Behavioral Diversity Among Odonata Larvae Increases in Water with Greater Turbidity Under Captivity Conditions.

Various factors, including environmental variables, influence the behavior of aquatic insects. However, our understanding of insect behavior and their relationships with these variables remains limited. One important variable is water turbidity, which may be exacerbated by soil erosion, directly impacting visibility in the water and potentially affecting the organism's behaviors. In this study, we investigated larval behavior across seven Odonata species under controlled conditions, examining variations in behavioral diversity (frequency and type) associated with sex and three levels of water turbidity. Our findings revealed that heightened water turbidity correlated with increased behavior frequency, possibly attributable to predator avoidance in darker, seemingly safer habitats. Furthermore, behavior diversity differed between sexes, being higher for males in certain categories and for females in others. Anisoptera species predominantly displayed behaviors like resting, eating, and prey capture, whereas Zygoptera larvae were often observed perching and walking, possibly indicative of distinct predator response strategies. Behaviors shared by Anisoptera larvae could be associated with similar responses to predators and capture of prey. Our study found an increased frequency of behaviors when the larvae are in water with higher turbidity. Behavior frequency disparities between the sexes were observed across various behaviors, likely influenced by species-specific activity levels and individual behavioral plasticity in response to environmental cues. Overall, individuals exhibited heightened behavioral activity in environments with elevated turbidity, potentially reflecting a perceived lower risk environment.

A risk-based approach to the analysis of potential climate change effects on fish communities associated to Posidonia oceanica in the Mediterranean.

The Mediterranean is recognized as a climate change hotspot, with ongoing warming anticipated to impact its habitats and their associated fish fauna. Among these habitats, the seagrass Posidonia oceanica stands out as a foundational species, critical for the stability of coastal fish communities. However, our understanding of climate change consequences on P. oceanica associated fish fauna to date remains limited in part due to a lack of long-term data. This study aimed to highlight potential climate change risks to fish species associated with Posidonia, integrating data on species' thermal envelopes with their habitat and depth preferences into a climate change risk index. Specifically, 9 species, including three pipefish and several wrasse species of the genus Symphodus, emerged as being at higher potential risk from climatic change. A historical time series from Palma Bay (Balearic Islands, Spain), spanning 45 years and providing clear evidence of warming, was employed to evaluate trends in species abundance and occurrence in relation to their relative climate risk score. While certain high-risk species like Symphodus cinereus and Diplodus annularis showed an increase in abundance over time, others, such as the pipefish Syngnathus acus, Syngnathus typhle and Nerophis maculatus experienced declines. The absence of observed declines in some high-risk species could be attributed to several factors, such as acclimation, adaptation, or unmet response thresholds. However, this does not rule out the potential for future changes in these species. Factors such as increased nutrient influx due to growing human populations and changes in fishing regulations may also have contributed to the observed trends. These findings underscore the intricate interplay of environmental and anthropogenic factors and accentuate the pressing need for sustained, long-term data acquisition to fathom the implications of climate change on this highly important marine ecosystem.

Impacts of climate change and human activities on three Glires pests of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

BACKGROUND: The range of Glires is influenced by human activities and climate change. However, the extent to which human activities and environmental changes have contributed to this relationship remains unclear. We examined alterations in the distribution changes and driving factors of the Himalayan marmot, plateau pika, and plateau zokor on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model and a geographical detector (Geodetector). RESULTS: The MaxEnt model showed that the contribution rates of the human footprint index (HFI) to the distribution patterns of the three types of Glires were 46.70%, 58.70%, and 59.50%, respectively. The Geodetector results showed that the distribution pattern of the Himalayan marmot on the QTP was influenced by altitude and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The distribution patterns for plateau pikas and plateau zokors were driven by HFI and NDVI. Climate has played a substantial role in shaping suitable habitats for these three Glires on the QTP. Their suitable area is expected to decrease over the next 30-50 years, along with their niche breadth and overlap. Future suitable habitats for the three Glires tended to shift toward higher latitudes on the QTP. CONCLUSION: These findings underscore the impacts of environmental and human factors on the distribution of the three Glires on the QTP. They have enhanced our understanding of the intricate relationships between Glires niches and environments. This can aid in identifying necessary interventions for developing effective early warning systems and prevention strategies to mitigate Glires infestations and plague epidemics on the QTP. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evidence for within-species transition between drought response strategies in Nicotiana benthamiana.

