Agroecosystem's contributions to people: how ranchers and specialists perceive threatened Espinal forests used for cattle-grazing.

Scientists and managers seek to implement more inclusive and effective conservation strategies by incorporating plural valuations of nature and nature's contributions to people (NCP) into research and decision-making. For Argentina's threatened Espinal ecoregion, this need is particularly acute. In Entre Ríos province, practically all of these forests are devoted to production, and the expanding agricultural frontier increases their conversion to crops. We surveyed family ranchers and agricultural/environmental specialists, two key stakeholders for managing Espinal forests used for cattle grazing. Employing a sociocultural valuation, we determined i) stakeholder recognition of the Espinal's NCP and its support for quality of life, ii) similarity between stakeholder valuations (importance: 0 = none; 4 = very) of NCP and dimensions of well-being derived from the Espinal, and iii) relationship between ecological (e.g., forest degradation) and social (e.g., place of residence) factors and perceptions of the forest. Ranchers recognized more NCP and quality-of-life aspects, and the importance to their well-being tended to be greater than specialists. Both groups valued regulating and non-material NCP above material contributions and considered that forests are very important for physical and mental health. Finally, only rancher perceptions varied with tested variables, depending on degradation levels of forests with which they have the most contact and/or carry out their activities, the number of uses and recreational activities they carry out in forests, their knowledge of forests, and their place of residence. This study illustrates common ground upon which to promote synergies between production and conservation in Espinal-cattle agroecosystems.

Multitemporal monitoring of paramos as critical water sources in Central Colombia.

Paramos, unique and biodiverse ecosystems found solely in the high mountain regions of the tropics, are under threat. Despite their crucial role as primary water sources and significant carbon repositories in Colombia, they are deteriorating rapidly and garner less attention than other vulnerable ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest. Their fertile soil and unique climate make them prime locations for agriculture and cattle grazing, often coinciding with economically critical deposits such as coal which has led to a steady decline in paramo area. Anthropic impact was evaluated using multispectral images from Landsat and Sentinel over 37 years, on the Guerrero and Rabanal paramos in central Colombia which have experienced rapid expansion of mining and agriculture. Our analysis revealed that since 1984, the Rabanal and Guerrero paramos have lost 47.96% and 59.96% of their native vegetation respectively, replaced primarily by crops, pastures, and planted forests. We detected alterations in the spectral signatures of native vegetation near coal coking ovens, indicating a deterioration of paramo health and potential impact on ecosystem services. Consequently, human activity is reducing the extent of paramos and their efficiency as water sources and carbon sinks, potentially leading to severe regional and even global consequences.

How do replanted mangroves affect phosphorus dynamics in their soils?

Phosphorus is a limiting element for the productivity of mangroves, which in turn are important ecosystems in regulating nutrients cycle and climate change by sequestering carbon (C). Despite this, there is an intense process of degradation in these environments. In addition to providing socio-environmental services, mangrove replanting can also alter the dynamics of nutrients in soils. Therefore, this study aims to understand the changes in soil phosphorus (P) fractions after a mangrove restoration. Soil samples from an unvegetated area (NV), a mature mangrove (R) and 7 and 9 year old replanted mangroves at SE-Brazil (APA Guapi-mirim, Rio de Janeiro state) were collected and analyzed to characterize the redox conditions (Eh), pH, and iron (Fe) fractionation, Total Organic Carbon (TOC) contents and P fractionation (exchangeable P; P associated with reducible Fe and Mn oxyhydroxides; associated with Al silicates and hydroxides; associated with humic acids; associated with Ca and Mg; associated with humin). The results indicate an increase in TOC as the age of the mangrove restoration increases (from 8.6 to 17.9%). The pH values were significantly lower, reaching very acidic values, associated with an increase in Eh. Both parameters also showed strong seasonal variation, with a drop in Eh during the wet period (from 165% to -46%) and an increase in pH in the same period (from 6.0 to 6.7). Regarding P fractionation, the main P pool was organic P forms, which showed the highest concentrations in all studied sites. Unvegetated areas showed higher organic P forms (NV: 108.8 µg g-1) than vegetated areas (M7: 55.7 µg g-1, M9: 83.6 µg g-1, R: 87.3 µg g-1). Vegetated sites also showed lower levels of the PEx, PFeMn and Papatite fractions (total forest mean: 2.4 µg g-1, 5.8 µg g-1, 3.0 µg g-1, respectively). Besides no clear trend on P fractionation through seasons and forest age, pseudo-total P increased following the forest recovery (e.g. M7

Integrating socioeconomic and ecological data into restoration practice.

Driven by the United Nations Decade on Restoration and international funding initiatives, such as the Mangrove Breakthrough, investment in mangrove restoration is expected to increase. Yet, mangrove restoration efforts frequently fail, usually because of ad hoc site-selection processes that do not consider mangrove ecology and the socioeconomic context. Using decision analysis, we developed an approach that accounts for socioeconomic and ecological data to identify sites with the highest likelihood of mangrove restoration success. We applied our approach in the Biosphere Reserve Marismas Nacionales Nayarit, Mexico, an area that recently received funding for implementing mangrove restoration actions. We identified 468 potential restoration sites, assessed their restorability potential based on socioeconomic and ecological metrics, and ranked sites for implementation with spatial optimization. The metrics we used included favorable conditions for propagules to establish and survive under sea-level rise, provision of ecosystem services, and community dynamics. Sites that were selected based on socioeconomic or ecological metrics alone had lower likelihood of mangrove restoration success than sites that were selected based on integrated socioeconomic and ecological metrics. For example, selecting sites based on only socioeconomic metrics captured 16% of the maximum attainable value of functioning mangroves able to provide propagules to potential restoration sites, whereas selecting sites based on ecological and socioeconomic metrics captured 46% of functioning mangroves. Our approach was developed as part of a collaboration between nongovernmental organizations, local government, and academics under rapid delivery time lines given preexisting mangrove restoration implementation commitments. The systematic decision process we used integrated socioeconomic and ecological considerations even under short delivery deadlines, and our approach can be adapted to help mangrove restoration site-selection decisions elsewhere.

