Abstract: We reviewed the recent fire regimes in the semi-arid savannas of Etosha National Park and adjacent areas in northern Namibia using MODIS satellite imagery from 2001 – 2025 across gradients of mean annual rainfall (200 – 500 mm), land ownership, and vegetation types. Fires were highly seasonal, concentrated in the two driest months of the year (September and October). The average fire return period over 25 years was 6.9 years in Etosha National Park, but more than four times greater (31.8 years) on adjacent freehold farms. The proportion of the area burned annually ranged from zero to over 30% and the fire regime was dominated by a few episodic but extreme fire events. Some findings were counter-intuitive in that certain vegetation types in areas of low mean annual rainfall (< 300 mm) burned frequently (fire return period 4.3 years) while others experienced infrequent fires (fire return periods 34 – 206 years) in higher rainfall areas (> 400 mm). Current fire management practices have attempted to reconstruct natural fire regimes and are not based on ecological understanding, and further research, based on monitoring of dynamic interactions between rainfall, fuel accumulation, levels of herbivory and the extent of fires are needed to explain these findings.

Abstract: Global deforestation is accelerating at an unprecedented scale, driven by interconnected economic, political, and environmental forces that threaten biodiversity, climate stability, and human well-being. This article synthesizes global datasets and recent evidence to assess the magnitude, spatial distribution, and structural drivers of contemporary forest loss, with particular emphasis on tropical regions. It addresses three core research questions: (i) What is the current scale and geographic concentration of global deforestation and permanent tree-cover loss? (ii) How do agricultural expansion, mining, climate-driven wildfires, and armed conflict interact to intensify forest degradation? (iii) How do global consumption patterns, financial systems, and governance failures—including the symbolic contradictions of U.N. climate summits hosted in major fossil-fuel-exporting and high-emission countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan, and Egypt—externalize deforestation pressures onto vulnerable regions? The analysis shows that permanent land-use change, extractive industries, and conflict-related governance breakdowns dominate forest loss dynamics, while climate change amplifies fire-driven destruction, exposing a widening credibility gap in global climate governance and the urgent need for enforceable, equity-centered forest protection strategies.

Abstract: Wind farms are known to trigger avoidance behaviour leading to habitat loss in some raptors. The recovery of the Spanish imperial eagle, Aquila adalberti, in Cadiz, a Spanish province with a high density of wind farms, is of concern. Macro-displacement was studied by comparing juvenile density between wind farms and control areas. Meso-displacement was studied comparing actual density in each 200 m interval of distance around turbines against a random distribution, assuming no-avoidance, controlling for the influence of other environmental factors. We found no evidence of avoidance at macro scale. At meso scale, using density method, we did not find any evidence supporting eagle avoidance behaviour. The study of avoidance behaviours is an ongoing topic that can help to improve conservation and management decisions, especially for species sensitive to the presence of wind farms and other threatening infrastructures in their habitats.

Abstract: The conservation status of the Colombian Caribbean dune system was assessed considering the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors. The study took place in five locations with a gradient of human disturbance. In each site, twenty-seven plots were established along three transects perpendicular to the coast. Environmental variables such as dune height, slope, sediment physical-chemical attributes, and anthropogenic impact were assessed in each site, while species composition, frequency, and plant cover were determined for each plot. The results show a correlation between natural and anthropogenic factors and the composition and structure of plant communities growing on the beach and coastal dunes. Human disturbances (urbanized areas, construction, burning, debris, trampling, logging, tourism, groins, sewage, roads, garbage, and sediment extraction) were particularly relevant. Plant cover and species diversity were highest in the sites with the lowest human impact, while the contrary occurred in sites where human impact was highest. Furthermore, community structure varied among sites: trees and vines were more frequent in the preserved locations, while shrubs and parasitic plants were more abundant in the disturbed sites. Management alternatives should consider the environmental factors (natural and anthropogenic) affecting vegetation to improve the conservation of plant diversity on coastal dunes along the Colombian Caribbean coast.

