BioSciencePub Date : 2025-04-09eCollection Date: 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaf014
Sean Denny, Lauren Coad, Sorrel Jones, Daniel J Ingram
{"title":"Snaring and wildlife wastage in Africa: drivers, scale, impacts, and paths to sustainability.","authors":"Sean Denny, Lauren Coad, Sorrel Jones, Daniel J Ingram","doi":"10.1093/biosci/biaf014","DOIUrl":"10.1093/biosci/biaf014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Snaring is considered to be the most common form of hunting in Africa. Although snaring can provide hunters with valuable food and income, it can also devastate wildlife populations when practiced unsustainably and has significant animal welfare implications. Snaring can also be wasteful, both when animals escape with fatal injuries and when catch is discarded. In the present article, we argue that snaring is a regional-scale threat to wildlife and to the sustainable use of biodiversity in Africa. We show that snaring in Africa is geographically widespread and locally intense, that tens of millions of snares are likely set across the continent annually, and that at least 100 million kilograms of wild meat is probably wasted in Africa every year because of snaring. We discuss opportunities to address these impacts through changes to governance and enforcement and by reducing demand for wild meat in cities.</p>","PeriodicalId":9003,"journal":{"name":"BioScience","volume":"75 4","pages":"284-297"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12016803/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143963048","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BioSciencePub Date : 2025-03-28eCollection Date: 2025-06-01DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaf021
Alan Stenhouse, Nicole Fisher, Brendan Lepschi, Alexander Schmidt-Lebuhn, Juanita Rodriguez, Federica Turco, Andrew Reeson, Cécile Paris, Peter H Thrall
{"title":"A vision of human-AI collaboration for enhanced biological collection curation and research.","authors":"Alan Stenhouse, Nicole Fisher, Brendan Lepschi, Alexander Schmidt-Lebuhn, Juanita Rodriguez, Federica Turco, Andrew Reeson, Cécile Paris, Peter H Thrall","doi":"10.1093/biosci/biaf021","DOIUrl":"10.1093/biosci/biaf021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Natural history collections play a crucial role in our understanding of biodiversity, informing research, management, and policy in areas such as biosecurity, conservation, climate change, and food security. However, the growing volume of specimens and associated data presents significant challenges for curation and management. By leveraging human-AI collaborations, we aim to transform the way biological collections are curated and managed, realizing their full potential in addressing global challenges. In this article, we discuss our vision for improving biological collections curation and management using human-AI collaboration. We explore the rationale behind this approach, the challenges faced in data management, general curation problems, and the potential benefits that could be derived from incorporating AI-based assistants in collection teams. Finally, we examine future possibilities for collaborations between human and digital curators and collection-based research.</p>","PeriodicalId":9003,"journal":{"name":"BioScience","volume":"75 6","pages":"457-471"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12342914/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144844356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BioSciencePub Date : 2025-02-19eCollection Date: 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biae132
Genuar Nunez-Vega, Lorenz Christian Reimer, Jörg Overmann, Amber Hartman Scholz
{"title":"A new indicator for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: Capturing non-monetary benefit data from access and benefit-sharing agreements.","authors":"Genuar Nunez-Vega, Lorenz Christian Reimer, Jörg Overmann, Amber Hartman Scholz","doi":"10.1093/biosci/biae132","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae132","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) moves international efforts to conserve biodiversity into a quantitative era. Fair and equitable benefit-sharing is one of the three objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity, which means that to achieve the KMGBF, its parties will need to begin quantifying the benefits received from access and benefit-sharing (ABS). This mandate represents a big challenge as countries will need to begin to measure both monetary and non-monetary benefits from ABS agreements. Non-monetary benefits, in particular, can be more difficult to measure than monetary benefits, resulting in lower scientific understanding and integration of scientific results into national policy choices. In the present article, we propose a new methodology to deliver data to the KMGBF on non-monetary benefit-sharing indicators using scientific publications that cite ABS permits and put forth recommendations for improving the visibility of non-monetary benefits.</p>","PeriodicalId":9003,"journal":{"name":"BioScience","volume":"75 4","pages":"298-306"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12016788/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143962941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BioSciencePub Date : 2025-02-14eCollection Date: 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaf010
