Roegneria yenchiana sp. nov. (Triticeae) is described as a new species collected from Shangri-la of Yunnan Province in China based on morphological, cytological, and molecular data. It is morphologically characterized by one spikelet per node, rectangular glums, awns flanked by two short mucros in lemmas, which is distinguished from other species of Roegneria. The genomic in situ hybridization results indicate that R. yenchiana is an allotetraploid, and its genomic constitution is StY. Phylogenetic analyses based on multiple loci suggested that R. yenchiana is closely related to Pseudoroegneria and Roegneria, and the Pseudoroegneria served as the maternal donors during its polyploid speciation.

Global environmental changes are predicted to lead to warmer average temperatures and more extreme weather events thereby affecting wildlife population dynamics by altering demographic processes. Extreme weather events can reduce food resources and mortality, but the contribution of such events to demographic processes are poorly understood. Estimates of season-specific survival probabilities are crucial for understanding mechanisms underlying annual mortality. However, only few studies have investigated survival at sufficient temporal resolution to assess the contribution of extreme weather events. Here, we analysed biweekly survival probabilities of 307 radio-tracked juvenile little owls (Athene noctua) from fledging to their first breeding attempt in the following spring. Biweekly survival probabilities were lowest during the first weeks after fledging in summer and increased over autumn to winter. The duration of snow cover in winter had a strong negative effect on survival probability, while being well fed during the nestling stage increased survival during the first weeks after fledging and ultimately led to a larger proportion of birds surviving the first year. Overall annual survival probability over the first year varied by 34.3 % between 0.117 (95 % credible interval 0.052 – 0.223) and 0.178 (0.097 – 0.293) depending on the severity of the winter, and up to 0.233 (0.127 – 0.373) for well-fed fledglings. The season with the lowest survival was the post-fledging period (0.508; 0.428 – 0.594) in years with mild winters, and the winter in years with extensive snow cover (0.481; 0.337 – 0.626). We therefore show that extreme weather events reduced the proportion of first-year survivors. Increasingly warmer winters with less snow cover may therefore increase annual survival probability of juvenile little owls in central Europe, but environmental changes reducing food supply during the nestling period can have similarly large effects on annual juvenile survival and therefore the viability of populations.

Intracellular plant defense against pathogens is mediated by a class of disease resistance genes known as NB-LRRs or NLRs (R genes). Many of the diseases these genes protect against are more prevalent in regions of higher rainfall, which provide better growth conditions for the pathogens. As such, we expect a higher selective pressure for the maintenance and proliferation of R genes in plants adapted to wetter conditions. In this study, we enriched libraries for R genes using RenSeq from baits primarily developed from the common sunflower (Helianthus annuus) reference genome. We sequenced the R gene libraries of Silphium integrifolium Michx, a perennial relative of sunflower, from 12 prairie remnants across a rainfall gradient in the Central Plains of the United States, with both Illumina short-read (n=99) and PacBio long-read (n=10) approaches. We found a positive relationship between the mean effective annual precipitation of a plant’s source prairie remnant and the number of R genes in its genome, consistent with intensity of plant pathogen coevolution increasing with precipitation. We show that RenSeq can be applied to the study of ecological hypotheses in non-model relatives of model organisms.

