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 & Aim: As apex carnivores, tigers (Panthera tigris) and leopards (P. pardus) play critical roles in maintaining the structural and functional stability of Asian forest ecosystems. The populations and ranges of these two felids have declined due to human disturbance. To mitigate anthropogenic threats to endangered species in these ecosystems, it is essential that we understand how tigers and leopards interact. Although competition between tigers and leopards has been studied for several decades, most studies have taken place in the famous reserves like Nagarahole National Park and Chitwan National Park in South Asia, so it is unknown how their interactions differ elsewhere in their overlapping range. Here, we review 36 previous papers on competitive interactions between the two big cats from 1976 to 2021. We summarize the nature of both interference and exploitation competition between tigers and leopards in their current overlapping range, as well as how prey and human disturbance shapes this competition.
Review Results: We found that the most important factors affecting tiger-leopard competition and coexistence included species richness at various size classes of prey and also the spatial distribution of human disturbance. Local habitat, prey composition, and disturbance factors affect tiger-leopard interactions by shaping the trade-off between ecological opportunities (e.g., easy prey) and the risk of escalating conflict with humans and other competitors across spatial, temporal, and dietary niches.
Perspectives: There is currently a significant regional bias in the study of tiger-leopard competition and coexistence, with most research focusing on the overlapping range in South Asia and neglecting these in Northeast and Southeast Asia. To more fully understand how tigers and leopards interact, future research should occur longitudinally throughout their shared range, with a focus on multiple ecological niches and fine spatial scales. Research on the biotic and abiotic factors affecting tiger-leopard competition should aim to identify their ecological thresholds and the regulation mechanisms by which these factors affect the intensity and types of competition.

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.

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.

Aims: Freshwater and estuarial fish remains recovered from archaeological sites are critical data for exploring the historical distribution of extant fish species. In this paper, records of freshwater and estuarial fish archaeological remains in China from the Neolithic Age to the Ming Dynasty will be studied to reveal the historical distribution of relevant extant species.

Methods: We conducted a taxon-distribution matrix based on freshwater and estuarial fish archaeological remains from 101 sites (or site clusters) in China. The historical distributions of the identified fish species were reconstructed and compared with their extant distributions. The reasons for the changes in the distribution of species historically compared to present distributions were discussed.

Results: A total of 72 taxa of freshwater and estuarial fish remains from 8 orders and 12 families were recorded, of which Cypriniformes was the largest order with 43 taxa. Forty-two taxa had been identified as extant species, of which Cyprinus carpio and Mylopharyngodon piceus were the most frequently recorded species (both were recorded in 46 sites). Of these 101 studied sites, 68 sites belong to the Neolithic Age and a total of 60 fish taxa were recorded. The Yangtze River Basin had the largest number of identified taxa (55), followed by the Huai River Basin (24), and the Amur River Basin (22). In contrast, there was only one taxon recorded in the South Rivers Basin, the Southwest Rivers Basin and the Taiwan Island Rivers Basin. The following eight species had been recorded at least once outside their extant distribution range: Ctenopharyngodon idella, Mylopharyngodon piceus, Megalobrama amblycephala, Carassioides acuminatus, Cyprinus longzhouensis, Aristichthys nobilis, Monopterus albus, and Lateolabrax japonicas. Except for the first two species, the remaining species had been recorded at least once farther north of their extant distribution range.

Conclusions: The geographical patterns of freshwater and estuarial fish fauna since the Neolithic Age in China were largely consistent with the current patterns. However, a few species displayed a historical distribution pattern wider than that of their present distribution range. This may be because the paleo-climate where these species unearthed was warmer than today, or because the subsequent changes in climate or water system have narrowed the distribution range of those fish species.

Background and Aims: Climate change and biodiversity loss are two major changes that human society is experiencing. Climate change affects all aspects of biodiversity and is a major driver of biodiversity loss; in turn, biodiversity loss exacerbates climate change. Therefore, halting or even reversing climate change and biodiversity loss is a global issue that needs to be addressed by human society. However, we lack a clear understanding of the complex relationships and feedback mechanisms between climate change and biodiversity. Here, we summarize the research on climate and biodiversity change in the last decade by focusing on studies investigating the responses and feedback of biodiversity to climate change at different organizational levels, spatial scales, and diversity dimensions.
Progress: Our results showed that most studies focus on the direct impacts of climate change on biodiversity, involving different organizational levels and dimensions and trophic levels of biodiversity. Studies on the indirect impacts of climate change were rare, and we suggested that mechanistic studies need to be strengthened. The mechanisms and quantification of the effects of biodiversity on ecosystem multifunctionality were challenges for current research. There was no consensus on how biodiversity contributes to ecosystem response to climate change; the positive and negative feedback effects of biodiversity in the context of climate change were a blind spot in domestic and international research.
Prospects: The future direction and key scientific issues that need to be solved in the field of climate change and biodiversity change are numerous. We identify 4 main areas of future research: understanding (1) the impacts of multi-factor climate change on biodiversity, (2) how mitigation and adaptation measures to climate change can benefit biodiversity conservation, (3) how the theory of biodiversity and ecosystem function can be applied to the real-world ecosystems and (4) what is the contribution of biodiversity conservation to carbon neutrality goals.

