It is essential to monitor both the mangrove coverage and the encroachment of anthropogenic activities to assess the evolution of these highly valuable and threatened ecosystems. Using the grid technique, Landsat images of three estuaries in Pernambuco, northeast Brazil, were analyzed to track changes in land use over the past three decades. This study is the first time the grid technique has been used as a precise method to quantify and localize the mangrove coverage changes at local scale. We found that the technique was a synthetical and cost-effective way of observing land-use changes over the study period, and its precision was evident for local-scale study. An increasing trend of mangrove coverage was observed and can be related to the salinization. This increase in salinization is a result of anthropogenic activities and climate change. We also found that differences in geometrical properties influenced the spatiotemporal patterns of mangroves. To mitigate adequately the negative impacts induced by anthropization and climate change, the characteristics of mangrove forest configuration and human activities should therefore both be considered.

China’s power enterprises consume a large amount of energy and emit a high quantity of carbon dioxide. To reduce carbon emissions and save energy, China has implemented various energy-saving and emission reduction (ESER) policies in the power industry. The purpose of this study is to analyze the carbon emission reduction (CER) performance and the ESER performance of China’s power enterprises. The data envelopment analysis was applied to obtain the CER efficiency and the ESER efficiency of power enterprises in subtropical and temperate regions of China. The research findings are as follows. First, the average ESER efficiency of Chinese power enterprises is lower than their CER efficiency. Second, only 30% of Chinese power enterprises have both high CER and ESER efficiency. Most power enterprises in China need to take measures to further reduce carbon emissions and improve the efficiency of resource utilization. Third, due to their high economic development and advanced use of technology, the CER efficiency of power enterprises in subtropical regions is higher than that in temperate regions. Based on empirical results, specific policy recommendations are provided for Chinese power enterprises.

Understanding the impacts of land-use mosaics on elephant distribution and the patterns of habitat use is essential for their conservation in modified landscapes. We carried out a study in 205 villages, covering 610 km² of plantation–agriculture–forest mosaic of Hassan–Madikeri divisions in southern India, an area of intense human–elephant interactions. We monitored elephant movements, crop damage incidents, and human casualties on a daily basis for a 2-year period (2015–2017) to understand the patterns of elephant distribution across the landscape and habitat-use patterns, resulting in 1,117 GPS locations across six major habitats. Elephants were distributed across the landscape in the first year, but a high concentration of locations were noticed toward northern part of the study area during the second year, owing to clear felling of trees and installation of barriers around coffee plantations, causing an overall shift in their distribution. Investigations into habitat use by elephants revealed that during the day, elephants preferred monoculture refuges of acacia, eucalyptus, and so on, and forest fragments, avoiding reservoir, coffee, roads, and habitations. At night, agricultural lands were used more frequently while moving between refuges compared with forest fragments and habitations. Seasonally, forest fragments and agriculture were used significantly more during dry and wet, respectively. Across years, use of monoculture refuges and coffee increased with a corresponding decrease in the use of forest fragments and agriculture. In areas devoid of forest habitats, retention of monoculture refuges which provide shelter for elephants and facilitating free movement through open habitats may help minimize human–elephant conflict and promote coexistence in such land-use mosaics.

Information on how abiotic and biotic factors affect species population structures and regeneration are critical for understanding plant growth in natural habitats. Here, we used the data from three spatially distinct populations of Afzelia africana Sm. in the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve in Benin, to determine how the species population structures respond to abiotic and biotic factors. Afzelia africana population structures were studied using several parameters including basal area, tree height, density of successive diameter classes, and size class slope. We tested for individual effects of abiotic (mound density, soil type, and terrain slope) and biotic (heterospecific tree density) factors on the species population structure. We also tested for similarity of species composition among studied A. africana population stands. Results revealed a tree density structure with mature individuals, and size class distribution indicating a recruitment bottleneck at the juvenile stage (10–20 cm diameter), possibly due to mammal browsing, natural and artificial fires. Heterospecific tree density was positively associated with A. africana adult density but negatively related to the species growth parameters (mean diameter, basal area, and tree height). These results indicate some degrees of niche overlap between A. africana and coexisting species but also partly reflect A. africana tolerance and adaptation to limited resources environment. Soil type significantly influenced both basal area and regeneration density, greater values being observed on silt-sand-rocky soils. Basal area was higher on steeper slope, probably a result of species conservative strategies. These findings were discussed in line with management and restoration action needs in the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve.

The regeneration of many climax species in tropical forest critically depends on adequate seed dispersal and seedling establishment. Here, we report the decreased abundance and increased spatial aggregation of younger trees of the Borneo ironwood (Eusideroxylon zwageri) in a protected forest in Sabah Malaysia. We observed a high level of seedling herbivory with strong density dependence, likely exacerbated by local aggregation and contributing to the progressively shrinking size distribution. We also note the largely undocumented selective herbivory by sambar deer on E. zwageri seedlings. This study highlights the combined impact of altered megafauna community on a tree population through interlinked ecological processes and the need for targeted conservation intervention for this iconic tropical tree species.

Facilitation can drive the successional dynamics and change the restoration trajectory of degraded forests. However, the relative importance of facilitation by tree species after variable retention harvesting is unclear. We used a field experiment to evaluate the effect of two facilitator species, Castanopsis fissa (C. fissa) and Manglietia glauca (M. glauca), managed with variable retention harvesting, on the development of two target species, Castanopsis hystrix (C. hystrix) and Erythrophloeum fordii (E. fordii), in a Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) monoculture. The following variables were measured for all of the four interplanted tree species: structural growth, regeneration, aboveground biomass accumulation, leaf area index, and soil conditions. The results indicate that the abundance, growth, and aboveground biomass were relatively greater in plots planted with C. fissa compared with M. glauca and that the target species performed best with 50% retention harvesting of C. fissa, with an improved establishment of both target species indicating a positive interaction. In addition, the regeneration, leaf area index and soil conditions differed between the two facilitators in the variable retention harvesting treatments because of the different intrinsic characteristic of the facilitators. In summary, our results imply that managers have considerable flexibility to employ various types of facilitation schemes coupled with different harvesting systems for successful short-term restoration within a monoculture.

Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra (Marula) is widely used throughout its natural distribution range by rural populations to meet livelihoods requirements. Every part of the tree, including the fruits, branches, stem and roots, provides goods and services of high cultural, social, and economic importance. Its usefulness and unique properties have encouraged local people to retain S. birrea in communal areas. However, there is a paucity of data quantifying the role of local communities in conserving S. birrea. This study quantifies the role of local communities in protecting S. birrea in 300 randomly selected households in Matiyane Village, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study found that the majority of the respondents (92%; N = 276) are positive about the conservation of S. birrea. Most importantly, the respondents play a significant role in the protection of S. birrea in the village. Management strategies and factors responsible for the protection of S. birrea in communal land are discussed.

