Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
David M. Cooper, Andrew J. Dugmore, Andrew C. Kitchener, Marc J. Metzger, Antonio Trabucco
Summary: This study reconstructs the changing range of lions during the late Pleistocene and Holocene using ecological niche models and environmental stratification of palaeoclimate. It found that lion habitat suitability has reduced throughout the Holocene, mainly due to aridification of the Sahara and human impacts. The research highlights the importance of integrating fluctuating vegetation and desiccation of the Sahara into palaeoclimatic models for understanding shifting faunal ranges during the Holocene.
Article
Forestry
Sunday Berlioz Kakpo, Augustin Kossi Nounangnon Aoudji, Denis Gnanguenon-Guesse, Alain Jaures Gbetoho, Kourouma Koura, Geoffroy Kevin Djotan, Jean Cossi Ganglo
Summary: The study focused on the distribution of African teak in Benin, projecting a significant decrease in suitable habitats for the species due to climate change. Only a portion of suitable habitat remains in a few protected areas.
JOURNAL OF FORESTRY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Juan Hu, Ying Feng, Haotian Zhong, Wei Liu, Xufang Tian, Yehong Wang, Tao Tan, Zhigang Hu, Yifei Liu
Summary: In this study, the potential distribution of Gastrodia elata under different climate change scenarios was simulated using the maximum entropy model. Annual precipitation, altitude, and mean temperature of driest quarter were found to be the most important environmental factors influencing its distribution. The results provided valuable insights for the conservation and sustainable utilization of G. elata.
Article
Zoology
Fangyuan Yu, Yiwen Sun, Tiejun Wang, Andrew K. Skidmore, Changqing Ding, Xinping Ye
Summary: The study integrated ecological niche dynamics into the species distribution modeling of the Asian crested ibis in East Asia. The research found that the crested ibis retained similar ecological niches over time.
The current suitable habitat for crested ibis has decreased by 39.6% compared to historical range, with human activity having a greater impact than climate change on their distribution. Future potentially suitable habitat may shift northeastward and northwestward, possibly expanding by 18.7% compared to historical range.
INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Boniface K. Ngarega, John M. Nzei, Josphat K. Saina, Marwa Waseem A. Halmy, Jin-Ming Chen, Zhi-Zhong Li
Summary: Understanding the influence of environmental covariates on the distribution of aquatic plant species is crucial, particularly in the context of climate change. This study focuses on Ottelia, an important aquatic genus, and examines the effects of climate change on its distribution in Africa. The findings highlight the significance of topography and climate variables, such as temperature and precipitation, in shaping the distribution patterns of Ottelia species. The study also emphasizes the importance of water-temperature conditions and the potential impacts of climate change on fragmentation and habitat loss. Additionally, the assessment of niche overlap provides insights into the similarities among Ottelia species. Overall, the study emphasizes the need for conservation efforts to protect natural Ottelia populations and provides valuable information for understanding the distribution of Ottelia species in Africa.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Severin Biaou, Gerard Nounagnon Gouwakinnou, Florent Noulekoun, Kolawole Valere Salako, Jesugnon Marie Reine Houndjo Kpoviwanou, Thierry Dehouegnon Houehanou, Honore Samadori Sorotori Biaou
Summary: Climate change is expected to have an impact on species distribution globally. The current evaluation methods assume that species respond uniformly to environmental changes along their distribution range, but populations occupying different niches may respond differently due to local adaptation. Therefore, incorporating intraspecific variation into species distribution models can result in more reliable predictions.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
O. Koch, W. A. Mengesha, S. Pironon, T. Pagella, I Ondo, I Rosa, P. Wilkin, J. S. Borrell
Summary: Despite global agricultural growth, food insecurity is increasing in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study explores the potential cultivation range of enset, an underutilized indigenous crop, in southern and eastern Africa using ecological niche modeling. The findings suggest a significant expansion potential for enset cultivation, with integration of crop wild relatives allowing for even greater expansion into dryer and warmer regions. Although climate change may reduce the potential range in the future, there are still suitable areas in Ethiopia, Lake Victoria region, and the Drakensberg Range. By combining bioclimatic assessment with socioeconomic data, priority areas with high population density and food deficits can be identified for enset integration, potentially benefitting millions of people and enhancing climate resilience.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aura Maria Rodriguez-Burgos, Francisco Javier Briceno-Zuluaga, Julian Leonardo Avila Jimenez, Alex Hearn, Cesar Penaherrera-Palma, Eduardo Espinoza, James Ketchum, Peter Klimley, Todd Steiner, Randall Arauz, Elpis Joan
