Article
Environmental Sciences
Cannelle Tassin de Montaigu, Dave Goulson
Summary: This study investigated the impact of pesticide usage on butterfly and bumblebee populations in gardens across the UK. The results showed that urbanization and garden quality were the main factors affecting insect populations, and the effects of pesticides were relatively weak.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Biology
Erica N. Spotswood, Erin E. Beller, Robin Grossinger, J. Letitia Grenier, Nicole E. Heller, Myla F. J. Aronson
Summary: Cities are not only embedded within their surrounding landscapes but also ecologically linked to them, supporting various species and providing potential benefits to regional ecosystems. Identifying and recognizing these pathways can assist in developing effective strategies for supporting regional biodiversity conservation alongside urban greening goals.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Hannah Duff, Diane Debinski, Bruce D. Maxwell
Summary: Meeting global food demand while reducing biodiversity loss requires quantifying and minimizing tradeoffs between conservation and production in agroecosystems. Ecological refugia can enhance biodiversity and crop quality, but plant and arthropod diversity decline with increasing distance from the refugia.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Florian Fumy, Thomas Fartmann
Summary: This study investigated the species richness of threatened butterflies and grasshoppers in mire and grassland ecosystems in the southern Black Forest in SW Germany. The study found significant differences in environmental conditions and assemblage composition of threatened butterfly and grasshopper species in different habitat types. Land-use intensity was identified as the key driver of habitat heterogeneity and species richness of threatened butterflies and grasshoppers. Recommendations were made for a conservation policy that promotes low-intensity land use and continuous large-scale cattle grazing.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Tamara Rischen, Matilda Kaffenberger, Eva Plath, Jessica Wolff, Klaus Fischer
Summary: Arthropod biodiversity in agricultural landscapes is influenced by compositional and configurational heterogeneity. Boundaries as habitats enhance the taxonomic diversity of carabid beetles and spiders, suggesting their value. Increasing configurational heterogeneity seems important for preserving farmland biodiversity.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Muhammad Syafiq Yahya, Sharifah Nur Atikah, Izereen Mukri, Ruzana Sanusi, Ahmad Razi Norhisham, Badrul Azhar
Summary: The suitability of different agricultural land-use types for supporting bird biodiversity was investigated in Peninsular Malaysia. The study found that agroforestry orchards have greater bird species richness and abundance compared to oil palm and rubber tree plantations. The findings suggest that incorporating diverse native fruit trees into large-scale monoculture plantations could improve bird conservation and ecosystem services.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Qilong Tian, Xiaoping Zhang, Xiaoming Xu, Haijie Yi, Jie He, Liang He, Weinan Sun
Summary: The coexistence between species is crucial for vegetation restoration and ecological environment improvement on the Loess Plateau. The study reveals that species can reduce competition and promote coexistence through spatial heterogeneity and temporal asynchronous differences. The ecological niche overlap index is positively correlated with the strength of interspecific associations.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jani Heino, Jorge Garcia Giron, Heikki Hamalainen, Seppo Hellsten, Jari Ilmonen, Juha Karjalainen, Teemu Makinen, Kristiina Nyholm, Janne Ropponen, Antti Takolander, Kimmo T. Tolonen
Summary: This study proposes a novel approach to conservation planning that takes into account taxonomic uniqueness, functional uniqueness, and environmental uniqueness. The results demonstrate that certain sites can help protect a significant portion of the ecological uniqueness of a lake. This approach can be applied to different ecosystems and spatial scales.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Liam P. Crowther, James J. Gilroy, Robert W. Hawkes, Will J. Peach, Daniel Salliss, Jonathan R. Webb, Paul M. Dolman
Summary: Nature recovery actions often focus on small species subsets or generic habitat features without a complete understanding of their ecological needs, leading to continued biodiversity losses. Spatially-targeted audits of biodiversity information can improve outcomes by tailoring actions to the specific requirements of local species pools. Integrating this approach into environmental policies, such as the EU's 2030 Biodiversity Strategy and the UK Environment Act 2021's LNRS, can transform conservation practices at a bioregional scale.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Wenbo Wang, Yufeng Yang, Zongbin Cui, Mianrun Chen, Xiao Ma, Qing Wang
Summary: This study collected bdelloid rotifers from moss and leaf litter habitats in a small area in Changde City, China. Morphological methods and DNA taxonomy were used to examine species diversity and habitat preferences. The results showed significant differences in species richness and community composition between moss and leaf litter habitats. Genetic diversity also differed between habitats. These findings suggest that bdelloid rotifers can be used as indicators of heterogeneous habitats and provide an ecological basis for their conservation.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Thomas Fartmann, Marco Drung, Ole Henning, Franz Loeffler, Jonas Brueggeshemke
Summary: Common juniper plays a significant role as a keystone species in both calcareous grasslands and heathlands, positively affecting the species richness and abundance of breeding birds.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
L. Piazzi, F. Atzori, N. Cadoni, M. F. Cinti, F. Frau, G. Ceccherelli
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate the role of depth and habitat in the spread of macroalgal nonindigenous species (NIS) in a Mediterranean Marine Protected Area (MPA). NIS abundance was influenced by substrate, depth, and time, but the lack of significant interannual variability indicated that the spread of these NISs may not expand further in the MPA at the habitat scale. Detailed monitoring with consideration of different habitats and depths, using suitable sampling methods as required by international directives, is crucial for assessing NIS establishment and spread.
OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Briana Holgate, Ramona Maggini, Susan Fuller
Summary: As urbanisation rates continue to rise, habitat destruction in peri-urban areas has led to significant environmental impacts, emphasizing the need for effective monitoring of biodiversity and ecosystem health using acoustic recording. By mapping biodiversity patterns in space and time with ecoacoustic monitoring, hot spots and hot moments of biodiversity activity can be identified, supporting informed conservation decision-making and ecological urban design in future urban planning frameworks.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Topi K. Lehtonen, Natarsha L. Babic, Timo Piepponen, Otso Valkeeniemi, Anna-Maria Borshagovski, Arja Kaitala
Summary: In a human-modified landscape, the European common glow-worm larvae exhibit a strongly female-biased dispersal behavior, selecting to move through roads, but often perishing when run over by vehicles. This highlights roads as potential ecological traps for female glow-worm larvae in modern society.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marufa Sultana, Luca Corlatti, Ilse Storch
Summary: By analyzing bird data from South Asian cities, this study found a significant impact of the interaction between habitat heterogeneity and human built-up extent on local bird species richness. The results suggest that high urbanized areas require increased habitat heterogeneity to maintain high levels of local bird diversity.
Article
Fisheries
Ada Barbanera, Lars Markesteijn, James Kairo, Gabriel A. Juma, Simon Karythis, Martin W. Skov
Summary: Structural degradation of mangroves through tree removal has a negative impact on faunal diversity, with reductions in abundance, species richness, and biodiversity. Canopy cover is a critical predictor of faunal responses, and functional composition changes with increasing degradation.
MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
E. McKinley, R. Harvey, R. C. Ballinger, K. Davidson, J. N. Griffin, M. W. Skov
Summary: Coastal wetlands such as saltmarshes provide valuable ecosystem services to local communities and industries, supporting their well-being. This study focuses on the status and impact of saltmarsh livestock grazing in Wales, UK, highlighting the need for an integrated approach to the management of these wetlands that considers their social, cultural, economic, and environmental values.
OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Kristina O. Paler, Ian Dominic F. Tabanag, Francis Dave C. Siacor, Paul John L. Geraldino, Mark Edward M. Walton, Christian Dunn, Martin W. Skov, Jan G. Hiddink, Evelyn B. Taboada
Summary: The Philippines is one of the major marine plastic litter polluters in the world, discharging approximately 0.75 million tons of marine plastic debris per year. Mangroves serve as major traps for plastic litter, which may adversely affect the marine ecosystem. The study highlights the urgent need for waste mitigation measures.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Patricia Masterson-Algar, Stuart R. Jenkins, Gill Windle, Elisabeth Morris-Webb, Camila K. Takahashi, Trys Burke, Isabel Rosa, Aline S. Martinez, Emanuela B. Torres-Mattos, Renzo Taddei, Val Morrison, Paula Kasten, Lucy Bryning, Nara R. Cruz de Oliveira, Leandra R. Goncalves, Martin W. Skov, Ceri Beynon-Davies, Janaina Bumbeer, Paulo H. N. Saldiva, Eliseth Leao, Ronaldo A. Christofoletti
Summary: This article presents the outcomes of international meetings between researchers, stakeholders, and policymakers from the United Kingdom and Brazil. It proposes a model for interdisciplinary work under global agendas, particularly the interface between One Health and the UN Ocean Decade, and identifies three priority research areas: human-nature connection, conservation-human behavior, and implementation strategies.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Carmen L. David, Martin P. Marzloff, Antony M. Knights, Phillipe Cugier, Flavia L. D. Nunes, Celine Cordier, Louise B. Firth, Stanislas F. Dubois
Summary: This study examines the importance of connectivity and network coherence in conservation efforts for Sabellaria alveolata reefs. The research reveals the role of larval dispersal in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. 0.000657
