Global Ecology and Conservation最新文献

{"title":"First insights into functional and taxonomic changes after three years of simulated extreme events in wet grasslands","authors":"Arkadiusz Nowak ,&nbsp;Sebastian Świerszcz ,&nbsp;Marcin Kotowski ,&nbsp;Grzegorz Hebda ,&nbsp;Zbigniew Miszalski ,&nbsp;Andrzej Kornaś ,&nbsp;Wojciech Pusz","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03629","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03629","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Grasslands are an integral part of terrestrial land cover being highly biodiverse, semi-natural habitats. With the decline of this ecosystem due to direct human impacts, remaining grasslands are under increasing pressure from climate change. Thus, the main objective of our research was to determine the taxonomic and functional responses in grasslands under the influence of simulated extreme inundation and climate warming. The field experiment was conducted on translocated grassland plots in the Radzionków Botanical Garden. We analysed the response of vegetation with the use of plant functional trait changes related to persistence, growth rate, reproduction and competitive ability (specific leaf area, SLA; leaf dry matter content, LDMC; height; seed mass) and plant life strategies (<em>C</em>, <em>S</em>, <em>R</em>) using trait-based approach (community weighted means and functional diversity indices). The results showed increased temperature caused a significant increase in competitiveness (<em>C</em> strategy) for all species and for the forb group counted separately, and a decrease in the ruderal strategy for the forb group. We found that the higher the hydration, the lower the species richness (more so at higher temperatures). In addition, we find that drought increases functional richness, mainly due to an increase in SLA and a higher proportion of forbs. Furthermore, warming decreases functional richness of graminoids and increases functional divergence of graminoids and forbs, especially in dry conditions. Our research indicates that climate change has a complex impact on plant diversity in European grasslands, highlighting the need for further exploration of these interactions to predict long-term effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article e03629"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144072052","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":"Impact of anthropogenic landscape alteration on the distribution of potential cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) habitats in southern Kenya: Revealing cheetah behavioural change","authors":"Noreen M. Mutoro ,&nbsp;Jonas Eberle ,&nbsp;Mary Wykstra ,&nbsp;Jan Christian Habel ,&nbsp;Gertrud Schaab","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03637","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03637","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The current resident cheetah (<em>Acinonyx jubatus</em>) distribution range is predominantly outside protected areas where anthropogenic pressures are rapidly changing the composition and structure of the landscape. Yet, little is known about the effects of infrastructure development, human/ livestock population growth and land use/cover change on cheetah habitat distribution in these landscapes. This study investigated changes in the distribution of potential cheetah habitats following major human disturbance in a resident cheetah range outside a protected area in southern Kenya. MaxEnt-based distribution models were built using past (2005–2011) and current (2012–2019) cheetah occurrence records together with a combination of 16 environmental, anthropogenic and biotic covariates. The results show that potential cheetah habitats were widely distributed, with habitat suitability mainly influenced by precipitation of the driest season, slope, and distribution of potential prey habitats. Habitats declined by almost 50 % following major disturbance, with highly suitable cheetah habitats shifting to the western part of the study area. Some habitats became fragmented and much smaller in size and the distribution of potential prey habitats, temperature seasonality-annual range and elevation mostly influenced habitat suitability. By projecting the past species-environment relationship onto current predictors and comparing the results with the geographic distribution derived from the current cheetah observation data, changes in cheetah behaviour were revealed. Anthropogenic activities are causing habitat fragmentation, loss and shifts in ecological niches, triggering behavioural change with cheetahs avoiding unsuitable habitats. As human disturbance increases, we recommend regular and targeted monitoring of cheetahs in remaining suitable habitats to assess threats to cheetah survival.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article e03637"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144137698","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 hidden influence of protozoa on hydrophyte-epiphytic bacterial communities","authors":"Meiting Zhang,&nbsp;Jiali Ren,&nbsp;Jinxian Liu,&nbsp;Baofeng Chai","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03638","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03638","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plants and their epiphytic microorganisms synergistically participate in biogeochemical cycling and pollutant removal in wetlands, but the assembly mechanisms of epiphytic microbial communities remain unclear. In this study, we use high-throughput sequencing to investigate the epiphytic bacterial communities of two hydrophytes, <em>Vallisneria natans</em> and <em>Nymphaea tetragona</em> and planktonic one in the Yuguqiao Wetland of the Fenhe River, China. We observed differences in composition and diversity among these three microbial environments. The α-diversity of the epiphytic bacterial communities was significantly higher than that of the planktonic one (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), with the composition of protozoa community was the main