Ecosphere最新文献

{"title":"Out of sight, out of mind: Fine-scale measurements reveal microclimate heterogeneity for plethodontid salamanders","authors":"J. M. Carroll,&nbsp;R. L. Carroll","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70401","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ecs2.70401","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Small-bodied species comprise the bulk of global biodiversity, yet the environmental conditions to which they are exposed are poorly understood. The resulting knowledge gap is notable for ectothermic plethodontid (Family Plethodontidae) salamanders that are highly sensitive to fine-scale microclimate (i.e., thermal and hydric) variation. Consequently, quantifying and mapping microclimate patterns is critically important to understanding the future persistence of plethodontids. The objectives of this research were to (1) characterize thermal heterogeneity at plethodontid-relevant scales, (2) assess factors influencing microclimate structure along stream-forest ecotones, and (3) compare salamander body surface temperatures with those in their surroundings. Accordingly, we incorporated the collection of thermal (i.e., ~500 infrared thermographic images), hydric (i.e., percent soil moisture), and habitat (e.g., canopy cover) data with salamander surveys at ground surface and subsurface retreat (i.e., rock, wood) microhabitats in 2023 and 2024. Our use of infrared thermography (IRT) offered a novel perspective on the full range of thermal mosaics occurring in plethodontid microhabitats that would likely be missed by traditional approaches (i.e., deployment of one datalogger per microhabitat). Specifically, we observed that the thermal landscape was highly heterogeneous (range: 8.19–45.36°C) across all sampled microhabitats and spatiotemporally dynamic. Retreats were 5°C cooler on average (by up to ~10°C on average) than the ground surface, yet even within a given wood or rock retreat, temperature measurements varied by up to 9.64 and 8.69°C, respectively. Within the thermally heterogeneous landscape, individual salamander body surface temperatures closely matched average retreat temperatures (<i>R</i>² = 0.93) and were relatively consistent within and between sampling rounds/years. While average retreat temperatures were comparatively similar along the stream-forest gradient, average soil moisture was greatest (&gt;9%) at 1 m and least (&lt;4.5%) at 100 m. Ultimately, we found that stream-forest ecotone landscapes exhibited remarkably complex microclimate structure characterized by retreats that were decoupled from conditions occurring just a few centimeters above at the ground surface. By challenging previous assertions that temperatures under a given rock or log are relatively homogeneous, these findings are instructive for assessing the accuracy of models aimed at predicting future plethodontid persistence.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"16 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70401","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145012914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Variable zone of influence responses by large mammals: Implications for conservation planning","authors":"Meghan M. Beale,&nbsp;Aliah Adams Knopff,&nbsp;Jennifer M. Foca,&nbsp;Kyle H. Knopff,&nbsp;Lanny Amos,&nbsp;Warn Franklin","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70393","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ecs2.70393","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Anthropogenic development affects the behavior and distribution of species both by removing and altering habitat in the development footprint and through adjacency effects within a zone of influence (ZOI) around development. Accurate estimates of ZOI are needed to understand and mitigate impacts from human development, but quantitative estimates of ZOI are rare, and most studies that develop them do so only for a single species. We developed an approach to estimate seasonal ZOI for multiple species using remote camera data. Seasonal habitat models formed the basis of the approach that we applied to four large mammals in the Elk Valley, British Columbia, Canada: bighorn sheep (<i>Ovis canadensis</i>), elk (<i>Cervus canadensis</i>), moose (<i>Alces alces</i>), and grizzly bears (<i>Ursus arctos</i>). We estimated the ZOI from open-pit metallurgical coal mines for each species by forcing a categorical distance to mine variable into the top habitat model in each season. Our multispecies approach identified diverse ZOI responses to mining, ranging from strongly positive for bighorn sheep and elk to somewhat negative for grizzly bears and strongly negative for moose, with some seasonal variation. Our results highlight important conservation implications of estimating ZOI for multiple species. Species that exhibit positive ZOI may benefit from targeted on-site reclamation efforts. Conversely, those that exhibit negative ZOI may benefit from mitigation strategies that address the underlying mechanisms driving the negative response, aiming to minimize ZOI. Additionally, implementing actions to offset adverse impacts could further enhance the overall outcome. Mixed mitigation strategies are more complex to implement but may be needed to prevent ongoing declines in global wildlife populations as governments and industry work toward recent nature-positive commitments for our planet.