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of climate change on the distribution of the common hammerhead shark in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor and predicted that the species would migrate southward by 2050.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Taesik Yun, Jeongho Kim, Hyun-Gu Kang
Summary: An 8.5-year-old intact female lion diagnosed with pyometra underwent successful ovariohysterectomy via the lateral flank approach, recovering well post-surgery.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biology
Renata L. Muylaert, Tigga Kingston, Jinhong Luo, Mauricio Humberto Vancine, Nikolas Galli, Colin J. Carlson, Reju Sam John, Maria Cristina Rulli, David T. S. Hayman
Summary: Human encroachment into natural habitats and carbon emissions are causing global changes that are driving biodiversity extinction and increasing disease emergence risk. By modeling the ecological niche of bat hosts, we have identified hotspot distributions and future shifts in these hotspots.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Ning Xu, Yun Zhang, Chunhong Du, Jing Song, Junhui Huang, Yanfeng Gong, Honglin Jiang, Yixin Tong, Jiangfan Yin, Jiamin Wang, Feng Jiang, Yue Chen, Qingwu Jiang, Yi Dong, Yibiao Zhou
Summary: This study used machine learning algorithms to explore the impact of climatic, geographical, and socioeconomic variables on the distribution of Oncomelania hupensis, the intermediate host of Schistosoma japonicum. It predicted the future distribution of suitable areas for O. hupensis and found that they will expand towards the north and west of Yunnan Province due to climate change.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elijah Mbandi Mkala, Virginia Mwanzia, John Nzei, Wyclife Agumba Oluoch, Boniface K. Ngarega, Vincent Okello Wanga, Milicent Akinyi Oulo, Fedrick Munyao Mutie, Flory Mkangombe Kilingo, Penninah Rono, Emmanuel Nyongesa Waswa, Elizabeth Syowai Mutinda, Clintone Onyango Ochieng, Geoffrey Mwachala, Guang-Wan Hu, Qing-Feng Wang, Jacinta Kaweze Katunge, Izabayo Victoire
Summary: Climate change has significantly impacted endemic species and natural habitats, and understanding these impacts can help advance conservation efforts. This study used modeling to predict changes in suitable habitats for four threatened species in East Africa and found both expansion and contraction of habitats.
Article
Virology
Dennis Navarro A. Mamani, Heydi Ramos Huere, Renzo Vera Buendia, Miguel Rojas, Wilfredo Arque Chunga, Edgar Valdez Gutierrez, Walter Vergara Abarca, Hermelinda Rivera Geronimo, Mariano Altamiranda-Saavedra
Summary: This study evaluated the potential distribution and ecological niche of bluetongue virus (BTV) and Culicoides insignis in Peru under different climate scenarios. The findings showed that the risk of BTV would decrease, while the distribution and stability of its vector would increase due to climate change. The current and future climate scenarios revealed high overlap of the ecological niches of BTV and its vector.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Luis Enrique Angeles-Gonzalez, Enrique Martinez-Meyer, Carlos Yanez-Arenas, Ivan Velazquez-Abunader, Jorge A. Lopez-Rocha, Josymar Torrejon-Magallanes, Carlos Rosas
Summary: This study used two niche models to predict the suitability and distribution of the red octopus in the Yucatan Peninsula under different climate change scenarios. The results suggest that the suitability of the red octopus may be slightly reduced in the future, with potential impacts on fisheries in the region.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yu-Qun Du, Alexander Jueterbock, Muhammad Firdaus, Anicia Q. Hurtado, Delin Duan
Summary: This study investigated the niche differences between two species of Kappaphycus seaweed using ecological niche modeling, ordination, and hypervolume approaches. The results showed significant niche differences in both geographical and environmental space between the two species. The models predicted that rising sea surface temperature will lead to different range shifts for the two species, with one species suffering contraction while the other species expanding its distribution. This study enhances our understanding of Kappaphycus aquaculture and highlights the importance of conservation and investigation under climate change.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Alex Asase, Daniel Jimenez-Garcia, Andrew Townsend Peterson
Summary: Climate change is considered a major threat to species extinction, with potential impacts on the geographic distributions of African plants, such as Talbotiella. The study showed possible shifts and contractions in the genus' distribution range, highlighting the need for conservation efforts beyond just protected areas, particularly for individual species.