Integración de datos socioeconómicos y ecológicos en las prácticas de restauración Resumen Se espera que la inversión en la restauración de los manglares incremente debido a la Década de Restauración de las Naciones Unidad y las iniciativas internacionales de financiamiento, como The Mangrove Breakthrough. Sin embargo, los esfuerzos de restauración de manglares fallan con frecuencia, generalmente por los procesos de selección de sitios ad­hoc que no consideran la ecología del manglar y el contexto socioeconómico. Usamos el análisis de decisiones para desarrollar una estrategia que considera los datos socioeconómicos y ecológicos para identificar los sitios con mayor probabilidad de éxito de restauración. Aplicamos nuestra estrategia en la Reserva de la Biósfera Marismas Nacionales Nayarit, México, un área que recibió financiamiento reciente para la restauración del manglar. Identificamos 468 sitios potencialmente restaurables, evaluamos su potencial de restauración con base en medidas ecológicas y socioeconómicas y clasificamos los sitios para la implementación con la optimización espacial. Las medidas que usamos incluían las condiciones favorables para que los propágulos se establezcan y sobrevivan con el incremento en el nivel del mar, el suministro de servicios ambientales y las dinámicas de la comunidad. Los sitios seleccionados sólo con base en las medidas ecológicas o socioeconómicas tuvieron una menor probabilidad de éxito de restauración que los sitios que se seleccionaron con base en medidas socioeconómicas y ecológicas integradas. Por ejemplo, la selección de sitios con base sólo en las medidas socioeconómicas capturó el 16% del máximo valor alcanzable de manglares funcionales capaces de proporcionar propágulos a los sitios potenciales de restauración, mientras que la selección basada en medidas ecológicas y socioeconómicas capturó el 46% de los manglares funcionales. Desarrollamos nuestra estrategia como parte de una colaboración entre organizaciones no gubernamentales, el gobierno local y académicos sujetos a una fecha pronta de entrega debido a los compromisos preexistentes para la restauración de manglares. El proceso de decisión sistemática que usamos integró las consideraciones ecológicas y socioeconómicas incluso con plazos cortos de entrega. Nuestra estrategia puede adaptarse para apoyar en la selección de sitios de restauración de manglares en otros sitios.

A recipe for change: Analyzing the climate and ecosystem impacts of the Brazilian diet shift.

Diet shift is an opportunity to mitigate the impacts of food systems, which are responsible for about a third of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally and exert various environmental pressures on ecosystems. This study evaluates the mitigation potential of both global and local environmental impacts through dietary changes within the Brazilian context. Furthermore, the study aims to identify the potential benefits and trade-offs that may arise from these dietary transitions, thus providing a comprehensive analysis of the overall environmental implications. To this end, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to evaluate the environmental impacts of a conventional diet in Brazil and seven alternatives, namely adjusted-EAT-Lancet, pescatarian, vegetarian, entomophagic (insect-based food), mycoprotein (microbial-based food), and synthetic (cell-based food) diets. Results indicate a substantial mitigation potential for GHG emissions (4-9 kg CO2e/cap/day) (39 % to 86 %) and land use (4-9 m2/cap/day) (38 % to 82 %) through a diet shift from a conventional diet to any of the seven alternative diets. However, certain trade-offs exist. A diet shift demonstrates no mitigation potential of soil acidification, and opportunities to reduce water eutrophication (0.02-0.2 g Pe/cap/day) (2 % to 24 %) and water consumption (0.2-0.5 m3/cap/day) (7 % to 14 %) were only found by completely substituting animal products for insect-based food, microbial-based food, and cell-based food. This study highlights the considerable potential of dietary changes to mitigate global environmental impacts associated with food systems. By revealing opportunities and challenges, this study supports science-based decision-making and guides efforts toward sustainable and environmentally friendly food consumption patterns.

Exploring local perceptions and drivers of engagement in biodiversity monitoring among participants in payments for ecosystem services schemes in southeastern Mexico.

