Ecological Indicators最新文献

{"title":"A health-service-risk framework for evaluating ecological carrying capacity in arid inland river basins: A case study of the Tarim River Basin","authors":"Rongqin Yang,&nbsp;Zhenxia Mu,&nbsp;Zilong Li,&nbsp;Xiaoyan Qiu,&nbsp;Jing Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113427","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113427","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ecological carrying capacity (ECC) serves as a crucial indicator for evaluating the potential of regional ecosystems and informing sustainable development strategies. However, existing research on arid inland river basins often lacks a comprehensive and integrated assessment framework. Therefore, this study proposes a novel ECC evaluation framework based on ecosystem sustainability, incorporating ecosystem health (EH), ecosystem service (ES), and ecological risk (ER). Using the Tarim River Basin (TRB) as a case study, the ecological environmental quality index (EEQI) was introduced to validate the reliability of the assessment results, while spatial correlation analysis was employed to confirm the necessity of the framework. The independent and joint effects of the drivers on ECC were analyzed using the optimal-parameter Geodetector model. The results showed that spatial clustering characteristics such as “low carrying-high health” and “low carrying-high service” exist in the TRB. Healthy ecosystems and those providing multiple services are not necessarily capable of carrying, highlighting the need for a comprehensive evaluation of ECC that combines EH, ES, and ER. The ECC evaluation, based on the “health-service-risk” framework, was significantly correlated with the EEQI (correlation coefficient = 0.694–0.770, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), indicating that the evaluation results were reliable and accurately reflected the actual status of ECC in the TRB. The overall ECC of the TRB is minimal, with regions of low and medium carrying capacity constituting over 76.83 % of the total area. The ECC condition of the TRB gradually improved from 2000 to 2020, with areas of increased carrying capacity averaging about 16.79 % of the total area in each period. The improvements were most evident in mountainous regions. The joint effects of several factors significantly affect ECC more than the independent effects of individual components. Notably, land use intensity and landscape factors increasingly influence ECC status. This study not only provides a valuable reference for the ecological conservation, restoration, and sustainable regional development of the TRB, but also offers a robust framework for ECC assessment in other arid inland river basins.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113427"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143746485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changes in future drought characteristics in the Ili River Basin, China, using the new comprehensive standardized drought index","authors":"Zilong Li ,&nbsp;Zhenxia Mu ,&nbsp;Xiaoyan Qiu ,&nbsp;Jing Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113412","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113412","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The construction of a comprehensive drought index and the evaluation of future drought characteristics are important for drought management decisions. In this study, we constructed a new comprehensive drought index (SWCI) that can comprehensively characterize the meteorological-hydrological-agricultural drought characteristics based on the hydro-meteorological factors (precipitation, evapotranspiration, soil water, surface runoff, and underground runoff, etc.) simulated by the VIC model coupled with the CMIP6 GCMs, and by using the D-Vine Copula function. Then, we applied the SWCI index to the Ili River Basin (IRB) and analyzed the change characteristics of comprehensive drought in the study area under the future climate change scenario. The results show that: (1) The spatial downscaling effects of CMIP6 and the runoff simulation effect of the VIC model were better during the historical period (1961–2014), which can provide reliable runoff and hydro-meteorological prognosis data, (2) The SWCI index comprehensively considers the hydro-meteorological factors closely related to the occurrence and evolution of drought, and can monitor the occurrence and development process of drought well. It can comprehensively describe drought characteristics from meteorological, hydrological, and agricultural perspectives, (3) The comprehensive drought intensity and duration decreased in the eastern basin (IRB1) under the SSP1-2.6 scenario. In contrast, the intensity and duration of the whole basin increased under the SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios, with an average increase of at least 7.40 %, 2.14 %, and 13.78 %, respectively, and (4) The drought return period showed significant differences. In the historical period, the return period of moderate and above drought events (S &gt; 1, P &gt; 1, D &gt; 3) in the IRB was longer. In the future period (2025–2078), the drought return period with S &gt; 1, P &gt; 1 and D &gt; 3 was shorter than that in the historical period, with the greatest reduction in the southern (IRB2) and western (IRB3) of basin. Our results suggest that the comprehensive drought risk in the Ili River Basin will increase during the mid-21st century, and relevant defense preparations should be made for high-risk regions (IRB2 and IRB3).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113412"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143746487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fish diversity assessment and semi-quantitative biomass estimation through metabarcoding of environmental DNA","authors":"Yassine Kasmi ,&nbsp;Ismael Núñez-Riboni ,&nbsp;Tina Blancke ,&nbsp;Benita Möckel ,&nbsp;Matthias Bernreuther ,&nbsp;Christoph Stransky ,&nbsp;Reinhold Hanel","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113406","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113406","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A sustainable management of marine fisheries resources requires the continuous development and adaptation of monitoring and tracking techniques, both in terms of species diversity and abundance. In order to find alternatives to common invasive catch-based biodiversity assessments, we tested a fish-specific environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding approach, targeting the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene. Analysis of 64 seawater and sediment samples revealed a high detectability of fish DNA in the North Sea, with more reliable results in water compared to sediment samples. Species diversity assessments overlapped by 81 % between eDNA and bottom trawl catch analyses, with more than 32 % of the species detected only by eDNA compared to bottom trawling as reference value (100 %).