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Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii) plays an important ecological role in Mesoamerican forests as a browser and seed disperser, earning it the nickname of “gardener of the forest”. However, knowledge of its diet composition remains scattered. We reviewed and analyzed the available literature of diet composition of Baird’s tapir throughout its geographic distribution. We compiled evidence from 25 studies related to these topics. Baird’s tapir was found to consume 511 plant taxa belonging to 407 genera and 122 families. Five types of dietary components have been identified: fibre (stems), leaf, fruit, bark and flowers. The influence of seasonality on the tapir’s diet is unclear due to the underestimation of some components (fruit). We identified limitations in the techniques used to determine diet components and study designs. Future research should focus on develop novel techniques to improve the quantification of dietary components. Additionally, the direct and indirect effects of Baird’s tapir’s diet and plant consumption on ecosystem dynamics should be investigated to clearly understand the functional role of this species.

Abstract: Climate fluctuations are expected to drive a decline in the growth of many conifer and broadleaf species, especially in the Mediterranean region, where these species grow at or very near the southern limits of their distribution. Such trends have important im-plications not only for forest productivity but also for plant diversity, as shifts in spe-cies performance may alter competitive interactions and long-term community com-position. Using tree-ring data sourced from two Abies cephalonica stands with different elevation in Mount Parnassus in Central Greece, we evaluate the growth responses of the species to climatic variability employing a dendroecological approach. We hy-pothesize that radial growth at higher elevations is more strongly influenced by cli-mate variability than at lower elevations. Despite the moderate to relatively good common signal indicated by the expressed population signal (EPS: 0.645 for the high-altitude stand and 0.782 for the low-altitude stand), the chronologies for both sites preserve crucial stand-level growth patterns, providing an important basis for ecological insights. The calculation of the Average Tree-Ring Width Index (ARWI) for both sites revealed that fir in both altitudes exhibited a decline in growth rates from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, followed by a general recovery and increase throughout the late 1990s. They also both experienced a significant decline in growth between approximately 2018 and 2022. The best-fit model for annual ring-width vari-ation at lower elevations was a simple autoregressive model of order one (AR1), where growth was driven exclusively by the previous year’s growth (p < 0.001). At the higher elevation, a more complex model emerged: while previous year’s growth remained significant (p < 0.001), other variables such as maximum growing season temperature (p = 0.041), annual temperature (inverse effect, p = 0.039), annual precipitation (p = 0.017), and evapotranspiration (p = 0.039) also had a statistically significant impact on tree growth. Our results emphasize the prominent role of carry-over effects in shaping their annual growth patterns.

Abstract: Seed wings are well-documented as morphological adaptations for seed dispersal and environmental persistence in angiosperms, but their functional significance in gymnosperms, which dominate temperate and subalpine forest ecosystems, remains poorly understood. This study examines the germination ecology of Smith fir (Abies georgei var. smithii), a species whose seeds possess membranous, translucent wings. We tested the germination responses of three seed treatments—intact, mixed (de-winged seeds mixed with the detached wings), and de-winged seeds under two light conditions (12 hours light/12 hours dark and continuous darkness) and three temperature regimes (5/1°C, 15/2°C, and 25/5°C) to assess the interactive effects of light, temperature, and seed-wing conditions on germination. Smith fir seeds showed optimal germination between 15 and 25°C, with light exposure significantly enhancing germination under cooler conditions (&lt; 5 ℃). De-winged seeds germinated significantly better than intact seeds (P &lt; 0.001), confirming that seed wings inhibit germination. The germination percentages of intact and mixed seed were comparably low and significantly lower than those of de-winged seeds, suggesting that the inhibitory effect is more likely attributable to chemical inhibitors associated with the wings rather than to mechanical restriction. Smith fir seeds, dispersed in October, exhibit conditional physiological dormancy, with wing-derived inhibitors delaying germination until favorable spring conditions. These findings provide insights into the adaptive strategies of gymnosperms in regulating germination timing in responses to seasonal environmental cues in temperate mountain ecosystems.

Abstract: The principles of nonequilibrium thermodynamics are briefly discussed, with a focus on entropy. For the first time, the energy consumption and entropy production of CO2 final storage and utilization (CCS and CCU) are quantitatively analyzed and interpreted. This shows that the final storage and chemical utilization of CO2 are not sustainable processes for solving the climate crisis. Building on this, a new proposal for a quantitative criterion for sustainability is presented: entropy. In addition, a relatively simple indicator is presented that is a helpful (and easier to calculate) indicator for the entropy production of various processes or products.

