The Tibetan fox (Vulpes ferrilata) is a crucial wild definitive host of Echinococcus cestodes on the Tibetan Plateau. Fecal detection of Echinococcus DNA (fecal prevalence) is commonly used to estimate Echinococcus spp. prevalence in canine populations (population prevalence). However, this approach may be biased without individual identification, when the same individuals are repeatedly sampled, potentially leading to the misestimation of exact population prevalence. Fecal samples collected from Tibetan foxes in Shiqu County (2010–2012) were genotyped to identify individual foxes, followed by copro-PCR to determine the population prevalence of Echinococcus spp. in the genotyped foxes. A virtual resampling program was developed to assess sampling bias and determine the optimal interval between sampling line transects. The derived optimal interval was then applied in surveillance conducted in 2015, 2016, and 2019. In total, 679 Tibetan fox feces were confirmed from 1219 field-collected samples (2010–2019). From 250 samples (2010–2012), 61 distinct fox individuals were identified. Virtual resampling analysis determined the optimal sampling interval to be 200–900 m, confirming fecal prevalence as an unbiased estimator of population prevalence. The implementation of a 500 m sampling interval in the surveillance of Echinococcus spp. (2010–2019) revealed an overall prevalence of 45.7

Creatures grown on the island are more susceptible to genetic vulnerabilities because of their isolated nature and often limited genetic diversity. Understanding the genetic structure of these populations is crucial for effective conservation strategies, especially for the species that are commonly found in aquaculture and may inhabit islands. Bufo gargarizans and Pelophylax nigromaculatus were distributed in the Chongming Islands of Shanghai, China. We analyzed mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b ( cytb ) and D‐loop sequences of the populations of the two species across three Chongming islands to investigate genetic diversity, phylogenetics, and infer historical demography, which indicated a lower genetic diversity in island populations compared with their mainland counterparts, reflecting a heightened vulnerability to environmental perturbations and potential extinction risks. Noticeably, a more interlaced genetic pattern was determined in P. nigromaculatus than in B. gargarizans , which was probably attributed to the differences in species' dispersal capabilities among the populations of islands and the mainland. Hence, the genetic analyses propose targeted recommendations for in situ conservation and aquaculture management.

Human disturbances are considered to break reproduction barriers among species. Significant increases in hybridization events have been reported among a large number of taxonomic groups in anthropogenic environments, providing novel insights into species evolution mechanisms and conservation management in the Anthropocene. The Eastern Golden Frog (Pelophylax plancyi) and Black-Spotted Frog (P. nigromaculatus) are two sympatric anuran species with a long history of mitochondrial genome introgression in highly urbanized continental East Asia. However, there is only limited understanding of the pattern of their contemporary hybridization and factors influencing their interspecific relationship under anthropogenic disturbances. Here, interspecific hybridization between P. plancyi and P. nigromaculatus at the population level was investigated in Shanghai. All except two haplotypes obtained from both species in Shanghai were mixed together, and located in the introgression clade, implying multiple ancient mitochondrial introgression events occurred in the populations of our study area. Asymmetric genetic introgression was detected by microsatellite markers, with 0.7% of P. plancyi and 14.6% of P. nigromaculatus identified as contemporary admixed individuals. Consistent with the trend of population density, higher genetic diversity of neutral microsatellite loci was found in the more abundant P. plancyi; however, variation in mitochondrial (Cyt-b) and nuclear (POMC) genes was higher in relatively rare P. nigromaculatus. The population density of P. plancyi and number of water patches within local habitats were significantly positively correlated with both occurrences and proportions of admixed individuals in the populations of P. plancyi and P. nigromaculatus. Considering the prevalent transformation of habitats in urbanized areas, these results imply that a high population density in isolated artificially altered habitats is likely to increase interspecific hybridization. Thus, population monitoring and improvement of landscape connectivity between habitats would be needed to control the intensity of interspecific hybridization between P. plancyi and P. nigromaculatus in anthropogenic-disturbed environments.

We aimed to investigate the species composition of a small mammal community and the prevalence of Echinococcus spp. in a typical endemic area of the Tibetan Plateau. One pika and five rodent species were identified based on the morphological characteristics of 1278 small mammal specimens collected during 2014–2019. Detection of Echinococcus DNA in tissue samples from small mammal specimens revealed that Ochotona curzoniae (pika, total prevalence: 6.02%, 26/432), Neodon fuscus (5.91%, 38/643), N. leucurus (2.50%, 3/120), and Alexandromys limnophilus (21.74%, 10/46) were infected by both E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus; Cricetulus longicaudatus (16.67%, 1/6) was infected by E. shiquicus; and no infection was detected in N. irene (0/15). Neodon fuscus and O. curzoniae were the two most abundant small mammal species. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of pika and the overall rodent species assemblage (6.26%, 53/846); however, the larger rodent populations suggested that more attention should be paid to their role in the transmission of echinococcosis in the wildlife reservoir, which has long been underestimated. Moreover, although DNA barcoding provides a more efficient method than traditional morphological methods for identifying large numbers of small mammal samples, commonly used barcodes failed to distinguish the three Neodon species in this study. The close genetic relationships between these species suggest the need to develop more powerful molecular taxonomic tools.

