Global Ecology and Conservation

Citizen science is increasingly used in bird-window collision (BWC) research to collect data. However, few studies have collected BWC data from social media, and it remains unknown whether the data quality is comparable to that of reported on dedicated platforms. To evaluate the potential of social media as a citizen science data source for BWC, we collected BWC data on social media Facebook as well as Taiwan Roadkill Observation Network (TaiRON), the main dedicated citizen science platform for reporting wildlife mortalities in Taiwan. We compared a decade of BWC data (2012-2022) from the two platforms by examining the nationwide geographical coverage and the species compositions of the BWC observations. Overall, we recorded 2,583 BWC cases involving 153 BWC species from Facebook, and 1,000 BWC cases involving 104 BWC species from TaiRON. More than half of the BWC individuals from Facebook were not found dead when observed, whereas all records on TaiRON were dead individuals. The nationwide geographical coverage and the species compositions of the top 80% cumulative BWC individuals were generally similar between the two platforms. Moreover, the sampling completeness of the two platforms both exceeded 95% (Facebook: 98.0%; TaiRON: 96.0%). To our knowledge, this study is among the first to collect BWC data through social media posts, and our results show that the quantity and quality of Facebook data can be comparable to that of the well-developed citizen science platform TaiRON. Taken together, social media Facebook may not only serve as a promising tool for collecting BWC data, but also provide a platform for public education, which can benefit bird conservation. Finally, integrating data from different citizen science sources helps paint a more complete picture of BWC patterns, especially in understudied areas such as Asia.

Farmland bird populations are declining due to farmland abandonment and agricultural intensification. Effective conservation strategies require appropriate monitoring approaches, including efficient and scalable survey methods. In this study, we developed a large-scale monitoring method for herons and egrets (Ardeidae) using vehicle-mounted video cameras and distance sampling models that incorporate location uncertainty. The survey was conducted in and around the evacuation zone of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. A total of 7,031 km of roadside video footage was recorded, covering 24.41 km{superscript 2} of farmland. Ardeidae were observed only outside the evacuation zone and were entirely absent within it. Predicted abundance differed greatly between areas inside (0.0279 {+/-} 0.0307/km{superscript 2}) and outside (4.57 {+/-} 5.36/km{superscript 2}) the evacuation zone. Incorporating location uncertainty into the distance sampling model had little effect on the estimates (4.57 {+/-} 5.36 vs. 4.51 {+/-} 5.29/km{superscript 2} with and without integrating location uncertainty, respectively). This suggests that our video-based roadside survey method is robust to location uncertainty in structured landscapes such as Japanese rice paddies. The accuracy may be attributed to the study system, where levees and roads divide paddy fields, limiting potential error in observer-target distances Our method can be applied to other open habitats, such as natural grasslands and wetlands, especially in areas lacking artificial markers, by incorporating measurement uncertainty into the model. This combination of roadside surveys with vehicle-mounted cameras and distance sampling provides a practical and transferable approach for monitoring large-bodied species in open landscapes, enhancing both the efficiency and spatial coverage of biodiversity assessments. HighlightsBroad-scale farmland abandonment following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident led to sharp declines in large farmland bird abundance. Efficient large-scale roadside surveys were conducted using vehicle-mounted video cameras. Ardeidae abundance was estimated using distance sampling models that incorporated location uncertainty. The survey method is robust and applicable to open habitats such as farmlands, grasslands, and wetlands.

We combined questionnaires collecting local ecological knowledge with passive and directed camera trapping and bird surveys to scientifically document the Black-Naped Pheasant-Pigeon Otidiphaps insularis for the first time since 1896. This species is endemic to Fergusson Island, in eastern Papua New Guinea, and is New Guineas most endangered terrestrial bird species. Indigenous subsistence-based hunters who participated in this research as informants had high levels of local bird knowledge and helped direct camera trapping for one of two successful camera trap captures. Local participants also shared traditional ecological knowledge about the Black-Naped Pheasant-Pigeon, including legends, chants, and a local name for this taxon, Auwo. The scarcity of observations over the course of a month-long expedition, its obscurity to the majority of local respondents interviewed, and prevalent threats from habitat destruction and introduced alien species further support its current Red List status (CR). Our results provide a case study for leveraging local ecological knowledge in combination with standardized survey techniques and may be an especially effective strategy for determining the status of other undocumented or data-deficient species in the southwest Pacific.

