Biological Conservation最新文献

{"title":"Slaying the hydra of journal impact factor obsession in evaluating conservation biology research","authors":"Michael C. Calver ,&nbsp;Chris R. Dickman","doi":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111445","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111445","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Since last century conservation biologists, in common with researchers and practitioners in other disciplines with a strong applied focus, have complained of poor recognition by the broader academic community of authors whose important research is published in outlets with a low Journal Impact Factor (JIF) or no JIF. Ironically, low-JIF journals are often primary sources for much applied work of narrow regional or taxonomic interest essential for successful intervention on the ground. Publications in such outlets are often rated poorly in academic review, promotion, and tenure (RPT), so how can researchers be encouraged to make these important contributions and be recognised when they do? Here, we answer by documenting evidence confirming the publication priorities of high-JIF and low-JIF conservation journals, the value of some publications in low-ranked journals for conservation policy and practice, and the harms caused by focusing on JIF in RPT. Having established the validity of concerns regarding overusing JIF in evaluating conservation research and researchers, we overview strategies available to individual researchers facing JIF-focused evaluations of their work, alternative methods for RPT for consideration by relevant committees, and opportunities for collective action to achieve reform.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55375,"journal":{"name":"Biological Conservation","volume":"312 ","pages":"Article 111445"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145011041","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Thirty years of arboreal wildlife trends in an African rainforest under evolving threats and researchers' presence","authors":"Bastien Dehaudt ,&nbsp;Ruksan Bose ,&nbsp;Jean Jacques Avoto ,&nbsp;Stephanie Brittain ,&nbsp;Tom Bruce ,&nbsp;Emily K. Chen ,&nbsp;Francis A. Forzi ,&nbsp;Britta D. Hardesty ,&nbsp;Kimberly M. Holbrook ,&nbsp;Aaron M. Lamperti ,&nbsp;V. Thomas Parker ,&nbsp;John R. Poulsen ,&nbsp;Nicholas J. Russo ,&nbsp;Ernest Simpoh ,&nbsp;Benjamin C. Wang ,&nbsp;Kenneth D. Whitney ,&nbsp;Thomas B. Smith ,&nbsp;Matthew Scott Luskin","doi":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111475","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111475","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Long-term wildlife monitoring is necessary to inform adaptive management and assess conservation measures. The long-term presence of researchers may also indirectly induce positive effects for wildlife conservation by deterring harmful activities, such as hunting and resource extraction. However, long-term research is challenging and thus rare. Here, we assess long-term trends of wildlife near a research station that was established, abandoned, and reestablished. We conducted monthly surveys of arboreal wildlife from 1995 to 1999 and 2017 to 2024 in a protected Cameroonian rainforest where illegal hunting is common. Coinciding with the initial establishment of the research station, the relative abundance of 10 out of 12 arboreal species (hornbills, primates, and parrots) increased from 1995 to 1999. However, the station closed in 1999, and by 2017, the relative abundance of many species had decreased compared to levels in 1999. Finally, no species increased in relative abundance after the station reopened in 2017; instead, many declined between 2017 and 2024. Although we lack control sites, these results suggest that researchers' presence can sometimes have a protective effect, but also that this effect can be variable and limited depending on circumstances. The declining trends from 1999 to 2024 align with the evolving state of hunting in Central Africa, which is shifting toward increased commercial hunting and the use of guns that are more effective than snares for harvesting arboreal species. We recommend providing sustained support for research stations, collaborating with local communities to reduce bushmeat hunting, and enhancing enforcement against the international trade of hornbill casques and pet parrots.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55375,"journal":{"name":"Biological Conservation","volume":"312 ","pages":"Article 111475"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145011039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Microclimate data reveal microrefugia potential in European forests","authors":"Xiaqu Zhou ,&nbsp;Ward Fonteyn ,&nbsp;Stef Haesen ,&nbsp;Alexander Sentinella ,&nbsp;Koenraad Van Meerbeek","doi":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111473","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111473","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microrefugia are critical for preserving species under climate change as they could locally offer suitable climate conditions, allowing species to survive despite broader regional temperature increases. These areas may act as natural buffers, maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem functions by providing suitable habitats for species unable to migrate or adapt quickly enough to the changing climate. This study leverages fine-scale microclimate temperature data from the ForestClim database