Background & Aim: Species represent fundamental entities in biological research. In recent years, the integrative species concept has gained increasing popularity. It emphasizes that the delimitation of closely related species should be based on multiple lines of evidence. Juniperus coxii, initially described as a variety of J. recurva, was subsequently elevated to species rank. Nevertheless, population-level evidence supporting this taxonomic classification remains scarce. 

Methods: To clarify the boundaries between two taxa within the J. recurva complex from the eastern Hengduan-Himalayan region, chloroplast DNA sequences were obtained from 197 individuals across 26 populations for lineage delimitation. While the molecular data delineated the phylogenetic framework, statistical morphological analyses and niche differentiation assessments were further conducted on representative populations. Additionally, ecological niche modeling was performed by integrating environmental climatic factors from both our sampling sites and previously published occurrence records. 

Results: Chloroplast haplotype network analysis has divided the J. recurva complex into two lineages: eastern and western. Geographically, these lineages have been roughly separated by Cona City. No significant statistical discontinuity has been observed in their morphology, although morphological variation has been found among individuals. The ecological niches of the eastern and western lineages have shown significant differentiation, with some overlap remaining. 

Conclusion: The above evidence supports classifying populations west of Cona City as J. recurva, while eastern populations represent J. coxii. However, as this study relies exclusively on chloroplast DNA data, further research employing nuclear genome-derived molecular markers is warranted.

Aims: This study aims to reveal the daily activity rhythms, spatial distribution, environmental responses, and coexistence patterns of roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa), filling the research gap regarding the spatiotemporal distribution and coexistence patterns of ungulate species in Pangquangou National Nature Reserve. This is of great theoretical and practical significance for understanding interspecific interactions in North China and guiding the ecosystem management of protected areas. 

Methods: Based on the monitoring data collected by 40 infrared cameras deployed in Shanxi Pangquangou National Nature Reserve from August 2023 to November 2024, this study systematically analyzed the spatiotemporal distribution and coexistence patterns of sympatric roe deer and wild boars using multiple methods, including ensemble models, kernel density estimation, daily-discrepancy index (α) and diurnal-nocturnal index (β). 

Results: (1) A total of 40 infrared cameras operated continuously for a cumulative 15,880 camera-days, capturing 7,116 independently identifiable valid photos, including 2,344 of roe deers and 192 of wild boars. (2) Both species showed a diurnal bimodal activity pattern (roe deer: β = 0.63; wild boars: β = 0.71). The monthly differences in daily activity patterns were not significant (P > 0.05), but there was a significant difference in the overlap of daily activity rhythms (Δ₄ = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.81–0.87; P < 0.05). The morning activity peak of roe deer occurred 1–2 hours later than that of wild boars, while their afternoon activity peaks were nearly synchronous. This temporal shift indicates that the two species reduce interspecific competition through temporal niche differentiation. (3) The ensemble models showed good performance in predicting the distribution of both species (TSS > 0.7, AUC > 0.9). The suitable habitats of both roe deer and wild boars were mainly concentrated in the central part of the reserve. The suitable habitat area for roe deer was 71.64 km², accounting for 67.06% of the total reserve area; the suitable habitat area for wild boars was 59.08 km², accounting for 56.91%. The niche overlap between the two species was high (Schoener’s D = 0.70). (4) The human influence index, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and isothermality were identified as the key factors influencing the distribution of both species. Specifically, the probability of presence of both roe deer and wild boars decreased significantly with increasing isothermality, was positively correlated with NDVI, and exhibited a non-linear relationship with the human influence index (initially decreasing before increasing). 

Conclusion: Regarding the temporal niche, although both species exhibited a diurnal bimodal activity patterns with high niche overlap, a significant fine-scale differentiation in peak activity—specifically, the 1–2 hour delay in the morning peak of roe deer—constitutes a key behavioral adaptation to reduce direct competition for critical resources. Spatially, suitable habitats for both species were concentrated in the central reserve, and they demonstrated similar responses to the environmental factors driving their distribution. In conclusion, this study highlights that conservation strategies for roe deer and wild boars must prioritize the central core habitat quality and address the nonlinear impacts of environmental factors and human activities on species distribution and interspecific relationships.

Aims: Nutritional resources are fundamental to wildlife survival, reproduction, and environmental adaptation, and are a critical determinant of population persistence and viability. The Taohongling sika deer, the only extant wild sika deer population in Jiangxi Province, holds significant ecological value. However, its seasonal foraging ecology and nutritional strategies remain unclear. 

