation methods used were unsuccessful, indicating the need for alternative methods to accurately identify and define species in order to understand the true species diversity of Stasimopus.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Jana Christophoryova, Katarina Krajcovicova, Frantisek Stahlavsky, Stanislav Spaniel, Vera Opatova
Summary: Pseudoscorpions are a widespread, but often overlooked group of animals with small body size and homogeneous appearance. In this study, an integrative approach combining molecular, cytogenetic, and morphological analyses was implemented to assess species boundaries in European Lamprochernes populations. The results revealed the existence of a new Lamprochernes species, Lamprochernes abditus sp. nov., which can only be distinguished from its closest relative by molecular and cytogenetic differences or a complex multivariate morphometric analysis involving other Lamprochernes species. The study also suggests that phoresy is an efficient mode of dispersal in the genus Lamprochernes.
Article
Zoology
Islam Gunduz, Sadik Demirtas, Metin Silsupur, Medine Ozmen, P. David Polly, David T. Bilton
Summary: Subterranean life is characterized by morphological cryptic lineages, and this is also true for moles. In this study, the systematics and evolution of the Talpa davidiana group in Eastern Anatolia/Iran were explored using genetic and morphometric data. Four taxa were identified, including two newly described species. Molecular species delimitation analyses supported taxonomic hypotheses and revealed additional cryptic lineages. The study also recognized T. transcaucasica as a distinct species from T. levantis, increasing the number of known extant taxa in Eurasian Talpa to 18.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Danial Hariz Zainal Abidin, Siti Azizah Mohd Nor, Sebastien Lavoue, Masazurah A. Rahim, Noorul Azliana Jamaludin, Noor Adelyna Mohammed Akib
Summary: The Merbok Estuary is one of the largest remaining mangrove forests in Peninsular Malaysia, providing important services to local and global communities. A recent study used DNA barcoding to reassess the fish diversity, revealing 139 Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) and calling for further taxonomic investigations. This research highlights the benefits of combining morphological and molecular evidence to study poorly understood tropical fish communities.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Parin Jirapatrasilp, Piyoros Tongkerd, Ekgachai Jeratthitikul, Thor-Seng Liew, Arthit Pholyotha, Chirasak Sutcharit, Somsak Panha
Summary: Members of the terrestrial snail family Dyakiidae from Southeast Asia exhibit distinct geographical distribution patterns and varying degrees of complexity in their amatorial organ gland. A new genus and species, Pseudoquantula lenticularis, was discovered, and mainland Southeast Asia was identified as the ancestral range of Dyakiidae. The study also found that all 14 morphological characters used were homoplastic, and the enigmatic genus Pseudoplecta exhibited secondary loss of the amatorial organ gland.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Debashree Tagore, Partha P. Majumder, Anupam Chatterjee, Analabha Basu
Summary: This study on the population genetics of the Khasi people in Northeast India found that they are genetically distinct from other Austroasiatic speakers but relatively similar to the geographically proximal Tibeto Burmans. This genetic-linguistic discordance is likely due to different migration events from East Asia.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lea Douchet, Cyrille Goarant, Morgan Mangeas, Christophe Menkes, Soawapak Hinjoy, Vincent Herbreteau
Summary: This study investigates the current and future burden of leptospirosis in mainland Southeast Asia, focusing on the environmental determinants of the disease. The study finds that climate and environmental factors play a major role in leptospirosis incidence in the region. Surprisingly, the worst-case scenario of climate change appears to result in a decline in disease incidence due to increased temperatures. However, regional variations exist, with some areas showing increased incidence. The study highlights the importance of considering climate and environment in understanding and predicting leptospirosis dynamics.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kantapon Suraprasit, Rasmi Shoocongdej, Kanoknart Chintakanon, Herve Bocherens
Summary: This study examines the settlement of highland areas in mainland Southeast Asia during the late Pleistocene, focusing on the Tham Lod Rockshelter in northwestern Thailand. Analysis of stable carbon isotope results suggests long-term opportunistic behavior among hunter-gatherers in foraging on a variety of food items in a mosaic environment. The study reinforces the extension of a forest-grassland mosaic ecosystem or savanna corridor farther north into northwestern Thailand, facilitating the dispersal of hunter-gatherers across mountainous areas and potentially allowing for consistency in human subsistence strategy and technology over a 20,000-year span near the end of the Pleistocene.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