Nicotiana benthamiana is predominantly distributed in arid habitats across northern Australia. However, none of six geographically isolated accessions shows obvious xerophytic morphological features. To investigate how these tender-looking plants withstand drought, we examined their responses to water deprivation, assessed phenotypic, physiological, and cellular responses, and analysed cuticular wax composition and wax biosynthesis gene expression profiles. Results showed that the Central Australia (CA) accession, globally known as a research tool, has evolved a drought escape strategy with early vigour, short life cycle, and weak, water loss-limiting responses. By contrast, a northern Queensland (NQ) accession responded to drought by slowing growth, inhibiting flowering, increasing leaf cuticle thickness, and altering cuticular wax composition. Under water stress, NQ increased the heat stability and water impermeability of its cuticle by extending the carbon backbone of cuticular long-chain alkanes from c. 25 to 33. This correlated with rapid upregulation of at least five wax biosynthesis genes. In CA, the alkane chain lengths (c. 25) and gene expression profiles remained largely unaltered. This study highlights complex genetic and environmental control over cuticle composition and provides evidence for divergence into at least two fundamentally different drought response strategies within the N. benthamiana species in < 1 million years.

Exploring habitats-based spatial distributions: improving predictions of lymphovascular invasion in invasive breast cancer.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Accurate assessment of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in invasive breast cancer (IBC) plays a pivotal role in tailoring personalized treatment plans. This study aimed to investigate habitats-based spatial distributions to quantitatively measure tumor heterogeneity on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and assess their predictive capability for LVI in patients with IBC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we consecutively enrolled 241 women diagnosed with IBC between July 2020 and July 2023 and who had 1.5 T/T1-weighted images, fat-suppressed T2-weighted images, and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. Habitats-based spatial distributions were derived from the gross tumor volume (GTV) and gross tumor volume plus peritumoral volume (GPTV). GTV_habitats and GPTV_habitats were generated through sub-region segmentation, and their performances were compared. Subsequently, a combined nomogram was developed by integrating relevant spatial distributions with the identified MR morphological characteristics. Diagnostic performance was compared using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and decision curve analysis. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: GPTV_habitats exhibited superior performance compared to GTV_habitats. Consequently, the GPTV_habitats, diffusion-weighted imaging rim signs, and peritumoral edema were integrated to formulate the combined nomogram. This combined nomogram outperformed individual MR morphological characteristics and the GPTV_habitats index, achieving area under the curve values of 0.903 (0.847 -0.959), 0.770 (0.689 -0.852), and 0.843 (0.776 -0.910) in the training set and 0.931 (0.863 -0.999), 0.747 (0.613 -0.880), and 0.849 (0.759 -0.938) in the validation set. CONCLUSION: The combined nomogram incorporating the GPTV_habitats and identified MR morphological characteristics can effectively predict LVI in patients with IBC.

Baseline Inventory of Benthic Macrofauna in German Marine Protected Areas (2020-2022) before Closure for Bottom-Contact Fishing.