1. Accurate estimates of wildlife distributions and population persistence are essential for conservation programs. Occupancy models that account for detection probability have been used to characterize the occupancy and habitat selection of imperilled species. However, failure to distinguish between true-presence and pseudo-presence associated with territorial behaviour can result in the overestimation of the occupancy probability of target species in unsuitable habitats, and this can have major implications for the development of conservation strategies. 2. For highly territorial wildlife species requiring high-quality habitat for survival, occasional Presence in unsuitable areas might be related to dispersal or migration, but this does not reflect actual occupancy and habitat use. True-Presence and Pseudo-Presence should be distinguished for target species to better reflect their actual occupancy and habitat use. 3. To investigate the effect of True-Presence and Pseudo-Presence on wildlife occupancy estimation, we developed a modified model (Mm) that considers the territorial behaviour of the Amur tiger in northeast China, which distinguished between True-Presence and Pseudo-Presence. We compared two models, Mm and M0 (conventional occupancy model), and assessed model performance using goodness-of-fit evaluation, detection and occupancy probability, and favourable variable selection. 4. We found that Mm, which has fewer favourable variables, is more powerful than M0 for estimating detection and occupancy probability, as well as characterizing the effect of various factors on the habitat use of Amur tigers. Furthermore, Mm significantly reduced the overestimation of occupancy probability outside the home range compared with M0, and detection probability estimates did not significantly differ between M0 and Mm. Finally, Mm provided more empirical habitat selection variables for the Amur tiger. 5. Our results revealed how True-Presence and Pseudo-Presence affect the occupancy probability and habitat selection of Amur tigers. Our method improves the accuracy of occupancy models; it can also be used to characterize the habitat selection and distribution of wildlife species and be applied to other territorial species.

AimFounder effects and recurrent immigration are two major factors that potentially contribute to genetic differentiation and population persistence in the early-stage of remote island colonization. However, their relative importance remains controversial. By conducting population genetics analyses of multiple remote island populations of the bull-headed shrike established naturally within several decades, we examined the relative contributions of founder effects and recurrent immigration on these island populations. LocationJapan TaxonLanius bucephalus MethodsWe used 15 microsatellite loci to analyze the population genetics of four newly established island populations and five Japanese mainland populations. Allelic richness, heterozygosity, genetic differentiation, and the strength of the genetic bottleneck were compared among the islands. Two analyses, STRUCTURE and the DAPC, were conducted to assess the relative influence of founder effects and recurrent immigration on genetic differentiation. Temporal samples collected over eight years on Minami-Daito Island were used to detect any change in genetic structure due to recurrent immigration. ResultsThe founder effect strongly influenced genetic differentiation on the most remote oceanic island, Chichi-jima Island. However, this population became extinct 20 years after colonization, possibly owing to a lack of recurrent immigration. The founder effect moderately influenced a land-bridge island, Kikai-jima Island, indicating the presence of a relatively large founder population without recurrent immigration. Surprisingly, another distant oceanic island, Minami-Daito Island, was likely subject to multiple recurrent immigration events from the mainland, which obscured any genetic differentiation previously established by the founder effect. Main conclusionUnderlying the island-specific population dynamics of colonization, founder effects contributed to the genetic differentiation among the three studied island populations. Importantly, however, recurrent immigration strongly affected the population persistence and subsequent evolutionary processes of remote island populations, potentially overwhelming the founder effect. We argue the importance of recurrent immigration in highly remote island colonization, which has been previously overlooked.