Amphibians are among the most threatened vertebrate taxa globally. Their global decline necessitates effective conservation actions to bolster populations across both the larval and adult life stages. Constructing man-made ponds is one such action proven to enhance reproduction in pond-breeding amphibians. However, to achieve successful conservation outcomes, extensive prior knowledge about the ecology and behaviour of the target species is required. In this study, we investigated how different hydroperiod regimes impact the growth and development of Litoria littlejohni tadpoles. Over a 28-week period, tadpoles were exposed to three hydroperiod treatments: Constant High, Declining, and Constant Low water levels. Weekly measurements of snout-to-vent length, body mass, and Gosner stage were taken to assess any treatment-related changes. To determine whether different treatments affected locomotor performance, a jump test was conducted three weeks post metamorphosis. Individuals did not exhibit developmental plasticity in response to declining water, with a mean time to metamorphosis of 93.3 days. Comparatively, when L. littlejohni tadpoles were exposed to low water volumes, they were able to speed up development and reduce time to metamorphosis, with a mean time of 56.5 days. The speeding up of development had an apparent consequence for L. littlejohni. We found support for trade-offs between rapid development and reduced morphometric measurements post-metamorphosis which resulted in reduced locomotive ability. Individuals from Constant Low water treatments exhibited an average total jumping distance of 170.5 cm over 10 consecutive jumps, compared to 235.8 cm in Constant High and 209.5 cm in Declining treatments. Rapid larval development aids tadpoles in escaping suboptimal aquatic conditions, but its effects on locomotion may impact foraging efficiency and predator escape ability. Understanding developmental plasticity in threatened amphibians, especially in response to hydroperiod variations, is crucial for conservation programs, particularly under future climate change scenarios predicting increased drought and reduced hydroperiods in aquatic environments.

Aim: The Amazon rainforest has approximately 23% of its sampled area dedicated to bats, making it one of the least sampled and most diverse regions for bats in Brazil. The lack of sampling results in a lack of knowledge regarding the accurate geographical distribution of bat species. This lack is referred to as the Wallacean shortfall, which should be addressed with primary data obtained from in situ collections. However, the use of Species Distribution Models (SDMs) can help alleviate this gap. Location: The states of Pará and Acre are located in the Brazilian Amazon. Methods: So, our objective is to decrease the Wallacean shortfall concerning Amazonian bat species. To achieve this, we provide (i) a list of bat species sampled in the states of Pará and Acre in the last five years (2017 to 2022); (ii) the potential distribution of species considered as new occurrences for the region; and (iii) the potential distribution of species classified as Data Deficient (DD) and Near Threatened (NT) according to the IUCN classification. Results: With 96 nights of collection and 129,600 m 2h of mist netting, we obtained 75 bat species, with an estimated total of 94.78 species. Additionally, 21 species were considered as range extensions. Main conclusions: The Brazilian Amazon region has a vast geographic expanse and few established research centers, resulting in a limited sampling of bats and other biological groups. Furthermore, we draw attention to the significant number of bat species with expanded geographical distributions, with 21 out of the 75 sampled species. This should be a reminder that primary biogeographic data is still necessary for the neotropical region.

Urban evolutionary ecology is inherently interdisciplinary. Moreover, it is a field with global significance. However, bringing researchers and resources together across fields and countries is challenging. Therefore, an online collaborative research hub, where common methods and best practices are shared among scientists from diverse geographic, ethnic, and career backgrounds would make research focused on urban evolutionary ecology more inclusive. Here, we describe a freely available online research hub for toolkits that facilitate global research in urban evolutionary ecology. We provide rationales and descriptions of toolkits for: (1) decolonizing urban evolutionary ecology; (2) identifying and fostering international collaborative partnerships; (3) common methods and freely-available datasets for trait mapping across cities; (4) common methods and freely-available datasets for cross-city evolutionary ecology experiments; and (5) best practices and freely available resources for public outreach and communication of research findings in urban evolutionary ecology. We outline how the toolkits can be accessed, archived, and modified over time in order to sustain long-term global research that will advance our understanding of urban evolutionary ecology.