Payments for ecosystem services (PES) are widely applied incentive-based instruments with diverse objectives that increasingly include biodiversity conservation. Yet, there is a gap in understanding of how to best assess and monitor programs' biodiversity outcomes. We examined perceptions and drivers of engagement related to biodiversity monitoring through surveys among current PES participants in 7 communities in Mexico's Selva Lacandona. We conducted workshops among survey participants that included training and field deployment of tools used to monitor biodiversity and land cover, including visual transects, camera traps, acoustic recorders, and forest cover satellite images. We conducted pre- and postworkshop surveys in each community to evaluate changes in respondents' perceptions following exposure to biodiversity monitoring training and related field activities. We also reviewed existing research on participatory environmental management and monitoring approaches. One quarter of current PES participants in the study area participated in our surveys and workshops. The majority stated interest in engaging in diverse activities related to the procedural aspects of biodiversity monitoring (e.g., planning, field data collection, results dissemination) and acknowledged multiple benefits of introducing biodiversity monitoring into PES (e.g., knowledge and capacity building, improved natural resource management, and greater support for conservation). Household economic reliance on PES was positively associated with willingness to engage in monitoring. Technical expertise, time, and monetary constraints were deterrents. Respondents were most interested in monitoring mammals, birds, and plants and using visual transects, camera traps, and forest cover satellite images. Exposure to monitoring enhanced subsequent interest in monitoring by providing respondents with new insights from their communities related to deforestation and species' abundance and diversity. Respondents identified key strengths and weaknesses of applying different monitoring tools, which suggests that deploying multiple tools simultaneously can increase local engagement and produce complementary findings and data. Overall, our findings support the relevance and usefulness of incorporating participatory biodiversity monitoring into PES.

Explorando las percepciones locales y los impulsores de la participación en el monitoreo de la biodiversidad entre participantes de esquemas de pagos por servicios ambientales en el sureste de México Resumen Los pagos por servicios ambientales (PSA) son instrumentos basados en incentivos ampliamente aplicados cuyos diversos objetivos incluyen cada vez más la conservación de la biodiversidad. Sin embargo, existe una brecha en la comprensión de cómo evaluar y monitorear los resultados de los programas en materia de biodiversidad. Examinamos las percepciones y los impulsores de la participación relacionados al monitoreo de la biodiversidad a través de encuestas entre participantes actuales de PSA en siete comunidades de la Selva Lacandona de México. Realizamos talleres entre los participantes de las encuestas que incluyeron capacitación y despliegue en campo de herramientas utilizadas para monitorear la biodiversidad y la cobertura del suelo, incluidos transectos visuales, cámaras trampa, grabadores acústicos e imágenes satelitales de la cobertura forestal. Realizamos encuestas antes y después del taller en cada comunidad para evaluar los cambios en las percepciones de los participantes tras su involucramiento en la capacitación de monitoreo de biodiversidad y las actividades de campo relacionadas. También revisamos la investigación existente sobre enfoques de monitoreo y gestión ambiental participativa. Una cuarta parte de los participantes actuales de PES en el área de estudio participaron en nuestras encuestas y talleres. La mayoría declaró interés en participar en diversas actividades relacionadas con los aspectos procesales del monitoreo de la biodiversidad (por ejemplo, planificación, recopilación de datos de campo, difusión de resultados) y reconoció múltiples beneficios de introducir el monitoreo de la biodiversidad en los PSA (por ejemplo, creación de conocimientos y capacidades, mejora de la gestión de los recursos naturales, y mayor apoyo a la conservación). La dependencia económica de los hogares de los PSA se asoció positivamente con la voluntad de participar en el monitoreo. Los factores inhibidores fueron la experiencia técnica, el tiempo y las limitaciones monetarias. Los encuestados estaban más interesados en monitorear mamíferos, aves y plantas y en utilizar transectos visuales, cámaras trampa e imágenes satelitales de la cubierta forestal. La exposición al monitoreo aumentó el interés posterior en el monitoreo al brindar a los encuestados nuevos conocimientos de sus comunidades relacionados con la deforestación y la abundancia y diversidad de especies. Los encuestados identificaron fortalezas y debilidades clave al aplicar diferentes herramientas de monitoreo, lo que sugiere que implementar múltiples herramientas simultáneamente puede aumentar la participación local y producir hallazgos y datos complementarios. En general, nuestros hallazgos respaldan la relevancia y utilidad de incorporar el monitoreo participativo de la biodiversidad en los PSA.

Trajectories of socio-ecological systems: A case study in the tropical Andes.

Scenario and policy assessments in socioeconomic and environmental studies face significant challenges in socio-ecological systems (SES). There are a limited number of studies that have looked at the impact of different scenarios within integrated approaches, and many have used a static approach with a single driver of change. The present work analyzes the SES dynamics for a strategic basin in the Colombian Andes when implementing and analyzing scenarios and policies related to land cover and land use change using a system dynamics simulation model. The model includes natural, ecosystem services, sociocultural, and economic components. Scenarios and policy options are analyzed both individually and jointly to identify synergies or trade-off effects between the different SES components. The results showed the different trajectories of the socio-ecological system according to the cases studied, and its impact on different variables in the analyzed components. Some counterintuitive effects were also identified, such as the importance of intrinsic motivations in decision-making processes, and determinants in land management and policy design.

Fluvial avulsions influence soil fertility in the Pantanal wetlands (Brazil).

