Aims: To comprehensively understand the current status of vascular plants and provide background materials for the conservation of plant diversity in Fujian Province, the list of vascular plants in the region needs to be updated. This study revises and updates the species list of vascular plants in Fujian Province in the post-flora era.

Methods: Based on Flora of Fujian, we refered to related literature, examined herbarium specimens, consulted relevant lists and databases, and incorporated the results of field investigations conducted by the authors and other front-line peers. The checklist of vascular plants in Fujian Province was sorted according to the latest classification systems of vascular plants (APG IV system, Yang system, and PPG I system). The list included the family and genus information, Chinese name and Latin name, and the county and city distribution information data sources for each species.

Results: In total, there were 5,587 species belonging to 256 families and 1,807 genera of wild, naturalized, and cultivated vascular plants in Fujian Province (wild: 231 families, 1,402 genera, and 4,550 species). This included 414 species of lycophytes and ferns belonging to 102 genera and 32 families, 76 species of gymnosperms belonging to 38 genera and 10 families, and 5,097 species of angiosperms belonging to 1,667 genera and 214 families, respectively. Compared with Flora of Fujian, 8 families, 216 genera, and 1,107 species were newly added. The five largest families of lycophytes and ferns species were Dryopteridaceae (67), Polypodiaceae (51), Pteridaceae (51), Thelypteridaceae (42), and Athyriaceae (38). Among the gymnosperms, the families and the genera with the largest number of species were Cupressaceae (15 genera, 25 species) and Pinus (14 species), respectively. The top 10 largest families of angiosperms are Poaceae (452), Leguminosae (305), Compositae (279), Orchidaceae (244), Cyperaceae (225), Rosaceae (198), Labiata (188), Rubiaceae (126), Malvaceae (85), and Lauraceae (80), with a total of 2,180 species, accounting for 39.0% of the total number of vascular plant species in Fujian Province. The top five largest genera were Carex (94), Rubus (58), Ilex (54), Phyllostachys (38) and Persicaria (36).

Conclusions: This work improves the species distribution profile and specimen information, thus providing basic information for the survey, assessment, and conservation of plant diversity in Fujian Province. Additionally, this study can be used to further develop botany-related disciplines, and the revision of Flora of Fujian.

Aims: The List of State Key Protected Wild Animals is a crucial legal foundation that guides the implementation of species conservation efforts, especially rescue plans for endangered species. The recently published and implement 2021 version of the List of State Key Protected Wild Animals, represents the first major revision in 32 years and is of immense importance for biodiversity conservation in China. Our study aims to assess the efficacy of its species conservation measures dictated by the List, offer insights, and aid future revisions.

Methods: Our study has summarized and organized a total of 1,520 species (with subspecies) based on the new version of the List of State Key Protected Wild Animals. We then selected four wildlife lists that are representative and relevant to conservation and conducted a statistical analysis of the conservation status and level of threat for the same species across different lists.

Results: The results indicate that the new version of the List of State Key Protected Wild Animals has broadened the scope of wildlife protection by adding 1,038 species to the previous list of 482 species (with subspecies) which was compiled in 1989, as we previously summarized. Of the new additions, 43 species have been categorized as national category I and 995 as national category II. Moreover, the protection category of some species has also been revised (3 species downgraded to national category I, 66 species upgraded to national category II, and 413 species in total maintaining the same category). However, despite these positive changes, according to China’s Red List of Biodiversity: Vertebrates (2021 Edition) more than half of the endangered species in China are still not covered in the new version of the List of State Key Protected Wild Animals.

Conclusion: To promote the comprehensive and effective protection of endangered species in China, it is recommended that future adjustments to the List of State Key Protected Wild Animals give comprehensive attention to the endangered species on the list. If species in the Critically Endangered and Endangered categories are listed as national category I key protected wildlife, the existing 164 national category II key protected wildlife should be upgraded to national category I key protected wildlife, and 162 new wildlife species should be added to national category I key protected wildlife. Additionally, if species in the Vulnerable category are listed as national category II key protected wildlife, 340 new national category II key protected wildlife should be added. A comprehensive database of the List of State Key Protected Wild Animals can be established to achieve standardized and dynamic management of the list.

Background & Aims: Protists are widely distributed in soil and throughout different habitats with high abundance and diversity. They play important roles in nutrient cycling and the energy flow of ecosystems, as well as maintaining soil and plant health. Compared with other microorganisms and fauna in soil, protists have received little attention until recently, and the study on their classification and molecular detection are largely challenged due to their complex taxonomy systems and ecological types.
Progresses: This review systematically summarized and sorted out previous research on soil protists. The research progress on the taxonomic systems of protists, properties of different trophic functional groups, the distribution pattern, and the influencing factors of soil protists were summarized. Then the ecological functions of protistan communities in participating in soil nutrient cycling and maintaining soil health were further highlighted. The main factors that drive the construction of protistan community was clarified, and the prospect and application prospect were further put forward.
Prospects: The future perspectives and research efforts towards taxonomic classification, biodiversity, ecological function, and applications of soil protists need to be explored.

Background & Aims: Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is an observational method that collects acoustic signals of wildlife and the surrounding environment using automatic sound recorders. PAM itself is a multidisciplinary technique, integrating biology, ecology, acoustics, and computer science, and was developed in the 1990s first to study bats and primates. Since then, PAM has been utilized in a variety of research contexts to study animal behavior, ecology, and conservation biology. However, a systematic review of the progress of the field is lacking.

Progress: Here, we review how PAM has been used to monitor terrestrial mammal activity patterns, habitat use, species distribution, population size and density, biodiversity, and human influence. We also identify factors which prevent its wider application, such as the complexity of storing and managing acoustic data, limitations of acoustic indices, challenges associated with automated identification of species or individuals, and the overall cost of equipment. As a consequence, we observe limited use of PAM in terrestrial mammal research, especially in China.

Perspective: Finally, we discuss potential novel applications of PAM to study terrestrial mammals. We highlight the importance of establishing and improving standardized PAM networks and data management platforms, developing citizen science programs, encouraging participation of more scientific institutions, and expanding the presence of acoustic monitors particularly throughout protected areas. PAM is an indispensable technique which can further support efforts to conserve biodiversity and increase ecological consciousness in China.

Background & Aim: Estimating population density is essential for wildlife management and conservation, but it is challenging to achieve. Camera trapping is a pervasive method used in mammal surveys and a cost-effective way to overcome this challenge, for which several methods have been described to estimate population density when individuals are indiscernible (i.e. unmarked populations). However, there are few examples of their use in China. We aim to provide a practical guide for conducting camera trap surveys to estimate the density of mammals applying the random encounter model (REM), random encounter and staying time (REST) model, time in front of the camera (TIFC) model and the camera trap distance sampling (CTDS).

