Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution最新文献

{"title":"Frontiers | Forest structural heterogeneity positively affects bird richness and acoustic diversity in a temperate, central European forest","authors":"Taylor Shaw, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Sandra Mueller","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1387879","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1387879","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionForests managed for timber production can also be managed for biodiversity conservation by retaining structures typical of old-growth forests, which provide heterogenous structures for forest-dwelling species, including birds. Ecoacoustic monitoring of forest birds is now a well-studied field, however the extent to which acoustic indices can reflect bird assemblage responses to stands of lower or higher structural heterogeneity is disputed. MethodIn this study, we acoustically surveyed 75 plots over two years in mature, previously managed forests and computed acoustic indices from the recordings. We first identified an acoustic index that significantly correlated with bird richness over more than one spring season. Next, we tested the response of bird richness to individual forest structural elements using linear regressions. We then repeated this analysis but combined the individual structural elements into one structural composition variable using an NMDS and gam smooth overlay, to compare the effect of individual forest structures versus overall forest heterogeneity on bird richness. We then repeated this analysis using our selected acoustic index, the Normalized Difference Soundscape Index (NDSI), to see if it followed the same patterns as bird richness in response to individual and collective forest structural elements.ResultsOur results showed that plots with high bird richness were also associated with high NDSI values, and high values of both variables occurred in plots with high structural heterogeneity (tree species richness, tree size variability, and snag height variability) and low amounts of standing and lying deadwood. DiscussionOur findings suggest that once an acoustic index can be identified as a robust correlate of bird richness, it can serve as a proxy for the response of birds to differences in forest structural heterogeneity within a managed forest context. It is therefore possible for forest managers interested in conserving or increasing bird richness in their production forests to identify a robust acoustic index to track the response of bird richness to management decisions over time.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142182546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of changes in ecosystem capacity index and driving factors in the Loess Plateau under ecological engineering orientation","authors":"Li Yuan, Mao Zhong yuan, Xu Bin, Wan Yu xuan","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1404424","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1404424","url":null,"abstract":"BackgroundIn recent decades, the Loess Plateau is one of the regions in China that urgently needs ecological governance due to the severe situation of soil erosion and land desertification. Due to the impact of climate change and human activities, the threat to the ecological space security of the Loess Plateau has intensified. This paper reveals the time lag effect of ecological engineering construction on the changes in the ecosystem service capacity index of the Loess Plateau, providing a scientific basis and decision-making reference for the sustainable development of the study area and improving the quality and management of ecological engineering construction, which is of great significance for building a solid ecological security barrier on the Loess Plateau.MethodsBased on the hierarchical analysis method, quantitative indicator method, spatial correlation analysis method and two-way fixed effect model, this paper analyzes the temporal and spatial changes of the ecosystem service capacity index of the Loess Plateau under the background of ecological engineering implementation.ResultsThe results showed that: 1) the vegetation coverage of the Loess Plateau increased with the increase of the area of ecological engineering construction, and showed a fluctuating growth distribution characteristic from southeast to northwest in space; 2) the water conservation capacity index, wind and sand fixation capacity index, biodiversity capacity index and comprehensive service capacity index of the Loess Plateau from 2000 to 2020 all showed exponential growth, which were highly coupled with the growth and change of vegetation coverage area in time and space; 3) the cold spots and hot spots of the ecosystem service capacity index of the Loess Plateau showed a step-by-step decrease of \"hot in the south and cold in the north\" in spatial distribution; the hot spots and sub-hot spots showed a reciprocating cycle from aggregation to fragmentation in time and space; the cold spots and sub-cold spots were mainly distributed in the northwest region. 