Understanding species distribution is the first requirement to work on their behaviour, conservation, and phylogeography. Over the last decades, the number of species described on the Korean peninsula has significantly increased, but areas around the boundaries of the Korean peninsula still have to be surveyed for the presence of these species, especially where the environment is similar and connected. Here, we conducted surveys in the continuous landscapes of the Republic of Korea, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea and the Peoples Republic of China to determine the range of the Gold-spotted pond frog, Pelophylax chosenicus. The surveys were conducted between 2016 and 2020 through visual and call encounters. We also used molecular tools to confirm the species identity of the northernmost population, in China, sequencing the mitochondrial DNA 16S gene fragment. We then determined the importance of landscape types for the species, and especially rice paddies, and used landscape models to define suitable habitats across the region. We found the species to be widespread in low elevation wetlands along the coast of the Yellow Sea, with two isolated populations on the south-east of the Korean Peninsula, and the northernmost population in the vicinity of Dandong in PR China. As this species is listed as threatened in the Republic of Korea, knowing its exact distribution will be important for conservation practices, and this first record for PR China provides a baseline for further surveys.

Assessing the conservation status of a species is important for designing effective conservation measures. Consequently, it is often vital to review it to update biodiversity management. Formicivora acutirostris is a bird from coastal marshes and related habitats of Brazils southern flood plains. It is considered endangered in Brazil but near threatened globally. In 2007, its area of occupancy (AOO) and population size were estimated based on assessment of aerial photographs from 1978 and 1980. Since the species is threatened and occupies a small area scattered across a coastal pressured region, we aimed to reassess its conservation status and assess its Green Status. We compiled new records, conducted new density estimates, and compared the previous mapping with orbital imagery to estimate the current AOO, habitat loss, population size, and review its conservation status based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature criteria. The species is distributed across 10 populations, including two new populations from the southern coast of Santa Catarina to the northern coast of Rio Grande do Sul. We estimated the AOO at 4,102 ha and the population as 6,284 mature territorial individuals. The previously mapped AOO has decreased by 1,535 ha due to ecological succession. The loss of habitat due to invasion by exotic grasses is the main anthropogenic impact. We recommend that the species be considered vulnerable. The Green Status indicates that the Conservation Legacy of actions taken thus far and the Conservation Dependence of ongoing actions are null, but it highlights the importance of future actions for species conservation. We propose the establishment of exotic-free zones as small geographic areas with a significant amount of minimally invaded environments, which we suggest as priority areas for the conservation of the species due to their cost-effective management potential. We also propose assisted colonization to enhance its long-term conservation.

The Shola Sky Islands of the Western Ghats are isolated montane habitats that harbour significant avian diversity and endemism. This study assessed bird species diversity across five mountain ranges in Wayanad, Kerala (Banasura, Brahmagiri, Camels Hump, Kuricharmala, and Manikunnu) situated above 1200 meters. A total of 114 species were recorded, with the Camels Hump range supporting the highest diversity (81 species). Patterns of species richness were found to correspond with mountain area and degree of isolation, consistent with the principles of island biogeography. Birds were classified by taxonomic order and family, with Passeriformes being the most dominant order. Among families, Muscicapidae recorded the highest number of species, followed by Accipitridae and Phylloscopidae. Invertivores constituted the majority of trophic guilds, and species richness showed a general decline with increasing elevation. These findings highlight the importance of habitat area and connectivity in shaping avian communities within sky island ecosystems. They also underline the urgent need for targeted conservation efforts in this ecologically sensitive region, much of which falls under territorial divisions, including reserve and vested forests.

There is growing interest in deploying insect traps in forest canopies for ecological research, invasive species surveillance, and biodiversity monitoring. However, forest canopies also harbor a diverse and abundant bat community, which may be incidentally trapped and killed by these devices. In this study, we investigated the impact of flight interception traps and multi-funnel traps deployed in oak canopies on incidental bat captures, and evaluated whether trap modifications could reduce this bycatch. We also examined how these modifications influenced the species richness, abundance, and mean body size of several beetle taxa, including Buprestidae, Cerambycidae, Cetoniinae, and Scolytinae. Both trap types captured bats. Flight interception traps accidentally caught seven species - Myotis bechsteinii, Myotis daubentonii, Myotis mystacinus, Nyctalus noctula, Nyctalus leisleri, Plecotus auritus, and Pipistrellus pipistrellus - with an average of 0.42 bats per trap. Multi-funnel traps primarily caught males of P. pipistrellus, with an average of 0.29 bats per trap. Adding a 13-mm mesh above the collection container significantly reduced bat bycatch to 0.02 and 0.05 bats per trap in flight interception traps and multi-funnel traps, respectively. This modification had no significant effect on insect species richness or mean body size, although it did reduce Cerambycidae and Scolytinae abundance in black multi-funnel and flight interception traps, respectively. This was likely due to more frequent clogging by twigs and leaves. We recommend modifying flight interception and multi-funnel traps deployed in forest canopies to prevent unintentional harm to protected bat species.