</div><div>With regard to quantitative biomass estimates for common dab (<em>Limanda limanda)</em>, the eDNA-based estimates revealed similar results as compared to bottom-trawl catches. Modelling of trawl outputs as a function of read counts and sampling depth yielded up to 70% correlation between the model and the observed data for common dab.</div><div>The outcomes of this study again highlight the potential of eDNA for marine biodiversity monitoring, not only for presence/absence assignments of species, but also for biomass estimates, with a high degree of reliability as compared to reference methods. The model reveals the importance of including environmental data to correct the bias linked to the persistence of eDNA in seawater.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113406"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143746488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A framework for large-scale analyses of ecosystem health and its driving factors in complex underlying basins","authors":"Chunhua He ,&nbsp;Zezhong Zhang ,&nbsp;Changsen Zhao ,&nbsp;Qingqing Qi ,&nbsp;Yanqing Lian ,&nbsp;Guoqing Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113424","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113424","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Global climate change and biodiversity loss has accelerated ecosystem degradation. Comprehensive assessing and monitoring global ecosystem health is the basis for ecosystem restoration and climate adaptation. However, the previous indicator systems are complex and subjective, making them difficult to be applied in large-scale complex subsurface basins, hinding effective assessment and monitoring on global ecosystems. To this end, this paper constructs a new ecosystem health evaluation framework based on landscape pattern indicators and Condition-Vitality-Organization-Resilience (CVOR) model, applicable to large-scale complex subsurface watersheds, based on which the key factors driving the spatial and temporal evolution of health status are identified. Coupling the landscape pattern with the CVOR model greatly reduced data requirement, and can effectively handle large-scale ecosystem issues. It overcomes the limitations of the traditional indicator system in terms of spatial adaptability and ensures the consistency of comparisons between different indicators and model results of high-resolution landscape distribution data. Using high-resolution landscape distribution data dramatically reduced the errors caused by subjective judgment and improve the objectivity and accuracy of the assessment. Application to the Yellow River water conservation area in China shows that the health status was in the state of warning from 1990 to 1994, and the health status was in the state of unhealthy from 1995 to 2021. The greatest influence on health status was landscape separation (DIVISION, Pearson correlation coefficient 0.91), followed by the patch shape indicators (LSI, −0.90). Grassland and cropland, which are the largest landscape types in the areas, are gradually decreasing, with overgrazing, reforestation and urbanization being the main reasons. The decline was more pronounced in the western plateau areas than in the eastern plains, while the southwestern part showed significant improvement. The connectivity between patches of various landscape types has been enhanced, and the water conservation capacity has been continuously improved. The methodology and results of this study can provide a scientific basis for ecological restoration in the Yellow River Basin. It can also provide reference and guidance for other regions across the world to cope with climate change and biodiversity loss indued problems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113424"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143746348","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A social-ecological-technological vulnerability approach for assessing urban hydrological risks","authors":"S. Khromova ,&nbsp;G. Villalba Méndez ,&nbsp;M.J. Eckelman ,&nbsp;P. Herreros-Cantis ,&nbsp;J. Langemeyer","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113334","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113334","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the context of urban population growth and climate change, and ever greater number of people are anticipated to face severe risks associated with extreme climate events; major ones are due to stormwater-related hazards. This study offers novel understanding of the complex nature of water-related risks in urban geographies by employing a Social-Ecological-Technological Systems (SETS) framework to assess vulnerabilities. Hydrology-informed urban risk index was developed, quantifying seventeen indicators from historical and modeled data on sewer overflow and flood events. The spatially explicit SETS-based approach identifies high-risk communities and hotspots where multiple vulnerabilities intersect and can serve as a valuable tool for guiding policy and decision-making to support more resilient urban futures. Our findings reveal that social vulnerability plays a critical role in determining the overall risk (R = 0.4), with the greatest impacts imposed on socially vulnerable communities. However, insights from the ecological (R = 0.2) and technological (R = 0.1) domains provide essential guidance for future risk reduction strategies—such as upgrading outdated sewer infrastructure and exploring green space potential for run-off mitigation. The framework proposed is generalizable to other cities facing similar environmental challenges, highlighting its potential as a foundational tool for policymaking to reduce risks associated with extreme climate events.