predictors of <em>V. natans</em> and planktonic bacterial communities. Neutral and null model analyses indicated that dispersal limitation dominated the assembly of the <em>V. natans</em> epiphytic bacterial community, whereas homogeneous selection had the most important influence on that of <em>N. tetragona</em> (53.3 %) and the planktonic (54.2 %) bacterial communities. As ascertained by a network analysis, the bacteria-protozoa bipartite network was more robust and less complex than the bacterial co-occurrence network in all three habitats. In additional, the relative abundance of carbon and nitrogen metabolism-related functional bacterial taxa was found to be negatively related to the |βNTI| of bacterial communities, thus indicating that the assembly processes of bacterial communities were closely associated with community function. According to these findings, we conclude that protozoa have an important impact on the assembly processes and stability of hydrophytes-epiphytic bacterial communities which can inform future strategies for enhancing wetland ecosystem health and improving bioremediation efforts by leveraging the interactions between microorganisms and hydrophytes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article e03638"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144072189","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":"Vascular plant nano-hotspots in the central Balkan Peninsula – A novel GIS-based approach for identifying centres of species richness","authors":"Jovan Kovačević ,&nbsp;Nevena Kuzmanović ,&nbsp;Vladan Djordjević ,&nbsp;Snežana Vukojičić ,&nbsp;Ivana Stevanoski ,&nbsp;Gordana Tomović ,&nbsp;Marjan Niketić ,&nbsp;Eva Kabaš ,&nbsp;Predrag Lazarević ,&nbsp;Sanja Đurović ,&nbsp;Jelica Novaković ,&nbsp;Uroš Buzurović ,&nbsp;Miloš Zbiljić ,&nbsp;Dmitar Lakušić","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03630","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03630","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although the Balkan Peninsula is one of the most biodiverse regions in Europe, there is still a lack of knowledge about its plant diversity. This study aimed to fill this knowledge gap by studying the spatial patterns of plant diversity on three massifs that had previously been identified as hotspots for endemics, Arctic-alpine and Boreal relics. To achieve this objective, we employed data gap and GIS analysis techniques to identify species-rich areas and to assess the relationship between taxa richness and the components of environmental heterogeneity. Targeted field surveys were carried out over two seasons, and a total of 97 environmental factors were selected as elements of environmental heterogeneity. A considerable number of hotspots of plant richness were identified, comprising 18 actual and 57 potential nano-hotspots. Most of the identified potential nano-hotspots are situated in areas characterized by a pronounced canyon or ravine formation, while the lowest number was observed at the highest elevations of the mountains, especially in regions where silicate substrates predominate. Our findings confirm the importance of factors previously identified as pivotal, including terrain ruggedness, topoclimate, elevation, geological substrate, and vegetation types, and for the first time suggest that hydrographic factors exert a strong influence on patterns of species richness. Given the considerable taxa richness observed in the ravine habitats of the study area, which makes them of high conservation value, it is essential to implement robust protective mechanisms to mitigate the impending effects of global warming and carefully plan the construction of hydropower plants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"60 ","pages":"Article e03630"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068102","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":"Wildlife, fire, and forestry: Understanding the spatial and temporal relationships between caribou habitat and disturbance","authors":"Ian N. Best ,&nbsp;Leonie Brown ,&nbsp;Che Elkin ,&nbsp;Laura Finnegan ,&nbsp;Cameron J.R. McClelland ,&nbsp;Chris J. Johnson","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03636","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03636","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Across the boreal forest, timber harvesting and wildfire convert mature forests to early seral stands resulting in habitat loss for specialists like woodland caribou (<em>Rangifer tarandus caribou</em>) and habitat gain for generalists like moose (<em>Alces americanus</em>) and bears (black bears: <em>Ursus americanus</em>, grizzly bears: <em>Ursus arctos</em>). However, there have been few studies on how post-disturbance vegetation communities differ in their value as habitat for these large wildlife species and whether differences vary among disturbance and ecosystem types. We investigated the differential effects of clearcut harvest and wildfire on the habitat of caribou, moose, and bears across the boreal and foothills forests of Alberta, Canada. During 2021 and 2022, we collected tree and understory data from 251 harvested and 264 burned stands (0–40 years post-disturbance), as well as 256 stands with recent caribou use (&gt;40 years post-disturbance). We used generalized linear models to quantify availability of caribou, moose, and bear forage as a function of forest attributes (e.g., basal area, coarse woody debris, soil depth), and assessed differences among harvest, wildfire, and caribou use sites. We found that forest attributes that promoted forage for one species limited forage of another. For example, basal area of deciduous trees was positively related to moose forage and negatively related to caribou winter forage. Our results demonstrate that regardless of disturbance type, regenerating forests can provide seasonal forage for caribou, moose, and bears. Effective habitat management will need to consider not only the dynamic availability of forage following disturbance, but also how these changes in forage influence the spatial interactions of herbivores and predators.