Global Ecology and Conservation最新文献

{"title":"From the breeding facility to the natural environment. How do European hamsters behave after being released?","authors":"Urszula Eichert ,&nbsp;Magdalena Hędrzak ,&nbsp;Anna Smugała ,&nbsp;Joanna Ziomek ,&nbsp;Elżbieta Badach","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03784","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03784","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the European range of the critically endangered European hamster <em>Cricetus cricetus</em>, both <em>in situ</em> and <em>ex situ</em> conservation programmes are in place to breed these animals and to release captive-bred individuals into natural populations to enhance for their demographic and genetic diversity. The study analysed the behaviour of individuals following their release into the wild, as well as the importance of sex, age and origin for the frequency of behaviours crucial for survival in the wild. The hypothesis was also formulated that the timing of leaving the aviary was independent of an individual’s age, sex and origin. In 2020–2021, 115 hamsters were released into acclimatization aviaries and their behaviour was observed. Thirty-four behavioural categories were distinguished with the most frequent being vigilance (42 %) and exploration (30 %). Hamsters also exhibited behaviours characteristic of captive-raised animals (14 %). Differences in vigilance were found between individuals of different origins. More of these behaviours were exhibited by hamsters with at least one wild parent compared to those whose both parents from a captive background. The time taken to leave the aviary was not dependent on either the age or the sex. However, a highly significant relationship was found between the hamsters' origin and the time when they left the aviary. Juvenile females and males born of captive-born parents were the fastest to leave the aviary. Juvenile females of mixed parentage, adult males born of captive-born parents and adult males caught in the wild took the longest time to leave the reintroduction site. The data obtained are crucial for the conservation of this endangered species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article e03784"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145121122","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 future climate change and land-use change on habitat suitability for a long-distance avian migrant under diverse socioeconomic-emission scenarios","authors":"Michiel Lathouwers ,&nbsp;Natalie Beenaerts ,&nbsp;Ruben Evens ,&nbsp;Tom Artois ,&nbsp;Greg Conway ,&nbsp;Ian Henderson ,&nbsp;Mike Shewring ,&nbsp;Tony Cross ,&nbsp;Eddy Ulenaers ,&nbsp;Nicolas Dendoncker","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03777","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03777","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change and the alteration of land-use and land-cover (LULC) on a global scale presents a notable threat to biodiversity, with a particular impact on long-distance migratory birds. Nonetheless, our comprehension of how these changes specifically affect these avian migrants remains limited. To address this knowledge gap, species distribution models offer a valuable tool as they allow for projecting habitat suitability and provide insights into a species’ ecological responses to changing environmental conditions. In this study, we utilize modelled climate and LULC data spanning from 2015 to 2100, coupled with GPS tracking data and open-source occurrence data of European Nightjars (<em>Caprimulgus europaeus</em>), to assess how suitable habitat might be affected by changes in climate and LULC under different emission and socio-economic scenarios. Our models show that climate change alone may expand suitable habitat, particularly under high-emission scenarios, while LULC change generally exerts a constraining effect across annual cycle stages. While some scenarios indicate overall stability in the amount of suitable habitat, our spatially explicit results reveal that these entail substantial redistribution of suitable habitat which may disrupt migration patterns and increase energetic costs. Our findings underscore the importance of explicitly considering spatial and temporal aspects in assessments of global change impacts on migratory species and highlight the need for targeted conservation interventions in critical stopover zones to safeguard the species' future amidst global environmental change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article e03777"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144772939","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":"Soil eDNA-based droplet digital PCR assay as a new monitoring tool for terrestrial mammals","authors":"Marko Đokić ,&nbsp;Vida Jojić ,&nbsp;Pavle Lukić ,&nbsp;Lucija Markulin ,&nbsp;Vanja Bugarski-Stanojević","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03780","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03780","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study demonstrates the effectiveness of droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) for identifying vertebrate taxa from soil-derived environmental DNA (eDNA) a methodological combination not previously documented in literature. The protocol is optimized for detecting cryptic species of the lesser blind mole rat (BMR). A total of 38 soil samples were collected from five cryptic BMR species across 12 localities in Serbia. Species-specific primer/probe sets were designed based on the cytochrome <em>b</em> (cyt<em>b</em>) gene. After optimization of ddPCR assays and verification of primer/probe specificity, all samples were amplified in triplicates and the results’ significance was tested using the RStudioV4.3.3 Environment. The total number of positive findings was detected in 33 out of 38 samples (86.84 %), highlighting the strength of ddPCR in detecting and quantifying rare and degraded target DNA from soil samples. Concentration values varied from 0.073 to 236 copies/µL. The primer/probe sets were highly specific and the only difficulty emerged in distinguishing between two phylogenetically closest cryptic species, but with a discrepancy in fluorescence amplitudes in specific (target) and non-specific (non-target) cryptic species. We have confirmed that soil eDNA-based ddPCR species identification is a fast and highly sensitive non-invasive monitoring method. It allows quick and easy sampling of many locations across wide areas, providing essential data for conservation management. This protocol offers a valuable framework for conservation strategies targeting cryptic species, while also serving as a foundation for adaptation and broader implementation across other terrestrial vertebrates of concern <strong>–</strong> particularly those that are strictly protected or classified as endangered.