Aims: As one of the most prominent highly specialized morphologies evolved in alpine sub-nival plants in Himalayan-Hengduan Mountains, Southwestern China, ‘greenhouse plant’ is characterized by the huge and semi-translucent bracts that cover inflorescence. However, unlike some typical ‘greenhouse plants’, such as Rheum nobile and R. alexandrae (Polyginonaceae) and Saussurea obvallata (Asteraceae) that have their inflorescence covered by bracts throughout the entire growing season, some other plant species, such as S. velutina studied here has their inflorescence covered by bracts in the early part of the growing season only, while in the majority of the growing season, this plant chooses to extrude its inflorescence outside the cover of bracts till fruit maturation. However, the adaptive strategy behind such an alteration in morphology remained largely unknown. 

Methods: In this study we purposely investigated the thermal situation of the inflorescence in S. velutina after it has extruded from the bract covering. Given these bracts gradually changed their colors from green-yellow to deep pink-purple during this period and they are still attached to the inflorescence, we also assessed the optical properties of the deep pink-purple bracts and explored their potential role on attracting pollinators by assessing the visual model of the bracts to bumblebee (Bombus) as compared with bedrock in its natural habitat and the green-colored leaves. In addition, the influence of the deep pink-purple bracts on seed productions was investigated by gently striping these bracts off. 

Results: Our results show that the temperature of inflorescence remains on average 3-5 K (Calvin temperature index, used to indicate the differences of temperature) higher than adjacent air temperature at the same height of the plant individuals (15—20 cm above ground) during both daytime and nighttime, with the greatest deviation (> 20 K) reaching at sunny-days. Under all prevailing weather conditions (sunny, cloudy, rainy), the dark and solid inflorescence exhibits a pronounced heating efficiency (> 40 %) and the buffering capacity of which reached at ca. 100 minutes as compared with air temperature. However, although the deep pink-purple bracts can still exhibit selective filtering (24.4—36 %) of red and infrared wavelength range that are attributed to warming effects, the artificial treatment on inflorescence did not significantly reduce the seed quantity and quality compared with controlled inflorescence with bracts kept their natural morphology. The color distance of Bombus terrestris from the reference of bed rock to bracts (0.09±0.01 CH) was far less than to green leaves (0.22±0.01 CH), likely indicating a small influence of the bracts on pollinator attractions. However, when green leaves were used as reference, the color distance from them to bracts (0.30±0.02 CH) was significantly different from them to B. terrestris, suggesting a function of pollinator attraction of bracts. These seemingly contradictory results call for more in situ observations and experiments, such as examining the impact of bracts on pollination visit rates to unveil the ecological function of these deep pink-purple bracts. 

Conclusion: The warming and buffering effects of the inflorescence of S. velutina was explained by its dark and solid structure. Such a highly specialized morphology is an adaptive strategy of sub-nival plant against the cool climate during the majority of summer monsoon and short period of growing season in their habitat at exceptionally high elevations.

Aims: Pollinator-mediated variation in floral morphology is mostly observed in specialized pollination systems. For widely distributed plants that rely on generalized pollination, it remains unclear how their morphological traits and pollinator assemblages vary along geographical gradients, and their correlations with latitude, longitude and altitude. Our preliminary study has revealed that Dipsacus asper (Dipsacaceae) is widely distributed in southwestern China and exhibits a typical generalized pollination system, making it an ideal material for investigating this question. 

Methods: In this study, we took D. asper as the experimental material and conducted field investigations across 13 wild populations concentrated in Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou provinces. We measured the morphological traits of the plants, compared the morphological characteristics among populations, and calculated the coefficients of variation (CV) within and between populations. Additionally, we observed and recorded the pollinator types in each population and calculated their visitation frequencies. We also measured the body characteristics of the main pollinator bumblebees. Finally, we quantified natural seed set of D. asper across the different populations. 

