Aims: Marine benthic shell-bearing mollusks are one of the most important components of marine benthic fauna and one of the key groups influencing marine ecosystem and sediments. The west coast of Guangdong is located in the Northern South China Sea (NSCS) and is rich in marine benthic shell fauna. However, it is also the area with a great lack of surveys of the marine benthic shell fauna, which seriously hinders the development of geographical divisions of offshore benthic fauna. Donghai Island and Naozhou Island have been well studied in terms of marine benthic mollusks. They are also the key areas to reveal the geographical pattern of benthic animals in the NSCS. Here we aim to report on the species diversity and geographical distribution of benthic mollusks found on the coast of the two islands and adjacent waters.

Methods: Based on historical records from previous studies, historical specimens preserved in the collection of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, and more than 2,600 specimens collected in 2021-2023 by the School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, an up-to-date checklist of known marine benthic shell-bearing mollusks living around Donghai Island and Naozhou Island was compiled. The geographical distribution patterns of all species were analysed based on their northern limits in the East Asian continental shelf.

Results: A total of 207 species from 144 genera and 73 families were identified in the field collections. Thirty-eight of these were new to the area. So far, a total of 602 benthic mollusks from 330 genera and 115 families have been recorded in the waters around Donghai Island and Naozhou Island, making this area the most species-rich area on the continental coast of the NSCS in terms of marine benthic shell-bearing mollusks. Of the 602 benthic mollusk species, 26.2% were tropical warm-water species, 49.3% were tropical-subtropical warm-water species and 24.4% were eurythermal species. The number of species that were also recorded in the nearshore waters of Hainan, Beibu Gulf and Eastern Guangdong accounted for 89.0%, 80.2% and 80.2% of the total species, respectively.

Conclusion: The results show that the coast of Donghai Island, Naozhou Island and the adjacent waters are rich in marine benthic shell-bearing mollusks. The shell fauna here has typical tropical characteristics and is most closely related to that of Hainan Island. It is recommended that these two areas could be placed in the same ecoregion with regard to the bioregionalization of the coastal and shelf benthic fauna. The present work enriches the benthic shell-bearing mollusks in the sea east of Leizhou Peninsula and provides up-to-date data to support the bioregionalization of benthic fauna in the NSCS.

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).

Background & Aim: Marine biogeography is a subject investigating the spatiotemporal distributions of marine organisms and the processes and drivers of changes in species distributions. Research in marine biogeography is promising for the conservation of marine biodiversity and the stability of ecosystem functioning and crucial for the sustainability of utilizing marine resources. Species distribution models (SDMs) are an important tool for assessing and predicting the biogeographical changes in marine species distributions.

Progresses: This review consists of three main parts: (1) the development process and current status of marine biogeography studies in China; (2) the commonly used approaches to answer the questions related to marine biogeography with a special focus on SDMs; (3) the research trends and hotspots of marine biogeography studies in China, mainly concerning the shifts in species distribution under global changes, phylogeography of marine species, biological invasion, population connectivity, marine conservation planning, marine ecological restoration and recovery, adaptation of marine species to extreme environments, as well as management of marine fisheries and mariculture planning.

Prospects: In this review, we further outlined the prospects for the future development of marine biogeography and emphasized the importance of optimizing SDMs. We also called for developing comprehensive databases of marine environments and organisms to strengthen the integration of marine biogeography with other disciplines. We hope this review will provide useful insights for the studies of marine biogeography in China.

Background: Botanical gardens have deep historical roots, drawing inspiration from the ancient “Shennong Herbal Garden” that has played a pivotal role in China’s herbal civilization. While the origins of modern botanical gardens can be traced back to the medicinal gardens of early European universities, their predecessors lie in medieval herb gardens, representing the rich heritage and evolutionary path of traditional botany and ancient gardens.

Review findings: Over the course of 500 years since the European Renaissance, modern botanical gardens have evolved into vital centers of science and art. They have transcended their roles as mere repositories of flora and fauna to become institutions that seamlessly blend nature, culture, art and science. These gardens have consistently embraced new challenges, adapted to changing circumstances, and taken on new missions, propelling them into an era of sustainable development, in which multiple models coexist harmoniously and at the heart of this transformation lies the core mission of ex situ conservation.

Recommendations: Looking ahead, the construction of China’s national botanical gardens should focus on creating efficient ex situ conservation networks while adhering to rigorous scientific standards. This entails implementing exemplary professional curation practices that bridge the historical legacy of botanical gardens with contemporary conservation imperatives. Prioritizing ex situ conservation efforts, China’s botanical garden community should curate national living collections and conduct high-level scientific research. This approach should be rooted in a renewed emphasis on the value of ex situ flora, ultimately contributing to the establishment of a world-class national botanical garden system. This system will advance plant conservation research, facilitate resource exploration and application, and foster sustainable economic and social development.

