Biodiversity Research

Taxonomic account of Mimela Kirby, 1823 fauna included within the subfamily Rutelinae recorded from Buxa Tiger Reserve, Dooars, West Bengal, India are dealt herewith. Long term faunistic survey by the authors resulted in the present outcome. Each of the species is redescribed and illustrated, supplemented by digital images. For easy identification of the species, a key has also been provided.

This study documents the traditional knowledge and utilization of wild edible plants (WEP) in wetland areas of Savannakhet and Champasack provinces, southern Lao PDR. Through participatory field collection, free listing, and semi-structured interviews with 104 local informants, we identified a total of 174 WEP species belonging to 55 families. A total of 43 plant families were recorded in Champasack and 49 plant families in Savannakhet. The common families a total of 42 families were found to be common to both provinces. Champasack had one unique family (Lycopodiaceae), and Savannakhet had 12 unique families. The study revealed that trees and grasses were the most common growth forms, while Poaceae and Fabaceae were the most species-rich families in both provinces. Plant parts most frequently used included young leaves and fruits, with notable regional variation: Champasack communities used a broader array of plant parts and species than those in Savannakhet. WEP was primarily consumed as vegetables and fruits, with raw and cooked preparations being most common. The study highlights WEP's ecological and cultural significance, its contribution to food security, and the erosion of traditional knowledge due to generational shifts and migration. Conservation of both plant diversity and indigenous knowledge is recommended to sustain local livelihoods and enhance nutritional resilience.

Butterflies are among the most charismatic insects in forest ecosystems and serve as bioindicators of ecological health. This study documents the butterfly diversity of the Kurchiat range in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, part of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot. Field surveys carried out between February 2023 and March 2024 recorded 59 species of butterflies belonging to 6 families. The checklist includes several threatened and endemic taxa, especially Papilionid swallowtails restricted to the Western Ghats. Families Nymphalidae and Papilionidae were the most species-rich, while Lycaenidae and Riodinidae were represented by fewer taxa. The presence of endangered butterflies like the Malabar Rose (Pachliopta pandiyana), Malabar Banded Swallowtail (Papilio liomedon), and Malabar Banded Peacock (Papilio buddha) underlines the high conservation significance of this range. The study also highlights the importance of maintaining heterogeneous habitats that sustain both widespread and range-restricted species.

This document provides detailed findings on the reproductive biology, behaviour, and ecological adaptations of the Indian chameleon (Chamaeleo zeylanicus) based on studies conducted at Satkoshia Gorge Sanctuary (1975-1981). Key points include: 1. Reproductive Biology • Mating: Occurs in late August, preceded by courtship involving "chase and escape" behaviour. Males display territorial aggression, while females initially resist but become receptive briefly.

Identifying open-air assembly sites is notoriously difficult, and even more so is demonstrating the activities that took place there. This is certainly true for areas where such sites fell out of use early on due to various social changes, and where any traces have often been erased as a result of intensive land use. In this paper, we will focus on an area like that: the Netherlands, but will include data from neighbouring countries. The variation is considerable. Moreover, there is an essential difference between gathering as a goal in itself, arising from social obligation or necessity and forms of gathering that result from activities in a particular place, as is the case with markets and trading places. We explore this diversity, addressing function, organisation, manifestation, landscape setting and identification. We distinguish 1) trading places; 2) rural markets and fairs; 3) court- and meeting places (in the sense of places where meetings took place at local or supra-local level) and 4) honor courts ('courts of fealty'). Broad outlines will be identified for these types of assembly sites: dominant features and developments in time and space, and then also underlying factors/determinants.

The Tarnovski Heights are located in northern part of the Republic of Bulgaria around the city of Veliko Tarnovo, a town with a 6,000 years history and the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (XII-XIV AD). Nowadays on the territory of the Tarnovski Heights, there are 12 protected areas and 4 protected zones of the European ecological network NATURA 2000. The aim of our study was to investigate the following three important groups of plants: species with conservation status, endemics and relics. This study within the Tarnovski Heights is performed for the first time. The total number of plant species with conservation status established by us is 64 (6.64% of the total number of species). One of those species is included in the Appendix II of Directive 92/43/ЕЕС. One species is included in the Appendix I of the Berne Convention. Twenty-two of the species are included in the Appendix II of CITES. In the Red Data Book of Republic of Bulgaria, there are 10 species. The Red List of Bulgarian Vascular Plants features 30 species. In the Act on Amending and Supplementing the Biological Diversity Act of the Republic of Bulgaria are included 42 species. Gathering herbs is prohibited from the natural habitats of 10 species. A restrictive regime for gathering herbs from natural habitats is imposed for 6 species. 9 species (0.93%) are Balkan endemics and 3 species (0.31%) are Bulgarian endemics. The flora of the Tarnovski Heights includes a significant number of relic species as well -a total of 59 (6.12%): 50 of them are Tertiary relics and 9 species are Quaternary relics. The obtained data are compared with data of the Frangensko Plateau (Northeastern Bulgaria), near which is located the city of Varna, an important commercial and port town since the Antiquity with about 7,000 years of history. Both regions were settled as early as the ancient times and were major trading centers for centuries.

