Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nico Eisenhauer, Raul Ochoa-Hueso, Yuanyuan Huang, Kathryn E. Barry, Alban Gebler, Carlos A. Guerra, Jes Hines, Malte Jochum, Karl Andraczek, Solveig Franziska Bucher, Francois Buscot, Marcel Ciobanu, Hongmei Chen, Robert Junker, Markus Lange, Anika Lehmann, Matthias Rillig, Christine Roemermann, Josephine Ulrich, Alexandra Weigelt, Anja Schmidt, Manfred Tuerke
Summary: Human activities have led to significant changes in biodiversity, and the loss of invertebrate biomass has been found to have negative effects on ecosystem processes and services. This study demonstrates that the decrease in invertebrate biomass can decrease ecosystem multi-functionality and reduce the supply of critical ecosystem services.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Gengping Zhu, Monica Papes, Paul R. Armsworth, Xingli Giam
Summary: This study assessed the impact of future climate change on biodiversity in the Appalachian forests ecoregion. It was predicted that 30%-33% of species would lose over 50% of their currently suitable habitat area under short-term climate change, and this proportion would increase to 31%-38% under long-term climate change. Amphibians and mammals were more vulnerable to climate change compared to birds and reptiles. The Blue Ridge, Cumberland Plateau, and southern Central Appalachians were identified as hotspots of species richness.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alix Varenne, Laura E. Richardson, Andrew N. Radford, Francesca Rossi, Gilles Lecaillon, Anais Gudefin, Lucas Berenger, Etienne Abadie, Pierre Boissery, Philippe Lenfant, Stephen D. Simpson
Summary: In modified coastal environments, artificial habitats are being installed in commercial harbours to enhance local biological recruitment and connectivity. The success of these measures depends on the colonization patterns of species. Using post-installation monitoring data, we compared the composition of invertebrate assemblages colonizing artificial habitats that were immersed for different periods in three commercial harbours along the French Mediterranean coast. The results showed that longer immersion periods (around 18 months) enriched the habitats with economically and ecologically important species, emphasizing the need for long-term restoration protocols and post-installation monitoring programs.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Ronaldo Sousa, Dariusz Halabowski, Anna M. Labecka, Karel Douda, Olga Aksenova, Yulia Bespalaya, Ivan Bolotov, Juergen Geist, Hugh A. Jones, Ekaterina Konopleva, Michael W. Klunzinger, Carlos A. Lasso, Iga Lewin, Xiongjun Liu, Manuel Lopes-Lima, Jon Mageroy, Musa Mlambo, Keiko Nakamura, Mitsunori Nakano, Martin osterling, John Pfeiffer, Vincent Prie, Lucas R. P. Paschoal, Nicoletta Riccardi, Rogerio Santos, Spase Shumka, Allan K. Smith, Mikhail O. Son, Amilcar Teixeira, Frankie Thielen, Santiago Torres, Simone Varandas, Ilya V. Vikhrev, Xiaoping Wu, Alexandra Zieritz, Joana G. Nogueira
Summary: Anthropogenic freshwater habitats offer potential for long-term conservation of freshwater mussels, but may also act as ecological traps. These habitats are not a cure-all for conservation problems, and more research is needed to understand the trade-offs between human use and conservation within them.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anthony D. Montgomery, Douglas Fenner, Megan J. Donahue, Robert J. Toonen
Summary: The deep reef refuge hypothesis suggests that mesophotic coral ecosystems may provide a refuge for shallow coral reefs, but an analysis of coral communities in American Samoa reveals minimal species overlap between SCR and MCE communities. This calls for a broader framework for conservation planning by evaluating species overlap across different coral reef habitats.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rosie Drinkwater, Tommaso Jucker, Joshua H. T. Potter, Tom Swinfield, David A. Coomes, Eleanor M. Slade, M. Thomas P. Gilbert, Owen T. Lewis, Henry Bernard, Matthew J. Struebig, Elizabeth L. Clare, Stephen J. Rossiter
Summary: The study used iDNA from blood-feeding leeches to assess mammalian diversity across a gradient of forest degradation in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Results showed higher mammal diversity in twice logged forest and lower diversity in heavily degraded forest. The study demonstrates the value of iDNA as a noninvasive biomonitoring approach in conservation assessments of human-modified tropical landscapes.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Hui Wang, Dong Xie, Peter A. Bowler, Zhangfan Zeng, Wen Xiong, Chunlong Liu