Clarifying the diversity and distribution of wild vascular plants in Shanxi Province is crucial for effective plant diversity conservation efforts in the region. Flora of Shanxi, the most authoritative record of plant cataloging and distribution in Shanxi, has been available for over 20 years. During this period, the plant classification system has evolved significantly, and many new plant records have emerged in Shanxi Province. However, a comprehensive, accurate, and scientific catalog of wild vascular plants remains unavailable. Based on volumes 1-5 of the Flora of Shanxi, this study comprehensively collected relevant literature on vascular plant research in Shanxi since 1980. Using extensive field investigations and related research data collected by the authors in Shanxi Province, the wild plant list was reviewed and refined, including revisions to plant names, protection status, and distribution down to the county level. This dataset presents the latest catalog of wild vascular plants in Shanxi, divided into confirmed and doubtful species lists. As of June 26, 2024, this dataset included 2,438 species, 73 subspecies, 229 varieties, and 4 forms across 147 families and 763 genera. The dataset included lycophytes and ferns (117 species, 4 varieties in 15 families and 34 genera), gymnosperms (13 species, 4 varieties in 4 families and 8 genera), and angiosperms (2,308 species, 73 subspecies, 221 varieties, and 4 forms in 128 families and 721 genera). Additionally, 36 species, 4 varieties in 19 families and 27 genera were listed in List of Key Protected Wild Plants in China (2021), and 119 species, 1 subspecies, and 2 varieties in 47 families and 80 genera were listed in List of Key Protected Wild Plants in Shanxi Province (Jin Zheng Han [2023] No. 126). Further work should prioritize species with limited distribution data and species of concern to further enhance catalog plan in Shanxi Province. This research can provide fundamental data for updating the Flora of Shanxi and advancing plant diversity conservation strategies within Shanxi Province.

Database/Dataset Profile

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.

Background & Aims: With the development and advancement of artificial intelligence technology, large language models (LLMs), such as Kimi Chat, have begun to play a significant role in biodiversity research. LLMs’s deep learning and natural language processing technologies, augmented by human feedback reinforced learning (RLHF) and proximal policy optimization (PPO), offer new avenues for handling and analyzing large biodiversity data sets.
Progresses: We explore the application of LLMs, taking Kimi Chat as an example, in investigating biodiversity research questions, reviewing literature, designing hypotheses, organizing and analyzing data, and writing research papers, as well as its potential to enhance research efficiency and quality. (1) LLMs can quickly process vast amounts of scientific literature, helping researchers distill key information and swiftly catch up with the latest research trends in specific fields. (2) LLMs can also assist researchers in formulating research hypotheses and designing experimental protocols, thereby providing abundant scientific inspiration, broadening research perspectives, and enhancing the efficiency of the initial stages of research. (3) In terms of research design, LLMs can offer advice on data collection methods, design of experiment, and statistical analyses to ensure the scientific validity and the logic of the research design. (4) LLMs can assist in scientific writing and peer review processes by helping draft scientific papers and providing suggestions for revision and polishing to enhance the quality and readability of the papers, and it also supports researchers in understanding and responding to peer review comments and optimizing the presentation of research findings. We also discuss the challenges and limitations encountered during using LLMs, such as the need for professional judgment, the homogenization of research methods, the accuracy of data and results, and ethical issues. Additionally, we propose strategies for integrating this technology with traditional biodiversity research methods in the future.
Prospects: We demonstrates how LLMs can aid in biodiversity research, thus advancing scientific discovery and ecological conservation strategies.

Background & Aims: Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), widely present in the insect epicuticle, provide significant contributions to many terrestrial insect adaptations. Insect CHCs function primarily in waterproofing, resisting harmful substances, and facilitating chemical communication. Compared to the compositional and functional diversity of CHCs in solitary or subsocial insects, the diversity of social insects offers a valuable source of insights into their unique genetic structure, population composition, and characteristic behavioral patterns.

Progresses: This review characterizes the structures and properties of CHCs that enable particular functions, summarizes their functional diversity, and discusses the influence of both endogenous factors and external elements on the profile variability of CHCs in social insects. Furthermore, potential future research directions are proposed. The CHCs in social insects are regulated through nestmate recognition, caste differentiation, division of labor, social immunity, reproductive state recognition, and inter-specific interactions. Remarkably, some CHCs have been designated for queen pheromones. The CHC profiles of social insects can exhibit remarkable variability to meet the demands of functional differentiation. The synthesis, composition, and content of CHCs in social insects can be influenced by a wide range of internal factors (including gene and hormone levels) as well as extrinsic factors (including diet, gut microbiome, pathogenic organisms, temperature, humidity, ultraviolet radiation, nest materials, etc.).