Amphibians and reptiles are two groups of vertebrates that are sensitive to changes in their environment. These changes are mostly caused by human activities, which affect the abundance, composition, and distribution of these vertebrates. In this study, we compare the richness and taxonomic diversity of herpetofauna between undisturbed environments (tropical deciduous forest = TDF) and disturbed environments (corn fields = CF) near the towns of Urireo (URI) and San Nicolas de los Agustinos (SNA) in Salvatierra, Guanajuato. We recorded a total of 19 species in the two locations (4 amphibian and 15 reptile species). At the URI locality, 12 species were recorded in CF and 10 in TDF. At the SNA locality, eight species were recorded in CF and seven species in TDF. In addition, we found that overall taxonomic distinctness was greater at URI than SNA across both types of vegetation, with the highest diversity found in TDF of URI. Seven of the 19 species recorded are current allocated to some protection category of NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010: Lithobates neovolcanicus, Kinosternon integrum, Sceloporus grammicus, Lampropeltis polyzona, Masticophis mentovarius, Salvadora bairdi, and Thamnophis melanogaster differing from other mechanisms such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Environmental Vulnerability Score. Our results suggest that carrying out long-term studies that include diversity and taxonomic distinctness in environments with different levels of disturbance, in addition to including characteristics of natural history, might enhance the development of more efficient conservation strategies for these vertebrates.

Historically, dogs have played a prominent role in subsistence hunting. In the contemporary Mayab, the group hunting or batidaprovides multiple sociocultural benefits for those who practice it, in addition to wild meat. Here, we analyze the social perception of dogs used in batidaas part of the cosmovision of Maya peasant-hunters in a rural community of Campeche, Mexico. We conducted semistructured interviews with 36 local batidahunters who owned a total of 51 dogs. Batidadogs provide different benefits (meat and social prestige for Maya peasant-hunters) depending on their roles as maestros(leader dogs) or secretarios(support dogs) and the type of prey captured. Hunting dogs go beyond their utilitarian value as a hunting technology and play an important role in the sociocultural dynamic of the batida, one of the main wildlife practices mediating the relationships between peasant communities and their natural surroundings in the Yucatan Peninsula.

We sampled the snake fauna in 13 landscapes along 80 km of highway and in the adjacent vegetation cover in the Colombian Llanos. We registered 119 snakes belonging to 33 species. Traffic levels significantly influenced rates of snake road kill, while adjacent vegetation cover, rainfall seasonality, and landscape structure and composition did not. We classified the species into seven ecological groups based upon foraging strategy, body length, and habitat preferences. Although most of the road-killed species had an active foraging strategy, all of the ecological groups contained some species that were killed on the highway, as well as some species that inhabited adjacent vegetation cover but that were not detected on the highway. The different ecological groups were not associated with different landscape characteristics. Six of the 13 landscapes that presented the lowest species richness of road-killed species had a different ecological group represented by each of the species documented as road kills. Thus, considering the ecological group that a species belongs to provides a complementary analytical approach that permits a fuller understanding of the ecological effects of roads on the functional role of the species in the ecosystem. We recommend focusing mitigation measures on highway sectors with the greater vehicular flow, employing both preventive measures such as posting driver advisories and installing speed radars and conducting environmental education programs to raise awareness of local drivers.

Myanmar is an ideal location for Asian elephant (Elephas maximus L.) conservation because it still contains large expanses of elephant habitat. However, increasing human–elephant conflict (HEC) threatens to derail ongoing elephant conservation programs. We conducted 303 interviews in rural communities living near elephants to help inform long-term management strategies to conserve this endangered species. We sought to understand the main challenges that people in these communities face in improving their quality of life, as well as the types and levels of HEC they experience and their attitudes toward elephant conservation. Poverty, not conflict with elephants, was the greatest obstacle reported by our participants. However, HEC was deemed a moderate to major problem, with 38% of farmers indicating they lost half or more of their crops to elephants the previous year. Our results showed that communities living in proximity to and often harmed by elephants were nevertheless supportive of elephant conservation and willing to contribute to conservation efforts. This result offers hope in the quest to maintain elephant populations in Myanmar. We conclude that conservation policies that also address societal challenges such as poverty may be more effective in protecting elephants than policies that address HEC alone.

In anthropogenically transformed habitats, some birds of prey feed on domestic animals, triggering conflict between people and predators. To manage this conflict, it is important to understand the ecological circumstances associated with the predation of domestic animals. We studied variation in the diet of the endangered Black-and-chestnut Eagle (Spizaetus isidori) in four different Andean landscapes in Colombia. We analyzed 261 prey items brought to five S. isidori nests during the period when the nestlings were being raised. Domestic fowl are relatively frequent prey in the diet of S. isidori in three of the four localities studied (frequency: 9.3%–36%), representing 12.2% to 37.1% of the total biomass of prey consumed. In terms of biomass, in Ciudad Bolívar, Jardín, and Campohermoso, the sites with the greatest forest cover, mammals were the most important prey in the diet of S. isidori, while in Gachalá, the most deforested site, domestic fowl were the most important prey. We recommend that forest cover be maintained and increased to provide habitat for wild prey in the breeding territories of S. isidori using the landscape management tools best suited to the specific socioecological contexts of this eagle’s territories. We also suggest that the management of domestic fowl under controlled conditions or the use of some deterrent be examined as strategies to mitigate or prevent conflict between people and S. isidori. Socioecological research and educational programs should be carried out to increase the public’s understanding of this eagle and its benefits to the ecosystem.

A commentary discussing topics broached in ‘Forest recovery in an Australian amenity landscape: Implications for biodiversity conservation on small-acreage properties’ (Meadows et al., 2018).

The main objective of this study is to contribute to the sustainable management of mangrove forests in Cameroon through assessing the impact of fish smoking activities on mangrove resources. Mangrove wood is harvested by local communities for many purposes, but most notably as fuel for fish smoking. Population growth has greatly increased the pressure on these resources in recent years. Our study focused on fish smoking activities in Ndian and Fako, in the southwest region of Cameroon. Through structured and semistructured questionnaires, 243 fish smokers were interviewed in 9 local markets. Our study found that all the fish smokers were women from Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, and Benin. Ninety-three percent of our respondents purchase the wood they use, which is mainly red mangrove (Rhizophora racemosa). The quantity of wood consumed is governed not only by the amount of fish requiring smoking but also by the type of oven used. Per fish smoking session, a traditional oven takes 53 hr to smoke 528 kg of fish and consume 1,205 kg of wood at a cost of 50€. A modern cinderblock oven, on the other hand, requires only 5 hr to smoke 160 kg of fish and consumes 122 kg of wood at a cost of 10€. Cinderblock ovens are preferable both ecologically and economically and could be one of multiple solutions for the sustainable management of mangrove wood resources. However, interventions are necessary in order for fish smokers to become aware of the benefits of these improved cinderblock ovens.