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"16 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70393","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145021933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Synthesizing the ecological impacts of disturbance on wildlife in pinyon-juniper ecosystems","authors":"Sarah Halperin,&nbsp;Madelon F. Case,&nbsp;Peter S. Coates,&nbsp;Todd E. Katzner,&nbsp;Susan K. McIlroy,&nbsp;Megan M. McLachlan,&nbsp;Devyn A. Orr,&nbsp;Cali L. Weise,&nbsp;Douglas J. Shinneman","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70387","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ecs2.70387","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Pinyon and juniper ecosystems in the interior western United States are undergoing changes due to wildfire, drought, climate change, and associated disturbance agents (e.g., insect outbreak), while also infilling within some existing woodlands and expanding into other ecosystems (e.g., sagebrush). These multiple, often interacting disturbances are likely affecting wildlife, including species of conservation concern. However, study findings have been highly varied, conflicting, or constrained by data availability. We performed a systematic literature review to provide an overview of wildlife responses to disturbance in pinyon-juniper (PJ) ecosystems, identifying and cataloguing published literature based on geography, study type, primary research focus, ecological characteristics, and response type. We then applied a narrative approach to synthesize the current knowledge from the included studies to identify important knowledge gaps and to identify future research priorities. Our findings highlight the complexity and variability in wildlife responses to disturbance. Drought, insect outbreak, and wildfire impact PJ-associated wildlife in multifaceted ways, with species responses differing based on habitat type and species-specific traits. We also identify notable gaps in the research literature, due in part to taxonomic biases (limiting exploration of the diversity of PJ ecosystems and associated taxa), a lack of data on long-term and interacting disturbance effects (particularly under experimental conditions), and a limited understanding of direct mechanisms driving wildlife responses. Filling these research gaps and monitoring wildlife in PJ ecosystems can inform long-term management and improve the resiliency of wildlife communities in these important ecological systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"16 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70387","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145012372","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Patterns of richness in a long-term citizen science butterfly dataset from Cuyahoga Valley National Park","authors":"Thomas P. Franzem,&nbsp;Leo Kuck,&nbsp;Jerome Wiedmann,&nbsp;Mariamar Gutierrez Ramirez,&nbsp;Christie A. Bahlai","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70400","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ecs2.70400","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Insect populations are experiencing ongoing declines in abundance and diversity, but their dynamics are often complex and trends are difficult to identify. Butterflies are an important, convenient, and useful insect group to monitor. They are a well-recorded group of insects and play important ecological roles as both pollinators and herbivores, and there is a large community of amateur lepidopterists that contribute to citizen science butterfly monitoring programs. In the present study, we analyzed 27 years of citizen science butterfly monitoring data collected across four sites in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio. We aimed to investigate patterns of species richness and abundance across years and sites and elucidate potential climatic variables that influence the butterfly community. We found similar levels of estimated butterfly species richness at three sites, yet one site had noticeably higher estimated species richness. Abundance fluctuated annually and was relatively consistent across sites. Further, we found that the butterfly communities changed directionally over time across all sites. Additionally, we identified degree days and average daily precipitation as drivers of butterfly community variability. Overall, this work identified patterns of richness and abundance in a unique national park and identified potential climatic drivers of butterfly community variability.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"16 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70400","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145007902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Climate, topography, or fuels? Top-down versus bottom-up controls on fire refugia across British Columbia, Canada","authors":"Christine E. Kuntzemann,&nbsp;Ellen Whitman,&nbsp;Doug Lewis,&nbsp;Diana Stralberg","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70385","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ecs2.70385","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Surviving pockets of vegetation within fire perimeters, termed fire refugia, are an important component of ecological recovery following disturbance. Understanding the relative influence of the drivers of fire refugia throughout diverse landscapes and climate conditions can help identify areas that are conducive to their formation. We investigated the role of various top-down (climate) and bottom-up (fuels, physical setting) controls on fire refugia