4) The changes in the ecosystem service capacity index of the Loess Plateau were mainly affected by factors such as the cumulative project implementation area, urbanization rate and precipitation.ConclusionThe construction of ecological engineering on the Loess Plateau has achieved remarkable results. The growth of vegetation coverage area and ecosystem service capacity index on the Loess Plateau from 2000 to 2020 has promoted the recovery of ecosystem functions. Therefore, we should actively promote the construction of ecological projects to provide scientific decision-making references for solving regional ecological security issues.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141783659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic origins and migration patterns of Xinjiang Mongolian group revealed through Y-chromosome analysis","authors":"Yifan Wang, Lei Xie, Ke Wang, Zixi Jiang, Yuhang Feng, Yao Yu, Xin Chang, Hailiang Meng, Yiran Xu, Yishan Wu, Meisen Shi, Xiaoxia Wang, Shaoqing Wen","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1349231","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1349231","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionThe Xinjiang Mongolians, located along the Silk Road, migrated westward from Northeast Asia in the 13th and 14th centuries. Despite its significance, genetic studies on Xinjiang Mongolians have been limited compared to other Mongolian populations.MethodsIn this study, we analyzed the non-recombining region of the Y-chromosome in 165 Xinjiang Mongolian males using 108 biallelic markers and 44 STRs.Results and discussionOur study identified prevalent haplogroups C2a1a3-F1918 (10%), C2a1a2-M48 (8%), N1a1a-M178 (5%), and R1a1a-M17 (10%) in the Xinjiang Mongolians. Additionally, our study suggested a genetic affinity between Xinjiang Mongolians and Inner Mongolia Mongolian populations, as well as other ethnic groups from northwest China, based on the PCA analysis. The Network analysis revealed distinct branching expansion patterns in haplogroups C2a1a3a-F3796, C2a1a2-M48, and N1a1a-M178, with estimated timeframes aligning with Genghis Khan's invasion of Xinjiang in the Yuan Dynasty. Notably, our analysis of the R1a1a-M17 Network highlighted the role of Xinjiang Mongolians in the expansion of Turkic-speaking populations in Xinjiang and surrounding regions. The integration of ancient DNA data suggested that the high frequency haplogroups C2a1a3a-F3796, C2a1a2-M48, and N1a1a-M178 could be traced back to their origin in Northeast Asia. Furthermore, the estimated TMRCA of haplogroup R1a1a-M17 implied cultural and genetic influences from Turkic populations during the Qagatay Khanate period. Overall, our study provided a genetic explanation for the ethnic origin of Xinjiang Mongolians, highlighting their migration from Northeast Asia and subsequent assimilation with the local populations in Xinjiang.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141784027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal sonic patterns reveal phenological phases (sonophases) associated with climate change in subarctic Alaska","authors":"Timothy C. Mullet, Almo Farina, John M. Morton, Sara R. Wilhelm","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1345558","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1345558","url":null,"abstract":"Given that ecosystems are composed of sounds created by geophysical events (e.g., wind, rain), animal behaviors (e.g., dawn songbird chorus), and human activities (e.g., tourism) that depend on seasonal climate conditions, the phenological patterns of a soundscape could be coupled with long-term weather station data as a complimentary ecological indicator of climate change. We tested whether the seasonality of the soundscape coincided with common weather variables used to monitor climate. We recorded ambient sounds hourly for five minutes (01 January–30 June) over three years (2019–2021) near a weather station in a subarctic ecosystem in south-central Alaska. We quantified sonic information using the Acoustic Complexity Index (ACI<jats:sub>tf</jats:sub>), coupled with weather data, and used machine learning (TreeNet) to identify sonic-climate relationships. We grouped ACI<jats:sub>tf</jats:sub> according to time periods of prominent seasonal events (e.g., days with temperatures &amp;gt;0°C, no snow cover, green up, dawn biophony, and road-based tourism) and identified distinct sonic phenophases (sonophases) for groups with non-overlapping 95% confidence intervals. In general, sonic activity increased dramatically as winter transitioned to spring and summer. We identified two winter sonophases, a spring sonophase, and a summer sonophase, each coinciding with hours of daylight, temperature, precipitation, snow cover, and the prevalence of animal and human activities. We discuss how sonophases and weather data combined serve as a multi-dimensional, systems-based approach to understanding the ecological effects of climate change in subarctic environments.