The response of benthic habitats and organisms to bottom-contact fishing intensity is investigated in marine protected areas (MPAs) of the German EEZ in the North and Baltic Seas. We examined the current state of macrofauna biodiversity in 2020-2022. Comparative analysis for macrofauna (in- and epifauna) inhabiting nine Natura 2000 MPAs constitutes a baseline to assess the effects of bottom-contact fishing exclusion in the future. Aspects of spatial and temporal variability are briefly summarized and discussed. We provide a species list for each region, including 481 taxa, of which 79 were found in both regions, 183 only in the North Sea, and 219 only in the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea dataset surprisingly included higher numbers of taxa and revealed more Red List species. The share of major taxonomic groups (polychaetes, bivalves and amphipods) in species richness showed peculiar commonalities between the two regions. In the North Sea, multivariate analysis of community structure revealed significantly higher within-similarity and stronger separation between the considered MPAs compared to the Baltic MPAs. Salinity, temperature and sediment fractions of sand were responsible for over 60% of the variation in the North Sea macrofauna occurrence data. Salinity, mud fraction and bottom-contact fishing were the most important drivers in the Baltic Sea and, together with other considered environmental drivers, were responsible for 53% of the variation. This study identifies aspects of macrofauna occurrence that may be used to assess (causes of) future changes.

Disentangling the effect of space, time, and environmental and anthropogenic drivers on coastal macrobenthic ß diversity in contrasting habitats over 15 years.

Coastal zones are biodiversity hotspots and deliver essential ecosystem functions and services, yet they are exposed to multiple and interacting anthropogenic and environmental constraints. The individual and cumulative effects of these constraints on benthic communities, a key component of coastal ecosystems, and their variability across space and time, remains to be thoroughly quantified to guide conservation actions. Here, we explored how the presence of biogenic habitats influences the response of benthic communities to natural and anthropogenic constraints. We investigated this effect in both intertidal and subtidal habitats exposed to different pressures. We used data collected in the North-East Atlantic over 15 years (2005-2019) as part of the REBENT monitoring program, covering 38 sites of bare sediments, intertidal seagrass beds and maerl beds. We collected a range of environmental variables and proxies of anthropogenic pressures and used variation and hierarchical partitioning with redundancy analyses to estimate their relative effect on macrobenthic communities. We used descriptors modeling spatial and temporal structures (dbMEMs) to explore the scale of their effects and potential missing predictors. The selected variables explained between 53 % and 64 % of macrobenthic ß diversity depending on habitat and depth. Fishing pressures, sedimentary and hydrodynamics variables stood out as the most important predictors across all habitats while proxies of anthropogenic pressures were overall more important in intertidal habitats. In the intertidal, presence of biogenic habitat strongly modulated the amount of explained variance and the identity of the selected variable. Across both tidal levels, analysis of models' residuals further indicated that biogenic habitats might mitigate the effect of extreme environmental events. Our study provides a hierarchy of the most important drivers of benthic communities across different habitats and tidal levels, emphasizing the prominence of anthropogenic pressures on intertidal communities and the role of biogenic habitats in mitigating environmental changes.

Predicting the distribution pattern changes of dye plant habitats caused by climate change.

Climate change has accelerated the habitat loss and fragmentation of wildlife. Dye plants of "Fengxiang dyeing" are important indigenous natural resources for traditional printing and dyeing craft in southwest China, is of practical and cultural importance for dozens of ethnic minorities. However, lack of the spatial distribution information of these plants has hampered holistic and efficient conservation management measures. We analyzed the potentially suitable areas of four dye plants (Liquidambar formosana, Strobilanthes cusia, Persicaria tinctoria and Indigofera tinctoria) necessary for "Fengxiang dyeing" based on their geographical distribution sites under different climatic situations using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model. The results showed that temperature, precipitation and elevation were the most important factors affecting the suitable geographical areas of the four dye plants. Under the current climate conditions, the overlapping suitable habitat areas of the four plants were mainly in the four southern provinces of China, including Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong and Hainan. L. formosana was used as the base plant for combination with the other three plants under the two future climate scenarios (SSP126 and SSP585), and the overlapping suitable habitat areas of the obtained seven combination patterns were considered suitable for potential craft development. Five patterns showed an increase, while two patterns showed a decreasing trend with the increasing carbon emission. The prediction results showed that the overlapping suitable habitat center of the four plants will gradually move to the northeast, indicating that the overlapping suitable habitat area and craft distribution area will be changed. These results provide the basis for understanding the spatial distribution pattern changes of dye plants caused by climate change and establishing measures for protecting and developing printing and dyeing craft.

