1. 1. Thermal imaging technology is a developing field in wildlife management. Most thermal imaging work in wildlife science has been limited to larger ungulates and surface-dwelling mammals. Little work has been undertaken on the use of thermal imagers to detect fossorial animals and/or their burrows. Survey methods such as white-light spotlighting can fail to detect the presence of burrows (and therefore the animals within), particularly in areas where vegetation obscures burrows. Thermal imagers offer opportunity to detect the radiant heat from these burrows, and therefore the presence of the animal, particularly in vegetated areas. Thermal imaging technology has become increasingly available through the provision of smaller, more cost-effective units. Their integration with drone technology provides opportunities for researchers and land managers to utilise this technology in their research/management practices. 2. We investigated the ability of both consumer (AUD$65,000) mounted on drones to detect rabbit burrows (warrens) and entrances in the landscape as compared to visual assessment. 3. Both types of imager and visual inspection detected active rabbit warrens when vegetation was scarce. The presence of vegetation was a significant factor in detecting entrances (P<0.001, α=0.05). The consumer imager did not detect as many warren entrances as either the professional imager or visual inspection (P=0.009, α=0.05). Active warren entrances obscured by vegetation could not be accurately identified on exported imagery from the consumer imager and several false-positive detections occurred when reviewing this footage. 4. We suggest that the exportable Hz rate was the key factor in image quality and subsequent false positive detections. This feature should be considered when selecting imagers. Thermal imagers are a useful additional tool to aid in identification of entrances for active warrens and professional imagers detected more warrens and entrances than either consumer imagers or visual inspection.

The structure of Apteryx’s eggshell has generated much debate over the decades because it does not fit well with most allometric predictions. Apteryx eggshells are unusually thin and have been reported to be 60% less porous than expected. It has been suggested that these adaptations are compensations for a very long incubation period. Most studies so far have been carried out in what has been reported as Apteryx australis, and using infertile eggs or eggs laid in captivity. However, A. australis once comprised all kiwi with brown plumage, now separated into three distinct species: Brown Kiwi (A.mantelli), Rowi (A.rowi), and Tokoeka (A.australis). These three species use different habitats and live at different latitudes and altitudes. In addition, captive eggs are much smaller than wild laid eggs. These confounding factors make necessary to revise the assumptions made for Apteryx in the past. In this study, we analysed the physical characteristics of the Apteryx eggshells making a comparison between the three species of brown coloured kiwi and for some of the analysis we included some specimens of Roroa (A. haastii, Great Spotted Kiwi). We found that shell characteristics are different between the different species studied. The pore area of Apteryx eggshells was higher than previously suggested, and the water vapour conductance was much closer to what is expected for an egg that size. We found several new features such as triangular mineral particles composing the cuticle, only reported for a cretaceous Theropod, and the presence of plugs and caps on the eggshell pores. We suggest that the characteristics of the eggshells of the different species relate to the mating system of each species in addition to environmental variables, particularly pluviosity. We also suggest that the erosion of the cuticle during incubation is an adaptation to a long incubation period in a burrow.

Understanding trade-offs in wild populations is difficult, but important if we are to understand the evolution of life histories and the impact of ecological variables upon them. Markers that reflect physiological state and predict future survival would be of considerable benefit to unravelling such trade-offs and could provide insight into individual variation in senescence. However, currently used markers often yield inconsistent results. One underutilised measure is haematocrit, the proportional of blood comprising of erythrocytes, which relates to the blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity and viscosity, and to individual endurance. Haematocrit has been shown to decline with age in cross-sectional studies (which may be confounded by selective appearance/disappearance). However, few studies have tested whether haematocrit declines within-individuals or whether low haematocrit impacts survival in wild taxa. Using longitudinal data from the Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis), we demonstrated that haematocrit increases with age in young individuals (<1.5 years) but decreases with age in older individuals (1.5–13 years). In breeders, haematocrit was higher in males than females and varied relative to breeding stage. High haematocrit was associated with lower survival in young individuals, but not older individuals. Thus, while we did not find support for haematocrit as a marker of senescence, high haematocrit is indicative of poor condition in younger individuals. Possible explanations are that these individuals were experiencing dehydration and/or high endurance demands prior to capture, which warrants further investigation. Our study demonstrates that haematocrit can be an informative metric for life-history studies investigating trade-offs between survival, longevity and reproduction.