Results: The results indicate significant variation in the morphological traits of D. asper across different populations. Specifically, the CV were high for leaf and stem traits, whereas inflorescence size showed low variation. D. asper plants from Xiaojin, Jianshi, Yanyuan and Xishui populations exhibited larger inflorescences compared to other populations. The primary pollinators of D. asper included Bombus, Apis, Eristalis and Lepidoptera, with bees serving as key pollinators. Both pollinator composition and visitation frequency varied markedly among populations. The larger-bodied bumblebees as main pollinator for plant in Xiaojin, Jianshi, Yanyuan and Xishui populations. There was no significant correlation between the corolla tube length of D. asper and the proboscis length of widely distributed Bombus friseanus. Plant height, stem, leaf, and inflorescence size of D. asper, as well as the morphological characters of B. friseanus, decreased with increasing elevation and they also varied with longitude and latitude. Plant height and the proboscis length of B. friseanus increased with increasing longitude, while the sizes of stems, leaves, inflorescences, and the abdomen of B. friseanus decreased with increasing longitude. Leaf size, inflorescence size, the thickness of the head and thorax, and the abdomen of B. friseanus increased with increasing latitude, whereas the proboscis length of B. friseanus decreased with increasing latitude. Additionally, the natural seed set of D. asper with different geographical distributions showed an increasing trend with the increase of longitude, a significant decreasing trend with the increase of latitude, and a significant increasing trend with the increase of altitude. 

Conclusion: The morphological traits and its pollinator diversity of widely distributed plant species exhibit significant variation along geographical gradients. This variation may be resulted from the combined effects of plant-pollinator interactions and abiotic environmental factors. Across different geographical environments, plants ensure their reproductive success by adapting floral morphology and utilizing diverse pollinators.

Aims: The black musk deer (Moschus fuscus) is listed as an endangered (EN) species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and is classified as a first-class National Key Protected Wildlife in China. However, prior research has predominantly focused on its taxonomy, morphology, and localized distribution surveys. Meanwhile, understanding the distribution and activity rhythms of sympatric ungulates can help elucidate their niche relationships and coexistence mechanisms. 

Methods: Data were collected from 169 infrared cameras deployed in Gedang, Medog, Southeastern Xizang from April 2023 to June 2025, which systematically monitored the black musk deer and its sympatric ungulate species. 

Results: The results revealed that among the six ungulate species, there were a total of 3,255 independent detections, with the black musk deer detected 202 times, indicating a relatively low relative abundance index (RAI = 3.38). The black musk deer was primarily detected at high elevations > 3,500 m, accounting for 70.30 % of its total solitary independent detections. In contrast, other ungulate species exhibited lower elevation preferences. Himalayan serow (Capricornis thar) and Himalayan takin (Budorcas taxicolor) exhibited wide elevational ranges across high- and low-elevation habitats, whereas red goral (Naemorhedus baileyi), Gongshan muntjac (Muntiacus gongshanensis) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) preferred mid- to low-elevation habitats. The distribution pattern of these species reflects a “vertical stratification” mechanism of habitat-niche partitioning. Seasonal activity patterns revealed that the black musk deer had a higher activity frequency in winter, peaking in January. Meanwhile, the species displayed the lowest lower critical ambient temperature threshold for activity among sympatric ungulates across spring, autumn and winter, and its upper and mean ambient temperatures during activity in all seasons were also the lowest recorded among these species, underscoring its adaptation to alpine-cold environments. Additionally, the black musk deer exhibited a significant nocturnal characteristic, with a night-time relative abundance index (NRAI) as high as 0.98. Daily activity rhythm analysis revealed that the black musk deer began to be active at 17:00 in the evening, with activity frequency increasing until it peaked at 3:00 in the early morning; during the daytime from 10:00 to 16:00, there were virtually no records of black musk deer activity. There was a significant differentiation in the daily activity rhythms between the black musk deer and its sympatric ungulate species, especially with the diurnal wild boar, with an activity overlap index of only 0.14. 

Conclusion: Based on extensive field surveys, this study provided the first detailed insights into the “high elevation + extremely nocturnal” pattern of habitat selection and activity rhythms of the black musk deer population, offering important scientific basis for the conservation and management of the wild population of this species and rare and endangered wild animals in Southeastern Xizang, as well as subsequent research.