Anaerobic oxidation of methane driven by different electron acceptors: A review.

Methane, the most significant reduced form of carbon on Earth, acts as a crucial fuel and greenhouse gas. Globally, microbial methane sinks encompass both aerobic oxidation of methane (AeOM), conducted by oxygen-utilizing methanotrophs, and anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM), performed by anaerobic methanotrophs employing various alternative electron acceptors. These electron acceptors involved in AOM include sulfate, nitrate/nitrite, humic substances, and diverse metal oxides. The known anaerobic methanotrophic pathways comprise the internal aerobic oxidation pathway found in NC10 bacteria and the reverse methanogenesis pathway utilized by anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME). Diverse anaerobic methanotrophs can perform AOM independently or in cooperation with symbiotic partners through several extracellular electron transfer (EET) pathways. AOM has been documented in various environments, including seafloor methane seepages, coastal wetlands, freshwater lakes, soils, and even extreme environments like hydrothermal vents. The environmental activities of AOM processes, driven by different electron acceptors, primarily depend on the energy yields, availability of electron acceptors, and environmental adaptability of methanotrophs. It has been suggested that different electron acceptors driving AOM may occur across a wider range of habitats than previously recognized. Additionally, it is proposed that methanotrophs have evolved flexible metabolic strategies to adapt to complex environmental conditions. This review primarily focuses on AOM, driven by different electron acceptors, discussing the associated reaction mechanisms and the habitats where these processes are active. Furthermore, it emphasizes the pivotal role of AOM in mitigating methane emissions.

Organic matter composition and stability in estuarine wetlands depending on soil salinity.

Coastal wetlands are key players in mitigating global climate change by sequestering soil organic matter. Soil organic matter consists of less stable particulate organic matter (POM) and more stable mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM). The distribution and drivers of MAOM and POM in coastal wetlands have received little attention, despite the processes and mechanisms differ from that in the upland soils. We explored the distribution of POM and MAOM, their contributions to SOM, and the controlling factors along a salinity gradient in an estuarine wetland. In the estuarine wetland, POM C and N were influenced by soil depth and vegetation type, whereas MAOM C and N were influenced only by vegetation type. In the estuarine wetland, SOM was predominantly in the form of MAOM (> 70 %) and increased with salinity (70 %-76 %), leading to long-term C sequestration. Both POM and MAOM increased with SOM, and the increase rate of POM was higher than that of MAOM. Aboveground plant biomass decreased with increasing salinity, resulted in a decrease in POM C (46 %-81 %) and N (52 %-82 %) pools. As the mineral amount and activity, and microbial biomass decreased, the MAOM C (2.5 %-64 %) and N pool (8.6 %-59 %) decreased with salinity. When evaluating POM, the most influential factors were microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Key parameters, including MBC, DOC, soil salinity, soil water content, aboveground plant biomass, mineral content and activity, and bulk density, were identified as influencing factors for both MAOM abundance. Soil water content not only directly controlled MAOM, but together with salinity also indirectly regulated POM and MAOM by controlling microbial biomass and aboveground plant biomass. Our findings have important implications for improving the accumulation and increased stability of soil organic matter in coastal wetlands, considering the global sea level rise and increased frequency of inundation.

High spatial variability in a species-rich assemblage of diadromous fishes in Hong Kong, southern China.