Accurate determination of animal diets is difficult. Methods such as molecular barcoding or metagenomics offer a promising approach, allowing quantitative and sensitive detection of different taxa. Here we show that rapid and inexpensive diet quantification is possible through metagenomic sequencing with the portable Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) MinION. Using an amplification-free approach, we profiled the stomach contents from 24 wild-caught rats. We conservatively identified diet items from over 50 taxonomic orders, ranging across nine phyla, including plants, vertebrates, invertebrates, and fungi. This highlights the wide range of taxa that can be identified using this simple approach. We calibrated the accuracy of this method by comparing the characteristics of reads matching the ground-truth host genome (rat) to those matching diet items, and show that at the family-level, taxon assignments are approximately 97.5% accurate. Some inaccuracies may arise from database biases; we suggest a way to mitigate for database biases when using metagenomic approaches. Finally, we implemented a constrained ordination analysis and show that we can identify the sampling location of an individual rat within tens of kilometres based on diet content alone. This work establishes proof-of-principle for long-read metagenomic methods in quantitative diet analysis. We show that diet content can be quantified even with limited expertise, using a simple, amplification free workflow and a relatively inexpensive and accessible next generation sequencing method. Continued increases in the accuracy and throughput of ONT sequencing, along with improved genomic databases, suggests that a metagenomic approach for quantification of animal diets will become an important method in the future.

Understanding the processes that enable species coexistence has important implications for assessing how ecological systems will respond to global change. Morphology and functional similarity increase the potential for competition, and therefore, co-occurring morphologically similar but genetically unique species are a good model system for testing coexistence mechanisms. We used DNA metabarcoding and High Throughput Sequencing to characterise for first time the trophic ecology of two recently-described cryptic bat species with parapatric ranges, Myotis escalerai and Myotis crypticus. We collected faecal samples from allopatric and sympatric regions and locations to describe the diet both taxonomically and functionally and compare prey consumption with prey availability. The two bat species had similar diets characterised by high arthropod diversity, particularly Lepidoptera, Diptera and Araneae, and a high proportion of prey that is not volant at night, which points to extensive use of gleaning. Diet overlap at the prey-item level was lower in locally sympatric than allopatric locations, supporting trophic shift under fine-scale sympatry. Furthermore, locally sympatric samples of M. escalerai had a marginally lower proportion of not nocturnally volant prey, suggesting that the shift in diet may be driven by a change in foraging mode. Our findings suggest that fine-scale coexistence mechanisms can have implications for maintaining broad-scale diversity patterns. This study highlights the importance of including both allopatric and sympatric populations and choosing meaningful spatial scales for detecting ecological patterns. We conclude that a combination of high taxonomic resolution with a functional approach helps identify patterns of niche shift.

This study explored patterns of wildlife use by the local communities around Jorgo-Wato Protected Forest to understand its impacts on the future conservation of the forest. One hundred sixty-five respondents from five peasant associations found with a radius of 3km from the forest were interviewed about patterns of wildlife use by the local communities. Also, a direct field survey using a transect line was carried out to document destructive resource use patterns. The study revealed that agricultural products (94.72%), livestock and their products (84.48%), and poultry (51.48%) were the major sources of livelihood incomes for the local communities. A significant positive (r = 0.900) relationship was recorded between the mean number of livestock and the mean annual income, and between mean land owned per household and mean annual income per household (r = 0.930), which could be attributed to their contribution to generate income through diverse ways. The utilization of alternative energy has a positive impact on the future conservation of the forest. On the other hand, the study showed a significant negative relationship (r = -0.971) between fuel wood consumption and distance of households’ residences from the forest which reveals the impacts of distance on fuel wood collection and transportation for use. Though timber, beehive preparation, construction materials, and commercial domestic tools were reported as the main reasons for resource extraction. Fuel wood and charcoal were not used for commercial purposes in the area. Livestock grazing, debarking of trees, selective logging over the coffee plantation, girdling trees, poaching, and cutting trees for timber were identified as destructive resource use patterns in Jorgo-Wato Protected Forest. Hence, wildlife laws and conservation guidelines should be implemented to mitigate destructive resource use patterns to safeguard Jorgo-Wato Protected Forest and its wildlife resources in the future.

