Journal for Nature Conservation最新文献

{"title":"Effects of land use and management on the structure and recruitment of an endemic palm tree (Attalea pindobassu Bondar) from the Brazilian semi-arid","authors":"Bárbara Alves de Oliveira Lima ,&nbsp;Priscyla Maria Silva Rodrigues ,&nbsp;Jhonathan de Oliveira Silva","doi":"10.1016/j.jnc.2025.126830","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnc.2025.126830","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Attalea pindobassu</em> is a palm tree endemic to the northern of the Espinhaço chain, found in the Caatinga domain, and it is a key non-timber forest product (NTFP) resource for the livelihood and income of people in the Brazilian semi-arid. We assessed the influence of environmental (soil features) and anthropogenic factors (type of land use and harvest intensity) on the natural regeneration and population structure of <em>A. pindobassu</em>, identifying the relative importance of these factors in the abundance of life stages. We sampled populations in 14 sites distributed in 63 plots, totaling 9.6 ha. Our sampling ranged from well-preserved sites, in natural areas (30 x 0.045 ha plots), to highly disturbed pastures in the agroecosystems (33 x 0.25 ha plots), covering an extensive area of the species distribution. Differences in the plot size occurred due to the conditions of land use, the density of individuals, and the spatial distribution in the sampled areas. We considered five life stages (seedling, sapling, juvenile, immature adult, and reproductive adults), in which seedling and sapling were fitted as regenerants. Recruitment failure occurs mostly in sites in agricultural and intensive pasture areas, in which habitats with a low rate of chronic anthropogenic disturbance showed a higher density of regenerants. In these habitats, marked by recruitment bottlenecks, populations are likely to become locally extinct. The fruit harvesting levels did not affect the density of regenerants. The social and economic importance of this species is an ecological asset that can foster the development of public policies, further promoting multiple sustainable uses of habitat remnants to ensure the application of the conservation strategy of under use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54898,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Nature Conservation","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 126830"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143180961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Assessment of the pattern of fuelwood consumption and impacts on woody plant species in the Bale Mountains National Park, southeastern Ethiopia","authors":"Teshite Osolo ,&nbsp;Habte Telila ,&nbsp;Lemessa Kumsa","doi":"10.1016/j.jnc.2025.126829","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnc.2025.126829","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>National parks have been principally used for conservation besides their high ecological and economic values. The use and collection of fuelwoods, along with their consumption patterns for energy sources, could potentially impact the biodiversity of the parks. The study, thus aimed to investigate patterns of fuelwood collection and consumption and its impacts on plant biodiversity in Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP). A total of 32 plots (30 m x 30 m) were established along five-line<!--> <!-->transects to collect the composition of woody species and their DBH. The socio-economic data were collected through a questionnaire from 345 respondents. A total of 7 tree and shrub species were identified in the forest sites of the park. The most abundant and most preferred tree species was Juniperus procera, followed by Hagenia abyssinica. The average annual consumption of household fuelwood was estimated to be 6.14 tons. The household fuelwood consumption was found to be significantly increased with large household size, and livestock size. Similarly, it also increased with elevation and distance from the town. The majority of the wood sellers were females and the main fuelwood source in the study area was the Boditti and Addelle forest sites. The result of the study revealed that the trees in the forest sites of the park showed J-shaped population structures. Hence, unless an alternative source of energy is available and the community understands the long-lasting socio-ecological impact of over-exploitation of native trees and shrubs from the BMNP, disastrous effects will be inevitable.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54898,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Nature Conservation","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 126829"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143181888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"From cognition to economic valuation of cultural ecosystem services – An evidence from Parambikulam tiger reserve, Kerala","authors":"Divya Soman ,&nbsp;V. Anitha ,&nbsp;Syam Viswanath ,&nbsp;M. Sreeraj","doi":"10.1016/j.jnc.2025.126828","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnc.2025.126828","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The cultural significance of an ecosystem stems from the extensive relationship between nature and the local traditions and beliefs prevalent among the resident communities. This provides an intricate rapport between historical aspects and the maintenance of ecological balance within an ecosystem. Human perception and actions play a key role in the conservation and sustainable management of an ecosystem. Any change in the ecosystem affects the cultural identity and social stability of the resident community. The present study highlights the link between