Extensive, unprotected tracts of tropical forests remain in community territories of the Calakmul region, in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. These forest tracts face deforestation mainly due to agricultural development. Based on the graphic theory and using the CONEFOR SENSINODE 2.2 program, we analyzed the landscape connectivity between the forests of two communities and Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. Derived from vegetation cover and land use classification, the landscape was characterized considering Baird’s tapir habitat preferences. The indices used showed a loss of connectivity between community territories and Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, making it difficult for tapirs to move outside the continuous forests. We detected a few important nodes for landscape connectivity and a reduced number of connections allowing potential tapir dispersal in each study site. Despite the evident trends of forest fragmentation across the Calakmul region, our results suggest that the landscapes of our study sites are not optimal, but still usable for tapirs, which are able to move throughout habitat mosaics of forests and agricultural areas. We recommend that farming practices should be encouraged over mechanized agriculture to mitigate deforestation and tapir habitat loss in the study area.

Protected areas (PAs) have been the most important conservation instrument worldwide and are reaching the coverage percentage suggested internationally (17%), but with the risk of not being ecologically representative, which is particularly concerning for threatened species. Using a database of records from museums, literature, and our fieldwork, we evaluated the representation of 132 plethodontid salamander species, a highly threatened group, in the PAs of Mexico. We assessed the importance of PAs, according to the type of governance, to represent the salamander species diversity, estimating the proportion of suitable habitat within PAs where salamanders occur and detecting potential areas to protect threatened species that are outside of PAs. Approximately 40% of plethodontid species, including threatened species, have not been recorded in PAs. A set of federal PAs harbor the greatest number of species, while state, community, and private PAs have different species composition and a high complementariness to federal areas. In 82% of PAs with plethodontid records, suitable habitat covers more than half of their extent. To protect the 36 threatened plethodontid species that have not been recorded in any PA, we detected 26 potential sites, as well as 12 close and suitable established PAs, to complement the protection of threatened species. Different types of governance of PAs are highly complementary to protect threatened species, but not all PAs seem to have the proper conditions for their survival.

Greater and greater attention is being paid to air pollution problems, because of their negative impact on the environment and human health. This article measures energy efficiency, carbon dioxide emissions efficiency, and particulate matter (PM_2.5) concentration efficiency to compare the energy efficiency differences between Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries and non-OECD member countries from 2010 to 2014 using a metafrontier dynamic Data Envelopment Analysis model. We calculate technology gap ratio and input and output efficiency values to measure the energy efficiencies of each economy, finding that (a) OECD countries have a technology gap ratio of 1 or very close to 1; and except for the United Arab Emirates and Singapore, both of which exhibit annual improvements, the non-OECD countries have a significant need for efficiency improvements; (b) the average technology gap ratio of OECD is higher than that of non-OECD countries; that is, while OECD countries’ technology gap ratio (TGR) changes are relatively stable, non-OECD countries’ TGRs are gradually increasing; (c) non-OECD countries have large PM_2.5 concentration efficiency gaps, with the annual efficiencies in China, India, and Nepal being less than 0.2; (d) Switzerland, Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Luxembourg, Norway, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates all have new and traditional energy efficiency values of 1; and (e) Botswana, Algeria, and Cambodia have poor traditional energy efficiencies, but better new energy efficiencies, whereas Hungary, South Korea, Slovakia, and Slovenia have poor new energy efficiencies and better traditional energy efficiencies.

India is the largest consumer and importer of palm oil in the world. Its demand for palm oil is expected to double by 2030, which cannot be sustained just by increasing the import quantity, as it would be exporting its biodiversity issues to the supplying countries. We support the Government of India’s views to expand oil palm cultivation in India. However, an aggressive push toward domestic oil palm cultivation at the expense of biodiversity is currently underway. Unsustainable expansion of oil palm cultivation in India with short-term economic goals will lead to both biodiversity and social issues. In this article, we outline India's position in the production and trade of palm oil. By reviewing the situation of Malaysia and Indonesia, we also propose necessary, workable solutions for sustainable oil palm cultivation in India. We recommend working within an integrative framework involving scientific research, social measures, and political actions: the ‘SSP framework.’ We believe that such an integrated approach is critical to achieve global sustainability targets from Paris Agreement at COP21 and 2015–2030 United Nation Sustainable Development Goals.

The expansion of modern societies disrupted the structure and function of most ecosystems. This trend is alarming because the persistence of human activities (e.g., economy) depends on biodiversity and ecosystem services. A central question is whether modern nations will respond appropriately to protect, restore, and maintain ecosystems. In particular, it is uncertain if underdeveloped and developing (UD-D) countries have sufficient political direction to make good decisions, since they are weak or consolidating democracies, where bad political behavior is common. These countries face persistent socioeconomic problems (e.g., poverty, opportunity, basic services), and environmental issues have no priority. However, many of these nations are located in tropical latitudes, so they are hyperdiverse and provide ecosystem services with global relevance. In this opinion article, I present a brief analysis of the context (political, social, and environmental) shared by UD-D countries, to investigate how these nations have responded to the need of socioeconomic development and the ongoing loss of natural capital. I put some emphasis on my country, Brazil, to exemplify a context dominated by weak governance, socioeconomic problems, high biodiversity, and the loss of ecosystems. I argue that authorities and political systems in UD-D nations are vulnerable to weak governance and wrong decisions; bad political behavior leads to failed policies, and the persistence of social problems leads to the destruction of ecosystems. Social progress and sustainability will require political commitment, financial resources, long-term planning, and correct policies—something that UD-D countries may not achieve on their own.

The race to the bottom theory of environmental regulation mainly refers to state or local governments competing to lower their environmental regulation standards in pursuit of their own interests. Since the reform of the Chinese tax distribution system in 1994, local governments have encouraged economic competition through various industrial subsidies and tax preferences. Moreover, in China’s political system, which promotes fiscal decentralization and economic competition, competition has provided local governments with the opportunity to race to the bottom by secretly reducing the environmental regulations of enterprises to obtain financial returns and promote capital. Using the race to the bottom theory of environmental regulation, this article identifies the land revenue data and environmental information disclosure (EID) quality data of listed companies in China from 2012 to 2014 and uses the hierarchical linear model to study the direct and indirect effects of local governments’ financial competition on the EID of listed companies in their jurisdictions. It was found that (a) Regional financial competition does not directly influence the quality of an enterprise’s EID but has a significant negative regulatory effect. (b) The higher the degree of regional competition, the more obvious the negative regulatory effect. (c) The financial competitiveness of tropical and subtropical regions in China is higher than that of other regions, and the EID quality of enterprises in these regions is lower. (d) Governmental financial competition in tropical and subtropical regions regulates the quality of EID of listed companies in their jurisdictions through indirect effects on enterprises with different ownership and profitability; However, with the exception of tropical and subtropical regions, this phenomenon is not significant in other provinces.

