Endangered aquatic species face greater survival challenges than their terrestrial counterparts under increasing pressures from global climate change and human activities in marine and freshwater ecosystems. Accurate data on population size, density, distribution, and dynamics are critical for effective conservation, yet traditional field surveys suffer from limitations such as high labor demands, subjective biases, and low efficiency due to the rarity and cryptic nature of these species. Moreover, conventional methods often disturb both target organisms and their habitats. Environmental DNA (eDNA) technology addresses these challenges by detecting species-specific DNA fragments in water samples, enabling non-invasive monitoring of presence, distribution, and abundance. This review examines eDNA applications for tracking endangered aquatic species, including population distribution, abundance, biomass, and life-history traits, while outlining the technical workflow, key steps, and current limitations. The discussion aims to advance both methodological and theoretical frameworks for conserving these vulnerable or endangered species.

Aims: Enhancing the development and effectiveness of natural protected areas (PAs) constitutes a pivotal component of China’s ecological civilization strategy. By systematically integrating multi-faceted conservation features—including ecosystem types, species, ecosystem services, and natural relics—into conservation planning, PA systems can more effectively maintain ecosystem integrity and enhance conservation effectiveness. However, current research on systematic conservation planning that integrates these multi-faceted conservation features remains relatively limited. Therefore, this study aims to implement a comprehensive conservation planning approach by integrating these multi-faceted conservation features. 

Methods: Taking Dali Prefecture as the study area, this study selected six categories of conservation features at multiple facets: Richness of plant and animal conservation species, natural vegetation coverage, coverage of priority conservation vegetation types, key ecosystem services, and natural relics. The entropy method was employed to determine the weights of each category of conservation features. By locking in existing PAs, the systematic conservation planning model Zonation was applied to identify the spatial distribution of potential PAs. 

Results: The results indicate that, based on the 30% area-based conservation target, existing PAs currently covered 8.0% of the total study area, while potential PAs accounted for 22.0%. These potential PAs offered more comprehensive coverage of multi-faceted conservation features, including species, ecosystems, ecosystem services, and natural relics, thereby significantly enhancing the ecological representativeness of existing PAs. Potential PAs were primarily distributed in Yunlong County, the north of Jianchuan County, and Yongping County. Conservation effectiveness could be strengthened through the establishment of new PAs or the expansion of existing ones. 

Conclusion: The potential PAs identified in this study offer more comprehensive coverage of multi-faceted conservation features, thereby enhancing the ecological representativeness of the existing PA network. The planning approach implemented here provides actionable scientific support for optimizing PA systems in Dali Prefecture and other regions.

Aims: To investigate the gut bacterial community structure and diversity of six economically important cyprinid species (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Parabramis pekinensis, Aristichthys nobilis, Culter alburnus, Carassius auratus, Megalobrama amlycephala) in the Nanhai Wetland of Baotou. Specifically, this study aimed to explore correlations between gut bacteria and host growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and dietary niche to provide a theoretical basis for healthy aquaculture and disease prevention. 

Methods: High-throughput sequencing technology was employed to systematically analyze the gut bacteria across six cyprinid fish species. Additionally, we investigated their correlations with host growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and dietary niche. Key methods included: alpha diversity analysis, beta diversity analysis, and community composition analysis. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) was employed to identify significantly differential microbes across groups. Correlation analysis was conducted using redundancy analysis (RDA) and Spearman correlation heatmaps. 

