Ecosphere最新文献

{"title":"The role of precipitation and host assemblage composition in shaping bat–bat fly network structure","authors":"Paulo Mejia,&nbsp;William Douglas Carvalho,&nbsp;Wesley Dáttilo,&nbsp;José Júlio De Toledo","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70734","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70734","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Climatic seasonality plays an important role in shaping ecological interactions, including those between bats and their ectoparasitic bat flies. Although previous studies have acknowledged the influence of climate on the structure of bat–bat fly interaction networks, the existence of biogeographical patterns driven by climatic seasonality remains largely unexplored. Because biogeographic patterns reflect recurrent structural changes along environmental gradients, identifying them can provide valuable insights into host–parasite interactions and their responses to environmental variation. Here, we investigated the effects of climatic seasonality on the structure of bat–bat fly interaction networks across the Neotropics, while accounting for host assemblage composition and bat functional traits. We analyzed interaction networks previously compiled from a published paper on bat–bat fly interactions throughout the Neotropics. We obtained climatic variables from WorldClim models, and bat functional traits from published databases. We quantified network structure using network size, niche overlap, modularity, and nestedness. To assess the influence of climate and host traits on network structure, we fitted generalized linear models including mean annual temperature, temperature seasonality, annual precipitation, and precipitation seasonality as explanatory variables. Network size was also included as a predictor to account for its influence on niche overlap, modularity, and nestedness. In addition, we incorporated the proportion of cavity-roosting bats, frugivorous bats, and phyllostomid bats as controls for functional and taxonomic composition of host assemblages. Our results show that higher annual precipitation is associated with larger network size and reduced niche overlap, whereas increasing network size leads to lower nestedness. The proportion of phyllostomid bats further increased niche overlap and reduced nestedness, highlighting the importance of host assemblage composition. In contrast, neither temperature seasonality nor precipitation seasonality had a direct effect on network structure. Overall, our findings emphasize the dominant role of annual precipitation and host assemblage, rather than climatic seasonality, in shaping bat–bat fly interaction networks. These results advance our understanding of parasitism dynamics and the structural organization of antagonistic host–parasite networks at broad biogeographical scales.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"17 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70734","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148753376","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":"A primer on forest structure measurement with lidar for ecologists","authors":"K. C. Cushman,&nbsp;Kamil Král,&nbsp;Angelica M. Almeyda Zambrano,&nbsp;Eben N. Broadbent,&nbsp;Martin Krůček,&nbsp;Alice Rosen,&nbsp;Sean M. McMahon","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70730","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70730","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Light detection and ranging (lidar) technology has fundamentally advanced the way we measure forest structure, facilitating new insights into ecological processes. Lidar for forest ecology applications is deployed on multiple types of platforms that operate from the ground, air, or space, and each has associated strengths and limitations. Ideally, the choice of what kind of lidar to use in a particular study should be guided by the ecological question of interest; however, practical considerations of cost, data availability, and processing tools can be equally important. This synthesis is a practical introduction to how different lidar platforms characterize forest structure (e.g., tree size/location, wood volume, branching structure, aboveground biomass, leaf properties), designed for a general audience of ecologists (not remote sensing scientists) seeking an accessible introduction to the use of lidar. We also provide examples of novel ecological insights from recent lidar research and describe current limitations and areas of expected improvement. Last, we include an appendix of data collected from terrestrial, mobile, unoccupied aerial system, airplane, and satellite lidar platforms within a common temperate forest area, with associated code to allow new lidar users to visualize and manipulate data in R.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"17 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70730","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148704276","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":"Holistic understanding of uncertainty for collaborative and proactive global change decision making","authors":"Nicole K. Ward,&nbsp;Aaron Shultz,&nbsp;Amanda L. Sesser,&nbsp;Michael Waasegiizhig Price,&nbsp;Dawn R. Magness,&nbsp;Abigail J. Lynch,&nbsp;Jon Hansen,&nbsp;Kelly G. Guilbeau","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70712","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70712","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Global change is accelerating and pushing the planet's ecosystems beyond the range of historical observations, creating increasing uncertainty in future system conditions. Despite general agreement that proactive environmental action is warranted, environmental decision conversations often end by identifying additional data needed to reduce uncertainty before taking novel action. Given the inherent uncertainty in complex issues such as global change, quantitative data alone are likely insufficient to support proactive environmental action. Holistic understanding of uncertainty includes scientific quantification of uncertainty paired with emotional responses and transcendental grounding to help people work together toward proactive action in uncertain decision contexts. Holistic