Understanding resource use and dietary niche partitioning in a high-altitude predator guild using seasonal sampling and DNA metabarcoding.

Understanding of predator feeding ecology, interactions among co-occurring predator species, and seasonal changes is critical for conservation management given the important role that predators play in shaping their ecosystems, but is lacking for most regions of the world. Dietary studies have demonstrated varying conclusions in the role that resource partitioning plays in the maintenance of predator communities due to complex inter-related factors that may shape prey use. We used DNA metabarcoding on 581 scat samples to determine the dietary composition, similarity, diversity, and niche overlap of eight predator species (Tibetan wolf (Canis lupus), snow leopard (Panthera uncia), Tibetan brown bear (Ursus arctos pruinosus), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), Tibetan fox (Vulpes ferrilata), red fox (V.

Assessment of Suitable Habitats, Fragmentation Analysis, and Ecological Corridor Identification for Sichuan Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) in Sichuan Province, Southwest China.

The Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) was found to possess significant scientific and conservation value but faced multiple threats including habitat fragmentation and loss, human disturbance, illegal hunting, and the impacts of climate change on their habitat. To enhance habitat protection for this species, our study utilized field survey data and distribution records from protected areas to systematically evaluate spatial heterogeneity in suitable habitat distribution and habitat quality in Sichuan Province. Integration of 3S technology and ecological modeling allowed for a comprehensive assessment.

Historical changes in the distribution of the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey () in Sichuan Province, China.

The Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey () is a rare and endangered primate species endemic to China. Conducting research on the population distribution changes of the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey holds paramount importance for its conservation. Our study represented a comprehensive investigation into the population distribution of the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey by integrating data acquired from field surveys, protected areas, and historical records and using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to explore changes in distribution across various time periods, including the historical (the Mid-to-Late Pleistocene), recent (1980-2000), and current (2001-2023).

Climate change and anthropogenic activities shrink the range and dispersal of an endangered primate in Sichuan Province, China.

The golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) is a rare and endemic species in China. The population of golden snub-nosed monkeys in Sichuan Province has an isolated genetic status, large population size, and low genetic diversity, making it highly vulnerable to environmental changes. Our study aimed to evaluate the potential impact of climate and land-use changes on the distribution and dispersal paths of the species in Sichuan Province.

Ecological response of an umbrella species to changing climate and land use: Habitat conservation for Asiatic black bear in the Sichuan-Chongqing Region, Southwestern China.

Climate and land use changes are increasingly recognized as major threats to global biodiversity, with significant impacts on wildlife populations and ecosystems worldwide. The study of how climate and land use changes impact wildlife is of paramount importance for advancing our understanding of ecological processes in the face of global environmental change, informing conservation planning and management, and identifying the mechanisms and thresholds that underlie species' responses to shifting climatic conditions. The Asiatic black bear () is a prominent umbrella species in a biodiversity hotspot in Southwestern China, and its conservation is vital for safeguarding sympatric species.

Mitigation Strategies for Human-Tibetan Brown Bear () Conflicts in the Hinterland of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Personal injury and property damage caused by wildlife can worsen the relationship between humans and wildlife. In recent years, conflicts between herders and Tibetan brown bears () (human-bear conflicts; HBCs) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau have increased dramatically, severely affecting community motivation for the conservation of brown bears and other species. Understanding the types, effectiveness, and flaws of current HBC mitigation measures is critical to develop effective strategies to alleviate HBC.

Identifying the ecological security patterns of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, China.

Identifying and improving the existing ecological security patterns (ESPs) are of great importance to promoting ecological security and achieving sustainable development goals. The Three Gorges Reservoir Region (TGRR) is an area with a sensitive, fragile, and complex ecological environment in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River. The construction of ESPs for the TGRR is significant for maintaining regional ecosystem stability and promoting peaceful coexistence between humans and nature.

The overlap of suitable tea plant habitat with Asian elephant (Elephus maximus) distribution in southwestern China and its potential impact on species conservation and local economy.

The expansion of land being used for cash crop cultivation has threatened wildlife in recent decades. Tea has become the dominant cash crop in southwestern China. Unfortunately, tea plantations may threaten Asian elephant (Elephus maximus) populations via habitat loss and fragmentation.

Identifying the patterns of changes in α- and β-diversity across communities in Hainan Island, China.

Exploring vegetation distribution spatial patterns facilitates understanding how biodiversity addresses the potential threat of future climate variability, especially for highly diverse and threatened tropical plant communities, but few empirical studies have been performed. is a constructive and endangered species in the tropical mountain forests of Hainan Island, China. In this study, sixty-eight 30 m × 30 m permanent plots of were investigated, and species-based and phylogenetic-based methods were used to analyze the α- and β-diversity pattern variation and its key drivers.

Implementing a comprehensive approach to study the causes of human-bear (Ursus arctos pruinosus) conflicts in the Sanjiangyuan region, China.

Personal injury and property loss caused by wildlife often deteriorates the relationship between humans and animals, prompting retaliatory killings that threaten species survival. Conflicts between humans and Tibetan brown bears (Ursus arctos pruinosus) (Human-Bear Conflicts, HBC) in the Sanjiangyuan region have recently dramatically increased, seriously affecting community enthusiasm for brown bears and the conservation of other species. In order to understand the driving mechanisms of HBC, we proposed six potential drivers leading to increased occurrences of HBC.

Identifying the risk regions of house break-ins caused by Tibetan brown bears () in the Sanjiangyuan region, China.

Damage to homesteads by brown bears () has become commonplace in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Science-based solutions for preventing damages can contribute to the establishment of mechanisms that promote human-bear coexistence. We examined the spatial distribution patterns of house break-ins by Tibetan brown bears () in Zhiduo County of the Sanjiangyuan region in China.

Identifying climate refugia and its potential impact on Tibetan brown bear () in Sanjiangyuan National Park, China.

Climate change has direct impacts on wildlife and future biodiversity protection efforts. Vulnerability assessment and habitat connectivity analyses are necessary for drafting effective conservation strategies for threatened species such as the Tibetan brown bear (). We used the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model to assess the current (1950-2000) and future (2041-2060) habitat suitability by combining bioclimatic and environmental variables, and identified potential climate refugia for Tibetan brown bears in Sanjiangyuan National Park, China.

Quantum Monte Carlo calculated potential energy curve for the helium dimer.

We report on the results of both the diffusion quantum Monte Carlo (DMC) and reptation quantum Monte Carlo (RMC) methods on the potential energy curve of the helium dimer. We show that it is possible to obtain a highly accurate description of the helium dimer. An improved stochastic reconfiguration technique is employed to optimize the many-body wave function, which is the starting point for highly accurate simulations based on the DMC and RMC methods.