Global Ecology and Conservation最新文献

{"title":"Mapping potential habitat for naturally recolonizing cougars (Puma concolor) in Missouri, USA","authors":"Kara Gregory ,&nbsp;Nathaniel Bowersock ,&nbsp;Charles Anderson ,&nbsp;Jerrold Belant ,&nbsp;Mariela Gantchoff","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03881","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03881","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cougars <em>(Puma concolor</em>) have been increasingly documented in the Midwestern United States in the past few decades following historical extirpation, including in Missouri (USA), where verified sightings occur regularly. To map potential habitat and inform monitoring efforts, we developed a species distribution model (MaxEnt) using a decade of verified cougar occurrences from 2011 to 2022 (n = 76) and landscape variables hypothesized to influence cougar occurrence. Model performance was good. Terrain ruggedness (50 %), distance to natural cover (23 %), and vegetation productivity (19 %) were the most influential predictors of landscape suitability for cougars. The model identified ∼63,000 km² of potential cougar habitat, primarily in central and southeastern Missouri; only 17 % of these overlapped with public lands. Model validation using 2023–2024 sightings (n = 19) showed 95 % of observations fell within or ≤ 3 km of potential habitat. Our model may slightly underestimate the full extent of cougar range, but it captures the overall spatial pattern and identifies a broader area of suitable habitat in Missouri than previous studies, highlighting the value of localized, state-level modeling for research and conservation planning. Findings provide a spatial framework for monitoring dispersing cougars in fragmented, human-modified landscapes, where public outreach and extension programs will be crucial to promoting effective human-cougar coexistence should recolonization occur in Missouri.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"63 ","pages":"Article e03881"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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-induced habitat modification affects the structure of insect communities and the topology of plant-herbivore networks in Brazilian Neotropical savannas","authors":"Érica Vanessa Durães de Freitas ,&nbsp;Mário Almeida-Neto ,&nbsp;Walter Santos de Araújo","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03879","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03879","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Human-induced habitat modification can alter various aspects of biological diversity, such as interspecific interactions that form ecological networks. In this study, we investigated how species diversity and the interaction structure of plant-herbivore networks differs between wild, rural and urban fragments of Brazilian savannas. We tested the hypothesis that habitat modification leads to a proportionally greater loss of specialized species and interactions, reducing the diversity of herbivorous insect species, increasing network connectance, and decreasing network modularity. The study was conducted in 2018 and 2019 across 16 savanna fragments located in the Neotropical savannas of Brazil, spanning a gradient of habitat disturbance including wild, rural, and urban areas. In total, we sampled 312 insect species, 94 plant species, and 503 interspecific interactions in 16 plant-herbivore networks. Using a model selection procedure, we found that the conservation status of savanna (wild, rural and urban fragments) was present in all the best-selected models. Our results show that urban and rural areas had a lower proportion of host plants with herbivores, lower insect abundance, and lower richness of herbivorous insects compared to wild areas. In addition to changes in species richness, we also observed that urban areas exhibited more connected, more robust and less modular networks compared to wild areas, supporting our expectations. These findings indicate that the intensification of human-induced habitat modification along the urbanization gradient leads to species loss and generalization of plant-herbivore networks in Neotropical savannas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"63 ","pages":"Article e03879"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Unveiling the diversity of benthic habitats of the Romanian Black Sea coast: New records and an updated checklist","authors":"Adrian Teacă,&nbsp;Tatiana Begun,&nbsp;Mihaela Mureşan,&nbsp;Selma Menabit,&nbsp;Adrian Popa,&nbsp;Ana Bianca Pavel","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03885","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03885","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents a comprehensive ecological assessment of the benthic habitats along the Romanian Black Sea coast, with a central focus on the rediscovery and population analysis of the rare burrowing bivalve <em>Barnea candida</em>. Reported for the first time in over six decades, the species was identified in marl soft-rock outcrops stations at two stations located in shallow areas, making it a significant conservation milestone. Detailed morphometric measurements were used to evaluate population structure and growth patterns. Our results revealed the presence of both mature and juvenile individuals, indicating successful local recruitment and habitat resilience. Thirteen stations corresponding to distinct benthic habitats (marl outcrops, biogenic reefs, photophilic algae beds, seagrass meadows, and deep rock substrata) have been analyzed in terms of species richness and community structure using both density and biomass data and integrated with substrate. The faunal associations included <em>Brachynotus sexdentatus</em> and <em>Pholas dactylus</em> with marl beds, <em>Molgula manhattensis</em> on shallow rock with photophilic algae, <em>Mytilus</em> and <em>Mytilaster</em> on exposed biogenic reefs, and <em>Petricola lithophaga</em> in deep rocky areas. A new record of <em>Zostera marina</em> and the reappearance of the red alga <em>Dasya pedicellata</em> were also documented, further highlighting the ecological value and recovery potential of these coastal systems. Overall, this study provides the first integrated ecological and population-level analysis of <em>Barnea candida</em> in the region, highlighting marl beds as keystone microhabitats for its conservation. The findings aim to support monitoring, habitat protection, and benthic biodiversity management in the Romanian Black Sea coastal waters.