Article
Geography
Yun-Hao Dong, Fang-Le Peng, Hu Li, Yan-Qing Men
Summary: This study used multisource open data to investigate the spatial autocorrelation and spatial heterogeneity of underground parking spaces (UPSs) in seven representative Chinese megacities. The results showed that UPSs tend to be centrally clustered, with high UPS ratio in the urban periphery. Both UPS ratio and UPS density showed positive spatial autocorrelation, with UPS density being more spatially autocorrelated. Urban function and land development intensity were found to be common drivers of UPS ratio and UPS density, while socioeconomic conditions specifically influenced UPS density. Traffic factors had a substantial impact on UPSs when combined with other factors.
Article
Biology
Minna Zhang, Bai Liu, Guangyin Li, Yingying Kuang, Xiuquan Yue, Shicheng Jiang, Jushan Liu, Ling Wang
Summary: The study found that the combined effects of herbivore assemblage and soil nitrogen quantity explained 41% of the variation in plant alpha-diversity, while the combined effects of herbivore assemblage and soil nitrogen heterogeneity explained 15% of the variation in plant beta-diversity. The independent effects of herbivore assemblage were more significant than those of soil nitrogen for both alpha- and beta-diversity. The research concluded that managing herbivore species by considering their impact on soil resources may play a significant role in maintaining plant diversity.
SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lilin Zou, Jianying Wang, Mengdi Bai
Summary: Exploring the spatial-temporal heterogeneity of landscape fragmentation helps to understand the dynamic evolution of landscape patterns and the impacts of physical-geographical environment and human activities. This study proposed a Landscape Fragmentation Index (LFI) to assess the spatial-temporal heterogeneity of China's landscape fragmentation from 1980 to 2020. The results showed that landscape fragmentation metrics had distinct phased change characteristics, and China's LFI increased gradually during the study period. Additionally, the landscape fragmentation exhibited fluctuation features in certain spatial directions. This spatial-temporal heterogeneity indicated that landscape fragmentation was influenced by both the physical-geographical environment and human activities.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yang Yang, Baibai Fu
Summary: Fractal geometry provides a new perspective for studying the morphology of urban road networks. This study focuses on Tokyo Metropolis and systematically analyzes the spatial heterogeneity and influencing factors of the fractal characteristics of the road networks. The findings reveal a strong geographical dependency in the spatial distribution of fractal dimensions, and considering the spatial heterogeneity improves the reliability of the analysis and helps planners and decision-makers understand the morphological characteristics of urban road networks and predict their evolution, thus promoting a more orderly, efficient, and sustainable development of urban road networks.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Dongfeng Ren, Aihua Cao
Summary: This study provides theoretical support for the government to formulate ecological protection policies by analyzing the spatial and temporal evolution of landscape risk and its driving factors in Liaoning Province.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Ehsan M. Moqanaki, Cyril Milleret, Mahdieh Tourani, Pierre Dupont, Richard Bischof
Summary: Spatial capture-recapture (SCR) models are useful for analyzing wildlife monitoring data, but unmodeled spatial heterogeneity in detection probability can lead to biases and reduced precision in parameter estimates. Practitioners should consider the impact of spatial autocorrelation in detectability on their inferences and develop SCR methods that account for unknown spatial variability in detection probability.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Dexter Henry Locke, Alessandro Ossola, Emily Minor, Brenda B. Lin
Summary: Residential yards play a significant role in urban socio-ecological systems, influencing sustainability and ecological cycles. Positive and significant spatial autocorrelation was observed in yard vegetation, with different socio-economic factors impacting the spatial patterns of vegetation characteristics.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lucie A. Malard, Muhammad Z. Anwar, Carsten S. Jacobsen, David A. Pearce
Summary: This study investigated the influence of spatial scale on soil bacterial community composition in a typical Arctic landscape, revealing that the conclusions drawn regarding the impact of specific environmental variables on bacterial community composition are dependent on the spatial scales investigated. The study identified a dispersal limitation distance of approximately 60 m, necessary for obtaining samples with fully independent bacterial communities, which may inform future sampling strategies in the region and beyond. The research also demonstrated that strong taxon-environment statistical associations may not always be reflected in the observed geographical distribution of indicator taxa.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Remote Sensing