The Himalayan red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is of special interest in evolutionary studies due to its taxonomic uniqueness. Globally, Nepal represents the Westernmost edge of the red panda distribution. Fewer studies of red panda have been carried out which hinders the implementation of effective conservation actions of the species. We aim to determine important habitat features influencing the distribution of red panda and recommend possible habitat corridors. We conducted an extensive field survey and analyzed red panda presence data, key food resources (bamboo), and bioclimatic variables to build a Maxent habitat model and determine habitat requirements of the red panda. Himalayan red pandas were confined between the range of 2600 m - 3,600 m, with most records between 3250 m - 3400 m on the north and west-facing slopes. The potentially suitable habitat of the red panda in Western Nepal is estimated to be about 3,222 km2 with a relative abundance of 3.34 signs/km. Important habitat attributes for red panda occurrence include aspects, canopy cover, bamboo cover, and distance to water. Combining species habitat requirements and disturbance factors (human footprint), we suggested five potential biological corridors in Western Nepal. Western Nepal has suitable habitat attributes for the red panda distributions. Ecological variables such as canopy cover, bamboo cover, distance to the water, and aspects are important attributes for red panda occurrence in Western Nepal alike Central Nepal. We suggested five potential corridors in Western Nepal; however, due to a lack of detailed knowledge on corridors and connectivity, a comprehensive field-based assessment is required to validate it scientifically. Keywords: Biological Corridor; Distribution; Habitat requirements; Red panda

Arachnids are the most abundant land predators. Despite the importance of their functional roles as predators and the of necessity to understand their diet for conservation and nutrient fluxes, the trophic ecology of many arachnid species is not fully understood. In the case of the wandering spider, Phoneutria boliviensis F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897, only selected field and laboratory observational studies about their diet exist. By using a DNA metabarcoding approach, we compared the prey found in the gut content of males and females from three distant Colombian populations of P. boliviensis. By DNA metabarcoding of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), we detected and identified 234 prey records belonging to 96 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), as prey for this wandering predator. Our results broaden the known diet of P. boliviensis with at least 75 prey taxa not previously registered in fieldwork or laboratory experimental trials. These results suggest that P. boliviensis feeds predominantly on invertebrates (Diptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Orthoptera) and opportunistically on small squamates. Intersex and interpopulation differences are observed. Assuming that prey preference does not vary between populations, these differences are likely associated with a higher local prey availability. Finally, we suggest that DNA metabarcoding can be used for evaluating subtle differences in the diet of distinct populations of P. boliviensis, particularly when predation records in the field cannot be established or quantified using direct observation

This is the first study to document the genetic diversity of the white-tailed deer population on St. John, US Virgin Islands. The island population was founded by a small number of animals, has very limited hunting or predation, and recently experienced a reduction in size following an extended drought in 2015. DNA samples were collected from hair from 23 anesthetized adult deer (13 males, 10 females) ranging in age from 1-8 years (3.36+ 1.9 yr) and also from fecal DNA samples, for a total of 42 individuals analyzed for genetic diversity. The St. John deer data set averaged 4.19 alleles per marker and demonstrates the second lowest number of alleles (A) when compared to other populations of Odocoileus virginianus (4.19). Heterozygosity was similar to the other studies (0.54) with little evidence of inbreeding. To explain the level of heterogygosity and lack of inbreeding within the St. John population, three hypotheses are proposed, including the effect of intrinsic biological traits within the population, a recent infusion of highly heterogeneous loci from North American populations, and a consistent level of immigration from a nearby island. Additional work is needed to further understand the genetic history of the St. John and regional deer populations.