Anthony J Barley, Charles J Cole
{"title":"Speciation by hybridization: the mind-boggling nature, educational, and research value of the largest group of unisexual vertebrates.","authors":"Anthony J Barley, Charles J Cole","doi":"10.1093/biosci/biaf010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Thirteen species of North American lizards are remarkable because only females exist, which reproduce by cloning unfertilized eggs. Their closest relatives reproduce sexually, with eggs fertilized by sperm from males, as in most vertebrates. The unisexual species originated through hybridization, dispensing with sex and males in a single generation. These lizards hold tremendous potential in science education as a fascinating model for learning about fundamental biological concepts, and in research for developing knowledge with medical applications for reproductive biology, embryonic development, and genetic interactions. These lizards maintain genome integrity in a hybrid state in which recombination is absent, but do not suffer from conditions or disorders such as Down's Syndrome or cancer that are caused by aneuploidy in humans. The multifarious impacts of hybridization on the diversity of species in this group present an exceptional opportunity to deepen understanding of the complicated process of evolutionary diversification.</p>","PeriodicalId":9003,"journal":{"name":"BioScience","volume":"75 4","pages":"331-341"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12016801/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143953641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BioSciencePub Date : 2025-02-04eCollection Date: 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biae133
Ágnes Vári, Andrew Gonzalez, Elena M Bennett
{"title":"Monitor social-ecological systems to achieve global goals for biodiversity and nature's contributions to people.","authors":"Ágnes Vári, Andrew Gonzalez, Elena M Bennett","doi":"10.1093/biosci/biae133","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae133","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":9003,"journal":{"name":"BioScience","volume":"75 4","pages":"276-280"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12016793/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143975275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BioSciencePub Date : 2025-02-04eCollection Date: 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biae117
S Mažeika Patricio Sulliván, Robert M Hughes, Robert L Vadas, Gillian T Davies, Patrick D Shirey, Susan A R Colvin, Dana M Infante, Robert J Danehy, Nayeli K Sanchez, Robert B Keast
{"title":"Waterbody connectivity: Linking science and policy for improved waterbody protection.","authors":"S Mažeika Patricio Sulliván, Robert M Hughes, Robert L Vadas, Gillian T Davies, Patrick D Shirey, Susan A R Colvin, Dana M Infante, Robert J Danehy, Nayeli K Sanchez, Robert B Keast","doi":"10.1093/biosci/biae117","DOIUrl":"10.1093/biosci/biae117","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Connectivity-the flows and exchanges of organisms, materials, and energy within and among watersheds-is a central paradigm in ecosystem science. Changes in those connections have consequences for ecosystem functioning and water quality downstream and upstream. Therefore, connectivity is a cornerstone for federal water protection under the United States Clean Water Act (CWA). In the present article, we review the science of connectivity, explain the history of changes in CWA jurisdiction defining waters of the United States, discuss implications for US water policy, and highlight key steps to align that policy with science. The Sackett v. EPA (2023) Supreme Court decision significantly reduced federal water protection for wetlands and headwaters, disregarding their connectivity with larger, protected waterbodies. To fulfill the goals of the CWA to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of U.S. waters, Congress must amend the act, fully recognizing the multidimensional connectivity of aquatic ecosystems and ultimately incorporating these connections into ecosystem-level policy.</p>","PeriodicalId":9003,"journal":{"name":"BioScience","volume":"75 1","pages":"68-91"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12368856/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144941661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BioSciencePub Date : 2025-01-31eCollection Date: 2025-05-01DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biae141
Michael D Collins