This study focuses on socioeconomically disadvantaged areas that desperately need green infrastructures because of their low elevation and adjacent location to hurricane-prone coastal areas. By investigating educational attainment, poverty, and ethnicity data taken from the United States Census Bureau and combining it with Google Earth Street View data, green infrastructures are identi􀅭ied and studied in this work. Within Houston, Texas, the socioeconomically disadvantaged have more green infrastructures than higher education and income levels. The results argue that the pattern of green infrastructure development in Houston is not so much due to the residents' interest and concern for the environment. However, it is more likely the result of past 􀅭lood events. This research indicates that ethnicity may correlate more closely to the location of green infrastructures within the Houston area than previously indicated. The results are discussed with the historical perspective as well as the federal and local government's effort and potential policy implications.

This study focuses on socioeconomically disadvantaged areas that desperately need green infrastructures because of their low elevation and adjacent location to hurricane-prone coastal areas. By investigating educational attainment, poverty, and ethnicity data taken from the United States Census Bureau and combining it with Google Earth Street View data, green infrastructures are identi􀅭ied and studied in this work. Within Houston, Texas, the socioeconomically disadvantaged have more green infrastructures than higher education and income levels. The results argue that the pattern of green infrastructure development in Houston is not so much due to the residents' interest and concern for the environment. However, it is more likely the result of past flood events. This research indicates that ethnicity may correlate more closely to the location of green infrastructures within the Houston area than previously indicated. The results are discussed with the historical perspective as well as the federal and local government's effort and potential policy implications.

Although Podoces pleskei is the only endemic bird of Iran, little information exists on its ecological features, population dynamics and threats that concern it. This species occurs in desert and semi desert areas, mostly on the Iranian plateau, though its range spreads southeast ward to the Iran-Pakistan border. In this research, a total of 52 nests were studied in three locations, the "Ghare Tappe", "Marvast" and "Mehrano" region, from 2005 to 2008. Breeding habits, nest characteristics, hatching features, clutch size, length of incubation time, nesting period and features of the chicks were observed in the three locations and were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). To compare breeding success among the three study areas, Z test was applied. This bird builds its nest at the top of and within the denser parts of plants, particularly Atraphaxis spinosa, Ephedra intermedia and Zygophyllum eurypterum. At times of danger, they hide beneath shrubs...

Oğuzhan Gürsoy İtalya bölümünde, İtalya’nın yerel yönetim yapısını tarihsel gelişimi ve anayasal çerçevesiyle ele almaktadır. İtalya’daki yerel yönetim birimlerinin oluşumu, merkezi yönetimle ilişkileri ve görev dağılımları detaylı bir şekilde incelenmiştir. Ayrıca, belediyeler, bölgeler ve iller arasındaki işleyiş farkları ve bu yapıların mali özerklikleri ele alınmıştır. İtalya’nın yerel yönetim sistemindeki reformlar, demokratikleşme süreçleri ve yerel hizmetlerin sunumunda yaşanan değişimler, ülkenin yönetsel yapısının nasıl şekillendiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Bölüm, İtalya’nın yerel yönetim modelini diğer Avrupa
ülkeleriyle karşılaştırmalı bir bakış açısıyla sunarak güncel dinamiklere ışık tutmaktadır.

Butterflies are indicators of a healthy environment. The current study was undertaken to obtain current diversity and status of butterflies in the Pachamalai hills located at latitudes 11° 09' 00'' to 11° 27' 00'' N and longitudes of 78° 28' 00'' to 78°49' 00'' E situated at the central region of Tamil Nadu, India. The present study was carried out in six reserve forests (RF) including tropical thorn forests, deciduous forests and evergreen forests in Pachamalai hills using point count, opportunistic search and transect or Pollard walk method. The data were analysed for diversity, relative abundance, status and frequency. 122 species of butterflies (approximately 39 % of the butterflies found in Tamilnadu state) were recorded. 37 species of rare butterflies and 10 species of butterflies listed in Wildlife Protection Act necessitate the conservation and further research in this area.