The Franciscana dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei), a small cetacean endemic to southwestern Atlantic coastal waters, is the most endangered marine mammal species in the south Atlantic. In the Espírito Santo State, in southeastern Brazil, the Franciscana dolphin distribution overlaps regions suppressed and threatened by an intensive industrial and port development in the coastal zone. Moreover, most of Franciscana’s home range was recently impacted by the collapse of a dam that released millions of iron mining waste into the Atlantic Ocean. Considering the restricted coastal habitat of the species, these impacts can be considered an immediate threat, increasing the probability of local extinction of the species. This research calls attention to the necessity for improvement in the regional Environmental Impact Assessments, Conservation Action Plans, and to the development of an effective zoning for ports and conservation areas in the region. These actions could increase conservation efforts and mitigate the current and expected impacts on the Franciscana population in the Espírito Santo State.

Energy usage strongly supports economic growth while also resulting in serious environmental problems. How to effectively use energy to achieve economic growth on the premise of environmental friendliness is an important topic on which to focus in the new century. China is the largest developing country in the world in terms of population. Its subtropical population is close to one half of its total population. The subtropical region is representative of China’s regions with delayed economic development. However, the region has a small share of energy resources, including coal, oil, and gas. At the same time, the rapid economic growth of the region in the past three decades has deviated from the theory of resource endowment. Therefore, it is necessary to study the relationship among energy consumption, environmental pollution, and economic growth in China’s subtropical regions. The study should be conducive to healthy economic development in China and in the world as a whole. This article calculates the degree of correlation among energy consumption, environmental pollution, and economic growth by means of a gray correlation analysis. The results show that energy consumption drives the development of the economy and causes environmental pollution. Environmental pollution also has negative effects on economic development. With regard to reconciling energy consumption, environmental pollution, and economic growth, technology can be used to improve energy use efficiency and reduce pollutant emissions. Energy consumption structure should be optimized to achieve clean, high-quality energy consumption. Policies should be established to encourage green production, and laws should be enacted to support these policies.

We compared Araceae abundance among mature forests, secondary forests, and plantations (8–14 years) in central Panama. Araceae colonization was virtually nonexistent in secondary forests and plantations. Low humidity, relatively short forest stature, and time could drive this absence. These results highlight the conservation value of forests containing intact populations of Araceae.

Ex situ conservation is an important complementary strategy for in situ to conserve endangered plant species. However, the limited areas designated for ex situ conservation such as in botanic gardens have become a great challenge for conservation practitioners and scientists attempting to optimally conserve the genetic diversity of targeted plant species. Our study aimed to assess genetic diversity and structure of wild seedlings of Vatica bantamensis, an endemic and critically endangered dipterocarp from Java (Indonesia). We also estimated genetic differentiation between the wild seedlings and existing ex situ collection and evaluated the genetic diversity preserved in the ex situ collection. Our analysis, using 730 single-nucleotide polymorphisms loci, showed that wild seedlings exhibited higher genetic diversity than the ex situ collection (nucleotide diversity, µ = 0.26 and 0.16, respectively). Significant genetic differentiation was also detected (F_ST = 0.32) between wild seedlings and ex situ collection. Furthermore, we found high kinship within the ex situ collection suggesting low genetic diversity since the founding collection. We also detected three distinct genetic clusters from all samples combined (analysis of molecular variance, ϕ = 0.48, p < .001), with two clusters present in the wild seedlings that were not represented in the ex situ collection. We recommend that supplementary collections from the two newly identified genetic clusters in the wild seedlings should be incorporated to increase genetic diversity in the ex situ collection. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that understanding the population genetics of targeted endangered species provides better results for ex situ conservation strategies.

Clarifying the relationship between public cognition and satisfaction with meteorological service is an important way to adapt to and mitigate climate change. This article first proposes an innovative concept on public meteorological cognition. Also, based on the survey data from 3,029 questionnaires on public cognition of meteorological disasters in Shenzhen city of China, the relationship among public cognition, perceived value, and meteorological service satisfaction is evaluated using a structural equation model. Research results demonstrate that (a) public cognition can significantly affect service satisfaction. (b) Shenzhen residents are generally satisfied with meteorological service, particularly during the typhoon season. However, the residents are dissatisfied with the availability of information on meteorological disaster warnings. (c) Both public meteorological cognition and perceived value of meteorological service significantly affect public satisfaction. (d) The public meteorological cognition can be improved by increasing the perceived value of meteorological service, which further enhances public satisfaction.

Bush dogs (Speothos venaticus) are a small, wide-ranging neotropical pack-hunting canid whose ecology is relatively poorly known. Here, we document new, repeated observations of bush dog groups in east-central (Barbilla National Park) and south-eastern (La Amistad International Park) Costa Rica that suggest either that their recent or historic range has been underestimated, or that their potential range in Central America may have recently expanded and could now include not only borderlands with Panama but perhaps a substantial portion of the Talamanca Mountains up to 120 km to the north-northwest and at elevations up to 2,119 m. In light of their inherently low density, documenting the current and future distribution of bush dogs in Central America will be challenging.

Twig cavities are microhabitats that may be used by different ant species for nesting and colony expansion. However, ants do not colonize all twigs available in the leaf litter, pointing to the existence of environmental or twig-related filters. In this study, we analyzed which environmental and twig attributes affected twig occupation by ants. We surveyed seven plots in six Atlantic forest sites in southeastern Brazil. To characterize the environmental filters, we quantified canopy cover and leaf litter moisture and depth. At the twig level, we measured twig length and diameter and the area and circumference of all holes in each twig. Ant colonies occupied 13.42% of the 4,805 twigs surveyed, and we recorded a total of 52 twig-nesting ant species. Brachymyrmex admotus was the most frequent species. Ant species richness increased with canopy cover and leaf litter moisture and with the relative number of occupied twigs. In addition, we found that ant species richness increased with length and diameter of the twigs, and that twigs with smaller holes were more frequently occupied by ants, regardless of the availability of larger diameter holes. Our work demonstrates that both environmental characteristics and twig morphology can structure occupation of twigs by ants. In addition, we demonstrated that certain species show a preference for certain twig types. We highlight the importance of twigs for maintaining ant diversity and for colony expansion of arboreal species and species inhabiting the leaf litter.

The present article constructs nonradial directional distance function (DDF) methods to measure and contribute to improving the industrial sustainability performance of the Chinese iron and steel industry. For such an energy-intensive industry, environmental efficiency measurement is an important way to implement the “energy-saving and emission-reduction” principle. We reformulate the nonradial DDF in the form of Second-Order Cone Programming in order to transform the traditional DDF into linear programming and provide accurate efficiency results. The new approach is utilized to calculate the performance of 30 major iron and steel makers in China. Both technical efficiency and overall efficiency are calculated to help the managers of inefficient iron and steelmakers find weaknesses. We find that nearly half of the steel makers are environmental inefficient, most of which are increasing return to scale. Furthermore, specific value of desirable output increase and undesirable output reduction are calculated for achieving efficiency. The study concludes with some remarks for energy-environment policy and industrial decision makers based on the empirical analysis and makes comparison study between the policies obtained in this study and the existing government policies.