understanding arises from the four ways in which humans perceive the world, termed the Four Realms: Physical (e.g., how I observe), Mental (e.g., how I think), Emotional (e.g., how I feel), and Transcendental (e.g., how I connect to greater meaning or purpose). Environmental scientists and decision makers are generally trained in Physical and Mental Realm observation and analysis, but not in how to apply Emotional and Transcendental Realm understanding. Emotional and Transcendental processing occurs in scientists and decision makers whether it is acknowledged or not and contributes to different people interpreting the same information in different ways. Thus, when the role of Emotional and Transcendental Realms in an individual's interpretation process is not understood, it can derail conversations and perpetuate the status quo. Explicitly recognizing all Four Realms can bring people together across differences and inspire shared, novel decision making even in increasing uncertainty. To illustrate the benefits of holistic understanding, we share stories from our experiences in environmental decision contexts. Because accessing the Four Realms requires experiential and embodied techniques, while still relying on core scientific tenets of observation and analysis, we also present techniques for readers to learn to <i>feel</i> their own emotional understanding and <i>connect</i> to their own transcendental understanding. Holistic understanding can enhance data-driven decisions by recognizing that human responses to uncertainty inherently include interactions between emotions, thoughts, transcendental connections, and behavior. Ultimately, holistic understanding can help anchor data-driven decisions in intra- and interpersonal connections, inspiring action in the face of uncertainty.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"17 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70712","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148467330","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":"Stoichiometric mismatches between Australian showy mistletoes and their hosts: You are what you assimilate","authors":"Luis Y. Santiago-Rosario,&nbsp;Kyle E. Harms,&nbsp;Sarah Mathews","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70717","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70717","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Ecological stoichiometry emphasizes that mismatches between the elemental composition of organisms and their resources can shape ecological interactions, evolutionary trajectories, and nutrient cycling. For hemiparasitic plants such as mistletoes, which draw water and nutrients from hosts while maintaining their own photosynthesis, such mismatches raise a fundamental question: To what extent do parasites mirror or diverge from the elemental constitution of their hosts, and what ecological and evolutionary consequences emerge from these differences? To address this, we measured concentrations of 14 elements in leaves of 168 mistletoe–host pairs spanning 90 species combinations across Australian bioregions. We used bioconcentration ratios, slopes of log–log relationships, and spatial mixed-effects models to assess whether mistletoes accumulate or underaccumulate elements relative to their hosts, and to test the influence of host phylogeny, mistletoe identity, and geography on stoichiometric patterns. Mistletoes consistently exhibited higher concentrations of boron, copper, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium, but lower iron and nitrogen than their hosts, while concentrations of other elements were broadly similar. Potassium, in particular, showed evidence of tight homeostatic regulation across diverse hosts, suggesting a physiological requirement potentially linked to water relations and osmoregulation. In contrast, sodium and several other elements tracked host concentrations more closely, indicating context-dependent accumulation. Variation in mismatches was strongly structured by host family, species pair, and site, underscoring the importance of both evolutionary and geographic context in parasite–host nutrient relationships. These patterns imply that mistletoes are not simply “what they eat” but instead selectively accumulate elements in ways that may underlie their distinctive life history traits, such as extended reproductive phenology and high transpiration rates. At broader scales, stoichiometric mismatches between mistletoes and hosts may influence herbivore foraging, shape plant–animal interactions, and alter nutrient inputs through litterfall, thereby contributing to ecosystem productivity and biodiversity. By linking elemental imbalances across individual, community, and ecosystem levels, our results highlight the integrative role of stoichiometric theory in understanding the biology of parasitic plants and their ecological consequences.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"17 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70717","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148467547","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":"Do you reap what you sow? Temporal dynamics of insect-relevant floral characteristics of flower strip mixtures","authors":"Simon Blümel,&nbsp;Nicolai Bissantz,&nbsp;Wolfgang H. Kirchner,&nbsp;Verena Haberlah-Korr","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70701","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70701","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The implementation of flower strips in agroecosystems is an effective measure to counteract the loss of biodiversity and enhance ecosystem services. Positive effects of flower strips on their main target group, flower-visiting insects, are assumed to be mediated by plant species composition and its associated floral characteristics (e.g., species richness and floral trait diversity). However, comprehensive studies investigating the establishment success and maintenance of different flower strip mixtures over time remain scarce. Therefore, we studied the performance of four different flower strip mixtures (two annual and two perennial) in a field experiment at three distinct study sites over three consecutive years. Here, we assessed their potential benefits in supporting flower visitors