Aims: Mountain ungulates are crucial components of forest ecosystems, playing a significant role in sustaining biodiversity and ecological functions. However, understanding of ungulate population dynamics based on systematic long-term monitoring, and their long-term responses to human activities remain limited, especially in areas where large carnivores are absent. This study aims to investigate the interannual changes in site use and the environmental factors influencing the occupancy of common ungulates in a region historically lacking large carnivores. 

Methods: We conducted long-term monitoring by deploying 25 infrared camera grids in Guanba Village, Pingwu County, located in the southern Minshan of Southwest China (2019–2023). We focused on analyzing the interannual changes in site use and the factors affecting the occupancy rate for five common ungulate species: Chinese goral (Naemorhedus griseus), Reeves’s muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), and Takin (Budorcas tibetanus). 

Results: The findings revealed that four of the five monitored ungulate species (excluding wild boar) exhibited an increasing trend in both site use rate and relative abundance index. Notably, the occupancy rate of Takins increased from 0.04 in 2019 to 0.74 in 2023. Model averaging indicated that the impact of human activities varied across species: only Takins were significantly and positively influenced by distance to roads across several years (w = 0.919, 1.000, and 0.522 in respective years), consistently showing a preference for areas further from roads. The key environmental covariates affecting occupancy varied by species and year, suggesting that ungulates flexibly adjust their habitat use in response to shifting environmental resource pressures. 

Conclusions: This study provides a supplement to the population dynamics of ungulates in areas where large carnivores are absent and explores the patterns of environmental factors influencing ungulate occupancy rates. The results offer a scientific basis for the adaptive management of mountain ecosystems in Southwest China.

Aim: In response to the severe challenge of ongoing global biodiversity decline, reintroduction serves as a vital conservation strategy for rescuing endangered species and restoring regional biodiversity. Pre-release acclimation plays an indispensable role in this process, as it prepares captive-bred individuals—which often lack survival experience in the wild—for release. Foodbased enrichment constitutes a core element of such training, primarily by modifying food types and simulating natural foraging environments to enhance animals' adaptability to local food resources. However, research on the dynamic process of food enrichment and its quantitative evaluation remains scarce. To assess the adaptability of the Crested Ibis (Nipponia nippon)to coastal wetland foods and to explore the application of behavioral methods in evaluating the effectiveness of acclimation,this study examined the Crested Ibis undergoing acclimation at the Jiangsu Yancheng Wetland Rare Birds National Nature Reserve. 

Methods: We conducted 37 diet-shifting experiments during July and August 2023. We employed the all-occurrence sampling method to record the diversity of coastal foods consumed and the frequencies of associated behaviors (observing,probing, ingesting). Secondly, we used generalized linear models (GLMs) to analyze foraging behavior, foraging activity, and adaptation time in the diet-shifting experiments. Counts of observing, probing, and ingesting behaviors per round were initially modeled with Poisson regression, switching to negative binomial regression if overdispersion was detected. Normality of daily total foraging mass, foraging proportion, first probing time, and first ingesting time was assessed using the Shapiro–Wilk test. Normally distributed data were analyzed with linear regression, right-skewed data with Gamma regression, and left-skewed data with inverse Gaussian regression. 

Results: The results revealed a clear dietary shift in the Crested Ibis individuals throughout the experiments.Their consumption of coastal foods increased to 78.47%,while their reliance on loach declined progressively, demonstrating a strong potential for adaptation to local wild food resources. Secondly,the behavioral adaptation of the Crested Ibis individuals followed a sequential process of "observing-probing-ingesting". With the progression of the diet-shifting experiments, the frequencies of probing and ingesting behaviors increased significantly (P < 0.001), reflecting the dynamic process of food-based enrichment driving positive adjustments in behavioral structure. Individual adaptability also varied. Less mobile individuals accepted fewer types of coastal food and took longer to first probe and ingest them than more mobile individuals. 

Conclusion: This study, based on behavioral methodologies, revealed the promotive effect of food enrichment on behavioral diversity from a temporal perspective. The findings indicated that scientifically designed food enrichment training can effectively guide positive adjustments in the behavioral organization of captive animals, thereby increasing the diversity of their natural exploratory and functional foraging behaviors. Based on the results, we recommend establishing a full-cycle "acclimation-release-monitoring" food enrichment management protocol in reintroduction practice. Specifically, this entails pre-release systematic diet-shifting training to broaden the food spectrum of endangered species, the establishment of individual behavioral profiles for quality assessment and precise release planning, and the transitional food supplement feeding based on highly adaptive foods after releasing. This study provides crucial theoretical underpinnings and practical support for optimizing reintroduction protocols for the Crested Ibis and other endangered species.