Abstract: Mesozooplankton play a pivotal role in marine pelagic food webs, mediating energy and matter transfer between primary producers and higher trophic levels.. Daya Bay, a semi-enclosed bay in the northern South China Sea, has experienced significant environmental changes due to anthropogenic activities such as thermal discharge from a nuclear power plant and eutrophication..This study investigates the mesozooplankton community structure, feeding preferences, and food web organization through four seasonal cruises (May 2022, February 2023, August 2023, and November 2023) using stable isotope analysis and a Bayesian Isotopic Mixing Model.. Results show that mesozooplankton abundance and diversity are lower in regions affected by thermal discharge, indicating the suppressive effect of elevated temperatures. Seasonal shifts in dominant species were observed, with Penilia avirostris and Dolioletta gegenbauri dominated in spring, and Noctiluca scintillans blooms occurring in summer and winter. Isotopic analysis reveals distinct trophic strategies: copepods display omnivorous habits, while cladocerans and tunicates show stronger herbivorous tendencies. N. scintillans acts as a high-trophic omnivore, preying on copepod larvae and competing for food resources. Overall, the mesozooplankton community features an omnivory-dominated trophic network that enhances resilience but remains sensitive to anthropogenic disturbances. This study clarifies how human-induced environmental changes reshape subtropical coastal trophic pathways, providing a valuable reference for long-term monitoring and ecosystem management in Daya Bay.

Abstract: Currently there is no data and studies from Lake Vaya, Burgas city on the status and quantity of microplastic (MP) particles in fish. This is the first study on the abundance, morphotype, size, polymer type and color of MP in Gambusia affinis, and Liza saliens from the Lake. We also investigated the distribution of MPs in different parts of the fish. Within each morphological group of MPs, three size classes were recognized: 25-100 µm, 100-200 µm and 200-500 µm. Microplastics were found in all studied fish tissues except for caviar, but in different proportions of pellets, fibers and fragments. In our study, fibers were the most isolated, followed by irregularly shaped MPs – fragments. Two types of polymers were found - PET and PA. There are currently no studies in Lake Vaya that assess the risk of ingestion of microplastics for fish health and human health. Research shows that almost all aquatic environments worldwide are at risk of MP contamination. Laboratory and field studies highlighted that fish are particularly susceptible to MP ingestion, although freshwater species have been studied less than marine ones. The results of our study suggest that consumption of fish from Lake Vaya may expose citizens to risk.

Abstract: Diatoms are key primary producers and sensitive indicators in polar freshwater ecosystems, responding rapidly to environmental change. This study investigates diatom species richness and the influence of environmental variables in fourteen coastal lakes on King George and Horseshoe Islands in the maritime Antarctic. Water and surface sediment samples collected in 2017, 2019, and 2020 were analyzed using light and scanning electron microscopy, revealing 86 diatom species and genera across all lakes except Lake 5. King George Island exhibited higher species richness, with frequent occurrences of Planothidium lanceolatum, Achnanthidium dolomiticum, Fragilaria capucina and Nitzschia homburgiensis. On Horseshoe Island, common taxa included Achnanthes, Achnanthidium, Fragilaria, Nitzschia, Navicula, and Gomphonema. Among the previously measured water chemistry variables, HCO3- (ρ = 0.78, p = 0.005) and K+ (ρ = 0.69, p = 0.019) showed the strongest positive correlations with diatom species richness. Major ions and nutrients exhibited moderate relationships with DO, salinity, and pH. In contrast, temperature and trace metals displayed weak or negligible correlations, suggesting indirect influences on diatom diversity. These findings demonstrate that diatom communities in the Maritime Antarctic lakes are highly diverse and are strongly shaped by variations in water chemistry, underscoring the ecological sensitivity of these freshwater ecosystems.