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article e03636"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144072188","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":"Impacts of local environment and land use/cover on spatial-temporal patterns of α and β fish diversity in the Anning River, China","authors":"Ruihang Zhou ,&nbsp;Pengcheng Lin ,&nbsp;Zhijun Xia ,&nbsp;Tao Chang ,&nbsp;Huijun Ru ,&nbsp;Yunfeng Li ,&nbsp;Baoshan Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03635","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03635","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biodiversity is a fundamental element of ecosystem function and balance, contributing significantly to resilience against climate change and environmental stressors. Despite extensive studies on species diversity, in-depth exploration into the functional differences among species remains insufficient. Such differences are crucial for revealing the processes involved in community assembly. To examine the spatial and temporal patterns and the driving factors of fish species and functional diversity, surveys were conducted at 28 sampling sites along the Anning River in November 2020 and April 2021. The findings indicated that 60 fish species were collected in total. Spatially, α diversity (richness) followed a hump-shaped pattern, while β diversity displayed a U-shaped distribution along the altitude gradient. Temporally, α diversity (richness) was higher in April compared to November, whereas β diversity and turnover were lower in April. Variance partitioning analysis showed that two types of environmental factors had a greater influence on α diversity compared to β diversity, and a stronger impact on species diversity than on functional diversity. Additionally, local habitat conditions more significantly affected α diversity, while land use/cover had a stronger effect on β diversity. This research advances understanding of the ecological processes that drive fish diversity in freshwater systems and provides essential insights for future conservation and management initiatives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article e03635"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144072187","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":"If you build it, will they come? Assessing the response of tiger populations to elevated conservation efforts in lowland Nepal","authors":"Saneer Lamichhane ,&nbsp;Abhinaya Pathak ,&nbsp;Ajay Karki ,&nbsp;Ambika P. Khatiwada ,&nbsp;Chiranjibi P. Pokheral ,&nbsp;James E. Hines ,&nbsp;Dave P. Onorato ,&nbsp;Taylor V. Stein ,&nbsp;Madan K. Oli","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03632","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03632","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thirteen countries within the distributional range of tigers adopted the St. Petersburg Declaration in 2010, committing to double their tiger populations by 2022. As a signatory to this document, Nepal elevated its tiger conservation efforts soon after the declaration was adopted. Using capture-mark-recapture (CMR) analyses of tiger survey data (2013–2022), we assessed the response of tiger populations to enhanced conservation measures in Banke and Bardia national parks (NP) in western lowland of Nepal. In Bardia NP, estimated tiger numbers increased from 49 in 2013 to 122 in 2022, and estimated population density increased from 3.39 in 2013 to 8.47 tigers/100 km² in 2022). Female survival rate was consistently higher than male, with 87.06 % during 2013–2018 and 89.08 % during 2018–2022, compared to 72.9 % and 76.6 % for males in the respective periods. Additionally, the female population grew at a faster rate (6–7 % per year vs. ∼ 2 % per year for males). In Banke NP, tiger abundance increased from 3 to 22 between 2013 and 2022, and population density increased from 0.34 to 2.42/100 km² over the same period. The remarkable 7-fold increase in tiger abundance within the Banke NP was facilitated by high male and female survival rates (≥ 90 % per year), as well as high recruitment rates (0.27 individual⁻¹ year⁻¹) from 2013 to 2018, leading to a robust (18–20 %) annual population growth rate. Tigers were recolonizing Banke NP at the beginning of this study, and the area offered ample space and a recovering prey base. This facilitated the recruitment of dispersers from the larger population in Bardia NP and allowed survival to be high by eliminating mortality due to density-dependent intra-specific aggression. Our results not only suggest that Nepal has met or exceeded its commitment to the St. Petersburg Declaration in Banke and Bardia NPs, but they highlight the ability of certain tiger populations to respond quickly and positively to enhanced conservation measures given suitable habitat and a healthy prey base.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"60 ","pages":"Article e03632"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068072","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":"Balancing agricultural sustainability and conservation: Strategies for resource intensive systems in Spain and beyond","authors":"Francisco José Castillo-Díaz ,&nbsp;Luis J. Belmonte-Ureña ,&nbsp;Carmen Martín-Navarro ,&nbsp;Francisco Camacho-Ferre","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03633","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03633","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agricultural systems face significant sustainability challenges, particularly in regions where resources are scarce. This study examines the sustainability performance of rainfed, irrigated, and greenhouse farming systems in Spain and Andalusia, highlighting the trade-offs and synergies between economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Rainfed systems demonstrate strong environmental benefits but face limitations in economic returns. In contrast, irrigated and greenhouse systems contribute to economic development and social equity through higher productivity and employment, yet they exert considerable pressure on water resources and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. By employing stepwise multiple regression analysis, this research identifies actionable strategies, such as adopting precision agriculture, promoting circular economy practices, and implementing targeted subsidies, to enhance resource efficiency and mitigate environmental impacts. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders seeking to balance productivity with sustainability in agricultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"60 ","pages":"Article e03633"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143941620","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":"Native tropical forest species regeneration in non-native eucalyptus tree plantations along the agricultural landscapes of south-eastern Malagasy highlands","authors":"Miora V. Rakotoarisoa ,&nbsp;Stéphanie M. Carrière ,&nbsp;Herizo Randriambanona ,&nbsp;Anne-Elisabeth Laques ,&nbsp;Tonny Rakotondrabe ,&nbsp;Josoa R. Randriamalala","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03631","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03631","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The plantation of fast-growing exotic species is an increasing phenomenon in tropical regions, with eucalyptus being the most prevalent species. Eucalyptus plantations (EP) have the potential to facilitate the regeneration of native species; however, in some cases, they may also hinder this process. The factors influencing the effects of EP on the regeneration of native species remain poorly understood. This study aims to identify the conditions that make these plantations favorable or unfavorable for the regeneration of native species. We investigated EP in agricultural landscapes in the south-eastern Malagasy highlands, located at the edge of dense rainforest. Floristic surveys were conducted in 20 EP situated at varying distances from natural forest fragments (near&lt;950 m, in forest edge; intermediate/far&gt;950 m in savannah). The understory of EP was characterised by a high abundance of native species. However, they were found to be more abundant and diverse in the intermediatestory of EP located near natural forest fragments. These native species are still in the early stages of plant succession, as they have essentially occupied the understory of the EP and contribute minimally to the basal area. The basal areas of native species in EP sites adjacent to natural forests are, in fact, comparable to those found in 0–5-year-old slash-and-burn fallows, which also occur on the periphery of natural forests. EP established in savannahs away from natural forests can act as catalysts for the natural regeneration of native species that would not occur without them. Conversely, EP on the edge of or within natural forests slow down the natural regeneration of native species, which would develop more rapidly in their absence. This study emphasises the significance of landscape spatial context in optimising the role of EP in the conservation and restoration of tropical forest ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"60 ","pages":"Article e03631"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143941781","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":"Transformation of rainforest into monoculture plantations alters the density, species richness and community composition of oribatid mites and selects for a higher dominance of parthenogenetic species","authors":"Isma Dwi Kurniawan ,&nbsp;Dorothee Sandmann ,&nbsp;Sergey G. Ermilov ,&nbsp;Rahayu Widyastuti ,&nbsp;Winda Ika Susanti ,&nbsp;Anton M. Potapov ,&nbsp;Mark Maraun ,&nbsp;Stefan Scheu ,&nbsp;Ting-Wen Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03625","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03625","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The transformation of rainforests into oil palm and rubber plantations poses a major threat to tropical biodiversity. This has been well documented for a number of above- and belowground taxa; however, to what extent this applies to oribatid mites is little studied. Oribatid mites (Oribatida, Acari) are ubiquitous, abundant and diverse soil invertebrates, sensitively responding to land-use changes. Here, we examined alterations in density, species richness, community composition and life history strategy of oribatid mites following the transformation of tropical lowland rainforests into oil palm and rubber plantations in Jambi province, Sumatra, a region heavily affected by deforestation in Indonesia. Oribatid mites were sampled from litter and soil of four different land-use systems: rainforest, rubber agroforest (‘jungle rubber’), rubber and oil palm monoculture plantations. Oribatid mites in the litter layer more sensitively responded to changes in land use than those in soil, with density and species richness in rubber and oil palm plantations being significantly lower than those in rainforest. Community composition in rainforest and juggle rubber was similar, and distinct from that in rubber and oil palm plantations. In monoculture plantations, life history strategy of oribatid mites shifted towards parthenogenetic reproduction with larger genital plate, while sex ratio, egg number per female and body size were little affected. Soil pH and water content were identified as main drivers of community composition in both litter and soil, while soil microbial biomass correlated only with oribatid mite community composition in litter. Our results stress the critical role of plant litter in supporting oribatid mite communities in the face of land-use change. The similar community structure, life history strategies and environmental characteristics in rainforest and jungle rubber point to agroforestry as a promising management option to safeguard soil biodiversity in plantation systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"60 ","pages":"Article e03625"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143941782","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}