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Paula de la Barra, Martin W. Skov, Peter J. Lawrence, Juan I. Schiaffi, Jan G. Hiddink
Summary: The research found that water exchange volume in coastal salt marshes can increase the abundance of fishes and crustaceans, while the edge amount does not have a significant impact. Crab and sea bass sizes are negatively affected by water exchange, whereas shrimp and fish sizes remain unaffected.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Craig Smeaton, Annette Burden, Paulina Ruranska, Cai J. T. Ladd, Angus Garbutt, Laurence Jones, Lucy McMahon, Lucy C. C. Miller, Martin W. W. Skov, William E. N. Austin
Summary: A new dataset combining geochemical and physical property data from 752 soil samples collected by citizen scientists has allowed for the first national estimates of the surficial soil organic carbon (OC) stock for Great British saltmarshes. The development of a new organic matter to organic carbon conversion method specifically for GB saltmarsh soil has enabled the inclusion of secondary data in the soil stock estimate.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Lucy C. M. Omeyer, Emily M. Duncan, Kornrawee Aiemsomboon, Nicola Beaumont, Sujaree Bureekul, Bin Cao, Luis R. Carrasco, Suchana Chavanich, James R. Clark, Muhammad R. Cordova, Fay Couceiro, Simon M. Cragg, Neil Dickson, Pierre Failler, Gianluca Ferraro, Stephen Fletcher, Jenny Fong, Alex T. Ford, Tony Gutierrez, Fauziah Shahul Hamid, Jan G. Hiddink, Pham T. Hoa, Sophie I. Holland, Lowenna Jones, Nia H. Jones, Heather Koldewey, Federico M. Lauro, Charlotte Lee, Matt Lewis, Danny Marks, Sabine Matallana-Surget, Claudia G. Mayorga-Adame, John McGeehan, Lauren F. Messer, Laura Michie, Michelle A. Miller, Zeeda F. Mohamad, Nur Hazimah Mohamed Nor, Moritz Miller, Simon P. Neill, Sarah E. Nelms, Deo Florence L. Onda, Joyce J. L. Ong, Agamuthu Pariatamby, Sui C. Phang, Richard Quilliam, Peter E. Robins, Maria Salta, Aida Sartimbul, Shiori Shakuto, Martin W. Skov, Evelyn B. Taboada, Peter A. Todd, Tai Chong Toh, Suresh Valiyaveettil, Voranop Viyakarn, Passorn Wonnapinij, Louisa E. Wood, Clara L. X. Yong, Brendan J. Godley
Summary: Southeast Asia is considered to have high levels of marine plastic pollution, and it is important to understand its impacts and risks to marine ecosystems in order to develop mitigation measures. An international network of experts from various countries has set a research agenda for marine plastic pollution in the region, identifying key themes and research questions. Understanding the fate, degradation, and impacts of marine plastic pollution is crucial for tackling the issue effectively in Southeast Asia and providing insights for the rest of the world.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Victoria G. Mason, Martin W. Skov, Jan Geert Hiddink, Mark Walton
Summary: This study used meta-analysis to reveal the negative impacts of microplastics on seabed invertebrates, including feeding, survival, and energetics. The organisms exposed to microplastics showed negative responses compared to control groups, with embryos being the most strongly affected. Six out of seven biological processes were negatively impacted, and survival decreased significantly. The findings indicate that plastic pollution could have significant and enduring effects on the functioning of the ocean.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Amelia Curd, Mathieu Chevalier, Mickael Vasquez, Aurelien Boye, Louise B. Firth, Martin P. Marzloff, Lucy M. Bricheno, Michael T. Burrows, Laura E. Bush, Celine Cordier, Andrew J. Davies, J. A. Mattias Green, Stephen J. Hawkins, Fernando P. Lima, Claudia Meneghesso, Nova Mieszkowska, Rui Seabra, Stanislas F. Dubois
Summary: Distributional shifts in species ranges provide critical evidence of ecological responses to climate change. Assessments of climate-driven changes typically focus on broad-scale range shifts, but overlook ecological consequences at regional and local scales. This study uses an ecosystem engineer species, Sabellaria alveolata, to assess climate-driven changes within its fragmented distribution using landscape ecology metrics and species distribution modeling.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Louise B. Firth, Andy Foggo, Thomas Watts, Antony M. Knights, Stacey de Amicis