Klil Noy, Micha Silver, Ondrej Pesek, Hezi Yizhaq, Eugene Marais, Arnon Karnieli
Summary: This study aims to investigate the spatial and spectral characteristics of fairy circles (FCs) on a landscape scale in Namibia. By processing satellite observations using statistical analysis and deep machine learning algorithms, the distribution of FCs was explored, and the spatial patterns of FCs were analyzed in relation to nearby topographic features.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATION AND GEOINFORMATION
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Lisa Carrera, Daniele Scarponi, Fabio Martini, Lucia Sarti, Marco Pavia
Summary: The study provides a detailed paleoecologic analysis of avian assemblages from the Mousterian layers of Grotta del Cavallo site in southern Italy, revealing an increase in water bird taxa during different climatic intervals and landscape environments. This offers insight into the ecological characteristics of the study area during the Middle Paleolithic period.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Irene Petrosillo, Maria Victoria Marinelli, Giovanni Zurlini, Donatella Valente
Summary: This research examines the impact of landscape heterogeneity and Xylella fastidiosa infection on pollination services through multi-scale spatial assessment and multi-temporal analysis. The results demonstrate significant changes in landscape functioning in provinces affected by the infection, highlighting the loss of permanent land-covers such as olive groves.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Hanchen Yu, Xin Lao, Hengyu Gu, Zhihao Zhao, Honghao He
Summary: This study investigates the influencing factors on the probability of death and case fatality rate (CFR) of COVID-19 at the city level in China using a spatial autoregressive probit-log linear (SAP-Log) hurdle model. The results show that the probability of death and CFR of COVID-19 are two different processes with different determinants. The number of confirmed cases and the number of doctors are closely associated with the death probability and CFR, and there are differences in CFR and its determinants between cities within Hubei Province and outside Hubei Province.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Weijie Li, Jinwen Kang, Yong Wang
Summary: This study uses Chongqing as an example to distinguish the relative contributions of landscape configuration and composition on ecosystem health (EH). The results show that EH has improved during 2000-2020, with increases in forest landscape cohesion and forest expansion contributing the most, while changes in landscape composition, such as farmland reclamation and urban sprawl, have led to decreases in EH. Scenario analysis demonstrates that landscape configuration has a greater impact on EH than landscape composition. This paper provides valuable insights for regional ecosystem conservation and land use management.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biology
W. Justin Cooper, William J. McShea, Melissa Songer, Qiongyu Huang, David A. Luther
Summary: Classic ecological theory has shown that temperature, precipitation, and productivity play a key role in organizing ecosystems and driving biodiversity across different biomes. However, the strength of these factors varies across local scales. To improve predictions at localized scales, it is crucial to understand the connections between biodiversity drivers. In this study, we examine the importance of three-dimensional habitat structure as a link between local and broad-scale patterns of avian richness and functional diversity, and find that it is more important than temperature, precipitation, and elevation gradients in predicting avian diversity in North American forest ecosystems.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Baogui Liu, Chuanqiao Zhou, Lilin Zheng, Haixin Duan, Ying Chen, Guoxiang Wang
Summary: Flood pulse related physical variables (FLOOD) and the size of the aquatic/terrestrial transition zone (ATTZ) are important factors influencing the structure and spatial patterns of zooplankton communities. The effects of limnological variables (LIMNO) on zooplankton differ depending on the water level season.
Article
Ecology
Matthew T. Farr, David S. Green, Kay E. Holekamp, Elise F. Zipkin
Summary: Integrated models combining presence-only data and distance sampling data improve accuracy and precision of estimates for species abundance and covariate effects. A case study in the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya revealed that human disturbance was a major driver of black-backed jackal abundance patterns. The model showed minimal effects of landscape cover, lion density, and distance to water sources on jackal abundance.
