Aim:Hubei Province, located in central China, features a complex and diverse topography that provides heterogeneous habitats for rich flora. Lycophytes and ferns are important elements in biodiversity. However, they were not included in the Flora of Hubei.

Methods: To comprehensively document the diversity and distribution of lycophytes and ferns in Hubei Province, we compiled a checklist integrating data from the Catalogue of Life China: 2024 Annual Checklist, the National Specimen Information Infrastructure (NSII), published books, and journal articles. Families and genera were classified based on the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group I (PPG I) system.

Results: Our results identified 31 families, 99 genera, 570 species, 3 subspecies, and 27 varieties of lycophytes and ferns in Hubei Province. Among these, lycophytes comprised 2 families, 8 genera, 38 species, and 1 subspecies, while ferns comprised 29 families, 91 genera, 532 species, 2 subspecies, and 27 varieties. In addition, this study confirmed that 42 species previously recorded in Hubei Province were not actually distributed there, and we questioned the authenticity of 37 species reported in the province.

Conclusion: To improve the accuracy of plant documentation in Hubei Province, we recommend strengthening field investigations, and ensuring rigor and precision in specimen collection records. Our results provide a valuable dataset for future study on lycophytes and ferns in Hubei Province.

Background: The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. It achieves this by subjecting, and if necessary, suspending, international trade in listed species to certain controls and regulations. The effective implementation of the Convention relies on the coordination and consistency of countries worldwide in terms of terminology comprehension, law enforcement, data collection and statistics, and policy formulation. However, due to legacy issues at the time of CITES’s signing, United Nations’ languages such as Chinese, Russian and Arabic are not working languages of CITES. Despite China’s four-decade implementation of CITES, with Chinese CITES authorities having translated the Convention text and other valid documents into Chinese for domestic dissemination, China’s participation in the formulation and implementation of regulations for international trade in wild fauna and flora remains contingent upon accurate comprehension and translation of CITES terminology and definitions in English. Terminology is the core concept in the formulation and implementation of policies and regulations, and it is also the foundation of rules. As a highly technical and operational international agreement, CITES has a comprehensive implementation system with a complex and intertwined set of rules. Investigating the translation and characteristics of terminology can provide an entry point for understanding the establishment and evolution of CITES regulations.

Main Content: This article traces the linguistic regulations at the time of CITES’ signing, lists important terms related to the conservation of endangered wild animals and plants and their translations in the CITES text and valid documents, and categorizes the CITES terms according to their nature and application scenarios. The definitions and explanations of CITES terms can be categorized into definitional, explanatory, and quotational according to their nature; and into scientific and definitional terms, regulatory and procedural terms, and cooperative and compliance terms according to their application scenarios. By using an online Large Language Model Moonshot AI, 14 terms with the most special English explanations and the greatest differences from common understanding were extracted from the 150 terms of the CITES glossary, and a comparison was made.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that the CITES terminology is primarily anchored in the Convention’s legal framework, embodying purpose-driven linguistic features tailored to regulate wildlife trade. However, divergences from common usage emerge through three distinctive dimensions: more detailed, specific, and operationally robust. When Parties inadequately grasp these terminological nuances during routine implementation of Convention obligations, such comprehension gaps may not only impede regulatory compliance but also precipitate operational ambiguities. In severe cases, it may even trigger or activate the Convention’s review and suspension mechanisms. Mastery of the categories and characteristics of CITES terminology aids in understanding the background, rule evolution, and operational execution of this so-called “Convention with teeth”. It includes compliance and enforcement measures, such as the prohibition of trade. Only with a comprehensive understanding can we effectively implement the Convention, regulate international trade in wild fauna and flora, and advance global biodiversity governance. Additionally, the characteristics and interpretations of CITES terminology also provide insights and references for formulating China’s wildlife protection and management laws and regulations, as well as related standards.

Aims: Spatial ecological niche differentiation is a crucial mechanism for biodiversity maintenance. The ungulates in the Chongzhou Area of Giant Panda National Park are numerous and widely distributed, but their spatial ecological niche differentiation remains unclear. The objective of our study is to analyze the ungulates spatial distribution and their spatial coexistence.
Methods: A survey on ungulates was conducted using 56 camera traps near Chongzhou, China from October 2021 to March 2022. To analyze species spatial distributions, we used single-species single season model to calculate the occupancy rates of six main local ungulate species including Sus scrofa, Elaphodus cephalophus, Rusa unicolor, Budorcas taxicolor, Naemorhedus griseus, and Muntiacus reevesi. Further, two-species single season model was used to calculate the species interaction factors (SIF) between these species to explore their spatial coexistence.
Results: We found that (1) Elaphodus cephalophus had the highest spatial occupancy rate (0.61) followed by Sus scrofa (0.55), and Rusa unicolor, Budorcas taxicolor, Naemorhedus griseus with 0.44, 0.42, and 0.11, respectively, while Muntiacus reevesi had the lowest occupancy rate (0.05); (2) The occupancy rate of ungulates was affected by environmental variables, with elevation being the highest-ranking factor; (3) There was no significant avoidance between Rusa unicolor and other ungulates in terms of spatial co-existence except Sus scrofa, nor between Elaphodus cephalophus and Sus scrofa, Budorcas taxicolor, whereas the other species were more avoidant in their spatial distributions to each other.
Conclusions: Our results suggest environmental factors influence the spatial ecological position of ungulates, while spatial distribution patterns among species significantly affect the coexistence mechanism and interspecific competition among animals distributed in the same area. We provide a scientific basis for the conservation and management of ungulates in the Chongzhou Area of Giant Panda National Park. Further, our research highlights the importance of considering spatial ecological niche differentiation in species diversity conservation.