Summary: The South China Sea is a regional center of high marine and coastal biodiversity, with many non-indigenous species introduced as a result of mariculture and fisheries activities. These species have negative impacts on local biodiversity and economy, requiring increased monitoring and management efforts.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
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
Cristina Popescu, Mihaela Oprina-Pavelescu, Valentin Dinu, Constantin Cazacu, Francis J. Burdon, Marie Anne Eurie Forio, Benjamin Kupilas, Nikolai Friberg, Peter Goethals, Brendan G. McKie, Geta Risnoveanu
Summary: The study found that riparian buffers with forested vegetation generally have higher invertebrate diversity, and there are distinct differences in invertebrate community structures between forested and unbuffered areas. Local riparian attributes significantly influence patterns in invertebrate community composition.
Article
Ecology
Victoria S. Milner, J. Iwan Jones, Ian P. Maddock, George C. Bunting
Summary: This study demonstrates the importance of the hyporheic zone as a refuge for benthic invertebrates during fine sediment disturbance events. It also shows that movement pathways within subsurface sediments are still accessible and allow bidirectional migration between the benthic and hyporheic zone in coarse and colmated sediments.
Article
Soil Science
Apolline Auclerc, Lea Beaumelle, Sandra Barantal, Matthieu Chauvat, Jerome Corte, Tania De Almeida, Anne-Maimiti Dulaurentg, Thierry Dutoit, Sophie Joimel, Geoffroy Sere, Olivier Blight
Summary: Ecological engineering in degraded ecosystems often manipulates plants and soil biota for restoration. However, soil invertebrates have been underused in restoration efforts, despite their important role in soil ecological processes and plant-soil feedback. This review highlights the potential of using soil invertebrate functional traits for ecosystem restoration, focusing on traits related to nutrient and carbon cycling, pollutant detoxification, soil structure arrangement, and biological control. The paper proposes guidelines for integrating soil organism traits into ecological engineering and identifies knowledge gaps and limitations.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yabing Gu, Zhenghua Liu, Junsheng Li, Delong Meng, Haijun Yuan, Min Zhang, Hetian Zhang, Huaqun Yin, Jing Cong, Nengwen Xiao
Summary: Body size plays a significant role in driving bioecological patterns in freshwater ecosystems, particularly in benthonic habitats.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Liron Goren, Tal Idan, Sigal Shefer, Micha Ilan
Summary: The study on macrofauna associated with massive sponges along the Israeli Mediterranean coast revealed a diverse assemblage of associated species, with clear differences between shallow-water and mesophotic habitats. While the highest richness of associated fauna was found in the mesophotic habitat, a greater endobiont abundance and density were recorded in the shallow habitat, indicating that sponge diversity may play a crucial role in benthic biodiversity in these regions.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Irina Herzon, Kaisa J. Raatikainen, Aveliina Helm, Solvita Rusina, Solvi Wehn, Ove Eriksson
Summary: This study proposes to consider semi-natural habitats as hotspots for biodiversity, and suggests that they are caught in a socio-ecological extinction vortex similar to that observed for threatened species. The study identifies four highly interlinked socio-economic processes that are important for the significance and preservation of these habitats. Evidence from six countries in the boreal region indicates that current measures to slow down or reverse the extinction vortex phenomenon are insufficient. The study suggests research directions and proactive actions to weaken the vortex and reverse the declining trends of the socio-ecological system.
Article
Agronomy
Amy Arnott, Gillian Riddell, Mark Emmerson, Neil Reid
Summary: Agri-environment schemes are effective in maintaining and enhancing terrestrial invertebrate abundance and richness associated with diverse swards in upland grasslands, suggesting their positive contribution to biodiversity conservation.