The seasonal aspects of Guam’s Serianthes nelsonii seed rain quantity, new seedling emergence, and lifespan of newly emerged seedlings were determined by direct observations. Two high wind events in January and September 2013 generated 63% of the annual number of new seeds collected in litterfall. A defoliating tropical cyclone in May 2015 generated an abrupt increase in seedling emergence with 17% of the annual new seedling count emerging during the 4-week period after the tropical cyclone. Of the annual count of seedlings that lived longer than 2 weeks, 8% of them emerged during the 7 months prior to the tropical cyclone in May 2015. In contrast, 92% of these long-lived seedlings emerged during the 5 months immediately after the tropical cyclone. Mitigating the limitations to regeneration and recruitment of Serianthes nelsonii will likely require a change in approach for species recovery such that holistic habitat restoration becomes the goal rather than species recovery per se.

Species distribution modeling (SDM) is a booming area of research that has had an exponential increase in use and development in recent years. We performed a search of scientific literature and found 5,533 documents published from 1993 to 2018 using SDM, representing a global network of 4,329 collaborating institutions from 155 countries, with Brazil and Mexico being in the top 10 of the most prolific countries globally. National Autonomous University of Mexico, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Kansas, and U.S. Geological Survey are the most prolific institutions worldwide. Latin American institutions (n = 556) participated in 1,000 (18% of global productivity) documents published in collaboration with 591 institutions outside Latin American countries, from which the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Federal University of Goiás, Institute of Ecology A.C., National Scientific and Technical Research Council in Argentina, University of São Paulo, and University of Brasilia were the most productive. From this body of literature, the most frequently modeled taxonomic groups were Chordata and Insecta, and the most common realms of application were conservation planning and management, climate change, species conservation, epidemiology, evolutionary biology, and biological invasions. From the 36 modeling methods identified to generate SDMs, MaxEnt is used in 73.5% of the papers, followed by Genetic Algorithm for Rule-Set Prediction (GARP) with 18.7%, and just 7.4% of the papers compared between 3 and 10 modeling methods. In Latin American countries, productivity in SDM research could be improved as the network of collaborations diversifies and connects with other productive countries (such as United Kingdom, China, Spain, Germany, Australia, and France). The scientific collaboration between Latin American countries should be increased, as the most prolific countries (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia) share less than 10% of its productivity. Some of the main challenges for SDM development in Latin America include bridging the gaps from (a) software use to research productivity and (b) translation to decision-making. To address these challenges, we propose to strengthen communities of practice where modelers, species experts, and decision-makers come together to discuss and develop SDM to shift and enhance current paradigms on how science and decision-making are linked.

Some seabird species have shown to be carriers of human pathogenic bacteria, given their occurrence in contaminated coastal areas. This in turn may pose a health risk to humans and become a possible factor in the spread of infectious diseases. In this scenario, we studied whether potential human pathogenic bacteria of genera Escherichia, Vibrio, and Staphylococcus can be traced in the Heermann’s Gull and the Elegant Tern, two seabirds from Isla Rasa, Gulf of California. To this end, freshly deposited fecal droppings from both seabirds were collected and evaluated through several methods (standard bacterial methods, multiplex PCR, 16S rRNA sequencing, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrophotometry). We identified Escherichia coli isolates, however, no evidence of pathogenicity was found. The analysis of the 16S rRNA sequences allowed the identification of isolates related to Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, both previously reported as human pathogens. Also, analysis of 16S rRNA and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) leads to the identification of isolates related to Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Staphylococcus sciuri, and Staphylococcus aureus, also reported as human pathogens. However, the identified bacteria do not represent any of the species or strains that most importantly affect humans. This study represents the first approach to the identification of pathogenic microorganisms in seabirds nesting in the central region of the Gulf of California; however, it was limited to only two species of seabirds and a few microorganisms. Therefore, monitoring and surveillance work like this should be continued and expanded to other species.

This study aims to explore the technical characteristics that affect user satisfaction with air-source heat pump technology which is recognized as one typical cleaner residential heating system and being promoted in China in response to the national “coal to electricity” policy. Moderated hierarchical linear regression analysis was conducted to analyze data from a questionnaire survey of 256 residents in suburban Beijing. Empirical results indicated that product convenience, product design, product reliability, product knowledge, and total cost, respectively, affect user satisfaction, but product safety has no significant effect on user satisfaction. Meanwhile, total cost is an important contingent factor that might weaken the positive effects of product convenience (or product design) on user satisfaction. Our research provides empirical evidence for identifying factors that influence user satisfaction with cleaner residential heating system in response to new energy policy and further provides useful managerial implications for market practice.

Loss of soil and water from sloped farmland is a major cause of regional soil degradation and declining productivity. We conducted a preliminary study on the characteristics of sloped farmland in the black soil region of Northeast China using natural rainfall-runoff plot experiments in the field. In 0-20 cm soil depth, clay content (<0.002 mm), silt content (0.002-0.02 mm), specific surface area, <0.002 mm and 0.002 to 0.02 mm microaggregates content, available phosphorus, and total phosphorus tended to increase from the top to the bottom of the slope, while sand content (>0.05 mm), 0.02 to 0.05 mm and 0.05 to 0.25 mm microaggregates content, tended to decline. This suggests that soil material and nutrients were gradually transported from the top to the bottom of the slope because of erosion, soil tended toward desertification in texture, and fertility was degraded. The content of available phosphorus and total phosphorus was positively linearly related to clay content, specific surface area, and 0.002 to 0.02 mm microaggregates content. This indicates that soil nutrients migrated down with fine particles. Therefore, soil erosion leads to the migration and loss of soil nutrients, <0.002 mm fine particles and 0.002 to 0.02 mm microaggregates on the slope, which was the main cause of soil fertility degradation.

Ecocompensation projects (EPs) have two primary objectives: environmental protection and the livelihood maintenance of farmers. Farmers’ ecocompensation expectations (FEEs) are a key factor that affects whether the design of ecological policy is targeted at practical problems. This article divides FEEs into three dependent variables and uses logistic regression and multiple regression models to analyze the influencing factors of FEEs. The results of a questionnaire survey based on 259 farmers in the area of Returning Farmland to Forest Project, with tropical and subtropical regions of China included, show that, first, farmers’ willingness to participate in EPs is strong. Several indicators, such as policy cognition level, returned farmland area, and participation in other EPs, have been demonstrated to significantly affect farmers’ willingness to participate. Second, the result of the contingent valuation method shows that farmers’ expectations of compensation income are higher than the current standard. Farmers’ returned farmland area, participation in other EPs, and degree of satisfaction with the policy effect are primary influencing factors. Third, farmers’ expectations of compensation mode, such as employment opportunities, technical guidance, and ecological migration, are greatly improving. The choice of compensation mode is mainly affected by policy cognition level, current compensation mode for returning farmland, and degree of satisfaction with the policy effect. This study can provide a new perspective for the policy adjustment of eco-environmental protection and farmers’ livelihood choices in the tropical and subtropical regions of China.