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113334"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143746349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatial–temporal evolution of economic-ecological benefits and their driving factors in Yellow River irrigation areas","authors":"Chang Liu ,&nbsp;Enhui Jiang ,&nbsp;Bo Qu ,&nbsp;Lingqi Li ,&nbsp;Lingang Hao ,&nbsp;Wei Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113419","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113419","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the spatial–temporal variations in the economic-ecological benefits and driving factors within the Yellow River irrigation areas (YRIA) is crucial for ensuring high-quality socioeconomic development and ecological environment health of the Yellow River Basin, China, which is inherently water scarce. This study improved an accounting method for economic-ecological benefits in irrigation areas, based on the quantification methods for ecosystem service value and economic output value at constant prices, and quantitatively analyzed the different types of benefits and total benefits in the YRIA. The key driving factors of the economic-ecological benefits per unit area (<em>EEBUA</em>) in the YRIA and their spatial and temporal driving mechanisms were analyzed by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm and geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model. The results revealed that the economic-ecological benefits markedly increased during 1990–2020. The YRIA in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River had stronger economic benefit output capabilities, while the YRIA in the upper reaches of the Yellow River had stronger ecological benefit output capabilities. The order of importance of the key factors influencing the economic-ecological benefits was precipitation (<em>PRE)</em>, industrial water use (<em>IW</em>), the proportion of the cultivated land area (<em>CL</em>), the proportion of the arable land area (<em>AL</em>), and agricultural water use (<em>AW</em>). Under the limited total water consumption assumption, the average standardized regression coefficient of <em>AW</em> with the <em>EEBUA</em> decreased from 0.034 to −0.120 in 1995–2000, indicating a shift from a promoting to an inhibiting effect. The average standardized regression coefficient of <em>IW</em> notably increased from 0.37 to 1.69, indicating a rapid rise in the importance of <em>IW</em> for the economic-ecological benefits economic-ecological benefits in 2010–2015. This inhibiting effect of <em>AW</em> on the <em>EEBUA</em> was greater in the downstream areas of the Yellow River, and the intensity gradually increased. These findings could provide a basis for water and land resource utilization planning and the yellow river water dispatch scheme.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113419"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143746486","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of the ecological status of Posidonia oceanica meadows along the Calabrian Coasts: A multi-index approach","authors":"Faustino Scarcelli ,&nbsp;Chiara Spadaro ,&nbsp;Annamaria Ienco ,&nbsp;Vincenzo Osso ,&nbsp;Pietro Giovannelli ,&nbsp;Silvestro Greco ,&nbsp;Silvia Mazzuca ,&nbsp;Amalia Piro","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113408","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113408","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study assessed the ecological status of <em>Posidonia oceanica</em> meadows along the Calabrian coast, a region that acts as a geographical barrier between the eastern and western Mediterranenan basins. In doing so, the study addressed a significant gap in our knowledge of this important marine area. Six Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) were monitored along the Tyrrhenian and Ionian coasts, including the transition zone of the Strait of Messina. Using a comprehensive set of indices, the meadows were analysed with a multi-level approach at the population, individual, and community levels. The results revealed notable structural heterogeneity among the sites, while the Posidonia Rapid Easy Index (PREI) indicated good ecological conditions across all sites despite varying levels of environmental pressure. Individual descriptors, however, showed more nuanced patterns, with some sites exhibiting signs of consistent disturbance. Notably, the Reggio Calabria site displayed unique characteristics, such as wider leaf blades and higher epiphyte biomass, suggesting potential anthropogenic eutrophic impacts. Our findings highlight the complex interactions between environmental factors and human activities that influence these ecosystems. Overall, the results underscore the need for a multi-index approach in monitoring programs to provide a more accurate assessment of the health of <em>P. oceanica</em> meadows, crucial for developing effective conservation strategies in the Mediterranean.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113408"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143746482","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Robust abundance estimation of harvested populations from low quality time series data: A red deer case study","authors":"Stig W. Omholt ,&nbsp;Marlène Gamelon ,&nbsp;Erling L. Meisingset","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113398","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113398","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reliable estimates of the size and composition of harvested populations over time are key to designing adequate population management plans, regardless of management objectives. In Norway, a national system for collecting and analysing hunter-reported data on red deer (<em>Cervus elaphus</em>) has been operational for about 20 years. The system was expected to provide population metrics that would substantially improve deer population management routines at the municipal level. This has proven to be challenging when using existing state-of-the-art estimation methodology. The main reasons are that the variation in the observation data is generally much