Article
Environmental Sciences
P. J. Gelabert, M. Rodrigues, J. de la Riva, A. Ameztegui, M. T. Sebasti, C. Vega-Garcia
Summary: This study models and monitors the spatial evolution of secondary succession in semi-natural grassland communities in the Pyrenees in Spain over 36 years. Results show that approximately 66% of the area is affected by secondary succession, with significant expansion of woodlands.
REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Panteleimon Xofis, John A. Spiliotis, Stavros Chatzigiovanakis, Anastasia S. Chrysomalidou
Summary: A continuous increase in vegetation cover and a decrease in open areas were observed in the Rhodopi Mountains range National Park in northern Greece over a period of 35 years. This trend has led to a loss of landscape heterogeneity and the dominance of broadleaf trees in the landscape.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Thomas A. A. Prowse, Patrick J. O'Connor, Stuart J. Collard, Kristian J. Peters, Hugh P. Possingham
Summary: Long-term biodiversity monitoring programs are important for understanding species trajectories and environmental change. However, optimizing monitoring designs is crucial to maximize efficiency and balance ecological and economic benefits. The study found that reducing monitoring effort may compromise trend detection for rare or difficult-to-observe species, highlighting the need to consider social and political sustainability of such programs in the future.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Marcello Verdinelli, Marco Pittarello, Maria Carmela Caria, Giovanna Piga, Pier Paolo Roggero, Gian Marco Marrosu, Stefano Arrizza, Maria Leonarda Fadda, Giampiero Lombardi, Michele Lonati, Ginevra Nota, Maria Sitzia, Simonetta Bagella
Summary: This study investigated the impact of land abandonment on biodiversity conservation in mountain areas by analyzing the reliability of plant functional groups, ant traits, and ant functional groups as indicators of land use changes. The results showed significant differences in plant and ant assemblages across sites and stages, indicating the relationship between ant and plant communities in terms of composition and functionality. Ant functional groups were found to be a good surrogate taxon for detecting land-use changes and ecosystem functioning. The findings highlight the importance of applying the functional group approach to other European ecosystems.
ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2022)
Article
Development Studies
Jaroslaw Janus, Piotr Bozek, Jaroslaw Taszakowski, Arkadiusz Doroz
Summary: Agricultural land abandonment and depopulation in rural areas are common problems globally. This study focuses on central Poland and uses historical aerial photographs and ALS measurements to analyze the dynamics of land abandonment. Surprisingly, the study finds no intensive depopulation and the age structure changes are similar to those observed in the entire Polish population. This approach allows for an accurate assessment of changes in land use and the duration and dynamics of abandonment.
HABITAT INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tania Luti, Paolo De Fioravante, Ines Marinosci, Andrea Strollo, Nicola Riitano, Valentina Falanga, Lorella Mariani, Luca Congedo, Michele Munafo
Summary: This study aims to develop a methodology to reduce the effort of photointerpretation in detecting land consumption changes in Italy. The results show that the developed methodology reduces the area to be photointerpreted to 2.4% of the total Italian surface, efficiently detecting the majority of larger changes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Roger Puig-Girones, Joan Real
Summary: The selection of biological indicators in scientific literature is often not systematic and fails to consider the complex interactions between biodiversity components. This study presents a quantitative methodology that incorporates multidisciplinary information to assess and select appropriate methods and indicators for monitoring local biodiversity. The methodology focuses on ecological levels, biological interactions, and functional guilds, and includes an iterative selection process.
Article
Environmental Studies
Zhen Liu
Summary: The decline and aging of the rural population in China has led to cultivated land abandonment, but some regions have experienced cultivated land expansion. This study examines the phenomenon of cultivated land expansion in Taibus and addresses the role of cultivated land protection and land transfer policies. The study finds that land transfer policies help solve labor shortages but also lead to negative impacts such as overuse of resources and land desertification.