Abstract: Miombo forest in Gilé National Park (PNAG), central Mozambique have significant habitat for endemic biodiversity but face mounting pressure from recurrent fire disturbance. This study assessed fire patterns and mapped fire risk in support of adaptive management in the PNAG. We investigated miombo fire regime over 23 years (2001 to 2023) in terms of return intervals, frequency, temporal distribution, spatial density and intensity, area extent, and severity, by using two MODIS satellite products (MCD14ML active fire; MCD64A1 burned area). Primary risk drivers were established and spatial fire likelihood mapped, using Random forest algorithm. Analysis revealed pronounced late dry-season burning (August-October) affecting approximately 60% of PNAG annually, especially in central-northern and eastern landscapes. Remarkably, 88% of the park maintain 1 to 2 year fire return interval while only 7% maintains return frequencies of 3 to 4 year cycles, important for maintaining Miombo ecosystem functionality. Medium to medium-high fire severity covered 98% of total fire areas. Climate-related drivers and hunting activities were identified as key fire imitators, peaking in central areas in terms of likelihood. Findings demonstrate urgent need for spatially-differentiated fire governance incorporating strategic zoning and prescribed burning to maintain PNAG's ecological resilience and conservation value.

Abstract: Understanding the services provided by coastal ecosystems is vital for their study, preservation, and restoration. Mangrove forests, in particular, provide key ecosystem ser-vices: they sequester carbon, support fisheries and biodiversity, and enable sustainable tourism. In the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, mangrove-related services have been stud-ied extensively, but often in fragmented ways. This meta-analysis combines literature re-view, bibliometric tools, and thematic mapping to identify emerging trends and long-standing gaps. We analyzed 61 peer-reviewed studies across 21 sovereign and U.S. states, highlighting shifting research priorities and the lack of convergence across ecosys-tem service categories. While early research emphasized supporting services such as fish-ery nurseries, recent studies focus on regulating services, especially carbon sequestration. Stakeholder engagement remains limited, with only 18% of studies incorporating local or institutional perspectives. We argue for greater integration of stakeholder input and con-vergence across service categories to enhance the scientific basis for mangrove manage-ment and policy design.

Abstract: Accurate predictions of heathland plant species are crucial for ecological monitoring and assessing biodiversity. Previous research has predominantly utilized convolutional neural networks (CNNs), which process images arranged on a regular grid. Although CNNs are effective at extracting local visual features, they frequently do not capture the irregular spatial relationships characteristic of heathland vegetation. Earlier approaches employing graph neural networks (GNNs) for plant classification have generally relied on basic or dataset-wide graph constructions, with limited consideration for edges that represent the actual morphological structure of plants. This study presents PlantGraphNet, a hybrid CNN–GNN framework that integrates visual and structural information for heathland plant species classification. PlantGraphNet extracts image-specific keypoints and local descriptors to construct graphs, where nodes correspond to plant regions and edges encode spatial relationships. The resulting graphs are processed using graph convolution and graph attention layers to capture relational context, while a CNN backbone provides complementary appearance features. These two modalities are combined into a unified representation for classification. To ensure scalability, PlantGraphNet employs distributed data-parallel training, enabling efficient gradient synchronisation across devices and near-linear performance scaling. When evaluated on Danish aerial heathland datasets, PlantGraphNet achieves a precision of 98.98 percent, substantially outperforming CNN-only baselines. In addition to improved accuracy, the explicit graph construction increases interpretability by associating classification outcomes with specific plant structures. These findings indicate that integrating CNN-derived features with purposefully designed graph representations of plant morphology yields a robust and interpretable approach for fine-grained heathland plant species classification.

Abstract:

Ethiopia, a biodiversity-rich country in the Horn of Africa, faces growing threats from invasive alien plant species, notably Cryptostegia grandiflora (rubber vine). This study assessed the current and projected future distribution of Cryptostegia grandiflora under climate change scenarios using ensemble species distribution models (MaxEnt, GLM, and Random Forest) and eight key bioclimatic variables. Model performance was high, with a mean AUC of 0.96 and a mean TSS of 0.88. The most influential predictors were mean diurnal temperature range, temperature seasonality, and precipitation seasonality. Under current climate conditions, 98% of Ethiopia (2018932.7 km²) is climatically unsuitable for the species, with suitable habitats concentrated in the central highlands and limited northern pockets. Future projections indicate substantial expansion of suitable habitat. By 2040, highly suitable areas are projected to increase by 162.0% under SSP2-4.5 and 131.2% under SSP5-8.5. By 2060, these areas are expected to expand further by 232.3% and 226.6%, respectively, relative to current climatic conditions. These projected shifts indicate an elevated invasion risk in central and southeastern Ethiopia, with significant ecological and socio-economic challenges, including suppression of native vegetation, reduced pasture productivity, and threats to pastoral livelihoods. Therefore, this study highlights the need for proactive monitoring, early containment, and climate-informed management strategies to mitigate future impacts of Cryptostegia grandiflora on biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Abstract: Protecting aquatic biodiversity while ensuring reliable hydropower production and water supply remains a core challenge for both water security and biosecurity. In this PRIS-MA-based systematic review, we synthesize evidence from 96 studies on fish guidance and deterrence at hazardous water intakes. We examine non-physical barriers, including acoustic and light cues, electric fields, bubble curtains, and chemical stimuli, as well as physical barriers such as racks, louvers, guidance structures, and nets or screens that aim to divert fish away from intakes and toward selective passage routes. Overall, guidance and deterrence performance is strongly species- and site-specific. Multimodal systems that combine multiple cues show the highest mean deflection efficiency (~80%), followed by light-based deterrents (~77%). Acoustic, electric, and bubble barriers generally achieve intermediate efficiencies (~55–58%), whereas structural devices alone exhibit lower mean performance (~46%), with substantial variability among sites and designs. Physical screens remain effective for larger size classes but can increase head loss and debris ac-cumulation. By contrast, non-physical systems offer more flexible, low-footprint options whose success depends critically on local hydraulics, the sensory ecology of target species, and ambient environmental conditions. We identify major knowledge gaps relating to underlying sensory and behavioral mechanisms, hydraulics-based design rules, and standardized performance metrics. We also highlight opportunities to integrate advanced monitoring and AI-based analytics into adaptive, site-specific guidance systems. Taken together, our findings show that carefully selected and tuned barrier technologies can provide practical pathways to enhance water security and biosecurity, while supporting sustainable fish passage, improving invasive-species control, and reducing ecological impacts at water infrastructure.

Abstract:

The Chongming Dongtan wetland, a representative coastal wetland in East Asia, is subject to a significant ecological threat from the invasive species Spartina alterniflora. The mixed ecotone formed between this invasive species and the native Phragmites australis serves as a highly sensitive and critical indicator of alterations in wetland ecosystem structure and function. Using spring and autumn Sentinel-2 imagery from 2016 to 2023, this study developed a method that integrates a three-dimensional feature space with multi-threshold Otsu segmentation to accurately extract the mixed S. alterniflora–P. australis ecotone. The spatiotemporal dynamics of the mixed ecotone were analyzed at multiple temporal scales using a centroid migration model and the Seasonal Area Ratio (SAR) index. The results suggest that: (1) Near-infrared reflectance and NDVI were identified as the optimal spectral indices for spring and autumn, respectively, which led to a classification achieving an overall accuracy of 87.3±1.4% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.84±0.02. Notably, the mixed ecotone was mapped with producer’s and user’s accuracies of 85.2% and 83.6%. (2) The vegetation followed a distinct land-to-sea ecological sequence of “pure P. australis–mixed ecotone–pure S. alterniflora”, predominantly distributed as an east–west trending belt. This pattern was fragmented by tidal creeks and micro-topography in the northwest, contrasting with geometrically regular linear anomalies in the central area, indicative of human engineering. (3) The ecotone saw continuous seaward expansion throughout the 2016–2023 period. Spring exhibited a consistent annual area growth of 13.93% and a stable seaward centroid migration, whereas autumn exhibited significant intra-annual fluctuations in both area and centroid due to extreme climate events. (4) The SAR index uncovered a fundamental transition in the seasonal competition pattern in 2017, initiating a seven-year spring-dominant phase after a single year of autumn dominance. This spring-dominated era exhibited a distinctive sawtooth fluctuation pattern, indicative of competitive dynamics arising from the phenological advancement of P. australis combined with the niche penetration of S. alterniflora. This study elucidates the multi-scale competition and succession mechanisms between S. alterniflora and P. australis, thus providing a scientific underpinning for effective invasive species control and ecological restoration in coastal wetlands.