1. Worldwide bees provide an important ecosystem service of plant pollination. However, environmental pressures are threatening their survival. Information is lacking on how land-use systems and weather patterns in developing countries influence bee populations. 2. We investigated how environmental and land use mediated factors influence the abundance, diversity, and distribution of bees across seasons in a farming communal area of Zimbabwe. Bees were systematically sampled in five land-use types (natural woodlot, pastures, homestead, field, and garden) recording ground cover, grass height, flower abundance, and types, tree abundance, and recorded elevation, temperature, light intensity, wind speed, wind direction, and humidity. The hurdle model, general linear model, and PCA were conducted to understand the influence of explanatory variables on bee abundance and Shannon diversity. 3. We found out that bee abundance was highly positively influenced by the number of flower types P < 0.0001 and significantly positively correlated to tree abundance P = 0.0475. We also highlight the high sensitivity of bees to weather changes as wind speed increases, thus reducing the probability of finding bees (P = 0.033). Temperatures above 28.50C significantly lowered bee abundance (P < 0.001). 4. Bee diversity was highest in homesteads (coefficient 0.4438) and natural woodlots (coefficient 0.4172) than gardens with fields and pastures having a disproportionately high abundance of Apis. Bee species also showed tolerance to different land-use types with Megachile associated with homesteads and Nomia with grasslands. Homesteads however supported more diverse species (P = 0.0453) highlighting the importance of some of its components to bee conservation. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our study showed that land-use change reduced the diversity of species and proliferated species that could tolerate the changes. These results highlight the importance of setting aside bee-friendly habitats that can be refuge sites for species susceptible to land-use change.

White-tailed bumblebee species, Bombus cryptarum, B. lucorum, B. magnus and B. terrestris are known to be very similar in their morphological characters across the majority of their ranges. This hampers assessment of their status and trends because reliable identification is difficult. In this study, we use a combination of characters and methods to assess how ecologists and citizen scientists can reliably and quickly separate these four species occurring in the Netherlands. Bumblebees (queens, workers and males) were sampled from 10 locations across the Netherlands and specimens were identified based on COI sequence data. Next, the same specimens where scored for morphological traits. We show that a combination of easy to recognise characteristics can separate some specimens of the species depending on caste and sex. Bombus magnus males and queens and B. lucorum males were most reliably separated from the other species using morphological characters. Workers of all four species cannot be separated completely using morphological characters alone. This is the first time standard morphological characters and ecological data has been used to study the differences between the white-tailed bumblebees in the Netherlands. Based on our findings we need to conclude that the status of these bumblebee species in the Netherlands is uncertain due to possible misidentifications in the past and present. People who wish to work with these species should be careful in species identification based on morphology.

Habitat connectivity is indispensable for the survival of species that occupy a small habitat area and have isolated habitat patches from each other. At present, the development of human economy not only squeezes the living space of wild animals, but also strongly interferes and hinders the migration of species. Therefore, we need to enhance the habitat connectivity of species in broken habitats, which would facilitate the proliferation of species, enhance gene exchange between populations and improve the ability of species to respond to environmental changes. Przewalski's gazelle, as one of the world's most endangered ungulate mammals, has historically experienced a significant reduction in population and severe habitat shrinkage. At present, even though the population of this species has recovered to a certain extent, humans Infrastructure severely hindered the gene flow between several patches of this species. Therefore, we used habitat suitability index model combined with Przewalski's gazelle movement characteristics to establish 11 habitat patches, and used the least cost path and circuit theory based on resistance model to jointly simulate the landscape network pattern of this species. In addition, we also analyzed and selected important patches and key migration paths as important references for establishing corridors. Overall, our research aims to provide habitat networks and maintain landscape connectivity to achieve the fundamental goal of protecting and revitalizing Przewalski's gazelle populations.