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"43 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141783772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Benthic communities under methane gradient in the Laptev and East Siberian seas","authors":"Olga Konovalova, Nadezhda Rimskaya-Korsakova, Petr Kuznetsov, Alexander Osadchiev, Maria Fedyaeva, Iuliia Moiseeva, Darya Purgina, Denis Kosmach, Igor Semiletov","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1406680","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1406680","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionMethane seeps influence surrounding benthic communities in different ways from slight changes in benthic abundance and biomass to major altering the species composition.Materials and MethodsWe studied benthic communities of 14 methane seep flares in Laptev and East Siberian seas with comparative analysis of species composition and abiotic parameters at the nearby areas not affected by methane seeps. The species diversity was comparable at seep and non-seep sites varying from 3.9 to 39.6 taxa per 100 individuals and from 4.5 to 34.8 taxa per 100 individuals, correspondingly.ResultsThe <jats:italic>Laptev Slope</jats:italic> community corresponds with the Polychaeta-community, encircling the upper continental slope area of the entire Siberian Arctic. The <jats:italic>Lower Shelf</jats:italic> community described in this study apparently corresponds with the Ophiocten sericeum community identified in the shelf areas of the Kara, Laptev and East Siberian seas. The <jats:italic>Upper Shelf</jats:italic> community is mostly inhabited by the bivalves species such as <jats:italic>Portlandia arctica, Ennucula tenuis</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Astarte montagui</jats:italic> communities. The <jats:italic>Estuarine</jats:italic> community, which is the poorest by diversity but has high values of abundance and biomass is directly influenced by the Lena River runoff in terms of lower salinities and higher sedimentation rates.DiscussionThroughout the study area, the differences between the <jats:italic>Estuarine, Upper Shelf, Lower Shelf</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Laptev Slope</jats:italic> communities exceeded the differences between the seep and background non-seep areas. Several taxa demonstrated correlations with different environmental factors, including the latitude, depth, temperature, salinity, pH and methane content, not depending on the revealed benthic community. Eight taxa demonstrated correlations with the methane content measured at different sediment depths. Two siboglinids taxa demonstrated high abundances at stations with highest methane content deep in the sediment. At the Siberian shelf, our geochemical data for siboglinid habitats are the first to be published so far.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141783660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Human–wildlife conflict patterns and hotspot prediction in the southern foothills of the Daba Mountains, China","authors":"Qiang Wu, Yunchuan Dai, Qiaoyun Sun","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1435811","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1435811","url":null,"abstract":"The Daba Mountain area is recognized as one of the global biodiversity hotspots. In recent years, human–wildlife conflicts (HWCs) in this region have intensified significantly. Understanding and mitigating the damage caused by wildlife is crucial for maintaining ecological balance and enhancing public welfare. We analyzed the current status of HWCs in the southern foothills of the Daba Mountains through semi-structured interviews and field surveys. Additionally, using the collected data on HWC occurrences, we predicted HWC hotspots using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model. The results: (1) A total of 449 cases of actual HWC incidents were investigated, primarily involving wild boars (<jats:italic>Sus scrofa</jats:italic>; 81.96%) and Asiatic black bears (<jats:italic>Ursus thibetanus</jats:italic>; 18.04%). The main types of HWC included crop destruction and attacks on beehives. (2) Incidents of damage caused by wild boars and Asiatic black bears were concentrated in the summer months, particularly from June to August. (3) In the study area, 21 out of 25 townships reported HWC cases. Notably, the townships of Fuxing, Gaoyan and Gaoguan were identified as the most affected, with Gaoyan and Fuxing experiencing the highest amounts of loss. (4) The variable of DTP (Distance to Protected Area) was found to have the greatest influence on the hotspot distributions of HWCs. The hotspot zone exhibited a strip-like distribution along the northwest–southeast axis in the central part of the study area. The total area of the HWC hotspots was 1352.56 km<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>. The largest hotspot areas were located in Xiuqi Town, Gaoyan Town, and Houping Township, accounting for 13.26%, 12.01%, and 7.83% of the total hotspot area, respectively. HWC hotspots require robust management measures to mitigate wildlife damage to local communities and enhance indigenous people’s engagement in wildlife conservation. Implementation of physical measures and compensation schemes may be necessary in these hotspots to alleviate the financial burden on indigenous populations. Our findings may provide valuable insights for the future formulation of biodiversity conservation policies and HWC mitigation strategies in the Daba Mountains.