Methods: Fresh fecal samples were collected at the Jiangxi Taohongling Sika Deer National Nature Reserve in autumn (October 2022), winter (January 2023), spring (April 2023), and summer (July 2023). Seasonal dietary composition and nutritional characteristics were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing and physicochemical assays. 

Results: The Taohongling sika deer consumed plants from 31 families, 37 genera, and 37 species. Primary forage plants varied seasonally: in spring, the main food sources were Rubus spp. (32.56%) and Quercus fabri (13.13%); in summer, Dalbergia hupeana (30.20%), Rubus spp. (12.45%), and Persicaria hastatosagittata (12.04%) predominated; in autumn, Loropetalum chinense (65.21%) and Rubus spp. (11.19%) were dominant; and in winter, Rubus spp. (53.21%) and Carex spp. (18.92%) were the primary forages. Dietary diversity differed significantly among seasons: the summer diversity index was the highest, while autumn and winter indices were relatively low. Analysis of food nutrition and estimated nutrient intake showed higher intake in summer and winter and lower intake in autumn. Furthermore, the nutritional content of available food did not appear to be the primary factor influencing the deer’s food selection. 

Conclusions: These findings clarify the seasonal foraging and nutritional strategies of the Taohongling sika deer and provide an evidence-based foundation for developing targeted conservation measures for the South China sika deer population.

Aims: The Gaoligong hoolock gibbon (Hoolock tianxing) is a typical arboreal primate species whose habitat has been highly fragmented due to long-term human disturbance. This study evaluated the impacts of human disturbance and altitude on tree community diversity and availability of food resources in the habitat of H. tianxing. 

Methods: From July to August 2023, we surveyed 26 tree plots (20 m 20 m) established in the core activity areas of six H. tianxing groups in Sudian Lisu Ethic Township, Yingjiang County, Yunnan Province, China. A new quantitative index of human disturbance intensity, the habitat disturbance index (HDI), was developed using land-use data. Linear mixed models were used to assess the effects of HDI and altitude on α and β diversity of tree communities, and generalized linear mixed models were used to evaluate their effects on the richness of food tree species. Dominant tree species were identified using species importance value (IV) and the cumulative IV proportion, with species contributing to the first 50% of cumulative IV being defined as dominant. We further assessed the retention status of food tree species. 

Results: We recorded 146 tree species belonging to 58 genera, 34 families, and 21 orders. The α diversity of tree communities was not significantly affected by HDI or altitude. In contrast, both HDI and altitude significantly and negatively affected the gradient of β diversity. Among the 26 dominant tree species, 10 (38.46%) were food tree species for H. tianxing. The total IV of all food tree species accounted for 24.84% of the total IV across all species, suggesting that food resources were currently well retained and remained relatively abundant. Additionally, altitude had a significant positive effect on the richness of food tree species, whereas HDI did not, indicating that higher-altitude areas may play an important role in sustaining food resources and that food tree species may show ecological resilience to moderate disturbance. 

Conclusion: Disturbed forest patches can still provide meaningful support for H. tianxing by retaining food resources at appreciable levels, while human disturbance and altitude jointly affect the variation in tree community composition in its habitat. Disturbed areas should not be automatically treated as low-value habitat in conservation assessments; instead, forest quality and disturbance levels should be evaluated integratively, and areas retaining important food resources should be incorporated into conservation planning.

Aims: To enable objective comparison of hornbill reproductive behaviors and facilitate in-depth research on their ecological evolution, this study was conducted from February to July in 2023 and 2024 in the Tongbiguan Provincial Nature Reserve, Yunnan Province. Specifically, we aimed to systematically document the behavioral characteristics of three sympatric hornbill species—the oriental pied hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris), the great hornbill (Buceros bicornis), and the wreathed hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus)—and to construct an ethogram for each, thereby providing foundational data for subsequent research. 

Method: Field observations and video recordings were used to systematically collect data on the behaviors of the three hornbill species. Basic behavioral data were compiled to construct an ethogram for each species. These ethograms were then integrated to establish a posture-act-environment (PAE) coding system, enabling standardized classification and quantitative description of behaviors. 