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Kate Ingenloff, Andrew T. Peterson
Summary: Accurate spatio-temporal information about species' geographic distributions is crucial for biodiversity analyses in conservation and planning. Traditional correlative modelling approaches, while useful for exploring species distributions, have limitations that impact model quality and reliability. By incorporating time specificity into the modelling framework, it is possible to optimize the performance of traditional correlative niche models in distributional ecology contexts.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Lucas Nicioli Bandeira, Fabricio Villalobos, Fernanda P. Werneck, A. Townsend Peterson, Marina Anciaes
Summary: This study investigated the climatic niche evolution in the Neotropical treefrog genus Pithecopus and found that lowland sister species had greater niche overlap while montane species had lower overlap, indicating different evolutionary histories of niche differentiation for species with different elevational ranges. The best fit of niche position and breadth to both stasis and drift models supported the existence of phylogenetic niche conservatism (PNC).
Article
Ecology
Daniel Jimenez-Garcia, Xingong Li, Andres Lira-Noriega, Andrew Townsend Peterson
Summary: Climate warming over the past four decades has led to significant changes in the geographic and elevational ranges of species and natural communities. Research on 15 highest volcanoes of central Mexico shows an average upward vegetation shift of over 490 meters in elevation over a period of three decades. This shift has implications for the reduction in area of high-elevation habitats, particularly affecting the local endemism of bunch grasslands.
Article
Entomology
Ali Khalighifar, Daniel Jimenez-Garcia, Lindsay P. Campbell, Koffi Mensah Ahadji-Dabla, Fred Aboagye-Antwi, Luis Arturo Ibarra-Juarez, A. Townsend Peterson
Summary: Mosquito-borne diseases pose a global health risk and economic burden. Utilizing smartphones for mosquito population monitoring and identification is a promising method that can provide accurate results with further optimization.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Devon A. DeRaad, Marlon E. Cobos, Abdelghafar Alkishe, Uzma Ashraf, Koffi Mensah Ahadji-Dabla, Claudia Nunez-Penichet, A. Townsend Peterson
Summary: The concept of fundamental ecological niche is crucial for various ecological questions. This study examined the potential role of genome environment association (GEA) testing in understanding genetic basis of ecological niche using genomic data from Anopheles gambiae 1000 Genomes Consortium. The results indicated that while commonly implemented GEA methods can account for confounding patterns of genetic variation, challenges remain in discerning true signals of genome environment adaptation.
Article
Ecology
Uzma Ashraf, Muhammad Nawaz Chaudhry, A. Townsend Peterson
Summary: This study used ecological niche modeling to investigate the impacts of climate change on the current and future potential distributions of Olea europaea and Bactrocera oleae in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, taking into account potential interspecific interactions. The results showed a significant reduction in the potential distribution of Olea europeae in Africa and Europe under future climate scenarios, while future climates appear more favorable for the parasite species, posing new and increasing risks for olive cultivation in the Mediterranean region.
Article
Ornithology
Marlon E. Cobos, Yalin Cheng, Gang Song, Fumin Lei, A. Townsend Peterson
Summary: This study found a pattern of niche conservatism in the Eurasian snowfinch lineage, except for a dramatic niche evolution event in Montifringilla nivalis. Interestingly, this species, which has the broadest geographic distribution among snowfinches, may have experienced an evolutionary change in niche characteristics that facilitated its westward range expansion.
JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Andres Arias-Alzate, Felber J. Arroyave, Oscar Y. Romero Goyeneche, Rafael G. Hurtado Heredia, Jose F. Gonzalez-Maya, Joaquin Arroyo-Cabrales, A. Townsend Peterson, Enrique Martinez-Meyer
Summary: This study investigates the indirect interactions and functional diversity patterns of mammalian carnivores in the Americas. The results show that co-occurring carnivore species exhibit ecological segregation driven by the size ratio relationship. This relationship is conservative across different ecological trait groups and through time and space, and potentially limits carnivore coexistence.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Claudia Nunez-Penichet, Marlon E. Cobos, Jorge Soberon, Tomer Gueta, Narayani Barve, Vijay Barve, Adolfo G. Navarro-Siguenza, A. Townsend Peterson
Summary: Biodiversity inventory is a major challenge for conservation biology due to global change. This study explores the implications of using different methods to select locations for biodiversity inventories based on the distribution of species in geographical space and ecological niches in environmental space. The results show that considering both environmental and geographical conditions when selecting sites for inventories can lead to more effective sampling of known biodiversity in regions of interest.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
A. Townsend Peterson, Kevin Berthiaume, Mark Klett, Jeffrey S. Munroe
Summary: This study explores the rates of treeline change on a mountain face in the central Rocky Mountains using repeat photography and remote sensing. The results from repeat photography showed an elevation advance of erect forest at a rate of 1.8 m/year during 2004-2020. The remote sensing analyses also reflected similar processes and indicated considerable infilling of tree cover near treeline. Integrating multiple streams of evidence provides complementary views in analyzing this phenomenon.
ARCTIC ANTARCTIC AND ALPINE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Folashade B. Agusto, Eric Numfor, Karthik Srinivasan, Enahoro A. Iboi, Alexander Fulk, Jarron M. Saint Onge, Townsend Peterson
Summary: The study found that public perception and attitudes towards COVID-19 have a significant impact on the spread of the epidemic. The study used a model based on ordinary differential equations, which incorporated social behavioral factors such as quarantine and quarantine violation. The results showed that positive public sentiments can reduce the disease burden on the community, while violation of quarantine regulations and early discharge can amplify the disease burden on the community. Therefore, it is important to consider public sentiment and individual social behavior in studying diseases like COVID-19.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
A. Townsend Peterson, Matthew E. Aiello-Lammens, Giuseppe Amatulli, Robert P. Anderson, Marlon E. Cobos, Jose Alexandre F. Diniz-Filho, Luis E. Escobar, Xiao Feng, Janet Franklin, Luiz M. R. Gadelha, D. Georges, M. Gueguen, Tomer Gueta, Kate Ingenloff, Scott Jarvie, Laura Jimenez, Dirk N. Karger, Jamie M. Kass, Michael R. Kearney, Rafael Loyola, Fernando Machado-Stredel, Enrique Martinez-Meyer, Cory Merow, Maria Luiza Mondelli, Sara Ribeiro Mortara, Robert Muscarella, Corinne E. Myers, Babak Naimi, Daniel Noesgaard, Ian Ondo, Luis Osorio-Olvera, Hannah L. Owens, Richard Pearson, Gonzalo E. Pinilla-Buitrago, Andrea Sanchez-Tapia, Erin E. Saupe, Wilfried Thuiller, Sara Varela, Dan L. Warren, John Wieczorek, Katherine Yates, Gengping Zhu, Gabriela Zuquim, Damaris Zurell
Summary: This article introduces an English-language course on the underlying theory and methods in the field of distributional ecology, which lasted for 43 weeks and engaged with over 2500 participants globally. The hierarchical and modular format of the course allows for updates, corrections, and reuse, and all course materials are freely and openly accessible.
BIODIVERSITY INFORMATICS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Maryam Behroozian, A. Townsend Peterson, Mohammad Reza Joharchi, P. Joser Atauchi, Farshid Memariani, Ali Asghar Arjmandi
Summary: The study evaluated the conservation status of an endangered species using ecological niche modeling and field sampling. It identified new distribution sites for a rare plant and confirmed the effectiveness of the models. As a result, the conservation status of the species was upgraded from Critically Endangered to Endangered.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alex Asase, Tiwonge I. Mzumara-Gawa, Jesse O. Owino, Andrew T. Peterson, Erin Saupe
Summary: Biodiversity remains relatively unknown and understudied in many developing countries, where scientists face limited access to resources. Collaborations between developing-world scientists and developed-world scientists should be deepened and extended to pose and solve interesting scientific questions.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2022)