larger than population abundance variability, and that one does not have a clear understanding of the stochastic process generating the observation data. Here, using hunter-reported observation data and harvest data from six Norwegian municipalities collected in the period 2007–2023, we show that a straightforward estimation methodology based on population modelling can produce robust abundance estimates despite frequent low quality of the observation data. Its major assets are that it does not involve strong assumptions about the stochastic processes underlying the observation process and that it does not involve assumptions about initial population size and structure in terms of prior statistical distributions. We anticipate that the method can be applied in several other population management contexts, and we think that the results offer fresh perspectives on to what extent noisy citizen-collected time series data can be used to inform management decisions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113398"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143746489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Actual supply of soil conservation services limits their use: From an ecosystem service flow perspective","authors":"Jizhou Bai ,&nbsp;Jing Li ,&nbsp;Zixiang Zhou ,&nbsp;Hui Dang ,&nbsp;Ya Zhang ,&nbsp;Chuhan Wang ,&nbsp;Yijie Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113420","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113420","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil conservation services (SCS) represent a vital subset of ecosystem regulating services, playing a critical role in mitigating regional land degradation and reducing flood disaster risks, a subject that has garnered considerable scholarly attention. Nevertheless, a significant mismatch persists between SCS supply and demand, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of how SCS flows operate from supply areas to demand areas. Despite its importance, research on the dynamics of SCS flows remains underdeveloped, limiting its ability to provide robust support for informed and nuanced decision-making in sustainable ecosystem management. To address this research gap, this study conducted an investigation in the Jinghe River Basin (JRB), utilizing SWAT and GIS technologies to reproduce the spatiotemporal patterns of SCS. Additionally, this study quantitatively assessed and mapped the sediment reduction service flow volumes and pathways at four different spatial scales, aiming to elucidate the spatial transfer mechanisms of SCS flow within the JRB. Finally, based on the supply–demand-flow-use (SDFU) framework, this study quantifies the actual use of SCS flow by calculating its actual supply and potential demand, with a focus on analyzing the limitations to its actual use. The findings of this research yield several critical insights: (1) The spatial distribution patterns of high and low values in SCS supply and demand within the JRB exhibited significant congruence, while both components manifested a consistent temporal trajectory characterized by rapid initial escalation followed by subsequent stabilization. (2) The transport of SCS, facilitated by sediments in the water column, undergoes spatial displacement through slopes, rivers, and subbasins within the watershed network, with the flow volume of sediment reduction services reaching its nadir in 2000, increasing significantly in 2010, and slightly declining in 2020. (3) From 2000 to 2020, the actual use of SCS followed a similar trend to SCS flow, with the demand satisfaction rate steadily increasing (0.22, 0.34, 0.77), indicating that while the actual supply of SCS is meeting more demand, it still fails to fully satisfy the actual use. In summary, the attempt of this study not only enriches the research field of ecosystem service flow but also promises to provide theoretical guidance for the scientific management of land resources and sustainable regional development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113420"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143746484","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Crustacean zooplankton communities as indicators of game fish occurrence and abundance in Québec lakes","authors":"Cindy Paquette ,&nbsp;Stéphanie Gagné ,&nbsp;Maxime Gaudet-Boulay ,&nbsp;Véronique Leclerc ,&nbsp;Paschale Noël Bégin ,&nbsp;Zofia E. Taranu ,&nbsp;Beatrix E. Beisner ,&nbsp;Vincent Fugère","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113405","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113405","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recreational inland fisheries play a vital role in the economy and culture of Canada. However, human activities and climate change are significant threats to lakes that sustain such fisheries, bolstering the need to maintain ecosystem quality while sustaining fisheries through approaches such as ecosystem-based management. Despite the importance of zooplankton communities for fish diet, very few freshwater management plans have integrated information from this lower trophic level. Here, we used a dataset including game fish abundance, crustacean zooplankton community composition and associated habitat variables in 94 north temperate lakes across the province of Quebec, Canada. Our study aimed to uncover whether zooplankton taxonomic and functional community properties were related to walleye, brook trout, and lake trout occurrence and abundance. Our analyses revealed that both taxonomic and functional zooplankton composition were significant predictors of focal fish species occurrence, albeit less so than environmental or fish community composition variables. When examining the importance of 30 different zooplankton community indices for target fish species abundance, structural equation modeling revealed that zooplankton was more important for walleye than for the two other fish species. Overall, this research improves our understanding of zooplankton-fish interactions and how these shape north temperate lake communities, with a perspective of improving fisheries conservation and management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113405"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143726179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}