Aim: The selection of nocturnal roosting sites represents a critical aspect of urban birds’ adaptation and survival within anthropogenic environments. While existing studies have predominantly focused on macrohabitat or microhabitat characteristics—such as vegetation characteristics, meteorological factors, and anthropogenic disturbances—few have delved into the three-dimensional structural attributes of branches within tree crowns and their association with avian roost-site selection. A major challenge lies in the efficiency and accuracy limitations of traditional field survey methods in capturing fine-scale crown architecture, even though structural features such as branch diameter and angle are directly linked to the suitability of perching positions. Recent advancements in LiDAR technology offer a novel pathway to overcome this challenge. In particular, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), with its millimeter-level measurement precision and strong penetration capability, now enables the accurate quantification of the three-dimensional configuration of perching branches within tree canopies. As a typical urban-adapted species, crows often form large-scale aggregated roosting groups in cities in winter, triggering human-wildlife conflict issues. To explore the key factors influencing their nocturnal roost selection and verify the feasibility of lidar in the refined research of bird habitats, this study took winter roosting crows in urban Beijing as the focal species and conducted surveys in the main crow aggregation areas within the 6th Ring Road of Beijing from 2023 to 2025. 

Methods: Based on data collected on 18 habitat factors from 36 roosting quadrats and 36 control quadrats, we further employed terrestrial laser scanning to measure four variables for 1,361 roosting branches and 581 control branches. Among the control branches, 349 were from roosting trees and 232 from non-roosting trees. The Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare differences in the 18 habitat factors between roosting and control quadrats. The Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to examine pairwise differences among roosting branches, control branches on roosting trees, and control branches on non-roosting trees. Further, generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) and generalized linear models (GLM) were adopted to identify the key variables affecting crow nocturnal roost selection. 

Results: The results indicated that tree height, crown width, noise levels, and illuminance were significantly higher in roosting quadrats compared to control quadrats. Furthermore, the height, diameter, and length of nocturnal roosting branches were significantly greater than those of both control branch groups, while the branch angle was significantly smaller. Between the two control groups, only branch height showed a significant difference. Analyses using GLMM revealed that tree height, noise levels were key habitat factors affecting nocturnal roost selection. GLM analyses revealed that branch height, branch angle, the quadratic term of branch height, and the interaction between branch diameter and branch length all had significant effects on the nocturnal roosting site selection by crows.

Conclusion: Crows exhibited a clear preference for nocturnal roosting sites characterized by taller trees and higher ambient noise levels. At the branch scale, they selectively perched on branches positioned at greater heights with shallower angles, which were typically either long and moderately thick or short and thick. This study elucidates the nocturnal roosting selection mechanism of crows in urban Beijing and offers a scientific basis for evidence-based urban bird management. Furthermore, it demonstrates the feasibility and distinct advantages of employing LiDAR technology in fine-scale habitat research, highlighting its potential to advance urban ornithological studies.

Aims: The lower reaches of the Lancang River boast a unique habitat and abundant fish resources, making the conservation of its freshwater fish diversity a subject of great concern. Affected by human activities such as hydropower development, the fish community structure in the lower mainstream Lancang River has been undergoing significant changes. In particular, the invasion of alien fish species has increased the ecological risks of the river. 

Methods: From 2023 to 2024, seasonal (dry season and wet season) fish surveys and sampling were conducted in different reaches of the lower mainstream Lancang River, including reservoir reaches, downstream reaches of dams, and natural reaches. The spatiotemporal variation characteristics of the fish community structure, as well as the species, distribution, and invasion risks of alien fish, were analyzed. 