Results: A total of 1,051,137 valid sequences were obtained, which were divided into 11,164 OTUs (Operational Taxonomic Units). Based on the minimum number of reads (45813) of all samples, 11108 OTUs were retained for subsequent statistical analysis, among which these OTUs belonged to 37 phyla and 1,005 genera. Microbial community composition analysis revealed that all six Cyprinidae fish species shared a core gut microbiota, with Pseudomonadota, Fusobacteriota, and Actinomycetota identified as the dominant phyla, while Cetobacterium and Rothia emerged as the dominant genera. The results suggest that Cyprinidae fish share a core gut microbiota, which is likely functionally conserved in processes such as short-chain fatty acid production, vitamin synthesis, and energy metabolism. Nevertheless, significant interspecific divergence was detected. There were significant differences among the gut bacterial structure of the six cyprinid fish species using the methods of principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA), indicating species-specific characteristics, meaning that the gut bacterial communities of different fish species possess unique compositional features. At the phylum level, LEfSe analysis identified significant enrichment of Cyanobacteriota in Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, consistent with its filter-feeding ecological habit in the upper water layer, reflecting host adaptation to specific food sources. At the genus level, 20 significantly differential bacterial genera were identified, such as Methylobacterium_Methylorubrum, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, and Cyanobium sp. PCC 6307 in Hypophthalmichthys molitrix; Plesiomonas in Aristichthys nobilis; and Candidatus_Competibacter in Carassius auratus, all of which are closely associated with host ecological habits. Moreover, the gut bacterial community structure was significantly correlated with host growth performance, antioxidant indicators, and dietary niche using correlation analysis. Specifically, growth-related parameters including condition factor (R^²=0.731, p=0.001), sex (R^²=0.595, p=0.002), age (R^²=0.530, p=0.003), and viscerosomatic index (R^²=0.453, p=0.013) sequentially exerted significant effects on gut bacterial structure, with four key bacterial genera (e.g., Sphingomonas, Algoriphagus, and Acinetobacter) identified as critical correlates. In terms of antioxidant capacity, DPPH radical scavenging activity (R^²=0.700, p=0.001) and H₂O₂ content (R^²=0.690, p=0.001) were the primary determinants of microbial community composition, linked to ten functional genera, including Vibrio, Aeromonas, and Plesiomonas. Meanwhile, six bacterial genera were identified as significantly associated with distinct feeding niches, including  Marivivens, Acinetobacter, and Candidatus_Competibacter, were also identified. 

Conclusion: The results demonstrated that Cyprinidae fish shared a core gut microbiota, which exhibited functional conservation in fundamental metabolic processes, while species-specific bacteria synergistically regulated host nutrient metabolism, oxidative stress responses, and growth-related physiological processes to enhance their adaptation to specific environmental conditions. These findings provide a scientific experimental basis for wetland fish resource management and precision fish farming.

Aims: Ochetobius elongatus is a critically endangered species, which is primarily distributed in the Yangtze River basin and the region south of this river. To investigate morphological variations of O. elongatus, the multivariable morphometrics was used to analyze different populations from the mid-lower Yangtze River. 

Methods: Based on a total 98 specimens collected from five sampling localities including the Yangtze River main stem at Yichang and Jiayu sections, the Han-Jiang main stem at the Qianjiang section, the Dongting and Poyang lakes from May 2022 to November 2024, thirty-three multivariate morphometric parameters of traditional and truss network measurements were integrated for analysis. 

Results: Significant differences were detected in 28 morphological measurements (84.85% of the total) among populations of O. elongatus, with the largest variation in the trunk, followed by the head part., Cluster analysis, calculated on these morphometric measurements, grouped into three distinct clusters: the first one formed by populations of Jiayu and Qianjiang, the second one by the populations of the Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake, and the third one by the Yichang population. A weak but significant positive correlation was observed between geographic distance and morphological variation (r=0.176, P=0.012), suggesting that geographic distance has limited explanatory for the observed morphological variations. Stepwise discriminant analysis revealed a comprehensive discriminant rate of 74.5%, among which the Jiayu population showed the highest accuracy (95.45%), and the Yichang population was the lowest (25%). 

Conclusion: This study highlights significant morphological variations among the five populations of O. elongatus from the mid-lower Yangtze River basin, suggesting that adaptation to heterogeneous habitats may be the primary driver factor for these variations.

Aims: Plant traits serve as a bridge linking plants and their environment. As the basic unit for studying this relationship, functional groups carry key information on responses to environmental changes. Investigating how the composition of plant functional groups and leaf traits vary along resource gradients is crucial for understanding the environmental adaptation strategies of desert plants. 

Methods: This study focused on the Artemisia ordosica communities in the Mu Us Sandy Land including four typical restoration stages: semi-fixed dune (D1), fixed dune (D2), fixed dune with biological soil crusts (D3), fixed dune with abundant herbaceous plants (D4). The plant communities were categorized into three functional groups: grass, non-grass herbs, and shrub. We revealed the species composition of different plant functional groups at each restoration stage, the characteristics of their leaf traits, and the key soil-driven factors, with redundancy analysis (RDA) and variation partitioning. 