Aims: Habitat fragmentation and loss caused by urbanization are important factors that threaten the survival of wildlife globally.Urbanization has caused amphibians to become one of the most severely threatened groups of terrestrial vertebrates.Studying the spatial distribution pattern and exploring how landscape connectivity affects the gene flow among fragmented populations of amphibians in urban areas would provide a deeper understanding of the impacts of urbanization on wildlife and offer theoretical guidance for local biodiversity conservation.Methods: In this study, we selected the eastern golden frog (Pelophylax plancyi) as the primary research subject and obtained landscape and environmental data about land cover, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and land surface temperature in the Shanghai region using Landsat-8 satellite images (http://www.gscloud.cn).Combined with the data from field population survey, we employed the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model to predict the spatial distribution pattern of P. plancyi in the region.We evaluated the potential corridors and calculated the resistance distances between local populations using circuit theory (Circuitscape), and explored the effect of geographical and resistance distance on genetic differentiation among local populations using the Mantel test of each local populations based on the genetic distance (F ST ) matrices calculated from simple sequence repeat (SSR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP).Results: The habitat suitability of P. plancyi significantly decreased along the rural-to-urban gradient.NDVI was the main factor affecting the MaxEnt modelling and indicated that the P. plancyi prefer to inhabit areas with higher vegetation coverage.There was no significant correlation between genetic distance and geographical distance, while genetic distance increased significantly with the resistance distance. Conclusions:The protection and maintenance of continuous suitable habitats in suburbs and isolated habitat patches in urban areas that still exist is the primary measure of conservation for native amphibians such as P. plancyi.Furthermore, optimizing urban landscape structure, strengthening the construction of corridors suitable for various groups of wildlife, and promoting the gene exchange among local populations are effective methods to achieve the self-sustainment of populations and long-term conservation of biodiversity in urbanized areas.

Xu Liu1, 2, Liwei Teng2, Youzhong Ding3 and Zhensheng Liu2* 1Island Research Center, MNR, P.R.C, Fujian, China 2College of Wildlife and Protected Area,Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China 3School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China Article Information Received 26 July 2019 Revised 11 January 2020 Accepted 20 February 2020 Available online 24 August 2021

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Abstract Understanding the mechanisms of how urbanization influences the evolution of native species is vital for urban wildlife ecology and conservation in the Anthropocene. With thousands of years of agriculture‐dominated historical urbanization followed by 40 years of intensive and rapid urbanization, Shanghai provides an ideal environment to study how the two‐stage urbanization process influences the evolution of indigenous wildlife, especially of anuran species. Therefore, in this study, we used mitochondrial Cyt‐b gene, microsatellite (SSR), and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data to evaluate the demographic history and genetic structure of the eastern golden frog (Pelophylax plancyi), by sampling 407 individuals from 15 local populations across Shanghai, China. All local populations experienced bottlenecks during historical urbanization, while the local populations in urban areas maintained comparable contemporary effective population sizes (Ne) and genetic diversity with suburban and rural populations. Nevertheless, the rapid modern urbanization has already imposed significant negative effects to the integrity of populations. The 15 local populations were differentiated into eight genetic clusters, showing a spatial distribution pattern consistent with the current urbanization gradient and island–mainland geography. Although moderate gene flow still occurred from the rural peripheral cluster to urban and suburban clusters, population fragmentation was more serious in the urban and suburban populations, where higher urbanization levels within 2‐km radius areas showed significant negative relationships to the Ne and genetic diversity of local populations. Therefore, to protect urban wildlife with limited dispersal ability, improving conditions in fragmented habitat remnants might be most essential for local populations living in more urbanized areas. Meanwhile, we highlight the need to preserve large unfragmented rural habitats and to construct corridor networks to connect discrete urban habitat remnants for the long‐term wildlife conservation in intensively urbanizing environments.