Results: A total of 56 fish species were collected in the lower mainstream Lancang River, belonging to 8 orders, 22 families, and 47 genera, with Cypriniformes being the dominant order. Among the collected species, 4 are endemic to the Lancang River, mainly distributed in the downstream reaches of dams and natural river sections; 25 are alien species, predominantly found in reservoir areas and downstream reaches of dams. Index of relative importance (IRI) analysis revealed that the dominant fish species in reservoir areas and downstream reaches of dams are alien species such as Hemiculter leucisculus, Parachromis managuensis, Coptodon zillii, and Oreochromis niloticus, while the dominant species in natural river sections are native fish including Mystacoleucus marginatus, Sikukia gudgeri, and Poropuntius huangchuchieni. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis revealed significant spatial differences in the fish community structure of the lower mainstream Lancang River. This is mainly attributed to the higher abundance of alien fish in reservoir reaches and the dominance of native fish in natural river sections, while the seasonal differences between the wet season and dry season were relatively small. A separate analysis focusing on alien fish indicated that in terms of catch quantity, Hemiculter leucisculus, Parachromis managuensis, and tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) were the main alien fish species. In terms of spatial distribution, alien fish in the lower mainstream Lancang River were more abundant in reservoir reaches and less abundant in natural reaches. The proportion of their species and quantity in the catch showed a decreasing trend along the longitudinal gradient of the river. The risk assessment of alien fish demonstrated that species such as Coptodon zillii, Oreochromis niloticus, Parachromis managuensis, Hypostomus plecostomus, Oreochromis mossambicus, and Hemiculter leucisculus are high-risk invasive fish species in this region. 

Conclusion: In conclusion, while hydropower development has altered the fish community structure in the lower mainstream Lancang River, it has also created favorable conditions for the invasion of alien fish. To protect the fish resources in this region, differentiated strategies are proposed: priority should be given to the prevention and control of alien fish in reservoir reaches, with a focus on dominant species in terms of quantity and high-risk invasive species; in natural reaches, protected areas for native fish should be established to maintain the living and breeding environments of native fish species.

Aim: This study investigated sawflies communities in the Wuyanling National Nature Reserve, which preserves the most intact mid-subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest in East China. The objectives were to: (1) explore the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of sawfly diversity across different elevations and months; and (2) identify the environmental drivers shaping these diversity patterns. 

Methods: We established four fixed transects along an elevational gradient (categorized as low, lower-mid, mid, and high elevations) within the reserve. Repeated systematic surveys were conducted from March to July in 2023 and 2024 to compile a species checklist and obtain abundance data. 

Results: The results showed that regarding α diversity, sawfly species diversity and richness decreased significantly with increasing elevation (P < 0.05), and sawfly richness was significantly lower in July (P < 0.05), whereas the other diversity indices showed no significant differences among months (P > 0.05). Generalized Additive Model (GAM) results indicated that the response of species richness to elevation was characterized by multiple local peaks and valleys. Mean daily temperature exhibited a significant unimodal relationship with species richness, while humidity showed a weak non-linear effect. There were significant positive linear correlations between air pressure and species richness, as well as between elevation and community evenness. Regarding β diversity, community composition differed significantly across elevation zones and months, and was primarily driven by species turnover processes. Mantel tests revealed that the total variation in community composition and the spatial turnover component were significantly positively correlated with variations in multiple environmental factors, and community similarity decreased significantly with increasing environmental distance. 

Conclusion: This study supplements the regional checklist of sawfly taxa and systematically reveals the spatial distribution patterns of sawfly communities in Mt. Wuyanling. These findings provide essential baseline data for regional insect diversity surveys and offer insights for biodiversity conservation in subtropical mountain ecosystems.

Aims: Pteropods (Mollusca: Gastropoda) play a key role in marine ecosystems and biodiversity, contributing to critical processes such as the marine food web and carbon cycle. However, their diversity and distribution in the South China Sea (SCS) remain poorly understood. To address these gaps and enhance the understanding of their regional biogeography, this study aimed to systematically investigate the species diversity and spatial distribution patterns of pteropods (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in the South China Sea. 

Methods: Zooplankton samples were collected during four cruises across various ecological regions, including estuarine, shelf, basin, and island/reef areas of the South China Sea between 2022 and 2023. Species were identified based on morphological examination using stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Ecological indices, including species richness, Shannon-Wiener diversity index, Pielou evenness index, and dominance index, were calculated to analyze community structure. 