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"78 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141743271","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Frontiers | Urban Green Infrastructure: Bridging Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Urban Development Through Adaptive Management Approach","authors":"Dong Wang, Pei-Yuan Xu, Bo-wen An, Qiu-Ping Guo","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1440477","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1440477","url":null,"abstract":"Urban green infrastructure (UGI) is pivotal in reconciling biodiversity conservation with sustainable urban development through adaptive management approaches. This paper introduces a comprehensive conceptual framework integrating ecological principles, urban planning strategies, and adaptive management methodologies to nurture resilient and biodiverse urban landscapes. The essence of UGI lies in its capacity to bolster ecological connectivity, restore ecosystem functions, and provide habitats for diverse flora and fauna within urban settings. Fundamental principles governing UGI design underscore its multifunctionality, connectivity, diversity, and accessibility, emphasizing the importance of adaptive management marked by its iterative and participatory nature. Despite challenges posed by urbanization, such as habitat loss, pollution, and climate change, UGI interventions offer promising avenues for enhancing habitat quality, connectivity, and ecosystem resilience. Global case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of UGI in biodiversity conservation, leveraging initiatives like green roofs, urban forests, and community gardens. UGI significantly contributes to sustainable urban development by offering diverse ecosystem services across various domains. Adaptive management is critical for effective UGI planning and implementation, ensuring flexibility amidst evolving environmental conditions. However, UGI encounters hurdles, including funding constraints, institutional fragmentation, and equity issues. Addressing these challenges necessitates innovative financing mechanisms, community involvement, and policy innovations. UGI presents a transformative pathway towards fostering resilient, biodiverse, and sustainable urban landscapes, imperative for cities to thrive in the 21st century.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"56 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141873073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Frontiers | Exploring the driving factors of bryophyte assemblage distribution patterns in Tibet","authors":"Jiqi Gu, Xiaotong Song, Yanhui Ye, Xiaohong Shao, Yujia Liao, Xiaoming Shao","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1376263","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1376263","url":null,"abstract":"Plant communities are complex systems shaped by a combination of deterministic and stochastic ecological processes. Bryophytes are an essential component of plant diversity in natural ecosystems, yet our understanding of their community ecology needs to catch up to that of other organisms. The unique geological history, alpine climatic conditions, and high habitat heterogeneity of Tibet provide suitable areas for bryophytes to survive in the alpine regions. Therefore, field surveys were conducted across 184 plots in forest, thicket, and herbaceous vegetation of Tibet to investigate the role of deterministic processes such as biological interactions and abiotic effects, along with stochastic processes, in shaping the distribution of bryophyte assemblages. We employed various analytical methods, including mixed effects models, partial least squares path modeling, null model analysis, and neutral community models. The study showed that bryophyte richness was highest in forests. Bryophyte assemblages showed greater segregation in forest and thicket environments compared to herbaceous vegetation. As the influence of stochastic processes increased, that of deterministic processes decreased from forests through thickets to herbaceous vegetation. Deterministic processes were the main driving forces for the bryophyte assemblage pattern. Soil properties and climatic factors, particularly pH played a key role in determining bryophyte patterns in Tibet. This study has deepened our comprehension of how deterministic and stochastic ecological processes interplay and shape bryophyte distribution patterns in Tibet.