China has experienced substantial coastal reclamation and damming of rivers. These changes have the potential to impact migrations of diadromous fishes between the sea and fresh waters, but the composition of these fishes and the impacts of barriers to their movement in China have received little attention. We inventoried the species composition and distribution of diadromous fishes, and the impacts of barriers on them, in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), southern China. Fish assemblages were surveyed using hand-nets, supplemented by cast-netting and single-pass snorkel surveys, in 24 small coastal streams across three regions. Surveys were undertaken on multiple occasions during the wet and dry seasons to account for the monsoonal tropical climate. Twenty-eight diadromous fishes were collected, mostly gobies, amounting to over half (53%) of the total richness of primary freshwater fishes; four additional species are known from literature records. Diadromous richness was 48% greater during the wet season, when all species were encountered. Richness varied substantially among streams, from a maximum of 17 (2 streams that were diversity hot spots) to none (3 streams). The most widespread diadromous fish was Glossogobius giuris (71% frequency of occurrence), followed by Mugil cephalus (58% occurrence) and Eleotris oxycephala (50% occurrence). The remaining 25 diadromous fishes occurred in fewer than half of the streams; 12 species were confined to a single stream and may be locally threatened. There were conspicuous spatial differences in diadromous assemblages across HKSAR, despite its limited extent (1114 km2), the proximity of the surveyed streams, and the broad geographic distribution of most species. Regional species assemblages were influenced by localized habitat characteristics, with a noticeable distinction between areas with and without large, fast-flowing, and highly oxygenated streams. The presence of in-stream barriers (weirs: 0.3-8.7 m high) did not affect spatial patterns in species assemblages, although, on average, diadromous richness was lower in weir-obstructed streams (4.0 vs. 6.9 species in unobstructed streams). In total, 18 species were confined to unobstructed streams or sections below weirs, whereas the remaining 10 species were recorded both above and below weirs. Only the mottled eel (Anguilla marmorata) and a goby (Stiphodon multisquamus) were able to ascend weirs over 2 m. Although at least 400 m of the lower course of each stream was sampled, diadromous fishes were confined to the first 300 m in 12 of the 13 weir-obstructed streams. Remarkably, the tally of 32 diadromous species in HKSAR exceeds the 19 known from mainland China, highlighting the need for further research on composition and conservation status of diadromous fishes.

Secondary sexual dimorphism and ontogenetic shifts in habitat use by the lesser guitarfish Zapteryx brevirostris.

Sexual dimorphisms are generated by divergent processes, such as natural or sexual selection and niche convergence. Males and females of the lesser guitarfish, Zapteryx brevirostris, present morphological differences in their discs, and the relationships with the species biology and ecology were unrecognized. Analysing the morphometry of 201 specimens and the influence of bottom features on the frequencies of 188 specimens among life stages and sexes, we found strong evidence that gonadal maturation leads to dimorphisms on discs, validating a concavity on male pectoral fins as a secondary sexual dimorphism and rejecting the hypothesis that such dimorphisms were related to ecological pressures. The principal component analysis (PCA) and permutational MANOVA (PERMANOVA) analyses revealed that males and females shared similar body aspects until they reached maturity, mainly due to lower variations in WD, WR, LD, DPRO, and LSC at younger life stages. The relationships of these variables with LT corroborate the former results, showing a changing point around LT > 30 cm where females started to attain larger measurements than males. Moreover, we revealed ontogenetic shifts, with adults from both sexes exploring different habitats than juveniles and subadults. Differences in frequencies of each life stage were best explained by organic matter (OM) with the adults exploring bottom habitats of higher concentrations of OM than juveniles and subadults, strengthening the assumption that body differences between sexes are not related to ecological pressures. These results bring not only new insights about the possible advantages that those morphometric differences provide to males while mating but also information about the abiotic influences on species distribution, which, along with knowledge of local oceanographic dynamics and benthic community patterns, would inform actions for species conservation.

Elucidating responses of the intertidal clam Ruditapes philippinarum to compound extreme oceanic events.

Ocean acidification and heatwaves caused by rising CO2 affect bivalves and other coastal organisms. Intertidal bivalves are vital to benthic ecosystems, but their physiological and metabolic responses to compound catastrophic climate events are unknown. Here, we examined Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) responses to low pH and heatwaves. Biochemical and gene expression demonstrated that pH and heatwaves greatly affect physiological energy enzymes and genes expression. In the presence of heatwaves, Manila clams expressed more enzymes and genes involved in physiological energetics regardless of acidity, even more so than in the presence of both. In this study, calcifying organisms' biochemical and molecular reactions are more susceptible to temperature rises than acidity. Acclimation under harsh weather conditions was consistent with thermal stress increase at lower biological organization levels. These substantial temporal biochemical and molecular patterns illuminate clam tipping points. This study helps us understand how compound extreme weather and climate events affect coastal bivalves for future conservation efforts.

