The taxonomic composition and zoogeographic characteristics of the malacofauna of the upper Konda River basin, a major left tributary of the Irtysh River within the taiga zone of Western Siberia, were identified. A total of 27 species of freshwater mollusks were recorded, including 19 bivalves and 8 gastropods. In terms of taxonomic structure and species composition, the malacofauna of the upper Konda differs significantly not only from most local freshwater mollusk faunas of Western Siberia but also from the middle reaches of the same river system. The greatest phylogeographic relationship between the populations of the studied species in the study area and populations from European Russia and Europe is demonstrated. Not all populations had similar haplotypes; in some cases, intrapopulation haplotypes differed significantly. The results of testing the a priori classification of water bodies based on the composition of malacocenoses indicate incomplete correspondence between them. Communities of floodplain water bodies and large lakes differed statistically significantly from all other water bodies and from each other. At the same time, malacocenoses of the main channel of the Konda River, its tributaries, and subordinate water bodies did not differ significantly from each other or from other water bodies.
Plant taxonomic knowledge contains a long tail of infrequently encountered names, diagnostic characters, and nomenclatural decisions, yet model reliability across this distribution remains unclear. We developed the Chinese-language PTTB-600, comprising 200 general, 300 ordinary specialized, and 100 long-tail fill-in questions, and evaluated 31 large language models (LLMs) or run modes under closed-book conditions without retrieval augmentation. The first author drafted the question bank and answer key; three coauthors with doctorates in plant taxonomy reviewed them independently. All models scored at least 197/200 on general questions, and 21 achieved full marks. The six highest-scoring models answered 291–297/300 ordinary specialized questions (97.0–99.0%) but achieved 63.0–90.0% accuracy on long-tail fill-in questions. Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview ranked first at 587/600; ranks two through six formed a closely spaced cluster with no significant adjacent differences after Holm correction. Across 11 within-family comparisons, thinking-mode runs yielded 20–65 additional correct answers, chiefly on specialized and fill-in tasks. Factual errors were uncommon in routine undergraduate content and concentrated in the generation of rare genus names, fine diagnostic distinctions, and alternative nomenclatural treatments. Top-performing LLMs can provide reliable support for routine teaching under instructor oversight, whereas long-tail identifications and nomenclatural decisions require verification against authoritative sources.
The morphological adaptations of simplidactylate landhoppers to life out of standing water primarily involve changes in gill and pleopod structure. Recognition of significant and consistent differences in these structures within the simplidactylate Arcitalitridae has resulted in the establishment of three new families that are described here. Four families are now recognised in the previously diagnosed Arcitalitridae, a family that comprised all known simplidactylate landhoppers. They are thought to have originated during the upper Jurassic or lower Cretaceous in Gondwana and then been transported during the Cretaceous to their present distributions in Africa, Australia and New Zealand. This vicariance hypothesis is supported by their extant endemic distributions in former Gondwanan landmasses and by the lack of a long-distance dispersal phase in their life history. The relatively low diversity of simplidactylate landhoppers in the world today is attributed to high extinction rates rather than to low origination rates.
The Calabrian–Lucanian Apennines are a lichenologically insufficiently explored area. The purpose of the study was to improve the knowledge of its lichen flora in the wider context of ecology and biogeography and with regard to conservation perspectives. Our study is primarily based on recent collections but also includes comparative analyses of previous herbarium samples to verify identity; in particular a direct comparison with the CLU Herbarium (Calabria University) HLUC (Basilicata University) together with data from national collections (ORO, TO TSB the Gheza Private Collection) and international collections (Lichen Herbarium Consortium) has provided a solid taxonomic framework. A total of 102 species have been identified. The area yields a remarkable diversity of the genus Umbilicaria with 17 taxa recorded. Placidium subrufescens is recorded for the first time in Italy seven species are new records in southern Italy and 13 in the Basilicata Region. The majority of rare and infrequent lichen species appear to be glacial relics at the southern limit of their range. These southern populations are highly fragmented and localized. They are vulnerable to environmental changes and likely to suffer from climate change. The habitats that were surveyed—mainly siliceous outcrops embedded within carbonatic sequences—supported the same arctic–alpine lichen biota. The study emphasizes the high degree of the region’s biodiversity and the necessity for conservation efforts.