River avulsions drive important changes in the Pantanal wetlands, owing to their role in the hydro-sedimentology of the region. Although relevant to numerous ecosystem services, few studies have analyzed the influence of river avulsions on soil fertility in the Pantanal. Here, we use the largest ongoing avulsion in the Taquari River (Caronal region) to evaluate the effects on soil fertility, considering two factors: avulsion stage (1) and aquatic-terrestrial succession (2). Since both factors are influenced by macrophyte abundance, an incident map was created through tasseled cap indices from Sentinel 2 images to guide sampling efforts in flooded soils. The mapped area was split into two zones of alluvial processes, the first from the apex of the Caronal lobe corresponding to the Taquari River megafan (TRM), and the second as the distal Paraguay River floodplain (PRF). Soil macro- and micronutrient levels were evaluated from 42 surface samples (0-0.2 m) distributed across the two alluvial process zones. The macrophyte map's overall accuracy (OA) was analyzed by a confusion matrix using the Sentinel 2 imagery. Finally, we used Random Forest regressions to determine the influence of response variables on soil attributes, including tassel indices, distance from the Caronal crevasse, macrophyte density, and an existing soil fertility map. The macrophyte map obtained an OA of 93 %. Some parameters such as pH (r = -0.62; R2 = 0.57), effective cation exchange capacity (r = -0.49; R2 = 0.79), Mn (r = -0.71; R2 = 0.6), Zn (r = -0.69; R2 = 0.54), and base saturation (r = -0.7; R2 = 0.93) were influenced by the distance or level of maturation of the avulsion stage in the TRM. Our scattering of soil collections was insufficient to test the terrestrialization hypothesis (2). The study results show that river channel avulsions influence the accumulation of mineral and organic nutrients in tropical floodplain soils, which has implications for fertility and biodiversity.

Beyond land use planning and ecosystem services assessment with the conservation use potential framework: A study in the Upper Rio das Velhas basin, Brazil.

Human actions can damage the ecosystems and affect the services depending on them, with ample detrimental consequences. In earlier studies, the Conservation Use Potential (PCU) framework proved useful in assessing the capacity for aquifer recharge, suitable land uses and resistance to erosion at the river basin scale. On the other hand, the joint analysis of PCU and land uses allowed identifying the adequacy of current uses in relation to suitability (natural uses) in various basins. This was especially useful from the management perspective in basins with environmental conflicts, where current uses differed from suitability, because the PCU indicated how and where the conflicts should be mitigated. Besides the use as management tool, the PCU has potential to shed light over environmental issues such as ecosystem services, but that was not tempted so far. The aim of this work was therefore to bridge that knowledge gap and frame the PCU's application from the standpoint of Ecosystem Services (ES) assessment. We demonstrated how the PCU could be used to improve provision (recharge), support (sustainable agriculture) and regulation (resistance to erosion) services in a specific basin with land use conflicts (the Upper Rio das Velhas basin, located in Minas Gerais, Brazil), through the planning of suitable uses. It was noted that the studied basin is mostly composed of Very Low, Low and Medium potentials. These classes occur because steep slopes, fragile soils and lithologies with high denudation potential and low nutrient supply dominate in the basin. On the other hand, urban sprawl has a negative impact on all ES, while maintaining agricultural areas with appropriate management can effectively regulate erosion. As per the current results, the premise of using the PCU as joint management-environmental tool was fully accomplished, and is recommended a basis for public policy design and implementation in Brazil and elsewhere.

Proceed with Caution: Social Acceptability of Forestry Practices in Puerto Rico among Members of Local Environmental Organizations, Academia and Professional Associations.

Social acceptability of forestry practices plays a key role in defining sustainable forestry policies and strategies. In this study an online survey was distributed among members of environmental, non-governmental, professional, and academic organizations to assess the acceptability of forestry practices in Puerto Rico among members of civic society interested in environmental management issues. Participants were asked about their perception of forest uses, their preference of tree harvesting technologies, methods that may apply in small scale wood production settings, and trust in organizations providing forest information. We also inquired about attitudes towards economic activity in forests and the impact of such activity on recreation and biodiversity. The results show that even though participants do not place a high priority on economic development through forestry activities, acceptance of forest management for wood harvesting will be possible by considering adherence to particular forestry technologies and methods to safeguard current recreation activities and biodiversity conservation. Social acceptability information would be worthwhile when seeking consensus among a broader group of local stakeholders. As a next step we suggest the creation of a council constituted by diverse forestry sector stakeholders that would engage in a strategic planning exercise to delineate a clear road map that can guide short and long-term sustainable forest management, including wood industry development.

Understanding the relations between Solanaceae crops and their pollinators: a global meta-network.

Crop-pollinator interactions are essential for world food security. Studying crop pollination from a network approach allows identification of target pollinators for conservation and management, and gaps in our knowledge. Solanaceae represents the third highest ranked family based on economic value, and its production is highly improved by animal pollination. This study aimed to integrate global data on solanaceous crop pollination and analyse the interaction patterns using a meta-network approach. Our questions were: (i) how are interactions structured and what are the structuring roles of species; and (ii) what are the main gaps in our knowledge? Data were obtained through a systematic review of the main scientific databases. The network structure was described using connectivity and modularity calculations, and the role of species using centrality metrics. The 251 pollinator species reported were in seven orders, mainly Hymenoptera (84.9%). The generalists Bombus and Apis species were the most common pollinators. The meta-network was modular, and all modules mostly included bees. Most species were peripherals, around 12% were connectors, and there were no module hubs. Apis mellifera was the only network hub (supergeneralist). The most important pollinators are the most managed pollinators worldwide; however, many native species play a role in structuring the meta-network. Main gaps include species of importance to pepper pollination, lack of species-specific identification, and the need for more robust experimental studies evaluating the pollination efficiency of native, manageable bees.

A Global Systematic Literature Review of Ecosystem Services in Reef Environments.