Background: Bio-inventory practices, including discovering and describing species, establishing reliable biological classification systems, compiling authoritative and timely species catalogues, and digitizing and sharing biodiversity information, are of great significance for biodiversity studies, biodiversity resource management, science-based policy-making, and social and economic development.
Review results: In this article, based on a comprehensive review on literature and public databases, we summarize the progress of bio-inventory work on vertebrates, insects and other invertebrates, plants, and fungi in China in recent years. We also share perspectives for future bio-inventory work. Available data show that in China there are at least 698 recorded mammal species, 1,450 bird species, 586 reptile species, 611 amphibian species, 1,591 freshwater fish species, 38,493 higher plant species (including 35,379 vascular plant species), and about 27,900 fungi species, but there are no species catalogues for all Chinese insects and other invertebrates. In the last decade, 5 new families, 86 new genera, 2,090 new species and 374 new records of vascular plants, and 4,679 new fungi species belonging to 36 classes, 140 orders, 438 families and 1,372 genera, have been reported in China.
Perspectives: Bio-inventory is growing in importance at the global and regional levels, and encouraging progress has been made in this field in China. However, new species descriptions for invertebrates and fungi, catalogues of many organismal groups, and digitization and integration of biodiversity information are especially needed in future research.

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: China possess a high marine biodiversity. Under global climate changes, studies on marine biodiversity changes in Chinese waters grow rapidly. Over the last decade, Chinese scientists made great progress on studies of marine biodiversity in China.
Review Results: In this paper we summarized the significant progresses made on studies of marine biodiversity in China at the genetic, species, and ecosystem levels over the last decade and conducted a bibliometric analysis by using the VOSviewer software. The results showed that scientists in China had found new species through use of more accurate and rapid classification methods or tools, like molecular detections, flow cytometry, and other new techniques. Within the framework of multidisciplinary integration, biodiversity and the environmental was considered holistically, which will provide more accurate data for the restoration of marine ecosystems in future. At present, the study of Chinese scientists on marine biodiversity is still on the step of catching up the cutting edge, while we already made a obviously progress in some new hotspots, such as deep sea, seamounts, and some extreme environmental marine biodiversity studies. The discovery of new taxon had constantly updated the original knowledges, and made a great progress in the monitoring of typical marine ecosystems and the remediation of some invasive species. Due to the high biodiversity and complete monitoring data in China’s offshore waters, it is necessary to carry out more comprehensive marine ecological models to analyze and study these integrated spatial-temporal data. By exploring the biodiversity changes and their interaction under the multiple stresses, this provides the helps for optimizing the conservation and management of marine biodiversity in China sea waters.

Aim: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN Red List) has become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus and plant species, a critical indicator of the health of biodiversity and a powerful tool to catalyse action for biodiversity conservation and policy decision. The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively introduce the development and application of the IUCN Red List, to promote Chinese species assessment and wide application in China.
Review Results: (1) The history of the IUCN Red List. During the phase of Red Data Book of Endangered Species, it was largely dependent on individual experts’ personal judgement to make decisions on threatened categories. From 1991, the criteria gradually became quantified and unified for all taxon groups. Since IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1 published in 2001, the categories and criteria has been kept stable and become widely applied around the world. Until now, more than 140,000 species (among them, 10,846 species are distributed in China) have been evaluated at the global level, over 55,000 species evaluated at China country level, and over 100 countries/regions have developed their regional/national Red List.
(2) Global criteria and assessment. The category system covers all species in the world, among which, three categories regarded as “threatened”, i.e., Critical Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN) or Vulnerable (VU), must be evaluated by the five set of criteria. The current global level assessment work is mainly completed by the IUCN Species Survival Committee (SSC) and its partners, and there are strict requirements for the assessment.
(3) National and regional criteria and applications. Compared with the global application, the category and criteria are applicable to regional applications, only the assessment results should be adjusted if the species population communicates with neighboring regions (or countries).
(4) Assessment status of China Red List. The first comprehensive assessment began in 2000 for 10,211 species, and the China Red List of Species was published in 2004. The second comprehensive assessment began in 2008, and the official release began in 2013. By the end of 2021, over 55,000 species assessments were completed, including all terrestrial vertebrates and higher plants, some marine fishes, invertebrates, and large fungi. Yunnan Province has issued the first provincial red list.
(5) Application of the Red List. The application of Red List continues to grow rapidly, both globally and in China. The Red List Index is used to measure biodiversity changes over time. The Red List is also applied for decision-making on species conservation priorities and key priority conservation areas, implementation of international conventions, formulating (revising) key protected species list of countries (regions) and protected area management and effective allocation of resources and public awareness raising.
(6) Major discussions on Red List application. Since the publication of the Categories and Criteria, major discussions are on the methodology of obtaining data. While a few experts believe that some criteria are flawed and need to be improved, and some others calls for maintaining a long-term relative stable of criteria for comparisons over time.
(7) Recommendations on sustainable mechanism and application in China. We recommend to establish China Red List Committee, develop a professional website for China Red List, build capacity of Red List assessors, establish mechanism for receiving and reviewing assessment reports, and strengthen international cooperation to promote application and development of global and China Red List.