Nicaragua, in the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), agreed to establish a "Representative system of protected areas that adequately conserve biodiversity and terrestrial, marine and inland water ecosystems". Pursuant to the above, we conducted a Gap Analysis of Biodiversity Conservation for the National System of Protected Areas (SINAP) of Nicaragua, focused on terrestrial and inland water ecosystems as well as on terrestrial species. This paper presents the results of the analysis of the conservation status of the endemic species in the national system of protected areas of Nicaragua. The groups considered for analysis were plants, mollusks, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. Data presented came from reviewing books, scientific papers, management plans of protected areas and unpublished reports by the authors, and nearly 140 websites. Of the 75 plant species and 31 animal species considered in the analysis, 25 species have some distribution points within the SINAP (ten of them have only one point). There are 81 species apparently absent from the SINAP. Nicaraguan endemic species are severely unprotected.

La agricultura intensiva, impulsada por la creciente demanda de alimentos, depende en gran medida de agroquímicos para maximizar la producción. Sin embargo, esta práctica tiene serias repercusiones ambientales, especialmente para especies vulnerables como los anfibios.

Changes in anuran (Amphibia: Anura) community composition in Cerro Chompipe, Costa Rica. Amphibian diversity in Costa Rica has declined over the past 40 years, mostly at higher elevations. Cerro Chompipe in the Central Volcanic Cordillera has suffered an extraordinary loss of these species. To measure the degree of contemporary impacts and their effects on anuran communities, I conducted diurnal and nocturnal amphibian surveys for one year at Cerro Chompipe and surrounding sites (from February 2010). Data were compared with species lists reported from the literature in the 1970s. In this survey I recorded only 7 of the 18 species reported originally for Cerro Chompipe, representing a 61% loss of diversity. The most common species recorded were Craugastor podiciferus, Diasporus hylaeformis, Isthmohyla picadoi, I. pseudopuma, Incilius holdridgei and Lithobates taylori. In this survey, the presence of I. holdridgei, a critically endangered toad, was confirmed. Different species composition was observed at lower elevation sites then recorded previously, and none of the historic highland species were recorded at lower elevations. The tree frog, I. pseudopuma, occupied sites voided by species recorded previously, underscoring the observation that this species is an excellent colonizer because of their resistance and adaptation. In this paper I discuss how mass extinctions may alter and rearrange the trophic relationships in ecosystems.

This study documents a total of 81 wild edible plants belonging 37 families and 62 genera, utilized as a source of nutritional and medicinal purposes by the indigenous communities of Kanyakumari District. Among them 80 species are Angiosperms and only one is Gymnosperm. Information was gathered by interviewing kani traditional healers, administrative heads of tribal community and elderly people. Solanaceae was the most dominant family with six wild edible plants followed by Phyllanthaceae, Moraceae, Rutaceae, Dioscoreaceae and others. An ethno-botanical exploration of traditional wild edible plants consumed by the kanikars of Kanyakumari District was carried out and this study focused on the identification and documentation of these plants with their ethno-botanical values and health benefits. All the 81 plants consumed by the tribal people having medicinal values. These edible plants provide significant health benefits because of their high antioxidant content, vitamins and mineral...

Loki, fils de Fárbauti (« coup violent ») et Laufey (« arbre feuillu »), incarne le « coup porté à l’arbre », geste rappelant le rituel de « toucher du bois ». Cette filiation le lie à la forêt, à la vie et à la décomposition. Dans l’épreuve d’Útgarða-Loki, il symbolise la lente voracité naturelle, vaincue par Logi, feu immédiat. L’épisode établit un triptyque : Loki (cycle/nature), Thor (divin/action), Þjálfi (homme/société), chacun porteur d’une morale spécifique.

Son nom, issu des racines indo-européennes *leuk (« lumière ») et *kei (« mouvement »), évoque la « lumière mouvante », assimilée aux feux follets. Or ces flammes errantes, nées de la décomposition, sont dans toutes les cultures des esprits trompeurs des forêts et marais. Loki unit donc deux visages : puissance forestière lente et feu follet insaisissable.