Background: The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) is the primary tool for the Parties to implement the Convention on Biological Diversity and serves as the master plan for national biodiversity conservation. Local governments play a crucial role as the managers of regional biodiversity conservation. The coordinated actions between central and local governments, according to their respective powers will unite the overall implementation of NBSAP and have a significant impact on the action effectiveness.
Results: The China National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2023-2030) has updated the strategy, priority areas, and actions to address the challenges to biodiversity conservation in the new era. The responsibilities of local governments for biodiversity conservation have been continuously clarified through the development of relevant regulations and policies. Although the central and local governments have coordinated to promote NBSAP implementation and achieved remarkable results through multiple means such as strengthening legal safeguards, improving policies and planning, and integrating biodiversity into demonstration, evaluations, and assessments, challenges still remain. These challenges include: (1) operational methods and pathways for biodiversity conservation, (2) the return on conservation investment, and (3) the scale of social participation.
Recommendations: In view of the challenges to biodiversity conservation and NBSAP implementation, it is recommended to provide operational methods through technical guidance and pilot demonstrations to bridge the gap from concept to practice. Additionally, promoting the market value realization of biodiversity and enhancing political returns can stimulate intrinsic motivation and improve the sustainability of conservation efforts. Lastly, enriching biodiversity-related policy instruments are crucial to mobilize extensive participation from the whole of society.

Aims: The rapid expansion of linear infrastructure poses a significant threat to biodiversity. Developing large-scale optimization pathways for wildlife passages is crucial for regional biodiversity conservation.
Method: We employ the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model, with emphasis on representative wildlife species in Xinjiang, to predict potential habitats and assess the importance of each. The minimal cumulative resistance (MCR) model computes the least-cost paths influenced by linear infrastructure. We then accurately pinpoint the necessary locations and numbers of passages by integrating current and planned roads and fences to improve habitat connectivity, ultimately proposing an optimized spatial layout for wildlife passages.
Results: Our findings reveal notable ecological differences in the habitat distributions of various representative species. Carnivores are predominantly found in alpine and subalpine regions, while large herbivores show a preference for arid desert areas. High-resistance zones are mainly located where railways and highways intersect protected areas. Our analysis identified 2,494.98 km of passage regions and 4,314 individual passages. Higher technical grades of road are associated with longer passage regions and a greater number of passages. The total length of passages in important regions surpasses that of key regions, but passage density is significantly higher in key regions.
Conclusion: Given these findings we suggest implementing differentiated passage construction based on the technical grade of linear infrastructure. Further, enhancing passage layout optimization outside protected areas to effectively preserve regional ecological connectivity is necessary to maintain biodiversity.

Aims:The Hexi Corridor serves as a critical ecological protection area in Northwest China. This study aims to investigate the fish diversity and resource status within the interior drainage systems of this region.

Methods:From April 2019 to October 2023, eight fishery resource surveys were conducted at 25 sampling sections across inland river basin of the Hexi Corridor. The relative importance index (IRI) was used to determine the dominant species of the population. Fish diversity was analyzed using the Margalef richness index, Shannon-Wiener diversity index, Simpson dominance index, and Pielou evenness index. The Bray-Curtis similarity coefficient was used to cluster and sort the distribution characteristics of fish. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and redundancy analysis (RDA) was employed to examine the gradient relationships between fish community composition and environmental factor using Canoco 5.0 software.

Results:A total of 9,743 fish belonging to 4 orders, 8 families, 20 genera and 29 species were identified. Among them, 12 species are indigenous, including Gymnocypris chilienensis and Schizopygopsis pylzovi, which are under Gansu Provincial protection. Schizopygopsis pylzovi was identified as a new recorded species in the interior drainage of Hexi Corridor, and four species, including Triplophysa yarkandensis and Silurus soldatovi, were classified as vulnerable or near-threatened under the Red List of Biodiversity of China. The fish populations were predominantly composed of small-sized species, with Gymnocypris chilienensis, Triplophysa hsutschouensis and Carassius cuvieri as the dominant species. Notable differences in dominant species were observed across different river systems and temporal intervals. The fish diversity in the inland river system of Hexi Corridor was generally low across the inland rivers. The Margalef richness index was the highest in summer (2.215), while the Simpson dominance index peaked in autumn at the 0.715. Both Shannon-Wiener diversity index (1.463) and Pielou evenness index (0.716) reached their maxima in spring. Among the rivers, the Heihe River exhibited the highest species richness index of Margalef (2.767 ± 1.455) and Shannon-Wiener diversity index (1.549 ± 0.432), whereas the Shule River recorded the highest Simpson dominance index (0.755 ± 0.060) and Pielou evenness index (0.807 ± 0.095), respectively. The NMDS analysis revealed significant differences in fish species composition between the upper and middle-to-lower reaches of rivers. Redundancy analysis indicated that total phosphorus was the primary environmental factor influencing fish community structure.

Conclusion:Compared with survey data from the 1980s, the distribution areas of Gymnocypris chilienensis and Triplophysa yarkandensis have been reduced, while the distribution areas of other Triplophysa species have remained relatively stable. Key factors affecting fish diversity and distribution in the region include water resource scarcity, invasive species, and water conservancy projects.

Background & Aim As a critical research area under the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), urban green spaces play a key role in maintaining the ecological stability of cities and improving the quality of life of residents. However, the compound pressures of habitat fragmentation, invasive alien species and environmental pollution brought about by large-scale global urban expansion have made the conservation of biodiversity in urban green spaces an urgent issue in global ecological governance. This paper focuses on the biodiversity of urban green spaces under high-intensity human intervention, systematically analyzing its conceptual connotation and research scope. We review advances in monitoring technologies, functional synergies, landscape optimization, and management strategies, while identifying research gaps and future directions.

Progress: Research indicates that urban green spaces serve as vital infrastructure for enhancing the resilience of ecosystem services, facilitating species migration and dispersal, and improving climate adaptation. Effective biodiversity conservation requires integrated strategies that restore ecological connectivity and optimize multifunctional synergies. However, the current research still faces bottlenecks such as fragmentation of the monitoring technology system, disconnection of cross-scale planning, and lagging governance mechanisms. In the future, it is necessary to build an intelligent monitoring system and a comprehensive database, develop multi-objective synergistic models, promote biodiversity-oriented green space system planning, and innovate a multifaceted governance mechanism.