<strong>––</strong></div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article e03780"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144779383","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":"Comparative analysis of heavy metals, gut microbial community and metabolome between bean geese (Anser fabalis) wintering at Caizi and Shengjin lakes, China","authors":"Gang Liu,&nbsp;Chongyang Yu,&nbsp;Huayun Hou,&nbsp;Huiwu Geng","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03781","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03781","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heavy metals are major environmental challenges with significant health implications for migratory waterbirds. Shengjin and Caizi Lakes, located along the Yangtze River, are important stopover and wintering wetlands for migratory waterbirds in the East Asia-Australasian Flyway. The heavy metal, microbial communities, and metabolites in wintering bean geese (<em>Anser fabalis</em>) were analysed in Shengjin (n = 15) and Caizi Lakes (n = 15). In the faecal samples, As, Cr, and Hg concentrations differed significantly between the two sites, whereas the levels of Cd and Pb were not significantly different. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidota were the dominant gut microbial phyla in geese. The Shannon<img>Wiener’s index and PLS-DA analysis results showed significant differences between geese at the two sites. Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) tests showed that Flavobacterium, Pseudomonas, and Janthinobacterium were significantly enriched in the Shengjin Lake geese, whereas Arthrobacter and Sporosarcina were significantly enriched in the Caizi Lake geese. The LC-MS results indicated that lipids, lipid-like molecules, organic acids and derivatives, and organoheterocyclic compounds were the dominant in faecal metabolic profiles. PLS-DA revealed that all Shengjin Lake and Caizi Lake geese produced distinct clusters. A total of 135 pathways were found to be different between the Shengjin and Caizi lake samples, according to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) metabolic pathway. Correlation analysis revealed that heavy metals affected the gut microbial community and metabolite composition. A significant correlation was also observed between the gut metabolites and microorganisms. Therefore, our study provides early warnings of environmental pollution of wetland ecosystems for migratory waterbirds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article e03781"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144772886","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":"Circulating microbiome DNA in Southern Ocean seabirds: A novel tool for disease surveillance in polar ecosystems","authors":"Sophia Ferchiou ,&nbsp;Amira Tounsi ,&nbsp;Fanny Fronton ,&nbsp;France Caza ,&nbsp;Mathilde Lejeune ,&nbsp;Jérémy Tornos ,&nbsp;Thierry Boulinier ,&nbsp;Yves St-Pierre","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03774","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03774","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Marine ecosystems, particularly in polar regions, are undergoing rapid transformations due to climate change, influencing host-pathogen dynamics in wildlife populations. Seabirds, which form spatially structured social networks, serve as potential sentinels for pathogen surveillance, yet the composition and variability of their blood microbiome remain largely unexplored. The concept of a circulating blood microbiome is relatively new and debated as blood has traditionally been considered sterile. However, emerging evidence suggests that circulating microbial DNA (cmDNA) represents a transient microbial signature, potentially offering insights into host health, dysbiosis, and disease risks. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility and relevance of circulating microbial DNA (cmDNA) as a tool for pathogen surveillance in wild seabird populations. We identified inter-annual variability, sex-related, and age-related variability in blood microbiome composition, with core microbial signatures differing across sites and time periods. We also observed sex-biased microbial prevalence and age-related microbiome maturation, with dynamic shifts in diversity across chick developmental stages. Finally, we detected several potential pathogens, providing new insights into their distribution, prevalence, and potential implications for seabird health. These findings highlight the value of cmDNA analysis as an effective approach for wildlife disease surveillance and pathogen monitoring in polar ecosystems, contributing to broader efforts in marine conservation and biosecurity in the face of climate change-driven environmental shifts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article e03774"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144772885","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":"Salinity and nutrients shape soil microbial communities and functions in wetlands: Implications for conservation","authors":"Meiqing Jia ,&nbsp;Wenjing Feng ,&nbsp;Xiuwen Zhang ,&nbsp;Xuefeng Hu ,&nbsp;Yinglong Xu ,&nbsp;Yuntao Gu ,&nbsp;Duanyin Zhang ,&nbsp;Tongchen Wang ,&nbsp;Jing Li ,&nbsp;Guogang Zhang ,&nbsp;Yidong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03779","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03779","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil microorganisms serve as pivotal drivers of biogeochemical processes and custodians of ecological equilibrium in wetland ecosystems. Understanding their functional potential across diverse types of wetlands is critical for informing targeted conservation initiatives and evidence-based restoration paradigms. Our metagenomic analysis revealed Proteobacteria and Ascomycota as the predominant bacterial and fungal phyla, respectively, across coastal, constructed, and swampy wetlands. Notably, microbial community exhibited significant distinctions in both taxonomic composition and functional gene β-diversity associated with carbon and sulfur cycles. Furthermore, the coastal wetland with high salinity exhibited elevated dissimilatory sulfate reduction potential but reduced soil organic carbon (SOC), assimilatory sulfate reduction, hemicellulose degradation, chitin degradation, cellulose degradation potential, and carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZy) Shannon diversity compared with other wetlands. These results suggested microbial carbon degradation potential and SOC stocks decreased in high salinity habitat but improved in habitat with high available nitrogen and phosphorus, indicative of stress-adapted microbes. The constructed wetland displayed distinctive nitrogen transformation characteristics with higher nitrification, assimilatory nitrate reduction and lower methanogenesis potential compared with natural wetlands. Hierarchical partitioning analysis identified salinity and nitrate nitrogen (NO₃^--N) dominantly shaped the divergence of microbial community and functional genes associated with soil carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and arsenic cycles. The genetic co-occurrence patterns of coastal wetland showed a high modularity and a low positive to negative connection ratio, indicating the high stability of microbial community. These findings illuminate the microbial metabolic versatility underpinning wetland biogeochemical cycle under environmental stress while providing critical implications for developing specific wetland conservation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article e03779"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144772884","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 diversity of pollinators within different land use types across agricultural landscapes is influenced by the proximity of surrounding forests","authors":"Motuma Didita ,&nbsp;Sileshi Nemomissa ,&nbsp;Debissa Lemessa ,&nbsp;Tamrat Bekele","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03776","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03776","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intensive agricultural practices often degrade habitat integrity and disrupt essential ecosystem functions. In contrast, natural and semi-natural landscape elements can support biodiversity by enhancing habitat connectivity and heterogeneity. These features offer critical resources for arthropods, particularly pollinators, which contribute to ecosystem services such as pollination and pest control. This study examined how land use and distance from forest edges influence pollinator abundance and community composition. We established fifty 50 × 50 m plots along transects spanning forest edges, 1 km, and 3 km into surrounding landscapes, maintaining at least 200 m between plots. Both pollinators and woody plant species were surveyed. Spatial patterns in pollinator richness and diversity were analyzed using Generalized Linear Models (GLM), Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance (PERMANOVA), indicator species analysis, and multisite dissimilarity. We recorded 2849 insect pollinators across seven taxonomic groups and four orders. Butterflies were most abundant (1426 individuals), followed by bees (997) and moths (163). Land use and distance from forest edges significantly influenced pollinator communities: bees were more abundant in croplands and at greater distances from forests, while butterflies were more common near forested areas. Fly abundance decreased with increasing woody species richness, whereas moth abundance increased with greater land use area. Low beta diversity indicated limited turnover in pollinator composition across land use types. These findings highlight the importance of integrating pollinator habitat requirements into agricultural planning and underscore the role of diverse landscapes in supporting pollinator communities and maintaining key ecosystem services.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article e03776"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144772887","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":"Multi-tiered objective ecological restoration planning in the Yangtze River Basin","authors":"Chuandong Tan,&nbsp;Yusheng Yan,&nbsp;Xiujiao Hu,&nbsp;Xuefei Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03775","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03775","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation are critical global environmental goals that drive large-scale ecological restoration efforts. However, the strong emphasis on these global targets in ecological restoration planning (ERP) may inadvertently diminish attention to local needs. To this end, we developed a multi-tiered objective ERP framework centered around hierarchical optimization model, designed to identify restoration priority areas that maximize cost-effectiveness across multiple benefits. Taking the Yangtze River Basin (YRB) as a case study, we identified two-tiered objectives: global (biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation) and local (water yield and soil conservation). First, potential