1. In many social species, reproductive success varies between individuals within a population, resulting in socially structured populations. Social network analyses of familial relationships may provide insights on how fitness influences population-level demographic patterns. These methods have however rarely been applied to genetically-derived pedigree data from wild populations. 2. Here we use social networks to reconstruct parent-offspring relationships and create a familial network from polygamous boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in Saskatchewan, Canada, to inform recovery efforts. We collected samples from 933 individuals at 15 variable microsatellite loci along with caribou-specific primers for sex identification. Using social network metrics, we assess the contribution of individual caribou to the population with several centrality metrics and then determine which metrics are best suited to inform on the population demographic structure. We look at the centrality of individuals from eighteen different local areas, along with the entire population. 3. We found substantial differences in centrality of individuals in different local areas, that in turn contributed differently to the full network, highlighting the importance of analyzing social networks at different scales. The full network revealed that boreal caribou in Saskatchewan form a complex, interconnected social network with strong familial ties, as the removal of edges with high betweenness did not result in distinct subgroups. Alpha, betweenness, and eccentricity centrality were the most informative metrics to characterize the population demographic structure and for spatially identifying areas of highest fitness levels and social cohesion across the range. 4. Synthesis and applications: Our results demonstrate the value of different network metrics in assessing genetically-derived familial networks. The spatial application of the familial networks identified areas of higher fitness levels and social cohesion across the range in support of population monitoring and recovery efforts.

The capacity and extent to which prey species forage is often dependent on the temporal and/or spatial distribution of predators. Predation risk within a given habitat may differ according to the structure of the landscape and ecological community. Predators may frequent selected habitat patches and it is these areas prey are expected to avoid. Aside from the direct removal of prey individuals through predation, the density of prey populations may be altered as a result of a perceived predator presence and the energetically expensive responses initiated. A predator presence may be perceived upon the detection of sensory environmental cues, including a predator’s pheromones. The Landscape of Fear (LOF) concept proposes the exposure to a real or perceived predation threat may disrupt prey distribution and activity. Such an environment may be referred to as a ‘landscape of fear’, though the interspecies complexes and abiotic factors affecting a predator-prey relationship should not be omitted when quantifying the effects of predation. Here, we summarise the initial and more recent publications addressing the LOF theory, identifying known aspects and potential for future research.

Multi-level societies are complex social systems where basic core units associate in a hierarchical manner, allowing animals to adjust group size in response to local conditions. Each tier of multi-level societies may have evolved under different selective pressures and understanding the effect of temporal variation in these pressures may help determine why these types of social systems form. Our goal was to examine the degree of temporal variability in inter-unit associations in a multi-level society of Rwenzori Angolan colobus monkey (Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii), and to determine whether social or ecological factors correlated with association patterns. Using social network analyses, we described the association patterns of 12-13 core units over 21-months and investigated the effect of changes in rainfall, food availability, and inter-unit dispersals. We found that core unit networks were denser and more clustered when fruit was abundant, likely due to reduced food competition. Male dispersals also occurred more at these times, suggesting that greater band cohesion allowed males to prospect for dispersal opportunities. Within the band, we observed the formation of an all-male unit and the transfer of one core unit between clans. Our findings highlight how ecological conditions can influence association patterns, interunit relationships, and ultimately social organization.