ProspectsThrough interdisciplinary integration and international cooperation, the conservation of urban green space biodiversity will be deeply embedded in the governance of land space, and the synergistic path of urbanization and biodiversity conservation will be explored, so as to provide a scalable ecological restoration plan for achieving the global 30 by 30 target and provide a scientific decision-making paradigm for the sustainable symbiosis of urban ecosystems in the context of the Anthropocene.

Background & Aim: Domestic animals and their wild relatives are important biological resources crucial to the creation of new breeds, germplasm innovation and wildlife protection. China has abundant and unique domestic breeds and is one of the distributions of many wild relatives and the origin centers of animal domestication. The confusion in the usage of Chinese and Latin names for domestic animals and their wild relatives hinders the accurate identification of biological resources, impairs effective scientific research communication and science popularization, and contributes to the loss of vital biological resources.

Methods: We search online resources and official documents such as the List of State Key Protected Wild Animals (2021), threatened species listed on China’s Red List (2021), Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (2023) among others. This information is used to investigate the history and origin of domesticating animals and the sources and use of names for domestic animals and their wild relatives in Chinese, English, and Latin languages.

Conclusion & Suggestions: We find four key principles: (1) The Latin names of domestic animals and wild relatives must consider their origin and domestication history. (2) The Chinese names of domestic animals and wild relatives should conform to the rules of taxonomy, using the names of official documents or related monographs is recommended. (3) The Latin name of offspring produced by the hybridization of species should be expressed by the Latin scientific name of the parent, and the order of the Latin name should be distinguished from the orthogonal or inverse cross. (4) International conventions, national laws and regulations, scientific reports, and other official documents shall be used first according to context.

Background & AimsNature-based solutions (NbS) offer multiple environmental, social and economic benefits. They play an important role in addressing climate change and achieving sustainable development. Enhancing urban ecosystems through strategies that “work with nature” is now widely practiced by cities globally and is crucial for achieving Target 12 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Methods: In this paper, we summarized the theoretical framework of NbS and used the habitat garden initiative in Changning District, Shanghai as a case study. We systematically analyzed the design and operational modes, and network construction methods of urban microhabitats. Furthermore, we explored the achievements and limitations of habitat gardens, and suggested future research and practical directions for urban microhabitats in high-density urban areas, guided by national urban biodiversity conservation strategies.

Results: The habitat garden initiative in Changning District, Shanghai has explored three key innovations: (1) Strengthening the networking scale effect among scattered microhabitats in dense urban areas; (2) Establishing a model of community governance with active resident participation; and (3) Forming collaborative partnerships that benefits all stakeholders. However, challenges remain, such as inconsistent biodiversity monitoring, an overemphasis on residential green spaces, and inadequate funding plans. As the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework progresses, restoring urban habitats and ecological networks will become increasingly crucial.

Suggestion & PerspectivesGuided by the NbS framework and principles, cities should establish a cross-departmental and inclusive governance platforms to provide support urban microhabitats and ecological networks. To increase the appeal of NbS and urban biodiversity conservation, three measures should be implemented: improving scientific monitoring systems, expanding design patterns across various climate zones, and developing diverse funding mechanisms.

Aims:Guangdong Province is one of the provinces with the high diversity of Chiroptera in China and is also one of the global hotspots for chiropteran distribution. To comprehensively understand the current diversity resources of Chiroptera in Guangdong Province, and to provide basic data for future biodiversity research and conservation practices, the timely updating of species checklists and the availability and accuracy of molecular barcode databases, even those based on local species specimens, are necessary.

Methods:This study was based on our long-term survey results over 30-years effort, combined with a summary of historical records and literature on Guangdong Province, we aimed to update the chiropteran species checklist for the province. Additionally, we selectively utilized our specimen resources that collected by our research team over 30-years to specifically construct their molecular barcode database via molecular barcoding technology. We provided primers and PCR systems for molecular barcoding technology that cover the known species of Chiroptera, facilitating future use by researchers.

Results:As of July 2024, Guangdong Province had recorded 61 species of Chiroptera across 8 families and 24 genera, making its species diversity second only to Yunnan Province, which had 82 species across 8 families and 31 genera. Its diversity accounted for 43.2% of the bats in China. Among these, the family Vespertilionidae had the highest diversity with 37 species, while the genus Myotis was the most diverse genus with 11 species. We compiled 11 pairs of universal primers for the Cytb gene and 9 pairs for the COI gene. Based on molecular sequence data primarily obtained from samples that historically collected in this province, we established a reference barcoding database for the 61 Chroptera species in Guangdong Province.

Conclusions:This study not only revises and updates the species checklist of Chiroptera in Guangdong Province, but also establishes the molecular barcoding database. It could provide accurate and convenient basic data for the molecular identification of Chiroptera species in the province and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. We hope this will benefit future biodiversity research and conservation practice.

Aims:The negative impacts of light pollution, resulting from excessive artificial light at night (ALAN), on various organisms and ecological processes, have garnered significant attention. However, the impact of ALAN on the frequency of invasive alien plants and its effects on plant community composition and the growth performance of both invasive alien and native species remain poorly understood.

Methods:We carried out a field investigation in Changchun City to compare areas with and without ALAN exposure, focusing on the frequency of invasive alien plants, the composition, and biodiversity of both invasive alien and native plant communities, as well as the average plant height and relative coverage of these plants.

Results:We found that: (1) ALAN did not significantly influence the frequency of invasive alien plants; (2) While ALAN did not significantly affect the diversity of invasive alien and native plant communities, it significantly increased the richness of invasive alien plants; (3) ALAN significantly enhanced the average height and relative cover of invasive alien plants and decreased the relative cover of native plants, but had no significant effect on the average height of native plants.

Conclusions:These results suggest that ALAN may further bolster the competitive advantage of invasive alien plants and increase their invasion risk. Therefore, future management strategies for plant invasion should incorporate ALAN as a potential contributing factor.