O_LIReintroduction programs are critical for restoring endangered species. However, scientific assessments and management recommendations based on comprehensive vital rates across the entire life cycle remain limited for such programs. The Crested ibis (Nipponia nippon), once nearly extinct, has been the focus of intensive conservation efforts, including reintroduction into its historical range. Here, we systematically evaluate the success of a Crested ibis reintroduction population by integrating long-term field monitoring with population dynamic modeling. C_LIO_LIWe conducted a systematic, multi-year (2023-2025) demographic study of a reintroduced Crested ibis population in Dongzhai National Nature Reserve, China. From 2013 to 2023, a total of 133 captive Crested ibises were released in seven batches within the nature reserve. By 2025, the wild population had exceeded 500. Based on the combination of field monitoring (n = 176 pairs) and GPS telemetry (n = 74 GPS tags, the longest monitoring time lasting 4 years), we quantified reproductive output and mortality rates across six life stages: nest building, incubation, offspring provisioning, fledgling (< 1 year), sub-adult (1-2 years), and adult (> 2 years). C_LIO_LIThe results show that the average clutch size of this population is 3.24 {+/-} 0.08, and each pair of parent birds can rear 1.31 {+/-} 0.12 nestlings to fledging each year. We found that high mortality during the incubation (32.5%, n = 425 eggs), offspring provisioning (34.1%, n = 287 chicks), and fledgling stages (38.6%, n = 63 birds). Key causes included unfertilized eggs, predation, starvation, and human disturbance. On the other hand, the mortalities in the nest building (9.1%, n = 176 pairs), sub-adult (9.8%, n = 28 birds) and adult stage (21.3%, n = 15 birds) were relatively low. Stage-structured matrix model shows a positive population growth of this reintroduced population (growth rate {lambda} = 1.053), with the population expected to increase 13-fold over 50 years (6,858 individuals). Sensitivity analysis indicates that adult survival had the strongest influence on population growth. Correspondingly, we predict that by 2075, its distribution range will expand 13-fold in tandem with population growth, exceeding 51,000 km{superscript 2} and covering several surrounding cities. C_LIO_LIOur comprehensive monitoring, evaluation, and simulation across the full life-cycle confirm that the reintroduced population is successfully established and self-sustaining. This finding addresses a critical research gap: the lack of a scientific and systematic framework for assessing population reintroductions in endangered species. Furthermore, we identified key conservation practices to enhance population growth and stability, including predator control, supplemental feeding, the rescue of weak chicks, and reducing human disturbance through public engagement. To ensure long-term viability, we also recommend implementing genetic management to avoid inbreeding. The resulting framework provides a practical model for improving reintroduction success and promoting species recovery in other endangered species. C_LI

The Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus), once widespread across West, South, and Central Asia, now survives only in Iran, where its population has declined to the brink of extinction. The current study synthesized 12 years (2012-2024) of monitoring data, including systematic, extensive camera trap surveys across 27 distinct sampling sessions in eight reserves (69,089 trap nights) supplemented by published records of cheetah occurrences on social media to assess the demographic and spatial patterns of this critically endangered subspecies. Our analysis indicates that a total of 24 adult Asiatic cheetahs were identified across the Northern and Southern Landscapes. However, no evidence of reproduction or new individual presence was obtained in the Southern Landscape for over a decade. Meanwhile, the Northern Landscape hosts the remaining population, likely fewer than 30 individuals. Between 2020 and 2024, at least 31 cubs were born in the northern population from six females. However, limited evidence of successful recruitment suggests minimal contribution to population recovery, as only 47.3% of monitored cubs survived beyond their first year. Asiatic cheetahs exhibit extensive mobility across the arid Northern Landscape, frequently traversing unprotected communal lands and a major highway, which increases their vulnerability. While camera trap data have proven effective for individual identification, they are limited in tracking fine-scale movement, emphasizing the urgent need for satellite telemetry. Interventions such as roadside fencing and wildlife underpasses along highways are essential to reduce mortality. These efforts should be complemented by broader conservation measures, including habitat protection and restoration, community-based management of unprotected lands, and enhanced anti-trafficking enforcement. Genetic concerns, especially low effective population size and inbreeding, pose additional threats to viability.

