1,280 results match your criteria: "Center for Conservation[Affiliation]"

Pathways to achieving net zero carbon emissions commonly involve deploying reforestation, afforestation, and bioenergy crops across millions of hectares of land. It is often assumed that by helping to mitigate climate change, these strategies indirectly benefit biodiversity. Here, we modeled the climate and habitat requirements of 14,234 vertebrate species and show that the impact of these strategies on species' habitat area tends not to arise through climate mitigation, but rather through habitat conversion.

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Microtopography-induced hydrological heterogeneity promotes the co-assembly of vascular plant and biocrust communities, providing synergistic protective functions for the Great Wall.

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).

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Fire shapes biodiversity in many forested ecosystems, but historical management practices and anthropogenic climate change have led to larger, more severe fires that threaten many animal species where such disturbances do not occur naturally. As predators, owls can play important ecological roles in biological communities, but how changing fire regimes affect individual species and species assemblages is largely unknown. Here, we examined the impact of fire severity, history, and configuration over the past 35 years on an assemblage of six forest owl species in the Sierra Nevada, California, using ecosystem-scale passive acoustic monitoring.

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Floodplain forests drive fruit-eating fish diversity at the Amazon Basin-scale.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

January 2025

Centre de Recherche sur la Biodiversité et l'Environnement, Université de Toulouse, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse, Université Toulouse 3 - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse F-31062, France.

Unlike most rivers globally, nearly all lowland Amazonian rivers have unregulated flow, supporting seasonally flooded floodplain forests. Floodplain forests harbor a unique tree species assemblage adapted to flooding and specialized fauna, including fruit-eating fish that migrate seasonally into floodplains, favoring expansive floodplain areas. Frugivorous fish are forest-dependent fauna critical to forest regeneration via seed dispersal and support commercial and artisanal fisheries.

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Rapid urban development impacts the integrity of tropical ecosystems on broad spatiotemporal scales. However, sustained long-term monitoring poses significant challenges, particularly in tropical regions. In this context, ecoacoustics emerges as a promising approach to address this gap.

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Unraveling the impact of PFOA toxicity on Zostera marina using a multi-omics approach: Insights from growth, physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic signatures.

J Hazard Mater

December 2024

Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao, PR China; Joint Research Center for Conservation, Restoration & Sustainable Utilization of Marine Ecology, Ocean University of China-China State Shipbuilding Corporation Environmental Development Co., Ltd., Qingdao, PR China; Observation and Research Station of Yellow-Bohai Sea Temperate Seagrass Bed Ecosystem, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, PR China. Electronic address:

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), an anthropogenic organic pollutant known for its persistence, resistance to degradation, and toxicity, has raised significant concerns about its potential ecological impacts. Zostera marina, a common submerged seagrass species in temperate offshore areas, is highly vulnerable to pollutant stressors. However, the impact of PFOA on Z.

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is one of the major clinical anaerobic bacteria belonging to the family . Herein, we report the complete genome sequence of a clinical isolate of new species obtained from equine bronchial lavage fluid in Japan. The genome comprised a circular chromosome with a length of 2,948,037 bp.

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Strontium isotope (Sr/Sr) analysis with reference to strontium isotope landscapes (Sr isoscapes) allows reconstructing mobility and migration in archaeology, ecology, and forensics. However, despite the vast potential of research involving Sr/Sr analysis particularly in Africa, Sr isoscapes remain unavailable for the largest parts of the continent. Here, we measure the Sr/Sr ratios in 778 environmental samples from 24 African countries and combine this data with published data to model a bioavailable Sr isoscape for sub-Saharan Africa using random forest regression.

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Genome assembly and multi-omics analyses of Isodon lophanthodies provide insights into the distribution of medicinal metabolites induced by exogenous methyl jasmonate.

BMC Plant Biol

December 2024

Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Crops Genetics and Improvement, Crop Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China.

Background: Isodon lophanthodies is a perennial herb and the whole plant has medicinal value distributed in southern China and southeast Asia. The absence of a reference genome has hindered evolution and genomic breeding research of this species.

Results: In this study, we present a high-quality, chromosome-level genome assembly of I.