Understanding niche overlap with other wild species and domestic cattle is useful to conserve and manage the wildlife in their natural habitat. We assessed habitat niche breadth and overlap among the two sympatric wild ungulates: spotted deer (Axis axis) and swamp deer (Cervus duvaucelii) and, indigenous intermediate ruminants, and domestic cattle in Shuklaphanta National Park, Nepal during the dry season. Our objective was to explore the interspecific competition by studying the habitat use by these species. The assumption was made that the presence of pellets is a proof for habitat used by species. Grid based surveys with total 96 sample plots each of size 20 m * 20 m in 6 sample grids (2 * 2 km2) with 24 sub-grids (500 * 500 m2) were used for locating pellets group. Levin’s niche breadth and Morisita’s overlap index were calculated to determine the niche breadth, and the habitat overlap respectively. The Levin’s measure of niche breadth suggested that spotted deer had the highest adaptability with an index value of 0.94 followed by domestic cattle 0.50, and swamp deer 0.33 in our study area. Thus, it was concluded that spotted deer is a habitat generalist whereas swamp deer are specialists and mostly preferred grasslands after a fire. Also, there was high habitat overlap index value of 0.83 between domestic cattle and spotted deer whereas the swamp deer and the spotted deer showed moderate habitat overlap of 0.57. The swamp deer had low habitat overlap as well as spatial overlap with domestic cattle. Grassland management should be carried out for the benefit of ungulate species as the study showed the preference of swamp deer on grassland after a fire. Similar studies should be conducted including seasons and places prior to implementing appropriate habitat management activities intended to reduce interspecific competition for co-existence.

Paramos are a unique type of tropical alpine ecosystem. To understand how biodiversity, ecosystem services and community resilience in the paramo will be affected by ongoing environmental change we need to start identifying groups of species with shared characteristics (i.e. functional types or PFTs). This task is particularly challenging as paramos host the highest plant diversity of alpine ecosystems. We measured 22 traits on 42 species belonging to different growth forms in the Colombian Andes. Hierarchical Clustering on Principal Components performed in a Factor analysis of mixed data was used to identify species with similar functional traits and the number of PFTs present. We identified three PFTs; one composed of forbs and shrubs with tender leaves, one composed of only rosettes, and a third group composed by shrubs with tough leaves. If PFTs represent a group of plants that play similar roles in the ecosystem, and have similar responses to perturbation, our results imply that paramos might have limited physiological response and may be highly vulnerable to environmental changes. On the other hand, the presence of multiple species sharing functional traits could provide some resilience, if one species disappears, others may fill the same role and maintain the functionality of the paramo.

We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the phylogenetic, phylogeographic, and demographic relationships of Caspian cobra (Naja oxiana; Eichwald, 1831) populations based on a concatenated dataset of two mtDNA genes (cyt b and ND4) across the species’ range in Iran, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan, along with other members of Asian cobras (i.e. subgenus Naja Laurenti, 1768). Our results provided strong support that N. oxiana is monophyletic and its divergence from its sister taxon, N. kaouthia, during early Pleistocene. Our results also highlight the existence of only one major evolutionary lineage in the Trans-Caspian region, suggesting a rapid expansion of the Caspian cobra from eastern to western Asia, coupled with a rapid range expansion from east of Iran to the northeast. However, the subdivision of eastern and northeastern populations in Iran was not supported; hence we propose only one evolutionary significant unit across the Iranian range of N. oxiana to be considered for conservation efforts.

In boreal landscapes, emphasis is currently placed on close-to-nature management strategies, which aim to maintain the biodiversity and ecosystem services related to old-growth forests. The success of these strategies, however, depends on an accurate understanding of the dynamics within these forests. This study aims to reconstruct the disturbance and post-disturbance dynamics in boreal old-growth forests that are driven by recurrent moderate-severity disturbances. We studied eight old-growth forests in Québec, Canada, that has recorded recurrent and moderate to severe spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana [Clem.]) outbreaks over the 20th century. To reconstruct the disturbance history and the post-disturbance dynamics of the study sites, we used dendrochronological data and k-means clustering to identify growth releases and growth patterns in the studied trees. We identified nine growth patterns; these patterns represented trees differing in age, size, and canopy layer, and indicated different tree histories. Spruce budworm outbreaks caused recurrent moderate-severity disturbances within the study sites. The canopy gaps created by these disturbances were filled mainly by understorey trees, which responded by single and significant increases in radial growth and height. In contrast, overstorey trees had little influence on gap filling; thus, trees were mostly from the dominant and codominant canopy layers. Our study underlines the resistance of boreal old-growth forests to recurrent and moderate-severity disturbances, as understorey trees can rapidly fill the resulting gaps. However, trees that are unable to attain the canopy following the disturbance then tend to remain in the lower canopy layers. Therefore, reaching the canopy represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, where success or failure depends on a relatively short window of time. This gap-filling dynamic produces, however, a vertical structure that is often similar to the expected structure in even-aged forests. Our results highlight the efficacy of identifying tree growth patterns to reconstruct stand disturbance dynamics and contribute to developing closer to nature forest management strategies.

