Abstract:

Ecological vulnerability of coral reefs contrasts sharply with their persistence through geologic time, creating a paradox from mis-scaled assumptions of time, mortality and organismal dimensionality, namely bleaching susceptibility, mortality, and recovery are treated as linear or sequential outcomes. Recursive definitions built on such mis-scaled assumptions generate straw-man inferences by conflating vulnerability with fragility and obscuring cryptic recovery dynamics. Using post hoc meta-analyses integrating datasets on coral bleaching, life history, reproductive strategy, morphology, and taxonomy, I evaluate system behavior across matrixed categories of thermal exposure and observation timing. Susceptibility emerges as a graded physiological response with weak coupling between predictor importance and variance, whereas mortality exhibits thresholded dynamics consistent with collapse behavior. Partial overlap in predictor structure indicates that bleaching does not represent a direct trajectory toward death, but rather a regulated buffering phase preceding potential tissue-level failure. Skeletal architecture consistently appears as a strong predictor across susceptibility and mortality, while taxonomic identity shows weak and variable effects. Recovery dynamics further indicate host–symbiont restructuring consistent with recursive evolutionary filtering rather than deterministic trait replacement. Together, these findings reframe coral bleaching as a regulated physiological state decoupled from mortality and demonstrate how recursive logic frameworks resolve paradoxes of timing, scale, and resilience in coral bleaching dynamics.

Abstract: Artisanal fisheries in Mexico frequently operate under data-limited conditions, lacking historical time series of catch and effort. The Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) is caught by artisanal fisheries in Marine Priority Regions 45-46 and the influence area of the Playa Tortuguera Rancho Nuevo Wetland of International Importance, Tamaulipas, where it acts as a natural predator of Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) hatchlings, a critically endangered species. In this data-limited context, the population status of R. terraenovae was assessed for the first time using length-frequency based methods. Between November 2018 and February 2020, 541 organisms from the artisanal fishery in La Barra del Tordo were analyzed using FISAT II. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters for combined sexes were: L∞ = 105 cm, k = 0.59 yr⁻¹, t₀ = -0.195 yr. Total (Z), natural (M), and fishing (F) mortality rates were 4.13, 0.467, and 3.22 yr⁻¹, respectively. The mean exploitation rate (E = F/Z) was 0.78 (95% CI: 0.745-0.805), exceeding the reference point of 0.5 (Gulland, 1971), indicating severe overexploitation. The parameters showed biological consistency (Ø' = 3.81; M/k = 0.79), and natural mortality (0.467 yr⁻¹) fell within the range reported for the species. This finding, in a priority conservation region under the Conservation Sector regime of the Marine Ecological Zoning Program, evidences the urgent need to implement ecosystem-based fisheries management. The study demonstrates that, even with limited data, it is possible to obtain robust estimates that reconcile fisheries sustainability with L. kempii conservation in protected natural areas.

Abstract: An influential intuition about the biology of aging is that organisms are born with a fixed amount of “life stuff” that they burn through in the process of living. According to this mindset, the key to living longer is simply to burn through this life stuff as slowly as possible. We instead reinterpret this “life stuff” as Survival Capital: resources allocated to maintenance and growth that can compound over time to facilitate future reproduction. Contrasting with classical evolutionary theories that treat life-history expenditures as linear substitutes, we develop an explicit framework in which investments in survival and reproduction act as synergistic complements. We first show how early-life investments in survival traits generate complementary incentives for later-life investments, thereby increasing the value of survival into older ages. We then add multiplicative damage to survival, capturing biologically plausible risk accumulation without altering the qualitative logic of the first model, thereby reinforcing the effects of complementarity among survival investments. Next, we demonstrate that such complementarities naturally imply bi-stability of life-history strategies when trade-offs between survival and reproduction across discrete life stages are considered. Finally, we show that when investments can be made to affect multiple components of health and interact synergistically, they can produce runaway increases in health investment, driving extreme healthspans. This moves beyond the classical “fast–slow” continuum by making the value of later life endogenous. Linking these allocation trade-offs to existing evidence concerning real world counterparts of Survival Capital generates powerful empirical predictions for both evolutionary biology and synergistic geroscience.