Distribution of toxigenic cyanobacteria in Alpine lakes and rivers as revealed by molecular screening.

The increasing frequency of cyanobacteria blooms in waterbodies caused by ecosystem eutrophication could endanger human health. This risk can be mitigated by effective monitoring incorporating molecular methods. To date, most molecular studies on toxigenic cyanobacteria have been limited to microcystins (MCs), disregarding other cyanotoxins, to freshwater planktic habitats while ignoring benthic habitats, and to limited geographic areas (usually one or a few specific waterbodies). In this study, we used PCR-based methods including PCR product sequencing and chemical-analytical methods (LC-MS/MS) to screen many plankton (n = 123) and biofilm samples (n = 113) originating from 29 Alpine lakes and 18 rivers for their cyanotoxin production potential. Both mcyE (indicating MC synthesis) and anaC (indicating anatoxin (ATX) synthesis) gene fragments were able to qualitatively predict MC or ATX occurrence. The abundance of mcyE gene fragments was significantly related to MC concentrations in plankton samples (R2 = 0.61). mcyE gene fragments indicative of MC synthesis were most abundant in planktic samples (65 %) and were assigned to the genera Planktothrix and Microcystis. However, mcyE rarely occurred in biofilms of lakes and rivers, i.e., 4 % and 5 %, respectively, and were assigned to Microcystis, Planktothrix, and Nostoc. In contrast, anaC gene fragments occurred frequently in planktic samples (14 % assigned to Tychonema, Phormidium (Microcoleus), and Oscillatoria), but also in biofilms of lakes (49 %) and rivers (18 %) and were assigned to the genera Phormidium, Oscillatoria, and Nostocales. The cyrJ gene fragment indicating cylindrospermopsin synthesis occurred only once in plankton (assigned to Dolichospermum), while saxitoxin synthesis potential was not detected. For plankton samples, monomictic and less eutrophic conditions were positively related to mcyE/MC occurrence frequency, while oligomictic conditions were related to anaC/ATX frequency. The anaC/ATX frequency in biofilm was related to the lake habitats generally showing higher biodiversity as revealed from metabarcoding in a parallel study.

Linking microbial community coalescence to ecological diversity, community assembly and species coexistence in a typical subhumid river catchment in northern China.

Community coalescence denotes the amalgamation of biotic and abiotic factors across multiple intact ecological communities. Despite the growing attention given to the phenomenon of coalescence, there remains limited investigation into community coalescence in single and multiple source habitats and its impact on microbial community assemblages in sinks. This study focused on a major river catchment in northern China. We investigated microbial community coalescence across different habitats (i.e., water, sediment, biofilm, and riparian soil) and seasons (i.e., summer and winter). Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence variants, we examined the relationship between community coalescence and microbial diversity, assembly processes, and species coexistence. The results showed that the intensity of microbial community coalescence was higher in the same habitat pairs compared to disparate habitat pairs in both summer and winter. During the occurrence of microbial community coalescence, the assembly processes regulated the intensity of coalescence. When the microbial community exhibited strong heterogeneous selection (heterogeneous environmental conditions leading to more dissimilar community structures), the intensity of community coalescence was low. With the assembly process shifted towards stochasticity, coalescence intensity increased gradually. However, when homogeneous selection (homogeneous environmental conditions leading to more similar community structures) predominantly shaped microbial communities, coalescence intensity exceeded the threshold of 0.25-0.30. Moreover, the enhanced intensity of community coalescence could increase the complexity of microbial networks, thereby enhancing species coexistence. Furthermore, the assembly processes mediated the relationship between community coalescence and species coexistence, underscoring the pivotal role of intermediate intensity of community coalescence in maintaining efficient species coexistence. In conclusion, this study highlights the crucial role of community coalescence originating from single and multiple source habitats in shaping microbial communities in sinks, thus emphasizing its central importance in watershed ecosystems.