This is to certify that the assignment titled "Threats to Western Ghats conservation efforts" is a bona fide work carried out and submitted by Amjada Yasmin Roll No. 201 of the 3rd Semester Sociology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for internal evaluation. The work embodied in this assignment is original and has been carried out under the supervision and guidance of Mr. Shameer Mohammed, Department of History, during the academic year 2024-25. Introduction.

Durante 30 meses, se realizó un estudio en la localidad de Firavitoba, Boyacá, con el objetivo de evaluar y de analizar los cambios en el dosel y la capacidad de adaptación de tres especies forestales de clima frío, Alnus acuminata, Escallonia pendula y Quercus humboldtii, en un suelo degradado por erosión hídrica. Las tres especies fueron sembradas en dos arreglos espaciales, tres bolillos y rectángulo y dentro de esos arreglos, se ubicaron diferentes tratamientos de mezclas simples y combinadas. Se midieron parámetros, como altura de planta, emisión foliar, índice de área foliar, diámetro de la copa y producción de hojarasca. Se observó que A. acuminata es una planta de gran sensibilidad al estrés hídrico, al presentar altas pérdidas de material por sequía, mientras que E. pendula mostró los mayores índices de sobrevivencia. Sin embargo, A. acuminata es la especie que obtuvo mayores índices de elongación, mayor tasa de emisión foliar y un crecimiento sostenido del IAF, aun cuando presenta periodos de defoliación masiva. Q. humboldtii demostró ser una especie que requiere sombra durante los primeros 24 meses después del transplante, pues al sembrarla individualmente, las plantas crecieron de forma lenta y desarrollaron pocas estructuras foliares. Las tres especies mejoraron las condiciones nutricionales del suelo, debido al aporte de hojarasca. El experimento estableció las condiciones de siembra para las tres especies y concluye quepueden ser usadas, preferiblemente, en mezcla, para programas de reforestación de suelos, con altos niveles de degradación física.

The PREDICTS project-Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.uk)-has collated from published studies a large, reasonably representative database of comparable samples of biodiversity from multiple sites that differ in the nature or intensity of human impacts relating to land use. We have used this evidence base to develop global and regional statistical models of how local biodiversity responds to these measures. We describe and make freely available this 2016 release of the database, containing more than 3.2 million records sampled at over 26,000 locations and representing over 47,000 species. We outline how the database can help in answering a range of questions in ecology and conservation biology. To our knowledge, this is the largest and most geographically and taxonomically representative database of spatial comparisons of biodiversity that has been collated to date; it will be useful to researchers and international effort...

Species diversity and abundance of scarab beetles was studied from Assam, northeast India from 20072013. A total of 44 species of scarabs under 6 sub families and 21 genera were identified, out of which 41 species are new records. Majority of the phytophagous species belonged to the subfamily Melolonthinae and Rutelinae while the coprophagous species belonged to Dynastinae and Cetoniinae. Species profiling revealed that Apogonia ferruginea was the most predominant species and contributed 17.60 per cent out of the total number of beetles followed by Anomala chlorosoma (14.56%), Adoretus spp. (12.75%), Apogonia area (10.94%) and Sophrops irridipennis (10.63%) with peak population in the month of July (419.14). Multiple regression analysis with weather parameters revealed that beetle population was influenced by combined effects of maximum temperature, total rainfall and wind speed in all years with maximum variation in 2007 (78.66%) and minimum in 2012 (59.56%).

