Arctic ecosystems are undergoing rapid changes, including increasing disturbance by herbivore populations, which can affect plant species coexistence and community assemblages. Although the significance of mosses in Arctic wetlands is well recognized, the long-term influence of medium-sized herbivores on the composition of moss communities has received limited attention. We used data from a long-term (25 years) Greater Snow Goose () exclusion experiment in Arctic tundra wetlands to assess changes in the composition of moss communities at multiple spatial scales (cell, 4 cm; quadrat, 100 cm; exclosure, 16 m). We investigated how snow goose grazing and grubbing can alter the composition of the moss community by measuring changes in alpha and beta diversity, as well as in the strength of plant interspecific interactions between moss species. Our results indicate that goose foraging significantly increased species diversity (richness, evenness, and inverse Simpson index) of moss communities at the cell and quadrat scales but not the exclosure scale. Goose foraging reduced the dissimilarity (beta diversity) of moss communities at all three scales, mainly due to decreased species turnover. Furthermore, goose foraging increased positive interaction between moss species pairs. These findings emphasize the critical role of geese in promoting moss species coexistence and increasing homogeneity in Arctic wetlands. This study illustrates how top-down regulation by herbivores can alter plant communities in Arctic wetlands and highlights the importance of considering herbivores when examining the response of Arctic plant biodiversity to future climate change.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11272 | DOI Listing |
Sci Total Environ
January 2025
Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Shapotou Desert Research and Experiment Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China. Electronic address:
The Great Wall in China, constructed from rammed earth, faces threats from natural erosion. Vascular plants and biocrusts have enhanced the stability of the Great Wall through various mechanisms; however, understanding of the colonization processes of vascular plants and biocrusts on the wall, as well as their protective mechanisms, remains limited. This study investigated the vascular plant communities, biocrusts, soil moisture content, soil properties, aggregate mechanical stability, aggregate water stability, and soil erodibility factors across seven fine-scale microtopographies of the Great Wall (lower, middle, and upper zones on the east and west faces, as well as the wall crest).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLOS Glob Public Health
January 2025
Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
Eleven countries have been certified as malaria free since 2016, but none of these are in subSaharan Africa where elimination challenges are unique. The 1-3-7 focus investigation approach is an implementation strategy that requires case reporting, case investigation/classification, and focal classification/response to be completed one, three, and seven days, respectively, after index case diagnosis. Real-time short-messaging-service reports are sent at each step to add accountability and data transparency.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Los Angeles, 5151 State University Dr, Los Angeles, CA, 90032, USA.
The moss Syntrichia caninervis Mitt. is distributed throughout drylands globally, and often anchors ecologically significant communities known as biological soil crusts (biocrusts). The species occupies a variety of dryland habitats with varying levels of drought and temperature stress, suggesting the potential for ecological specialization within S.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera, Pisa, Italy.
Millions of individuals surviving a stroke have lifelong gait impairments that reduce their personal independence and quality of life. Reduced walking speed is one of the major problems limiting community mobility and reintegration. Previous studies have shown positive effect of robot-assisted gait training utilizing hip exoskeletons for individuals with gait impairments due to a stroke, leading to increased walking speed in post-treatment compared to pre-treatment assessments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Plant Biol
January 2025
Hubei Key Laboratory of Biological Resource Protection and Utilization, Enshi, 445000, China.
Background: The carbon sequestration potential and water retention capacity of peatlands are closely linked to the growth dynamics of Sphagnum mosses. However, few studies have focused on the response of Sphagnum moss growth dynamics to UV-B radiation, and existing research has emphasized species differences. In this study, Sphagnum palustre L.
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