As a large developing country experiencing rapid economic growth, China is facing the dual pressures and challenges of insufficient resources and protecting the ecological environment. However, China is a vast territory, and the spread of regional economic development is extremely uneven. Therefore, the responsibility for emission reductions undertaken by each region cannot be allocated equally. In response to this problem, this study proposes an emission permit allocation model that is built from the perspective of efficiency and energy conservation and emission reduction (ECER) technology. Compared with other models, the model proposed in this study has two innovations. First, the model allows central decision makers to adjust the emission reduction index under various conditions and for various reasons. This further allows the total emissions reduction amounts to be adjusted. Second, the proposed model could also allocate emission permits from the perspective of ECER technology. An empirical study on the allocation of SO₂ emission permits at provincial level in China shows the following: (a) The overall ECER level in China is low, and there are significant differences in ECER efficiency in different regions. (b) Significant differences in ECER technologies exist in different regions of China. In particular, the ECER technology standards in China’s northeast region are far below the national average. (c) Each province’s emission reduction targets should be reasonably set, based on actual production conditions. If excessive emission reduction targets are set, it becomes unreasonably difficult to complete the emission reduction task.

Aerva javanica (Burm.f.) Juss. ex Schult. (Amaranthaceae family) has many pharmaceutical properties. This study aimed to determine the anticancerous effect of A. javanica methanol extract (AJME) on breast cancer cell lines and prostate cancer cell lines. The antibacterial potency of A. javanica solvent extracts was tested against Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Shigella flexneri. A screening of five concentrations of A. javanica was done on prostate and breast cancer cell lines using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. The results showed that AJME had various levels of cytotoxicity toward both cancer cell lines. A significant decrease in the rate of cancer cells was associated with a higher concentration of the plant extract. The half maximal inhibitory concentration IC50 value was 4.50 µg/ml for the breast cancer cells and 14.51 µg/ml for the prostate cancer cells. The dried and fresh solvent extracts made with methanol and chloroform demonstrated maximum potency against all the tested pathogenic microbes. The petroleum ether and acetone extracts showed moderate activity, while the diethyl ether and hot water extracts had the lowest antibacterial activity. The gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy analysis showed that AJME had various chemical compounds that have many biological benefits. In conclusion, A. javanica is a promising candidate as a natural herb to treat cancers, more so in breast cancer than in prostate cancer, and it has potential as an antimicrobial agent against multidrug-resistant microbes.

Two important West African timber tree species with differing successional status, Mansonia altissima A. Chev and Triplochiton scleroxylon K. Schum were investigated in this study. Triplochiton scleroxylon is a pioneer species found in open forests, whereas Mansonia altissima is a nonpioneer light-demanding tree species occurring in closed forests. Amplified fragment length polymorphism markers were used to compare the genetic diversities of these two timber species in stands with different degrees of human impact (isolated forest patch, logged forest, farmland, plantation, and primary forest). Contrasting effects of human impact on genetic diversity were detected for these two timber species. The results suggested severe effects of human impact on the genetic diversity of Mansonia altissima, a nonpioneer species. However, no adverse effect was recorded in Triplochiton scleroxylon, a pioneer species. These findings indicate that nonpioneer tree species could be more prone to genetic erosion than pioneer tree species as a result of adverse human impacts. Therefore, conservation of genetic diversity in both pioneer and nonpioneer tree species populations would likely necessitate different measures.

The potential threats and habitat preferences of noxious plants in tropical countries are poorly known. Species distribution modeling (SDM) is a robust tool that can be used in conservation planning for early detection of invasion risks. However, the use of SDM for the strategic management of increasing risks of such plant invasions in Sri Lanka has not been undertaken due to several underlying reasons including the long-lasting data gap, technical, technological, and financial issues. In addition, the literature relevant to SDM applications in the country is substantially poor, scattered, and unpublished. Therefore, in this article, we explore SDM applications relevant to invasive plants in Sri Lanka with implications similar to other countries in the tropics. We examine the challenges and potentials for utilization of SDM technology in conservation planning in Sri Lanka and discuss data gap as a major obstacle. We also identify the potential SDM interventions relevant to invasive plants control and management in Sri Lanka and recommend conservation planners to prioritize them and apply for the strategic management of invasive plants in Sri Lanka. Finally, we suggest some recommendations to make an enabling environment in relevant institutions for the utilization of SDM technology in ecosystem management planning in Sri Lanka.

Zhejiang province, one of the classic subtropical regions in China, has promoted the establishment of a carbon trading market in recent years. The appropriate allocation of carbon emission abatement (CEA) quotas is the precondition for constructing a carbon trading market. This article mainly allocates municipal CEA quotas in Zhejiang province during the 12th Five-Year period based on data envelopment analysis approach. The main results reveal that Zhejiang exhibits relatively high environmental efficiency; carbon emission reduction in moderate level would bring gross domestic product growth for certain cities; the actual CEA quotas allocation of Zhejiang during 12th Five-Year period could be further optimized under the precondition of the national requirement of carbon intensity. Possible policy suggestions are provided in terms of the results.

Damages by the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) range from crop raiding to loss of human lives, and understanding the underlying causes thereof could help reduce such incidents. Land-use change could be among the major causes of elephant incidents since they are long-lived and tend to have particular home ranges. To test this hypothesis, we assessed deforestation rates in sites between the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve and the Bhadra Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats of India between the 1960s and 2000s. Deforestation was calculated in windows of varying sizes to account for spatial scale responses. The locations of 624 incidents between April 2008 and March 2011 were used, and a database of 20,000 random locations provided contrasts. We used sets of 250 logistic regressions at each scale of deforestation to ensure that the significance of deforestation was independent of the randomly sampled contrast locations. A total of 6,761 km² of forest and scrubland have disappeared from private forests in 50 years, with an average deforestation rate of –0.85%⋅y⁻¹. The distribution of incidents followed an exponential decay with increasing distance from protected areas and a beta distribution against deforestation. Logistic regressions indicated a significant effect of deforestation at the small scale (1 km² particularly and 4 km²). These results show that (a) incidents occur mostly near protected areas, and barriers or adaptation of livelihoods could address this problem and (b) deforestation is associated with increasing incidents with elephants. Avoiding deforestation and maintaining elephant population connectivity may help avoid incidents.

Information on how biotic factors influence delivery of ecosystem services (ES) in natural systems is important for holistic landscape management. In this study, we assessed the perceived effects of elephants’ presence on ES supply in the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve in West Africa. A total of 112 respondents, including riparian communities and reserve officials, were interviewed. First, we used ranking techniques based on stakeholders’ perceptions to evaluate differences in perceived importance of ES. Second, we assessed the perceived impact of elephants on ES supply from both direction and intensity perspective. Third, we assessed the economic importance of threatened ESs and elephants’ damages related economic losses incurred by households. Twenty-seven ES were enumerated, 13 provisioning ES, 12 cultural ES, and two from the regulating and maintenance ES category. Provisioning ES were perceived as the most important although not significantly different from other categories. PES were also found to be most affected negatively by elephants’ impacts. However, elephants’ presence increased supply of cultural ES. The average cost of the losses due to elephants’ negative impacts ranged from $174.80 to $586.05 per year and per victim household. These results were discussed in relation to management actions necessary to facilitate coexistence between elephant and local populations.