Tibetan foxes (Vulpes ferrilata) have been confirmed as the main wild definitive hosts in echinococcosis transmission in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. However, little information is available about the epidemiology in wildlife from the perspective of the Taeniidae family, which is essential knowledge in understanding the epidemiology and phylogeography of cestode species in the Tibetan plateau. Therefore, in this study, we used copro-PCR techniques, by amplifying nad1 and cox1 gene fragments, to detect the taeniid species from Tibetan fox feces collected in Shiqu County, (Sichuan Province, China), eastern Tibetan Plateau. Phylogenetic relationships between amplified sequences and existed Taenia species genotypes were evaluated. Then, the maximum prevalence (positive PCR results from at least one primer pair) and the conservative prevalence (positive PCR results from at least two primer pairs) were calculated. Thirty-six Tibetan fox feces were analyzed. Echinococcus multilocularis (conservative prevalence ± 95% CI: 22.2% ± 13.6%; maximum prevalence ± 95% CI: 33.3% ± 15.4%) and E. shiquicus (2.8 ± 5.4%; 8.3 ± 9.0%) was detected. Meanwhile, DNA fragments of T. polyacantha were detected with high similarity to NCBI sequences (cox1, 94.0%) and to the larva sample DNA sequenced in this study (93.4%), and were supported by phylogenetic analysis. Thus, T. polyacantha might infect Tibetan foxes (5.6% ± 7.5%, 11.1% ± 10.3%). Our limited findings in the epidemiology of parasitic Taenia species suggest that sylvatic transmission cycles for a more species-rich Taeniid community must be established between wild canids and small mammals than just for the two Echinococcus species. Besides, discrepancies in different primer pairs in detecting the taeniid species were evaluated. The sensitivity of some widely used universal primer pairs was poor in detecting Taenia species from canid copro-DNA samples. It is still challenging to the development of effective taeniid species-specific molecular markers especially for non-zoonotic species.

近年来,分子生物学技术在野生动物保护与管理中的应用越来越多,本文简单概述了微卫星技术在珍稀濒危野生动物个体识别、性别鉴定、亲子鉴定及家域分析中的应用,以及分子生物学手段用于珍稀濒危野生动物扩散生态学的研究情况.

[Objective]To study the biodiversity of mammals and birds in the Qingliangfeng National Nature Reserve,Anhui Province.[Method] From December of 2015 to March of 2016 ,the biodiversity of mammals and birds in the Qingliangfeng National Nature Reserve were investigated by using camera infrared technology.[Result]15 species,11 families,6 orders(including 9 mammal species and 6 bird species) were identified. Among them,Syrmaticus ellioti and Muntiacus crinifrons were ClassⅠstate key protected wild animals,and Lophura nythemera,Pucrasia macrolopha and Capricornis milneedwardsii were ClassⅡstate key protected wild animals.Based on the relative abundance index,Niviventer confucianus, Lepus sinensis and Muntiacus reevesi were ranked as the 3 most abundant mammal species ,while L.nythemera,Parus major and P.macrolopha were ranked as the three most abundant bird species.The number of recorded species by camera traps in core area was significantly more than that in buffer area.[Conclusion]The study could provide scientific basis for long-term monitoring and conservation of wild animals further.

本研究以上海植物园、世纪公园、共青森林公园、滨江森林公园和海湾森林公园5个大型城市公园为研究地点,2012年5月到2013年4月,采用样线法对5个公园进行鸟类群落调查.借助ArcGIS10.0目视解译对5个公园的卫星图像进行斑块分类.基于斑块分类结果,设置34个斑块结构变量(斑块数变量、斑块密度变量、斑块面积变量、斑块边界长度变量、斑块面积周长比变量和斑块多样性指数等).采用卡方检验比较5个公园鸟类种类和数量以及斑块数量是否具有显著差异.使用多元线性回归分析鸟类数据与斑块结构变量的回归关系.结果表明,5个公园的鸟种数(x2=29.91,p＜0.001)和数量(x2=4891.12,p＜0.001)均存在显著差异.多元线性回归模型显示,鸟种数与水体斑块数、草地斑块面积周长比和最大斑块指数具有显著的相关性.鸟类数量与林地斑块面积、林地斑块周长和平均斑块面积显著相关.林地鸟类与林地斑块面积、草地斑块密度、水体斑块面积显著相关.本研究为城市野生鸟类保护策略提供理论基础和建议.

贺兰山保护区岩羊Pseudois nayaur种群数量近年来增长很快,为了解贺兰山保护区的岩羊种群的遗传健康状况,从而更好地保护和管理岩羊种群,需要对岩羊种群的遗传多样性进行研究.在其近缘物种中选出36对微卫星引物对收集到的岩羊粪便DNA样品进行PCR扩增.结果发现,有9对引物在岩羊粪便DNA中扩增出了多态性位点.各位点基因杂合度介于0.26 ～0.95之间,平均杂合度为0.48,各位点多态信息含量介于0.23 ～ 0.68之间,平均多态性为0.48.

This communication reports some evidence of the reintroduced Chinese water deer surviving in the Nanhui Wildlife Sanctuary, Shanghai, China. Deer were still present in the sanctuary in 2014 and evidence of breeding was also recorded. Historically, the deer was last recorded in Shanghai in 1890. The Chinese Water Deer Reintroduction Project was started in Shanghai in 2006, in order to restore the native Chinese water deer population.