Results: As the sand dunes gradually stabilize, the composition of plant functional groups became more complex, and the number of grass and non-grass species showed an increasing trend. However, shrub species showed relatively stable. The leaf traits of plant functional groups during the D1 and D2 stages exhibited higher specific leaf area and lower leaf dry matter content (LDMC), suggesting that plants prioritized investment in leaf morphological development to enhance resource utilization under harsh environmental conditions. Among these, grass had higher LDMC and carbon assimilation capacity, which enhanced their ability to adapt to stressful environments. RDA revealed that soil water content (SWC), soil carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (SC: N), and soil organic carbon content (SOC) significantly influenced the leaf trait assemblages of all three plant functional groups (P < 0.01). Variation partitioning and hierarchical partitioning analysis indicated that nine soil factors explained 18.5% of the total variance in plant leaf traits. The SC: N had the largest individual effect (4.13%), and both SC: N and SWC exhibited co-effects with most other factors. These findings contributed to a deeper understanding of the ecological adaptation strategies of desert plants and provided a theoretical basis for vegetation restoration and management in desert regions.

Aims: Biomass as an important ecological indicator because its critical role in evaluating the function of forest ecosystems. However, the global subtropical forest biotopes are facing fragmentation, currently. We made a thorough inquiry into the influencing mechanism of biomass in evergreen broad-leaved forests, aiming to provide scientific insights for functional restoration of forest ecosystems in subtropical forest. 

Methods: We investigated the subtropical forest located in Wuyishan National Park, Fujian. Based on the inventory data collected in 2018 and 2023 from five 0.48-ha dynamics plot established along elevation gradient, we analyzed the changes of biomass and species composition, the correlation between biomass and influencing factors (biodiversity, structural diversity, leaf functional traits and soil element content) using general linear mixed model. Additionally, using hierarchical partitioning method to seek the dominant factors affecting biomass accumulation. 

Results: (1) Over the five-year period, the total biomass in the research area increased by 62.60 t, with a productivity of 5.22 t·ha⁻¹·a⁻¹. Evergreen species contributed 5.05 t·ha⁻¹·a⁻¹ (96.81%) to this productivity, while deciduous species accounted for 0.17 t·ha⁻¹·a⁻¹ (3.19%). (2) There 25 dominant tree species (importance value greater than 1.00%) were identified, among which Castanopsis faberi, Lithocarpus harlandii, Itea omeiensis, and Eurya rubiginosa var. attenuate exhibited reduced biomass accumulation during the period. (3) The results of linear mixed model revealed that significantly positive correlations (P < 0.05) exist between biomass and both DBH standard deviation and Simpson diversity index. Conversely, significantly negative correlations (P < 0.05) were detected between biomass and both Margalef richness index and Pielou evenness index. (4) The hierarchical partitioning analysis results indicated that structural diversity and biodiversity as primary drivers of biomass accumulation, with leaf functional traits and soil element content had little effect on biomass accumulation. Among all influencing factors, the contribution rate of DBH standard deviation to biomass accumulation was the highest (31.42%), followed by Pielou evenness index (21.79%). 

Conclusion: This investigation explored the correlations between influencing factors and biomass accumulation in the evergreen broad-leaved forests of Wuyishan National Park, emphasizing that structural diversity and biodiversity indices as paramount determinants of biomass accumulation, which can provide actionable silvicultural implications for ecological restoration of subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest ecosystems.

Aims: The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is a powerful international agreement based on an effective permit system. Its decisions, including appendix amendments, resolutions, and recommendations, have a profound impact on global wildlife conservation and trade. The rules of procedure for the Conference of the Parties (CoP), especially its voting mechanisms, are crucial to its decision-making process. This study aims to analyze these rules in detail.

Methods: This paper introduces the principles, evolution, and key controversies of CITES rules of procedure. We analyze voting data for CITES Appendix amendment proposals since CoP10 in 1997 and use key marine species votes as case studies. We then compare CITES voting rules—including voting rights, majority requirements, secret ballots, and debate reopening—with those of other biodiversity-related multilateral agreements.