Prospects: Emerging technologies, such as the quantitative genetic framework, immunohistochemical localization, and fluorescent in situ hybridization, will enable new insights to be obtained into the synthesis, translocation, release, functional diversity, and regulation of CHCs, enhancing our understanding of their role in insect adaptive evolution. The research discussed in this review can provide a theoretical basis for the development of novel technologies to control invasive agroforestry pests.

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.

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.

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.

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: There are 23 targets of Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) from the period up to 2030. China is among the mega biodiversity countries with largest human population and faces a lot of challenges on biodiversity conservation. It is very important to understand current biodiversity conservation status and gaps in order to achieve 2030 mission and 2050 vision. In addition, although forestry and grassland administrations in China (FGAC) are considered as the main body of China biodiversity conservation, especially on in situ conservation, ex situ conservation and trade control, there is no detail analysis about the lawful basis and implementation mechanisms of FGAC for the 23 targets. At the same time, there are many national strategic actions or plans on biodiversity conservation, it is very urgent to propose comments and suggestions on these actions or plans in order to make best usage of limited conservation resources. Here we aim to illustrate current biodiversity conservation status and gaps, lawful basis of FGAC’s duties, and propose our suggestions on Chinese biodiversity conservation on 2030 targets.
Methods: We analyzed the lawful basis and implementation mechanisms of FGAC for the 23 targets of KMGBF, from the aspects of ecosystem conservation, species conservation, genetic resources conservation and biosafety, support measures, and fairness requirements. We analyzed the typical route of implementing framework conventions through synergy among governmental sectors, and discussed four stages, i.e. to determine the whole goals, to identify detail targets, to implement relevant actions or plans, enforcement/supervision/evaluation. We also summarized the biodiversity conservation achievements and shortcomings of FGAC, and provided suggestions for future work.
Results: Our analyses indicated that Chinese government attached high importance on biodiversity conservation. The mandate duties of FGAC well consist with 2030 mission. Many national strategic actions or plans on biodiversity were compiled and implemented by FGAC. Many special conservation measures of FGAC, such as ecological conservation compensation and Forestry-Leader Mechanism, had been established and received huge amount support. The conservation networks have been well established and improving across China. The system of in situ conservation, such as national parks, nature reserves, key habitats of wildlife, has been established and improving across all kinds ecosystem and received strong support from governments, local communities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The system of ex situ conservation, such as national botanical gardens, endangered species conservation and research centers, had been well designed and received strong support from national/provincial/municipal governments and scientists. Bilateral and multilateral international co-operations had launched many achievements and contributed to global biodiversity conservation. Public awareness is improved through wide spread communication. Many endangered species have been well protected and the quality of ecosystems is improved onwards. Inner problems related to biodiversity conservation are analyzed. Suggestions are provided regarding in situ conservation, ex situ conservation, enforcement/supervision/ evaluation, and mainstreaming of biodiversity.
Conclusion: Biodiversity conservation has achieved great outcome and is becoming important part of Chinese government. However, there is high pressure for FGAC to implement relevant conservation actions or plans. We propose to improve biodiversity conservation networks, establish biodiversity monitoring system, enhance enforcement, supervision and evaluation, and mainstream biodiversity concept into Chinese culture.

Background & Aim: Milu (Père David’s deer, Elaphurus davidianus) is a national key protected wild animal. Since its reintroduction in 1980, research on the diet composition of Milu has been a focus of researchers. We summarized the main feeding plants of Milu in the Beijing Milu Ecological Research Center, the Dafeng Milu National Nature Reserve, and the Shishou Milu National Nature Reserve. And we reviewed the common research methods of diet composition for animal including direct observation, utilization method, stomach content analysis, fecal microanalysis, stomach content or fecal DNA analysis and stable isotope technology and compared in terms of temporal scale, diet resolution, diet from the consumed stage, major strengths and major limitations. And, we analyzed the effects of ecological factors such as self-factors, plant nutrients and availability, and human activities on the diet composition of Milu. The analysis of the diet composition of Milu and common diet composition research methods aims to clarify the current progress of Milu diet composition research for promoting ex-situ conservation and natural return of Milu.