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Burgeoning study of host-associated microbiomes has accelerated the development of microbial therapies, including fecal microbiota transplants (FMTs). FMTs provide host-specific microbial supplementation, with applicability across host species. Studying FMTs can simultaneously provide comparative frameworks for understanding microbial therapies in diverse microbial systems and improve the health of managed wildlife.

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Hormonal induction and seasonal variation in male reproductive viability of the Southern Rocky Mountain boreal toad.

Anim Reprod Sci

February 2025

Conservation Biology Research Group, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.

The Southern Rocky Mountain boreal toad (Anaxyrus boreas boreas) depends on both the rearing of wild-collected egg masses and a long-standing conservation breeding program (CBP), the latter of which heavily relies on assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) to support wild populations. Achieving consistent reproductive success in the CBP, however, remains a significant challenge. Natural breeding has not led to a sustained increase in reproductive capacity, prompting the exploration of exogenous hormone treatments as an alternative strategy.

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Movement response of small mammals to burn severity reveals importance of microhabitat features.

J Mammal

February 2024

School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, 1064 E. Lowell Street, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States.

Disturbance events are increasing at a global scale, with cascading impacts to ecosystems and residents therein that include fragmentation and altered vegetation structure and composition. Such changes may disproportionately impact small mammal movements, risk perception, and community dynamics as smaller species perceive such changes at finer spatial scales. We examined movement response to burn severity, vegetation structure, and composition in Mexican woodrats (), a common but understudied small mammal species.

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is a rare and precious medicinal and ornamental plant of Orchidaceae. Abundant morphological characteristics have been observed among cultivated accessions. Our understanding of the genetic basis of morphological diversity is limited due to a lack of sequence data and candidate genes.

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Examination of the host-associated microbiome in wildlife can provide critical insights into the eco-evolutionary factors driving species diversification and response to disease. This is particularly relevant for isolated populations lacking genomic variation, a phenomenon that is increasingly common as human activities create habitat 'islands' for wildlife. Here, we characterised the gut and otic microbial communities of one such species: Channel Island foxes (Urocyon littoralis).

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The current study results from the collection of Chironomidae, which began in 1994 and continued until the present time in six biogeographical regions of Alaska, USA. We established that 427 species are currently reported from Alaska, adding 154 new faunistic records and six new species. In this study, we described Chaetocladius (Chaetocladius) kimfrangosi sp.

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A number of undescribed species of the bethylid genera Goniozus and Sierola have been discovered in Australia and North America with character states that had previously been thought to be exclusive to one or the other, prompting a re-examination of the generic boundaries. Analysis of a large dataset of cytochrome oxidase I mtDNA sequences and key morphological characters found that Goniozus is well defined by two insertion-deletion events in COI. The traditional morphological characters can also be used to separate the genera, but variation within the regional fauna must be taken into account.

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Intensive technology Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) culture has been applied in Bulukumba Regency, South Sulawesi Province, but information on the performance of Pacific white shrimp culture and the land characteristics or environment of the pond has not yet been obtained. The research purposes are to find out the performance and the land characteristics or environment of Pacific white shrimp culture intensive technology to serve as a basis for determining the culture development. Five transects perpendicular to the shoreline and three transects parallel to the coastline, or 15 water sample stations, were identified in the field.

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Article Synopsis
  • Male African elephants have intricate social networks, and this study analyzed the consistency of their individual personalities across various situations.
  • By observing 34 male elephants over five years at a waterhole, researchers identified five behaviors (like aggression and affiliation) that were stable at the individual level and influenced by social contexts, particularly the presence of younger and dominant males.
  • The study concluded that younger males tend to show more similar personalities compared to older males, suggesting that while male elephants have distinct character traits, these traits can adapt based on their social surroundings.
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Chytridiomycosis in a colony of hellbenders Cryptobranchus alleganiensis.

J Aquat Anim Health

December 2024

Department of Comparative Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.