by evaluating the temporal dynamics of plant community composition and six insect-relevant floral characteristics. Moreover, we examined the impact of weed invasion on flower strips and how realized mixture performance under field conditions deviates from expected mixture performance. We found that both perennial flower strip mixtures undergo a significant community shift due to compositional changes in sown plant species after the year of sowing, strongly affecting mixture performance over time. Furthermore, deviation from expected mixture performance in both annual mixtures was largely explained by weed invasion, whereas in perennial mixtures, deviation was mainly caused by community changes in sown plant species (e.g., disproportional dominance of single species). The mixture with the highest initially sown species richness (PERENNIAL 51) outperformed all other mixtures after the year of sowing regarding taxonomic (species richness and Shannon diversity) as well functional floral characteristics (functional diversity and redundancy). Overall, we conclude that such mixtures (e.g., PERENNIAL 51) probably enhance the ability to support a diverse and abundant community of flower-visiting insects over several years and under varying site conditions, likely reflecting greater stability under environmental stressors such as drought and weed invasion.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"17 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70701","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148467331","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 change impacts on California's foundational trees: Demographic shifts are already underway","authors":"Morgan M. Abbott,&nbsp;Suzanne Lipton,&nbsp;David D. Ackerly,&nbsp;Holly V. Moeller,&nbsp;Erika S. Zavaleta,&nbsp;Blair C. McLaughlin","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70715","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70715","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Climate change is a leading threat to global biodiversity. Research on climate change impacts on foundational species, which underlie the structure and function of ecosystems, is critical to developing effective conservation responses. To better understand the landscape of existing research and identify research needs, we conducted a scoping review on the gray and peer-reviewed literature between 1971 and 2023 on climate change impacts on endemic and near-endemic, foundational trees (<i>N</i> = 31) in California, a biodiversity hotspot. From this review, we quantitatively synthesized studies on spatial/temporal demographic changes (recruitment, mortality, and density) across these species as related to climate change and provided narrative syntheses for each individual species. While research on climate change impacts has grown, significant gaps remain, and research effort was highly variable across species, topic, approach, and focal climate stressor. Many of our focal species are already showing recruitment and mortality patterns consistent with climate change, with particularly strong evidence of spatial/temporal shifts in young life stages in response to a drying environment (86% of species studied). This work provides continuing evidence that species are already responding to climate change and highlights research gaps and opportunities to support climate-adaptive conservation for key, foundational species of our study region.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"17 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70715","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148467291","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":"Sustaining the world and words: Ecological environments and diversity of Chinese dialects","authors":"Rui-Feng Mo,&nbsp;Qian Pang,&nbsp;Xia-Min Cheng,&nbsp;Kun-Xue Xiao","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70534","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70534","url":null,"abstract":"<p>From an ecolinguistic perspective, this paper explores the relationship between ecological environments (natural and social factors) and the diversity of Chinese dialects. The study examines specific ecological variables, including species richness, forest coverage, traditional villages, population, provincial area, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP). By analyzing correlations between these factors and the diversity of Chinese dialects across China's 34 provincial administrative regions, the research aims to identify significant patterns and determine which ecological factors influence dialectal diversity. The findings highlight the critical role of ecological environments in sustaining linguistic diversity, providing valuable insights for addressing language endangerment and promoting the sustainable development of linguistic and cultural heritage. The results reveal significant correlations between dialect diversity and driving factors such as forest coverage, traditional villages, population, species richness, and provincial area. However, no significant correlation was found between dialect diversity and GDP.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"17 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70534","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148467415","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":"Divergent plant and microbial community change in response to coastal salinization and sea level rise","authors":"Aeran O. Coughlin,&nbsp;Ariane L. Peralta,&nbsp;Emily S. Bernhardt,&nbsp;Richard P. Phillips,&nbsp;Justin P. Wright","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70714","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70714","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Diverging community responses of plants and microbes to global change have the potential to disrupt ecosystem function and resiliency. Saltwater intrusion and sea level rise (SWISLR) threaten coastal ecosystems and are associated with multiple stressors—salinization, alkalinization, and inundation. However, how plant and microbial communities respond in tandem to these environmental changes remains uncharacterized. We sought to determine which SWISLR stressor(s)—salinity, pH, or elevation (inundation risk)—best