Results: The results showed that the great hornbill and wreathed hornbill both exhibited 7 postures, 34 acts, and 6 environmental variables, whereas the oriental pied hornbill had 6 postures, 29 acts, and 6 environmental variables. The integrated PAE coding system comprised 7 posture categories and 39 distinct behaviors. Among the three species, the wreathed hornbill exhibited the highest total number of behaviors (39), followed by the great hornbill (38), and the oriental pied hornbill (26). Statistical analysis indicated no significant differences in behavioral diversity indices among the three species, nor were there significant differences in any diversity index between sexes within each species. 

Conclusion: The ethogram and PAE coding system established in this study provide a detailed behavioral inventory and quantitative description for these three endangered hornbill species, offering essential baseline information for subsequent behavioral ecology research and conservation management.

Aims: Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park is a key biodiversity hotspot in China, yet it has experienced increasing pressure in recent decades from land-use changes including deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urbanization. However, a systematic understanding of the structural characteristics of stream fish communities in this region and their specific responses to these changes remains limited. 

Methods: From 2024 to 2025, we collected data of fish assemblages and environmental variables across 40 stream sites in and around the Limushan and Jianfengling. We compared spatial patterns in fish community composition and diversity between the two regions using multiple statistical approaches. Similarity percentage (SIMPER) analysis was applied to identify key species contributing most to community dissimilarities. We used random forest models to identify the key environmental factors of stream fish diversity under land-use change and to reveal their nonlinear response patterns. 

Results: Fish community composition differed significantly between Limushan and Jianfengling, with Onychostoma lepturum, Aphyocypris normalis, Opsariichthys hainanensis, and Microphysogobio kachekensis identified as the key species driving these distinctions. Species richness was significantly higher in Limushan than in Jianfengling, while fish diversity in Jianfengling also exhibited lower inter-site variability, indicating a more homogeneous spatial distribution. The major environmental drivers of fish diversity and their response patterns showed clear regional specificity and pronounced significant nonlinear relationships with land use and associated environmental variables. In Limushan, elevation and the percentage of rainfed cropland were the dominant factors, whereas in Jianfengling, the percentage of herbaceous cover cropland and impervious surfaces, pH, and conductivity played more prominent roles. 

Conclusion: This study demonstrates significant spatial variation in stream fish community composition and diversity within Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park, with diversity indices exhibiting nonlinear responses to land-use changes and environmental variables. These findings advance our understanding of how tropical rainforest stream fish communities are influenced by land-use change and provide a scientific basis for biodiversity conservation and sustainable landscape planning in tropical rainforest regions.

Aims: Guangdong Province, located at the northern boundary of the tropical climatic zone, harbors exceptionally high biodiversity due to its warm, humid climate, complex terrain, and dense river networks. However, aquatic insects, especially Odonata, have been insufficiently surveyed compared with terrestrial taxa. This study aims to elucidate the species composition and zoogeographical characteristics of Odonata across Guangdong Province, and to identify the geographical patterns and key environmental drivers of their taxonomic diversity. 

Methods: Redundancy analysis (RDA) combined with forward selection was used to identify key environmental variables associated with Odonata community structure. Subsequently, variation partitioning analysis (VPA) was applied to disentangle the relative contributions of climate, topography, and land-use factors to spatial variation in community composition. 

Results: A total of 261 species (including subspecies), belonging to 115 genera and 19 families across two suborders, were recorded. Among them, 71 species (including subspecies) are endemic to China, representing 27.20% of the total richness. In terms of faunal composition, species with an Oriental distribution (restricted to the Oriental realm) predominate, comprising 199 species (including subspecies), followed by Palaearctic–Oriental species distributed across both realms, totaling 62 species (including subspecies). Regarding zoogeographical types, the South China Region–Central China Region type was most common (90 species; 34.48%), followed by the South China Region type (63 species; 24.14%). Spatial analyses identified the central and northern mountainous regions as diversity hotspots, with Longmen County (Huizhou) and Zengcheng District (Guangzhou) harboring 173 and 154 species (including subspecies), respectively. RDA revealed that mean annual temperature, precipitation seasonality, slope, farmland proportion, forest proportion, water-body proportion, and elevation range were the principal environmental factors shaping Odonata community structure. VPA showed that climate, topography, and land-use jointly explain spatial variation of community composition (20.00%), with climate uniquely contributing the highest independent fraction (8.00%). 