Review Results: First, we provide a brief explanation about the structure and assumptions of the REM, REST, TIFC and CTDS models. Next, we describe essential steps in planning a field survey: determination of objectives, design of camera placement, and the layout of the camera station. We then develop detail-oriented instruction for conducting a field survey and analyzing the obtained visual data. Finally, for each analytical approach, we compiled the data requirements, advantages, and disadvantages of each to help practitioners navigate the landscape of abundance estimation methods.

Perspectives: Although multiple methods exist, no one method is optimal for every camera-trap data scenario. While there has been rapid improvement of camera traps in recent decades throughout China, we encourage researchers to evaluate the life history of the focal taxa, carefully define the area of the sampling frame, and enhance the use of camera trapping for estimating densities of unmarked populations.

Aims: Calling is an important way for birds to communicate and transmit information to each other. This provides a unique opportunity to assess bird diversity through acoustic monitoring. The use of acoustic indices for the rapid assessment of biodiversity is an emerging survey method, but the complex sonic environment in urban forests may lead to bias. The feasibility of using acoustic indices to assess bird diversity in urban forests still needs to be further explored.

Methods: To understand the effectiveness of acoustic indices in urban forests, we set up 50 matrix survey sample sites in Beijing Eastern Suburb Forest Park. Bird sample point observations and simultaneous acoustic data collection were conducted monthly from April to June 2021. In order to verify the effectiveness of acoustic monitoring, we compared the results of the two methods. Spearman correlation analysis and generalized linear mixed models were used to assess the relationship between six commonly used acoustic indices and bird richness and abundance. The performance of each acoustic index was subsequently measured.

Results: (1) A total of 35 species, comprising 10 orders and 23 families, were recorded in this experiment. Although the total number of species identified through acoustic monitoring was equal to bird observations, there were discrepancies between which specific bird species were observed. (2) The correlation between acoustic indices and bird richness and abundance varied significantly in different months. The acoustic complexity index (ACI) and normalized difference sound index (NDSI) outperformed others were key variables for assessing bird diversity. (3) Acoustic indices had higher predictive power for bird abundance (R²m = 0.32, R²c = 0.80) than richness (R²m = 0.12, R²c = 0.18).

Conclusion: Acoustic monitoring provides a promising tool for urban biodiversity assessment, but there are still many areas that need to be explored. With the gradual improvement of methods and technology, acoustic monitoring has great potential in the tracking and conservation management of urban biodiversity.

Background & Aim: The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted a new global biodiversity strategy—the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (the Kunming-Montreal GBF). The following five package outcomes were also adopted: Monitoring Framework; Mechanisms for Planning, Monitoring, Reporting and Review; Resource Mobilization; Capacity-Building and Development, Scientific and Technological Cooperation; and Genetic Resources Digital Sequence Information. Parties to the Convention need to implement the Kunming-Montreal GBF and its package of outcomes domestically. In order to facilitate China’s implementation of the Kunming-Montreal GBF, the paper briefly reviews the development process and the main contents of the Kunming-Montreal GBF and its package of outcomes.

Review Results: Comments on the global and national impact of the Kunming-Montreal GBF are given. In order to implement the Kunming-Montreal GBF, developed countries should enhance biodiversity financing and ensure the level of international funds related to biodiversity flowing to developing countries. Developing countries should revise or update national biodiversity strategies and action plans, monitor and report national implementation progress by using indicators, and accept review. China should host the inter-sessional process of the CBD and facilitate the implementation of the package deals of the Kunming-Montreal GBF.

Recommendations:Recommendations on how to implement the Kunming-Montreal GBF in China are provided: updating and revising the national biodiversity strategic action plan, formulating laws and policies to promote biodiversity mainstreaming, strengthening monitoring and evaluation of national implementation progress, promoting the development of biodiversity financing tools, and establishing partnerships with broad participation by the entire society.

Background & Aim: Global biodiversity decline is a major ecological problem around the world today. As an important indicator for measuring the environment, amphibians have received more and more attention from researchers in recent years. In this paper, we focus on amphibians which are the most threatened species of vertebrate to analyze the existing problems and suggest the corresponding solutions.

Method: Firstly, we analyze the effects of three most prominent factors in human activities, i.e., anthropogenic noise, artificial light at night and road kills on amphibians reproduction, population growth rate, physiology, and behavior by retrieving existing literature from 2003 to 2021, and extracting and integrating key words. Secondly, the mitigation measures regarding anthropogenic noise, artificial light at night and road kills are summarized and suggestions for improvement are made.

Review Results: Amphibian calling behavior was altered by anthropogenic noise, showing variations in call rate, dominant frequency, and call duration. It is yet unclear how different amphibians calling respond to anthropogenic noise differently and whether call variations are advantageous to the amphibians’ long-term growth. By obscuring the perception of male acoustic signals by females and impacting sperm count and sperm viability in males, anthropogenic noise can also affect the reproductive behavior of amphibians. Amphibian growth rates and behavioral activity time were slowed down by artificial light at night. In addition, artificial light at night can change corticosterone levels in amphibians and hence have an impact on their physiology. Amphibian population size was directly impacted by road kills. This study makes recommendations for improvement in light of the aforementioned detrimental effects, including bolstering the road infrastructure, constructing noise barriers to muffle noise, reducing light intensity in dense amphibian areas, building amphibian corridors, etc.

Perspective: Specific conservation strategies that seek to improve protection measures, planning management and monitoring of amphibian population dynamics should be implemented in order to reduce the impact of human activities on this group of vertebrates.

Aim: The study aims to better understand plant diversity in the border areas of Yunnan. These border areas have relatively intact forest ecosystems but are poorly explored.

Methods: In this study, plants were collected and photographed through intensive field investigation, made into specimens, sorted and identified. The voucher specimens for each recorded species were deposited in the Herbarium of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of Chinese Academy of Sciences (HITBC), Herbarium of Institute of Botany of Chinese Academy of Sciences (PE), Herbarium of Kunming Institute of Botany of Chinese Academy of Sciences (KUN) and Herbarium of Xiamen University (AU).

Results: One new record family, namely Aptandraceae (Anacolosa griffithii), two new record genera, namely Pottingeria (P. acuminata), Cordisepalum (C. phalanthopetalum), thirty new record species, namely Phlogacanthus gomezii, Staurogyne shanica, Hydnocarpus macrocarpus, Alphonsea ventricosa, Huberantha jenkinsii, Miliusa chantaburiana, M. dioeca, Impatiens andersonii, Garcinia lanceifolia, Dillenia parviflora, Parashorea buchananii, Castanopsis birmanica, Heritiera burmensis, Phrynium pubinerve, Bulbophyllum obrienianum, B. sinhoense, Dendrobium dantaniense, D. parcum, Epipactis flava, Eulophia macrobulbon, Micropera mannii, Vanilla borneensis, Phyllanthus discofractus, P. mirabilis, Maesa tomentella, Sabia wardii, Ailanthus integrifolia subsp. calycina, Wikstroemia floribunda, Hedychium gardnerianum, Monolophus linearis, were reported for the flora of China.