Ecosystem services (ES) embrace contributions of nature to human livelihood and well-being. Reef environments provide a range of ES with direct and indirect contributions to people. However, the health of reef environments is declining globally due to local and large-scale threats, affecting ES delivery in different ways. Mapping scientific knowledge and identifying research gaps on reefs' ES is critical to guide their management and conservation. We conducted a systematic assessment of peer-reviewed articles published between 2007 and 2022 to build an overview of ES research on reef environments. We analyzed the geographical distribution, reef types, approaches used to assess ES, and the potential drivers of change in ES delivery reported across these studies. Based on 115 articles, our results revealed that coral and oyster reefs are the most studied reef ecosystems. Cultural ES (e.g., subcategories recreation and tourism) was the most studied ES in high-income countries, while regulating and maintenance ES (e.g., subcategory life cycle maintenance) prevailed in low and middle-income countries. Research efforts on reef ES are biased toward the Global North, mainly North America and Oceania. Studies predominantly used observational approaches to assess ES, with a marked increase in the number of studies using statistical modeling during 2021 and 2022. The scale of studies was mostly local and regional, and the studies addressed mainly one or two subcategories of reefs' ES. Overexploitation, reef degradation, and pollution were the most commonly cited drivers affecting the delivery of provisioning, regulating and maintenance, and cultural ES. With increasing threats to reef environments, the growing demand for assessing the contributions to humans provided by reefs will benefit the projections on how these ES will be impacted by anthropogenic pressures. The incorporation of multiple and synergistic ecosystem mechanisms is paramount to providing a comprehensive ES assessment, and improving the understanding of functions, services, and benefits.

Urbanization and Water Containers Influence the Mosquito Community with Consequences for Aedes aegypti.

We aimed to determine how the degree of urbanization in a Neotropical city influences Aedes aegypti (L.), a pantropical vector of urban yellow fever, dengue, Zika and Chikungunia, via other mosquito species, whether they are competitors or predators, native to the area or invasive. We conducted experiments twice a month during one year in the city of Kourou, French Guiana, on three sites characterized by increasing percentages of imperviousness (i.e., 0.65%, 33.80% and 86.60%). These sites were located in a ≈5 ha forest fragment, a residential area with gardens, and in the older part of the city, respectively, and correspond to slightly, moderately and highly urbanized sites. There, we monitored twice a month during one year a total of 108 mosquito communities inhabiting four types of containers (i.e., a tank bromeliad, dry stumps of bamboo, ovitraps and car tires) installed in a random block design. In the tanks of the bromeliad, likely due to the acidity of the water, the immatures of native mosquito species prevailed, particularly Wyeomyia pertinans (Williston) in the slightly urbanized site. The general pattern was very similar in the three other types of containers where Limatus durhamii Théobald dominated in the slightly urbanized site, so that the abundance of Ae. aegypti immatures was low compared to those of native species. Yet, Ae. aegypti strongly dominated in the two more urbanized sites. These findings open up perspectives for vector management, including the conservation and/or the augmentation of natural enemies through modifications to landscape features.

Natural habitat connectivity and organic management modulate pest dispersal, gene flow, and natural enemy communities.

The simplification and fragmentation of agricultural landscapes generate effects on insects at multiple spatial scales. As each functional group perceives and uses the habitat differently, the response of pest insects and their associated natural enemies to environmental changes varies. Therefore, landscape structure may have consequences on gene flow among pest populations in space. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of local and landscape factors, at multiple scales, on the local infestation, gene flow and broad dispersion dynamics of the pest insect Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM-1, former biotype B) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and its associated natural enemies in a tropical agroecosystem. We evaluated the abundance of B. tabaci populations and their natural enemy community in 20 tomato farms in Brazil and the gene flow between farms from 2019 to 2021. Landscapes dominated by agriculture resulted in larger B. tabaci populations and higher gene flow, especially in conventional farms. A higher density of native vegetation patches disfavored pest populations, regardless of the management system. The results revealed that whitefly responds to intermediate spatial scales and that landscape factors interact with management systems to modulate whitefly populations on focal farms. Conversely, whitefly natural enemies benefited from higher amounts of natural vegetation at small spatial scales, while the connectivity between natural habitat patches was beneficial for natural enemies regardless of the distance from the focal farm. The resulting dispersion model predicts that the movement of whiteflies between farms increases as the amount of natural vegetation decreases. Our findings demonstrate that landscape features, notably landscape configuration, can mediate infestation episodes, as they affect pest insects and natural enemies in opposite ways. We also showed that landscape features interact with farm traits, which highlights the need for management strategies at multiple spatial scales. In conclusion, we demonstrated the importance of the conservation of natural areas as a key strategy for area-wide ecological pest management and the relevance of organic farming to benefit natural enemy communities in tropical agroecosystems.

Economic valuation of selected ecosystem services in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Pakistan / Avaliação econômica de serviços de ecossistemas selecionados no Território da Capital de Islamabad (ICT), Paquistão