Article
Ecology
Erin R. Zylstra, Elise F. Zipkin
Summary: The study suggests that density-dependent population regulation may exacerbate the adverse effects of climate change on blue mussels. It emphasizes the importance of considering structural uncertainties in population forecasts and the value of addressing multiple sources of uncertainty from climate and models.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jeffrey W. Doser, Andrew O. Finley, Aaron S. Weed, Elise F. Zipkin
Summary: Monitoring wildlife using acoustic devices and integrating them with point count surveys can significantly improve accuracy and precision of abundance estimates, especially in scenarios with low detection probability for point count data. The proposed modelling framework offers an efficient alternative for monitoring species abundance without the need for manual identification of vocalizations or repeated point count surveys. The integrated approach shows promise in informing effective wildlife management strategies in large spatio-temporal regions.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jeffrey W. Doser, Aaron S. Weed, Elise F. Zipkin, Kathryn M. Miller, Andrew O. Finley
Summary: Improved monitoring and inferential tools are essential for identifying declining bird populations, particularly rare species, across large regions. A novel hierarchical model was used to assess abundance trends for 106 bird species in eight forested national parks in the northeastern United States, revealing significant variation in trends across parks but similar trends within parks. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding how bird communities respond to local forest structure for informed conservation and management.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
B. J. Mattsson, J. H. Devries, J. A. Dubovsky, D. Semmens, W. E. Thogmartin, J. J. Derbridge, L. Lopez-Hoffman
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Erin R. Zylstra, Leslie Ries, Naresh Neupane, Sarah P. Saunders, M. Isabel Ramirez, Eduardo Rendon-Salinas, Karen S. Oberhauser, Matthew T. Farr, Elise F. Zipkin
Summary: Data from 1994 to 2018 suggests that climate change is increasingly becoming a major driver of monarch butterfly population decline, explaining changes in population size, particularly with breeding season weather having a significant impact on determining summer population size.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jeffrey W. Doser, Wendy Leuenberger, T. Scott Sillett, Michael T. Hallworth, Elise F. Zipkin
Summary: The integrated community occupancy model (ICOM) combines multiple data sources to provide more precise estimations of species and community occurrence dynamics. Simulations show that the ICOM outperforms single data source models in terms of precision and accuracy, although the benefits of integration depend on the information content of individual data sources. The ICOM also demonstrates improved predictive performance compared to single species models and models using only a subset of the data sources.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Naresh Neupane, Elise F. Zipkin, Sarah P. Saunders, Leslie Ries
Summary: Predicting species' responses to future climate conditions is crucial for conservation and policy-making. This study used multiple global climate models to project the population fluctuations of the monarch butterfly and found differences between trimmed and complete ensembles, with the trimmed ensemble providing more useful information.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Matthew T. Farr, Timothy O'Brien, Charles B. Yackulic, Elise F. Zipkin
Summary: Understanding species' abundance patterns and demographic rates is crucial for effective conservation. However, estimating abundance and demographic rates for entire communities of species is often time-consuming and expensive. This study developed a multispecies dynamic model to estimate community-wide relative abundance and demographic rates using detection-nondetection data. The model outperformed single-species models in many cases and was used to evaluate the population dynamics of a forest-dwelling antelope community in tropical equatorial Africa. The findings highlight the importance of this model in examining the reasons behind biodiversity loss.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Alexander D. Wright, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Elise F. Zipkin
Summary: Dedicated long-term monitoring is crucial for understanding biodiversity losses and developing effective conservation plans. Wildlife monitoring requires data collection at different spatial scales to understand the status, trends, and drivers of species or communities. Limited resources require tradeoffs in data collection scope and scale. The stratified random design outperformed other designs for most parameters, but other designs had improved performance in specific situations.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jeffrey W. Doser, Andrew O. Finley, Marc Kery, Elise F. Zipkin
Summary: Occupancy modelling is commonly used to assess species distribution patterns, with extensions now available for multiple species and spatial autocorrelation. The spOccupanc R package is introduced as a specialized tool for fitting single-species and multi-species spatially explicit occupancy models, providing efficient data integration and consideration of spatial autocorrelation for large datasets. This package offers user-friendly functions for simulation, fitting, validation, comparison, and prediction of occupancy models, making it a valuable tool for addressing detection biases and spatial autocorrelation in species distribution models.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Kayla L. Davis, Emily D. Silverman, Allison L. Sussman, R. Randy Wilson, Elise F. Zipkin
Summary: Accurate estimation of animal abundance is crucial for effective management, and this study focuses on the challenges and potential solutions in using aerial survey data for wildlife abundance estimation. Through a comprehensive review of the literature and a case study, the study identifies common problems such as nondetection, counting error, and species misidentification, and highlights the importance of addressing these issues separately. The study suggests strategies such as digital data collection, pooling species records, and ordinal modeling using binned data to overcome these challenges.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Courtney L. Davis, Robert P. Guralnick, Elise F. Zipkin
Summary: Natural history collections provide valuable information for understanding the impact of global change on biodiversity. However, using museum records to track long-term insect population trends poses challenges due to spatiotemporal biases and data sparsity. Recent advancements in methodology and integrated modeling offer opportunities to overcome these challenges and accurately estimate population trends.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Elise F. Zipkin, Graziella V. DiRenzo
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Erin R. Zylstra, Naresh Neupane, Elise F. Zipkin
Summary: Climate change poses a unique threat to migratory species, leading to decreases in monarch butterfly abundance and shifts in their distribution. Improved precision of short-term forecasts can be achieved through targeted data collection.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)