Article
Ecology
Francesco Galioto, Francesco Musotti
Summary: The present study explores how local communities deal with the abandonment of agricultural lands in marginal areas, based on the European reality. It uses an analytical framework grounded on game theory and different strands of literature to examine the decision-making processes of individual landowners and regulators regarding abandonment and support for land management initiatives. The findings suggest that collective initiatives are preferred in highly fragmented areas, but may require external aid to be established and effectively counter land abandonment.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jaroslaw Janus, Piotr Bozek, Bartosz Mitka, Jaroslaw Taszakowski, Arkadiusz Doroz
Summary: The paper introduces a method for precise assessment of changes in forest cover and height over several decades, utilizing data sourced from airborne laser scanning and stereometric aerial images. The proposed approach could standardize the presentation and interpretation of long-term changes, leading to improved accuracy in analyzing dynamics of forest cover changes and land abandonment over time.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Matteo Zavalloni, Riccardo D'Alberto, Meri Raggi, Davide Viaggi
Summary: Land abandonment is a growing issue in several areas of Europe, prompting a shift in policy objectives. The relationship between agriculture, land abandonment, and the provision of socio-environmental public goods is complex and still under debate. Targeted policies that explicitly connect support to public good provision have shown to have better welfare effects.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Nguyen Van Hiep, Nguyen Thi Thanh Thao, Luong Van Viet, Huynh Cong Luc, Le Huy Ba
Summary: This study evaluates the effects of natural and human conditions on vegetation covers in Dak Nong province using the VCI and TCI indices. Factors such as land use, soil, population, topography, distance to roads, and surface water are analyzed. The study period is from 2000 to 2020, and the trend of VHIs' change is analyzed using Sen's method. Logistic regression and discriminant analysis are used to determine the effects of these factors. The results show clear trends of both increasing and decreasing VHIs. The TCI is found to be more sensitive than the VCI, especially to changes in population density and land use, making it a preferred option for assessing vegetation health trends in the context of climate change.
Review
Environmental Sciences
K. S. El-Gendy, A. F. Gad, M. A. Radwan
Summary: This review discusses the impact of different types of pollutants on land molluscs and emphasizes the importance of molluscs as model organisms for biomarker research. Physiological and behavioral endpoints play a key role in diagnosing environmental pollution.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
David Gutierrez-Rial, Benedicto Soto Gonzalez, David Garcia Vazquez, Gonzalo Mendez-Martinez, Manuel Angel Pombal Diego, Josefina Garrido Gonzalez
Summary: This study evaluated water quality indices for six rivers in the Minho River international basin and found that the IBMWP index was the most suitable for assessing water quality in this area. However, other more sensitive indices like EPT and PT should also be used to identify potential pressures. The study also found that Louro River had the worst water quality, while Barxas, Deva, and Furnia rivers had the best water quality in the area.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lorena Gonzalez-Paz, Cristina Delgado, Isabel Pardo
Summary: Good ecological status varies depending on national criteria, typology approach, and classification systems used. Establishing nutrient criteria that consistently support good ecological status is important for river management. The study analyzes different ecological statuses based on typology, classification systems, and biological elements, and discusses the implications for river management. The results suggest that current nutrient criteria should be revised to provide a more ecologically coherent approach to preserving or restoring good ecological status.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joseph W. Millard, Richard D. Gregory, Kate E. Jones, Robin Freeman
Summary: Even though overall awareness of biodiversity has increased, the speed at which awareness is increasing varies among different taxonomic classes and languages. This suggests that public understanding of biodiversity can be measured and closely monitored using a new index - the Species Awareness Index (SAI).
