Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Lea Beaumelle, Lea Tison, Nico Eisenhauer, Jes Hines, Sandhya Malladi, Celine Pelosi, Lise Thouvenot, Helen R. P. Phillips
Summary: Soil invertebrate communities, which represent a significant fraction of global biodiversity, are being threatened by human activities, especially intensive agricultural practices involving pesticide use. This meta-analysis of 54 studies and 294 observations quantifies the negative effects of pesticides on the abundance, biomass, richness, and diversity of soil fauna communities. The study reveals that pesticides decrease the abundance and diversity of soil fauna communities, with the most detrimental effects caused by multiple substances, broad-spectrum substances, and insecticides.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Jianing Sun, Tao Zhou, Di Wang
Summary: Urbanization has significant effects on PM2.5 concentrations, but previous studies have inconsistent findings. This meta-analysis provides more conclusive results and identifies heterogeneities and publication bias in existing research.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Angelos Vlahoyiannis, Christoforos D. Giannaki, Giorgos K. Sakkas, George Aphamis, Eleni Andreou
Summary: This study found that moderate low carbohydrate intake increased the duration and proportion of N3 sleep stage, while high carbohydrate intake prolonged rapid eye movement (REM) stage duration. The changes in both quantity and quality of carbohydrates significantly impacted sleep onset latency and sleep continuation measures, indicating the need for further research on the effects of long-term carbohydrate interventions on sleep.
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Anne-Sophie C. A. M. Koning, Merel van der Meulen, Daphne Schaap, Djaina D. Satoer, Christiaan H. Vinkers, Elisabeth F. C. van Rossum, Wouter R. van Furth, Alberto M. Pereira, Onno C. Meijer, Olaf M. Dekkers
Summary: The proportion of neuropsychiatric adverse effects in patients using synthetic glucocorticoids is high, with depression and mania being the most significant associations. Awareness of possible psychiatric side effects is essential when starting glucocorticoid treatment.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM
(2023)
Review
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Rune Zahl-Olsen, Linda Severinsen, Jan Reidar Stiegler, Carina Ribe Fernee, Indra Simhan, Sondre Sverd Rekdal, Thomas Bjerregaard Bertelsen
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of emotionally oriented parental interventions through a systematic review and meta-analysis. The results suggest that these interventions have a small to medium effect on parents' mental health, behavior, parenting style, as well as on children's internalizing and externalizing difficulties. Rating: 8 out of 10.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Damoon Ashtary-Larky, Reza Bagheri, Matin Ghanavati, Omid Asbaghi, Grant M. Tinsley, Delsa Mombaini, Wesam Kooti, Sara Kashkooli, Alexei Wong
Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of betaine supplementation on cardiovascular disease markers and found that lower doses of betaine (<4g/d) can lower homocysteine levels without increasing lipid levels, while higher doses may lead to lipid augmentation.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
(2022)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Hanxiao Chen, Lang Qin, Rui Gao, Xiaolei Jin, Kemin Cheng, Sirui Zhang, Xiao Hu, Wenming Xu, Hongjing Wang
Summary: In this study, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to investigate the impact of maternal folic acid supplementation on postnatal neurodevelopmental outcomes. The findings suggest that prenatal folic acid supplementation has positive effects on offspring's neurodevelopment, including improved intellectual development and reduced risk of autism traits, ADHD, behavioral, and language problems. However, excessive folic acid supplementation may not improve offspring's brain development and may even have negative impacts on neurodevelopmental outcomes.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Alice Affatati, Angelo Camerlenghi
Summary: Marine seismic surveys, as an important tool, may have potential effects on marine ecosystems, particularly on the behavior and physiology of marine animals. However, there is still limited research on this topic, and further understanding is needed.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Yifei Wang, Honglei Li, Dongxue Yang, Mengzhao Wang, Yanbai Han, Hongli Wang
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of different durations of continuous aerobic exercise on prediabetic patients. The results showed that aerobic exercise significantly reduced BMI, fasting blood glucose, 2-hour plasma glucose, and glycated hemoglobin levels in prediabetic patients, with positive impacts.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Wenzhong Huang, Yuan Gao, Rongbin Xu, Zhengyu Yang, Pei Yu, Tingting Ye, Elizabeth A. Ritchie, Shanshan Li, Yuming Guo
Summary: The study findings suggest that high-amplitude cyclones could significantly increase risks of mental disorders, especially for PTSD, as well as mortality and hospitalizations. However, the evidence for other health outcomes, such as chronic diseases (e.g., CVDs, cancer, diabetes), and adverse birth outcomes remains limited or inconsistent. There is a need for more rigorous studies with larger spatial and temporal scales to further investigate the health effects of cyclones.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Yu-fei Wang, Wen Bian, Jing Wei, Shuang Hu
Summary: Through analyzing 19 studies, it was found that working memory training can alleviate anxiety symptoms. However, caution should be taken due to the heterogeneity in training paradigms, participant population, and types of anxiety assessed.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Jianhua Yang, Yuanxiu Gan, Xuanyun Feng, Xiangyu Chen, Shu Wang, Junwei Gao
Summary: This study systematically reviewed and assessed the efficacy and safety of melatonin in preventing acute kidney injury (AKI). The results showed that melatonin did not have a significant effect on reducing the incidence of AKI. More well-designed clinical studies with larger sample size are needed in the future to verify these findings.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Bin Wu, Xiu-Fang Zhu, Xiao-Qiang Yang, Wei-Yi Wang, Jian-Hua Lu
Summary: The active compound osthole derived from Cnidium monnieri Cusson has shown to be effective in treating osteoporosis in rats, promoting bone formation and inhibiting bone absorption.
PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yuxin Huo, Feike A. Dijkstra, Malcolm Possell, Balwant Singh
Summary: Plastics have significant detrimental effects on plants and fauna, but less impact on microbial diversity and richness. Plastic concentration is a key factor influencing variations in plant and faunal responses. Larger plastics have adverse effects on plant growth, while smaller plastics have more pronounced negative impacts on animal reproduction, survival, and locomotion.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Review
Oncology
Claudia Arena, Maria Eleonora Bizzoca, Vito Carlo Alberto Caponio, Giuseppe Troiano, Khrystyna Zhurakivska, Stefania Leuci, Lorenzo Lo Muzio
Summary: This systematic review evaluated the incidence of side-effects in patients treated with everolimus, finding that the most common adverse events included stomatitis, leukopenia, anorexia, anaemia, and fatigue, with the majority of patients experiencing grade 1 or 2 adverse events. The data presented reaffirm the relative safety of everolimus as a targeted therapeutic agent compared to conventional chemotherapy, while also highlighting potential adverse events associated with its therapeutic use.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elle J. Bowd, Sam C. Banks, Andrew Bissett, Tom W. May, David B. Lindenmayer
Summary: Microorganisms play critical roles in terrestrial ecosystems, but disturbances can alter the composition and diversity of soil microbial communities in Mountain Ash forests.
Article
Plant Sciences
David B. Lindenmayer, Elle J. Bowd, Chris Taylor, Gene E. Likens
Summary: Ecosystems are influenced by multiple drivers, and the interactions and feedbacks among them can produce traps that confine an ecosystem to a specific state or condition and influence processes like succession. One type of trap, known as a landscape trap, has been observed in the Mountain Ash and Alpine Ash forests in south-eastern Australia, leading to potential ecosystem collapse. Recurrent high-severity wildfires and widespread clearcutting have resulted in a prevalence of young flammable forests, making the montane ash forests vulnerable to landscape traps.
Article
Ecology
Martin J. Westgate, Clare Crane, David Smith, Colleen O'Malley, Angelina Siegrist, Dan Florance, Eleanor Lang, Mason Crane, Kassel Hingee, Ben C. Scheele, David B. Lindenmayer
Summary: The management of aquatic systems in farming landscapes plays a critical role in integrating agricultural production and biodiversity conservation. Implementing management practices such as revegetation and livestock grazing control can improve water quality, vegetation structure, and the diversity of aquatic macroinvertebrates in farm dams.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Matthew Chard, Claire N. Foster, David B. Lindenmayer, Geoffrey J. Cary, Christopher MacGregor, Wade Blanchard
Summary: Fire and herbivores have significant impacts on vegetation structure and function. Post-fire herbivory reduces plant species richness and diversity, and promotes the dominance of certain plant species in the understory. As time since fire increases, community diversity and evenness decrease, and there are morphological changes to dominant understory plants. Previous prescribed burns have no effect on herbivores or vegetation.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
David Lindenmayer, Lachlan McBurney, Wade Blanchard
Summary: Large quantities of dead wood generated by disturbances like wildfires play critical ecological roles in forest ecosystems globally. A 10-year study in southeastern Australia revealed that 23% of measured trees collapsed between 2011 and 2021, with smaller diameter trees and trees in fragmented patches being more prone to collapse. The potential loss of dead trees by 2030 could have major negative effects on biodiversity conservation in ash-type forests.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Stephen G. Kearney, James E. M. Watson, April E. Reside, Diana O. Fisher, Martine Maron, Tim S. Doherty, Sarah M. Legge, John C. Z. Woinarski, Stephen T. Garnett, Brendan A. Wintle, Euan G. Ritchie, Don A. Driscoll, David Lindenmayer, Vanessa M. Adams, Michelle S. Ward, Josie Carwardine
Summary: Earth's extinction crisis is worsening and threat classification schemes are crucial for assessing the drivers and threats causing species declines. However, there is a lack of a complementary framework for evaluating the conservation responses needed to reduce these threats. In this study, an expert-driven threat-abatement framework was developed and applied to 1532 threatened species in Australia, highlighting the importance of retaining and restoring habitat, controlling invasive species and diseases, and improving fire management for species recovery. Integrated management responses are necessary for the survival and recovery of most species.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Forestry
David B. Lindenmayer, Marta Yebra, Geoffrey J. Cary