Conclusion: This study provides the first systematic assessment of the faunal characteristics and geographical patterns of Odonata taxonomic diversity in Guangdong Province, identifying the key environmental drivers shaping community structure. The results fill a critical knowledge gap in aquatic insect diversity within the province and provide essential baseline information for faunal biogeography, biodiversity monitoring, conservation planning, and evaluation of management effectiveness.

Aim: The botanical garden, as a relatively homogenized artificial environment, offers an ideal model for exploring environmental adaptation mechanisms in plant–pollinator interactions. This study aims to investigate how the translocation of fig trees (Ficus auriculata) to botanical gardens influences the composition of fig volatiles, the structure of fig wasp communities, and the stability of their obligate mutualistic interactions relative to natural habitats. 

Method: We analyzed volatile compounds emitted during the female flowering phase of male fig trees using dynamic headspace sampling combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Concurrently, we collected fig wasp communities from male flowering phase figs in male trees to compare community structure and interaction networks between natural habitats and botanical garden. 

Results: (1) Volatile compositions differed significantly between the two habitats. Natural habitat figs emitted more defense–related fatty acid derivatives, while botanical garden figs predominantly released terpene compounds that attract pollinating wasps. (2) Fig wasp communities also exhibited marked differences. Natural habitats had higher wasp diversity and a greater proportion of non–pollinating wasps, whereas pollinators accounted for 99.07% of individuals in botanical garden, compared to 76.55% in natural habitats. (3) The fig–fig wasp interaction network in natural habitats showed higher connectivity, modularity, and robustness, suggesting greater complexity and adaptability. In contrast, botanical garden network exhibited stronger specialization and nestedness, with the homogenized environment increasing the sensitivity of fig wasp communities to environmental change. 

Conclusion: This study is the first to systematically demonstrate how the fig–fig wasp interaction network adapts to artificial environments through changes in chemical signaling and community structure. The results confirm that habitat simplification can reshape obligate mutualisms by altering volatile profiles and niche partitioning. These findings enhance our understanding of the environmental adaptability of specialized mutualistic systems and offer important insights for the ex situ conservation of fig trees and biodiversity management strategies.

Aims: With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, deep learning has become a key tool for automating wildlife image recognition and advancing intelligent ecological monitoring. However, real-world wildlife image datasets typically exhibit a skewed distribution, in which a few common species have abundant samples, while most species are underrepresented, thereby limiting the overall recognition performance of the model. 

Methods: To address this issue, this study proposed a novel method for wildlife recognition named Diff-SCC, which integrated data generation using a diffusion model and feature reconstruction. Specifically, rich semantic descriptions of low-frequency categories were first generated using a large language model to guide the diffusion model in synthesizing additional samples. A multi-scale negative sample filtering strategy was then introduced to assess image quality from pixel, feature, and semantic levels, enhancing the diversity and balance of low-frequency categories’ features. Furthermore, an SCConv module was incorporated into the backbone network to improve spatial and channel modeling, focusing more effectively on foreground regions while reducing redundant computation. 

Results: This paper conducted comparative experiments on a self-built wildlife dataset from Ulanba National Nature Reserve, which comprised 12 wildlife categories, and on the public wildlife NACTI dataset. Results showed that the proposed Diff-SCC model achieves overall recognition accuracies of 78.71% and 80.84% on the two datasets, respectively. Notably, the recognition accuracy of low-frequency classes improved by 9.96% and 9.99% over the baseline model, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed method in handling skewed data and recognizing rare species. 

Conclusion: The Diff-SCC model proposed in this study demonstrates strong capability in mitigating the challenges of skewed distributions in wildlife image classification. It offers a reliable and practical solution for intelligent wildlife monitoring and contributes to the advancement of biodiversity conservation.

Aims: Zhejiang Province features complex water systems and extensive sea area that support high fish diversity. However, comprehensive studies on fish diversity in this region remain insufficient. To update and refine the fish species checklist of Zhejiang Province, we summarize taxonomic revisions for each taxon, species geographical distribution patterns, and their conservation status. 

Methods: Based on existing literature, survey records and updated taxonomic and systematic findings, we revised the fish species checklist and distribution information of Zhejiang Province since the publication of Species checklist of freshwater fishes in Zhejiang Province and Marine Fishes of Zhejiang Province. The average similarity index (S) and cluster analysis were employed to examine the relationships among native inland fish communities across eight major water systems. 