Assessment of environmental and spatial factors influencing the establishment of Anopheles gambiae larval habitats in the malaria endemic province of Woleu-Ntem, northern Gabon.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the spatial distribution of Anopheles mosquito larval habitats and the environmental factors associated with them, as a prerequisite for the implementation of larviciding. METHODS: The study was conducted in December 2021, during the transition period between the end of the short rainy season (September-November) and the short dry season (December-February). Physical, biological, and land cover data were integrated with entomological observations to collect Anopheles larvae in three major towns: Mitzic, Oyem, and Bitam, using the "dipping" method during the transition from rainy to dry season. The collected larvae were then reared in a field laboratory established for the study period. After the Anopheles mosquitoes had emerged, their species were identified using appropriate morphological taxonomic keys. To determine the influence of environmental factors on the breeding of Anopheles mosquitoes, multiple-factor analysis (MFA) and a binomial generalized linear model were used. RESULTS: According to the study, only 33.1% out of the 284 larval habitats examined were found to be positive for Anopheles larvae, which were primarily identified as belonging to the Anopheles gambiae complex. The findings of the research suggested that the presence of An. gambiae complex larvae in larval habitats was associated with various significant factors such as higher urbanization, the size and type of the larval habitats (pools and puddles), co-occurrence with Culex and Aedes larvae, hot spots in ambient temperature, moderate rainfall, and land use patterns. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this research mark the initiation of a focused vector control plan that aims to eradicate or lessen the larval habitats of An. gambiae mosquitoes in Gabon's Woleu Ntem province. This approach deals with the root causes of malaria transmission through larvae and is consistent with the World Health Organization's (WHO) worldwide objective to decrease malaria prevalence in regions where it is endemic.

Individual architecture and photosynthetic performance of the submerged form of Drosera intermedia Hayne.

Drosera intermedia grows in acidic bogs in parts of valleys that are flooded in winter, and that often dry out in summer. It is also described as the sundew of the most heavily hydrated habitats in peatlands, and it is often found in water and even underwater. This sundew is the only one that can tolerate long periods of submersion, and more importantly produces a typical submerged form that can live in such conditions for many years. Submerged habitats are occupied by D. intermedia relatively frequently. The aim of the study was to determine the environmental conditions and architecture of individuals in the submerged form of D. intermedia. The features of the morphological and anatomical structure and chlorophyll a fluorescence of this form that were measured were compared with analogous ones in individuals that occurred in emerged and peatland habitats. The submerged form occurred to a depth of 20 cm. Compared to the other forms, its habitat had the highest pH (4.71-4.92; Me = 4.71), the highest temperature and substrate hydration, and above all, the lowest photosynthetically active radiation (PAR; 20.4-59.4%). This form differed from the other forms in almost all of the features of the plant's architecture. It is particularly noteworthy that it had the largest main axis height among all of the forms, which exceeded 18 cm. The number of living leaves in a rosette was notable (18.1 ± 8.1), while the number of dead leaves was very low (6.9 ± 3.8). The most significant differences were in the shape of its submerged leaves, in which the length of the leaf blade was the lowest of all of the forms (0.493 ± 0.15 mm; p < 0.001) and usually the widest. The stem cross-sectional area was noticeably smaller in the submerged form than in the other forms, the xylem was less developed and collaterally closed vascular bundles occurred. Our analysis of the parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence in vivo revealed that the maximum quantum yield of the primary photochemistry of photosystem II is the highest for the submerged form (Me = 0.681), the same as the maximum quantum yield of the electron transport (Me φE0 = 0.183). The efficiency of energy use per one active reaction center of photosystem II (RC) was the lowest in the submerged form (Me = 2.978), same as the fraction of energy trapped by one active RC (Me = 1.976) and the non-photochemical energy dissipation (DI0/RC; Me = 0.916). The ET0/RC parameter, associated with the efficiency of the energy utilization for electron transport by one RC, in the submerged plant reached the highest value (Me = 0.489). The submerged form of D. intermedia clearly differed from the emerged and peatland forms in its plant architecture. The submerged plants had a thinner leaf blade and less developed xylem than the other forms, however, their stems were much longer. The relatively high photosynthetic efficiency of the submerged forms suggests that most of the trapped energy is utilized to drive photosynthesis with a minimum energy loss, which may be a mechanism to compensate for the relatively small size of the leaf blade.