Wild leek (Allium ampeloprasum L.) is an undercharacterized wild edible species and a potentially valuable resource for conservation and horticultural improvement. This study evaluated 24 site-derived accessions from different localities in Hatay Province, Türkiye, using field-observed morpho-physiological traits, inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers, and preliminary in vitro establishment. Ten traits were measured in three spatially separated plants per accession (n = 72), while one phenotyped representative per accession was analyzed molecularly. Three contrasting accessions, G9, G12, and G18, were also tested for establishment from intact basal bulblets and basal-plate-bearing bulb quarters. All field-observed traits differed significantly among accession-site samples (p < 0.001), and the first three principal components explained 71.72% of total variation, revealing contrasting leaf and biomass, root and leaf-greenness, and bulb-size profiles. Eleven ISSR primers generated 85 scorable loci, including 64 polymorphic loci, with 75.29% polymorphism and a mean polymorphic information content of 0.249. Jaccard similarities ranged from 0.227 to 0.824, and clustering and principal coordinate analyses indicated broad, continuous molecular variation. In vitro, 103 of 172 explants produced healthy primary shoots, with 61.4% establishment in basal bulblets and 57.7% in bulb quarters. These findings provide a baseline for conservation, controlled evaluation, and future propagation studies.
Mountain ecosystems serve as natural laboratories for studying biodiversity distribution along elevational gradients. This study was conducted at Hualongshan National Nature Reserve in the Daba Mountains, Shaanxi Province, using line transect surveys, mist-netting, and passive acoustic monitoring (PAM). We systematically examined the spatial variation and drivers of bird community diversity along the elevational gradient, integrating α and β diversity across taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic dimensions. A total of 91 bird species from 8 orders and 33 families were recorded, among which breeding birds (84 species) were dominated by Oriental (55.95%) and Palaearctic (26.19%) species, reflecting significant transitional characteristics between the two realms. Alpha diversity exhibited a mid-elevation unimodal pattern, peaking at 1951~2250 m in the coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest zone. β diversity decomposition revealed that taxonomic diversity was dominated by turnover, functional diversity by nestedness, and phylogenetic diversity by balanced contributions of both, indicating asynchrony among dimensions. Random forest models identified precipitation difference as the primary driver of taxonomic β diversity, while Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) difference dominated functional β diversity, revealing differentiated mechanisms by which water availability and vegetation productivity shape species composition and functional structure, respectively. Our findings highlight the asynchrony of multidimensional bird diversity, emphasizing that a single dimension cannot fully capture community assembly mechanisms, and provide theoretical and practical reference for mountain biodiversity conservation.
Mesophotic coral reef ecosystems (MCEs) support unique biodiversity and can act as refuges for species that also occur on heavily impacted shallow coral reefs. However, we still know relatively little about the physical and environmental structure of MCEs and the species that characterise them, especially within the Western Indian Ocean. To address this gap, we surveyed fish and macrobenthic assemblages between 10 and 100 m depth at three islands of the Comoros Archipelago using Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS). We also recorded temperature and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) using a Conductivity–Temperature–Depth (CTD) probe. The structure of the fish assemblages was influenced by substrate type, relief and depth. More diverse fish assemblages were found on higher relief reefs, while low-diversity fish assemblages were associated with shallow sand and deeper low-relief sand/reef mosaic habitats. The reef fish assemblages delineated into three groups, corresponding to three depth zones: the photic zone (12–45 m), upper-mesophotic zone (45–62 m) and lower-mesophotic zone (63–98 m). The upper–lower mesophotic break aligned with the theoretical bottom of the euphotic zone at PAR1%surface. Macrobenthic assemblages comprised scleractinian corals on photic reefs, which transitioned at PAR3.5%surface to assemblages of non-light-dependent Octocorallia (soft corals and fans), Gorgonia (sea whips) and Antipatharia (black corals) on the mesophotic reefs. Scleractinian corals were found deeper in Comoros, which may confer greater resilience to climate change. The photic and lower-mesophotic reefs supported unique fish assemblages of depth specialist species, while the upper-mesophotic zone appeared to be a transition zone for fish assemblages. The presence of numerous large depth-generalist fishery species at depths > 50 m suggests that the mesophotic zone may be providing a depth refuge for fishery species that are overfished on shallow reefs. Our findings highlight potential resilience in the coral reef ecosystems of Comoros and illustrate the importance of mesophotic coral reefs in conservation planning.