Conclusion: The border area of Yunnan possesses one of the richest floras in China, but the floristic survey in this area is still inadequate. Therefore, intensive floristic surveys are needed to be strengthened in the future to obtain reliable information on the flora of the border areas of Yunnan.

Background & Aim: Habitat loss and fragmentation, driven by expansion of global transport infrastructure networks, has become one of the significant factors contributing to the decline of biodiversity. Many studies on the impact of roads on wildlife have been conducted abroad, yet only a modest number of studies have been conducted in China.

Summary: This review summarizes 144 case studies conducted in China by the year 2021 and 210 posts relating to roadkill from Sina Microblog. The impacts of roads on wildlife in China were divided into seven types: habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, avoid or gather at the roadside, hinder or promote migration, population isolation, wildlife crossing structures and roadkill. Recent, relevant studies in China are mainly concentrated in Hoh Xil, Changbai Mountains, and Qinling Mountains. The main species studied are ungulates on Tibetan Plateau, the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and Asian elephant (Elephas maximus).

Perspectives: Collecting data on the impacts of roads on wildlife, is critical to inform interdisciplinary and multi-departmental management and conservation solutions of road-wildlife conflicts in China. Social media platforms can be important sources of data on roadkill occurrences.

Background: In the ecosystem, birds are an important component, which is crucial for regulating the ecological environment and monitoring biodiversity, and can even assist in predicting natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis by monitoring the movement of birds and listening to their abnormal calls, so bird sound recognition and abnormal call detection have become popular research directions. However, low recognition rate is caused to the problems of insufficient feature extraction in traditional bird sound recognition methods.

Method: In this paper, we used a fusion feature method combined with deep learning to extract bird sound features. The fusion features were obtained by splicing the original signal parameters with the modified log-Meier spectral difference parameters; the deep learning method was based on the DenseNet121 network structure and incorporated the self-attention module and the central loss function for bird sound recognition. The self-attentive module partially improved the feature representation of key channels; the central loss function was used to solve the problem of incompact intra-class features. We used the data of 10 bird sounds from the Xeno-Canto World Wild Bird Sounds public dataset to test the accuracy of bird chirp recognition.

Conclusion In this paper, a neural network structure containing self-attention mechanism and center loss function is proposed for bird song recognition. Its verification accuracy reaches to 96.9%. The code is open source to Github: https://github.com/ CarrieX6/-Xeno-Canto-.git.

Background & Aims: The animal community is a key element constituting the urban green-space ecosystem. As an important ecological component of wild animal communities, the soundscape is of great significance in guiding urban green-space landscape design and biodiversity conservation measures. This paper examined 67 articles from the core collection of Web of Science published between 2005 and 2022 to comprehensively analyze the spatiotemporal patterns of and influences on animal soundscapes in urban green spaces.

Findings: The animal soundscape of urban green space was influenced by environmental-spatial gradients and vegetation spatial structure. Animal sound diversity was inversely correlated with altitude, latitude, urbanization degree, and was also related to vegetation type and height. Phenology of the urban soundscape also showed diurnal, seasonal, and annual variation, including characteristics such as dawn and dusk avian choruses, insect and amphibians nocturnal choruses, and other aspects of animals’ seasonal and annual vocalization patterns. The factors that affect the urban animal soundscape thus include mainly vegetation, environment, anthropogenic interference, and self-driving of animals.

Prospects: Despite being one of the hotspots of current soundscape ecology research, animal soundscape research faces challenges such as insufficient investigation of large spatiotemporal scales. Promising directions for future research include the quantitative analysis of influential factors and their response mechanisms as well as the establishment of a global animal soundscape database.

Aim: Plant species names undergo revisions and changes in response to deepening taxonomic research deepens and new discoveries. These valuable diverse pieces of information are scattered across various publications, requires necessitate timely consolidation into the Species Catalogue of China, under the guidance of taxonomic experts. To address this requirement, it is necessary to create a dataset containing information on new taxa, name changes, and the latest statuses of plants in China.

Methods: We collected data on newly discovered taxa and name changes for Chinese higher plants by reviewing 228 journals and monographs. This compilation involved 403 articles from 62 journals and 1 monograph, focusing on the new taxa and nomenclatural changes of higher plants in 2022.

Results: In 2022, China reported a total of 318 new taxa of higher plants, encompassing 12 new genera, 286 new species, 3 new subspecies, 10 new varieties, and 7 new forms. The recently described species fall into bryophytes (15 taxa), pteridophytes (28 species), gymnosperm (1 species), and angiosperms (362 taxa). Notably, 155 newly identified species have been published with detailed evidence covering molecular systematics, chromosomes, micromorphology, genome, etc. Among these, 92 species were considered as threatened according to IUCN standards. The majority of these discoveries originate from five southwestern provinces in China, namely Yunnan, Sichuan, Xizang, Guangxi, and Guizhou. Medog, a county-level unit, recorded the highest number of newly discovered species in 2022. Furthermore, 122 new combinations and 11 replacement names were transferred from other species. Additionally, 103 names were designated as synonyms for 76 taxa, while 4 names were re-accepted.

Conclusion: In 2022, China witnessed a net increase of 346 new taxa of higher plants, accounting for 0.89% of the total Chinese plant species. Additionally, 240 names of higher plants underwent changes, accounting for 0.62% of the total. These changes represented 1.5% of all Chinese plant names modified in 2022, encompassing both species additions and nomenclature treatments.

Aims: The tagging, positioning, and tracking of animals are crucial approaches to the study of their spatial movements. In China, the application of sensor-based wildlife tracking technologies for free-ranging animals has gained significant traction since the 1980s. These technologies have been widely employed in studies related to wildlife behavior and ecology. To provide a comprehensive overview of the current status of wildlife tracking technologies in China and offer insights into the future, we conducted this review based on comprehensive literature research.

Methods: We systematically searched academic articles on wildlife tracking studies conducted in China from 1970 to 2022. We compiled information of each study, including the type of sensor and tracking technologies used, the taxonomic group of tracked animals, the research field, and the location of study sites.

Results: We collected 519 relevant articles published between 1970 and 2022, encompassing 185 species belonging to 7 classes and 32 orders. The study sites encompassed 34 provinces (including municipalities, autonomous regions, and special administrative regions) in China. We identified four hotspots of tracking studies within the country: the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and surrounding mountainous areas, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the coastal areas from East to South China, and the Northeast China region. Five senor-based tracking technologies were identified in these studies: radio telemetry (RT) (accounting for 47.7% of the total researches), radio frequency identification (RFID) (3.2%), light-level global geolocator sensor (GLS) (0.6%), satellite tracking based on the Argos Satellite System (ASS) (9.3%) or Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) (39.3%). Among these technologies, VHF radio telemetry has had a longer history and more applications in China; ASS and GNSS technologies have been introduced late but have undergone rapid growth, with GNSS emerging as the most widely applied technology in the past 5 years. Radio telemetry is predominantly employed for large- and medium-sized mammals, small mammals, terrestrial birds, amphibians and reptiles. GNSS technology is mainly applied in tracking swimming and wading birds. ASS technology is primarily used in fish studies, while RFID technology is prevalent in tracking invertebrate. The choice of technology varies across different research fields, with GNSS and ASS satellite tracking being the primary technology used in migration studies.