Aims: The study aims to investigate the fish composition and diversity patterns in the source region of the Yangtze River, one of the most critical water conservation zones worldwide.

Methods: Field surveys were conducted in the headwaters of the Yangtze River, including the Tuotuo, Chumaer, Dam Qu, Tongtian, and Dadu rivers in Qinghai Province from 2021 to 2022. Data on the presence and abundance of fish, as well as environmental factors, were collected during the surveys.

Results: A total of 26 species (and subspecies) were recorded in the field surveys, belonging to 12 genera, 3 families, and 2 orders. Analysis of the index of relative importance (IRI) revealed that Schizopygopsis malacanthus and Herzensteinia microcephalus were the dominant species. Seven species are newly recorded, including four native species and three non-native species. Alpha diversity indices showed higher species diversity in the Tongtian and Dadu rivers compared to other tributaries, while the Yalong River exhibited a more uneven species distribution. Similarity coefficient analysis and principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) indicated significant differences in species composition among tributaries, highlighting the influence of geographic isolation and ecological adaptation on fish diversity. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed notable differences in fish community structures across different river systems, with water temperature and altitude identified as key determinant factors. Spatial autocorrelation analysis indicated that the fish distribution patterns were random, with a slight tendency towards clustering. The Getis-Ord Gi* analysis identified two hotspots in the Dadu and the Tongtian rivers.

Conclusion: This study provides updated information on the fish composition in headwaters of the Yangtze River and enhances our understanding of spatial variations in fish diversity in the region. These findings lay the foundation for scientific management and conservation of native fish in the source region of the Yangtze River.

Halophytes, as a unique group of plants adapted to saline-alkaline environments, play a crucial role in ecological conservation, saline-alkaline land management, and sustainable resource utilization. However, compared to their significance, the systematic inventory of halophytes in China has lagged behind. Existing data primarily come from regional studies or scattered literature records, lacking systematicity and comprehensiveness. This study, based on the foundational data from Halophytes of China (first and second editions) and the global halophyte database (eHaloph), integrates years of field investigations and systematically reviews and supplements the existing inventory data (adding new taxa and new records), improving global distribution information. It also systematically organizes ecological and functional data such as habitat, life form, height, morphology, halophyte type, ecological type, maximum salinity, photosynthetic pathway, and utilization value. Ultimately, we have compiled a dataset on the new inventory and geographical distributions of Chinese halophytes. Up to 2024, this dataset includes 102 families, 538 genera, 1,581 species (including 31 subspecies and 37 varieties) from China. With the advancement of agricultural development and ecological restoration efforts, some exotic halophytes have gradually become naturalized and integrated into China’s halophyte communities. Compared to the of Halophytes of China, 2nd edn, this dataset includes an additional 31 families, 310 genera, 1,026 species (including 22 subspecies and 14 varieties). The establishment of this dataset provides important support for in-depth research on the diversity, ecological functions, and application potential of Chinese halophytes, and also provides a scientific basis for policy-making in saline-alkaline land management and biodiversity conservation.

Aims: Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) are becoming an essential complement to the traditional system of protected areas, playing a critical role in global biodiversity conservation. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the development trajectory and current research on OECMs, focusing particularly on their advancements and unique characteristics in China. It further explores the future prospects of OECMs in China under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Progress: In recent years, the continuous policy advancements regarding OECMs worldwide underscore the international community’s recognition of their significant role as a supplementary tool in global biodiversity conservation strategies. From conceptualization to practical implementation, OECMs have undergone a process of deepening and refinement, emerging as a key mechanism for addressing biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. Globally, systematic studies have been conducted on the criteria, procedures, and methodologies for identifying OECMs, as well as on their governance and long-term effectiveness.
Perspectives: Despite the growing international recognition of OECMs, their effective implementation and monitoring continue to face significant challenges that require urgent attention. This study explores future development pathways for OECMs within the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, with a particular focus on accelerating their mainstreaming, enhancing biodiversity conservation effectiveness through robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, establishing clear de-designation procedures, fostering cross-sectoral collaboration and multi-stakeholder governance, and advancing research and formal recognition of marine OECMs. These efforts aim to contribute to the refinement of biodiversity conservation strategies in China and globally, providing a scientific basis for the effective integration of OECMs into broader conservation frameworks.

Background & Aims: Storage beetles refer to coleopterans that are directly or indirectly related to stored products and have significant implications for human life. Historical factors, including the use of multiple classification systems across different periods and confusion surrounding Latin-English-Chinese names, have resulted in information mismatches globally, leading to the incorrect application of control techniques and unnecessary economic losses.

Methods:The higher-level classification of 430 storage beetles was primarily based on the authoritative Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Handbook of Zoology, Zoological Record, and the current internationally accepted Coleoptera classification system. A comprehensive catalogue of important storage beetles, including their naming history and original literature, was compiled for the first time, supplemented by their English names and former Chinese names (if applicable).

Results:This study clarifies the taxonomic status, Latin-English-Chinese names, and original literature references for 430 storage beetles, encompassing 12 superfamilies and 32 families of Coleoptera. The taxonomic status of 41% families has changed. A total of 283 pieces of original literature related to species names were reviewed. Additionally, the Latin names of 45 species were revised compared to previous common names due to 3 homonyms, 23 synonyms, 18 combinations, and 1 upgradation.

Conclusion:This study contributes to the standardized use storage beetle names and provides scientific support for related applications in industry sectors.