creation throughout 21 unique fire regime units in the forests of British Columbia, Canada, over a 20-year (2000–2019) period. Boosted regression tree models were used to determine the relative influence of each of these controls and their associated variables on fire refugia, as well as to create predictive maps of fire refugia probabilities over a range of annual climate conditions. We found that the bottom-up controls, particularly variables relating to physical setting, generally held the greatest influence on fire refugia creation, though those relating to fuels were of higher importance in the more disturbance-prone forests of the boreal and central interior regions. These bottom-up controls, however, can be overwhelmed by extreme climate conditions, which have variable effects on refugia depending on the region. There was an overall positive correspondence between locations of persistent (long-term) fire refugia and mapped old-growth, suggesting that strong, static terrain features may shelter some forests over the course of multiple fire events, allowing for the development of old-growth stands. We concluded that, while strong topographic features confer the strongest measure of protection in some regions of the province, there are many areas in which fuel mitigation tactics (e.g., fuel thinning, prescribed and cultural burning) may be particularly useful for protecting areas of high human or ecological value in the face of increasingly extreme climate conditions. Although our maps can help predict where and when fire refugia may form under provided climatic and environmental conditions, they do not reflect real-time conditions and are therefore not intended for risk assessment or for operational management.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"16 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70385","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144998915","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Big trees burning: Divergent wildfire effects on large trees in open- vs. closed-canopy forests","authors":"Garrett W. Meigs,&nbsp;Caden P. Chamberlain,&nbsp;James S. Begley,&nbsp;C. Alina Cansler,&nbsp;Derek J. Churchill,&nbsp;Gina R. Cova,&nbsp;Daniel C. Donato,&nbsp;Joshua S. Halofsky,&nbsp;Jonathan T. Kane,&nbsp;Van R. Kane,&nbsp;Susan J. Prichard,&nbsp;L. Annie C. Smith","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70360","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ecs2.70360","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Wildfire activity has accelerated with climate change, sparking concerns about uncharacteristic impacts on mature and old-growth forests containing large trees. Recent assessments have documented fire-induced losses of large-tree habitats in the US Pacific Northwest, but key uncertainties remain regarding contemporary versus historical fire effects in different forest composition types, specific impacts on large trees within closed versus open canopies, and the role of fuel reduction treatments. Focusing on the 2021 Schneider Springs Fire, which encompassed 43,000 ha in the eastern Cascade Range of Washington and burned during a period of severe drought, this study addresses three interrelated questions: (1) Are burn severity distributions consistent with historical fire regimes in dry, moist, and cold forest types? (2) How does burn severity vary among forest structure classes, particularly large trees with open versus closed canopies? (3) How do fuel reduction treatments influence forest structure and burn severity inside and outside of treated areas? Within each forest type, burn severity proportions were similar to historical estimates, with lower overall severity in dry forests than in moist and cold forests. However, across all forest types combined, high-severity fire affected 30% (4500 ha) of large-tree locations with tree diameters &gt;50 cm. In each forest type, burn severity was lower in locations with large-open structure (&lt;50% canopy cover) than in locations with large-closed structure (&gt;50% canopy cover). Burn severity also was lower inside than outside treated sites in all structure classes, and untreated large-closed forests tended to burn at lower severity closer to treatments. These results highlight the susceptibility of dense, late-successional forests to contemporary fires, even in events with widespread potentially beneficial effects consistent with historical fire regimes. These results also illustrate the effectiveness of treatments that shift large-closed to large-open structures and suggest that treatments may help mitigate fire effects in adjacent large-closed forests. Long-term monitoring and adaptive management will be essential for conserving critical wildlife habitats and fostering ecosystem resilience to climate change, wildfires, and other disturbances.