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joseph Millard, Charlotte L. Outhwaite, Robyn Kinnersley, Robin Freeman, Richard D. Gregory, Opeyemi Adedoja, Sabrina Gavini, Esther Kioko, Michael Kuhlmann, Jeff Ollerton, Zong-Xin Ren, Tim Newbold
Summary: Pollinating species globally are declining, driven by land use changes. Low intensity of land use can be beneficial for pollinator biodiversity, but increasing intensity leads to significant reductions in most anthropogenic land-use types, especially in urban and pasture areas. The negative impact of intensity on pollinators is particularly strong in tropical regions, with different responses among taxonomic groups.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Enya O'Reilly, Richard D. Gregory, Ainars Aunins, Lluis Brotons, Tomasz Chodkiewicz, Virginia Escandell, Ruud P. B. Foppen, Anna Gamero, Sergi Herrando, Frederic Jiguet, John A. Kalas, Johannes Kamp, Alena Klvanova, Aleksi Lehikoinen, Ake Lindstrom, Dario Massimino, Ingar Jostein Oien, Jiri Reif, Eva Silarova, Norbert Teufelbauer, Sven Trautmann, Chris van Turnhout, Thomas Vikstrom, Petr Vorisek, Simon J. Butler
Summary: In order to understand the sensitivity of species to habitat change, it is important to determine the level of association and specialization a species has with a particular habitat. Traditional categorical classifications may not account for temporal and spatial differences, while quantitative metrics can provide a more detailed evaluation. This study explores relative habitat use (RHU) as a metric for quantifying species' association and specialization for different habitats, finding that RHU scores align well with traditional classifications and show temporal variation based on association and specialization levels.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alaaeldin Soultan, Diego Pavon-Jordan, Ute Bradter, Brett K. Sandercock, Wesley M. Hochachka, Alison Johnston, Jon Brommer, Elie Gaget, Verena Keller, Peter Knaus, Karen Aghababyan, Qenan Maxhuni, Alexandre Vintchevski, Karoly Nagy, Liutauras Raudonikis, Dawn Balmer, David Noble, Domingos Leitao, Ingar Jostein Oien, Paul Shimmings, Elchin Sultanov, Brian Caffrey, Kerem Boyla, Dimitrije Radisic, Ake Lindstrom, Metodija Velevski, Clara Pladevall, Lluis Brotons, St'astny Karel, Drazenko Z. Rajkovic, Tomasz Chodkiewicz, Tomasz Wilk, Tibor Szep, Chris van Turnhout, Ruud Foppen, Ian Burfield, Thomas Vikstrom, Vlatka Dumbovic Mazal, Mark Eaton, Petr Vorisek, Aleksi Lehikoinen, Sergi Herrando, Tatiana Kuzmenko, Hans-Gunther Bauer, Mikhail Kalyakin, Olga V. Voltzit, Jovica Sjenicic, Tomas Part
Summary: Wetland bird species have been experiencing population declines due to climate warming and land-use change, impacting their suitable habitats. This study used species distribution models to predict changes in range dynamics for 64 non-passerine wetland birds breeding in Europe. The models successfully predicted the contraction of breeding ranges for most species and expansion for southerly breeding species. The study highlights the urgent need for wetland creation and restoration to improve wetland birds' resilience to future environmental changes.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Julia Ramsauer, Lluis Brotons, Sergi Herrando, Alejandra Moran-Ordonez
Summary: The study investigated the use of bird-seed-dispersal indicators (BSDI) based on species distribution models (SDMs) in predicting the distribution of Viscum album. Results showed that Turdus spp. richness indicator at 3500 m scale explained up to 15% of variance, while climatic conditions and percentage of olive groves were also significant predictors. The abundance or species richness BSDI were less effective in predicting V. album distribution.