The geographical origin of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) remains debated. While a first hypothesis suggests the center of origin to be west Africa, where a sister endemic species C. mucosospermus thrives, a second hypothesis suggests north-eastern Africa where the white-fleshed Sudanese Kordophan melon is cultivated. In this study, we infer biogeographical and haplotype genealogy for C. lanatus, C. mucosospermus, C. amarus, and C. colocynthis using non-coding cpDNA sequences (trnT-trnL and ndhF-rpl32 regions) from a global collection of 135 accessions. In total, we identified 38 haplotypes in C. lanatus, C. mucosospermus, C. amarus, and C. colocynthis; of these, 21 were found in Africa and 17 appear endemic to the continent. The least diverse species was C. mucosospermus (5 haplotypes) and the most diverse was C. colocynthis (16 haplotypes). Some haplotypes of C. mucosospermus were nearly exclusive to West-Africa, and C. lanatus and C. mucosospermus shared haplotypes that were distinct from those of both C. amarus and C. colocynthis. The results support previous findings C. mucosospermus to be the closest relative to C. lanatus (including subsp. cordophanus). West Africa, as a center of endemism of C. mucosospermus, is an area of interest in the search of the origin of C. lanatus. This calls for further historical and phylogeographical investigations and wider collection of samples in West and North-East Africa.

Aim: The current geographic distribution of plants and their dispersers are a result of coevolution, but the reciprocity effects on the distribution of large seed pine and primary seed dispersers required understanding of (a) the distribution range and distribution characteristics of each species, and (b) the overlapping of distribution areas of animals and plants to explore whether they match. Location: China Methods: To find the target species, we identified eight large-seeded pine species in China in terms of seed size and wing traits as well as four primary seed disperser species in terms of body size, diet and food storage behavior. To map the geographical distribution, we obtained species distribution information from books, literature and GBIF. We then analyzed the distribution relationship by overlapping the distribution areas and patterns comprehensively. Results: We identified eight species of large-seeded pines (Pinus fenzeliana, P. gerardiana, P. dabeshanensis, P. koraiensis, P. pumila, P. bungeana, P. armandii, and P. sibirica) and four species of primary seed dispersers (Nucifraga caryocatactes, Sciurus vulgaris, Tamias sibiricus, and Sciurotamias davidianus). Pines interlaced from the Northeast to the Southwest of China along the mountains with an average altitude of 1000-2000 m, while each species of seed disperser had a wide distribution range that overlapped completely or partially with that of four or more species of the large-seeded pines. For pines that lack sufficient research on seed dispersal, our research provides them with potential seed dispersers Main conclusions: The distribution pattern of large-seeded pines and the primary seed dispersers was matched, we believed that reciprocal relationship promotes this distribution pattern. Our study highlights the importance of incorporating the ecological consequences of geographical distribution into reciprocal interactions between species and biodiversity conservation.