individual cognition and behavior, their conservation value on cultural services, and how this is supported by the economic valuation approach in the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve (PKMTR) of Kerala, India. The study provides evidence of cognitive behavior that contributes to the conservation of an ecosystem by considering both natural (Kannimara teak) and cultural heritage (traditional practices followed by the resident community). The cognitive value of both the Kannimara teak and the cultural heritage from the rituals in the temples, analyzed using qualitative methods, highlights that one’s environmental view plays a key role in influencing general beliefs and behavior, which in turn results in the conservation or degradation of an ecosystem service. The economic value of natural heritage was analyzed using the contingent valuation method. While the mean willingness to pay by the resident communities for natural heritage was found to be Rs 172/household/year, the total value for cultural heritage in PKMTR was estimated at Rs 55,950/year, indicating immense conservation potential for both natural and cultural heritage. The study advocates that combining the cognitive value with the economic value of an ecosystem can act as an initiator for building conservation policy and providing public financial support for conserving the ecosystem.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54898,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Nature Conservation","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 126828"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143180963","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Effects of high water levels on waterbird diversity at Wuchang Lake, a gate-controlled lake in the middle and lower Yangtze River floodplain, China","authors":"Xianglin Ji ,&nbsp;Dingyong Zhang ,&nbsp;Lizhi Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.jnc.2025.126826","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnc.2025.126826","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The natural hydrological rhythms of lakes play a crucial role in the aggregation of waterbirds. However, artificial controls of gate-controlled lakes alter water level fluctuations in the natural lakes and affect the diversity of waterbird communities. Wuchang Lake, a gated-controlled lake in the middle and lower Yangtze River floodplain, is an important wintering site for waterbirds on the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. Lake water level control during the wintering period in 2021–2022 was different than that in 2022–2023. We collected waterbird data from two wintering periods, based on functional alpha and beta diversity and waterbird functional groups, we analyzed the impact of water level regulation on wintering waterbird communities. By remote sensing data of foraging habitats we further analyzed the effects of changes in habitat structure to waterbird communities at different water levels. The results showed that during high lake water level, the numbers of deep water swimmers feeding on fish (G3) and swimmers feeding on seeds (G7) increased significantly, the number of large wading birds feeding on fish (G2) decreased significantly. And high lake water level decreased functional richness indices (FRic), functional evenness indices (FEve) and functional divergence indices (FDiv). Among them, in January and February 2023, the functional divergence indices significantly decreased. Functional beta diversity analysis showed that the total dissimilarity among communities decreased significantly in 2022–2023, with the functional nestedness component increasing significantly in October and February and the functional turnover component decreasing significantly in October, December, and February. Generalised linear mixed models (GLMM) showed that high lake level expanded the water area and favored the habitat of swimming birds, while decreased mudflat area, limiting the habitat space for wading birds. In contrast, lake water level decreased to increase the mudflat area and promoted the differences among communities. This study analysis a coupling relationship among water levels, habitats, and waterbirds, the results show that appropriate lake level regulation is an effective method to protect waterbirds. It provides scientific information for the lake wetland management and waterbird conservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54898,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Nature Conservation","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 126826"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143180962","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Fish assemblages in the Kaş-Kekova MPA: A comparative study of Posidonia oceanica meadows, sandy-rocky and rocky habitats","authors":"Ali Ulaş ,&nbsp;Onur Karayalı ,&nbsp;Nesimi Ozan Veryeri ,&nbsp;Zafer Tosunoğlu ,&nbsp;Nazli Demirel","doi":"10.1016/j.jnc.2025.126825","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnc.2025.126825","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the fish assemblages within the Kaş-Kekova Marine Protected Area (MPA), focusing on the differences among <em>Posidonia oceanica</em> meadows, sandy-rocky and rocky habitats over three consecutive summer periods (2022–2024). We conducted an underwater visual census method to assess fish diversity, density, and the presence of native and non-indigenous fish species across four sampling points. Results indicate that <em>Posidonia</em> meadows support remarkably higher native fish density than other habitats, while number of native fish species were very close to each other among habitats. Evenness (J′) values ranged from 0.47 