Results: While other agreements often prefer consensus, CITES’s frequent use of voting allows it to make decisions more quickly. The two-thirds majority requirement for substantive issues makes it difficult for non-allied countries to achieve their goals, strengthening the influence of blocs like the European Union. Although procedural rules like secret ballots and debate reopening can lead to intense negotiations, secret ballots are vital for protecting the interests of small and medium-sized countries. While frequent voting can speed up trade regulation, it may also lead to a lack of financial or technical support, hindering effective implementation and undermining international cooperation.

Conclusion: This paper provides an analysis of negotiation strategies within CITES. We recommend in-depth research into the rules of procedure for all such conventions to better track their evolution and decision-making trends. We also suggest maintaining the secret ballot rule and that early engagement with other parties can help non-allied countries achieve better outcomes. Developing management regulations that are scientific, fair, and effective will contribute to maintaining legal trade, combating illegal trafficking, and conserving global biodiversity.

Aims: This paper aims to discuss the characteristic, research history and developing trend of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Methods: This paper analyzes the significance of carrying out research on the implementation of CITES from the perspectives of strong binding force, high professionalism, effective protection tools, far-reaching impact on international trade, and China's multiple role. The article reviews the progress of CITES-related research in recent years, classifying it into several categories: overview of implementation and introduction to management mechanisms, research on influencing factors and dynamic patterns, research on key issues, and research on relevant legislative thinking, as well as meeting progress. It then introduces the main content of this issue of Biodiversity Sciences from the aspects of historical development, species and technological innovation, and management policies. Results: The article discusses the development trends of CITES, suggesting that there are trends towards expansion to marine and timber species, in-depth participation of NGOs in shaping the development of the convention, increasing attention to law enforcement issues, and continuous advancement of synergy with other conventions. Conclusion: It is proposed that the implementation research should be strengthened from the following aspects in the future: how to incorporate the CITES management concept into domestic management, the decision-making mechanism of the convention, the management system for marine species, and synergy with other conventions and organizations.

Background: The 78th Meeting of the Standing Committee (SC78) is the last standing committee meeting before the 20th Conference of the Parties (CoP20) of CITES, it conducted extensive discussions on the sustainability, legality and traceability of international trade in wild animals and plants, and laid a solid foundation for the CoP 20 and pointed out the direction for the compliance work. SC78 listened to the reports of the Secretariat, Animal Committee, Plant Committee and working groups on the implementation of decisions adopted by CoP19 (Panama, 2022), supervised the progress of the work, and drafted decisions for deliberation by CoP20. 

Perspectives: This article attempts to analyze the conceptual framework and strategy of CITES from the perspective of the Scientific Authority (SA) of Party, mainly focuses on the key topics of SC78, as well as the opinions of Parties, the response of relevant organizations and the decisions finally made by the Standing Committee, try to get a more clear understanding about the CITES scenario, and provide the assistant and suggestion for work related to the implementation of convention.

Aims: Changes in forest types resulting from artificial plantations significantly influence the structure and function of soil animal communities. Collembola constitute a crucial decomposer group within soil ecosystems. Given the substantial variation in body size among Collembola species and the non-linear relationships between body size, body mass, and metabolic rate within Collembola, the main aim of the present study is to evaluate the (dis)similarities in the effects of forest type changes and the physicochemical properties of litterfall on the ‘stock’ functions (density and biomass) and ‘flow’ functions (metabolic rate) of soil Collembola. 

Methods: In this study, five replicate plots were established in each of three forest types—natural secondary Quercus liaotungensis forests, 60-year-old artificially planted Larix principis rupprechtii plantations, and Pinus tabulaeformis plantations. Soil Collembola samples were extracted and identified to morphospecies. Mean body length was measured for each morphospecies, and was then converted to body mass and metabolic rates. The effects of forest type and litter biomass and nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations on the total density, biomass, and metabolic rate, as well as the community weighted means (CWMs) of body length, body mass, and metabolic rate of Collembola were evaluated. 