The Baja California Pacific Islands (BCPI) is a seabird hotspot in the southern California Current System supporting 129 seabird breeding populations of 23 species and over one million birds annually. These islands had a history of environmental degradation because of invasive alien species, human disturbance, and contaminants that caused the extirpation of 27 seabird populations. Most of the invasive mammals have been eradicated and breeding colonies have been restored with social attraction techniques. We have systematic information for most of the breeding populations since 2008. To assess population trends, we analyzed data and present results for 19 seabird species on ten island groups. The maximum number of breeding pairs for each nesting season was used to estimate the population growth rate ({lambda}) for each species at every island colony. We performed a nonparametric bootstrapping to assess whether seabird breeding populations are increasing or decreasing. San Benito, Natividad, and San Jeronimo are the top three islands in terms of abundance of breeding pairs. The most widespread species is Cassins Auklet with 14 colonies. Twenty-three populations of 13 species are significantly increasing while eight populations of six species are decreasing. We did not find statistical significance for 30 populations, however, 20 have {lambda}>1 which suggest they are growing. Seven of the 18 species for which we estimated a regional population trend are significantly increasing, including three surface-nesting species: Brown Pelican, Elegant Tern and Laysan Albatross, and four burrow-nesting species: Ainleys and Ashy Storm-Petrels, and Craveris and Guadalupe Murrelet. Our results suggest that the BCPI support healthy and growing populations of seabirds that have shown to be resilient to extreme environmental conditions such as the "Blob", and that such resilience has been strengthen from conservation and restoration actions such as the eradication of invasive mammals and social attraction techniques.

Over the past century, grassland and forest ecosystems globally have been heavily influenced by land use changes driven by diverse socioeconomic activities. Ski resorts are a modern land-use type associated with biodiversity loss in mountain ecosystems worldwide. Below the treeline, by contrast, some ski slopes have been shown to provide suboptimal semi-natural habitats for native grassland plants and animals, depending on specific construction and management practices. We compared environmental factors and grassland vegetation between two types of ski slopes in central Japan with different land-use histories: slopes constructed on old pastures (pasture slopes) and slopes constructed by clearing secondary forests or Larix kaempferi plantations established on abandoned pastures during the 1940s-1990s (forest slopes). We examined the effects of land use history and machine grading as well as other environmental factors on ski slope vegetation, including total species richness and the richness of native, endangered, and exotic plants, using a total of 108 plots of 2 m x 10 m. Compared to pasture slopes, forest slopes exhibited significantly lower richness of total plants and native grassland species, including endangered species. Forest slopes were more graded than pasture slopes, resulting in lower native and higher exotic grassland species richness. A significantly lower duration of direct sunlight on forest slopes than on pasture slopes possibly decreased endangered species diversity. The lower species richness on forest slopes may be partly caused by seed dispersal limitations. Our findings demonstrate that ski slopes have good potential to support numerous native grassland plant species, including endangered species, but this potential is significantly and negatively affected by forest use history and concomitant environmental changes. The conservation of semi-natural conditions on pasture slopes as habitats for native grassland species can be promoted through the maintenance of annual mowing practices, avoidance of machine grading, and wider ski courses. NomenclatureYonekura & Kajita (2003) BG Plants: index of Japanese names and scientific names (YList; http://ylist.info/index.html)