predict plant and microbial community turnover (change in species composition) and richness and to investigate whether community shifts are correlated or divergent in coastal wetlands. We sampled three transects within the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula, North Carolina, USA, reflecting gradients of SWISLR. Along the transects, we characterized vegetation and sampled soils for microbial and chemical composition. We found that pH was an equally, if not more, important predictor of community turnover and richness than salinity, but that plant and microbial communities had distinct changes associated with SWISLR stressors. We identified more microbial indicator taxa associated with changes in pH than either salinity or elevation, and community turnover of plant and microbial communities across salinity gradients was parallel, but diverged across pH. Soil alkalinization associated with SWISLR may be a more powerful and accurate predictor of plant and microbial community change than variation in soil salinity in acidic coastal wetland soils. The distinct plant and microbial community changes we observe across gradients point to potential mismatches in how plant and microbial communities adapt to SWISLR, underscoring the need to assess their responses collectively for a complete understanding of SWISLR impacts on coastal ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"17 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70714","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148467057","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":"Snowfall and pond volume drive summer mountain pond dynamics in California's Sierra Nevada","authors":"Christine C. Bonadonna,&nbsp;Mary Jade Farruggia,&nbsp;Steven Sadro,&nbsp;Celia C. Symons","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70706","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70706","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Mountain aquatic ecosystems are especially vulnerable to warming and changes in hydroclimate due to climate change. Within mountain ecosystems, ponds make up a majority of the lentic waterbodies in abundance but are severely understudied compared to other freshwater systems. Understanding the drivers of pond biological, chemical, and physical dynamics in mountain ecosystems is critical for determining their responses to future climate change. Here, we performed a field survey of 30 ponds over four summers (2020–2023) in California's Sierra Nevada to understand how pond dynamics (temperature, water chemistry, primary production, and zooplankton community) are driven by environmental variables. Ponds varied in volume (4–3361 m³), elevation (2299–3444 m), and snowfall, where we captured years of relatively low snowfall (361–803 mm) and one of the highest snowfall years on record (1447–3002 mm). We found that snowfall was a dominant driver of pond dynamics during the ice-free season, similar to mountain lakes. Higher snowfall increased pond volume during the ice-free season, which was associated with a decrease in mean temperatures and thermal variability, a decrease in nutrient concentrations, and a decrease in zooplankton abundance. Sierra Nevada ponds mixed almost every night, unlike low-elevation temperate ponds of similar volume. Our results suggest that montane ponds do not fit previously defined pond paradigms. With the Sierra Nevada predicted to lose 70% of their snowpack by 2100, it is increasingly important to understand the impact of hydroclimate on its understudied ponds. For ponds that are able to persist with lower snowfall, they may be warmer, more thermally variable, with higher nutrients, primary productivity, and therefore higher zooplankton concentrations.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"17 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70706","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148466934","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":"From seeds to scenarios: Co-creating brighter marine futures in Nova Scotia, Canada","authors":"Suchinta Arif,&nbsp;Rachael Cadman,&nbsp;Chad Simmons,&nbsp;Zoya Tyabji,&nbsp;Ainhoa Fournier,&nbsp;Marijke de Vet,&nbsp;Ross Claytor,&nbsp;Corrine Cash,&nbsp;Joseph Pratt,&nbsp;Krista Collier-Jarvis,&nbsp;Ronnie Noonan-Birch,&nbsp;Paige McCarthy,&nbsp;Scott McIlveen,&nbsp;Emily Baker,&nbsp;Ben Shellnut,&nbsp;Leah Creaser,&nbsp;Emily Roy,&nbsp;Macy Giles,&nbsp;Frank Kwaku Aazore,&nbsp;Derek Tittensor,&nbsp;Megan Bailey","doi":"10.1002/ecs2.70704","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70704","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Marine ecosystems underpin human well-being and offer essential ecosystem services but continue to face challenges due to human-induced pressures. In Nova Scotia, where cultural identity and economic resilience are dependent on marine resources, there is a growing need for innovative and inclusive approaches to marine management. This research uses participatory future visioning to explore positive, sustainable, and equitable pathways for ocean use in Nova Scotia through 2050, in collaboration with a group of Nova Scotian residents, predominantly composed of youth and early-career researchers invested in marine sustainability. Using the Manoa Mash-Up Method and principles of participatory action research, three “brighter future” scenarios and roadmaps for getting there were cogenerated. The brighter future scenarios were created from “seeds,” marginal but promising societal initiatives or ideas, that could guide transitions toward sustainable and socially just marine practices. A backcasting approach (i.e., how to get there) highlights the importance of community empowerment, inclusive governance, localized economic growth, and innovative ocean education. This study contributes an important case study to a growing body of participatory future visioning research, demonstrating the method's potential for fostering collaboration and guiding localized strategies towards a sustainable marine future.</p>","PeriodicalId":48930,"journal":{"name":"Ecosphere","volume":"17 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ecs2.70704","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148467094","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}