Plasticity in resource allocation of the invasive Phytolacca americana: Balancing growth, reproduction, and defense along urban-rural gradients.

In response to varying environments along urban and rural gradients, invasive plants may strategically allocate resources to enhance their invasiveness. However, how invasive plants balance their resources for growth, reproduction, and defense as responses to biotic and abiotic factors across these gradients remain unclear. We conducted field surveys on the growth, reproduction, and herbivory of the invasive species Phytolacca americana across diverse urban and rural habitats. Leaf samples were collected to analyze the nutritional content, primary and secondary metabolites. We found that plant growth rates, specific leaf area, leaf nitrogen content, and concentrations of flavonoids and saponins were higher in urban habitats, while reproduction, herbivory, and carbon-to­nitrogen ratios were lower than those in rural habitats. We also found a trade-off between growth rate and herbivory, as well as trade-offs among defense traits associated with herbivory (e.g., leaf mass per area, the inverse of leaf nitrogen content, and carbon­nitrogen ratio) and the production of metabolites associated with abiotic stress tolerance (e.g., soluble sugars, flavonoids, and saponins). As earlier studies showed low levels of genetic diversity within and between populations, our findings suggest that the urban-rural gradient patterns of resource allocation are primarily phenotypic plasticity in response to herbivory in rural areas and abiotic factors in urban areas. Our study sheds light on the mechanisms by which urbanization affects plant invasions and offers insights for the implementation of their management strategies.

The potential of historical spy-satellite imagery to support research in ecology and conservation.

Remote sensing data are important for assessing ecological change, but their value is often restricted by their limited temporal coverage. Major historical events that affected the environment, such as those associated with colonial history, World War II, or the Green Revolution are not captured by modern remote sensing. In the present article, we highlight the potential of globally available black-and-white satellite photographs to expand ecological and conservation assessments back to the 1960s and to illuminate ecological concepts such as shifting baselines, time-lag responses, and legacy effects. This historical satellite photography can be used to monitor ecosystem extent and structure, species' populations and habitats, and human pressures on the environment. Even though the data were declassified decades ago, their use in ecology and conservation remains limited. But recent advances in image processing and analysis can now unlock this research resource. We encourage the use of this opportunity to address important ecological and conservation questions.

Transcriptomic analysis of the response of Avena sativa to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens DGL1.

Introduction: Bacillus amyloliquefaciens DGL1, isolated from the arid sandy areas in Dagler, Qinghai Province, China, promotes the growth of Avena sativa variety "Qing Yan 1". Methods: To elucidate the transcriptomic changes in the oat root system following interaction with DGL1 and to reveal the molecular mechanism by which DGL1 promotes oat growth, treatment and control groups of oat roots at 2, 4, 8, and 12 h after inoculation with a suspension of strain DGL1 were analyzed using Illumina high-throughput transcriptome sequencing technology. The differentially expressed genes were determined through Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses, and the metabolic pathways and key genes were analyzed. Results: The results showed that 7874, 13,392, 13,169, and 19,026 differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway, amino acid metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction, and other related metabolic pathways in the oat roots at 2, 4, 8, and 12 h after inoculation with a DGL1 suspension. The GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that the genes encoding plasma membrane ATPase, phosphoglycerate kinase gene PGK, ammonium transporter protein gene AMT, cellulose synthase gene CSLF6, and growth hormone response family gene IAA18 were significantly upregulated. Discussion: It is hypothesized that the pro-growth mechanism of strain DGL1 in oats is the result of the coordination of multiple pathways through the promotion of oat energy metabolism, phytohormone signaling, secondary metabolite synthesis, and amino acid metabolism.