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"63 ","pages":"Article e03885"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145268754","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Little migrants: Assessment of stranded loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) source populations found in the north-east Atlantic","authors":"Luana S. Corona ,&nbsp;Adam Galatoulas ,&nbsp;Lídia Nicolau ,&nbsp;Andreia F.T. Pereira ,&nbsp;Sara F. Sá ,&nbsp;Regina L. Cunha ,&nbsp;Ana Marçalo ,&nbsp;Rita Castilho","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03878","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03878","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Maritime activities affect the migratory routes of marine organisms, including loggerhead turtles (<em>Caretta caretta</em>). The coastal waters of mainland Portugal lie along these routes, providing foraging grounds but lacking nesting beaches, making them ideal for studying turtle migration. This study presents the first assessment of the natal origins of loggerheads in the North-East Atlantic. We analysed the genetic diversity of 127 stranded loggerhead turtles along the Portuguese coast, sequencing the mitochondrial DNA control region (776 bp). Sixteen haplotypes were identified, including a previously unknown one. Mixed-stock analysis revealed that loggerhead turtles stranded in Portuguese mainland coastal waters appear to originate predominantly from the Western Atlantic, with possible contributions from other regions including Cape Verde and the Eastern Mediterranean, though the latter remains uncertain. The primary sources were Florida rookeries, particularly Canaveral National Seashore, Melbourne Beach, Juno Beach, and Ft. Lauderdale. Our findings underscore the role of oceanic circulation patterns in shaping migration routes, as turtles predominantly followed major currents across the Atlantic. The predominance of juveniles among stranded individuals in areas with known high fishing pressure indicates that Portuguese waters may pose significant anthropogenic risks for this life stage. This study highlights the vulnerability of juvenile loggerheads in Portuguese waters and underscores the need for conservation strategies, including bycatch mitigation and fisheries management. Further ecological studies, such as tag tracking, are essential to understanding migratory patterns and improving conservation efforts in this critical migratory corridor.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"63 ","pages":"Article e03878"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145269256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"The soil organic carbon and its labile fractions are highest during moderate shrub expansion stage in the alpine meadow shrub expansion process","authors":"Xiaojuan Zhang,&nbsp;Hang Yang,&nbsp;Qiang Li,&nbsp;Meimei Bai,&nbsp;Jianchao Song,&nbsp;Changlin Xu,&nbsp;Xiaojun Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03876","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03876","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shrub expansion has a profound influence on regional carbon cycling. However, understanding the dynamics of soil carbon fractions and their driving factors along shrub expansion gradients remains critical for accurately assessing the ecosystem's carbon sequestration potential. In this study, three different stages of <em>Dasiphora parvifolia</em> shrubs were identified on the eastern edge of the Qilian Mountains, with alpine meadows (non-shrub) serving as the control. We investigated the vegetation status, determined the soil carbon fractions (including total carbon, total organic carbon, microbial carbon, dissolved organic carbon, particulate organic carbon, and easily oxidizable organic carbon), and the soil microbial community in both shrub patches and the grassy matrix. We found that during shrub expansion, the herbaceous community was significantly suppressed at the LS stage (with biomass and diversity markedly reduced), partially recovered at the MS stage, and exhibited increased plant height but further declined in diversity at the HS stage, indicating stronger competition from shrub patches than from the grassy matrix. Soil carbon dynamics followed a distinct pattern: substantial carbon loss occurred at the LS stage (with TOC content decreasing by 48.6 % and 31.8 % compared to CK), while active carbon components (POC, DOC, EOC) significantly increased at the MS and HS stages (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Redundancy analysis reveals that both vegetation characteristics and microbial communities have high explanatory power for the variation in carbon fractions. Path analysis showed that in the grassy matrix, vegetation characteristics directly or indirectly influence changes in soil carbon content by affecting fungal community diversity, whereas in the shrub patch, the relationship is indirect.