AGRONOMY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Raluca I. Bancila, Roger Pradel, Remi Choquet, Rodica Plaiasu, Olivier Gimenez
ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Geology
Eugen Nitzu, Marius Vlaicu, Andrei Giurginca, Ioana N. Meleg, Ionut Popa, Augustin Nae, Stefan Baba
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPELEOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rodica Plaiasu, Raluca Ioana Bancila
JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION
(2018)
Editorial Material
Geology
Eugen Nitzu, Ioana N. Meleg, Andrei Giurginca
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPELEOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Minodora Manu, Viorica Honciuc, Aurora Neagoe, Raluca Ioana Bancila, Virgil Iordache, Marilena Onete
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Raluca Ioana Bancila, Rodica Plaiasu, Florina Stanescu, Benedikt R. Schmidt, Ioana Nae, Mathieu Denoel
Summary: The study reveals that long-term exposure to different food levels and light conditions significantly influences the antipredator behavior of fire salamander larvae. Individuals exposed to low food levels and 8-hour light conditions were more likely to take risks in response to predation stimuli. This highlights the interactive effects of environmental factors on shaping antipredator responses and emphasizes the complexity of behavioral adaptation to changing environments.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Eugen Nitzu
Summary: Recent research has shown that trogloxene species in caves and microcaves increase in richness from April to July, with different associations and functional trophic categories. Significant differences were observed in trogloxene species associations between caves, microcaves, and other microhabitats, indicating the important influence of microhabitats on species diversity and community dynamics in karst landscapes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
M. Manu, R. I. Bancila, C. C. Birsan, O. Mountford, M. Onete
Summary: The study found significant differences in environmental variables such as soil temperature, air temperature, air humidity, and soil penetration resistance among different types of urban green areas, with strong correlations with factors like soil pH. Unmanaged green areas showed higher values in richness and diversity indices of soil mite communities compared to managed ecosystems, with metropolitan parks having a richer acarological fauna compared to municipal or district parks.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Benedikt R. Schmidt, Raluca I. Bancila, Tibor Hartel, Kurt Grossenbacher, Michael Schaub
Summary: Predation can have significant effects on the dynamics of amphibian populations in lentic freshwater ecosystems, with fish predators known to reduce prey abundance and restrict species distribution. The study revealed that changes in fish predator communities had varying impacts on different pond-breeding amphibian populations, and that fish predation can result in alterations to species dynamics.
Article
Ecology
Cristina Craioveanu, Iulia Muntean, Eszter Ruprecht, Raluca-Ioana Bancila, Andrei Crisan, Laszlo Rakosy
Summary: Cultural landscapes around the world are declining due to the pressure of intensification or abandonment, and inconsistent land use policies. The study in Transylvania found that land use practices, geographic distance, and soil characteristics have major impacts on plant and butterfly diversity. Grasslands converted to croplands in the past have lost typical species assemblages and have not fully recovered. Prioritizing long-term traditional mowing is recommended for the conservation of basiphilous dry grasslands in Transylvania.
Article
Entomology
Raluca Bancila, Dan Cogalniceanu, Minodora Manu, Rodica Plaiasu, Florina Stanescu, Daniyar Memedemin, Marius Skolka, Lucica Tofan, Anca Lacatusu
Summary: This study reveals the biodiversity and conservation value of Pesteana peat bog, showing high species diversity and many plant indicator species. Moreover, it finds that the diversity of invertebrate community in the peat bog is strongly influenced by soil attributes and habitat type.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Anca Dragu, Gabor Csorba, Raluca Bancila
HYSTRIX-ITALIAN JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Minodora Manu, Marilena Onete, Raluca Ioana Bancila
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
(2018)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eugen Nitzu, Magdalin Leonard Dorobat, Ionut Popa, Andrei Giurginca, Stefan Baba
CARPATHIAN JOURNAL OF EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
(2018)