Results: The classification and distribution of 118 fish species in the original checklist were revised, and 237 species were added in our study. As of 31 December 2024, 1,148 fish species (including 13 alien species) were recorded in Zhejiang, belonging to 659 genera, 257 families, 46 orders, and 3 classes. The dominant orders are Perciformes (395 species), Cypriniformes (130 species), Scorpaeniformes (72 species), Pleuronectiformes (71 species), and Tetraodontiformes (53 species), collectively accounting for 62.80% of Zhejiang’s total fish species. There are 201 native inland fish species in Zhejiang, with the highest species richness observed in the Qiantang River (including Cao’e River) (155 species) and the Oujiang River (136 species); additionally, 934 native marine fish species are distributed in the region. The average similarity index of native inland fish communities among eight water systems exceeds 0.650. Cluster analysis of fish fauna shows that at a similarity distance of 0.5, the Tiaoxi River and the Grand Canal form one cluster; the Yongjiang River, Jiaojiang River (Lingjiang River), Oujiang River, Feiyun River, and Aojiang River form another; while the Qiantang River (including Cao’e River) forms a distinct cluster. Among Zhejiang’s fishes, 121 native species are under state protection or considered threatened. Of these, 14 species are listed in the List of State Key Protected Wild Animals, 32 species are included in the CITES Appendices, 104 species are assessed as Vulnerable (VU) or above on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and 16 species are similarly classified on China’s Red List of Biodiversity. 

Conclusion: Zhejiang harbors abundant fish resources. Based on their current status, we suggest strengthening species research, habitat protection, and scientific publicity. This updated checklist will facilitate research and law enforcement, and provide foundational data for fish conservation and sustainable utilization.

Aims: Scleractinian corals, as the framework species of reef ecosystems, are listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and are designated as Class II National Key Protected Wildlife in China. High-latitude coral communities have been proposed as potential climate refugia for tropical corals due to lower thermal stress. However, the high turbidity of local seawater and strong coral phenotypic plasticity at high latitudes could complicate species identification in these areas. 

Methods: To determine the species composition of scleractinian corals in China’s northernmost coral communities (Dongshan, Fujian Province), we conducted systematic surveys in Dongshan waters through using integrated ecological imaging, skeletal morphology, and molecular genotyping, with the molecular identification targeted at the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and the cytochrome coxidase I (COI) gene. 

Results: Dongshan waters hosted at least 13 scleractinian coral species from 12 genera across 8 families. This included one newly recorded species in China (Plesiastrea peroni) and five newly recorded species in Fujian Province (Bernardpora stutchburyi, Dipsastraea matthaii, Oulastrea crispata, Montipora turgescens, and Psammocora contigua), indicating previously underestimated regional coral diversity. We reported Plesiastrea peroni for the first time in China. This species was morphologically distinct from Plesiastrea versipora having wider corallite spacing, fewer septa, and a granulated septal surface, which was confirmed via sequencing of the Pv-COI gene. 

Conclusion: These findings expand our knowledge of the biodiversity of South China’s coral communities, providing baseline data to strengthen the function of Dongshan as a northern refugium for the protection and management of pole ward-moving tropical corals.

Aims: Macrofungi hold significant ecological and socioeconomic value. To analyze the floristic composition and species diversity of macrofungi in the karst areas of southwestern China and clarify the influence of distinctive geomorphological features on their distribution, a comprehensive survey was conducted. The results are expected to provide a scientific basis for biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilization of macrofungal resources in the areas. 

Methods: Over a seven-year period, 12,451 macrofungal specimens were collected from Guizhou, Guangxi, and Yunnan using line transect and random survey methods. Species identification integrated morphological characterization and molecular phylogenetic analysis using ITS sequences. Taxonomic data were cross-referenced with literature to analyze floristic components and resource values. 

Results: A total of 1,505 macrofungal species (2 phyla, 10 classes, 27 orders, 118 families, 418 genera) were identified in the karst areas of southwestern China. Among these, 19 new species, 1 new record species for China, and 1 new record species for Guizhou. Dominant families constituted 34.75% of total families (41/118), with Russulaceae, Polyporaceae, and Boletaceae exhibiting the highest species richness. At genus level, 17.46% of genera (73/418) demonstrated dominance, particularly Russula, Amanita, and Lactarius. The evaluation of macrofungal resource values identified 263 edible species, 176 medicinal species, and 237 toxic species, indicating considerable fungal diversity in this region. Floristic analysis revealed cosmopolitan distributions predominate at the family level (54.24%), while higher biogeographic diversity was observed at the genus level.