Abstract: The origin of eukaryotes represents one of the most profound unresolved questions in evolutionary biology. Although more than a dozen competing hypotheses have been put forward, no unified consensus has yet been reached. This paper critically reviews the major endosymbiotic and non-endosymbiotic theories, revealing a critical limitation shared by most existing models: the nearly 2.5-order-of-magnitude difference in genome size between prokaryotes and eukaryotes cannot be sufficiently explained by stochastic endosymbiotic events alone. I propose a new integrative framework in which eukaryogenesis is viewed as a process of subcellular structuralization driven primarily by DNA packing. This framework reconciles contradictions in current theories by clarifying the dynamic coupling between genome expansion induced by rising atmospheric oxygen and the emergence of sophisticated DNA packing mechanisms, which together supported the increase in cellular complexity, genome enlargement, and ordered biochemical processes. This study seeks to resolve long-standing controversies among competing paradigms, establish a robust theoretical framework for reconstructing eukaryogenesis, and provide critical direction for future interdisciplinary investigations.

Abstract: Light limitation constrains ecosystem function in large, shallow eutrophic lakes, yet the ecosystem-scale role of sediment resuspension is rarely isolated. We quantified wave- and bioturbation-driven resuspension effects on light attenuation in Utah Lake using repli-cated limnocorrals (~12 m diameter; 1.2–2.4 m depth) deployed over three growing seasons (2022–2024). Secchi depth (n = 363) and PAR profiles (7 depths; n = 126) were measured inside corrals and at paired open-lake controls. Mean Secchi depth was nearly twofold greater inside corrals (39.8 vs. 22.0 cm; p < 0.001), with lower light attenuation coefficients (k = 0.17 vs. 0.22). Ln(PAR) depth regressions consistently showed weaker attenuation under reduced disturbance, producing compensation depths 1.25× deeper inside corrals. Although near-surface PAR was sometimes higher in the open lake, PAR below 0.5 m was consistently greater inside corrals. Reduced attenuation was linked primarily to lower suspended solids and decreased resuspension of fine sediments and CaCO₃ precipitates; phytoplankton biomass further influenced late-summer attenuation. Sediment resuspension thus dominates underwater light climate, constrains benthic production, and reinforces phytoplankton-dominated pathways. Stabilizing sediments through invasive carp removal, macrophyte and mollusk recovery, and reduced dis-turbance should enhance light availability, benthic–pelagic coupling, and ecosystem function in turbid shallow lakes.

Abstract: To investigate the long-term effects of climate change on biological communities, our primary aim was to identify the most reliable indicators among available biodiversity, dominance, and evenness indices. We examined three distinct response types to climate change, represented by three taxonomic groups: Aculeata (Hymenoptera), Syrphidae (Diptera), and nocturnal macrolepidoptera (Lepidoptera). Using faunistic datasets derived from our own 3–5 decades of field surveys, we calculated 12 key indices with the vegan package in R 4.2.1. The robustness of these indices was assessed through 1000-fold bootstrap simulations and pairwise correlation analyses. Our results revealed that the Gini–Simpson, Simpson diversity, McIntosh diversity, and McIntosh evenness indices consistently demonstrated high temporal stability and strong correlations across all three climate response types. Therefore, we recommend these indices as primary climate indicators. In contrast, Chao1 estimates, Margalef Index, Menhinick Index, and the Shannon–Wiener diversity index are suitable only for analyzing specific response patterns. Meanwhile, the Berger–Parker, Buzas–Gibson indices, and Hill numbers showed high variability or limited ecological responsiveness, making them unreliable for tracking climate change impacts. Our findings underscore that selecting biodiversity indices must be tailored to the research question and the characteristics of the ecosystem in order to ensure valid and informative ecological analysis.