Understanding animal movement and behaviour can aid spatial planning and inform conservation management. However, it is difficult to directly observe behaviours in remote and hostile terrain such as the marine environment. Behaviours can be inferred from telemetry data using hidden Markov models (HMMs), but model predictions are not typically validated due to difficulty obtaining ‘ground truth’ behavioural information. We investigate the accuracy of HMM-inferred behaviours by considering a unique dataset provided by Joint Nature Conservation Committee. The data consist of simultaneous proxy movement tracks of the boat (defined as visual tracks as birds are followed by eye) and seabird behaviour obtained at the same time-frequency by observers on the boat. We use these data to assess whether (i) visual track is a good proxy for true bird locations in relation to HMM-inferred behaviours, and (ii) inferred behaviours from HMMs fitted to visual tracking data accurately represent true behaviours as identified by behavioural observations taken from the boat. We demonstrate that visual tracking data can be regarded as a good proxy for true movement data of birds in terms of similarity in inferred behaviours. Accuracy of HMMs ranging from 71% to 87% during chick-rearing and 54% to 70% during incubation was generally insensitive to model choice, even when AIC values varied substantially across different models. Finally, we show that for foraging, a state of primary interest for conservation purposes, identified missed foraging bouts lasted for only a few seconds. We conclude that HMMs fitted to tracking data can accurately identify important conservation-relevant behaviours, demonstrated using visual tracking data. Therefore, confidence in using HMMs for behavioural inference should increase even when validation data are unavailable. This has important implications for animal conservation, where the size and location of protected areas are often informed by behaviours identified using HMMs fitted to movement data.

An important consequence of the discontinuous distribution of insect populations within their geographic range is phenotypic divergence. Detection of this divergence can be challenging when it occurs through subtle shifts in morphological traits with complex geometries, such as insect wing venation. Here, we used landmark-based wing geometric morphometrics to investigate the population-level phenotypic variation of the two subspecies of Glossina morsitans, G. m. centralis Machado and G. m. morsitans Westwood that occur in Zambia. Twelve homologous landmarks digitized on the right wings of 720 specimens collected from four and five sites (80 per site with 1:1 sex ratio) within the G. m. centralis and G. m. morsitans range respectively, were subjected to generalised Procrustes analysis to obtain wing centroid size (CS) and wing shape variable. Linear permutation models were then used to compare CS and wing shape between male and female G. morsitans, the two subspecies G. m. centralis and G. m. morsitans, and between sample locations within each subspecies range. Significant differences in CS and wing shape were observed between G. morsitans sexes, subspecies and sample locations within each subspecies range. Neighbour-joining trees derived from the analysis of Procrustes distances showed that tsetse within each subspecies range were highly divergent. We conclude that G. morsitans populations in Zambia exhibit significant population-level variation in fly size and wing shape which suggests high levels of population structuring. The main drivers of this structuring could be adaptation to local climatic condition, especially temperature and random genetic drift. We therefore recommend molecular studies to estimate the levels of gene flow between these populations and determine their levels of genetic isolation.

The geographical variation and domestication of tree species are an important part of the theory of forest introduction, germplasm tracing is the theoretical basis for the construction of high-quality plantations. The Chinese pine (Pinus tabuliformis Carr.) is an important native timber tree species widely distributed in northern China, but it is unclear the exact germplasm sources of the main Chinese pine plantation populations. Here, using two mtDNA markers, we analyzed 796 (873) individuals representing 38 populations of main natural and artificial populations in northern China (Shanxi, Hebei, and Liaoning provinces). The results confirmed that the core position of SX* natural populations in Chinese pine populations of northern China, genetic diversity of HB and LN plantations was higher than that of SX* natural populations, and there was a great difference in the genetic background within the groups of SX* and LN, HB showed the opposite. More importantly, we finished the “point-by-point” tracing of the HB and LN plantations task. The results suggested that almost all HB populations came from SX* (GDS*, ZTS*, GCS*, and THS*), which brought the genetic background homogeneity of HB populations. Most of the germplasm of LN plantations came from LN* (ZJS*, WF*), and the other part came from GDS* (SX*), which contributed to great differences in the genetic background within the LN group. Our findings provided a reliable theoretical basis for the scientific allocation, management, and utilization of Chinese pine populations in northern China, and for promoting the high-quality construction of Chinese pine plantations.