to identify potential microrefugia in European forests. We synthesize multiple climate characteristics of microrefugia (i.e. microclimate temperature offset, warming magnitude and forward and backward climate change velocity), into a microrefugia multifunctionality (MF) index that can be used to prioritize forest conservation. Our findings reveal notable geographical patterns in microrefugia potential, with higher MF indices in mountainous and coastal regions due to their unique topographic and climatic features. Tree cover density significantly influences MF, with dense canopies providing better thermal insulation. The study also underscores the importance of slope and elevation in enhancing microrefugia potential. Seasonal dynamics are evident in the microclimate offset, with different regions exhibiting varying buffering capacities throughout the year. The discrepancy between forward and backward climate change velocities highlights regions vulnerable to climate shifts and those likely to experience novel climate conditions. Our results emphasize the need for a multidimensional perspective on microrefugia in forests. The microrefugia multifunctionality index can be used to prioritize conservation efforts thereby mitigating the impacts of global climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55375,"journal":{"name":"Biological Conservation","volume":"312 ","pages":"Article 111473"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145005190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Environmental gradients drive context-dependent seed fate: Synergistic roles of forest succession, edge effects, and masting in shaping rodent dispersal dynamics","authors":"Xifu Yang ,&nbsp;Kunming Zhao ,&nbsp;Zhibin Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111478","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111478","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Seed dispersal by scatter-hoarding rodents is pivotal for forest regeneration, yet how forest succession, edge effects, and masting cycles collectively shape seed fate remains poorly understood. Over four years (2020−2023) in subtropical forests of Dujiangyan, China, we conducted a field experiment with <em>Quercus variabilis</em>, integrating seed tagging, rodent mark-recapture, and seed rain surveys across nine forest patches representing early-, mid-, and late-successional stages. We found that seed fates varied with ecological context: late-successional forest interiors promoted longer seed retention, particularly during mast years, due to reduced seed predation risk via predator satiation. In contrast, early-successional forest edges functioned as seed removal sinks during mast years, characterized by significantly elevated rates of seed removal and consumption. Scatter-hoarding probabilities reached their peak in late-successional forest interiors during mast years, while non-mast years induced longer dispersal distances across all successional stages. Edge effects were context-dependent: although forest edges universally accelerated seed consumption, they facilitated seed scatter-hoarding in late-successional forests during non-mast years. Rodent abundance drove seed removal rates, whereas per capita seed availability reduced consumption rates. Our study reveals that seed fates are governed by interactions among forest succession, edge effects, and masting, with critical implications for forest regeneration. Prioritizing late-successional forest interiors as refugia, restoring edge habitats to reduce seed predation risk, and leveraging masting cycles to enhance seed caching services are recommended for mitigating regeneration bottlenecks in fragmented forests. These findings advance mechanistic understanding of context-dependent seed-rodent dynamics, offering novel strategies for forest conservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55375,"journal":{"name":"Biological Conservation","volume":"312 ","pages":"Article 111478"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144997794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Complementary use of Eulerian and Lagrangian data can improve conservation output: A response to (Hoekstra et al., 2025)","authors":"Ron Efrat ,&nbsp;Yael Lehnardt ,&nbsp;Daniel Berkowic ,&nbsp;Yossi Lesehm ,&nbsp;Roi Dor ,&nbsp;Alexandr Bragin ,&nbsp;Evgeny Bragin ,&nbsp;Todd Katzner ,&nbsp;Nir Sapir","doi":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111468","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111468","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":55375,"journal":{"name":"Biological Conservation","volume":"311 ","pages":"Article 111468"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145049425","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Artificial light at night alters morphology, phenology, and reproductive capacity in an annual herb","authors":"Lu Xiao ,&nbsp;Shuo Wang ,&nbsp;Ayub M.O. Oduor ,&nbsp;Zhihui Wang ,&nbsp;Hongxiang Zhang ,&nbsp;Yanjie Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111472","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111472","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid global expansion of artificial light at night (ALAN) has spurred growing interest in its ecological impact on plant life. However, the effects of low-intensity ALAN on plants in their natural habitats remain largely unexplored, particularly in relation to how morphological and phenological changes influence plant fitness. We conducted a field experiment