Payment for ecosystem services (PES) is a mechanism where a consumer is able and ready to pay for the protection of the precise ecosystem service and there must be a provider such as local societies receiving an economic resource, who in return, must have the ability to maintain that ecosystem service. Economic valuation provides basis for payment for ecosystem services. Therefore, objective of this study was to evaluate tourism and carbon stock services of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Pakistan. Two forest zones (Chirpine and Scrub) of Islamabad capital territory (ICT) were selected for estimation of carbon stock and their carbon credits and carbon worth, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted for tourism as a payment for ecosystem services. The method for carbon stock assessment was systematic sampling for Chirpine forest whereas random sampling was done for scrub forest. The size of sampling plot was 17.84 m radius, and a total of 93 plots (49 Scrub zone and 44 Chirpine zone) was taken in the study area. The carbon stock of both zones (Chirpine and Scrub zone) is 22556.75 ton/ha (Chirpine 20105.79, Scrub 2450.96) and total carbon dioxide sequestered by both zone is 82557.72 ton/ha (Chirpine 73587.2, Scrub 8970.52), total carbon credits of both zone is 302160.87 (Chirpine 269328.97, Scrub 32831.9) and the carbon worth of both Chirpine and scrub zone is 4532418.92 $ (Chirpine 4039937.09$, Scrub 492481.83$). Similarly, from tourism point of view, in Shakar Parian, 94% tourists were agreed for PES whereas 6% were disagreed for the PES (the 6% tourist were disagreed to contribute for PES, 40% were agreed for Rs.5 contribution and 54% for Rs.10.). moreover, in Lake view Park, 97% tourists were agreed and 3% are disagreed (In Lake View Park 5% tourists were disagreed for the PES contribution whereas 32% were agreed for Rs.5 and 63% were for Rs.10). In Damen e Koh, around 87% tourist were agreed and 13% were disagreed, (24% were agreed for the contribution of Rs.5 and 63% tourists were agreed for the contribution of Rs.10). In Marghazar Zoo, 93% tourists were agreed (22% were agreed for contribution of Rs.5 and 71% tourist were agreed for contribution of Rs.10) and 7% are disagreed for PES whereas 7% tourists were not agreed for contribution. PES may implement to compensate forest and parks manager to ensure better management of the forests and parks. Due to prime location and scenic beauty of the ICT, it has huge potential for implementation of PES mechanism for sustainable forest management and conservation. Therefore, it is recommended that Capital Development Authority (CDA) Islamabad should devise a plan for implementation of PES in forests and parks of ICT for its sustainable management of recreational and forest resources.

O pagamento por serviços ecossistêmicos (PES) é um mecanismo no qual um consumidor é capaz e está pronto para pagar pela proteção do serviço ecossistêmico preciso e deve haver um provedor, como sociedades locais, que recebe um recurso econômico, que, em troca, deve ter capacidade para manter esse serviço ecossistêmico. A avaliação econômica fornece a base para o pagamento de serviços ecossistêmicos. Portanto, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os serviços de turismo e estoque de carbono do território da capital de Islamabad (ICT), Paquistão. Duas zonas florestais (Chirpine e Scrub) do território da capital de Islamabad (ICT) foram selecionadas para estimativa do estoque de carbono e seus créditos de carbono e valor de carbono. Uma pesquisa baseada em questionário foi realizada para turismo como pagamento por serviços ecossistêmicos. O método para avaliação do estoque de carbono foi a amostragem sistemática para a floresta de Chirpine, enquanto a amostragem aleatória foi feita para a floresta de cerrado. O tamanho da parcela de amostragem foi de 17,84 m de raio, e um total de 93 parcelas (49 zona Scrub e 44 zona Chirpine) foi considerado na área de estudo. O estoque de carbono de ambas as zonas (zona Chirpine e Scrub) é de 22.556,75 ton/ha (Chirpine 20.105,79, Scrub 2.450,96), e o dióxido de carbono total sequestrado por ambas as zonas é de 82.557,72 ton/ha (Chirpine 73.587,2, Scrub 8.970,52); créditos totais de carbono de ambas as zonas são 302.160,87 (Chirpine 269.328,97, Scrub 32.831,9), e o valor de carbono tanto do Chirpine quanto da zona de scrub é 4.532.418,92 $ (Chirpine 4.039.937,09 $, Scrub 492481,83 $). Da mesma forma, do ponto de vista do turismo, em Shakar Parian 94% dos turistas concordaram com o PES, enquanto 6% discordaram do PES (6% dos turistas não concordaram em contribuir para o PES, 40% concordaram com a contribuição de R$ 5 e 54% para R$ 10). além disso, no Lake View Park, 97% dos turistas concordaram e 3% discordaram (no Lake View Park, 5% dos turistas discordaram da contribuição do PES, enquanto 32% concordaram em R$ 5 e 63% foram em R$ 10). Em Damen e Koh, cerca de 87% dos turistas concordaram e 13% discordaram (24% concordaram com a contribuição de R$ 5 e 63% dos turistas concordaram com a contribuição de R$ 10). No Jardim Zoológico de Marghazar, 93% dos turistas concordaram (22% aceitaram a contribuição de R$ 5 e 71% dos turistas aceitaram contribuir com R$ 10) e 7% discordaram para PES. enquanto 7% turistas não foram acordados para contribuição. O PSA pode ser implementado para compensar o gestor florestal e de parques para garantir uma melhor gestão de florestas e parques. Devido à localização privilegiada e beleza cênica do ICT, possui enorme potencial para implementação de mecanismo de PSA para manejo e conservação florestal sustentável. Portanto, recomenda-se que a autoridade de desenvolvimento da capital (CDA) de Islamabad elabore um plano para implementação de PES em florestas e parques de ICT para sua gestão sustentável de recursos recreativos e florestais.