Summary: This study reveals that limpets may act as a previously unreported transport mechanism, introducing the invasive species S. muticum into sensitive habitats and reducing the defensive capabilities of the seagrass Z. marina. However, Z. marina shows some resilience to the effects of S. muticum on photosynthesis.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Victoria G. Mason, Annette Burden, Graham Epstein, Lucy L. Jupe, Kevin A. Wood, Martin W. Skov
Summary: Coastal saltmarsh restoration can efficiently store carbon and uptake greenhouse gases. Globally, saltmarshes store approximately 1.41-2.44 Pg carbon. Restored saltmarshes have low greenhouse gas emissions and rapid carbon accumulation, with the potential to offset up to 0.51% of global energy-related CO2 emissions.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Julien Petillon, Emma McKinley, Meghan Alexander, Janine B. Adams, Christine Angelini, Thorsten Balke, John N. Griffin, Tjeerd Bouma, Sally Hacker, Qiang He, Marc J. S. Hensel, Carles Ibanez, Peter Macreadie, Simone Martino, Elwyn Sharps, Rhoda Ballinger, Davide de Battisti, Nicola Beaumont, Daryl Burdon, Pedro Daleo, Andrea D'Alpaos, Mollie Duggan-Edwards, Angus Garbutt, Stuart Jenkins, Cai J. T. Ladd, Heather Lewis, Giulio Mariotti, Osgur McDermott, Rachael Mills, Iris Moller, Stefanie Nolte, Jordi F. Pages, Brian Silliman, Liquan Zhang, Martin W. Skov
Summary: Coastal saltmarshes provide important ecosystem services globally, but are facing threats from land reclamation, pollution, and sea level rise. Research-informed conservation and restoration efforts are helping to prevent further loss, but there are still significant knowledge gaps.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Louise B. Firth, Mark Farnworth, Keiron P. P. Fraser, Abigail McQuatters-Gollop
Summary: In the marine environment, natural reef habitats are threatened by human activities. Reef-based ecotourism can benefit local economies, but it can also damage sensitive habitats. One solution is the use of artificial reefs near popular dive sites. A survey of recreational divers showed that most prefer natural habitats due to biodiversity, but few recognize the importance of artificial reefs in diverting pressure from sensitive natural habitats.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Axelle Amstutz, Louise B. Firth, Andy Foggo, John Spicer, Mick E. Hanley
Summary: The study found that polar-facing macroalgal communities had higher taxonomic diversity and functional trait expression, while equator-facing surfaces were dominated by desiccation-tolerant fucoids. These differences may impact the communities' resilience to environmental disturbances.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emily Curren, Sandric Chee Yew Leong
Summary: Microplastics in marine ecosystems serve as microhabitats for diverse toxic plankton species, including viable resting cysts of dinoflagellates. The diversity of plankton communities on the plastisphere is influenced by anthropogenic factors. This study highlights the importance of plastics as vectors for the transport of harmful opportunistic species in the marine environment.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vladimir G. Dvoretsky, Alexander G. Dvoretsky
Summary: The Barents Sea, as the largest Arctic shelf region, plays a vital role in supporting commercial fisheries. The ecosystem of this region is significantly influenced by both warm Atlantic Water (AW) and cold Arctic Water (ARW), resulting in distinct frontal zones. This study found that copepod populations, particularly herbivorous copepods, were most abundant and productive in the Polar Front, as well as in the eastern frontal zones. The geographic positions of sampling stations, depth, and chlorophyll a concentration were identified as the main factors influencing copepod biomass and production.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alberto Rovellini, Charlotte L. Mortimer, Matthew R. Dunn, Elizabeth A. Fulton, Jamaluddin Jompa, Abdul Haris, James J. Bell
Summary: This study compared the structural complexity of coral- and sponge-dominated areas of an Indonesian coral reef using 3D photogrammetry. The results showed that smaller-scale refugia were reduced in sponge-dominated reefs, potentially impacting smaller reef fauna.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2024)