Conclusions: The application scale of sensor-based wildlife tracking technologies in China is experiencing rapid expansion, resulting in a rapid increase of numbers of tagged animals and accumulated data. In the future, wildlife tracking studies in China should put emphases on: (1) deepening the research to examine the underlying ecological mechanisms and broadening the research scales, (2) facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration and fostering technological innovation, (3) advocating for and promoting data sharing and fostering multilateral cooperation, and (4) continuing to advance the development and improvement of domestic tracking equipment and technologies. This will provide reliable scientific supports for wildlife ecology research and resource conservation and management in China.

Background and AimsDriven by China’s carbon neutrality goals, renewable energy is growing drastically, spurring the large-scale development of photovoltaics (PVs) and wind power. Despite this prevalence, systematic reviews detailing the ecological concerns associated with these technologies are scarce.

Method We provide an overview of domestic and international research on the environmental impact of centralized PV and onshore wind farms, focusing on species diversity and ecosystem services.

Results PVs and wind farms both alter climate factors, including temperature, humidity and wind speed. The construction of PVs and wind farms damages vegetation, causing soil erosion and water loss. Construction also results in solid waste and wastewater, contributing to pollution around the site. The ecological impact of PVs is mainly reflected by changes in vegetation and habitat quality, which can have adverse effects on certain species. In relatively arid areas, PVs can play a role in lowering temperatures and increasing humidity, promoting vegetation recovery. In desert areas, they can act as windbreaks. Wind farms can result in soil and vegetation disturbances, bird collisions and mortality, and habitat fragmentation, all of which affect species migration and regional ecosystem services. Despite these potential issues, current research remains insufficient in assessing ecological impact systematically.

Prospects We recommend research focusing on three particular areas: (1) Improving and unifying survey methods for accessing ecological impacts on centralized PVs and wind farms; (2) Adopting advanced ecological survey techniques; and (3) Strengthening systematic studies on ecological impacts at the species and ecosystem levels. Moving forward, it is necessary to study the ecological impacts of PVs and wind farms in depth. Biodiversity assessments should be implemented at the early stages of energy planning, and corresponding mitigation strategies should be adopted.

Aims: The Yunling Mountains are located in the northwest region of Yunnan Province, southeast of the Tibet Autonomous Region and southwest of Sichuan Province. It’s an important mountain range in the Hengduan Mountains, and it is also in the watershed of the Lancang River and Jinsha River. To better understand the amphibian and reptile biodiversity, potential threats, and promote regional protection, we conducted an assessment of amphibian and reptile diversity in Yunnan region of the Yunling Mountains.

Methods: In 2019 and 2020, amphibians and reptiles were sampled along 239 line-transects and supplemented by other field meander surveys.

Results: In total, 37 species of amphibians, belonging to 22 genera, 10 families, 2 orders, were observed, along with 44 species of reptiles, belonging to 25 genera, 10 families and 2 orders. The results of the diversity analysis showed that the number of species of amphibians and reptiles in Yunnan region of the Yunling Mountains were less than those in hot spots such as Xishuangbanna. In addition, reptiles were more abundant than amphibians, which may be due to elevation restrictions or missing the breeding period. More amphibian and reptile species were recorded at elevation of 2,200-2,300 m, suggesting more diversity of amphibians and reptiles at medium and high elevations. Habitat destruction and human disturbance were the main factors threatening the survival and reproduction of amphibians and reptiles in the non-protected areas of the Yunling Mountains. In addition, the non-native amphibian and reptile species need to be further monitored in order to develop invasion control measures.

Conclusion: This study has documented the number of species of amphibians and reptiles in the Yunnan region of the Yunling Mountains identified population threats, and provided basic data for the protection of amphibian and reptile diversity in the area.

Aims: The present work aims to analyze the environmental drivers of diversity in the butterfly community in the western Qinling Mountains.

Methods: In the autumn of 2020 and spring and summer of 2021, we investigated butterfly diversity in the western region of Qinling Mountains using line transects across multiple habitat types in 15 sampling areas. We used trend and extrapolation analyses for estimating α diversity, and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and cluster analyses for β diversity. For determining drivers of butterfly diversity, we fit environmental factors to diversity indices using a generalized additive model (GAM).

Results: We observed a total of 8,898 individuals representing 169 species, 84 genera, and 5 families. Of these families, the highest number of individuals were from Pieridae (N = 3,671), and the most number of species were from Nymphalidae (N = 80). We found that α diversity was highest during the summer and in coniferous and broad-leaved forests. For β diversity, we found the highest degree of similarity between coniferous and broad-leaved forest and deciduous broad-leaved forest, the low similarity between seasons, and that species are concentrated in spring and summer but relatively dispersed in autumn. The GAM fitted curves demonstrated several key relationships between environmental factors and butterfly diversity, including: (1) plant heterogeneity was correlated with butterfly community diversity; (2) an ambient temperature between 24℃ and 30℃ underlined a higher Pielou evenness index and a more stable butterfly community structure; and (3) humidity between 70% and 85% was associated with a higher Simpson index.

Conclusion: Butterfly community composition and diversity in the western region of Qinling Mountains were closely related to habitat type and have a distinct chronological relationship with seasons. Plant cover, abundance, humidity, and temperature are important factors in maintaining the diversity of butterfly species on a regional scale.

Background: Historically, it was believed that birds had a weak sense of smell or a lack thereof. Currently, the evidence of avian olfaction has been confirmed in several fields, such as anatomy, electrophysiology, molecular biology, and behavioural ecology. In this paper, we conducted a review of recent research progress on olfactory communication in social behaviours of birds.

Results:Our literature review found evidence of olfactory communication in birds from 14 orders and 33 families. Olfaction may play an important role in functions such as foraging, navigation, defence, crypsis, vigilance, and social interactions. Focusing on the role of olfactory communication in the social behaviors of birds, we presented key results from relevant studies in the last decade and reviewed the potential roles played by avian olfaction in species and individual recognition, breeding behaviors, kin recognition, mate choice, and competition.

Conclusions: Innovations in research methods and integrative approaches are urgently needed. Combining molecular biology, anatomy, physiology, ethology, and neurobiology may comprehensively reveal the complex mechanisms and social functions of avian olfactory communication.