to 0.63 across different stations and habitats and lowest evenness was observed in <em>Posidonia</em> habitat. Shannon Diversity Index (H′) values ranged from 1.42 to 1.82, and the highest diversity was observed at sandy/rocky area. Our results provide insights into local habitat dynamics, broader surveys encompassing a wider range of habitats and environmental conditions are needed to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing fish assemblages and the spread of non-indigenous species within the MPA. Future research should incorporate complementary methodologies, such as remote sensing and environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of fish community dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54898,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Nature Conservation","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 126825"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143180964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Responses of black-headed gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) to observers holding popguns: Adult and juvenile gulls differ","authors":"Qiqi Liu,&nbsp;Yidong Wei,&nbsp;Yuran Liu,&nbsp;Wei Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.jnc.2025.126824","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnc.2025.126824","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hunting is a way for humans to prey on animal life to satisfy their own interests, and animals constantly regulate their behavior to accommodate that type of predatory pressure. Despite the long-term bans on gun hunting and increasing species protection measures worldwide, few studies have focused on whether hunting history affects animal behavior, making the impact of hunting history on wildlife in urgent need of quantitative research. China’s long-standing policy of gun and hunting bans provides a unique opportunity to explore this issue. This study compared the flight initiation distance (FID) of black-headed gulls (<em>Chroicocephalus ridibundus</em>) overwintering in Kunming, Yunnan, southwestern China, with different ages (adult and juvenile gulls) by experimenters holding different types of handhelds. The results showed that adult and juvenile black-headed gulls were more fearful of the experimenter holding the “gun” as evidenced by longer FIDs; however, unlike adult gulls, juvenile gulls escaped later. This study showed that hunting activities can directly impact the behavior of birds, and hunting history can influence the antipredator behavior in birds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54898,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Nature Conservation","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 126824"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143181892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Comprehensive assessment of urban lake wetlands in the Jiangnan water network: Implementation of ecosystem health models","authors":"Minli Jin","doi":"10.1016/j.jnc.2024.126820","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnc.2024.126820","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Jiangnan Water Network region has poor health and biodiversity disturbances in urban lake wetlands. This study introduces an assessment framework using the Pres-sure-State-Response (PSR) model combined with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (FCE) methods to evaluate the Sanbai Pool wetland health in Hangzhou. Twenty-one indicators across five dimensions (including biology, water quality, sediment, land use, and socio-economic) were identified to construct a comprehensive health assessment system. The findings revealed that the overall health index of the Sanbai Pool was 0.536 (sub-healthy). Specifically, the pressure, state, and response layers’ scores were 0.497, 0.526, and 0.693, respectively, highlighting critical areas needing intervention. Key threats to the ecosystem included high nitrogen and phosphorus levels, invasive species, and declining biodiversity. Reducing external nutrient loading, controlling invasive species, promoting ecological restoration practices, using fish manipulation measures, and developing eco-friendly industries were the main measures to improve the Sanbai Pool wetland ecosystem’s health. The research results provided techniques supporting the protection and restoration of urban lake wetlands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54898,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Nature Conservation","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 126820"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143180736","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":"Protecting red junglefowl by preventing hybridization with domestic chickens","authors":"Gen Hua Yue","doi":"10.1016/j.jnc.2024.126821","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnc.2024.126821","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The genetic integrity of the red junglefowl (<em>Gallus gallus</em>), the wild ancestor of domestic chickens (<em>Gallus gallus domesticus</em>), is under threat due to increasing hybridization with domesticated breeds. This issue has significant ecological and conservation implications, as hybridization diminishes the genetic diversity of red junglefowl, essential for species survival. The loss of this genetic pool also compromises the potential for future genetic improvements in domesticated chickens. Addressing this problem requires urgent, coordinated efforts, including policy interventions and conservation strategies. This paper highlights the genetic, ecological, and regulatory challenges posed by hybridization and calls for action to protect