Results: The results showed that (1) forest type did not significantly affect the total density, total biomass, or total metabolic rate of Collembola communities. However, the density structure, biomass structure, and metabolic structure of Collembola communities in pine plantations differed significantly from those in larch and oak forests; (2) nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations of leaf litters, rather than litter biomass, significantly influenced (positively correlated with) the density, biomass, and metabolic rate of Collembola class and three orders of Collembola; (3) forest type did not significantly affect the CWMs of body length, body mass, or mean metabolic rate, however, it significantly influenced the CWMs of those functions of Entomobryomorpha and Symphypleona. Furthermore, litter biomass and nitrogen/phosphorus concentrations were significantly correlated with the CWMs of body length, body mass, and metabolic rates of certain Collembola orders. 

Conclusion: The study results indicate that sixty-year-old larch plantations exhibited comparable functions of Collembola, such as the structures of density, biomass, and metabolic rates, with natural oak forests on the Dongling Mountain; while pine plantations significantly altered these functions of Collembola, primarily attributable to the low-quality litter (characterized by reduced nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations). The extent to which forest type and leaf litter properties influence density, biomass, and metabolic rate, as well as the CWMs of body length, body mass, and metabolic rates of Collembola vary with Collembola orders. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that forest type and litter properties exert similar effects on the metabolic rate and biomass across three Collembola orders, whereas their impacts on the density of Collembola shows considerable difference. By analyzing differences in the effects of environmental variables on both ‘stock’ functions (e.g., density and biomass) and ‘flow’ functions (e.g., metabolic rate) at both the class and order levels of Collembola, this study provides a novel perspective for systematically investigating how environmental changes influence the ecological functions of soil animal communities.

Background: Trees play an irreplaceable ecological, economic, and cultural role in global terrestrial ecosystems, yet their survival faces multiple threats, including deforestation, habitat destruction, and climate change, with illegal and unsustainable international trade being one of the major drivers. 

Review Results: Since its entry into force in 1975, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has expanded the number of regulated tree species from 18 to around 690. Through Appendix amendments, annotation management, and the implementation of resolutions and decisions, CITES has strengthened the regulation of international trade in tree species, while the CITES Tree Species Programme (CTSP) has supported Parties in enhancing their capacity for management, enforcement, and monitoring. This paper systematically reviews the listing history of tree species in the CITES Appendices and changes in related annotations, outlines effective resolutions and decisions concerning trees adopted after CoP19, and evaluates the outcomes of the CTSP in species conservation, capacity building, trade regulation, and knowledge sharing. It also identifies limitations in terms of regional distribution, funding allocation, insufficient baseline data, and inadequate evaluation mechanisms. The study finds that current challenges to CITES implementation for tree species include insufficient scientific basis for Appendix amendments, weak source-country regulation, and technical bottlenecks in species identification and origin tracing. 

Recommendations: Given China’s role as one of the world’s largest timber importers, this paper proposes measures to strengthen import and export supervision, enhance implementation capacity, and deepen international cooperation, aiming to promote the effective conservation and sustainable use of tree species both in China and globally. The findings provide a reference for optimizing future CITES management strategies for tree species, improving implementation capacity, and advancing global forest biodiversity conservation.

Background: The unique regulatory structure of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) determines its important role in the international cooperation process for endangered species conservation. Trade control and corresponding sanctions centered around species in Appendices, making their inclusion or removal critical. The volume and passage rate of proposals to amend the Appendices can be one of the important indicators of each party's influence in this field.

Main Content: This paper is based on proposals for Appendices amendment presented during the third to the nineteenth Conference of the Parties (CoP) of CITES, and it focuses on the differences in proposal submitting and proposal passage rate of down-listing animals between developed and developing parties. Developed parties had more influence on CITES decisions, which may bring dilemmas to local conservation schemes of developing parties. The voting results of the Conference of the Parties show a tendency to tighten or maintain trade restrictions in cases involving "charming species". Based on the cases of giraffe and African elephant, the author analyzed the two reasons of tighten regulatory trend of voting, i.e. the differences in the status of species and the capacity for management in various countries, as well as the underlying interest games.

Conclusion: The influence of developed parties apparently higher than developing parties on Appendix proposals, such unequal distribution of influence is closely related to the voting scheme, i.e. one country one vote. This paper briefly introduced the recent discussion of the Conference of the Parties on improving the “one country one vote” mechanism. The paper provides insights and references for China and other species range states to participate in the negotiation of relevant issues of CITES.