Thematic assessment report on invasive alien species in Brazil: summary for policymakers / Relatório temático sobre espécies exóticas invasoras no Brasil: sumário para tomadores de decisão

Abstract Biological invasions are one of the major threats to biodiversity and good quality of life, resulting from the translocation of species by human action. There are more than 500 alien species currently invading ecosystems in Brazil, particularly plants and fishes, while little is known about invasive microorganisms. Although invasive alien species are present in all ecosystems in the country, most have been recorded in habitats with greater human interference, such as urban and peri-urban areas, farmland, dams, reservoirs, ports, and canals. Historically, the southern and southeastern regions of Brazil have had more invasive alien species, but there has been an increase in the number of invasive alien species in the central-western and northern regions in recent decades. The ornamental trade of plants and fishes as well as the illegal pet trade of wild mammals and reptiles are some of the main pathways for invasive species introduction and spread in Brazil. Breeding and cultivation systems that allow escape to natural areas are a relevant route of species introductions in freshwater ecosystems, while unintentional introductions from shipping and infrastructure are of extreme concern in marine ecosystems. The negative impacts of invasive alien species on the biota mainly include changes in community structure and local decrease in native species richness, mediated by predation, competition, and ecosystem changes. Most negative impacts are recorded for intentionally introduced species, such as fishes and plants, but unintentional introductions have led to impacts on good quality of life, with associated costs and impacts on human health. The management of biological invasions faces challenges that need to be overcome, such as the lack of public knowledge about the impact of invasive alien species, the popular appeal of charismatic invasive species or those used by humans, and the use of controversial control techniques. However, successful experiences of eradication and control in terrestrial and marine ecosystems have been recorded, some of them involving public engagement in management actions. Recognizing the issue as a cross-cutting public policy and developing ongoing governance experiences are fundamental goals for the management of invasive alien species in Brazil.

Resumo Invasões biológicas são uma das maiores ameaças à biodiversidade e à boa qualidade de vida, ocorrendo a partir da translocação de espécies por ação humana. Existem mais de 500 espécies exóticas invadindo ecossistemas atualmente no Brasil, com destaque para plantas e peixes. Pouco se sabe sobre microrganismos invasores. Apesar de existirem espécies exóticas invasoras em todos os ecossistemas no país, a maior parte dos registros foi feita em hábitats com maior interferência humana, como áreas urbanas, periurbanas, terras cultivadas, represas, reservatórios, portos e canais. Historicamente, as regiões sul e sudeste do Brasil apresentam mais espécies exóticas invasoras, mas nas últimas décadas se tem observado um aumento no número de espécies exóticas invasoras nas regiões centro-oeste e norte. O comércio de plantas e peixes ornamentais, assim como o comércio ilegal de mamíferos e répteis silvestres como animais de estimação são algumas das principais vias de introdução e disseminação de espécies exóticas invasoras no Brasil. Sistemas de criação e cultivo que possibilitam o escape para áreas naturais são uma relevante via de introdução em ecossistemas de águas continentais, enquanto introduções não intencionais a partir de navegação e de infraestrutura são de extrema preocupação em ecossistemas marinhos. Os impactos negativos de espécies exóticas invasoras sobre a biota incluem principalmente alterações na estrutura de comunidades e diminuição local da riqueza de espécies nativas, mediados por predação, competição e modificações ecossistêmicas. A maior parte dos impactos negativos registrados ocorreram para espécies introduzidas intencionalmente, como peixes e plantas, mas introduções não intencionais têm levado a impactos na boa qualidade de vida, com custos associados e impactos sobre a saúde humana. A gestão de invasões biológicas esbarra em desafios a serem superados, tais como a falta de conhecimento do público sobre o impacto de espécies exóticas invasoras, o apelo popular de espécies invasoras carismáticas ou utilizadas por humanos e o emprego de técnicas controversas de controle. Entretanto, experiências bem-sucedidas de erradicação e controle em ecossistemas terrestres e marinhos têm sido registrados, alguns deles envolvendo engajamento público nas ações de manejo. Reconhecer o tema como uma política pública transversal e desenvolver experiências continuadas de governança são metas fundamentais para a gestão e o manejo de espécies exóticas invasoras no Brasil.

Adaptación al cambio climático basada en servicios ecosistémicos. Acciones desde el sector de la salud en Matanzas

Introducción: El impacto del cambio climático en Cuba requiere acciones de adaptación. Para el sector de la salud, conocer e integrar los servicios ecosistémicos contribuye a la efectividad de la adaptación y seguridad a la salud humana. Objetivo: Abordar la contribución de los servicios ecosistémicos a la adaptación al cambio climático y la salud. Métodos: En la investigación se implementó un enfoque cuantitativo estructurado en dos etapas: diagnóstico del conocimiento de los recursos humanos del sector de la salud sobre los impactos del cambio climático en los municipios Ciénaga de Zapata y Martí, y la incorporación de criterios sobre la contribución de los servicios ecosistémicos a la adaptación al cambio climático y la salud. Se aplicaron métodos epidemiológicos mediante revisión documental, observación y trabajo en equipo. La clasificación de servicios ecosistémicos se realizó según la clasificación internacional establecida. Resultados: Se analiza la relación entre servicios ecosistémicos de las áreas, los impactos por las actividades socioeconómicas y los beneficios que ofrecen los mismos a la adaptación al cambio climático y la salud. Se identificó que los trabajadores del sector de la salud no perciben la variabilidad climática como riesgo y consideran sus conocimientos insuficientes. Conclusiones: Los servicios ecosistémicos contribuyen a la adaptación al cambio climático, ya que aportan recursos y son procesos que soportan actividades socioeconómicas. Las acciones de creación de capacidades se deben intencionar y reenfocar a las evidencias de basar la adaptación en mantener el flujo de estos servicios.