The study and importance of altitudinal migration has attracted increasing interest among zoologists. Altitudinal migrants are taxonomically widespread and move across environmental gradients that transect altitudinal and latitudinal gradients as partial or complete migrants, subjecting them to a wide array of environments and ecological interactions. Here, we present a brief synthesis of recent development and suggest future directions towards a more taxonomically inclusive conceptual framework for the study of altitudinal migration. Our framework centers on a working definition of altitudinal migration that highlights the biological relevance and scale of movement for a given taxon and its life history. Even with a revised definition, however, the distinction between the narrower phenomenon of migration and wider study of movement often blurs. We discuss nuances of altitudinal movements and encourage comparisons among taxa from divergent lineages and biomes that encounter different ecological interactions and physiological challenges across their annual cycles. We also summarize new opportunities, methods, and challenges for the ongoing study of altitudinal migration. A persistent, primary challenge is characterizing the taxonomic extent of altitudinal migration within and among species. Fortunately, a host of new methods have been developed to help researchers assess the taxonomic prevalence of altitudinal migration---each with their own advantages and disadvantages. An improved conceptual framework of altitudinal migration will allow researchers that study disparate disciplines and taxonomic groups to better communicate and operate in a comparative framework to test hypotheses regarding the evolutionary and ecological drivers underlying variation in altitudinal migration among populations and species.

Plant responses to environmental heterogeneity depend on life-history traits, which could relate to phenotypical and genetic characteristics. To elucidate this relationship, we examined the variation in population genetics and functional traits of short- and a long-lived Artemisia species that are co-occurring in the steppes of Mongolia. Mongolian steppes represent stressful, waterlimited habitats demanding phenotypic modifications in the short term and/or genetic adaptation in the long term. However, detailed knowledge is missing about both plant phenotypic and genetic differentiation and their inter-relationships in temperate grasslands. Here, we investigated 21 populations of the widely distributed subshrub A. frigida and the herbaceous biennial A. scoparia. Genetic variation was assessed with newly developed Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs) markers. Functional trait data was collected from each individual, and data on environmental variables was collected for each population. We detected significantly higher genetic diversity in the biennial species (H E =0.86) compared to the perennial (H E =0.79). For both species, the largest share of genetic variation was partitioned within populations (96%). Population genetic structure in the biennial A. scoparia was weak, while the perennial A. frigida showed some spatial genetic structure, which was impacted by geographical factors, soil nutrients, and precipitation. Morphology-related functional traits (i.e., plant height) were predominantly associated with environmental variables rather than with genetic variation, while physiology-related traits (i.e., specific leaf area) were partly genetically determined.

Genetic diversity can modulate a population’s response to a changing environment and plays a critical role in its ecological function. While multiple processes act to maintain genetic diversity, sexual recruitment remains the primary driving force. At its southern edge-of-range, warming sea surface temperatures have resulted in shifts to a mixed-annual life-history strategy in the eelgrass (Zostera marina). Given that mating systems are intimately linked to standing levels of genetic variation, understanding the scope of sexual recruitment illuminates the processes that shape genetic diversity. To that end, developing seeds on flowering Z. marina shoots were genotyped from three meadows in Topsail, North Carolina. In all meadows, levels of multiple mating were high, with shoots pollinated by an average of 8 sires (range: 3 – 16). The number of fertilized seeds (i.e., reproductive success) varied significantly across sires (range: 1 – 25) and was positively correlated with both individual heterozygosity and self-fertilization. Outcrossing rates were high (approx. 70%) and varied across spathes. The reliance on sexual recruitment was also evident among sampled shoots, as no clones were detected and kinship among shoots was low. Given the role that genetic diversity plays in enhancing resistance to and resilience from ecological disturbance, disentangling the links between life-history, sexual reproduction and genetic structure will aid in informing the management and conservation of this key foundation species.

