Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alice Monnier-Corbel, Alexandre Robert, Yves Hingrat, Blas M. Benito, Anne-Christine Monnet
Summary: Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) derived from Species Distribution Model (SDM) has been used to infer or predict local demographic properties such as abundance for many species. However, the relationship between HSI and abundance has been a topic of debate, with some studies showing a lack of correlation. To better understand this relationship, we studied the temporal variation of HSI and abundance using data from a 10-year monitoring of a Houbara bustard population in Morocco. Our results showed a triangular relationship between local abundance and HSI, with the upper limit of abundance increasing with HSI. Additionally, sites with the highest HSI had the least variation in abundance. These findings provide empirical evidence supporting the importance of investigating the relationship between HSI and abundance using temporal variation.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kristina B. Beck, Damien R. Farine, Josh A. Firth, Ben C. Sheldon
Summary: The structure of animal societies is influenced by factors such as habitat configuration and population size. In this study, the researchers investigated how population size and habitat configuration affect the social structure of great tits. They found that population size was consistent within locations and predicted by habitat configuration, and that it influenced social structure as measured by network metrics. Additionally, the researchers discovered that social decisions made by individuals played a significant role in shaping social network features.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Christina A. Cobbold, Frithjof Lutscher, Brian Yurk
Summary: This study presents a general method to address the scale mismatch challenge in ecology by upscaling from local variation to landscape-level models. The approach utilizes fundamental ecological concepts and provides a mechanistic link between population dynamics and data integration across different spatial and temporal scales.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Shohei Kojima, Satoshi Koyama, Mirei Ka, Yuka Saito, Erica Parrish, Mikiko Endo, Sadaaki Takata, Misaki Mizukoshi, Keiko Hikino, Atsushi Takeda, Asami Gelinas, Steven Heaton, Rie Koide, Anselmo F. Kamada, Michiya Noguchi, Michiaki Hamada, Biobank Japan Project Consortium, Yoichiro Kamatani, Yasuhiro Murakawa, Kazuyoshi Ishigaki, Yukio Nakamura, Kaoru Ito, Chikashi Terao, Yukihide Momozawa, Nicholas F. Parrish
Summary: MEGAnE is a new tool for detecting and genotyping mobile element variants (MEVs) from short-read whole-genome sequencing datasets. This tool has revealed population-specific differences in MEVs and their impact on gene expression variation and disease risk. The integration of MEVs with expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) maps has shown that MEVs regulate tissue-specific gene expression and contribute to genome diversification and traits.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jun Li, Ya-ting Zhu, Lun-yan Chen, Ai-xian Lu, Hong-yu Ji, Hai-ping Liu, Ze-xin Li, Zuo-dong Lin, Sha-sha Wu, Jun-wen Zhai
Summary: The Orchidaceae family has been a topic of concern in population ecological research due to its species diversity and troubling conservation status. This study focuses on the endangered Phaius flavus and investigates the mechanisms causing its population decline. The findings suggest that the decline is attributed to the low germination rate and anthropogenic disturbances, highlighting the need for strict regulations on human activities and ex situ conservation efforts.
Article
Ecology
Gaurav Baruah, Christopher F. Clements, Arpat Ozgul
Summary: This study experimentally tested how different rates of environmental forcing and varying ecological factors affected population stability and the predictive power of early warning signals of population collapse. The results showed that habitat quality and warming treatments had more profound effects on both population stability and on the performance of early warning signals than phenotypic diversity. Trait-based early warning signals performed well, were reliable, and more robust in forecasting population collapse than abundance-based signals, regardless of variation in environmental and ecological factors.