using the annual herbaceous plant <em>Elsholtzia densa</em> as a model species to assess the effects of ALAN on plant morphology, reproductive phenology, and reproductive capacity. The results show that ALAN increased the specific leaf area and elongated the top inflorescences, but it resulted in a reduction of secondary branches and a decrease in the proportion of individuals with undeveloped top inflorescences. Additionally, ALAN induced a shift in biomass allocation toward the above-ground parts of plants. It also accelerated the onset of budding, blooming, fruiting, and seed maturity by 3.4 to 6.2 days and caused a decrease in the number of fruity inflorescences. These findings suggest that ALAN can significantly affect plant morphology, reproductive timing, and potentially the fitness of plants. While ALAN induces potentially adaptive changes in leaf area and biomass allocation, it may also disrupt plant-pollinator interactions and negatively impact plant reproductive capacity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55375,"journal":{"name":"Biological Conservation","volume":"311 ","pages":"Article 111472"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144996791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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 emerging need to manage scavenged wildlife resources","authors":"Samantha Maher ,&nbsp;Tyler Kjorstad ,&nbsp;Kailin Kroetz ,&nbsp;Van Butsic ,&nbsp;Arthur D. Middleton","doi":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111457","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111457","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Scavenged wildlife resources are a unique type of common pool wildlife resource that are collected without killing or capturing the animal, and their collection is understudied and potentially underregulated relative to their conservation significance. The separability of these resources from the living population of animals that produce them can complicate efforts to link collection to future resource availability and develop management strategies. Furthermore, these resources are gaining popularity as online markets cater to a growing global demand for niche animal products. A notable example is naturally shed antlers from wild herds collected by “shed hunters” for both personal and commercial use. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), home to the largest migratory cervid populations in the continental United States, shed hunting's growing popularity has created a potential common-pool resource dilemma. We surveyed shed hunters before and after a key policy change in Wyoming. Our results reveal diverse recreational and commercial values for antler collection. We also show that resource users are experiencing externalities from increased congestion and indicate strong overall support for active management, though participants differ in their preferred approaches. Exploration of the social dynamics reveals multiple types of scavenged resource user groups giving rise to a complex management environment. In considering future management in the GYE shed hunting context, we emphasize the importance of the separability of the resource from the animal. Specifically, approaches like seasons designed to reduce overlap of resource use and wildlife during key periods can support recreational opportunities while reducing disturbances to wildlife.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55375,"journal":{"name":"Biological Conservation","volume":"311 ","pages":"Article 111457"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144988393","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Ecological traits explain wild felid responses to human-modified landscapes in Brazil: An open-data approach for conservation","authors":"Vanesa Bejarano Alegre ,&nbsp;Raissa Sepulvida ,&nbsp;Júlia Emi de Faria Oshima ,&nbsp;Fernanda Cavalcanti Azevedo ,&nbsp;Claudia Zukeran Kanda ,&nbsp;Ronaldo G. Morato ,&nbsp;Milton Cezar Ribeiro","doi":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111461","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111461","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding how wild felids respond to human-modified landscapes is critical for designing effective conservation strategies, yet comparative assessments across species remain scarce in tropical regions. Here, we assess the habitat selection and road sensitivity of nine wild felid species in Brazil using an integrative and scalable framework based entirely on open-access data. We compiled over 14,000 cleaned occurrence records and modelled habitat associations using generalized linear models across three spatial scales (5, 15, and 30 km). Species were grouped into three ecological categories: generalists, flexible specialists, and strict specialists, based on their ecological plasticity. Our results reveal marked interspecific variation in habitat preferences and responses to roads. While generalists like <em>Puma concolor</em> and <em>Herpailurus yagouaroundi</em> showed higher tolerance to anthropogenic environments, others like <em>Leopardus geoffroyi</em> exhibited more restricted patterns. Flexible specialists like <em>Panthera onca</em> and <em>Leopardus pardalis</em> avoided roads but used heterogeneous natural landscapes. Strict forest specialists (<em>L. wiedii</em>, <em>L. guttulus</em>, <em>L. tigrinus</em>) were highly dependent on forest cover and generally avoided open habitats. Notably, road effects were species-specific