Review results: The main food source of Milu is plants. The food selection of Milu is influenced not only by self-factors, but also by the nutrient content and availability of feeding plants and anthropogenic factor. Physiological variation and alteration of energy requirements due to self-factors can influence the diet composition of the deer. Plant nutrients including crude protein, soluble sugars, and fiber are important factors influencing diet composition. Plant availability and anthropogenic factors further influence diet composition by changing food diversity and abundance. The comparative analysis of common diet composition research methods shows that different methods reflect different time scales and food resolutions in resolving diet composition, and there are corresponding advantages and limitations in the face of large endangered ungulates such as Milu.

Perspectives: We recommend that researchers should clarify the purpose and target population of the study. On this basis, researchers should reasonably assess the strengths and limitations of the available research methods, select appropriate sampling and data analysis methods to establish a reasonable diet composition research program. In future studies on the food composition of Milu, should focus on integrating the results of related studies on Milu, using a combination of methods to analyze diet composition, and comprehensively analyzing the food selection mechanism of Milu. This will not only guide the response of Milu to habitat fragmentation, wetland degradation and anthropogenic disturbance during reintroduction, but also further promote the development of Père David’s population and long-term conservation efforts.

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 & Aim: As a significant nitrogen source in many natural terrestrial ecosystems where nitrogen is limited, associations formed by bryophytes and nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria play an essential role in the global nitrogen cycle. Species composition and habitat of bryophyte-cyanobacteria associations result in contrasting nitrogen fixation capacities in different ecosystems. However, the current studies on bryophyte-cyanobacteria associations are predominately conducted in high-latitude ecosystems of the Northern Hemisphere, with few and scattered reports in other ecosystems. Therefore, we summarized the distribution, species composition, cyanobacterial colonization rate, cyanobacterial abundance, and nitrogen fixation potential of reported bryophyte-cyanobacteria associations worldwide, aiming to provide a reference for further study on the diversity and nitrogen fixation capacity of bryophyte- cyanobacteria associations in various ecosystems globally.
Progress: According to our analysis and summarization, a total of 110 bryophyte species from 58 genera in 41 families and more than 26 cyanobacteria species from 17 genera in 9 families, were identified to be involved in bryophyte-cyanobacteria symbiotic associations. The associated bryophyte species varied among diverse ecosystems. For example, Pleurozium schreberi-cyanobacteria associations are dominate in the understory of boreal forests, while Sphagnum spp.-cyanobacteria associations dominate wetland ecosystems. Nostoc species are the dominant cyanobacteria in most ecosystems due to their unique physiological characteristics and strong ecological adaptability. Among different ecosystems the colonization rate, abundance, and nitrogen fixation capacity of cyanobacteria on bryophytes differed significantly. Nitrogen fixation was highest in Arctic tundra ecosystems (1.3-24.6 kg N·ha^-1·yr^-1), followed by boreal forests (0.04-11.53 kg N·ha^-1·yr^-1), and was the lowest in temperate grasslands (0.008-0.124 kg N·ha^-1·yr^-1).
Perspective: We emphasized that the research on species composition and the capacity for nitrogen fixation was quite inadequate. We also highlighted four research perspectives: (1) Employing techniques such as metagenomics and establishing observation and research stations to explore and study the colonization characteristics and nitrogen fixation ability of cyanobacteria associated with bryophytes. (2) Conducting further and systematic research on bryophyte-cyanobacteria associations in all types of ecosystems. (3) Unifying the measurement and estimation methods of nitrogen fixation rate in different ecosystems. (4) Determining the key influencing factors and regulatory pathways of the diversity, distribution, colonization rate, cyanobacteria abundance, and nitrogen fixation rate of bryophyte- cyanobacteria associations.

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.

There are 94 cetacean species worldwide, which represent one of the most enigmatic and threatened groups among mammals. Throughout their transition from land to water, cetaceans have evolved numerous morphological, life history, and ecological traits that enhance their adaptability to aquatic environments. However, a comprehensive global database of cetacean ecological characteristics is still lacking. Our study systematically reviews books, literature, and other data resources to collect and compile cetacean characteristic data, including 15 morphological traits, 12 life-history traits, and 11 ecological traits. Based on the collected data, we quantified the trait completeness for each species and employed phylogenetic linear regression model to explore the factors influencing the ratio of data completeness. The completeness of the morphological traits ranges from 72.15% to 100.00%, life history traits from 17.72% to 100.00%, and ecological traits from 25.32% to 100.00%. The regression analyses showed that species described earlier and inhabiting nearshore habitats tend to exhibit higher data completeness. This dataset provides essential foundational information for research in cetacean ecology, conservation biology, and evolutionary biology. It also serves as a significant platform for data sharing and communication in regional and global cetacean conservation efforts.