Results: A total of 26 pteropod species belonging to 13 families and 18 genera were identified, including four new records for the South China Sea: Diacavolinia elegans van der Spoel, Bleeker & Kobayasi, 1993, Desmopterus gardineri Tesch, 1910, Notobranchaea tetrabranchiate Bonnevie, 1913, and Cliopsis krohnii Troschel, 1854. Notable regional heterogeneity was observed: the Pearl River Estuary–western shelf area showed the highest species richness (22 species), while the northern island/reef area had the lowest (6 species). Horizontally, coastal areas exhibited higher abundance but lower diversity, whereas open-sea areas showed the reverse pattern. Vertically, pteropods were predominantly concentrated in the 0–200 m layer, with abundance and diversity declining sharply with depth. The composition of dominant species varied markedly among different ecological regions. 

Conclusions: This study updates the species checklist of pteropods in the South China Sea and reveals clear spatial partitioning in their community structure, reflecting adaptations to distinct habitats. The findings provide essential baseline data for understanding regional marine biodiversity and monitoring ecosystem changes in this marginal sea.

Aims: Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are key plant symbionts in terrestrial ecosystems. Investigating the responses of AM fungal communities to precipitation changes and their relationships with vegetation and soil factors is of great theoretical importance for understanding the stability of desert steppe ecosystems. 

Methods: A precipitation manipulation experiment was conducted in Yanchi County, Ningxia, China, from 2019 to 2021 using a completely randomized design. Five precipitation treatments were established: D50 (natural precipitation −50%), D25 (natural precipitation −25%), CK (natural precipitation), I25 (natural precipitation +25%), and I50 (natural precipitation +50%). Based on Illumina high-throughput sequencing combined with Mantel analysis, random forest analysis, and partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM), we examined the effects of altered precipitation regimes on the diversity, richness, and community composition of soil AM fungi in the desert steppe ecosystems and identified their main driving factors. 

Results: Vegetation cover, biomass, and Shannon diversity index of the desert steppe were sensitive to precipitation changes. Compared with CK, the D50 treatment significantly reduced the Shannon, Sobs, ACE, and Chao1 indices of AM fungi by 31.6%, 53.3%, 62.4% and 58.7%, respectively. However, the relative abundances of dominant AM fungal genera did not differ significantly among precipitation treatments. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis indicated that precipitation gradients significantly affected AM fungal community composition. Random forest analyses revealed that plant diversity and cover were the primary determinants of AM fungal diversity, AM fungal richness was mainly regulated by soil pH, and AM fungal community composition was primarily influenced by precipitation and NO₃^–-N. The PLS-PM results further showed that precipitation directly affected AM fungal community composition by altering soil moisture, indirectly increased AM fungal diversity through vegetation communities, and indirectly increased AM fungal richness through changes in soil pH. 

Conclusion: Precipitation changes regulate the coupling relationships between vegetation and soil factors, thereby driving shifts in the diversity, richness and composition of AM fungal communities in desert steppe ecosystems. These findings highlight the sensitive response of the mycorrhizal symbiosis system to precipitation variation and provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying the regulation of desert steppe ecosystems under climate change.

Aims：Mowing and mulching are key physical measures for controlling the invasive plant Spartina alterniflora in coastal wetlands. However, their long-term effects on soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities remain unclear. 

Method：This study investigated soil from Spartina alterniflora-invaded tidal flats in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province. Four treatment combinations were established: removal versus retention of cut Spartina alterniflora residues under mulching conditions, and removal versus retention under non-mulching conditions. Soil physicochemical parameters were measured, and soil bacterial community characteristics were analyzed via amplicon sequencing to examine correlations between bacterial community composition and environmental factors. 

Results：(1) Retaining Spartina alterniflora residues significantly increased soil total nitrogen, total carbon, organic carbon, and available potassium content. (2) Long-term mulching markedly reduced soil bacterial α-diversity, relative abundance of major bacterial phyla and genera, and altered community structure. Under the residue-removal mulching treatment, bacterial Pielou's evenness and Simpson’s diversity indices were significantly lower than in other treatments. Relative abundances of the Campylobacterota phyla and Sulfurovum genera significantly increased under residue-removal mulching. (3) Temperature, total nitrogen, total carbon, organic carbon, and available potassium jointly influenced the abundance of dominant bacteria such as Vibrio and Salinimicrobium, collectively explaining 74.6% of the variation in community structure. 