and not always aligned with ecological classification. Our findings emphasize that functional classification can aid in anticipating species vulnerabilities, but conservation actions must be tailored to species-level responses. This study highlights the potential of open biodiversity data to inform large-scale conservation planning for Neotropical carnivores, especially in data-poor regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55375,"journal":{"name":"Biological Conservation","volume":"311 ","pages":"Article 111461"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144932503","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Exploring spatial patterns of human–bear conflict in southwestern Iran due to future land-use change","authors":"Yalda Movasaghi ,&nbsp;Rasoul Khosravi ,&nbsp;Majid Mohammady ,&nbsp;Hamid Reza Pourghasemi ,&nbsp;Arash Ghoddousi ,&nbsp;Tobias Kuemmerle","doi":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111459","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111459","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the spatial patterns of human-wildlife conflict is crucial for fostering coexistence in landscapes shared between people and wildlife. Assessing this can be particularly challenging in dynamic landscapes, where land-use changes impact the intensity and spatial distribution of human-wildlife conflict. Focusing on brown bears in southwestern Iran, we assessed past landscape change using remote sensing and simulated future changes using a land-use model. We then coupled these land-use-change analyses with conflict models to predict future conflict hotspots until 2040. Finally, we used a spatial absorbing Markov chain framework to explore how conflict might affect bear mortality. Between 2002 and 2023, forests and rangelands declined by 6.6 % and 5.9 %, respectively, with further decreases of 10.1 % and 10.6 % projected until 2040. In contrast, cropland, orchards, and built-up areas were projected to increase substantially until 2040. Our conflict models suggested that the probability of bear damage was highest in the northern and western parts of the landscape, and was projected to increase, especially where orchards and croplands are expanding to create a fragmented interface with forests adjacent to protected areas. Due to conflict, bears face a moderate mortality risk outside protected areas, suggesting that expanding conflict-prone land uses (e.g., orchards and croplands) and corridors between protected areas may act as ecological traps. Collectively, our findings highlight the need for proactive conflict management and considering current and future conflict hotspots to design multiple-use landscapes that minimize conflict risk and promote coexistence.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55375,"journal":{"name":"Biological Conservation","volume":"311 ","pages":"Article 111459"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144988512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Predicting community interactions under grizzly bear rewilding and anthropogenic change","authors":"Daniel Gorczynski ,&nbsp;T.J. Clark-Wolf ,&nbsp;Jedediah F. Brodie ,&nbsp;Dean Pearson","doi":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111455","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111455","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rewilding is increasingly recognized as an impactful conservation strategy, but a key question remains: how do ecological systems respond to the return of species long absent from the landscape? Predicting these responses is challenging due to complex direct and indirect interactions, especially amid anthropogenic changes. The ongoing range expansion of grizzly bears (<em>Ursus arctos</em>) in western North America offers a unique opportunity to develop and test predictions about the effects of a large, generalist omnivore returning to its historic range. We developed a priori predictions that grizzly recovery would lead to (1) declines in sympatric large carnivores due to competition, (2) mesopredator release, (3) increased top-down control on large herbivores, and (4) stronger effects under anthropogenic stressors. Our fuzzy interaction webs (FIWs) supported these hypotheses, predicting that in habitats where grizzlies reach high density, black bears (<em>Ursus americanus</em>), mountain lions (<em>Puma concolor</em>), coyotes (<em>Canis latrans</em>), grey wolves (<em>Canis lupus</em>), scavenging birds, and ungulates may experience small population reductions through interference competition, exploitation competition, and predation. Small carnivores may increase, while reduced precipitation and human hunting of ungulates may intensify declines in mountain lions and ungulates. While FIWs offer a tractable framework for anticipating community change in complex, data-poor, multitrophic systems, they are still limited by data quality, assumptions of equilibrium dynamics, and the absence of spatial output. Nevertheless, FIWs serve as useful tools for generating testable hypotheses, identifying knowledge gaps, and guiding research and conservation efforts as species recover and ecosystems reorganize under global change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55375,"journal":{"name":"Biological Conservation","volume":"311 ","pages":"Article 111455"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144988392","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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}