Abstract: What mechanisms drive and shape the stepwise evolution from simple carbon-based materials (CBMs) to complex organisms and societies? This fundamental question remains unresolved because chemical, biological, and social evolution have often been studied in isolation. Here we propose the Carbon-Based Evolutionary Theory (CBET), which is grounded in rigorous integrative reasoning and supported by extensive empirical evidence, mathematical modeling, resilience to falsification, and cross-hierarchical explanatory power. CBET extends the natural selection mechanism from Darwinian theory and introduces the spirodynamic feedback mechanism. These dual mechanisms respectively drive and shape CBM evolution, resolving the aforementioned fundamental question for the first time and explicitly explaining the increasing orderliness in biological and social systems. Furthermore, CBET reveals the natural balances of competition versus collaboration, elimination versus inclusiveness, selfishness versus altruism, and individual versus collective interests. It thus establishes an evolutionary foundation for the social sciences and fosters the core ethics for harmonious societal development.

Abstract: Kin-Selection has traditionally been viewed as a stabilizing force explaining when, and to what degree it can be adaptive for benefits to be shifted among relatives. As such, it is not usually considered a potential accelerant of evolutionary change. Yet benefits conferred on relatives — particularly from parents to offspring — may function more as forward-looking investments than simple transfers. When seen in this light, Kin-Selection emerges as a potential catalyst for rapid phenotypic change. Drawing on concepts from both evolutionary biology and economics, this article introduces the concept of “fitness capital”— traits enhanced by altruistic investment that increase an individual’s capacity to acquire resources for further investment — and shows how overlapping generations and assortative mating can generate cascading, multigenerational effects. These dynamics amplify correlations between parental altruism, offspring ability, lineage-level investment, and traits reflecting fitness capital, creating conditions for runaway increases in both altruism and capacity to invest. By recasting kin-directed altruism as a driver of cumulative social and evolutionary change, the proposed synthesis highlights a novel pathway through which populations may evolve greater investment, social complexity, and phenotypic stratification. It also indicates new perspectives on parent-offspring conflict, costly signalling, sexual selection, and Green-Beard effects.

Abstract: Genome-wide ancestry inference depends critically on reference population design, yet the sensitivity of inferred population relationships to reference choice is often underexamined. Here, I evaluate how asymmetric reference population construction can generate the appearance of genetic intermediacy in Mediterranean population models, using Ashkenazi Jewish populations as a focused test case. I analyze multiple independent frameworks, including qpAdm admixture modeling, pairwise autosomal FST distances, principal component analysis, identity-by-descent sharing, Global25-based affinity modeling, and reassessment of published uniparental marker studies. Across methods, I vary European and eastern Mediterranean reference sets to test the stability of inferred ancestry patterns under alternative, historically grounded configurations. When Southern European populations, particularly Southern Italian, Sicilian, Maltese, and Aegean groups, are included explicitly, Ashkenazi Jews consistently resolve within a Southern European and central Mediterranean genetic continuum rather than as an intermediate population between Europe and the Levant. In contrast, models that represent Europe using Northern Italian, Tuscan, or genetically drifted Sardinian proxies reproducibly shift Ashkenazi Jews toward an apparent Europe–Levant midpoint. Autosomal FST distances identify the closest affinities with Southern Italians, Cretans, Sicilians, and mainland Greeks, with substantially greater divergence from Levantine populations. qpAdm and identity-by-descent analyses likewise support predominant Southern European ancestry. These results demonstrate that apparent genetic intermediacy is largely a methodological artifact arising from reference population exclusion and underscore the need for explicit sensitivity testing in ancestry inference.

Abstract: The longstanding dream of resurrecting dinosaurs faces formidable obstacles. DNA decays rapidly, making direct recovery impossible. Even if successful in their aims, and modern “synthetic” methods achieve a complete and functioning non-avian genome, they cannot recreate specific dinosaur species because at least some of the crucial genetic information is completely absent from living relatives. Alternatively, it is suggested here that microbial vectors once mediated horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between dinosaurs and the ancestors of extant species. While HGT appears rare, the ecological continuity between dinosaurs, microbes, and coexisting plants offers a faint but plausible route for fragments of dinosaur DNA to survived in extant species. Building on advances in paleogenomics, synthetic biology, and comparative genomics, we outline a multi-step strategy to search for, validate, and functionally test dinosaurian “genetic shrapnel” preserved in the “dark genome” of candidate organisms – particularly that of gymnosperms. If such material could be recovered, it might provide missing pieces needed to reconstruct extinct dinosaur species. Even if the goal of dinosaur de-extinction remains forever beyond reach, pursuing this line of research could yield transformative insights in evolutionary biology, synthetic biology, and conservation science — and offer a compelling narrative to engage the public.