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
Dale G. Nimmo, Alan N. Andersen, Sally Archibald, Matthias M. Boer, Lluis Brotons, Catherine L. Parr, Morgan W. Tingley
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Roger Puig-Girones, Lluis Brotons, Pere Pons
Summary: The study analyzes the impact of fire on open-habitat bird species and finds that the time elapsed since the fire, fire severity, and proximity of potential population sources are related to species richness. Some species show time lags in response to post-fire changes, while water deficit plays a significant role in bird occurrence.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Adriano Mazziotta, Johanna Lundstrom, Nicklas Forsell, Helen Moor, Jeannette Eggers, Narayanan Subramanian, Nuria Aquilue, Alejandra Moran-Ordonez, Lluis Brotons, Tord Snall
Summary: To achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, it is necessary to increase the global terrestrial carbon sink. Forests provide various climate change mitigation solutions, such as bioenergy, bioeconomy, and protection. These different solutions have different impacts on ecosystem services, with bioenergy and bioeconomy solutions decreasing the multifunctionality of ecosystem services, while protected forests increase biodiversity and non-wood ecosystem services.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Maria Trivino, Alejandra Moran-Ordonez, Kyle Eyvindson, Clemens Blattert, Daniel Burgas, Anna Repo, Tahti Pohjanmies, Lluis Brotons, Tord Snall, Mikko Monkkonen
Summary: In this study, using Finland as a case study, the researchers assessed the potential supply of various ecosystem services under different management regimes and climate change scenarios. Results showed that the effects of management on the future supply of these services were, on average, 11 times higher than the effects of climate change across all services. The importance of these drivers also differed significantly between northern and southern Finland.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Stefano Canessa, Jose Salgado-Rojas, Dani Villero, Lluis Brotons, Felix Amat, Daniel Guinart, Sonia Solorzano, Lluis Lopez, Xavier Comas, Virgilio Hermoso
Summary: Optimization methods are not commonly used in supporting species recovery programs, due to the difficulty in representing and optimizing complex multidimensional problems. However, a study demonstrates how integer linear programming can be used to solve such complex problems in reintroduction planning for the critically endangered Montseny brook newt, optimizing site restoration efforts, captive releases, and monitoring.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Sander Jacobs, Fernando Santos-Martin, Eeva Primmer, Fanny Boeraeve, Alejandra Moran-Ordonez, Vania Proenca, Martin Schlaepfer, Lluis Brotons, Robert Dunford, Sandra Lavorel, Antoine Guisan, Joachim Claudet, Zuzana Harmackova, Inge Liekens, Jennifer Hauck, Kasper Kok, Yves Zinngrebe, Simona Pedde, Balint Czucz, Cosimo Solidoro, Matthew Cantele, Christian Rixen, Anna Heck, Jomme Desair, Tobias Plieninger, Paula A. Harrison
Summary: This study compares the impacts of six future scenarios on sustainable development goals and biodiversity targets in Europe and Central Asia. The findings emphasize the importance of transformative change and provide insights into preferred directions for political transformation. The study also highlights the potential to avoid significant societal losses and generate multiple benefits.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Dani Villero, Albert Montori, Gustavo A. Llorente, Nuria Roura-Pascual, Philippe Geniez, Lluis Brotons
Summary: This study aims to assess the impact of the spread of D. pictus on native species in the Iberian Peninsula and other regions. The results show a strong climatic niche overlap between D. pictus and endemic species in the Iberian Peninsula, which may have negative effects on some species in the future.
Article
Biology
Richard D. Gregory, Mark A. Eaton, Ian J. Burfield, Philip V. Grice, Christine Howard, Alena Klvanova, David Noble, Eva Silarova, Anna Staneva, Philip A. Stephens, Stephen G. Willis, Ian D. Woodward, Fiona Burns
Summary: This article models temporal change in species' abundance and biomass by using extensive data describing the population sizes and trends of native breeding birds in the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU). It finds significant change in the bird assemblages of the UK and EU, with overall bird abundance decreasing and losses concentrated in abundant and smaller sized species. The study also highlights the correlation between abundance trends and species' traits, migration strategy, and niche associations linked to diet.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Judit Lecina-Diaz, Maria-Luisa Chas-Amil, Nuria Aquilue, Angelo Sil, Lluis Brotons, Adrian Regos, Julia Touza
Summary: In southern Europe, land abandonment and an unbalanced investment toward fire suppression have increased wildfire risk. This study combines scenario analysis, fire landscape modelling, and economic tools to identify land-use policies that can reduce wildfire-related losses in the Geres-Xures Transboundary Biosphere Reserve. The combination of High Nature Value farmlands (HNVf) and fire-smart land-use strategies is the most efficient way to reduce wildfire hazard and minimize damages.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yongcui Lan, Jinliang Wang, Qianwei Liu, Fang Liu, Lanfang Liu, Jie Li, Mengjia Luo