Summary: Plantations of trees are important for wood supply but also pose fire risks. Greater consideration of fire risks in planning is needed, including the choice of tree species and their placement based on climatic and environmental factors. Other factors like landscape configuration and new technologies for fire detection and suppression should also be considered. Better planning and management of wildfires in plantations is essential due to their significance and potential danger to human safety.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Elle J. Bowd, Lachlan McBurney, David B. Lindenmayer
Summary: Under the current trajectory of accelerated climatic and environmental change, many forests are at risk of regeneration failure and subsequent transition to alternate stable states. Detailed empirical understanding of these alternative states is limited. Using a manipulative experiment, we found that frequent stand-replacing disturbance can result in regeneration failure in ash-type eucalypt forests in Australia. These shifts to alternative stable states can have severe ecological implications and require management interventions to conserve forest integrity.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Biology
David B. Lindenmayer, Elle J. Bowd, Philip Gibbons
Summary: Wildfires pose challenges to forest restoration due to their varied impacts on vegetation and biodiversity. Appropriate management interventions, such as prescribed burning, excluding activities that hinder post-fire recovery, and artificial seeding, should be selected to achieve favorable restoration outcomes in different ecosystems.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Jiajia Liu, Xiaofeng Jin, Shenhao Yao, Yuan Wang, Yifei Lu, Qianyu Chen, Chuping Wu, Ferry Slik, David Lindenmayer
Summary: The discovery rates of new plant species should be accelerated to prevent extinction before formal description. Current studies have focused on the occurrence and characteristics of new species, but limited attention has been given to the taxonomists who discover and describe them. Using China as a case study, we found that recently described species are mostly endemic, and the proportion of species described by resident Chinese taxonomists has increased over time. In contrast, species discoveries by non-resident experts, often non-endemic, have shown signs of leveling off. This study highlights the need for training, support, and collaboration with resident taxonomists in megadiverse countries with high potential for discovering undescribed plant species.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Shilu Zheng, Juntao Hu, Zhijun Ma, David Lindenmayer, Jiajia Liu
Summary: The authors used body size data from mammal and bird museum collections in North America to show that intraspecific variation in body size has increased over time, while mean body size has not changed. Previous studies have mainly focused on the declining average body size of animals, and less is known about long-term changes in intraspecific trait variation, which is crucial for understanding species' ability to cope with environmental challenges.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Review
Ecology
Jessica L. L. Williams, David Lindenmayer, Brett Mifsud
Summary: Large old trees in Australia, such as the Mountain Ash, play critical ecological roles. By collating information about the tallest and largest trees in the country, we can identify priority species and areas for conservation. Documenting the size, condition, and location of these trees will enable monitoring and potential preservation efforts.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
D. B. Lindenmayer, W. Blanchard, M. J. Evans, R. Beggs, T. Lavery, D. Florance, C. Crane, D. Smith, A. Siegrist, E. Lang, B. C. Scheele
Summary: This study found that the Noisy Miner bird species in Australia poses a threat to other bird species. The study also revealed that environmental factors such as tree cover and net primary productivity influence the impact of the Noisy Miner. Therefore, protecting refugia characterized by high net primary productivity and tree cover is crucial for the conservation of woodland bird communities in areas with deforestation.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jackie L. O'Sullivan, Claire N. Foster, Damian R. Michael, Wade Blanchard, David B. Lindenmayer
Summary: Understanding the factors that influence retreat-site selection by fauna is important for habitat management and species conservation. However, there is limited knowledge about the attributes of surface rocks that contribute to their use in agricultural landscapes, especially during the winter months when reptiles are brumating.
Article
Environmental Studies
David B. Lindenmayer
Summary: Tens of thousands of species are at risk of extinction globally, and forest degradation can profoundly affect biodiversity. This study presents a detailed case study of species declines associated with forest degradation in southeastern Australia's montane ash forests. The study highlights the key drivers of declines, including logging, wildfire, habitat loss, climate change, and policy failures. Lessons for better conservation and forest management efforts are discussed, emphasizing the need to address the conflicts between conservation and logging policies.