restorable areas and restoration reference ecosystems were identified using a land use/land cover transition matrix and historically-based reference strategies. Next, taking catchment basins as planning units, we quantified and mapped the potential benefits and costs of restoration. Subsequently, a hierarchical optimization model was employed to prioritize catchment basins for restoration across four scenarios, designed by all possible priority orderings within a fixed two-tiered structure in which global objectives were always prioritized over local ones. Finally, shared priority areas across scenarios were identified as optimal restoration areas. Approximately 1.65 million hectares of degraded land were identified as optimal restoration areas, distributed across 48.9 % (N = 6739) catchment basins. This study emphasizes the importance of reconciling multi-objectives and demonstrates how hierarchically organizing them in regional-scale EPR can assist in identifying cost-effective restoration priority areas to enhance both global and local benefits. Our planning framework provides a practical reference for resource allocation aimed at optimizing cost-effectiveness across multiple environmental challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article e03775"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144772938","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":"Spatial ecology and habitat selection of Eastern Pinesnakes: Case study on the importance of scale in conservation biology","authors":"Matthew Grisnik ,&nbsp;Alan Jones ,&nbsp;Rachel Brubaker ,&nbsp;Andrew M. Grosse ,&nbsp;Scott L. Parker","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03772","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03772","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Species are in decline world-wide, driven by multiple factors including habitat fragmentation. Understanding the habitat selection processes of species in these fragmented landscapes has become a focus of ecological studies and is a major component of conservation plan development. However, understanding how landscape level processes influence patterns of habitat selection is often ignored. Here we assessed the influence of landscape level processes in the habitat selection of Eastern Pinesnakes, a species in decline, within a protected area in South Carolina, USA. Over the course of a year, we tracked 8 Eastern Pinesnakes within a small protected area. Snakes exhibited seasonal movement patterns, with activity concentrated in the spring, summer, and fall, and maintained relatively small home ranges (∼1 km²). When habitat selection was assessed using traditional methods that define available habitat based on proximity alone, snakes appeared to preferentially select for grasslands. However, when landscape-level factors such as dispersal constraints and the spatial configuration of managed pine forests were incorporated, habitat selection patterns shifted indicating a preference for pine forests. These findings suggest that landscape context and management history significantly influence habitat use in this species, highlighting the importance of considering broader spatial scales in habitat selection studies. Our results highlight the need to integrate forest management practices with species-specific habitat requirements to support Eastern Pinesnake populations in fragmented landscapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article e03772"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144772883","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":"Winter habitat use of Cabot's Tragopan (Tragopan caboti) in Guangxi, China: Implications for conservation","authors":"Yongjian Bei ,&nbsp;Jieling Lai ,&nbsp;Linzhuang Bai ,&nbsp;Siwen Bin ,&nbsp;Yunyan Qin ,&nbsp;Jianxun Chen ,&nbsp;Hui Gao ,&nbsp;Yongjie Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03770","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03770","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding habitat use by endangered species and its spatial variability is imperative for developing effective conservation strategies. Currently little is known about the habitat use of Cabot’s Tragopan (<em>Tragopan caboti</em>) in southern China. In this study, we employed infrared cameras to monitor the wintering Cabot's Tragopan in four nature reserves in Guangxi (Gupo Mountain (GPM), Haiyang Mountain (HYM), Xiling Mountain (XLM), and Yindian Mountain (YDM) Nature Reserves), covering the entire distribution of Cabot's Tragopan in Guangxi, China. We investigated the local habitat characteristics at each monitoring site and used landscape-scale data to explore winter habitat use and its spatial variability across different reserves. The results indicated that human disturbance intensity was a key factor in winter habitat use by Cabot's Tragopan, exerting a significantly negative impact. Cabot's Tragopans tended to select habitats at higher elevations and preferred broadleaf forests while avoiding coniferous forests. The key habitat characteristics for Cabot's Tragopans in the GPM Nature Reserve were distinctly different from those in the other three nature reserves, characterized by lower levels of four important factors: human disturbance intensity, elevation, area percentage of broadleaf forest within a 300 m radius, and area percentage of coniferous forest within a 500 m radius. This suggests that the demand for elevated and broadleaf forests can be reduced in areas with low human disturbance. Our study accentuates high sensitivity of Cabot's Tragopan to human disturbance, establishing strict regulations for entering mountains near and/or in nature reserves, coupled with the protection and restoration of natural broadleaf forests, are crucial for the conservation of Cabot's Tragopan.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article e03770"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144749624","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}