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"16 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70360","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144998875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Hydrology drives facilitative and competitive strategies in freshwater macrophyte and microbial communities","authors":"Paige M. Kleindl,&nbsp;Anna Wachnicka,&nbsp;Jay P. Sah,&nbsp;Michael S. Ross,&nbsp;Evelyn E. Gaiser","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70384","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ecs2.70384","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Pulses of resource availability along environmental gradients can filter the local and regional distribution of macrophyte and microbial mat communities in wetlands. Wetlands that experience short hydroperiods (i.e., &lt;6 months with standing water) may cause macrophyte and microbial mat competition for water. However, the stress gradient hypothesis predicts that abiotic stress should increase facilitative co-regulation of producer dynamics. To determine if and how macrophyte and microbial mat biomass covary along a hydrologic gradient, we conducted two observational surveys and a biomass removal experiment in Everglades National Park, FL, USA. In the survey, macrophyte and microbial mat biomass were measured over a two-year period across nine hydrologically regulated macrophyte community types to determine drivers of biomass and macrophyte–microbial mat interactions along a hydroperiod gradient (3–8 months) using a structural equation model. In the experiment, the effect of hydrology on the interaction between macrophytes and microbial mats was quantified by measuring the effect of bimonthly removal of macrophyte or microbial mat biomass on the biomass of both communities in plots in wetlands with contrasting hydroperiods (3–6 months). Hydrology and biological interactions influenced macrophyte and microbial mat biomass, with stronger interactions observed in the shortest hydroperiod transect sites dominated by <i>Schoenus nigricans</i> and <i>Cladium jamaicense</i>. Along the hydrologic gradient, we found direct negative effects of macrophyte biomass on microbial biomass and vice versa, and a significant positive effect of microbial response to flooding duration on macrophyte biomass. Experimental macrophyte removal in shorter-hydroperiod wetlands resulted in a significant increase in microbial biomass while microbial mat removal reduced biomass of the dominant macrophyte <i>C. jamaicense</i>. The facilitative effect of microbial mats on macrophyte biomass in shorter-hydroperiod wetlands may be driven by mats prolonging soil moisture retention due to their desiccation-resistant structure. Stress-induced facilitation supported the stress gradient hypothesis across the short-hydrologic gradient, while competitive interactions were also observed. As climate and human drivers continue altering hydrology in aquatic systems, the type and strength of community interactions will continue to shift and alter distributions across the landscape.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"16 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70384","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144998993","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Ephemeral flows and vegetation productivity: Insights for desert conservation","authors":"Nicole M. Fiore,&nbsp;Megan E. Lulow,&nbsp;Travis E. Huxman","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70391","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ecs2.70391","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In desert environments, infrequent but intense rainfall events drive ephemeral flows that shape the landscape, influence vegetation patterns, and sustain biodiversity. However, despite their ecological and hydrological importance, ephemeral flows are poorly mapped and assessed, hindering effective study, management, and conservation. To address this gap, we developed and validated a high-resolution surface hydrology dataset for the Borrego Springs Subbasin in California, USA, using a 1-m digital elevation model (DEM) and the ArcGIS Hydrology Toolset. The dataset includes detailed outputs illustrating water movement across the landscape, including flow direction, flow accumulation, flow networks, and distance to the nearest flow path for each cell in the subbasin. Validation was conducted using satellite imagery following a significant monsoon rainfall event, which revealed visible water flow and wet soil. Leveraging this dataset, we present a novel framework for examining the relationship between flow proximity and vegetation productivity, using the mean growing season normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) as a proxy for vegetation productivity and cover. Our findings reveal a strong decrease in NDVI values with increasing distance from flow paths. Dense, highly productive vegetation (NDVI &gt; 0.5) was restricted to areas within 40 m of ephemeral flow paths, while the highest NDVI (NDVI &gt; 0.75) was confined to within 10 m. These findings underscore the central role ephemeral flows play in structuring desert vegetation by generating consistent spatial patterns of productivity at the meter scale. However, we also found that urban development in the central subbasin has significantly disrupted natural flow networks, reducing hydrologic connectivity and altering the distribution of surface water resources. When viewed in the context of finer scale soil moisture dynamics and broader geomorphic processes, these patterns offer insight into the multiscale physical drivers shaping arid landscapes. By validating the dataset and exploring its ecological applications, this study provides essential insights into the ecohydrological interactions that govern arid regions and offers a valuable tool for managing and conserving desert ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"16 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70391","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144998990","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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 