Background & Aim: The plant species complex, as a central and challenging issue in taxonomic research, comprises morphologically highly similar yet genetically divergent lineages, including cryptic species, hybrids, and polyploids. The taxonomic difficulties associated with these complexes would impact accurate biodiversity assessment and effective resource management. This review aims to systematically synthesize the formation mechanisms of plant species complexes and recent advances in their morphological taxonomy. It also seeks to elucidate the conflict between morphological conservatism and genetic divergence, propose an integrative classification framework, and outline future research directions and methodological trends. The ultimate goal is to establish a foundation for understanding the mechanisms of complex formation, delimiting cryptic species, interpreting interspecific differences and evolutionary relationships, and support germplasm utilization and species conservation. 

Progress: Research findings indicate that the formation of plant species complexes is collectively driven by natural selection, gene flow, polyploidization, and epigenetic regulation. Morphological evidence plays a crucial role in classifying plant species complexes and holds particular advantages during periods of rapid radiative evolution or under strong natural selection pressure. However, its utility is often limited by factors such as phenotypic plasticity, genomic introgression (hybridization), and niche conservatism. Although molecular evidence can compensate for some limitations of morphological data, relying solely on a single-dimensional approach remains insufficient for resolving the full complexity of evolutionary histories, including scenarios like incomplete lineage sorting or reticulate evolution. Addressing classification problems still requires taking morphological interpretation as an essential foundation. Contemporary taxonomy of plant species complexes increasingly relies on integrative methodologies that emphasize multidimensional validation combining morphological, molecular, and ecological evidence. The integration of multi-source data has become the main trend for solving the taxonomic predicament of plant species complexes. 

Prospects: Future research on plant species complexes should prioritize the construction of a robust “morphology-molecular-ecology” tripartite corroboration system. This involves quantifying phenotypic variation using advanced morphometric techniques and intelligent morphological technologies, elucidating genetic differentiation through genomic phylogenomic and population genetic analyses, and assessing environmental adaptability through ecological niche models. Furthermore, developing more efficient algorithmic models and incorporating phytogeographic regional backgrounds are essential for building a dynamic classification system. Advances in the taxonomy of plant species complexes will enhance our understanding of speciation mechanisms and provide a solid theoretical foundation for precise biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilization of biological resources.

Background & Aim: Human activities have substantially altered natural nitrogen (N) regimes, resulting in a marked increase in reactive nitrogen entering terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Nitrogen inputs, together with the key ecological processes they drive—such as atmospheric deposition, nitrogen transformation, and changes in nitrogen availability—play a central role in shaping ecosystem structure and functioning. Excess nitrogen inputs disrupt ecological balance through soil acidification, aquatic eutrophication, habitat degradation, and the spread of invasive species, thereby exerting persistent pressure on biodiversity. As biodiversity loss has become a global environmental concern, increasing attention has been directed toward understanding how externally driven nitrogen inputs influence ecological processes most closely linked to species coexistence, community assembly, and ecosystem stability. Rather than treating N inputs driven processes as a closed biogeochemical system, recent studies have emphasized nitrogen inputs as a dominant external driver with direct ecological relevance. At the same time, advances in molecular techniques, remote sensing, and large-scale ecological monitoring have provided new opportunities to examine nitrogen–biodiversity relationships across spatial and organizational scales. 

Progresses: A growing body of evidence demonstrates that the ecological consequences of nitrogen inputs are strongly context dependent. In ecosystems characterized by low background nitrogen availability, moderate nitrogen enrichment may temporarily enhance primary productivity and, in some cases, support short-term increases in local biodiversity. In contrast, sustained or excessive nitrogen inputs are consistently associated with negative biodiversity outcomes, including species loss, community homogenization, and functional simplification. These effects are mediated by multiple interacting processes, such as shifts in soil physicochemical conditions, altered nitrogen availability and stoichiometric balance, and changes in microbially regulated nitrogen transformation pathways. Nitrogen enrichment often favors fast-growing, resource-acquisitive species, intensifying competitive exclusion and reducing niche differentiation, while simultaneously restructuring microbial communities and their functional capacities. Importantly, biodiversity itself can influence nitrogen dynamics. Functional diversity among plants, microorganisms, and soil fauna contributes to more efficient nitrogen use, reduced nitrogen losses, and greater ecosystem resistance to external nitrogen stress. Building on these insights, research on nitrogen inputs and associated ecological processes has increasingly informed biodiversity monitoring, ecological risk assessment, and ecosystem restoration, highlighting the practical relevance of process-oriented nitrogen research. 