Article Synopsis
  • The eastern hellbender salamander is endangered and suffers from chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease primarily caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), leading to symptoms like skin shedding and death.
  • At Purdue University, 33% of hellbenders experienced mortality; autopsies revealed chytridiomycosis and a co-infection with Aeromonas hydrophila.
  • The outbreak was attributed to environmental stress from filtration failure; after treatment, surviving salamanders have remained healthy for over a year and were released back into the wild.
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To explore the impacts of acute ammonia nitrogen (NH-N) stress on gill structure and the antioxidant ability of red and white muscles in juvenile yellowfin tuna (), this study used natural seawater as a control, establishing two experimental NH-N groups at 5 and 10 mg/L. Gills and red and white muscle were taken at 6, 24, and 36 h for the determination of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GHS-PX) levels, and to observe gill structure. The results indicated that, with increasing time, the MDA concentration and CAT activity in the gills of the 5 mg/L group showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing, while SOD activity exhibited a downward trend.

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Unveiling hidden diversity: Phylogenomics of neotomine rodents and taxonomic implications for the genus Peromyscus.

Mol Phylogenet Evol

February 2025

Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA; Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • * This study used advanced genetic techniques to analyze 53 Neotominae species and aimed to clarify their phylogenetic relationships, concluding that Peromyscus can be categorized as a monophyletic group under certain conditions.
  • * The research suggests that the Neotominae subfamily originated around 7.9 to 10.7 million years ago, with significant diversification occurring during the late Pliocene through the Holocene, influenced by major ecological changes.
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The Fasin rainbow fish, scientifically named Melanotaenia fasinensis, is highly prized by aquarium enthusiasts for its vibrant colors and adaptability to artificial aquatic environments. This species is endemic to the karst landscape of the Bird's Head region in Papua, Indonesia, and belongs to the family Melanotaeniidae. Discovered relatively recently in 2010, this species was designated as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2021.

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Restoration of degraded seagrass meadows: Effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) inoculation on Zostera marina growth, rhizosphere microbiome and ecosystem functionality.

J Environ Manage

December 2024

Key Laboratory of Mariculture (Ocean University of China), Ministry of Education, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China; Joint Research Center for Conservation, Restoration & Sustainable Utilization of Marine Ecology, Ocean University of China-China State Shipbuilding Corporation Environmental Development Co., Ltd., Qingdao, 266100, People's Republic of China; Observation and Research Station of Yellow-Bohai Sea Temperate Seagrass Bed Ecosystem, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, 266033, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

The utilization of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) holds great promise for the restoration of damaged terrestrial plant ecosystems. However, there is a significant knowledge gap regarding the application of PGPR in rehabilitating aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we conducted a mesocosm experiment to investigate the effects of Raoultella ornithinolytica F65, Pantoea cypripedii G84, Klebsiella variicola G85, Novosphingobium profundi G86, and Klebsiella pneumoniae I109 on eelgrass (Zostera marina L.

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The Impact of Acute Ammonia Nitrogen Stress on Serum Biochemical Indicators and Spleen Gene Expression in Juvenile Yellowfin Tuna ().

Animals (Basel)

October 2024

Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization and Processing of Marine Fishery Resources of Hainan Province, Sanya Tropical Fisheries Research Institute, Sanya 572018, China.

The presence of ammonia nitrogen in water has a significant impact on the serum and spleen of fish, potentially leading to changes in substances such as proteins in the serum while also causing damage to the immune function of the spleen. To investigate the effects of ammonia nitrogen (NH-N) stress on juvenile yellowfin tuna (), this study established three NH-N concentrations, 0, 5, and 10 mg/L, denoted as L0, L1, and L2, respectively. Serum and spleen samples were collected at 6, 24, and 36 h.

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Enhancing biodiversity: historical ecology and biogeography of the Santa Catalina Island ground squirrel, .

R Soc Open Sci

November 2024

Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA.

People have influenced Earth's biodiversity for millennia, including numerous introductions of domestic and wild species to islands. Here, we explore the origins and ecology of the Santa Catalina Island ground squirrel (SCIGS; ), one of only five endemic terrestrial mammals found on California's Santa Catalina Island. We synthesized all records of archaeological/palaeontological SCIGS, conducted radiocarbon dating and stable isotope analysis of the potentially earliest SCIGS remains and performed genetic analysis of modern SCIGS.

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