Article
Ecology
Michael J. Moore, Craig P. Paukert, Seth P. Owens, Travis L. Moore
Summary: This study assessed Lake Sturgeon habitat selection and suitability in two Missouri River tributaries near the southern edge of the species range. Results indicate that adult and subadult Sturgeon prefer deeper pools, while young Sturgeon exhibit different habitat preferences. These findings suggest specialized habitat requirements for southern Lake Sturgeon populations.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Xinglei Cui, Adrian M. Paterson, George LW. Perry, Sarah V. Wyse, Md Azharul Alam, Congde Huang, Shixing Zhou, Lin Xiao, Changhong Lai, Fang He, Dongyu Cao, Kate Marshall, Timothy J. Curran
Summary: Flammability is a compound plant trait that can vary significantly within natural populations. Investigating shoot-level flammability provides insights into the evolution of plant flammability and wildfire risk and behavior in different habitats, influenced by climatic and geographic variables.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Chuansong Liao, Shaowen Ye, Dongdong Zhai, Jixin Yu, Sandra Bibiana Correa, Feilong Wen, Chao Zhang, Lei Fang, Chuanbo Guo, Jiashou Liu
Summary: The study found that small-scale habitat heterogeneity within and among tributaries influences the spatial and temporal variation in fish assemblages in the Three Gorges Reservoir. Different habitats were dominated by piscivorous, limnophilic, and mid-pelagic species. Spatial variation in fish assemblage structure was observed between lower and upper reaches and among tributaries. Seasonal variation was mainly related to environmental factors such as water depth, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH. The results support the need to protect tributaries that contribute to fish diversity in large reservoirs.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michaela K. Halsey, John D. Stuhler, Natalia J. Bayona-Vasquez, Roy N. Platt, Jim R. Goetze, Robert E. Martin, Kenneth G. Matocha, Robert D. Bradley, Richard D. Stevens, David A. Ray
Summary: This study assessed the genetic variation of the endangered Texas kangaroo rat (D. elator) and the more common Ord's kangaroo rat (D. ordii). The results showed that D. elator had lower levels of genetic diversity and effective population size compared to D. ordii. Despite a decrease in population size, the genetic diversity of D. elator remained stable over 30 years, suggesting the presence of a metapopulation-like system.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Hong Wu, Xinmin Zhang, Baohong Zhang, Karissa Adkins
Summary: Exome sequencing of cynomolgus macaques revealed a high genetic variation compared to humans. The ratio of non-synonymous to synonymous variants was similar between the two species. Understanding genetic variability in cynomolgus macaques will aid in interpreting and translating phenotypic variability to humans.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xiaodan Wang, Xinhai Li, Xiaotong Ren, Micha V. Jackson, Richard A. Fuller, David S. Melville, Tatsuya Amano, Zhijun Ma
Summary: Anthropogenic landscapes have varying impacts on waterbird populations, benefiting common species but contributing to declines in threatened species. It is important to protect natural areas and improve the habitat quality in anthropogenic landscapes to effectively conserve global waterbird populations.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Yulie Shimano, Denis S. Nogueira, Leandro Juen
Summary: This study evaluated how environmental factors affect mayfly assemblages in conserved streams of different Amazonian interfluves, finding that environmental variation has a significant impact on species richness and composition among interfluves. The results reflect the heterogeneity of the Amazonian biome and the influence of historical processes, highlighting the importance of understanding environmental predictors for the assessment and monitoring of environmental quality.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrew J. Pierce, Chukiat Nualsri, Kaset Sutasha, Philip D. Round
Summary: The study revealed differences in wintering grounds selection and migration speed between Chinese Sparrowhawks and Japanese Sparrowhawks. However, there were no significant differences in daily distances flown during southward or northward migrations, indicating the need for further research to understand the annual cycles of these migratory raptors.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Ornithology
Thomas G. G. Bristow, Niamh M. M. Mchugh, Christopher J. J. Heward, Dionne L. L. Jenkins, Stuart E. E. Newson, Jake L. L. Snaddon
Summary: Species-specific field methods may be required for difficult-to-survey taxa, but they often require more manual effort and cost. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is a useful tool to reduce manual effort and analyze call characteristics. This study evaluates the use of vocal individuality measurements to distinguish Woodcock individuals and interpret patterns in their roding displays.