Abstract:

Panaeolus is a genus of small, dark-spored agarics within the family Galeropsidaceae Singer. Based on the majority of specimens collected from China, this study investigated the genus Panaeolus and identified 17 species. These include four new species: Panaeolus bambusicola, P. latifolius, P. praecox, and P. ovinus; and one new record for China: P. fraxinophilus. The new species and the newly recorded species for China are morphologically described and illustrated. A multi-locus phylogenetic analysis (ITS, nrLSU, tef1-α, rpb2) was conducted using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. Combined morphological and phylogenetic evidence supports the reduction of the genus Crucispora to a subgenus within Panaeolus, accommodating P. rhombispermus.

Abstract: The most widely held theory for the origin of bird migration states that temperate zone resident birds evolved over thousands of years the necessary adaptations to allow successful movement in winter to less seasonal regions (e.g., the tropics). A problem for this theory is the fact nearly half of species that migrate to the tropics have breeding populations there as well, indicative of tropical, rather than temperate, origin. Winger et al. (2014a,b) have proposed a mechanism explaining how temperate zone species might have invaded the tropics as migrants and remained as resident breeders ("Migration Drop-Off"). The methods used to reach these conclusions involve no ecological arguments; rather they use extant species' ranges along with phylogenetic data to construct a model for inferring the biogeographic history of migratory lineages. The fundamental error in Winger et al. lies in the assumption that a species’ range is a conservative genetic attribute evolved over millennia. Data from field studies and the crowd-source site, eBird, demonstrate that this assumption is incorrect. Ranges for humdreds of bird species have changed by hundreds of kilometers in a matter of years, evidently as a result of dispersal and changes in seasonal food availability (Rappole et al. 2011, Rappole 2013: Chapter 8). In addition, breeding, wintering, and residency ranges have appeared, disappeared, and/or fundamentally shifted for tens of thousands of years during the past 2.58 million years of the Quaternary for hundreds of species. These facts taken together with the ecological issues involved with a species entering a complex ecosystem and creating a niche for itself argue against a "migration drop-off" explanation. Dispersal provides a more likely hypothesis for the origins of migration.

Abstract: The classic conceptualization of resilience refers to a system attribute that helps us understand the extent to which systems can withstand pressures and impacts without altering their constitutive or intrinsic characteristics. In recent years, resilience has become the subject of profound debate in international academic literature. Nevertheless, the concept—particularly socio-ecological resilience—remains a research topic with limited academic consensus. What do we mean when we speak of socio-ecological resilience? How can it be measured and interpreted adequately or efficiently? What tools are available to assess it? Based on a critical review of 146 papers published between 2011 and 2025, this study defines the current state of concepts, methods, tools, and approaches to socio-ecological resilience. Beyond identifying research trends, the analysis critically evaluates existing methods to formulate recommendations for future research and to highlight promising lines of inquiry that better capture the multidimensional complexity of socio-ecological systems.

Abstract: Understanding spatial habitat use and population density is essential for effective wildlife conservation and management. This study integrates kernel density estimation and line transect distance sampling to assess habitat use patterns and population density of wild goats. Habitat use intensity was quantified using kernel density estimates derived from field observations, and relationships between log-transformed kernel density values and Euclidean distances to forests, agricultural areas, water bodies, and settlements were examined using univariate linear regression models. A significant negative relationship was detected between distance to forest and log-transformed kernel density (p = 0.047), indicating higher habitat use intensity closer to forested areas. Population density was estimated from distance-sampling surveys conducted in the northern and southern subregions. Detection functions were selected based on diagnostic plots and goodness-of-fit tests, and left truncation was applied to improve model fit. Overall density was estimated at 6.47 individuals/km², with values similar across subregions. Uncertainty was mainly driven by variation in detection probability and group size. Together, these results emphasize the importance of forest habitats and suggest a relatively homogeneous population distribution, providing a baseline for future monitoring and conservation planning.