Shanghai is the most crowded city in China and the conservation of biodiversity is essential for the health of its urban ecosystem. The best methods for quantifying and enhancing the function of urban green spaces as wild bird habitats are major concerns. This type of study may explain how the wildlife community responds to different vegetation compositions and provide important insights into urban re-vegetation with respect to biodiversity conservation in a city experiencing rapid urbanization. Thus, we studied the interactions between bird communities and the microhabitat vegetation composition in Binjiang Forest Park. Birds were surveyed at 40 sampling sites and in interconnecting habitat line transects. The bird species richness, abundance, and behavior were quantified, and these indices were related to plant species richness, density, and a vegetation structure. Among the 60 bird species observed in the three habitat types, significantly more species, i.e., 55 species, were observed in woodland with shrubs, 36 species in woodland without shrubs, but only 29 species we recorded on lawns. Multiple linear regression models confirmed that the vegetation complexity and the structure had significant positive effects on the bird community compositions. Regression tree analysis also demonstrated that the woody plant species richness and diversity were significant microhabitat variables for all of the three bird community indices (i.e., bird species richness, abundance, and diversity). Moreover, we confirmed that the vegetation horizontal coverage, particularly the horizontal shrub coverage, was essential for birds living in heavily human-disturbed areas. In addition, our data suggested that well-designed water systems may be beneficial for bird conservation in urban areas. This study highlights the importance of the microhabitat vegetation composition and structure for bird conservation in heavily urbanized areas. However, we also suggest that studies of the relationships between bird communities and urban green vegetation in Shanghai City should be performed in more urban parks in the near future based on considerations of the urban landscape context. (C) 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The bird communities and vegetation communities in Shanghai Century Park and Bingjiang Forest Park were respectively surveyed from December 2011 to November 2012. In accordance with the result of principal components analysis of 12 vegetation variables, the vegetation in the two parks was grouped into 8 types including T type (habitat with developed

城市公共绿地是城市生态系统中重要的鸟类栖息地,其植被特征对鸟类集团存在显著影响。在通过分析植被特征对陆生鸟类集团的作用,从而为公园合理配置植被来提高其作为野生动物栖息地的生态服务功能提供理论基础。2009年10月至2011年10月,采用样线法对上海滨江森林公园进行鸟类调查,利用主成分分析划分鸟类集团,用高度定义植被层次,用卡方检验分析鸟类行为在植被层次上的差异。结果表明,滨江森林公园陆生鸟类群落在乔木层的栖息行为和运动行为频次显著多于其在灌木层和地被层的行为频次,在地被层的取食行为频次显著多于其在乔木层和灌木层的行为频次。陆生鸟类可划分为8个鸟类集团,鸟类集团之间存在栖息、运动和取食空间生态位的重叠。食虫拾取集团、杂食拾取集团、食肉飞取集团和植食拾取集团在栖息、运动和取食空间生态位上均存在较高的重叠度,其通过食性分离各自空间生态位。食虫探取集团和食虫飞取集团互为栖息空间生态位重叠度最高集团,其通过取食方式的不同来实现生态位的分离。根据公园植被特征对鸟类集团的影响结果对上海市公园绿地植被配置提出了建议。

Nonlethal human recreational activities have been confirmed to have negative effect on wild animals in a number of ways, including changes in behaviors, avoidance of suitable habitats and declines in breeding success. Studies on the anti-disturbance mechanism of wild animals to human disturbance can provide valuable knowledge to the management of wild animals and the evolutionary mechanisms of behavioral adaptation to their habitats. To evaluate how blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) would react to nonlethal human recreational disturbance, we studied their anti-disturbance strategy towards human disturbance in Suyukou National Forest Park (SNFP), Helan Mountains, Yinchuan of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Using multinomial logistic regression models (MLRMs), we sought to answer two questions: (1) which kind of human recreational behavior would evoke the most serious anti-disturbance behaviors in blue sheep; and (2) how would various ecological factors influence the anti-disturbance strategy of blue sheep to human recreational disturbance? We collected 10 habitat and population variables and evaluated three kinds of reaction of blue sheep-no response, vigilance and flight. A total of 921 observations qualified to enter MLRMs. We found that habitat type (HT), gender (GEN), head direction (HD), visibility index (VI), and disturbance source (DS) were the five variables that significantly influenced the intensity of reactions of blue sheep. Blue sheep were more alert to tourists than to vehicles, and roads were the habitat type that caused the most intensive reaction of alertness where human disturbance was the highest. Females were more vigilant than males. Blue sheep might feel safer when staying in open habitat, and taking a front head direction provided them with the highest vigilance. Based on these results, we present suggestions to SNFP for the management of ecotourism and blue sheep conservation.