Declines in population and diversity of North American bats are rapidly occurring due to habitat loss, incidental take from various industry projects, and lethal White-nose Syndrome disease. It is critical to accurately census habitat for appropriate conservation measures, yet traditional sampling methodology, such as mist netting and acoustic recordings, can be time-intensive and biased. Instead, a passive sampling tool that does not rely on the a priori knowledge of bat roosts may provide crucial information on bat communities. In the water-limited habitats of forested uplands of the Appalachian Plateau, water-filled road-ruts are important resources for bats. Therefore, we developed an environmental DNA (eDNA) protocol to sample isolated road-ruts that may have the presence of sloughed cellular material from actively drinking bats. The detection of bat eDNA was investigated from a positive control experiment, and across 47 water samples collected in Kentucky and Ohio. Water samples were analyzed using both species-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and community metabarcoding methodologies. Using qPCR analysis, we detected eDNA from big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) and eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) from water-filled road-ruts. While the community metabarcoding approach failed to detect any bat eDNA, many non-target amphibians, birds, and mammals were identified. These results suggest eDNA found within road-ruts provides an additional detection tool for surveying biodiversity across upland forests. Additionally, the use of qPCR increased the detection of rare eDNA targets, which will be crucial for properly implementing future eDNA applications for improving bat conservation efforts across the landscape. Article impact statementEnvironmental DNA provides detection of bats from drinking sources offering a novel survey method for management and conservation efforts

Habitat fragmentation alters biodiversity through changes in habitat patch size, structure, and increasing distance between patches. However, if species regularly move across distances greater than those between patches, the effect of distance may approach zero. More studies of highly mobile species such as vesper bats (Vespertilionidae) are needed to clarify how such species respond to fragmentation. This study examines the impact of forest fragmentation on vesper bat community diversity in the Southeastern United States. Using mobile acoustic surveys, bats were monitored along forest transects in the Cherokee National Forest and in surrounding farmlands containing widely spaced forest fragments. The same nine vesper bat species were recorded and identified in both habitat types. Results indicate a 43% decline in vesper bat abundance in the farmland when compared to intact forest, with eight species having a higher abundance within the intact forest. Notably, Seminole bats, (Lasiurus seminolus) maintained similar abundance across habitats, suggesting species-specific responses to fragmentation. Despite identical species richness, diversity indices such as the Shannon diversity index and {beta}Shannon identified lower biodiversity in the farmland when compared to the forest. Our results indicate that despite being highly mobile, vesper bats exhibit a largely negative response to habitat fragmentation and loss. This could be due to the change of the core to edge habitat ratio, emphasizing the importance of conserving core forest habitat to sustain bat biodiversity. Observed species-specific responses to habitat fragmentation indicate a need for further research to elucidate the complexities of managing bat communities in human-modified ecosystems.

Winter supplementary feeding is widely adopted to support wild ungulates during forage scarcity, yet its ecological effectiveness for endangered mountain ungulates experiencing extreme weather-related mortality remains poorly understood. In the winter of 2023-2024, a mass mortality event of long-tailed gorals (Naemorhedus caudatus) in South Korea prompted the installation of emergency feeding stations in core habitats. We used camera traps to quantify feeding activity and assess how environmental and demographic factors shaped visitation. Long-tailed gorals fed primarily around midnight, deviating from their typical diurnal and crepuscular patterns. Feeding frequency increased when dried mulberry (Morus alba) leaves was available, snow covered the ground, and fawns were present. Conversely, visitation declined with warmer temperatures and rainfall. Agonistic interactions peaked during periods of feed depletion, indicating heightened competition over limited resources. Although several individuals occasionally gathered, most stations consistently supported only one or two individuals, reflecting limited reach at the population level. This study provides the first systematic assessment of endangered Long-tailed gorals behavioral and temporal responses to winter supplementary feeding, offering critical baseline data to evaluate and optimize conservation interventions for mountain ungulates.

Road-related mortality, particularly wildlife-vehicle collisions, poses a significant threat to amphibian populations, with billions of individuals falling victim annually. The rapid urban development in Hong Kong, China, including the forthcoming construction of a "Northern Metropolis" area, is expected to bring over 2.5 million new residents, potentially increasing traffic and posing a heightened threat to local amphibians during their migration periods. To help prevent future biodiversity loss, our study focuses on the near-threatened newt species Paramesotriton hongkongensis in Hong Kong, investigating the spatiotemporal distribution of roadkill during migration seasons. Weekly surveys at four hotspots revealed 1,563 animal carcasses, the majority of which were P. hongkongensis. Factors triggering mass mortality events were explored, although no significant correlations were found. Prediction models demonstrated moderate accuracy in detecting mass mortality events, indicating a need for further refinement. Recommendations for site-specific mitigation measures to protect amphibians during their migrations are discussed, with an emphasis on the importance of conducting fine-scale surveys for effective conservation strategies.