Aims: Nature reserves are essential venues for the conservation of wild flora and fauna, and the coverage of species protection by nature reserves has always been a focal point.
Methods: This study utilized GBIF data, literature sources, and scientific research data from nature reserves, drawing on the List of National Key Protected Wild Animals (2021 Edition) and the List of National Key Protected Wild Plants (2021 Edition), to analyze the coverage and distribution of national key protected wild species within nature reserves in China.
Results: The results indicate that 78.12% of the national key protected wild species are conserved within nature reserves. Specifically, the coverage for key protected wild animals is found to reach 85.58%, while for key protected wild plants, it is 71.95%. The spatial density distribution of wild species within nature reserves is uneven, displaying a decreasing trend from southwest to northeast. At the family level, the highest protection coverage is observed for Orchidaceae, followed by Fabaceae, Lycopodiaceae, and Pinaceae. In terms of provincial distribution, Yunnan, Sichuan, and Guangdong have the highest number of national key protected wild species.
Conclusion: Overall, the majority of national key protected wild species are effectively conserved within nature reserves, and nature reserves play an important role in protecting biodiversity in China and fulfilling the commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Background & Aims: With the integrated development of earth sciences and life sciences, geogenomics—an interdisciplinary field integrating geology, geomorphology, paleoclimatology, genomics, phylogenetics, population genetics, and biogeography—links surface landscape changes to biological evolution. This field has become an effective way for testing geological hypotheses and reconstructing Earth’s history, as well as exploring its co-evolution with life. Geogenomics also shows significant potential in global ecological conservation.

Methods: In this review, we utilized the Web of Science core collection, and analyze the evolution of themes and hotspots in geogenomics through bibliometric analysis. Meanwhile, we systematically introduce the fundamental concepts and key scientific questions of geogenomics, as well as its relationship to related research fields.

Review Results: As an emerging interdisciplinary field, geogenomics deeply integrates geological, climatic, and genomic data to inverts the spatio-temporal patterns and interactions between geological structure movements and the history and distribution changes of biological groups. This field holds significant promise for advancing geological and biological evolution. We focus on five key aspects: testing geological hypotheses; elucidating regional or intercontinental scale geological processes; inferring regional biodiversity evolution history; addressing uncertainties in geological reconstruction and scale effects, as well as the geographical distribution patterns and dispersal origins of pathogens.

Perspectives: At present, research in this field is still limited in China, but it has been carried out on several important scientific questions, such as the uplift history was highly variable of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and the evolution of the Yangtze River and Yellow River systems. In the future, it is imperative to enhance the application of multidisciplinary approaches, develop more effective tools, and advocate for the establishment of a global geogenomics research database.

Background: The Earth is approaching a critical tipping point of irreversible biodiversity loss. As the latest global action plan for biodiversity conservation, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) sets out 4 long-term goals and 23 action targets. Tracking and assessing progress toward the KMGBF has become a global concern. However, challenges such as unclear progress, untimely monitoring, and incomplete evaluations remain prominent, highlighting the urgent need to address technical barriers like a large number of evaluation indicators, inconsistent assessment standards, and weak data foundations.
Aims: This study aims to explore rapid assessment methods for evaluating the implementation progress of the KMGBF using remote sensing monitoring. By integrating remote sensing-based and ground-based data, as well as combining quantitative and qualitative evaluations, this approach seeks to meet the multi-scale needs of quickly tracking the progress of the KMGBF.
Problems & Prospects: This paper first points out that the existing monitoring frameworks exhibit significant uncertainties in effectively assessing the progress of the KMGBF. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a more operationally robust set of indicators, indicator calculation methods, and high-quality datasets with higher spatial resolution and more frequent updates to ensure the timely and effective tracking and assessment of the KMGBF. Second, this paper provides an in-depth analysis of the application of remote sensing technology in biodiversity monitoring and evaluates its feasibility in assessing the progress of the KMGBF. Based on this analysis, a spatial intelligence service framework integrating data, knowledge, and computation is proposed to support ecosystem mapping, biodiversity mapping, and the development of remote sensing-based essential biodiversity variables (RS-EBVs). Finally, this paper advocates for a quantitative assessment approach based on RS-EBVs, complemented by a qualitative assessment derived from National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and National Reports (NRs). Additionally, it suggests leveraging artificial intelligence to develop an intelligent real-time monitoring system for the KMGBF, enabling rapid multi-scale progress assessments. These technological approaches aim to provide practical and feasible support for tracking the progress of the KMGBF and offer scientific evidence for countries to formulate and implement biodiversity conservation policies.

Background: Ecologists have long been interested in the geographical distribution patterns of biodiversity and the underlying mechanisms. The evolutionary speed hypothesis (ESH) is one of the mainstream explanations for the latitudinal biodiversity gradient pattern. This hypothesis suggests that the higher temperatures in low-latitude regions accelerate speciation rates and thus increase the species richness through three mechanisms. Specifically, (1) high temperatures shorten generation times, thereby increase the effective evolutionary time (the number of effective generations per unit of absolute time); (2) high temperatures increase mutation rates and thus genetic variations—the raw material for natural selection; (3) high temperatures accelerate the process of natural selection. Though this hypothesis is widely debated based on observed data from nature, rigorous tests are rare.

Progress:The experimental evolution approach has been recently adopted to test specific mechanisms for ESH; and those studies were performed under well-controlled environmental temperatures. This article presents a comprehensive review of these studies about the consequences of temperature for mutation rates, selection and adaptive diversification. The generality of conclusions from those studies needs to be tested in more complex systems.

Prospects: The experimental evolution approach will further deepen our understanding of the evolutionary speed hypothesis and the mechanisms underlying the geographical patterns of biodiversity, and give insights for species conservation and disease control under climate warming.

The author has been engaged in taxonomic research for 60 years, from Flora of China to world monographs, and has been recognized both at home and abroad. During this process, the author has realized that a complete and reasonable research method is of vital importance. Taxonomy is a highly comprehensive discipline, involving almost all branches of biology, among which morphology, palynology, cytology, genetics, molecular biology and statistics are indispensable. Taking the research on the genus Paeonia (Paeoniaceae) and the genus Codonopsis (Campanulaceae) and their related groups as examples, the author has applied all the above-mentioned disciplines, emphasizing that field investigation and statistical analysis are indispensable research methods. Only through field investigation can necessary experimental materials be obtained and between the population polymorphism and interspecific differences be distinguished; only through statistical analysis can intraspecific variations and genetic isolation be differentiated. The rise of molecular systematics has brought taxonomy into a brand-new era, and taxonomists must recognize and learn it. My team has applied it in the above two studies and achieved unexpected results. My feeling is that high-level research must be based on complete scientific methods.