Background & Aims: Amphibians and reptiles are important indicators of ecosystem health, and they are vulnerable to changes in the environment. Many of their populations are undergoing rapid decline and species extinction in the worldwide. A recent assessment of Red List of China’s Vertebrates found that 37.05% of amphibians and 30.5% of reptiles are threatened. Therefore, building a national biodiversity monitoring network, to research and analyze the trend and threats of amphibians and reptiles is a prerequisite for conservation. As part of the Chinese Biodiversity Monitoring and Research Network (Sino BON), the Sino BON-Amphibian & Reptile has covered 11 key areas with rich biodiversity and high habitat heterogeneity across China. This program aims to combine intensive field surveys and ecological modeling techniques to evaluate population dynamics and community structures of amphibian and reptile species in the study areas.

Review Results: Currently, the Sino BON-Amphibian & Reptile adheres to focusing on the research of amphibian and reptile diversity. A total of 16 species were newly discovered in China, including 13 new species and 3 national new record species. Significant progress has been made in the national need for the protection of Critically Endangered amphibian (CR) Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) and Endangered (EN) amphibian Taliang crocodile newt (Liangshantriton taliangensis), the environmental DNA (eDNA) technology and radio tracking technology applied in wild, the ecological impact of desertification habitats on reptiles, and invasive alien species, which have provided strong scientific support for protecting biodiversity of amphibians and reptiles in China.

Prospects: For further progresses, it is still necessary to continuously enhance monitoring and research on amphibians and reptiles, strengthen monitoring network construction and application of advanced technologies, emphasize the protection of amphibians and reptiles from the level of laws and regulations, establish and optimize the protected areas, and implement the necessary ex situ and in situ conservation, so as to achieve more effective protection of rare amphibian and reptile resources.

Backgruound & Aims: Cavity-nesting Hymenoptera are both predators and pollinators and provide key services for ecosystem functioning. Previously, there have been few studies on cavity-nesting Hymenoptera in subtropical forests. Yet this study aims to better understand the diversity and biology of cavity-nesting Hymenopterans in subtropical forest in China.

Methods: Trap nests were used to study the biology, life history, diversity and ecology of solitary bees and wasps. We used this method to collect cavity-nesting Hymenoptera in 88 plots. Based on five years of long-term monitoring and sampling on Biodiversity-Ecosystem Functioning Experiment China (BEF-China) platform, we recorded the species diversity of cavity-nesting Hymenoptera and relevant occurrence patterns of solitary bees and wasps.

Results: We found 3 orders, 25 families and 128 species in the trap nest system. Pollinators accounted for 26.6% of the diversity, mainly including Colletidae and Megachilidae with 12 species in 2 families. Predators represented 73.4% of the diversity, mainly including Eumeninae, Sphecidae, Pompilidae and Crabronidae with 44 species in 4 families. There were 72 species of parasitoids in 19 families, mainly including Sarcophagidae, Bombyliidae, Chrysididae, Trigonalyidae, and Eulophidae.

Conclusion: For species composition, we found the diversity of pollinators was significantly less than that of predators. Meanwhile, we noted the protandry was common in cavity-nesting Hymenoptera and more obvious in overwintering individuals. In addition, we also found variable occurrence patterns in different species. The occurrence time of Megachilidae and Crabronidae were more concentrated than that of Eumeninae and Pompilidae. Finally, by constructing the interaction relationship between host and parasitoids, we explained the abundance and richness of parasitoids to be regulated by the bottom-up effect of lower trophic hosts. Ultimately, a greater understanding of these organisms will help to better protect the resources wild cavity-nesting Hymenoptera use for their ecological services.

Background & Aims: The regions of Southeast Asia are recognized as global biodiversity hotspots that require conservation priority. Since the mid-19th century, Southeast Asia has been widely considered as one of the most important foundations of biogeography. This recognition stems from the groundbreaking field works of Alfred Russel Wallace, who spent eight years to extensively explore the regions and proposed the geographic distribution patterns of fauna in Malesia (or the Malay Archipelago). Wallace’s works in Southeast Asia, such as the famous “Wallace Line” and its distinct distribution patterns, established the region as a crucial cradle and frontier of biogeography. Also, such renowned works have garnered significant attention from numerous biogeographers and ecologists. Additionally, the unique geomorphology and abundant biodiversity in Southeast Asia have sparked a growing scientific interest, leading to an increasing number of studies that explored the biodiversity and geographic distribution patterns in the regions. The comprehension of geographic distribution patterns of biodiversity in Southeast Asia can enhance our understanding of the origination, evolution, and response of global biodiversity to environmental and climatic changes.

Progress: In this review, we have undertaken a comprehensive synthesis of the primary biogeographic investigation conducted in Southeast Asia, spanning from the era of Alfred Russel Wallace to the present day. The main biogeographic studies in Southeast Asia are retrospectively reviewed and the existing problems are considered here.

Conclusion: Several key findings of biogeography in Southeast Asia with the most important distribution patterns are listed as follows. Firstly, Southeast Asia, based on the boundary or delimitation, encompasses the Indochina Peninsula and Malesia, which consist of four distinct bioregions: Indochina, Sundaic, Philippines and Wallacea. Secondly, the biogeographic patterns with these regions, as well as the biogeographic relationships or patterns among regions are primarily influenced by the mechanism of vicariance, migration and dispersal. Thirdly, the difference in biogeographic boundaries, particularly along the Wallace Line, can be attributed to variations in the migration and dispersal capacity of plants and animals. Lastly, the biogeographic connections between Southeast Asia and Sahul are mainly driven by the exchanges of flora and fauna, with elements from both regions have been migrated to and from each other. This review presents some ideas and offers recommendations to address the unresolved challenges of the field of biogeography in Southeast Asia. In all, we hope this review serves as a link between past and future, intends to throw out a minnow to catch a whale, and facilitates the flourishing development of biogeography in Southeast Asia.

Aim: To understand the history and contemporary status of terrestrial vertebrate diversity surveys in China by analyzing the existing problems and suggesting the corresponding solutions.

Method: We searched publications on terrestrial vertebrate field surveys from CNKI Database, Web of Science Core Collection Database and Duxiu Scholar Database with “mammals” “avian” “birds” “reptilians” “amphibians” “survey” “monitor” “new species” “new records” “animal resources” and “species diversity” as keywords. We reviewed the surveys on the terrestrial vertebrates since 1949 in China. We analyzed and compared the distribution of surveys among provinces and biodiversity hotspots, as well as the survey methods and techniques used.