Conclusion：In summary, mulching after mowing is an effective physical control measure for Spartina alterniflora. However, long-term mulching combined with residue removal significantly reduces soil bacterial community diversity and alters community structure. Therefore, after mowing, a reasonable mulching duration should be established and mowed plant residues retained to avoid substantial negative impacts on soil bacterial community diversity and structure.

Aims: Southwest China is characterized by complex topography, diverse ecological conditions, and abundant indigenous chicken genetic resources. A systematic evaluation of the genetic diversity of local chicken populations in this region, together with potential introgression from exotic commercial breeds, is essential for the conservation and sustainable utilization of these valuable genetic resources. 

Methods: In this study, 21 representative indigenous chicken breeds from Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Tibet, together with commonly used commercial chicken breeds, were investigated. The complete mitochondrial DNA control region (D-loop) was amplified and sequenced, and the resulting sequences were used to assess genetic diversity, haplotype composition, phylogenetic relationships, and potential maternal introgression from commercial breeds. 

Results: A total of 1,146 complete D-loop sequences were obtained. The overall haplotype diversity (Hd) and nucleotide diversity (π) were 0.943 and 0.00699, respectively, indicating a relatively high level of maternal genetic diversity across indigenous chicken populations in Southwest China, although diversity differed among breeds. Tajima’s D values for Daweishan Mini Chicken and Pingwu Red Chicken deviated significantly from neutrality, suggesting possible selection or demographic events. In total, 70 polymorphic sites and 105 haplotypes were identified, which were assigned to seven haplogroups (A, B, C, D, E, F, and G), with haplogroups A, B, and E being dominant. Phylogenetic and median-joining network analyses showed that the haplogroups formed relatively independent lineages, and that the genetic relationships among populations were more closely associated with dominant haplotype composition than with geographic distribution. Several haplotypes were widely shared among breeds and regions, indicating complex historical differentiation and gene flow. All commercial breeds belonged to haplogroup E. Except for Chahua Chicken and Dulong Chicken, all indigenous breeds contained varying proportions of haplogroup E haplotypes and shared core haplotypes with commercial breeds. In several populations, the proportion of haplogroup E was relatively high, suggesting possible maternal introgression from exotic lineages. 

Conclusion: Indigenous chickens in Southwest China still retain abundant maternal genetic variation overall. However, the elevated proportion of haplogroup E in some populations indicates that maternal genetic structure may have been influenced by exogenous commercial lineages. Strengthening the standardized management of conservation populations and carefully regulating the introduction of exotic bloodlines will therefore be important for maintaining genetic diversity and lineage integrity. These findings provide an important molecular genetic basis for the scientific conservation and rational utilization of indigenous chicken resources in Southwest China.

Aims: In the Anthropocene, rapid urban expansion has turned cities into important habitats for many species. However, basic information on wildlife composition and distribution in large cities is often lacking, fragmented, or outdated. As a national central city and the core engine of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou lacks systematic research on its wildlife diversity and habitat distribution. This study aims to systematically compile data on wild terrestrial vertebrates in Guangzhou and identify key habitats to inform conservation planning. 

Methods: Based on field surveys, we collected and integrated data from literature, published monographs, news reports, and citizen science databases. We analyzed potential species distributions using the MaxEnt model and evaluated key wildlife habitats by combining the analytic hierarchy process and entropy weight method. 

Results: (1) A total of 690 species of wild terrestrial vertebrates, belonging to 33 orders and 134 families, were recorded in Guangzhou. Among them, 100 species were newly recorded, such as Amolops hongkongensis, Achalinus spinalis, Grus monacha, and Chimarrogale leander. (2) Animal diversity showed a pattern of higher richness in the east and lower in the west, with hotspots concentrated in the mountainous areas of Conghua in the north, the hilly farmland of Zengcheng in the east, and the wetlands of Nansha in the south. (3) We identified 24 key wildlife habitats covering a total area of 1,299.5 km². The existing protected area network covers approximately 78% of these key habitats, but a 22% gap (308.0 km²) remains, mainly located in northeastern Conghua, southern Nansha, and central Zengcheng. 