Spiders are among the most diverse groups of arthropods remarkably known for extra oral digestion. The largest effort based on targeted 16S amplicon next generation sequencing was carried out to decipher the inter subfamily comparison of gut bacterial diversity in spiders and their functional relationship. Twelve spider species belonging to three subfamilies, Araneinae (8), Argiopinae (2) and Gasteracanthinae (2) of family Araneidae have been studied. Analysis revealed the presence of 22 phyla, 145 families, and 364 genera of microbes in the gut microbiome, with Proteobacteria as the highest abundant Phylum. Moreover, the phyla Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Deinococcus_Thermus were also detected. The bacterial phyla Bacteriodetes and Chlamydiae dominated in Cyclosa mulmeinensis and Neoscona bengalensis respectively. At genera level, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Cutibacterium, Staphylococcus, and Bacillus were the most dominant genera in their gut. In addition to this, the genus Prevotella was observed only in one species, Cyclosa mulmeinensis, and endosymbiont genus Wolbachia generally responsible for reproductive alterations was observed in one spider species Eriovixia laglaizei. Our study revealed that the gut bacterial diversity of the spiders collected from wild are quite different from the diet driven spider gut bacterial diversity as published earlier. A functional analysis revealed the involvement of gut microbiota in carbohydrate, lipid, amino acids, fatty acids and energy metabolism.

Summary 1. Research has indicated that increases in nitrogen (N) deposition can greatly affect ecosystem processes and functions. There is limited information about the effects of long-term N addition on soil nematodes and their functional composition, although nematodes are the most abundant multicellular animals on Earth. 2. We conducted a field experiment in 2004 with four levels of N addition (0, 60, 120, and 240 kg N ha-1 yr-1) in a subtropical Cunninghamia lanceolata forest. Soil samples with three depths (0-20, 20-40 and 40-60 cm) were collected and the community structure, diversity and trophic groups of soil nematodes were determined in 2014. 3. N addition significantly increased the abundance of bacterial- and fungal-feeding nematodes, but decreased the abundance of plant-feeding nematodes at the 0-20 cm soil layer. Accordingly, the plant parasite index and enrichment index decreased but the basal index and channel index increased, which weaken the importance of the plant-based energy channel, but enhance the importance of the fungal-based energy channel. N addition had no effects on the diversity of soil nematodes in three soil depths. Structural equation modeling analysis indicated that N loading directly changed plant-feeding (total r2=0.42) nematodes, or indirectly affected bacterial- (r2=0.43), fungal- (r2=0.31) and plant-feeding nematodes via change soil nutrients, soil water content and pH. 4. These findings suggest that N addition can change the community structure and energy channels soil nematodes, which would affect soil processes and food web functions in forest soils under future environmental change scenarios.

Alpine wetlands play a sensitive function in global carbon cycle during the ongoing climate warming, yet the temporal patterns of carbon dynamics from in situ ground-based long-term observations remains unclear. Here, we analyzed the continuous net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) measured with the eddy covariance technique over an alpine peatland on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau from 2007 to 2016. The wetland acted as a net CO2 source with a positive NEE (120.4 ± 34.8 gCm-2year-1, Mean ± S.D.), with the mean annual gross primary productivity (GPP) of 500.3 ± 59.4 gCm-2year-1 and annual ecosystem respiration (RES) of 620.7 ± 74.2 gCm-2year-1. At the seasonal scale, the classification and regression trees (CART) analysis showed that aggregated growing season degree days (GDD) was the predominant determinant on variations in monthly NEE and monthly GPP. Variations in monthly RES were determined by soil temperature (Ts). Furthermore, non-growing season Ts had a significant positive correlation with the following year annual GPP (p<0.05). Non-growing season RES only accounted for about 25% of annual RES, but had significant correlation with annual RES and annual NEE (p<0.05). The further partial correlation analysis showed that non-growing season air temperature (Ta, p = 0.05), rather than precipitation (PPT, p = 0.25) was a predominant determinant on variations in annual NEE. Our results highlighted the importance in carbon dynamics of climate fluctuations and CO2 emission from the non-growing season in alpine wetlands. We speculated that the vast peadlands would positively feedback to climate change on the Tibetan plateau where the non-growing season warming was significant.