Introduction: The impact of climate change in Cuba requires adaptation actions. For the health sector, knowing and integrating ecosystem services contributes to the effectiveness of adaptation and security to human health. Objective: To address the contribution of ecosystem services to climate change adaptation and health. Methods: A quantitative approach structured in two stages was implemented in the research: diagnosis of the knowledge of human resources in the health sector on the impacts of climate change in the municipalities of Ciénaga de Zapata and Martí, and the incorporation of criteria on the contribution of ecosystem services to adaptation to climate change and health. Epidemiological methods were applied through documentary review, observation, and teamwork. The classification of ecosystem services was carried out according to the established international classification. Results: The relationship between ecosystem services of the areas, the impacts of socioeconomic activities and the benefits they offer to adaptation to climate change and health is analyzed. It was identified that health sector workers do not perceive climate variability as a risk and consider their knowledge insufficient. Conclusions: Ecosystem services contribute to adaptation to climate change, since they provide resources and are processes that support socioeconomic activities. Capacity-building actions must be intentional and refocused on evidence of basing adaptation on maintaining the flow of these services.

A georeferenced database of the edaphic biota currently available for Argentina.

Background: Soils have been studied and classified in terms of their physical and chemical characteristics, while the knowledge about biodiversity and the ecosystem processes that they support is lagging behind. Furthermore, the advance in scientific knowledge contributed by different researchers is dispersed and it is necessary to collect it to bring the big picture into focus. Today, it is possible to have the findings and data collected by different researchers, compile them and, based on technological advances, have tools that allow the information to be analysed in its entirety. The main objective of this work is to compile and systematise all the bibliographic information available on the main organisms that make up biodiversity in the soil: Acari, Collembola and Crassiclitellata in Argentina. This information will then allow us to link the composition and structure of the soil community with processes and flows in the ecosystem, and to estimate them at different scales and in soils with different anthropic impact. The database presented here gathers presence information on the mentioned taxa, their geographical location for the entire country, while preserving the identity and authorship of each scientific work retrieved. The taxonomic range of the organisms of the edaphic biota collected in this database ranges from class to subspecies and are registered, based on the taxonomic level reported by the original author in their research. The publications were obtained from Google Scholar, Scopus and JSTOR. In addition, records were added from INEDES theses, library searches, information requested from authors cited in other articles and unpublished works. In total, information was collected from 224 scientific publications, as well as personal information requested directly from some authors. The total number of registered individuals so far is 4838 of which 3049 specimens correspond to Acari, 944 to Classiclitellata and 845 belong to Collembola. New information: This work is the first to gather, in a single publication, the entire dataset for all the Acari, Collembola and Clitellata recorded for Argentina.

Floral Visitation, Phytochemical and Biological Activities of Bioproducts from Tetragonisca angustula (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini): A Review.

Tetragonisca angustula (Latreille, 1811) is an indigenous neotropical stingless bee, popularly known as "Jataí", with a wide distribution in the Brazilian territory. T. angustula produces other derivatives such as propolis, geopropolis, fermented (saburá pollen), cerumen and resins, which are important in folk medicine. In this review, the objective was to gather research on the main plant species visited by T. angustula, as well as studies that verified the chemical composition and biological properties of T. angustula bioproducts. The bibliographic review was performed by searching the Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and PubMed databases for publications from 2003 to February 2023. We found 78 studies that analyzed the interactions between T. angustula and floral species, with species from the botanical families Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Malvaceae, Bignoniaceae, Solanaceae, Myrtaceae and Lamiaceae being the most reported as the main food sources for this species. The presence of compounds belonging to the class of flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenoids and alkaloids has been identified by studying the chemical composition of honey, propolis, geopropolis and fermented pollen (saburá) in 21 studies. The data collected in the literature emphasize that these T. angustula products have remarkable biological properties, especially their antibacterial and antioxidant activities.

Like an "espresso" but not like a "cappuccino": landscape metrics are useful for predicting coffee production at the farm level but not at the municipality level.

Coffee farms receive ecosystem services that rely on pollinators and pest predators. Landscape-scale processes regulate the flow of these biodiversity-based services. Consequently, the coffee farms' surrounding landscape impacts coffee production. This paper investigates how landscape structure can influence coffee production at different scales. We also evaluated the predictive utility of landscape metrics in a spatial (farm level) and aspatial approach (municipality level). We tested the effect of landscape structure on coffee production for 25 farms and 30 municipalities in southern Brazil. We used seven landscape metrics at landscape and class levels to measure the effect of landscape structure. At the farm level, we calculated metrics in five buffers from 1 to 5 km from the farm centroid to measure their scale of effect. We conducted a model selection using the generalized linear model (GLM) with a Gamma error distribution and inverse link function to evaluate the impact of landscape metrics on coffee production in both spatial and aspatial approaches. The landscape intensity index had a negative effect on coffee production (AICc = 375.59, p < 0.001). The native forest patch density (AICc = 390.14, p = 0.011) and landscape diversity (AICc = 391.18, p = 0.023) had a positive effect on production. All significant factors had effects at the farm level in the 2 km buffer but no effects at the municipality level. Our findings suggest that the landscape composition in the immediate surroundings of coffee farms helps predict production in a spatially explicit approach. However, these metrics cannot detect the impact of the landscape when analyzed in an aspatial approach. These findings highlight the importance of the landscape spatial structure, mainly the natural one, in the stability of coffee production. This study enhanced the knowledge of coffee production dependence on landscape-level processes. This advance can help to improve the sustainability of land use and better planning of agriculture, ensuring food and economic safety. Furthermore, our framework provides a method that can be useful to scrutinize any cropping system with census data that is either spatialized or not.