Review Results: Compared with the surveys of mammals, amphibians and reptiles in China, surveys of birds appeared most (70.26% of all publications considered). The terrestrial vertebrate field surveys in Sichuan Province (285 publications) and Yunnan Province (260 publications) were more extensive in coverage than those in other regions. The number of surveys was different in the four biodiversity hotspots. The Indo-Burma hotspot (348 publications) and “Mountains of Southwest China” (324 publications) had more publications, and “Mountains of Central Asia” (71 publications) and “Himalaya” (66 publications) had fewer publications. The common methods on terrestrial vertebrate diversity surveys were: the line transect method, the point sampling method, the quadrat sampling method and the direct count method. The line transect method was the most frequently used in all the application scenarios (e.g., alpine tundra, farmland, city, etc.). Observation, capture, and camera traps were the most widely used sampling techniques. The observation sampling technique was the most frequently used in all application scenarios (e.g., city, wetland, grassland, etc.). At present, terrestrial vertebrate field surveys have made a lot of progress, including the development of new species data collection methods and identification techniques (e.g. unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology in the search of large mammals and mixed-waterbirds, satellite tracking technology in the search of migratory birds, etc.), and the improvement of survey methods and data management in the era of “big data”, among others.

Going Forward: In the future, we should broaden the application of new species data collection methods and identification techniques, and explore new techniques for terrestrial vertebrate surveys. Furthermore, we should improve the population data analysis and the survey management system based on “big data” which is prevalent. Lastly, in addition to developing biodiversity protection measures, the results of terrestrial vertebrate surveys should be oriented to the public, and in doing this, the general public shall gain interest in biodiversity protection.

Aims: Henan Province is located in the central part of China. Its complex and diverse geographical environment play an important role in the region’s rich plant diversity. A large number of plant specimens collected by predecessors have provided strong support for the publication of Flora of Henan. However, the Flora of Henan (Supplement and Revision) lacked a great deal of field investigation and omitted some previously published new records. We have updated the catalog to clarify the wild woody plant resources in Henan Province.

Methods: Based on a review of published literature, including all specimens from Henan Province preserved in all the herbariums in China, and continuous field survey of all mountains in Henan Province during the past 5 years, this paper updates the checklist of wild woody plants in Henan Province, China. In this new checklist, the delimitation and arrangement of plant families followed new systems primarily based on molecular phylogenetics.

Results: According to the revision of Flora of China, we recorded a total of 984 species with 32 subspecies, 148 varieties and 11 forms of wild woody plants in this checklist. This included synonyms of 5 genera, 102 species, 21 subspecies and 24 varieties from Flora of China, together with 6 genera, 194 species, 20 subspecies, 35 varieties and 1 form from Flora of Henan. 168 new records and 50 problematical taxa of wild woody plants from Flora of Henan were also listed in this checklist.

Conclusion: Our results show that continuous field survey of plant diversity is still important in the Shangcheng, Xinxian, Tongbai, Xichuan, Lushi, and Lingbao in provincial boundary counties in Henan Province.

Background & Aim: Plants harbor large and highly diverse microbial communities in every compartment niche, including the surfaces and interiors of all plant organs. These microorganisms, namely plant microbiomes, have co-evolved with host plant for over hundreds of millions of years and play important roles in plant nutrient uptake, growth promotion, disease resistance and adaptation to environmental stresses as “holobionts” of the host plant. The rapid development of multi-omics approaches in recent decades has greatly promoted the research on diversity, composition, functions and driver factors of plant microbiomes and plant-microbiome interaction mechanisms. However, the current understanding and utilization of the plant microbiome remain inadequate in comparison to soil microbiome.

Progresses: This review summarized the recent progresses on the diversity, composition, functions and mechanisms of plant microbiomes in regulating plant growth and development, promoting nutrient uptake, improving disease resistance and adaption to environmental stresses. We further reviewed the driving factors of plant microbiome community assembly, from the respective of host selection, environmental factors and microbial interactions. The complex plant-microbe interactions that shape plant microbiome community and regulate their beneficial functions for plants were highlighted.

Perspectives: We prospect that more research efforts will be put towards core microbiome mining, synthetic community construction and application, precise screening of plant genetic loci affecting beneficial microbe colonization, and unraveling plant-microbiome interaction mechanisms at the plant-microbial community level. Overall, a comprehensive understanding of plant microbial community assembly and ecological functions and the mechanisms is vital for future management and manipulation of plant microbiomes for ecosystem health and agricultural sustainability.

Background & Aims: Seahorses (Hippocampus spp.) are well-known fishes from the family Syngnathidae, mainly due to their unique external morphology and reproductive strategy of male pregnancy. All Hippocampus species, listed in CITES Appendix II in 2002, are under trade regulations internationally. All Hippocampus species (wild populations only) inhabiting in China’s waters were listed as Category II of the National Key Protected Wild Animals in 2021. Through literature review, we (i) updated the species list of seahorses occurring in China’s waters, (ii) summarized their distribution regions, habitat and breeding features, and (iii) presented their threatened categories and threats. Our goal is to inform effective conservation measures for seahorse wild populations in China.

Review findings: In this paper, we reviewed and summarized seahorse species diversity, distributions, habitat uses, reproductive features, threatened categories, and threat factors from various reference sources, including online databases (Fishbase, The Fish Database of Taiwan, GBIF, WoRMS, IUCN), peer-reviewed papers, reports, theses, as well as informative Chinese ichthyographies. A total of 16 seahorse species were recorded in China’s waters, including 5 pygmy seahorses that are no more than 30 mm in body height. Among these, Japanese seahorses (H. mohnikei) were distributed most widely, across China’s all four seas. Crowned seahorses (H. coronatus) were only found in the Bo Hai, while Barbour’s seahorses (H. barbouri), Beibu Bay seahorses (H. casscsio, a new species found in 2016), and Tiger tail seahorses (H. comes) were only found in the South China Sea. Six species were only found in the coastal waters of Taiwan Province. Southern China, including Taiwan, Hainan, Guangdong, Fujian, and Guangxi, has high seahorse species diversity. The habitat uses of seahorses in China’s waters are very diverse, including coral and rocky reefs, seagrass and seaweed beds, muddy and sandy bottoms, gravels, and mangrove meadows. Some species have special requirements for their habitats. According to IUCN, 8 seahorse species were listed as Vulnerable (VU), 2 species were listed as Least Concern (LC), 5 species were listed as Data Deficient (DD), and 1 species was Not Evaluated (NE). The main threats to seahorses are bycatch and habitat destruction.

Recommendations: Seahorses are a special taxonomic group of fishes with high vulnerability, and we propose five recommendations for urgent conservations of seahorses in China. First, the significance of seahorses as flagship species in marine biodiversity conservation should be realized and we need to use them to raise marine-conservation awareness of the general public. Establishing marine protected areas for seahorses and their habitats, and applying other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) might also be taken into account. Second, it is known that non-selective fishing gears such as bottom trawling have high seahorse bycatch volume, and the dredge net operations can damage seaweed beds where seahorses inhabit. Therefore, any solution for reducing bycatch, increasing survival rates of seahorses after releasing, protecting habitats and innovating fishing gears are welcome. Third, identifying the key habitats of different seahorse species in China’s waters is very important for establishing protected areas and fisheries spatial management. Currently, such data are very limited. Some key areas we synthesized in this study require national-wide surveys to validate before planning for marine reserves and OECMs of seahorses in China. Fourth, seahorse trade regulation and enforcement should be strengthened, and the management of seahorse utilization should be regulated properly. To this end, techniques to distinguishing wild populations from farmed seahorses should be established as soon as possible before the expansion of seahorse aquaculture.