the genetic distinctiveness of red junglefowl, ensuring both species’ long-term viability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54898,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Nature Conservation","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 126821"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143181768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Exploration of the coupling coordination between rural tourism development and agricultural eco-efficiency in islands: A case study of Hainan Island in China","authors":"Qing Yang ,&nbsp;Xia Tian ,&nbsp;Hao Wang ,&nbsp;Tao Tan","doi":"10.1016/j.jnc.2024.126822","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnc.2024.126822","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The coordinated development of rural tourism and ecological agriculture on islands is crucial for fostering sustainable human-ocean interactions. Existing research does not provide a detailed analysis of the relationship between rural tourism development (RTD) and agricultural eco-efficiency (AEE) from an island-based perspective. This study examines the 18 directly governed cities and counties of Hainan Island, China, as a case study to evaluate the intensity of RTD and AEE. Furthermore, the coupling coordination degree model and Geodetector are applied to analyze the spatial characteristics and driving factors influencing the coordinated development of RTD and AEE on Hainan Island. The results show: (1) Rural tourism spots on Hainan Island exhibit a spatial distribution characterized by high density in the south and lower density in the east and west, forming a “dual-center, block-shaped aggregation” pattern; (2) AEE on Hainan Island follows a “single-core development” pattern, characterized by centralized and contiguous areas with Sanya City as the nucleus, forming a single-core ecological agriculture zone; (3) The average coupling coordination degree between RTD and AEE on Hainan Island is 0.612, signifying a moderate level of coordination with notable disparities between the northern and southern regions; (4) The primary drivers of the spatial evolution of coordinated development are social, educational, and economic development levels, with explanatory powers of 0.592, 0.500, and 0.410, respectively. This research provides meaningful insights into the integrated development of rural tourism and ecological agriculture on islands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54898,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Nature Conservation","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 126822"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143180966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Estimating aboveground biomass and biodiversity of a protected area in moist tropical forest ecosystem using remote sensing application","authors":"Abraham Ranglong ,&nbsp;Abhilash Dutta Roy ,&nbsp;Sujit Das ,&nbsp;Sourabh Deb","doi":"10.1016/j.jnc.2024.126823","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnc.2024.126823","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Moist tropical forest ecosystems serve as substantial repositories for high carbon stocks and are also rich in biodiversity. Protected areas in these ecosystems increase the population of native floral and faunal communities and conserve biodiversity. This study aimed to provide a quantitative baseline mapping of aboveground biomass stock and tree diversity in the Rowa Wildlife Sanctuary (RWLS) of Tripura, northeast India using multispectral and SAR remote sensing (Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, LISS-IV) and ensemble machine learning models. We established 126 plots (10 m × 10 m) for field sampling of trees, herbs, shrubs, deadwood, and leaf litter. Local allometric models were used to calculate tree-level AGB in the field. We also estimated different indices pertaining to biodiversity such as the Importance Value Index, Family Importance Value, Pielou’s Evenness index, Margalef’s richness index, Simpson’s Dominance index and Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index. Our results showed 68 tree species in the area, indicating moderately high species richness. The tree density of 1412 trees ha⁻¹ was significantly higher than usual, while the mean basal area of 20.11 m²/ha was low. These findings suggest a forest dominated by smaller diameter trees, potentially indicating a recovering secondary forest subject to frequent disturbances. Remote sensing analysis demonstrated that Sentinel-2 outperformed LISS-IV in predicting AGB, despite LISS-IV’s higher spatial resolution, highlighting the importance of spectral resolution in estimating biomass. Incorporating biodiversity indices (Shannon-Wiener, Simpson’s, and Margalef’s) also significantly improved AGB estimates (R² = 0.59). The mean AGB of RWLS was estimated as 122.60 ± 42.75 Mg ha⁻¹. The present study also observed a dominance of the species <em>Microcos paniculata,</em> reflected through high Simpson index (D = 0.18) and low evenness (0.6), which suggests its colonization after past disturbances in the area. The outcomes of the study underscore the need for targeted conservation efforts in RWLS, considering its challenges as a small protected area under anthropogenic pressure. We recommend implementing silvicultural treatments, measures to prevent disturbances, and establishing a regime of repeated monitoring using advanced remote sensing technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54898,"journal":{"name":"Journal for Nature Conservation","volume":"84 ","pages":"Article 126823"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143180965","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}