Background: Research techniques in molecular biology, cell biology, microbiology and genetics have been accelerated by rapid development of modern genomic technologies. These advances have rapidly evolved the field of biodiversity research, once a branch of natural history focusing on morphology, into an integrated life science. Modern biodiversity studies can now investigate and link element of ecological systems, the species within them, and their genetic diversity. DNA related technologies, among other omics techniques, have continued to develop and launch new sequencing platforms, leading to a reduction of DNA sequencing costs that has already outstripped Moore’s Law, which also facilitates a series of breakthroughs in the research fields of biodiversity.
Prospects: Here, we introduce emerging trends in DNA-based omics techniques applied in biodiversity research, including species-level genomics as well as genetic diversity and community-levels species diversity. The former includes genomes obtained based on single individuals and genetic diversity of focal populations in both spatial and temporal dimensions, while the latter includes molecular identification approaches, such as metabarcoding, eDNA, iDNA etc. These new methods can be applied in biodiversity estimation for various communities, as well as in monitoring and conservation of flagship species and interspecific interactions.

Background & Aims: The establishment of protected areas (PAs) is one of the most important measures to protect biodiversity. Generally speaking, recent studies on biodiversity conservation in PAs have focused on key ecosystems and rare and endangered species, and explored the status and changes of these conservation objects. There have been a series of scientific debates on issues such as the number and size of PAs, how many important ecosystems and species can be protected in PAs, and whether PAs effectively protect biodiversity. However, there are still few systematic reviews of the above-mentioned research issues; thus, this paper systematically covers research progress in these fields in recent years, from the spatial layout of PAs and their relationship to the distribution of biodiversity, to biodiversity change and the conservation-effectiveness of PAs.
Advances: Studies on the spatial layout of PAs and biodiversity distribution generally focused the status of biodiversity, mainly investigating topics we label as “how much is enough?”, “representativeness and conservation gaps”, and “where to protect?”. Based on the analysis of biodiversity changes in PAs, scholars from different countries have conducted substantial research on conservation-effectiveness assessment at the global, national, and individual-PA scale, and gradually developed a method of pairwise analysis inside and outside of PAs to improve the accuracy of assessments.
Prospects: We conclude by proposing a potential future studies on biodiversity conservation in PAs, which mainly include: (1) Integrating studies on conservation status and biodiversity change in PAs; (2) Studying the optimal spatial layout of PAs under multi objectives; (3) Strengthening the identification, investigation, and monitoring of major conservation objects in PAs; (4) Improving the quality and connectivity of PAs; and (5) Exploring the relationship between management measures and conservation effectiveness of PAs. We hope this paper can provide a reference for the formulation and implementation of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, especially in the construction and optimization of PAs in the next 10 years.

Aim: We aim to provide an updated species checklist for extant, native amphibians and reptiles of Fujian Province, China, to meet the conservation needs of the province by integrating previous modifications in herpetological taxonomy and nomenclature, as well as incorporating discoveries of newly recorded or resurrected species.

Methods: The updated species checklist was revised based on the results of 125 sample grids uniformly distributed across Fujian, and an extensive review of the literature up to December 2021. We incorporated any newly-recorded or resurrected species from the literature, excluding historical records that were misidentified or otherwise questioned, and updating scientific names and Chinese common names.