Aims: Urban areas can provide important habitats for birds. Residential green spaces can play an important role in urban green spaces and may provide valuable resources for urban birds. Food diversity and quantity can be one of the factors that could be limiting bird survival. Therefore, by considering the food preferences of birds, this study aims to determine the relationship between birds and their food sources in Beijing residential areas. Furthermore, this study seeks to determine what factors may influence bird feeding behavior in residential areas.
Methods: Forty residential areas were selected as survey plots and surveyed monthly from June 2020 to May 2021. Shannon-Wiener diversity index was used for evaluating bird diversity, and the distribution was defined as the numbers of residential areas where birds fed. A generalized linear model was used to evaluate the influencing factors of bird feeding in residential areas, and linear regression was performed on the diversity index, abundance and the distribution of bird feeding sources.
Results: (1) The feeding behavior of 2,242 birds (35 species, 14 families) were recorded. We observed that bird richness was at its highest in spring, followed by autumn, winter and summer, then abundance was at its highest in spring, followed by winter, autumn and summer, and the Shannon-Wiener diversity index was at its highest in autumn, followed by spring, winter, summer. (2) A decrease in food sources was observed in the following: insects (33.87%), samara (18.33%), berries (9.77%), cones (8.16%) and grass seeds (5.17%). (3) The direct utilization of plants by birds was 60.4%, while the indirect utilization was 39.6%. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index of food source plants decreased in autumn (3.1612), winter (2.9651), spring (2.9203) and summer (2.1763). (4) The species of food source was the most critical environmental factor that determined birds feeding behavior in residential areas. Birds with more abundant food sources had larger populations and wider distribution ranges.
Conclusion: Plant species in residential areas can be highly diverse and can offer a wide range of food sources for multiple species of birds throughout their entire phenology between the early spring and autumn. It is necessary to plant more native tree species and fruiting plants, reduce hedgerows, and advocate near-natural management measures with low disturbance.

Background & Aims: The post-2020 global biodiversity framework (the “Framework”) being prepared by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will be negotiated and adopted at the second part of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP15). The Framework is a landmark and plays an important guiding role for future global biodiversity conservation, economic and social development. Due to the continuous loss of biodiversity, the vision of living in harmony with nature by 2050 can only be fulfilled through transformative actions. In this paper, we describe the progress of the negotiations of the 22 action-oriented targets in drafting the Framework as at the fourth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group (hereinafter referred to as “OEWG”), so as to provide a perspective and methodological reference for management departments, scientific research institutions, enterprises, social organizations, and professionals engaged in biodiversity education and conservation to understand the reshaping of the international economic order through global biodiversity governance.

Progress: The Framework is built around a theory of change, and aims to set ambitious, practical and balanced biodiversity conservation goals. Biodiversity greatly affects human beings, and the actualization of the goals and targets set by the Framework will have a great impact on the production and consumption of human society. For several reasons including the complexity of the Convention mechanisms and Framework negotiations, few people have a full understanding of the content of the Framework and the negotiation process it entails. After four meetings of OEWG, the structure and elements of the Framework have been defined. The 22 urgent action-orientated targets over the next decade for 2030 are of greatest concern. The targets break down into three components: reducing threats to biodiversity (targets 1-8), meeting people’s needs through sustainable use and benefit-sharing (targets 9‒13) and tools and solutions for implementation and mainstreaming (targets 14‒22).

Prospects: In this paper, we discussed the core topics of the negotiations, such as the 30 × 30 target and resource mobilization in the Framework in order to provide a reference for relevant stakeholders to better grasp the dynamics of environmental politics and trends of participating in an international competition of science and technology, trade, investment, manufacturing, and other fields. This will promote people’s living in harmony with nature, and help build a planetary community of life with a shared future.

Aim: The composition of fish in large rivers exhibits longitudinal variation along the river influenced by environmental gradients. The River Continuum Concept revolutionized the understanding of river ecosystems by linking changes in river macro-invertebrate trophic functional groups to the differentiation of nutrient sources between upstream and downstream areas. The concept offers a novel framework for studying the distribution patterns of river biomes at large scale, from upstream to downstream. In this study, a dataset encompassing 168 species of fish were used, covering the entire range from Zhimenda, the starting point of the Jinsha River, to the estuary. Functional groups were first classified based on criteria such as body sizes, shapes, feeding habits, and life-history strategies. Subsequently, their distribution patterns as well as their adaptability to environmental factors were investigated across different scales.

Methods: A total of 14 functional groups and 59 combined function groups were classified, and 5 environmental factors were selected: elevation, mean temperature, mean annual temperature range, river width and river slope gradient. The distribution pattern of fish functional groups was analyzed using hierarchical clustering, while ordination analysis was applied to analyze the relationship between environmental factors and fish functional groups at different scales.

Results: The results revealed a primary and secondary differentiation in the distribution of fish functional groups within the Yangtze River: the primary differentiation occurs at Longkaikou, acting as the dividing point, while the secondary differentiation is observed at Shigu, Longkaikou and Downstream of Baihetan Dam. Moving from the upstream to the downstream, fish body sizes transition from small to medium and large, body shapes shift from predominantly fusiform and cylindrical to include compressform appearances. Feeding habits evolve from primarily omnivorous to encompass a more diverse range of feeding functional groups, and life-history strategies transform from opportunistic to periodic and equilibrium strategies. The distribution pattern of fish functional groups is a result of adaptation to spatial differentiation of environmental factors at different scales. Across the larger scale of the entire Yangze River, elevation and temperature, which are associated with climatic features, serve as dominant factors; whereas, as the spatial scale of the study shrinks, the influence of river slope drop associated with topographic features, becomes more prominent and plays the most important role in the I-1 river section at medium scale.

Conclusion: The distribution pattern of fish functional groups is direct outcome of the fish adaptation to environmental differentiation. Furthermore, the specific environment factors that determine the distribution of fish functional groups vary at different scales, consequently affecting the corresponding functional traits of the fish. This study contributes to our understanding of the river continuum theory, the spatial distribution pattern of fish in the Yangtze River, and the environmental adaptation characteristics of fishes.

Aims: The Yarlung Tsangpo River, one of the ten longest rivers in China, spans two major zoogeographic regions of the world: The Palearctic and the Oriental realms. While previous papers have focused on small portions of the river, a basin-wide-scale study to catalog its fish composition, diversity patterns, and species fluctuation is lacking. This study synthesized empirical data from field studies over the past two decades on fish diversity in the Yarlung Tsangpo River, compiled a list of fish diversity in the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin in China, and analyzed the status of the fish diversity and the main threats to its diversity. The findings provide a scientific foundation for management and conservation of fish diversity in the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin.