Pyracantha koidzumii (Hayata) Rehder is native to Taiwan, where it has an endangered IUCN conservation status, although it is invasive in other parts of the world. It was introduced to South Africa as an ornamental species. In South Africa, P. koidzumii is classified as having density-based negative impacts, although its distribution is sparse and no impact assessments have been conducted to date, compared with its established congener, Pyracantha angustifolia. We asked the following questions: (1) does the current distribution of P. koidzumii and P. angustifolia indicate any relationship with anthropogenic activities as the main driver of plant invasions; (2) what are the seed viability and germination capacity of P. koidzumii?; and (3) what is the current distribution and habitat suitability of P. koidzumii relative to P. angustifolia, and does P. koidzumii show any potential to be invasive in different climate change scenarios (i.e., SSP1 and SSP5). We found a significant relationship between land use and cover and species occurrence records, with disturbed areas having the highest occurrence records (43.5%; N = 4297), followed by grassland (23.4%). The seed viability and germination capacity were high (78.6–87.2%; n = 50), confirming that P. koidzumii can successfully recruit in southern Africa. Climate suitability projections across scenarios for both species yielded a strong data fit (i.e., training AUCs above 0.9), with precipitation as the most important climate predictor. The climate-based habitat suitability projections showed greater net expansion for both species in SSP1, with P. angustifolia projected to invade 254,974 km2, while P. koidzumii could invade 49,829 km2. Alternatively, there was contraction (i.e., positive net habitat loss) of suitable habitat in SSP5, characterised by significant area loss for P. angustifolia (12,0139 km2), while P. koidzumii displayed a moderate loss (13,174 km2). For the first time, this study showed that P. koidzumii has high potential to invade the southern African grassland biome, driven by high germination combined with biophysical disturbance, and that its future habitat occupancy will be moderately affected by extreme environmental temperature conditions.
The improvement in urban greening has led to the generation of large amounts of landscape litter, and determining how to efficiently utilize this organic waste has become an urgent issue. Composting, as a pollution-free method of organic waste treatment, can improve the soil environment. However, there remains a lack of systematic research on the effects of compost on soil microbial communities. This study was conducted at the Tuanlin Forestry Station in Qinhuangdao City. By applying different levels of compost and combining measurements of soil properties with high-throughput sequencing, the study investigated the effects of compost application on soil microbial community. Compost application increased available phosphorus, available potassium, and microbial biomass, while simultaneously lowering pH. Compost application caused significant changes in β-diversity, altering the composition of the microbial community. Redundancy analysis indicated that available phosphorus and pH were the primary factors driving changes in microbial communities. In addition, compost application increased the number of nodes in the co-occurrence network and the average degree of connectivity. Overall, compost drives changes in microbial communities by modulating the soil environment. This study provides a theoretical basis for the resource utilization of landscape litter and the management of compost application.
Yellow adhesive chromotropic traps are widely deployed across Mediterranean olive cultivation to monitor B. oleae population dynamics, yet their adhesive surfaces can also retain non-target organisms. Here we report the first documented entrapment of the common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Schreber, 1774) on an adhesive monitoring trap in Greece, recorded on 15 May 2026 in a traditionally managed olive grove on Lesvos Island (North Aegean). The adult specimen (wingspan of 23.1 cm, body mass of 5.9 g) was independently identified by two specialist chiropterologists and confirmed dead by direct examination. The trap surface bore small-bodied Diptera belonging to groups known to occur in the diet of P. pipistrellus, raising the possibility that prey-associated cues may have contributed to the encounter. We argue that this record exposes an agroecological contradiction relevant to conservation-oriented olive management: the monitoring device deployed to track B. oleae may incidentally eliminate an insectivorous bat belonging to the broader natural enemy community associated with olive agroecosystems. Given the extent of adhesive trap deployment across Mediterranean olive cultivation and the strict legal protection afforded to all European bats under the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), systematic bycatch recording, mechanistic investigation and evaluation of simple mitigation measures are warranted.
The eco-physiology of shallow benthic marine communities examines how physiological traits (e [...]