In this study, Tamarix aphylla and Aerva javanica, plants used in folkloric medicine in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia were studied ethnobotanically, chemically, and biologically to assess their medicinal uses, phytochemical constituents, and biological activities. Ethnobotanical data were collected using semistructured interviews and the use values were calculated. A total of 61 informants were interviewed and results indicated high-value uses (0.9 and 0.7) for the plants. Phytochemical investigation indicated that the plants contained most of the phytochemicals that were tested for. The antioxidant activity was examined by assaying total phenolic content, 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) radical scavenging activity. .The bark extract of T. aphylla showed the best antioxidant effect in total phenolic content, DPPH, and H₂O₂ assays (278.02 ± 0.16 mg GAE/100 g; The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀): DPPH, 18.39 ± 0.62 µg/mL; H₂O₂, 252.94 ± 1.86 µg/mL), followed by extract of the A. javanica aerial parts (228.60 ± 2.09 mg GAE/100 g; IC₅₀: DPPH, 28.54 ± 0.53 µg/mL; H₂O₂, 154.17 ± 0.78 µg/mL) compared with ascorbic acid (DPPH: 27.27 ± 0.11 µg/mL; H₂O₂: 164.9 ± 0.37 µg/mL). The disc diffusion method performed for antimicrobial activity revealed weak activities in T. aphylla and A. javanica extracts (100 µg/mL) against six human pathogens. It was concluded that these plants possess therapeutic potential in the treatment of 18 types of ailments, which are important phytochemical constituents and antioxidant activities that justify their therapeutic uses in traditional medicine. Thus, this study laid sufficient background for further pharmacological research on extracts of these plants.

Rapid assessment biodiversity surveys are usually employed when resources or time is limited. In terrestrial ecosystems, birds are important ecological indicators of ecosystem health. Our study used rapid inventories to show that species differ across habitat types; species richness and rarity were higher in pristine habitats (native and restored areas) while nonprotected habitats (e.g., plantations and orchards) mainly had common and nonendemic species. Our findings demonstrate the importance of collective local biodiversity studies in elucidating species diversity patterns, though is equally important to bolster regional conservation prioritization. We hope that our findings will benefit future decision-making for sustainable development and conservation planning.

Previous genetic investigations of the Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas Chevey, 1913) and striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus Sauvage, 1878) provided discordant results. Here, we sequenced mitochondrial (mt) DNA of the cytochrome B region, and a control region, to characterize the genetic variation of P. gigas, P. hypophthalmus, and hybrids of these two species. Among the three groups, P. hypophthalmus had the greatest diversity in both regions, yet all three studied groups showed lower genetic diversity compared to the results of previous studies. The Bayesian Skyline Plots showed a reduction in effective population sizes of the parental species. The hybrids were found to have a constant population size with a recent divergence time. As expected, the network and neighbor joining tree showed a close maternal genetic relationship between the hybrid and P. hypophthalmus, a reflection of the breeding between male P. gigas and female P. hypophthalmus. Our results provide genetic information on these endangered fish that will be useful for both conservation and commercial breeding programs.

Dew can represent an alternate water source in epiphytic bromeliads. However, the physiological relevance of dew to withstand the dry season, within seasonal forests, is not fully understood. To study the effect of dew deposition in the physiological response of four Tillandsia species with contrasting morphologies, we performed an experiment in the tropical dry deciduous forest of Dzibilchaltún, Mexico, during the transition from the wet to the dry season. Half of the individuals were covered every night with a plastic tarp to prevent dew deposition. Environmental variables were monitored, and physiological variables (relative water content, leaf succulence, nocturnal tissue acidification and electron transport rate) were measured at the beginning and end of the experiment. We found that throughout the drought, there was consistent nighttime dew formation for >4 h. Both the time the leaves spent at a temperature below dew point of the air and the effect on water and carbon metabolism was species -specific, as evidenced by the comparison among the exposed and covered (dew -deprived) plants. Tillandsia elongata and Tillandsia brachycaulos had longer times of dew formation and showed higher water content at the end of the experiment when exposed to dew, the latter species also had a significant effect of dew on nocturnal acidity. In contrast, neither Tillandsia yucatana nor Tillandsia fasciculata seemed to be using dew as a relevant source of water during the dry period. We discuss the species’ morphoanatomical traits that may be related to the differences in dew formation and use.

Protected areas generally occur within a matrix of intensively human-modified landscapes. As a way to maintain the biodiversity in these areas, enclosure by fencing is often preferred. This strategy, however, is costly and little is known about the effectiveness of the alternative of unfenced borders on the vegetation and fauna. The objectives of this study are to assess whether there is a distinct difference in biodiversity and composition of plants and mammals between the protected Lake Mburo National Park and the adjacent ranchlands across an unfenced border and to determine the associations between vegetation and faunal species over the same border. We recorded herbaceous vegetation, woody vegetation, and mammal species composition in plots 300 to 500 m away from the border both inside the protected area and in the adjacent ranchlands. The species composition of herbs and mammals in the protected area differ from the adjacent ranchlands, but there is no difference for trees and shrubs. After accounting for land-use type, distance from the border did not significantly account for any additional variation. We also find a correlation between the species composition of vegetation and fauna. Our results suggest that unfenced borders around protected areas create a clear effect.

This study aims to answer questions about the importance and utilization of wetland provisioning ecosystem services (ES) in the disturbed southernmost provinces of Thailand, calling for the need for sustainable wetland management. Generally, natural resources management in the unrest area has been neglected because security-related policies have usually received higher priority. The study surveyed a sample of 328 households to explore the types and importance of provisioning wetland ES that have value to the local people. The statistics used to analyze data are percentage, mean, standard deviation, and calculation of the value of provisioning ES. Quantitative data were presented to a participatory workshop of 22 stakeholders to explore guidelines for wetland management. The results indicate that wetland plays a vital role in the livelihood of the local community by providing a variety of provisioning ES. Nine of the 13 ES addressed in the study were perceived as important to very important by the local people. Based on the guidelines provided by the stakeholders, an initial strategy has been formulated in the study.