Background & Aims: Guangdong Province, located at the southern tip of China’s mainland, is one of the most representative areas of subtropical evergreen broadleaf forests in China. Its complex and diverse ecosystem harbors approximately 6,658 native wild higher plant species. However, rapid economic development and high population density pose significant challenges to plant diversity protection. In response, the Guangdong Forestry Bureau has formulated the Planning of Plant Ex situ Conservation System in Guangdong Province (2024-2035) to advance research in plant conservation, promote the exploration and application of plant resources, and support sustainable economic and social development.

Results: The plan confronts current existing challenges and deficiencies by enhancing coordination among ex situ conservation institutions in the Pearl River Delta city cluster and in the eastern, western, and northern regions of Guangdong. (1) It establishes a three-level conservation framework comprising national, regional, and native botanical gardens, with the national botanical garden as the central core, supported by regional and native sites. (2) The plan also introduces a structured system for promoting, withdrawing, and assessment to enable dynamic supervision of regional and native botanical gardens. (3) To optimized ex situ conservation outcomes, the plan recommends a comprehensive strategy involving “Homologous Lineage-Transplantation and Ex situ Conservation” and “Near situ Conservation” to preserve critically threatened plants in different regions of Guangdong. (4) The plan also emphasized the development of conservation institutions, advanced management platforms, research facilities, and skilled teams. Together, these initiatives aim to create a dynamic, effective ex situ conservation network, an innovation-driven research system, a diversified green industry, an interdisciplinary talent training system, and a region-specific natural education program. This comprehensive development will enhance the institutional capacity of ex situ conservation efforts in Guangdong.

Outlook: By 2035, the plan targets protecting over 80% of the key protected wild plants and over 70% of the rare and endangered wild plants distributed in Guangdong Province. This initiative aims to create a model of integrated plant protection and sustainable utilization, positioning Guangdong as a leading region in national biodiversity conservation. This plan offers both theoretical support and practical guidance for the high-quality development of regional biodiversity conservation across the region in the new era.

Aim: Tropical tree communities are characterized for their species diversity, with large genera playing a key role in promoting community diversity. However, the mechanisms underlying the coexistence of closely related species within these genera remain a central question in tropical ecology. Traditional approaches, often based on functional traits, have provided insights into niche differentiation but fall short of fully explaining the complex coexistence patterns.

Methods: This study focused on representative Ficusspecies in tropical community. By combining transcriptomics and metabolomics with phylogenetic analysis and functional traits measurements, it explored how differences in phylogenetic relationships, physical defense traits, defense-related genes, and metabolite diversity influence interspecific interactions among Ficus species, thereby promoting and maintaining their coexistence in local communities.

Results: In locally coexisting Ficus species, (1) No significant phylogenetic signals were detected in defensive traits except for C/N ratio; (2) Physical defense traits, defense-related genes, and metabolite diversity exhibited significantly lower values than random structure (P< 0.01), indicating divergent patterns, whereas phylogenetic relationships did not significantly differ from random structure (P= 0.194); (3) The diversity pattern of defensive traits reflected habitat heterogeneity.

Conclusion: This study shows that locally coexisting Ficus species promote defensive niche differentiation through the divergent pattern of defensive traits. The diversity of defense-related genes and metabolites provided new evidence for this, which is expected to provide new insights and ideas in this field.

Aims: Soil nematodes are crucial soil organisms that are highly sensitive to environmental changes. Their diverse groups occupy multiple trophic levels within the soil food web, and their metabolic rates and energy fluxes can thus serve as powerful metrics for assessing ecosystem functioning. Global climate change has resulted in significant shifts in the nitrogen deposition and precipitation pattern in northern temperate grasslands, but it remains largely unknown how these shifts and their interactions might affect soil nematode metabolic rate and energy flow. The study aims to investigate the responses of nematode metabolic rates and energy flows to the interaction between nitrogen addition and precipitation intensity change.
Methods: We conducted an eight-year controlled experiment with precipitation and nitrogen addition in the Duolun region of Inner Mongolia. The experiment assessed five levels of precipitation intensity while maintaining a constant total and varying frequency. The experiment’s total nitrogen addition included 10 g∙m^-2∙yr^-1.
Results: The results showed that the interaction between nitrogen addition and precipitation pattern change had significant negative impacts on nematode metabolic rate and energy flux. Under changing precipitation patterns, shifting towards higher intensity and lower frequency events, nematode metabolic rates and energy fluxes initially increased with increasing precipitation intensity, peaking at high intensity before declining. However, this trend was weakened by the effects of interactions between nitrogen addition and precipitation pattern change. Under the interaction effects of nitrogen addition and precipitation pattern change, nematode metabolic rate and energy flow were primarily driven by bottom-up effects of food resources within the nematode food web.
Conclusions: The experiment showed that soil nematode metabolic rates and energy flows are negatively impacted by the interaction between nitrogen addition and precipitation pattern change. This research provides insights into the impacts of multi-factor interactions on underground biological communities in the context of global climate change.

Background & Aim: In recent years, the global rise in demand for pollination services of insect-pollinated crops has led to a surge in the use of managed alien pollinators. This extensive proliferation significantly impacts mutualistic relationship between native plants and pollinators, posing serious threats to local biodiversity and ecosystem stability.

Progresses: This article reviews the impacts of alien pollinators on native plants, native pollinators and pollination networks. (1) Morphological and behavioral differences between alien and native pollinators often render the former inefficient or ineffective pollinators for native plants, negatively affecting plant reproductive success. However, in pollination-limited environments, alien pollinators may supplement pollination effectively. The specific flower-visiting preferences of alien pollinators and their impact on the flower-visiting behavior of native pollinators alter pollen flow, gene flow, and consequently, the genetic structure of plant populations. In addition, alien pollinators also exert new selective pressures on floral traits, driving adaptive evolution in plant populations. (2) Alien pollinators may outcompete or prey on native pollinators, disrupt their reproductive process, or spread of pathogens, thereby threatening the diversity and abundance of native pollinators species. (3) As generalist species, alien pollinators integrate rapidly into the pollination networks, forming numerous new connections with native plants. This often increases the generalization and nestedness of the entire pollination network, profoundly affecting its stability.