Results: Compared to previous checklists, we added 22 species, excluded 8 previously recorded species, and renamed 64 species. The updated species checklist contained 55 amphibian species, belonging to 29 genera across 9 families and 2 orders, and 126 reptile species, belonging to 72 genera in 25 families and 2 orders. Among them, 4 amphibians and 2 reptiles were endemic to Fujian. Additionally, Fujian represented the type locality of 24 amphibians and 18 reptiles. Six reptiles were listed as national first-class protected wild animals in China. Five amphibians and 25 reptiles were listed as national second-class protected wild animals. Ten amphibians were assessed as threatened species by China’s Red List of Biodiversity, with two Critically Endangered, one Endangered and seven Vulnerable (accounting for 3.64%, 1.82% and 12.73% of the amphibian species in Fujian, respectively); 41 reptiles were assessed as threatened species, with 11 Critically Endangered, 15 Endangered and 15 Vulnerable (accounting for 8.73%, 11.90% and 11.90% of the reptile species in Fujian, respectively).

Conclusions: By validating each species and assessing their threatened and protected status, this study provides up-to-date information for future biodiversity research and conservation in Fujian Province.

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.

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.

Background & Aim: The tiger (Panthera tigris) may be the most charismatic and well-recognized flagship species in the world. As an ecological umbrella species and apex predator, the species symbolizes the well-being of the forest ecosystem. Tigers have lost 93% of their historical range and are experiencing rapid population declines. To enact effective conservation, it is important to understand the ecology and natural history of this globally endangered species. In this paper, we review previous articles related to tiger ecology and conservation research, summarizing the population dynamics and major conservation challenges in Asia in order to outline the actions required to conserve tigers and their ecosystems.
Review Results: We found that, while overall research about tigers was increasing, efforts focused primarily on the subspecies with the most remaining range (e.g., P. t. tigris and P. t. altaica) and neglected subspecies requiring urgent attention. Tiger population has increased over the past decade, with estimates increasing from 3,200 to 4,500 during 2010-2021. However, stressors such as habitat fragmentation and loss, hunting of tigers and their prey, illegal trade, and human-tiger conflicts have isolated wild tigers in small populations across their ancestral range. Isolation, small territories, and disease further threaten the extant subspecies.
Perspectives: We suggest that establishing a long-term monitoring network is critical for the conservation of tigers. To achieve the goal of a large tiger meta-population across Asia we recommend extensive land use planning, restoring native ungulates, reducing anthropogenic disturbances, improving connectivity of tiger habitats, controlling disease, and extensive cooperation across territories. In landscapes lacking breeding females, we also recommend reintroduction of tigers as a means of increasing recovery speeds.

Aims: Understanding the distribution and drivers of soil fauna diversity as well as their ecological functions have become areas of cutting-edge research in modern geoscience and ecology. Here, we briefly introduce the latest progress in this field, discuss present research limitations and uncertainties, and offer promising research directions in future studies of soil fauna.
Progresses: Many studies have described the global distribution of representative soil fauna taxa diversity and abundance, such as that of earthworms. Research on soil fauna distribution and ecological function in China has also flourished with many large scale, intensive sampling studies in the past 10 years (especially for earthworms and nematodes). Based on a literature review, we observed that there were two main distribution patterns of soil fauna diversity across latitudes. Diversity was found to be highest either at low-latitude tropical zones or at mid-latitude temperate zones; while changes in soil fauna abundance and diversity can be consistent, non-related, totally different, and even opposite. Precipitation, plant productivity and soil organic matter were the critical drivers of soil fauna distribution, but their influences varied with soil faunal taxon. The major ecological functions of soil fauna include improving soil physical structure, facilitating nutrient cycling and organic carbon stabilization, and enhancing plant health. The concept of multifunctionality of soil fauna has been proposed by soil ecologist to fully measure these multi-dimensional ecological functions, but it still faces many challenges.
Prospect: The drivers of soil fauna distribution are not simply predicted from the variation pattern of soil faunal community characteristics across latitudes, longitudes or altitudes. Rather, we suggest that drivers of the soil fauna distribution should be explored within a multi-dimensional spatial-temporal framework based on a combination of geological and ecological history as well as “latitude & longitude-altitude-distance to coast”. The distribution pattern of soil fauna may critically influence their potential ecological functions; however, the prediction and simulation of soil fauna distribution mainly relied on data-driven empirical models, and the results were not conclusive. Thus, the application of theories such as metabolic ecology deserves more attention. Research on the relationship between soil fauna diversity and function is in the preliminary stages; focusing on functional diversity and exploring the redundancy mechanism of taxonomic diversity could link soil fauna diversity and function. We propose to understand soil fauna diversity and function under specific condition of space and time, as well as the context of the whole soil food web and its connection with plants. There are two promising directions for further research: (1) illustrating the large uncertainties that human activity and climate change may bring to soil fauna studies; (2) developing precision manipulation approaches of soil fauna community to ultimately link soil fauna multifunctionality with human well-being.

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.

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.