Abstract: Ethiopian finches (Fringillidae) provide a continental-scale system for examining how environmental gradients shape functional trait evolution. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the evolution of beak traits in Ethiopian finches across the country’s highlands, integrating evidence from diet composition, habitat heterogeneity, thermoregulatory demands, and human-mediated environmental change. Beak diversification reflects the interaction of lineage-specific phylogenetic constraints, functional trade-offs, and plastic responses, producing adaptive divergence comparable in magnitude to classic island radiations despite ongoing gene flow. Anthropogenic pressures, including agricultural expansion, habitat fragmentation, and urbanization, interact with natural gradients to favor generalized morphologies while eroding specialized traits. Genetic analyses highlight key loci, such as BMP4 and ALX1, that may enable rapid adaptation to environmental and anthropogenic pressures. This synthesis emphasizes the need for empirical research to test trait-environment relationships and clarifies gaps in current knowledge, providing a framework for future ecological and evolutionary studies in Ethiopian finches, with implications for conservation and management of finch populations in rapidly changing landscapes.

Abstract:

Introduction of species consists today one of the most important problem of nature conservation. Special attention is paid to alien vascular plants and vertebrates. In the Afrotropical Region (sub-Saharan Africa), avian and mammalian introductions have attracted the attention of many re-searchers and was recently reviewed, but there is a lack of such comprehensive review of alien amphibians and reptiles. The presented paper constitutes an attempt to overview the status, distribution, threats introduced herp species to sub-Saharan Africa since he second half of the 18^th century. This review includes 21 amphibian (including 10 established) and 57 reptile (including 19 established) species introduced to sub-Saharan. The introduced amphibians are representatives of Urodela (n=4 spp., none established) and Anura (n=17 species, incl. 10 established). Introduced reptiles species belonged to the following orders: Testudines (n=11 species, incl. 6 established), Sauria (n=32 spp., incl. 29 established), Serpentes (n=13 spp., incl. 2 established) and Crocolylia (1 sp. not established). Most species introduced to sub-Saharan Africa which subsequently developed viable populations originated from the Afrotropical (35%), Malagasy (27%) and Oriental (27%) regions. However, the proportions of introduced species which failed to establish viable populations were quite different: Nearctics (25%), Afrotropics (22%), and Neotropics (17%); Malagasy 11%, Oriental Region only 6%. First introduction of alien herp species, i.e. Gehyra mutilate and Ptachadena mascareniensis, in Africa took place in 18^th century. By the end of 19^th century, four other species have been introduced and in the two last decades of that century – 5 species. Similarly, in 20^th century, most introduction were made in the last two decades, when an exponential growth of introduction begun and lasts till present. This growth has been caused by an increase in international trade and herp pet industry, especially in South Africa. Stowaway and pet trade are the most common pathways of introductions. Few factors determine the successful establishment of introduced alien herp species in sub-Saharan Africa, viz.: the behavioural and morphological traits, propagula pressure, climate and habitat overlap, and presence of potentially competing species. The impact of alien herps in sub-Saharan Africa on the local biodiversity is not well-investigated. Negative effects have been, however, evidenced for species such as Sclerophrys gutturalis, Agama agama, Hemidactylus frenatus, Trachemys scripta (competition); Xenopus laevis, Sclerophrys gutturalis, Rhinella marina, Lycodon aulica (predation); Xenopus laevis, Python sabae (hybridization); Xenopus laevis, Palea steindachneri (diseases and parasites). In comparison with other continents (Europe and North America) the number of introduced and established herp species in sub-Saharan Africa is relatively low, possibly because the Afrotropical region is saturated with herps which can potentially compete and prey on the alien species, preventing their successful establishment. Madagascar, the Mascarenes and other small islands in the Malagasy Region have the highest number of introduced herp species in sub-Saharan Africa. However these numbers are still much lower than those recorded for instance in the Greater Caribbean, probably for the same reasons as in the mainland.