Prospects: In China, research on alien pollinators has mainly focused on their agricultural pollinations. In the future, we should: (1) Investigate the mechanisms trough which alien pollinators impact native flowering plants, pollinators, and the structure and function of pollination network. (2) Expand research level across species, communities and ecosystems. (3) Broaden the geographical and temporal scales of research, incorporating advanced technologies and methodologies, while accounting for global warming and agricultural intensification.

Suggestions: Given the continuous expansion of alien pollinator distribution in China, measures are urgently needed to protect native plant and pollinator diversity, and to maintain ecosystem authenticity and stability. (1) Strategic planning is necessary for the introduction and management of alien pollinators. (2) Establish native pollinator nature reserves, with priority species and conservation area. (3) Additionally, the promotion and conservation of native pollinators are essential to provide sustainable pollination services for crops, and to avoid ecological damage caused by the introduction of alien pollinators.

Aims: The combined impacts of climate change and human activities are likely to increase the land areas suitable for poisonous weeds, leading to rapid biodiversity loss and increasingly severe grassland degradation in the semi-arid region of Xinjiang. Enhanced understanding of the relationship between soil biomes and ecosystem multifunctionality can provide theoretical support for efforts to control the spread of poisonous weeds in Xinjiang.
Methods: This study used a field experiment to explore the effects of nitrogen, water addition and mowing on soil biodiversity patterns, co-occurrence networks, and the relationship between diversity indices and ecosystem multifunctionality. This study adopted a randomized block trial design and set up eight treatments, which are no nitrogen, no watering, no mowing (CK), nitrogen addition (N treatment), watering (W treatment), mowing (M treatment), nitrogen × watering (NW treatment), nitrogen × mowing (NM treatment), watering × mowing (WM treatment), nitrogen × watering × mowing (NWM treatment).
Results: (1) The Shannon-Wiener diversity index of soil bacteria differed significantly between the control, water addition, and nitrogen-mowing treatments. There were no significant differences between the diversity of soil fungi, nematodes, and arthropods in each treatment. (2) N, W, M, NW, and NM treatments all resulted in reduced complexity and connectivity of soil biological co-occurrence networks. WM and NWM treatments increased the complexity and connectivity of soil biological co-occurrence networks. (3) In the control, there was a significant and positive correlation between multidiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality (P < 0.01). In the NM treatment, there was a significant and negative correlation between multidiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality (P < 0.05). There was no correlation between multidiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality in the other treatments. Finally, soil bacterial diversity was most susceptible to the change of external environment.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that short-term nitrogen addition, watering, and mowing can weaken the relationship between soil biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality. These findings provide a theoretical basis for closer study of the mechanisms that affect the relationship between soil biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality through environmental changes caused by global climate change.

Aims: Urban green spaces are crucial for biodiversity conservation, and university campuses, as microcosms of urban built environments, are crucial for enhancing the quality of micro urban green spaces and conserving biodiversity. However, existing studies on campus biodiversity often lack continuous spatial and temporal information, and fail to clarify the relationships between species and the internal structure of green spaces. This gap may hinder the optimization of small green spaces, ultimately limiting the achievement of targets set forth in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) and the China National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2023-2030).

Methods: This study focused on the bird species of Tsinghua University campus, employing generalized linear models and redundancy analysis to investigate the spatiotemporal patterns of bird distribution and analyze the associations between bird community composition and green space characteristics.

Results: The study revealed that birds in university campus green spaces exhibited concentrated distributions with seasonal variations. Bird community composition was associated with the woody food plants richness, shrub evenness, grass coverage, artificial grass coverage, and tree coverage. Among these factors, woody food plants richness promoted bird abundance, species richness, and diversity, while shrub evenness promoted bird richness and diversity. Tree and artificial grass coverage promoted bird abundance only when both are simultaneously below 37.5% and 39.8%, respectively. Grass coverage negatively impacted bird richness and diversity. Furthermore, different bird residency types displayed distinct habitat preferences: Migratory birds in autumn were solely associated with vegetation structure, whereas resident and winter visitors were jointly influenced by both the physical characteristics and vegetation structure of green spaces.

Conclusion: This study suggests that, when designing micro urban green spaces in alignment with natural principles, tree and artificial grass coverage should be kept below 40% simultaneously, while enhancing the woody food plants richness and shrub evenness. Additionally, increasing natural grass coverage and vertical vegetation is recommended. This study provides both quantitative and qualitative recommendations for creating near-natural micro urban green spaces, providing a scientific foundation for achieving the goals of KMGBF and the China National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2023-2030) in improving urban blue and green spaces quality.

Aims:In order to support conservation efforts for the endangered Jiangxi giant salamander (Andrias jiangxiensis), we conducted a comprehensive long-term field monitoring project to assess population dynamics, species distribution, and potential threats to the species. The findings from this study will serve as guidance for the development and implementation of conservation initiatives for this endangered species.

Methods:In this study we established long-term monitoring of both population ecology and habitat of the wild population of the Jiangxi giant salamander in the Jinjia tributary of the Beiliao River from 2021 to 2023. The population status was evaluated using the mark-and-recapture method which allowed us to gather essential data on population characteristics, life history, habitat condition.