Perspectives: Despite substantial progress, significant challenges remain in translating scientific understanding of nitrogen–biodiversity interactions into effective management and policy actions. Data relevant to nitrogen inputs and biodiversity responses are often fragmented across ecosystems, spatial scales, and disciplinary domains, limiting integrative analysis. In addition, monitoring approaches and indicators remain insufficiently standardized, constraining comparisons among regions and long-term assessments. Nitrogen management policies are frequently developed in isolation from biodiversity objectives, reducing the potential for synergistic outcomes. Future research should therefore focus on integrating multi-source datasets, including field observations, molecular information, and remote sensing products, to better capture the dynamics of nitrogen-driven biodiversity change. Developing standardized, process-based monitoring frameworks will be essential for linking nitrogen inputs to biodiversity responses in a policy-relevant manner. Strengthening coordination across sectors—particularly agriculture, environmental management, and biodiversity conservation—will further support the incorporation of nitrogen considerations into governance and decision-making. By adopting a process-informed perspective that explicitly connects nitrogen inputs, key ecological processes, and biodiversity outcomes, research in this field can provide more robust support for ecosystem restoration, adaptive management, and the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Background: With the accelerating pace of global urbanization, urban biodiversity is facing increasingly severe challenges, including habitat loss, ecological fragmentation, and the decline of native species. As the fundamental spatial and functional unit of urban spatial structure and ecological system, urban blocks not only support residential, commercial, and social functions, but also serve as critical interfaces where the built environment interacts with ecological systems. They play a vital role in maintaining ecosystem services, supporting habitat provision, and shaping local biodiversity patterns. In recent years, as urban regeneration progresses, how to effectively embed biodiversity enhancement goals into spatial planning at the scale of urban block has become a pressing and central issue in the field of urban ecological planning and sustainable design. 

Aims & Methods: While studies examining the impacts of urban block built environments on urban biodiversity have increased in recent years, systematic reviews and integrative theoretical frameworks remain insufficient, that constraining theoretical development. To address this gap, this study conducts a bibliometric and content-based review of relevant domestic and international research, and categorizes built environment factors affecting urban biodiversity at the block scale into five categories: block green space, vegetation characteristics, land use, 3D morphology, and mediating factors (human activity and climatic factors). Based on this framework, the study comprehensively summarizes various impact factors and their relationships identified in existing research. 

Review Results: Findings reveal three key discoveries: (1) the urban block scale is critically important for biodiversity research, exhibiting distinct characteristics that differentiate it from other spatial scales; (2) the urban block built environment influences biodiversity through both direct and indirect pathways, creating complex impact mechanisms; (3) human activity in urban blocks demonstrates significant mediating effects, while climate factors play important moderating roles in shaping biodiversity patterns, suggesting these interactive effects warrant in-depth future investigation. 

Perspectives: Based on this, the study proposes four major directions for future research: (1) deepening research on the impacts of block 3D morphology on urban biodiversity; (2) revealing mediating effects of human activities at block scale; (3) exploring regulatory mechanisms of climate factors on biodiversity patterns; (4) developing differentiated guidelines and standards for refined urban block regeneration. This review aims to provide a systematic theoretical foundation for urban block spatial planning oriented toward biodiversity enhancement, and to promote the construction of urban spatial systems characterized by ecological resilience and integration with nature.

Background: Biodiversity loss driven by human activities and climate change has intensified the demand for efficient, scalable, and non-invasive monitoring approaches. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM), based on the concept of soundscapes, captures biophony, geophony, and anthrophony over large spatial and temporal scales, providing a promising framework for biodiversity assessment. Because changes in species composition and habitat conditions are often reflected in the structure of soundscapes, soundscape-based analysis has become a key component of ecoacoustics. 