the storage of soil biogenic elements across different restoration years in the Xianghai degraded wetland","authors":"Dan-Dan Zhao,&nbsp;Jian-Miao Wang,&nbsp;Jia-Chen Wang,&nbsp;Chen Liang,&nbsp;Ji-Ping Liu","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70390","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ecs2.70390","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Wetland restoration through plant transplantation has been shown to positively influence the accumulation and stability of soil biogenic elements; however, there is limited understanding of the dynamic changes in these elements within typical plant communities of inland wetlands across varying restoration years. This study employed in situ field soil sampling to investigate the effects of different restoration years (one year, three and five years) on soil biogenic elements across distinct plant communities in typical inland wetlands, utilizing a space-for-time approach. The findings revealed that the contents of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total phosphorus (TP) were significantly greater in the <i>Phragmites australis</i> wetland compared to the <i>Typha orientalis</i> wetland, owing to the higher biomass of <i>P. australis</i>. The ratios of total nitrogen (TN) to TP and SOC to TP increased significantly in both <i>T. orientalis</i> and <i>P. australis</i> wetlands. The contents and densities of SOC and TP increased in both wetlands as restoration year progressed, which was linked to decreased soil temperature and increased soil moisture and bulk density. The content and density of TN also significantly increased in the <i>P. australis</i> wetland with longer restoration years, while those were higher in the <i>T. orientalis</i> wetland restored for three years, caused by the positive effect of lower soil temperature and minimal root disturbance. The contents and densities of SOC and TP were higher in the <i>P. australis</i> wetland than those in the <i>T. orientalis</i> wetland due to superior regulation of soil moisture and temperature. Our results suggest that prolonged restoration years enhance the content and density of soil biogenic elements, underscoring the importance of consideration of the duration of wetland restoration when evaluating the dynamics of soil carbon and nutrient accumulation in typical degraded inland marshes.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"16 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70390","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144929629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Terrestrial and aquatic drivers of occupancy in four semiaquatic mammals","authors":"Derek Whipkey,&nbsp;Charlotte Narr,&nbsp;Brent S. Pease,&nbsp;Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70386","DOIUrl":"10.1002/ecs2.70386","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Semiaquatic mammals serve as ecosystem engineers and indicator species in their environment. While they play important roles in both terrestrial and aquatic systems, the relative importance of each ecosystem in shaping semiaquatic mammal distributions remains unclear. Additionally, occupancy studies generally focus on a single type of waterbody (e.g., lentic or lotic systems), limiting a holistic understanding of factors impacting these species distribution. To address the relative importance of terrestrial and aquatic environments to semiaquatic mammal distributions, we surveyed 67 sites across four counties in southern Illinois, USA, from March to May 2023 for American beaver (<i>Castor canadensis</i>), muskrat (<i>Ondatra zibethicus</i>), river otter (<i>Lontra canadensis</i>), and American mink (<i>Neogale vison</i>). Sites were distributed evenly between waterbody type and size. Given the elusive nature of these species, we combined two detection methods, sign surveys and camera traps, to increase detection. We applied a Bayesian multi-method occupancy model that incorporates both detection methods to estimate a single occupancy probability for each target species. To evaluate the relative importance of aquatic and terrestrial factors on occupancy, we built candidate models of aquatic and terrestrial covariates separately to identify the most important covariates of each category. The individual top model varied by species, but a combined model of the top aquatic and terrestrial models provided the best overall predictions for each species. Beaver, otter, and mink occupancy showed positive associations with large waterbodies, while muskrat occupancy was positively linked to lotic systems. Additionally, muskrat and mink occupancy were positively related to increasing distance from roads. Our results suggest that while aquatic and terrestrial factors have varying influences in predicting semiaquatic mammal occupancy, considering both yields the most accurate results. All four semiaquatic mammal species we studied were impacted differently by lentic and lotic waterbodies, highlighting the importance of considering both types to better understand their distributions. Our framework is applicable to numerous environments and has the potential to enhance efforts to sustain semiaquatic mammal populations and their habitats.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"16 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70386","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144929628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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}