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"63 ","pages":"Article e03876"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145269257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Landscape fragmentation and spatial ecology of the yellow-spotted mountain newt (Neurergus derjugini) in the context of climate and land use change (2002–2024)","authors":"Somaye Vaissi ,&nbsp;Alireza Mohammadi","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03884","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03884","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The yellow-spotted mountain newt (<em>Neurergus derjugini</em>), a vulnerable amphibian endemic to western Iran and northeastern Iraq, faces significant threats from habitat loss and fragmentation. This study evaluates habitat suitability, identifies core habitats and connectivity pathways, and quantifies land use and land cover change (LULCC) in the species’ range from 2002 to 2024. Using ensemble species distribution models, we integrated climatic, topographical, and anthropogenic variables, achieving high predictive accuracy (specificity and sensitivity &gt;92 %). Precipitation during the wettest month (18 %) and annual mean temperature (13.35 %) emerged as the most influential environmental factors. Core habitat analysis revealed that only 11.69 % of suitable habitats and 14.63 % of connectivity corridors fall within protected areas, leaving the majority of the species' range exposed to anthropogenic pressures. Connectivity modeling identified the southern range as a critical dispersal corridor, but fragmentation caused by roads and infrastructure poses a significant threat to gene flow. LULCC analysis indicated substantial transformation in land cover, with residential and agricultural areas expanding by 6.6 % and 6.75 %, respectively, while rangelands and water bodies declined by 8.84 % and 1.56 %. Urbanization intensified, as residential land cover increased from 5.92 % to 22.84 %, edge density rose from 1.85 to 3.83, and patch density grew from 1.65 to 4.20, further exacerbating landscape fragmentation. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted conservation measures, including the expansion of protected areas, restoration of habitat connectivity, and mitigation of anthropogenic impacts. This study provides a spatially explicit framework for conservation planning, emphasizing the importance of addressing habitat fragmentation and climate change to ensure the long-term survival of <em>N. derjugini</em> and the preservation of its ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"63 ","pages":"Article e03884"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Dietary divergence and temporal partitioning facilitate the stopover coexistence of two molluscivorous shorebird species in the Yellow Sea","authors":"Furong Bai ,&nbsp;He-Bo Peng ,&nbsp;Chenjing Huang ,&nbsp;Yang Wu ,&nbsp;Hui Wang ,&nbsp;Haozhan Feng ,&nbsp;Mei Guo ,&nbsp;Zhengwang Zhang ,&nbsp;Weipan Lei ,&nbsp;De Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03877","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03877","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Species coexistence, largely maintained through mechanisms of niche differentiation, is fundamental for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. For migratory shorebirds, the limited availability of staging sites intensifies interspecific competition, making coexistence mechanisms critical for refueling and survival during migration. This study examined the coexistence mechanisms of two threatened shorebird species, the Great Knot (<em>Calidris tenuirostris</em>) and Red Knot (<em>Calidris canutus</em>), in Nanpu wetland, a key stopover site along the East Asian<img>Australasian Flyway. Using noninvasive DNA metabarcoding of 81 droppings, we identified 32 MOTUs, revealing that both species primarily feed on Bivalvia. The Great Knot exhibited a more diverse diet, with <em>Mactra quadrangularis</em> (FOO = 71.43 %, RRA = 69.41 %) as its primary food source, whereas the Red Knot specializes in feeding on <em>Potamocorbula laevis</em> (FOO = 93.48 %, RRA = 80.15 %). Long-term survey data collected from 2014 to 2024 revealed that the abundance of Great Knots peaked in late April, whereas the number of Red Knots peaked 12.6 days later, in mid-May. These findings highlight how dietary differentiation and temporal partitioning enable the coexistence of these threatened species, offering valuable insights for the development of targeted conservation strategies to support species with specialized diets in adapting to fluctuations in food resources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"63 ","pages":"Article e03877"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222728","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Woody densification and its management shape insect and bat communities in an African savanna.","authors":"Jessica Comley ,&nbsp;Keenan Stears ,&nbsp;Melissa H. Schmitt ,&nbsp;Terence Olckers ,&nbsp;Dan M. Parker","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03875","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03875","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding management-driven interactions is critical for savanna biodiversity conservation. Vegetation management alters ecosystem structure, potentially impacting higher trophic levels, including insects vital to insectivorous bat communities. Our study in MalaMala Game Reserve, South Africa, examined five management approaches (densified, intermediate woody cover, summer mow, winter mow, rest) within an experimental design, assessing their effects on vegetation (tree density, grass height), insect abundance and richness (via light traps), and bat activity and richness (via acoustic monitoring). Habitat management significantly influenced habitat structure, producing contrasting responses in insect and bat communities. Specifically, insect abundance and richness increased with woody plant cover, whereas bat activity decreased. Low tree density and short grass areas supported high bat activity, but had the lowest insect abundance and species richness, likely due to bats' mobility and adaptable foraging behaviours. Intermediate woody cover