This study used productivity models and above ground biomass to investigate productivity in different sites of MMFR. Ninety Rhizophora apiculata leaf samples were collected from different compartments (18, 31, 71, 74, 42 and 55) based on tree age and management. For biomass calculation, tree height and diameter were measured in plot of 10m x 10m in compartment 18, 31, 71, 74 and 67. The age of the trees were as follows: compartment 18 and 31 with 15-year-old, compartment 71 and 74 with 25-year-old and compartment 67 with 30-year-old mangrove trees. Compartment 42 and 55 are classified as virgin jungle reserve (VJR). Compartment 67 was not taken as a sample site due to technical reason and compartments in VJR were not considered for biomass estimation. Sixteen variables; stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N), macronutrients (C, N, P), cations (Ca, Mg, Na, K) and trace elements (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn) were analyzed. Productivity models and calculated biomass for investigated compartments showed similar trends. In 15-year age group; compartment 18 showed higher productivity than in 31. For the 25-year age group; compartment 74 had higher productivity than 71. No prominent increase was observed in biomass between 15-year old and 30-year old trees. Furthermore, with moderate N and δ15N loading input, compartments showed more productivity. The results conclude that MMFR is a sustainably managed mangrove forest and its productivity could be monitored using nutrient productivity models.

Building bridges between environmental and political agendas is essential nowadays in face of the increasing human pressure on natural environments, including wetlands. Wetlands provide critical ecosystem services for humanity and can generate a considerable direct or indirect income to the local communities. To meet many of the sustainable development goals, we need to move our trajectory from the current environmental destructive development to a wiser wetland use. The current article contain a proposed agenda for the Pantanal aiming the improvement of public policy for conservation in the Pantanal, one of the largest, most diverse, and continuous inland wetland in the world. We suggest and discuss a list of 11 essential interfaces between science, policy, and development in region linked to the proposed agenda. We believe that a functional science network can booster the collaborative capability to generate creative ideas and solutions to address the big challenges faced by the Pantanal wetland.

The Dassioko Sud and Port Gauthier Forest Reserves are important wildlife refuges in southern Côte d’Ivoire, harboring several endangered mammalian taxa. Between July 2012 and June 2016, foot patrols were conducted in these reserves by teams consisting of local villagers, Société de Développement des Forêts employees, law enforcement personnel, and the authors. The purpose of the patrols was to help curb poaching and illegal farming/logging and to collect information on wildlife. Over the length of the patrol period, both reserves experienced significant declines in illegal activities, including prior to the 2014 EBOLA outbreak. Both reserves continue to be pressured by persons living in surrounding villages; however, our results demonstrate that foot patrols involving local personnel can lead to significant declines in illegal activity inside such conservation areas.

Forest regeneration after human-induced or natural disturbances results in a sequential replacement of species, starting with colonizing of pioneer species that modifies the physical conditions of the environment, which later allows the establishment of mid- and late-successional species. Whether the forest succession implies a reduction of population size of tree species might be expected a less genetic diversity in populations inhabiting oldest succession stages. We aimed to study whether genetic diversity of Macuilillo, Oreopanax xalapensis (a understory tree), decreases in advanced age-classes and in late successional of montane cloud forest at Huitepec Ecological Reserve (Chiapas, Mexico). We counted individuals from three age classes: seedlings, saplings, and young reproductive individuals in nine plots along three successional stages (early-, middle-, and late-successional forests). Seven enzyme systems (SOD, AP, FUM, G6PDH, GOT, GPI, and G3PDH) were used to obtain common genetic diversity; Φ-statistics and a Bayesian model were used to infer population structure. At the early-successional stage, O. xalapensis had a bigger population size and significantly high numbers of seedlings. In general, among the successional stages, the genetic diversity of O. xalapensis was moderate to high (H_e = 0.25–0.46); the saplings presented the highest expected genetic diversity (H_e). Populations were genetically structured by age-classes but not by successional stages. The successional stages affected the demographic dynamics with a mild impact on the genetic structure across age-classes of O. xalapensis. The scenic and recreational conservation strategies implemented in this forest have effectively allowed for population development of O. xalapensis and provide some explanation of genetic diversity at early-succession stage.

Balancing economic growth and environmental pollution is essential for the sustainable development of Mainland China. To address this issue, this study applied an improved data envelopment analysis model to evaluate the environmental efficiency of 29 provinces in Mainland China from 2006 to 2016. The study divided the 29 provinces into two groups: the subtropical and tropical zones and the temperate zone. The study then compared the differences in environmental efficiency between the two groups. The results indicate that the overall environmental efficiency of the provinces in Mainland China increased significantly from 2006 to 2016; however, there remained significant potential for improvement. In particular, the environmental efficiency is significantly lower in the temperate zone compared with the subtropical and tropical zones. As Mainland China’s population is increasingly moving to coastal areas in the subtropical and tropical zones, each province should adopt targeted policy measures to improve its environmental efficiency based on its industrial and population conditions.

Road mortality due to collision with vehicles can affect many species, increasing the risk of local population decline or extinction. Infectious diseases that affect the central nervous system of wild animals may also promote an increase in road mortality due to the debilitating effects of blinding, neurologic disturbance, or behavior alteration. Roads in the surroundings of three conservation units in the Caatinga of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, were surveyed to identify which mammal species are being impacted by these anthropogenic structures. In addition, collected animals that were recently killed were also examined to determine their health status for diseases that affect the central nervous system (rabies and distemper virus) which cause neurological disorders. Between November 2014 and November 2015, 124 mammals from four potential reservoir species were found road-killed in the surveyed roads. Despite reports of these viruses circulating in Northeast Brazil, in both domestic and wild animal populations, none of the 18 road-killed mammals tested were infected by rabies or canine distemper, although some of the species identified are considered reservoirs for both diseases. This suggests that the animals most likely came from healthy populations or that the prevalence of these diseases is so low that it remained undetected. Furthermore, the high number of road-kills during this 1-year period indicates that mammal species from these conservation units are being negatively impacted, regardless of their health status. Hence, further studies must be conducted to identify other factors contributing to the road-killing of these species and implement the adequate mitigation measures to reduce or eliminate road mortality in the vicinities of these three conservation units.

This study aimed to compare monoculture and mixed rubber plantations in terms of their soil bacterial and fungal composition. An Illumina MiSeq sequencing analysis was performed to investigate the composition and diversity of the soil bacterial and fungal communities among three different rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) plantations: monoculture, Mixed 1 (Hevea brasiliensis and Mytilaria laosensis), and Mixed 2 (Hevea brasiliensis and Michelia macclurei) in Hainan. The results showed that the bacterial composition of the three rubber plantations was basically similar. However, there was a significant difference in fungal communities among the three rubber plantations at both the phylum and operational taxonomic unit level. The species richness, Chao, and Shannon diversity of bacterial communities of monoculture rubber plantations were higher than the Mixed 1 and Mixed 2 rubber plantations, whereas all diversity indexes of fungal communities were relatively equal for the monoculture and mixed rubber plantations. Soil nutrition (such as total nitrogen and total potassium) and soil pH are the main drivers of the bacterial composition (p <.001). However, soil pH and water content are the main drivers of the fungal composition (p <.001), and to some extent, soil pH can increase soil bacteria diversity. We suggest that alkaline fertilizers should be applied in mixed rubber plantations to improve the soil pH and, consequently, to increase the total diversity of the rubber plantation.