Rust fungi of the genus Puccinia are important plant pathogens responsible for substantial economic losses in agriculture and forestry. During field surveys conducted in Qinghai Province, China, a novel rust species, Puccinia ligulari-przewalskii, was discovered parasitizing Ligularia przewalskii. Morphological characteristics of its teliospores were examined using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the concatenated internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) ribosomal DNA sequences supported its taxonomic distinction as a new species within the genus Puccinia. Phylogenetic reconstructions inferred from maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference showed that the new species forms a distinct, well-supported lineage, clustering as sister to a clade comprising Puccinia argentata and Puccinia komarovii. P. ligulari-przewalskii is characterized by two-celled, spindle-shaped teliospores exhibiting sparse verrucose ornamentation on the spore wall. Only the telial stage was observed across multi-year surveys, and the complete life cycle remains to be determined. This study contributes to the taxonomic knowledge of rust fungi in China and underscores the ecological and phytopathological significance of rust fungi in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau region.
Knowledge about Callinectes danae and Callinectes ornatus is thorough, although scarce in different ecological regions like Macaé, which are influenced by the Cabo Frio upwelling phenomenon in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. This study analyzes spatiotemporal variation in the abundance of two swimming crab species in a region influenced by upwelling. Samplings took place from July 2013 to June 2014, on a monthly basis, with the aid of a shrimp fishing boat, in four different sampling sites. In total, 92 C. danae specimens were captured; C. ornatus was the most abundant species over the year; 1.436 individuals were captured. Both species were the most abundant in the shallowest sites and warmest seasons. Visual trends in temperature, salinity and sediment size (Phi) were observed for both species. Phi was the only significant variable associated with the sampled swimming crabs. The results indicated similar distribution between C. danae and C. ornatus, and a clear prevalence of C. ornatus, possibly due to C. danae’s estuarine dependence on its life cycle and to C. ornatus’s generalist behavior. The abundance of both species in Macaé is modulated by a combination of spatiotemporal and environmental variation in this upwelling region.
Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is one of the most widely cultivated grain legumes worldwide. A genetic analysis of soybean samples around the world is essential for effective breeding programs and the development of genomic and marker-assisted selection. This study investigated the genetic diversity of soybean accessions from the VIR collection, one of the world’s largest seed banks. The sample consisted of 163 soybean (G. max) varieties. The study was conducted using Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) technology. The aim of the study was to evaluate temporal changes in genetic diversity, population structure, and linkage disequilibrium in cultivated soybean. The material was divided according to two criteria: (1) three chronological groups of varieties, Group I (before 1959), Group II (1960–1989), and Group III (after 1990), and (2) regional characteristics. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) decay analysis revealed differences among chronological groups, with the longest LD decay distance observed in early accessions developed before 1959 and shorter LD decay distances in later groups. Nei’s gene diversity showed only slight differences among chronological groups, with a moderate decreasing trend in more recent accessions. Key loci were defined as SNPs showing the largest allele frequency differences between chronological groups and located within or near annotated genes. The results highlight the importance of comprehensive genomic analysis for the conservation and efficient utilization of genetic resources, as well as for the development of soybean breeding strategies in the future.
The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is a fundamental pattern in ecology, yet its understanding in marine systems remains largely constrained by the ‘tyranny’ of the shallow shelf, often ignoring the bathymetric dimension of the continental margin. This study provides a three-dimensional macroecological assessment of burrowing shrimps (Axiidea and Gebiidea) along the Western Atlantic (46° N–47° S), integrating 128 species and extending the bathymetric range to 1100 m. The results reveal a robust bimodal and asymmetric LDG that transcends the coastal shelf, characterized by an extensive high-diversity plateau in the Greater Caribbean region (~10–24° N) with an absolute peak of 46 species at 17° N. The persistent ‘tropical drop’ (0–10° N) is linked to the eco-physiological barrier created by the massive Amazon and Orinoco River plumes. Most significantly, I document the ‘Bathyal Paradox’: a radical evolutionary transition where the strong niche conservatism observed in shallow waters vanishes in the deep slope, indicating that the environmental stability of the deep slope promotes niche lability and clade-specific diversification. Furthermore, a consistent inverse Rapoport pattern across the entire water column confirms that regional climatic stability, rather than latitude alone, dictates geographical range geometry. This study provides a new conceptual framework for marine biodiversity, demonstrating that the integration of deep-sea data is essential to capture the true architecture of life in the ocean.
