Female lizards () reverse Bergmann's rule across altitude.

The evolution of body size within and among species is predicted to be influenced by multifarious environmental factors. However, the specific drivers of body size variation have remained difficult to understand because of the wide range of proximate factors that covary with ectotherm body sizes across populations with varying local environmental conditions. Here, we used female lizards collected from different populations across their wide range in China, and constructed linear mixed models to assess how climatic conditions and/or available resources at different altitudes shape the geographical patterns of lizard body size across altitude.

Understanding key vectors and vector-borne diseases associated with freshwater ecosystem across Africa: Implications for public health.

The emerging and re-emerging vector-borne diseases transmitted by key freshwater organisms have remained a global concern. As one of the leading biodiversity hotspots, the African ecoregion is suggested to harbour the highest number of freshwater organisms globally. Among the commonly found organisms in the African ecoregion are mosquitoes and snails, with a majority of their life cycle in freshwater, and these freshwater organisms can transmit diseases or serve as carriers of devastating diseases of public health concerns.

Macro problems from microplastics: Toward a sustainable policy framework for managing microplastic waste in Africa.

Microplastic pollution is a ubiquitous and emerging environmental and public health concern in Africa due to increased plastic production, product and waste importation, and usage. While studies on the environmental monitoring and characterization of microplastics demonstrated the urgent need for a drastic reduction in plastic waste generation, the effectiveness of the various regulatory and policy interventions implemented or proposed in Africa countries remains poorly understood. We critically examined policies, legislations, and regulations enacted to control microplastic pollution in Africa to develop a sustainable, harmonized framework for the coordinated reduction of plastic waste generation across Africa.