and taller grass hosted diverse insect communities with moderate bat activity. Dense woody cover hosted the richest insect communities but the lowest bat activity, favouring clutter-specialist bats like <em>Rhinolophus smithersi</em>, which prefer thick vegetation. Our findings highlight the nuanced interactions within savanna ecosystems and the importance of maintaining heterogeneous landscapes with a range of vegetation structures to support diverse insect and bat communities. Mixed habitat management practices that create habitats with varying woody plant densities and herbaceous layer heights can enhance insect abundance and bat diversity across landscapes. This study underscores the complex interplay between vegetation, prey availability, and bat foraging, providing important insights for savanna biodiversity conservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"63 ","pages":"Article e03875"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Flooding stress drives plant community assembly and seed rain dynamics in reservoir water-level fluctuation zone","authors":"Wanlu Li ,&nbsp;Tingting Li ,&nbsp;Ying Shao ,&nbsp;Li Li ,&nbsp;Zhongli Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03883","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03883","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The construction of large reservoirs worldwide has led to the degradation of riparian vegetation. Since the completion of the Three Gorges project, the water-level fluctuation zone (WLFZ) formed by the high-water-level operation has experienced vegetation loss and ecological degradation. Despite extensive research on vegetation degradation in the WLFZ, the role of seed rain in revegetation and its response to flooding stress gradients remains unresolved. This study selected the Pengxi River of the Three Gorges Reservoir as the study area to (1) investigate the main factor influencing aboveground vegetation and seed rain formation, and (2) reveal the contribution of seed rain to revegetation in the WLFZ. The emergence period in May marks a critical stage for vegetation growth in the WLFZ. During this time, vegetation allocates more resources to vegetation growth, whereas in June and July, it shifts toward reproductive growth, with fruiting rates increasing over time—a key phase for seed rain formation. Annual plants under low flooding stress invest more resources in reproduction to sustain their populations, while those under high or moderate flooding stress, with shorter emergence periods, prioritize vegetative growth. Flooding stress was the dominant factor, explaining up to 51.3 % of the variation in plant community diversity and seed rain formation. Annual herbs under low stress prioritized reproduction, while high-stress conditions favored accelerated life cycles. These findings demonstrate how phenological adaptations (e.g., accelerated reproduction under high stress) enhance ecosystem resilience and highlight the need for flood-adaptive species in WLFZ restoration. Thus, long-term flooding stress at varying intensities is the primary driver shaping aboveground plant community and seed rain dynamics. Our findings offer a novel, seed-based restoration strategy tailored to flood gradients, advancing both theoretical and practical approaches for WLFZ sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"63 ","pages":"Article e03883"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"The effects of short-term warming on plant diversity, productivity, and their relationship in alpine grasslands","authors":"Mingxue Xiang ,&nbsp;Jianghao Cheng ,&nbsp;Yanjie Zhang ,&nbsp;Tao Ma ,&nbsp;Yunqiao Ma ,&nbsp;Ruikang Luo ,&nbsp;Huanyu Zhou ,&nbsp;Zepeng Liang ,&nbsp;Xuhui Ding ,&nbsp;Junxi Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03880","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03880","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biodiversity and productivity, which are key determinants of ecosystem services, exhibit significant variation under global change. However, the effects of short-term warming on plant community biomass, species diversity, and their relationships (biodiversity-productivity relationship, BPR) in alpine meadows are not well understood. We conducted a continuous three-year warming experiment in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau using open-top chambers. Our results showed that warming significantly altered community species diversity. One-year warming significantly increased the species richness, Shannon index, and Simpson index in comparison to the control. Three-year warming significantly decreased the species richness compared to the control. This was attributed to the modification of plant community structure by warming, which enhanced species turnover and ultimately resulted in reduced species diversity. A negative relationship between aboveground biomass (AGB) and species turnover was observed under warming conditions. Regression analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) further confirmed that warming exacerbates the negative influence of species turnover (beta-diversity) on AGB. Meanwhile, the results from random forest analysis and SEM indicated that warming alleviates the negative impact of available nitrogen on the Shannon diversity and AGB. Thus, short-term warming enhanced the species turnover within plant communities, thereby exacerbating the negative influence of beta-diversity on productivity. Concurrently, warming mitigated the limitation imposed by available nitrogen on productivity. Our findings provide key insights into the response of alpine grasslands to short-term warming and help predict the potential impacts of climate change on their ecological functions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"63 ","pages":"Article e03880"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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}