Conclusion: This study updates the inventory of wild terrestrial vertebrates and their key habitats in Guangzhou, providing a scientific basis for urban conservation planning and management. It also offers a valuable model for biodiversity inventory, pattern analysis, and conservation research in highly urbanized areas.

Aims: The rapid development of China's distant-water fisheries has exerted significant negative impacts on the marine ecological environment and the survival of marine mammals. Acoustic recognition of marine mammals can facilitate monitoring of their population dynamics and habitat changes, playing a crucial role in ecological monitoring, conservation, and research. To address the challenges of background noise interference and low accuracy in feature extraction and classification of marine mammal vocalizations, this paper proposes a classification method based on an improved spectral subtraction technique combined with Stacking ensemble learning. 

Methods: (1) Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) is utilized to decompose noisy audio signals into multiple frequency bands. Noise-dominant modes are identified using the Pearson correlation coefficient and are subsequently suppressed through targeted spectral subtraction. (2) For feature extraction, a fusion strategy is employed that combines time-domain and frequency-domain statistical features with deep representations extracted from Mel spectrograms via a convolutional neural network (CNN). To enhance class separability and reduce dimensionality, Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) is applied, producing a compact and discriminative feature set. (3) In the classification phase, a Stacking ensemble model is built by integrating five base learners—SVM, KNN, XGBoost, MLP, and GNB—whose predictions are aggregated using LightGBM as the meta-learner. 

Results: Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method significantly enhances classification performance in low-frequency marine mammal sound recognition. The improved spectral subtraction effectively reduces background noise while preserving critical acoustic features. The fusion of Mel-spectrogram deep features with statistical features, followed by LDA dimensionality reduction, produces highly discriminative feature vectors. The Stacking ensemble model, integrating five diverse base learners with LightGBM as the meta-learner, achieves a classification accuracy of 94.78%, surpassing the best-performing individual model by 5.12% and the worst-performing by 9.89%. Additionally, the model exhibits robust performance across imbalanced classes, maintaining high precision and recall even for underrepresented species. 

Conclusion: This study presents an effective framework for low-frequency marine mammal acoustic classification under complex oceanic noise conditions. By integrating VMD-based spectral subtraction for noise suppression, multi-domain feature extraction, and a Stacking ensemble model, the proposed method achieves superior classification accuracy and generalization ability. The results validate that combining domain knowledge in signal processing with ensemble learning strategies can significantly improve the robustness and precision of marine bioacoustic monitoring systems. This approach holds promise for real-time ecological surveillance and conservation applications in noisy marine environments.

Background & Aims: Global biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate. As a widespread and diverse taxonomic group, birds are crucial indicators, and understanding drivers and consequences of their population dynamics is vital for biodiversity conservation. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM), a non-invasive technique with high spatiotemporal resolution, offers a revolutionary tool for large-scale, long-term avian diversity surveys. Despite the rapid development of PAM globally, its application in China is currently hampered by scattered projects, heterogeneous equipment, and inconsistent methodologies. This has resulted in a “data island” dilemma, significantly hindering data integration, comparability, and its use for policy of biodiversity and conservation. This study aims to provide a scientific blueprint and implementation guide for establishing a standardized, networked, and intelligent avian acoustic monitoring system in China. 

Method Results: We systematically reviewed the corresponding urgent needs of PAM in light of the global loss of avian biodiversity. We then compared and analyzed the technical development, network construction, and data-sharing experiences of avian PAM both internationally and domestically, identifying the core challenges China faces due to the lack of unified standards. Drawing on successful international PAM practices, we propose a comprehensive framework of standards suitable for China. This framework covers the entire workflow, from monitoring design and core technical parameters to metadata standards and data processing and analysis. 

Perspectives: Finally, we present a series of actionable recommendations and a strategic roadmap for future implementation. These proposals address multiple facets, including top-level design, national network construction, technological innovation, data sharing mechanisms, and essential policy support, charting a clear course for the future of avian acoustic monitoring in the nation.