Abstract: The invasion of Prosopis juliflora poses a growing threat to dryland ecosystems and pas-toral livelihoods across East Africa. This study presents an integrative approach that combines satellite remote sensing, machine learning, and participatory GIS (PGIS) to de-tect and map the spatial extent and socio-ecological impacts of Prosopis juliflora in Baringo County, Kenya. We evaluated the performance of three satellite platforms, Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and PlanetScope, using a Random Forest classifier trained on field-collected presence–absence data and vegetation indices. Sentinel-2 outperformed the other sensors, achieving a classification accuracy of 90.65%, with key variables including Visible At-mospherically Resistant Index (VARI), Ratio Vegetation Index (RVI) and red-edge bands emerging as the most important predictors. To enhance contextual understanding and validate remote sensing outputs, we conducted PGIS sessions with gender-disaggregated community groups, capturing local perceptions of invasion hotspots and blocked access to grazing routes and water sources. The comparison of satellite-derived maps and PGIS outputs revealed strong spatial congruence, particularly along water bodies, roads, and croplands. Our findings demonstrate the potential of combining Earth observation and citizen science to generate actionable knowledge for managing invasive species in da-ta-scarce dryland environments. This hybrid framework supports inclusive and spatially targeted interventions for rangeland restoration and ecosystem resilience.

Abstract: Savanna ecosystems are shaped by intricate interactions among rainfall, vegetation productivity, and fire regimes, with these dynamics varying along aridity–humidity gradients. We developed a stochastic, process-based simulation model to investigate how rainfall, fire frequency, and fire intensity jointly regulate grass and shrub biomass in semi-arid Namibian savannas over a 100-year period. The model operates at monthly time steps, linking rainfall-driven biomass accumulation to fuel availability and probabilistic fire occurrence. Simulation results reveal marked contrasts across rainfall regimes. In drier savannas ( 200 mm/year), low and relatively stable grass biomass dominates, supporting frequent but low-intensity fires that exert limited influence on vegetation structure. Mesic savannas ( 300–400 mm/year) exhibit recurrent, moderate- to high-intensity fires that produce pronounced oscillations in grass and shrub biomass, suppressing woody encroachment while maintaining dynamic coexistence with grasses. In humid savannas ( 500 mm/year), high biomass accumulates and fuels are abundant, but fires occur infrequently due to high humidity. When fire events do occur, they are extremely intense, shaping long-term vegetation composition. Rainfall variability amplifies temporal fluctuations in biomass and fire intensity but does not fundamentally shift equilibrium states. Across all regimes, fire characteristics—especially frequency and intensity—emerge as the dominant regulators of savanna structure, while rainfall acts primarily as a stochastic modulator. These findings highlight the need for rainfall-specific fire management strategies: fire suppression in arid systems to protect fragile vegetation, prescribed burns in mesic regions to prevent woody encroachment, and moderate, regular fires in humid savannas to sustain grass–tree coexistence and reduce the risk of extreme wildfires.

Abstract: The northern Brazilian Amazon has ecological transition ecosystems with high diversity and endemism of tree species and few botanical collections. We evaluated the phytosociology between Dense Ombrophilous Forest (Ds) and Forested Campinarana (Ld) within the Anauá National Forest (Flona) in Roraima, Brazil. A total of 14,730 trees with a DBH &gt; 10 cm were inventoried across 30 hectares (ha), distributed among 55 botanical families, 183 genera, 386 species, and 123 undetermined trees. Ten hyperdominant tree families accounted for 69% of the sampled trees and 65% of the stored forest carbon (102.9 ± 5.0 Mg ha-1), like Arecaceae (2,555), Fabaceae (1,738) and Sapotaceae (1,311). Ten hyperdominant species accounted for 32% of the sampled individuals and 32% of the stored forest carbon (46.3 ± 3.8 Mg ha-1), like Euterpe precatoria (1,151), Pouteria macrophylla (561) and Inga alba (574). The Anauá National Forest has great potential for sustainable multiple-use forest management through forest concessions; however, tree mortality due to natural causes and anthropogenic actions (deforestation, illegal selective logging, and forest fires) was considered high (7%) for tropical forests in the Amazon. We recommend further studies to broaden the understanding of tree diversity and forest structure present in ecological transition ecosystems in the Brazilian Amazon.