Methods: In total, 66 sections were included in this study. Of them, 58 were actually surveyed in the field, and 8 were collected from literatures; two in the upper reaches, 40 in the middle reaches, and 24 in the lower reaches; 24 in the main stream, 33 in the tributaries, 2 in the lakes, 3 in the tributary reservoirs, and 4 wetlands. These sampling sections (locations) were selected according to their geomorphological characteristics, as well as the accessibility of each location for sampling. The fish investgations were conducted from 2004 to 2023. Methods for collecting fishes included gillnets, shrimp coops, and battery-powered backpack electrofisher. After compiling the data from all of the sites, the degree of endemicity was calculated using the corrected weighted endemism index.

Results: There are 155 native species in 10 orders, 25 families, and 70 genera in the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin. Out of all of the detected species, 29 species and one genus are endemic to the river. Five species were on China’s Key Protected Species List (Grade II); and 26 species were categorised as threatened (i.e. endangered, vulnerable, or near threatened) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and China’s Biodiversity Red List. The sections with high species richness are located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, while the lowest species richness is found in the Great Canyon sections. Fish fauna of the river is dominated by Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, and South Asian fishes. The Jiaresa-Bangxin section of the Yarlung Tsangpo River Grand Canyon may be the boundary between the two major zoogeographical regions of freshwater fish. By the end of 2023, 30 species of non-native fish in 8 orders, 16 families, and 24 genera had been recorded in the natural water bodies of the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin. Of these non-native fish species, three species were introduced to different regions within the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin. In recent years, there has been a rapid increase in the introduction of both native fishes and non-native cold-adapted fishes through the plateau’s drainage systems.

Conclusion: Through cataloging the fish diversity in the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin, we found that invasion of non-native fishes is the main threat to fish diversity. In the future, we should focus on fish surveys of lakes and tributaries in the lower reaches of the river, strengthen the resources for data integration, and establish a basin-level data management platform. Further, taxonomic research should be strengthened through international cooperation. Additionally, long-term monitoring of fish resources should be implemented as soon as possible to monitor fish diversity and promote conservation in the Yarlung Tsangpo River.

Aim: Notwithstanding talk of a “taxonomic impediment” over the past 30 years, the exponential growth in the global number of newly described spider species during the 1975-2000 period has continued unabated. This paper focuses on the advances in taxonomic studies of spiders in 2022 worldwide, with detailed statistical analyses of new taxa, type localities, arachnologists driving such research, and journals publishing their work.

Progress: A total of 1,177 new taxa (including species in amber) were described in 2022, comprising 81 new genera and 1,096 new species. They belong to 74 families, with type localities spanning across 97 countries and jurisdictions. The new taxa were documented by 340 arachnologists in 289 papers, published separately in 60 journals. Out of these 289 papers, 23 or 8% comprised monographs, regional studies, and revisions of selected higher taxa (at family and genus levels). The proportion of papers incorporating DNA analyses made up 18.3% (totaling 53 papers). China is the country with the highest number of new species discovered, a total of 362, accounting for 33.0% of the global tally. With as many as 75 arachnologists naming new spider taxa, China becomes the country with the highest number of publishing spider taxonomists, accounting for 22.1% of the world’s total. Among them, the most prolific arachnologist is Shuqiang Li who described a total of 194 new taxa, accounting for 16.5% of the new taxa described in 2022 worldwide. Altogether, Li and his remaining 74 Chinese colleagues described a total of 436 new taxa, comprising 26 new genera and 410 new species belonging to 50 families, from China, Myanmar, and eight other countries and jurisdictions. These new taxa described by Chinese arachnologists made up 37.0% of the 2022 global aggregate, an improvement over the Chinese output 2021 (33.8%) and during the 2016-2020 period (28.1% on average).

Aim & Background Unlike biodiversity offsets, which are based on the premise of biodiversity loss, biodiversity credits are an economic instrument that is measurable, traceable, tradable, and generates net biodiversity gains. To address the funding gap for biodiversity and to halt and reverse global biodiversity loss, biodiversity credits have emerged with carbon credits as a blueprint.

Results This paper introduced the conceptual framework of biodiversity credits, providing a detailed explanation of their similarities and differences with biodiversity offsets and carbon credits. Drawing on the foundation of high-quality carbon credits, the paper summarized the principles of biodiversity credits, including their accounting approaches and governance systems. Furthermore, it presented the current global market for biodiversity credits, offering specific practical examples of various trading projects.

Prospects The paper also examined four aspects of problems and challenges related to biodiversity credits: (1) pricing in voluntary markets lacks clear standards; (2) the risk of being a potential greenwashing tool used by enterprises; (3) regulatory and governance systems need safeguards for transparency and community rights; (4) the compatibility with carbon credits is controversial. Looking forward, challenges and opportunities of biodiversity credits co-exist as a critical tool for businesses to achieve their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals.

Aims: Due to its altitude and limited human development, the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon area boasts high degree of biodiversity and intact ecosystems. These conditions, have been favorable to the study and discovery of new species in recent years. In this study, we present the results of a comprehensive camera trap survey method implemented throughout the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon area that shows the distribution patterns of the surveyed species.

Methods: From October 2020 to November 2021, infrared remote cameras were set in the Medog County, Bomi County, and Milin County of Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon area to determine degree of biodiversity. Camera traps were placed in 116 sites in seven monitoring areas with different altitudes ranging from 646 m to 4,360 m. With a total survey effort of 24,741 camera days, 12,010 independent detections were obtained and relative abundance index (RAI) were calculated. Shannon-Wiener diversity index in different altitude bins and Pianka index were used to analyze the species altitudinal distribution. Seasonal distribution patterns of dry season (October 2020 to March 2021) and rainy season (April 2021 to September 2021) were also compared using seasonal RAI at different camera trap sites.

Results: In total, 37 mammal species, which belong to 4 orders and 14 families, and 99 bird species, which belong to 9 orders and 28 families, were identified. Of these, 51 of the identified species were classified as State Key Protected Species. Ten species were documented with the use of camera for the first time in Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon area. These species were the forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii), alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster), brown bear (Ursus arctos), Asian badger (Meles leucurus), Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica), grey-headed flying squirrel (Petaurista caniceps), particolored flying squirrel (Hylopetes alboniger), Chinese giant flying squirrel (Petaurista xanthotis), Sclater’s monal (Lophophorus sclateri) and Blyth’s tragopan (Tragopan blythii). Species like the dhole (Cuon alpinus), clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), Asian golden cat (Catopuma temminckii) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) had higher RAI during the dry season than in the rainy season.

Conclusion: This study reveals high degree of biodiversity in the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon area, with high heterogeneity of the altitudinal and seasonal distribution pattern of carnivore and ungulates. The result of this survey provides a biodiversity baseline and a scientific basis for the protection and management of the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon area.