Summary: This study focuses on the five major plateau lake basins in central Yunnan, China, and constructs an ecological security pattern using the source-resistance surface-corridor-pinch point framework. The study simulates land use/cover change in the region and identifies early warning regions where future urban expansion poses a threat to current ecological source areas and corridors.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2024)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Pingping Huang, Feng Zhao, Bailing Zhou, Kuidong Xu
Summary: This study investigates the distribution of benthic microeukaryotes in the China Seas and finds that they can stride over the ecological barrier of 32 degrees N. The study also highlights the significant influence of depth, temperature, and latitude on communities in the China Seas.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2024)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Federico Morelli, Yanina Benedetti, Jesse Stanford, Leszek Jerzak, Piotr Tryjanowski, Paolo Perna, Riccardo Santolini
Summary: Species distribution models (SDMs) are numerical tools used for predicting species' spatial distribution. This study found that ecological characteristics, such as habitat specialization, play a role in improving the accuracy of SDMs.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2024)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xiaoxuan Wu, Hang Liu, Wei Liu
Summary: Global climate change, urbanization, and economic development have increased the need for sustainable human development, urban ecological governance, and low-carbon energy transformation. This study analyzes the green ecological transition in Chengdu based on panel data from 2010 to 2020, exploring its spatiotemporal evolution and key factors. The results show an overall upward trend in Chengdu's green ecological development and positive spatial autocorrelation in certain districts.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2024)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Castaldi Simona, Formicola Nicola, Mastrocicco Micol, Morales Rodriguez Carmen, Morelli Raffaella, Prodorutti Daniele, Vannini Andrea, Zanzotti Roberto
Summary: Sustainable agricultural practices are increasingly important for global and national environmental policies and economy. This study compared the sustainability of grape production under integrated and organic management using multiple indicators. The results showed that organic management was more beneficial for most environmental aspects of the agroecosystem compared to integrated management, without affecting grape yield.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2024)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Gaia Vaglio Laurin, Alexander Cotrina-Sanchez, Luca Belelli-Marchesini, Enrico Tomelleri, Giovanna Battipaglia, Claudia Cocozza, Francesco Niccoli, Jerzy Piotr Kabala, Damiano Gianelle, Loris Vescovo, Luca Da Ros, Riccardo Valentini
Summary: Phenology monitoring is important for understanding forest functioning and climate impacts. This research compares the phenological behavior of European beech forests using Tree-Talker (TT+) and Sentinel 2 satellite data. The study finds differences in the information derived by the two sensor types, particularly in terms of season length, phenology changepoints, and leaf period variability. TT+ with its higher temporal resolution demonstrates precision in capturing the phenological changepoints, especially when satellite image availability is limited.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2024)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Huanhuan Pan, Ziqiang Du, Zhitao Wu, Hong Zhang, Keming Ma
Summary: The land use and cover changes resulting from coal mining activities and ecological restoration have had a significant impact on ecosystem services in mining areas. This study investigates the relationship between ecosystem services and land use intensity in coal mining areas, emphasizing the importance of understanding this interdependence for balanced human-land system development. The research examines the evolving relationship across different reclamation stages in Shanxi, China, using a coupling coordination degree model. The findings suggest the need for timely and judicious reclamation of coalfields, considering the land's bearing capacity.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2024)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jingjuan He, Yijun Shi, Lihua Xu, Zhangwei Lu, Mao Feng
Summary: This study examines the spatial interplay between changes in the blue-green spatial distribution and modifications in land surface temperature grades in Shanghai. The findings reveal that the transformation of the blue-green spatial pattern differs between different sectors of the city, and the impact on the thermal environment varies spatially.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2024)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yi Xu, Di Zhang, Junqiang Lin, Qidong Peng, Xiaohui Lei, Tiantian Jin, Jia Wang, Ruifang Yuan
Summary: This study analyzed the response relationship between phytoplankton growth and water environmental parameters in the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China using long-term monitoring data and machine learning models. The results revealed the differences between monitoring sites and identified the key parameters that affect phytoplankton growth.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2024)