Article
Ecology
Akira S. Mori, Forest Isbell, Marc W. Cadotte
Summary: Biodiversity changes can have serious consequences for ecosystem functionality. This study introduces different methods to assess the relationship between diversity and multifunctionality, focusing on redundancy/uniqueness and the influence of the number and identity of functions. The results highlight the importance of retaining high levels of diversity in managed assemblages and emphasize the need to unravel the hierarchical roles of biodiversity. Understanding the relationship between biodiversity and multifunctionality is crucial for both theory and practice.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Peter Debaere, Tianshu Li
Summary: The study finds that the water market reforms in the Murray-Darling Basin in Australia have led to changes in water allocation, particularly during drought periods. Technological improvements have helped increase water productivity, and there has been a shift in activity between agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Yadav Uprety, Hugo Asselin
Summary: Major socio-economic changes have led to decreased engagement of Indigenous peoples in cultural practices, including forest resource harvesting. However, the chiuri tree remains crucial to the Chepang people of Central Nepal, providing cultural, subsistence, and livelihood benefits that no other species can replicate. While strict tree ownership rules and cultural bans on cutting and lopping have helped in chiuri conservation, adherence to these rules is declining. Bee foraging and bat hunting pose additional threats to chiuri sustainability. Further research is needed to assess these threats and adjust management practices to ensure the continued benefits to the Chepang people. Our study highlights the usefulness of the cultural keystone species framework in landscape assessment and conservation management.
Article
Limnology
Thida Swe, Paola Lombardo, Andreas Ballot, Jan-Erik Thrane, James Sample, Tor Erik Eriksen, Marit Mjelde
Summary: Inlay Lake in Myanmar is the country's second largest natural lake and is negatively impacted by increasing local human population, agriculture, and tourism. Surveys show that the lake has good water quality, but higher nutrient concentrations near the shore. The abundance of submerged macrophytes is crucial for water quality and clarity in the lake.
Article
Environmental Studies
Zhaiting Yang, Huiqin Liu, Youwei Jiang, Zhuyun Zhang
Summary: Inefficiency and environmental degradation in China's resource markets are impeding the country's green economic recovery. This study examines the impact of innovative strategies on efficiency and sustainability in these markets using a NARDL model. The findings indicate that technological advancements and market-based incentives have a more immediate effect on resource market efficiency compared to policy reforms, and the impact of innovative strategies is nonlinear and asymmetric.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rodrigo Oyanedel, Stefan Gelcich, E. J. Milner-Gulland
Summary: Understanding how markets drive unsustainable wildlife use is crucial for biodiversity conservation. Interventions need to integrate analyses at the actor, inter-actor, and market levels to effectively tackle wildlife market dynamics.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Patrick Bustrel Choungo Nguekeng, Prasad Hendre, Zacharie Tchoundjeu, Marie Kalousova, Armelle Verdiane Tchanou Tchapda, Dennis Kyereh, Eliot Masters, Bohdan Lojka
Summary: Vitellaria paradoxa is a multipurpose tree species found in sub-Saharan Africa, providing nutritional and economic resources as well as environmental services. Integration of the species into land-use systems is essential for livelihoods and income of local populations. The economic potential of the shea butter tree lies in its edible products, which are also used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Francesco Piras, Alessandra Bazzurro, Beatrice Fiore, Federica Romano, Antonio Santoro
Summary: This study explores the relationship between land use changes and ecotone characteristics and changes in two Italian cultural landscapes. The findings indicate that land use changes have different impacts on ecotone characteristics and changes in different sites, highlighting the site-specific nature of this relationship.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Maria Julia Ferreira, Carolina Levis, Leonardo Chaves, Charles Roland Clement, Gustavo Taboada Soldati
Summary: This study synthesized the management practices used by small-scale societies in the South American savannas and demonstrated the importance of this management in maintaining diverse ecosystems. The findings showed that these management practices help to keep the savannas open and increase the occurrence of forest ecosystems.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Thomas P. Moore, Catherine M. Febria, Angus R. McIntosh, Helen J. Warburton, Jon S. Harding
Summary: The study found that commonly used biotic indices were unable to accurately detect the effects of high nitrate concentrations. Additionally, the results suggest that in systems affected by high nutrient concentrations, sensitive taxa may have already been lost.
WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aneta Bylak, Krzysztof Kukula, Bernadetta Ortyl, Elzbieta Halon, Agata Demczyk, Kinga Janora-Holyszko, Justyna Maternia, Lukasz Szczurowski, Jolanta Ziobro
Summary: Urban expansion and increasing human pressure can cause significant changes in the environment, including the degradation of aquatic ecosystems. However, efforts are often made during urban expansion to provide residents with access to nature. This study analyzed the changes in a submontane stream catchment area in Poland as the city boundaries extended, as well as the impact of urbanization on the ecological conditions of the urban stream and its potential to provide ecosystem services.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Line Holm Andersen, Petri Nummi, Jeppe Rafn, Cecilie Majgaard Skak Frederiksen, Mads Prengel Kristjansen, Torben Linding Lauridsen, Kristian Trojelsgaard, Cino Pertoldi, Dan Bruhn, Simon Bahrndorff
Summary: The study investigated the effects of reed harvest on invertebrate communities, finding that different ages of reed beds have varying impacts on invertebrate biomass and biodiversity, with the youngest reed beds supporting high biomass and the oldest reed beds supporting high biodiversity.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shuaifei Duan, Fang Han, Feng Li, Zhaoping Yang
Summary: The Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon (YTGC) region in China serves as an important gene bank for mountain biological species and provides an exceptional environment for scientists to study organism differentiation. This study evaluates the ecological value of the region and identifies the extremely important areas for conservation. The findings can be used to establish national parks for strict conservation and guide the construction of biodiversity conservation corridors.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Economics
George Halkos, Steriani Matsiori
Summary: The purpose of this research is to investigate how citizens understand and cope with issues related to biodiversity management and utility, as well as the motives that lead society to support or take part in actions for biodiversity protection. The results indicate the relative importance of the region to respondents' perceptions of knowledge and concern about biodiversity.
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND POLICY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chiara Arrighi, Fabio Castelli
Summary: This study aims to predict the ecological status of rivers based on easily accessible geospatial data such as land use, climate, morphology, and water management parameters. The results show a significant correlation between summer climate, land use, water exploitation, and ecological status. The Random Forest algorithm achieves an 80% precision in predicting ecological status, and all classifiers have a higher capability of predicting at least good ecological status.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Mariana Zarazua-Carbajal, Michelle Chavez-Gutierrez, Yessica Romero-Bautista, Selene Rangel-Landa, Ana Isabel Moreno-Calles, Luis Fernando Alvarado Ramos, Sandra E. Smith, Jose Blancas, Ek del Val, Maria del Coro Arizmendi, Alejandro Casas
JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE
(2020)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Gonzalo D. Alvarez-Rios, Carmen Julia Figueredo-Urbina, Alejandro Casas
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Francisco J. Rendon-Sandoval, Alejandro Casas, Ana I. Moreno-Calles, Ignacio Torres-Garcia, Eduardo Garcia-Frapolli
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Miriam Itzel Linares-Rosas, Benigno Gomez, Elda Miriam Aldasoro-Maya, Alejandro Casas
Summary: This study documents and analyses the contemporary Nahua knowledge, beliefs, and practices related to herpetofauna in the communities of Aticpac and Xaltepec in central Mexico. The research emphasizes the cultural relevance of snakes and identifies four general classificatory categories for herpetofauna based on local Nahua knowledge. Despite perceptions of danger, beliefs, and actual snake bites, some snakes are still tolerated and even maintained in captivity.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Cesar Ojeda-Linares, Gonzalo D. Alvarez-Rios, Carmen Julia Figueredo-Urbina, Luis Alfredo Islas, Patricia Lappe-Oliveras, Gary Paul Nabhan, Ignacio Torres-Garcia, Mariana Vallejo, Alejandro Casas
Summary: Mexico is a key region for the domestication of edible plant species, with its cuisine considered an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Traditional Mexican fermented beverages (TMFB) are diverse, but some are endangered, highlighting the need for conservation efforts. Research focuses on microbiological applications of certain bacteria and yeasts, but there is a lack of attention on uncommon beverages and cultural aspects. TMFB are valuable biocultural reservoirs that require policies to promote their conservation.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Sofia Monroy-Sais, Eduardo Garcia-Frapolli, Alejandro Casas, Francisco Mora, Margaret Skutsch, Peter R. W. Gerritsen
Summary: This research explores the values attributed to plants and management activities related to them in two communities in Mexico. The study found that participants in the Indigenous community value and manage more wild plant resources compared to those in the non-Indigenous community. The research also revealed the relationship between plant resource values and the type of management performed.
AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN VALUES
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Luz P. Llamas-Guzman, Elena Lazos Chavero, Hugo R. Perales Rivera, Alejandro Casas
Summary: This study investigates the seed exchange networks among farmers in the Mexican state of Tlaxcala and their impact on agrobiodiversity conservation. The research reveals the important role of nodal farmers in facilitating the circulation of crop varieties and contributing to the maintenance of agrobiodiversity.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ruben Ortega-Alvarez, Alejandro Casas
Summary: This study assessed the human and avian feeding use in the biocultural landscape of Jardin, Colombia, using a socioecological approach. The results showed that farms play a crucial role in providing food for both humans and birds, while forests have limited importance in food provision for humans.
Article
Forestry
Mariano Torres-Gomez, Roberto Garibay-Orijel, Diego R. Perez-Salicrup, Alejandro Casas, Mario Guevara
Summary: This study investigates the use and knowledge of wild edible mushrooms in central Mexico, highlighting the lower knowledge and use of these mushrooms in Mestizo communities compared to Indigenous communities. The study emphasizes the underutilization of fungal resources and the need for promoting mycological knowledge for enhancing forest conservation policies.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Heike Vibrans, Alejandro Casas
Summary: This work examines the development of ethnobotany in Mexico in the 21st century, analyzing the growth in terms of quantity, the importance of Spanish, development reasons, and inflection points. The trajectory of ethnobotany aligns with a cyclical model of scientific advancement, transitioning from the initial defining stage to the first synthesis, followed by a rapid growth in descriptive studies, and currently turning towards theory and framework construction. The causes for advances in medicinal plants, agriculture, and wild-growing resources are discussed.
BOTANICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Hernan Alvarado-Sizzo, Alejandro Casas
Summary: This study evaluated the genetic variation of four species forming the Stenocereus griseus complex, and found differentiation among populations under different management. The study also revealed phylogeographic patterns of the complex, with higher genetic differentiation within populations and genetic diversity and differentiation associated with spatial factors rather than management.
GENETIC RESOURCES AND CROP EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Xitlali Aguirre-Dugua, Alejandro Casas, Santiago Ramirez-Barahona, Edgar Perez-Negron
Summary: This study investigated the phylogeographic structure of Crescentia alata and its relationship with past climatic changes, as well as the genetic diversity levels of homegarden populations and their association with human management. The results revealed a latitudinal pattern of phylogeographic structure with geographical barriers in the northern Pacific Ocean and the Tehuantepec Isthmus. Homegarden populations shared chloroplast haplotypes with wild populations, indicating that human management has not modified the natural phylogeographic structure of C. alata.
BOTANICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Xitlali Aguirre-Dugua, Alejandro Casas, Santiago Ramirez-Barahona, Edgar Perez-Negron
Summary: The study on Crescentia alata in Mexico and Central America revealed a latitudinal pattern of phylogeographic structure, with homegarden populations showing unaffected genetic diversity levels due to human management, serving as a genetic reservoir.
BOTANICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Charles R. Clement, Alejandro Casas, Fabiola Alexandra Parra-Rondinel, Carolina Levis, Nivaldo Peroni, Natalia Hanazaki, Laura Cortes-Zarraga, Selene Rangel-Landa, Rubana Palhares Alves, Maria Julia Ferreira, Mariana Franco Cassino, Sara Deambrozi Coelho, Aldo Cruz-Soriano, Marggiori Pancorbo-Olivera, Jose Blancas, Andrea Martinez-Balleste, Gustavo Lemes, Elisa Lotero-Velasquez, Vinicius Mutti Bertin, Guilherme Gerhardt Mazzochini
Summary: The Neolithic Revolution narrative has been associated with the development of late Holocene civilizations through the domestication of plants, especially in the Neotropics. The process of plant domestication started as early as 10,000 years ago, much earlier than the reliance on traditional food production systems. The findings suggest that hundreds of ethnic groups in the Neotropics had, and still have, alternative strategies involving domestication, even though they are not primarily reliant on agriculture.