The ongoing expansion of wolf (Canis lupus) populations has led to a growing demand for up-to-date abundance estimates. Non-invasive genetic sampling (NGS) is now widely used to monitor wolves, as it allows individual identification and abundance estimation without physically capturing individuals. However, NGS is resource-intensive, partly because of the wolf elusive behaviour and wide distribution, but also because of the cost of DNA analyses. Optimization of sampling strategies is therefore a requirement for the long-term sustainability of wolf monitoring programs. Using data from the 2020-2021 Italian Alpine wolf monitoring, we investigate how (i) reducing the number of samples genotyped, (ii) reducing the number of transects, and (iii) reducing the number of repetitions of each search transect, impacted spatial capture-recapture population size estimates. Our study revealed that a 25% reduction in the number of transects or, alternatively, a 50% reduction in the maximum number of repetitions yielded abundance estimates comparable to those obtained using the entire dataset. These modifications would result in a 2,046 km reduction in total transect length and 19,628 km reduction in total distance searched. Further reducing the number of transects resulted in up to 15% lower and up to 17% less precise abundance estimates. Reducing only the number of genotyped samples led to higher (5%) and less precise (20%) abundance estimates. Randomly subsampling genotyped samples reduced the number of detections per individual, whereas subsampling search transects resulted in a less pronounced decrease in both the total number of detections and individuals detected. Our work shows how it is possible to optimise wolf monitoring by reducing search effort while maintaining the quality of abundance estimates, by adopting a modelling framework that uses a first survey dataset. We further provide general guidelines on how to optimise sampling effort when using spatial capture-recapture in large-scale monitoring programmes.

We present notable distributional updates for 13 species from western Ecuador (six amphibians amphand seven reptiles). Our findings include the northernmost confirmed sighting of of Pristimantis kuri (Yánez-Muñoz et al. 2016) and the southernmost documented appearance of Imantodes inornatus (Boulenger 1896) and and Lepidoblepharis buchwaldi (Werner 1910). Additionally, we document new records and notes of distribution range of of Agalychnis spurrelli (Boulenger 1913), 1913), Hyloscirtus alytolylax (Duellman 1972), 1972), Engystomops montubio (Ron et al. 2004), 2004), Pristimantis nyctophylax (Lynch 1976), 1976), Pristimantis walkeri (Lynch 1974), 1974), Chironius flavopictus (Werner 1909), 1909), Chironius grandisquamis (Peters 1869), 1869), Dendrophidion graciliverpa (Cadle 2012), 2012), Ninia atrata (Hallowell 1845), and and Urotheca fulviceps (Cope 1886). These observations significantly contribute to filling information gaps in our understanding of these species’ distributions. The data, derived from samples collected across diverse forested areas in the western region of Ecuador (provinces of Cañar, Guayas, El Oro, and Los Rios), provide valuable insights into the ecology and conservation of these species.

1. Recognition of favourable environmental conditions for seed germination and seedling survival in different types of forest sites is crucial both for effective regeneration of introduced tree and for control of its spontaneous spread. Studies on the encroachment of North American northern red oak Quercus rubra into European Scots pine forests revealed high abundances of seedlings and saplings under shrubs, with lower abundances in open areas or in clumps of bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus. It was unclear, does burying acorns by seed-hoarders in moss or soil in different microhabitats impact survival of red oak seeds and seedlings, and does acorn size matter? 2. Results of previous (observational) studies were verified in a 3-year experimental study: a pool of 900 sown acorns was monitored in natural conditions. 3. Study revealed that ~80% of sown acorns were lost due to pilferage, lack of germination, fungal infection, and death of sprouting acorns and leafed-out seedlings. The fate of acorns and seedlings depended largely on acorn size and differed among microsite types. Viable seedlings were twice as likely to develop from large- and medium-sized, than from small acorns. Surviving seedlings grew mainly from acorns sown under moss cover within bilberry clumps or in open area, confirming a positive ‘burial effect’. Less than 10% of acorns sown under shrubs developed into viable seedlings, contradicting former conclusions on their ‘nurse effect’. 4. The occurrence of extensive bilberry clumps and small clusters of shrubs in pine forests favours Q. rubra regeneration, but severe fluctuations of the warming climate limit the viability of red oak seeds and seedlings. Prognosed range shifts of native tree species and expected dramatic loss of V. myrtillus climatic optima will impact Q. rubra distribution in European forests. Meanwhile, to prevent red oak spread (if necessary), it is recommended to remove shrubs from pine stand.