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141934146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Role of nubbin in the development of forewing sound-producing structures in Acheta domesticus (house cricket)","authors":"Nataliya Turchyn, Aleksandar Popadić","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1411228","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1411228","url":null,"abstract":"Among insects, Orthoptera (crickets and grasshoppers) have evolved a set of highly specialized structures for acoustic communication, with males engaged in sound production and amplification (stridulation) and females in sound reception. These structures in males are located on their forewings, suggesting that some of the wing genes may have been co-opted for new roles in stridulation. As previous studies have identified <jats:italic>nubbin</jats:italic> (<jats:italic>nub</jats:italic>) as one of the key genes in the wing development network, we examined its function in the house cricket, <jats:italic>Acheta domesticus</jats:italic>. Our results show that <jats:italic>nub</jats:italic> regulates the overall size and venation of both fore- and hindwings in both sexes, consistent with its general role in wing development. Moreover, in males this gene is also involved in the development of sound resonators (primarily the harp, anal area, mirror, and chord). The distinct morphology of these structures is generated by either the activation (in the harp and anal area) or suppression (in the mirror and chord) of vein and cross-connection development in localized regions of the forewings. Finally, <jats:italic>nub</jats:italic> RNAi males do not stridulate, confirming that the observed changes in the morphology of resonators are functionally significant and responsible for the loss of sound production.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141611359","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Alphacoronaviruses from bats captured in European Russia in 2015 and 2021 are closely related to those of Northern Europe","authors":"Elena V. Korneenko, Andrei E. Samoilov, Ivan K. Chudinov, Ivan O. Butenko, Ignat V. Sonets, Ilya V. Artyushin, Alexander P. Yusefovich, Sergei V. Kruskop, Sergei O. Sinitsyn, Ekaterina O. Klyuchnikova, Anna S. Gladkikh, Vladimir G. Dedkov, Marina V. Safonova, Peter Daszak, Anna S. Speranskaya","doi":"10.3389/fevo.2024.1324605","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2024.1324605","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionBats are considered the natural reservoirs of several viruses including coronaviruses (CoVs), two genera of which, alpha- and betacoronaviruses, infect humans. Despite widespread screening of bat samples for novel viruses, information on the diversity of coronaviruses in bats inhabiting Russian territory remains scarce. Here, we analyzed the presence and diversity of alphacoronaviruses (Alpha-CoVs) in bats from European Russia.MethodsFourty three fecal samples from bats of 8 species: <jats:italic>P. nathusii, P. kuhlii, M. brandtii, M. daubentonii, N. noctula, V. murinus, M. dasycneme</jats:italic>, and <jats:italic>P. auritus</jats:italic> were taken to study.Results and discussionWe detected Alpha-CoV <jats:italic>RdRp</jats:italic> gene fragments in 30% (13/43) of samples examined in 75% (6/8) of species sampled. Phylogenetic analysis of <jats:italic>RdRp</jats:italic> showed that most of the identified Alpha-CoV sequences fall into clades within the <jats:italic>Pedacovirus</jats:italic> subgenus, with minor clusters of nyctacoviruses or myotacoviruses. We assert that closely related pedacoviruses have been circulating for a long time (from 2015 to 2021) in a large region from European Russia to Northern Europe. We propose that closely related pedacoviruses collected from common areas represent a separate species, which we name NE-Alpha coronavirus, with its host being bats of the genus <jats:italic>Pipistrellus</jats:italic> that inhabit a region from the European part of Russia to Northern Europe. Among the animals sampled, 4.6% (2/43) carried two Alpha-CoVs related to different subgenera (pedacovirus/myotacovirus or pedacovirus/nyctacovirus) simultaneously. We confirmed the presence of two different Alpha-CoV subgenera related to pedacovirus and nyctacovirus in <jats:italic>P. kuhlii</jats:italic> captured in 2021 and kept in captivity using whole genome sequencing of these viruses. The presence of two or more coronaviruses in one individual animal host is an essential prerequisite for recombination to occur. We also obtained two Alpha-CoV whole genomes from two specimens of <jats:italic>P. nathusii</jats:italic> captured in 2015. The genomic organization of BatCoV/MOW15-21 and BatCoV/MOW15-23 was similar to other Alpha-CoVs, but the assembled genomes contained a long insertion in the ORF1ab gene which has not been described in other Alpha-CoVs, except for a single sequence from <jats:italic>P. nathusii</jats:italic> captured in the Netherlands. We propose that the insertion encodes a previously undescribed domain of unknown function, probably related to the SEA domain superfamily.","PeriodicalId":12367,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution","volume":"88 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141575987","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}