Wetlands constitute critical habitats sustaining cyanobacterial diversity. Nevertheless, taxonomic research on wetland benthic filamentous cyanobacteria is far from complete, largely limited by phenotypic plasticity and challenges in strain isolation and cultivation. To unravel the species diversity and taxonomic affiliations of epiphytic cyanobacteria in an urban wetland, cyanobacterial strains were isolated from riparian rocks of the Sanyang Wetland (Zhejiang Province) and characterized via morphological observation, 16S rRNA phylogenetic analysis and 16S–23S ITS structural comparison. Strain WZU 2025, sheathless with occasionally conical apical cells, fell into the genus Kamptonema. It shared less than 97.5% sequence similarity with K. animale and possessed distinctive ITS signatures, hereby proposed as Kamptonema schistus sp. nov. Strain WZU 2023, featuring colorless rigid sheaths and conical apical cells, formed a stable clade with Microcoleus but exhibited distinct ITS structures, and is designated Microcoleus wenzhouensis sp. nov. Strain WZU 2030 bears colourless rigid sheaths and trichomes mostly filled with chromatophores; it clustered reliably with known Wilmottia species yet differed in ITS traits, and is described as Wilmottia sanyangensis sp. nov. Conflicts between morphological taxonomy and molecular phylogeny reveal ambiguous intergeneric relationships within Coleofasciculaceae and Microcoleaceae. The present study expands the known diversity of Microcoleaceae and provides evidence for future taxonomic revisions of cyanobacteria. Combined with the new genus Paludothrix reported from this wetland in 2024, our data demonstrate that cyanobacterial diversity in Sanyang Wetland has been severely underappreciated.
Dactylorhiza fuchsii (Druce) Soó is an ecologically sensitive terrestrial orchid and an important indicator of habitat condition, yet its population structure and morphological variability remain poorly studied in the Central Kazakh Uplands. This study evaluated the population size, density, ontogenetic structure, and morphometric differentiation of 21 coenopopulations in Kokshetau, Burabay, and Karkaraly National Parks. Ontogenetic stages were classified as juvenile, immature, virginal, and generative. Twenty-two quantitative traits were measured in 420 generative individuals and analysed using Pearson correlation, principal component analysis (PCA), the Mann–Whitney U test with Bonferroni correction, and PERMANOVA. Generative individuals predominated in most coenopopulations. In Burabay National Park, they comprised 71–100% of all individuals, virginal plants were absent from five of six coenopopulations, and population density was lower than in the other study regions. Balanced ontogenetic spectra were recorded in Kokshetau (CP4, CP6) and Karkaraly (CP1–CP3). Morphometric traits exhibited strong integration, with plant height strongly correlated with lip width (r = 0.723) and median lobe length (r = 0.684), whereas several floral traits varied more independently. The first three principal components explained 86.5% of the total variance, and PERMANOVA revealed significant regional differentiation among the three study regions (p < 0.001). This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of the population structure and morphometric variability of D. fuchsii in the Central Kazakh Uplands and establishes a baseline for long-term population monitoring and conservation planning.
Alcyonium coralloides has traditionally been classified as an opportunistic epibiont of exposed gorgonian skeletons. However, the ecological nature of its interaction remains poorly understood. Using Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) monitoring data (2015–2025) across 310 ROV transects (30–100 m depth) along the Ligurian coast (NW Mediterranean Sea) and long-term photographic series of infested colonies from the Tavolara–Punta Coda Cavallo MPA (Sardinia, NW Mediterranean Sea), we investigated its distribution and host associations in the NW Mediterranean. A. coralloides occurred in ~50% of the surveyed gorgonian forests, significantly increasing with host density. Infestation rates were markedly higher on Eunicella cavolini (10.1 ± 4.2%) than on Paramuricea clavata, E. verrucosa, and Leptogorgia sarmentosa (1.5–1.9%). While host necrosis facilitates initial settlement, time-series data revealed rapid overgrowth rates (30–55 cm yr−1) along host branches. Direct contact zones between the coenenchimes of the epibiont and that of the host exhibited portions of denuded host skeletons, hypertrophic tissue borders, and reduced host polyp expansion adjacent to the advancing parasitic margin. These results indicate that the ecological interaction extends beyond simple opportunistic epibiosis. We propose that A. coralloides represents an intermediate stage along a continuum between epibiosis and active spatial competition, shaping community dynamics within Mediterranean animal forests.