{"title":"Comments on \"Echo of extinction: the ivory-billed woodpecker's tragic legacy and its impact on scientific integrity\".","authors":"Michael D Collins","doi":"10.1093/biosci/biae141","DOIUrl":"10.1093/biosci/biae141","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":9003,"journal":{"name":"BioScience","volume":"75 5","pages":"354-357"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12131317/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144224131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BioSciencePub Date : 2025-01-22eCollection Date: 2025-04-01DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biae138
Phillip J Haubrock, Ben Parker, Dagmara Błońska, Elizabeta Briski, Teun Everts, Romina D Fernandez, Antonín Kouba, Melina Kourantidou, Irmak Kurtul, Stefano Mammola, Dmitrii L Musolin, Martin A Nuñez, Julian D Olden, Jes J Rasmussen, David Renault, James C Russell, Ronaldo Sousa, Ali Serhan Tarkan, J Robert Britton
{"title":"Conceptual and ethical considerations in invasion science.","authors":"Phillip J Haubrock, Ben Parker, Dagmara Błońska, Elizabeta Briski, Teun Everts, Romina D Fernandez, Antonín Kouba, Melina Kourantidou, Irmak Kurtul, Stefano Mammola, Dmitrii L Musolin, Martin A Nuñez, Julian D Olden, Jes J Rasmussen, David Renault, James C Russell, Ronaldo Sousa, Ali Serhan Tarkan, J Robert Britton","doi":"10.1093/biosci/biae138","DOIUrl":"10.1093/biosci/biae138","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Invasion science addresses interconnected ecological, economic, and social challenges posed by the introduction of nonnative species. Therefore, invasion scientists have to consider and reconcile interdisciplinary needs while addressing the potential implications of their findings. Navigating diverse disciplines, including environmental sciences, ecology, economics, and the humanities, invasion scientists seek to arrive at informed decisions on invasion risk, impact, and management. Individual biases, uncertainties, and systemic pressures influence the ability to maintain objectivity and resist pressures that might otherwise distort their findings or applications. In the present commentary, we examine conceptual and ethical dilemmas within the field of invasion science, particularly reputational and the risks of the discipline perpetuating its own relevance by framing invasions as insurmountable challenges. In the discussion, we highlight how incentive structures, biased assessments and framing, and conflicts of interest may compromise the discipline's integrity. We also explore questions surrounding human responsibility to animal welfare and highlight ethical conundrums in the management of invasive species.</p>","PeriodicalId":9003,"journal":{"name":"BioScience","volume":"75 4","pages":"317-330"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12290455/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144727678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BioSciencePub Date : 2025-01-17eCollection Date: 2025-03-01DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biae124
Amy Hinsley, Alice C Hughes, Johan van Valkenburg, Tariq Stark, Jeroen van Delft, William Sutherland, Silviu O Petrovan
{"title":"Understanding the environmental and social risks from the international trade in ornamental plants.","authors":"Amy Hinsley, Alice C Hughes, Johan van Valkenburg, Tariq Stark, Jeroen van Delft, William Sutherland, Silviu O Petrovan","doi":"10.1093/biosci/biae124","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae124","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The multibillion dollar ornamental plant trade benefits economies worldwide, but shifting and rapidly expanding globalized supply chains have exacerbated complex environmental, sustainability, and biosecurity risks. We review the environmental and social risks of this international trade, complementing it with analyses of illegal trade seizures and plant contaminant interception data from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. We show global increases in ornamental plant trade, with supply expansions in East Africa and South America, and highlight risks and impacts including biodiversity loss, aquifer depletion, pollution, undermined access and benefit sharing, and food security. Despite risk mitigation efforts, the interception data showed considerable volumes of contaminants in ornamental plant shipments, but taxonomic identification was not always possible, highlighting uncertainties in assessing biosecurity risks. With high-volume and fast-moving transit of ornamental plants around the world, it is essential that production standards are improved and that data on specific risks from trade are collected and shared to allow for mitigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":9003,"journal":{"name":"BioScience","volume":"75 3","pages":"222-239"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11987086/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143971982","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}