Translocations, a conservation tool used to conserve and restore dwindling species, are often associated with high failure rates. Inadequate long-term monitoring of both populations and their introduction sites beyond the initial years post-translocation creates a gap in our understanding of the factors that determine translocation success or failure, resulting in less informed projects in the future. This lack of long-term monitoring is partly caused by the absence of a well-defined framework by which the success of the translocation can be measured, leading to premature and sometimes inaccurate assessments of their outcome. We investigated the long-term outcome of a red squirrel translocation in the west of Ireland, specifically assessing the habitat changes in the translocation site since the introduction in 2005, and their impact on carrying capacity. Using digitised historical map data, we showed that the translocation site experienced a 53% reduction in suitable habitat. Additionally, there was a 41-81% reduction in the red squirrel carrying capacity of the forest, according to feeding survey data. Clear-felling, a forest fire and a shift in tree species composition collectively contributed to this decline in site suitability. This investigation underscores the complexity of translocation projects and emphasises the pivotal role of habitat quality in their outcomes. We advocate for detailed habitat assessments during the planning phase, avoidance of unstable habitats as translocation sites, and the implementation of long-term monitoring practices.

Population size is a key parameter for the conservation of animal species. Close-kin mark-recapture (CKMR) relies on the observed frequency and type of kinship among individuals sampled from the population to estimate population size. This approach requires being able to determine the age of sampled individuals. One common approach, particularly in fish studies, is to measure animal length and using an assumed age-length relationship (a ‘growth curve’). We used simulation to test the effect of misspecifying the length measurement error and the growth curve on population size estimation. Simulated populations represented two fictional shark species, one with a relatively simple life history and the other with a more complex life history based on the grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos). We estimated sex-specific adult abundance, which we assumed to be constant in time. We observed small median biases in these estimates ranging from 1.35 to 2.79% when specifying the correct measurement error and growth curve, with true coefficients of variation between 21.56 and 28.50%. Introducing error via misspecified growth curves resulted in changes in the magnitude of the estimated total population, with upwards shifts negatively biasing abundance estimates. Over- and underestimating the length measurement error did not introduce a bias and had negligible effect on the variance in the estimates. Our findings show that assuming an incorrect length measurement error has little effect on estimation, but having an accurate growth curve is crucial for CKMR whenever ageing is based on length measurements. If ageing could be biased, researchers should be cautious when interpreting CKMR results and consider the potential biases arising from inaccurate age inference.

The use of remote sensing to monitor animal populations has greatly expanded during the last decade. Drones (i.e. Unoccupied Aircraft Systems or UAS) provide a cost- and time-efficient remote sensing option to survey animals in various landscapes and sampling conditions. However, drone-based surveys may also introduce counting errors, especially when monitoring mobile animals. Using an agent-based model simulation approach, we evaluated the error associated with counting a single animal across various drone flight patterns under three animal movement strategies (random, directional persistence, and biased towards a resource) among five animal speeds (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 m/s). Flight patterns represented increasing spatial independence (ranging from lawnmower pattern with image overlap to systematic point counts). Simulation results indicated that flight pattern was the most important variable influencing count accuracy, followed by the type of animal movement pattern, and then animal speed. A lawnmower pattern with 0% overlap produced the most accurate count of a solitary, moving animal on a landscape (average count of 1.1 ± 0.6) regardless of the animal’s movement pattern and speed. Image overlap flight patterns were more likely to result in multiple counts even when accounting for mosaicking. Based on our simulations, we recommend using a lawnmower pattern with 0% image overlap to minimize error and augment drone efficacy for animal surveys. Our work highlights the importance of understanding interactions between animal movements and drone survey design on count accuracy to inform the development of broad applications among diverse species and ecosystems.