Understanding bird diversity across land use and land cover (LULC) in fragmented land-scapes is essential for effective conservation planning in human-modified landscapes. Using one year of eBird data from 2023, this study assessed bird species richness, diversity indices, and feeding guild composition across ten LULC classes in Wayanad, southern India. We employed rarefaction methods to estimate effort-adjusted species richness due to unequal sampling effort across classes, and analysed community composition using Jaccard dissimilarity and Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA). Natural habitats, primarily evergreen and moist deciduous forests, supported the most diverse and functionally specialised bird communities. In contrast, agricultural and urban areas were dominated by generalist guilds such as omnivores and granivores, indicating ecological simplification. Interestingly, tea plantations exhibited high rarefied richness despite lower overall diversity, likely due to uneven sampling patterns. The study demonstrates that citizen science data can reveal meaningful patterns in bird community structure across varied land use types with appropriate analytical corrections. These findings highlight the potential of eBird for landscape-scale biodiversity monitoring and support the value of integrating functional guild perspectives into conservation strategies.

Information on the status of the pillar coral Dendrogyra cylindrus across its global distribution range is needed to plan and implement effective conservation interventions at both the national and regional level. Knowledge on the species distribution and abundance on the southernmost edge of its range was limited to qualitative data gathered in the 1980s. In 2014, we started using local ecological knowledge and extensive surveys to assess the status of the pillar coral in Archipelago Los Roques National Park, Venezuela; also evaluating the species representativeness within the MPA according to the level of protection established by the parks zoning. Between 2014 and 2016, we recorded over 1,000 colonies-the highest abundance reported to date for the species- within 14 different habitat types. Disease, bleaching and partial mortality prevalence were below 4%. Size frequency distribution was uni-modal for the MPA and dominated by medium size colonies (40cm -70cm height) suggesting potential for intrinsic population growth. However, the structure of size classes varied among reefs (Pseudo-F=2.70, p=0.03), indicating asynchronous dynamics mostly driven by reef-scale processes. Overall, our results indicate that Los Roques could be a stronghold for the species. But, to maintain the conservation value for coral reefs and the pillar coral, the MPAs zoning designation needs to be urgently revised and the extension of its high-protection zones expanded to increase habitat redundancy as well as the singular habitats composed by thickets of Acropora cervicornis and mounds of Madracis sp. This work confirms the species as extant in one of the four localities within its national range in Venezuela. However, further research on genetic diversity and connectivity among reefs within the MPA is needed to estimate effective population size and assess viability.

Barrier islands provide resources and ecological services that are integral to economic and environmental interests, such as protection of coastal infrastructure and provision of wildlife habitat. Over time, barrier islands may become eroded and experience land loss, which can require management actions to restore island integrity. Barrier island restoration can create or modify habitats, which can impact the organisms depending on them. Our objective was to understand how the abundance and behaviors of a suite of shorebird species responded to restoration and habitat factors at two restored sites in coastal Louisiana (USA). For five focal species, we used abundance from the breeding and non-breeding seasons as well as breeding, foraging, and maintenance behaviors as response variables in boosted regression tree models to determine the importance of various geospatial and remotely sensed predictor variables related to restoration. Across sites and species, remotely sensed variables, particularly a brightness index, tended to be more important than restoration phases as predictors of bird abundance and behavior. Our results suggest that sediment composition, moisture, and vegetative cover are related to shorebird coastal habitat selection, although the direction and strength of relationships differ among these variables and our focal species. Tying these remote sensing metrics to restoration design and management actions can help land managers better understand factors that attract and benefit birds. Additional research can advance understanding in how remote sensing can be used to monitor the availability of functional habitats for shorebirds.