Progress: Current soundscape-based biodiversity assessments mainly rely on two automated approaches: automatic recognition methods and acoustic indices. Automatic recognition enables species- or sound-source-level identification using machine learning, but its performance is limited by the scarcity of annotated data, its sensitivity to noise and overlapping sounds, and poor cross-regional generalization. Acoustic index methods provide computational efficiency by summarizing soundscape characteristics into numerical metrics, but their ecological interpretability and robustness vary across environmental conditions and parameter setting, often resulting in inconsistent or contradictory outcomes. 

Prospects: Future progress requires standardized data acquisition and processing protocols, the development of open soundscape feature databases, and methodological integration of automatic recognition and acoustic index approaches. Integrating these methods with multi-source environmental data is expected to enhance robustness, ecological interpretability, and comparability, supporting more reliable soundscape-based biodiversity monitoring and conservation decision-making.

Background & Aim: As the threat posed by invasive alien species to China’s ecosystems becomes increasingly severe, improving the governance system has emerged as a crucial issue at present. Although existing studies have explored legal and administrative management issues in the governance of invasive alien species, most of them focus on governance discussions within a single field and fail to conduct systematic analysis from the perspective of the overall policy system. Therefore, in-depth research on the structural dilemmas existing in the policy system for invasive alien species governance—especially the exploration of its holistic construction—still holds significant academic value and practical significance. 

Method: Employing literature review and case analysis methods, we compile public interest litigation cases related to invasive alien species in recent years, introduce judicial cases as practical illustrations, and further demonstrate their actual harms to the ecological environment, public interests, and biological security. 

Results: We sort out the laws and policies regarding invasive alien species in China, and reveal the problems existing in current practice, such as the imperfection of the legal system, the lack of top-level design, the inadequacy of the management list system, the insufficient coordination of the implementation mechanism, and the weakness of basic guarantees and technical support. 

Conclusion: We propose a holistic improvement pathway, which includes the following aspects: at the legislative level, it suggests improving legislation through the codification–special legislation parallel model, strengthening accountability system, and optimizing performance assessment mechanism; at the implementation level, it is necessary to establish regulatory authorities, set up a regional joint conference mechanism, and optimize management list system; and at the support and guarantee level, efforts should be made to promote the marketization of ecological compensation, enhance interdisciplinary collaboration, and implement the system of public bidding for talents to tackle key issues. The purpose of this paper is to provide theoretical and practical references for the governance of invasive alien species.

Background & Aim: Following the decision made during the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) officially established the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) in August 2023. The fund aims to provide additional support to developing countries in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). This study evaluates the operational advancements of the GBFF, with particular attention to its financing mechanisms, project portfolio, allocation strategies, and alignment with the KMGBF objectives. Additionally, the research seeks to analyze the challenges faced during the initial programming phase and explores their implications for improving biodiversity financing and global biodiversity governance. 

Progress & Findings: The inaugural programming tranche, initiated in February 2024, allocated USD 201.6 million to 40 projects spanning 41 countries through three competitive selection rounds. The distribution of approved projects reveals that Latin America and the Caribbean received the largest portion of funding, accounting for 43% of the total allocation. In terms of project scale, the median grant under the GBFF is USD 3.9 million, significantly lower than the median of USD 9.3 million for the biodiversity focal area projects of the eighth replenishment of the GEF. This indicates that GBFF-supported projects remain relatively modest in scale at this early stage. Regarding resource allocation, approximately 78% of the projects and 46% of the total funding were directed toward Action Area 1 of the GBFF (Biodiversity conservation, restoration, land/sea-use, and spatial planning). Among the 15 megadiverse countries eligible for GBFF support, 11 received funding, while China remains among the few without an approved project. 

Recommendations: From the perspective of CBD Parties, the study recommends promoting diversified resource-mobilization strategies, strengthening the GBFF’s capacity to support transformative change, and enhancing synergies among financing mechanisms such as the GEF and the Kunming Biodiversity Fund. For China, as both a developing megadiverse country and a key factor in global biodiversity governance, it is crucial to design integrated, large-scale demonstrative proposals, streamline domestic application processes, and improve the preparation of essential methodological and safeguard documents to enhance approval success rates in the second programming tranche. As the initiator of the Kunming Biodiversity Fund, China should also clarify its differentiated strategic positioning, reinforce its role in capacity building, and advance more transparent and robust governance frameworks to maximize complementarity with the GBFF. Collectively, these measures can support China’s deeper engagement in global biodiversity governance and contribute to the effective implementation of the KMGBF.