Results:A total of 628 adult and juvenile Jiangxi giant salamanders were successfully captured. Among them, 543 were tagged with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags, and 230 were recaptured at least once. Using the Schnabel model for estimating population size from mark-and-recapture, the population size was estimated to be 474 individuals (95% CI: 427-534). The calculated population density was 79 inds./km (95% CI: 71-89) or 1.31 inds./100 m² (95% CI: 1.19-1.48). An analysis of population structure indicated that few individuals had a body size smaller than 30 cm or larger than 70 cm. During the three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023, a total of 738 larvae were observed between January and March, a time of the year when the newly hatched larvae swim out of their breeding cave and begin to forage. In contrast, only 12 larvae were seen across the whole habitat range between April and December, with an extremely low catch per unit effort (CPUE) (0.38 inds.∙person^-1∙h^-1). Our observations indicate that larvae of the Jiangxi giant salamander face challenges from both predators and environmental factors, leading to a low survival rate in their natural habitat. Habitat assessments have revealed significant threats to the isolated population of this species, including environmental fluctuations such as floods and perturbations of water flow, which pose a risk to their survival.

Conclusion:This study recommends the evaluation of the Jiangxi giant salamander as Critically Endangered (CR) and a National Class I Protected species. Consequently, we urge the implementation of specific conservation actions.

Aims: Under the influence of global climate change and human activities, plant living environment, their living conditions, and even entire vegetation ecosystems are undergoing dynamic changes. Conducting field investigations and monitoring on plants are the foundation for the scientific community and relevant administrative departments to assess regional plant populations, speculate their development trends, and develop appropriate conservation strategies. However, field plant surveys have long relied on expert identification, requiring significant human, material and financial resources, and finding suitable experts is often challenging. Intelligent identification has been shown to achieve accurate, species-level identification of plants, and has great potential to improve the efficiency of field surveys while reducing the workload of experts.

Methods: In this study, we focused on the eastern part of Eurasia grasslands in Nei Mongol as a case study and employed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs) along with image recognition technology to develop a plant image recognition model for grasslands. Pre-experiments conducted in Hulunbeier revealed that images taken by drones at a vertical angle of 90° yielded the highest number of identifiable species for model construction. Based on the drone-captured plant images from Hulunbeier, Xilinhot, and Erdos, we used an SSD-MobileNetV2-FPN architecture to train a drone-based plant object detection model. This model detected and extracted plant detection model. Further image recognition training using the MobileNetV3 architecture allowed us to construct an intelligent recognition model capable of identifying 70 common grassland plant species belonging to 54 genera across 22 families.

Results:Using the reserved 10,734 images of 70 species for evaluation, the model correctly identified 9,513 images, achieving a Top1 recognition accuracy of 88.6%. When combined with UAV-based image acquisition, this model can survey approximately 300 1 m × 1 m quadrats in 80 min, significantly improving the efficiency of plant field investigation.

Conclusion: This study provides a new tool for intelligent surveys and long-term site-based monitoring of grassland plant diversity and ecosystems. It reduces the dependence on experts for plant identification, providing a practical tool for biodiversity and ecosystem monitoring at the grassroots level. Additionally, this model offers a template for similar efforts in other regions and vegetation types.

Background & Aims: Land/ocean use change represents the foremost direct driver of global biodiversity loss. Target 1 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework advocates for zero loss of critical ecological regions through comprehensive spatial planning encompassing all areas. The proposal of “establishing and improving a unified and coordinated system for land and space use control and planning permission covering all regions and all types” put forward at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China provides the best opportunity for implementing Target 1.
Challenges: As national parks constitute territorial spaces for biological conservation, their institutional reforms must be thoroughly connected with the territorial space planning and utilization regulation frameworks to efficaciously underpin the conservation of such ecological spaces. Nonetheless, current top-level designs for national park reforms lack explicit integration with these two systems, leading to practical contradictions.
Recommendations: It is suggested to fully connect the national park planning system with the five-tiered, three-category territorial space planning hierarchy to serve as the basis for spatial regulation within national parks; to advance the phased implementation of unified utilization control rights, either indirectly or directly exercised by national park management authorities, in accordance with the complexity of reforms; and to develop a differentiated and nuanced utilization control system grounded in spatial zoning.

Aims: Population dynamics analysis is a crucial basis for formulating conservation strategies of endangered species. The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) is an endemic amphibian in China, and the status of its wild populations remains unclear. Through population dynamics analysis, this study aims to provide a basis for the conservation strategies of the Chinese giant salamander.

Methods: This study took the Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) as the focal taxon in Zhangjiajie Chinese Giant Salamader National Nature Reserve, Hunan Province, China, based on the field survey data obtained from 2006 to 2021 and was complemented by comprehensive stock enhancement and release statistics spanning from 2000 to 2024. Utilizing population growth models, the study examined the population dynamics, carrying capacity, and the efficacy of stock enhancement measures for the Chinese giant salamander population.

Results: The results showed that: (1) The average annual population growth rate was 0.1722 ± 0.0324, with a carrying capacity (K) value of 51,190 individuals. The current population was in an exponential growth phase. (2) There was a highly significant difference in population growth curves between stock enhancement and non-stock enhancement scenarios. In the non-stock enhancement scenario, the instantaneous growth rates in the exponential and Logistic growth functions decreased by 16.27% and 32.11%, respectively. (3) Stock enhancement has demonstrably reinvigorated wild populations of Chinese giant salamander, under the current release regime, population size is projected to reach the environmental carrying capacity in 40 years.

Conclusion: Empirical validation confirms the feasibility of leveraging population growth models to project demographic trajectories, rendering them powerful tools for devising medium to long-term conservation strategies for endangered species; Stock enhancement has a significant effect on the recovery of the wild population of the Chinese giant salamander. Based on the current stock enhancement volume, the population size is projected to reach the peak of the carrying capacity in 40 years. Considering the current population growth rate, population growth trajectory, and environmental carrying capacity, continuous stock enhancement measures should be implemented, and individuals for stock enhancement should be selected based on river systems and genetic lineages, with offspring from local broodstock as the source of stock enhancement individuals. This approach can prevent genetic mixing in wild populations and ensure stable population growth. Additionally, protection and restoration efforts should be focused on breeding sites. This study offers valuable guidance for the analysis of population dynamics, the assessment of conservation effectiveness, and the development of conservation strategies for the Chinese giant salamander and other endangered species.