Abstract: The present study documents the diversity and ecological attributes of grass species (family Poaceae) recorded from Abheda Biological Park (ABP), Kota, Rajasthan. Floristic surveys conducted between July 2024 and December 2025 resulted in the documentation of 42 grass species. Species were evaluated based on life span (annual/perennial) and palatability, which are key indicators of grassland stability and forage potential. The dominance of palatable (65.8%) and perennial (53.6%) species suggests that ABP supports a productive and ecologically balanced grassland system. Herbarium specimens of selected taxa were prepared to ensure taxonomic accuracy and future reference. The study provides baseline information crucial for grassland management and conservation planning in southeastern Rajasthan.

Abstract: The “Great Filter” hypothesis proposes that the apparent absence of extraterrestrial civilizations, despite the vastnumber of potentially habitable planets, is the result of one or more extremely improbable steps, or “filters,” in theevolution of intelligent life. These filters may lie either in humanity’s future, predicting our eventual self-destruction, or in our evolutionary past, implying that intelligent civilizations are rare. Based on empirical evidenceand evolutionary analysis, this study argues that no probable future filter exists with sufficient destructive capabilityto account for the absence of evidence of extraterrestrial intelligent life. Instead, several improbable and sequentiallydependent events in Earth’s geological and biological history have been hypothesized as effective filters, includingthe Theia collision initiating plate tectonics, tectonic activity providing sufficient sustained chemical energy toenable abiogenesis, and the evolutionary dominance of mammals. By estimating the probabilities of these unlikelyevents, the probability of a civilization arising was calculated to be less than one per ~1040 star systems—while thereare estimated to be only ~1030 stars in the observable universe. These findings suggest that Earth may host the onlytechnological civilization within its cosmic horizon.

Abstract: Sexual dimorphism in morphological traits is widespread across animals and can result from differing life-history strategies, sex-specific competitive pressures, and ecological interactions, which may be influenced by habitat structure and complexity. For epifaunal organisms, e.g., amphipods that inhabit structurally diverse benthic habitats, the structure of the habitat plays a key role in mediating access to food, mate encounters, and refuge provision. Here, we explored patterns of variation in body size and gnathopod 2 ratio (gnathopod 2 length/body length) among amphipod species in different marine habitats. We focus on two amphipod species, Ampithoe ramondi and Caprella acanthifera, across four benthic habitat types: rhodolith beds, macroalgae- dominated reefs, seagrass meadows, and black coral forests. A. ramondi was present in all habitats except black coral forests, and males were significantly larger than females only in macroalgae-dominated reefs. Males also exhibited higher gnathopod ratios than females, increasing from macroalgae-dominated reefs to seagrass meadows and rhodolith beds. C. acanthifera was found in macroalgae-dominated reeds and black coral forests, where males were larger than females on average, but no significant habitat alterations were detected. Neither A. ramondi nor C. acanthifera was found in all four habitats. These results suggest that patterns of sexual dimorphism across coastal habitats are species-specific, with sexual selection operating more subtly in some taxa (e.g., C. acanthifera) than others, likely shaped by both habitat-specific ecological pressures and differences in life-history strategies. Expanding such analyses to more taxa and with balanced sampling across habitats and environmental gradients will offer deeper insight into how natural and sexual selection interact and inform how these dynamics may shift under changing climate regimes.

Abstract: We provide generalizations of the conventional logistic population dynamics models suitable for periodic breeders, such as migratory birds, occupying varied habitats during the breeding cycle. These models require separate density dependencies for the birth and death rates, which may be habitat specific. Some analytical functional forms for the density dependencies are discussed where the population controlling mechanisms are each characterized by a distinct carrying capacity and saturation power. Multiple mechanisms might be operative simultaneously with the smallest carrying capacity usually dominating, but subject to influence from the others. We compare the dynamics and applicability for corresponding continuous differential and discrete difference population models. Generally, the differential models are stable, but exhibit repetitive seasonal variations for periodic breeders. The inherent delays in the discrete models may yield instabilities for large birth rates, as is known for single habitats, and may lead to significant discrepancies from the differential models for periodic breeders. The discrete models are also applicable to the life cycles of metamorphic and spawning species with non-overlapping generations. Threshold effects are also considered.