The recent development of techniques to sequence ancient DNA has provided valuable insights into the civilisations that came before us. However, the full potential of these methods has yet to be realised. We extracted ancient DNA from a recently exposed fracture surface of a clay brick deriving from the palace of king Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 BCE) in Nimrud, Iraq. We detected 34 unique taxonomic groups of plants. With this research we have made the pioneering discovery that ancient DNA, effectively protected from contamination inside a mass of clay, can successfully be extracted from a 2900-year-old clay brick. We encourage future research into this subject, as the scientific prospects for this approach are substantial, potentially leading to a deeper understanding of ancient and lost civilisations. Near the river Tigris, outside the ancient city of Kalhu, known today as Nimrud, a brickmaker once prepared a clay brick for the construction of a new palace dedicated to his king Ashurnasirpal II (approximately 883-859 BCE). Little did he know, that almost 2900 years later, this insignificant clay brick would serve as a unique time capsule revealing details of the flora from this specific area and time, through the modern-day investigation of the ancient DNA hidden and preserved for thousands of years. The sampling material. This investigation presents the discovery of ancient DNA (aDNA) in samples from an approximately 2900-year-old clay brick kept at the National Museum of Denmark. Showcasing a novel application of aDNA analysis and its results, we provide a discussion of the identified flora in relation to the rich abundance of textual evidence available from ancient Mesopotamia (roughly modern-day Iraq and Syria) to situate our findings in broader current discussions regarding the domestication of plants in this area. The brick in question (museum number 13854) was donated to the National Museum of Denmark in 1958 by the Rask Ørsted Foundation. It was discovered during the British excavations of Nimrud, beginning in 1949. Assyriologist Jørgen Laessøe ensured financial support from the state-funded Rask Ørsted Foundation making it possible for him and other Danes to participate in the excavations. In 1958, the National Museum received a group of objects from Nimrud, including the brick in question, in acknowledgement of the support. At the time when it entered the collection at the National Museum of Denmark, it had already broken into two pieces horizontally. Due to their state, mudbricks are seemingly solid, yet delicate in nature. During an otherwise controlled handling in 2020, the lower half of the brick unfortunately split vertically into two pieces. This event presented an opportunity for a scientific study of uncontaminated clay that could be dated with relative certainty. It was from this new uncontaminated break that the samples for this study were extracted (Fig. ). Made primarily of mud collected locally near the Tigris river, mixed with some botanical material such as chaff or straw, or animal dung, the brick was shaped in a mould before it was inscribed with so-called cuneiform signs, recording a dialect of the now extinct Semitic language Akkadian, after which it was placed in the sun to dry 1,2 . Mudbricks with cuneiform inscriptions were traditionally used for the construction of monumental

Although high mountain areas have traditionally been viewed as predominantly grazing areas, with low population and a high degree of land-use stasis, recent research suggest that land-use complexity and change over time has been underestimated. This interdisciplinary palaeoenvironmental analysis has been carried out on the Pradell calcareous fen, located in the eastern Pre-Pyrenees (Spain) at 1975 m a.s.l., and it comprises different environmental indicators: pollen, stomata, non-pollen palynomorphs, macrocharcoal particles, lithostratigraphy, sedimentology and geochemistry. The results of this high temporal resolution study are integrated with archaeological data, and together provide strong evidence for the complexity of the high-mountain land-use system over the last 1500 years. Archaeological fieldwork has shown the rise of highland mining activities during the Roman period. Later, frequent fires resulted from the farming and settlement that followed the Christian conquest. Geoc...

Previous research acknowledges the ancient and complex land-use history of European mountainous areas, which are characterised by a remarkable regional variability in terms of human practices and patterns of occupation during the Holocene. However, the combined palaeoenvironmental and archaeological study of highland human management at a micro-regional scale remains a largely unexplored research field, especially in the Pyrenees. A combined pollen, stomata, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) and macrocharcoal study was carried out at three nearby alpine and subalpine peat basins from a relatively small territory (ca.1700 ha) at the Madriu valley (Andorra, eastern Pyrenees), following a fine spatial-resolution strategy. The purpose was to test the suitability of high altitudinal palaeoecological sequences when reconstructing past smallscale land-use variability. The palaeoecological results of those peat records are compared and further integrated with archaeological local data, and together underline the marked complexity of high mountain land-use system over the Holocene period. Main phases of micro-regional land-use and landscape variability can be distinguished from the middle Neolithic to the early Bronze Age and from the Roman Period to the Modern Era. Conversely, several phases of homogeneous landscape management are distinguishable during the early Neolithic, and from the late Bronze to the late Iron Age. Results drawn from this study show that landscape variability is not necessarily connected to topographic or climatic parameters, and underline the role of social, economical and cultural parameters in the land-use organisation and the landscape shaping of high mountain spaces since Prehistory.

Exploiting small angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS/SANS) on the same sample volume at the same time provides complementary nanoscale structural information at two different contrast situations. Compared with an independent experimental approach, the truly combined SAXS/SANS experimental approach ensures the exactness of the probed samples particularly for in-situ studies. Here, we introduce an advanced portable SAXS system that is dimensionally suitable for installation at D22 zone of ILL. The SAXS apparatus is based on a RIGAKU copper/molybdenum switchable microfocus rotating anode X-ray generator and a DECTRIS detector with a changeable sample-to-detector distance of up to 1.6 m in a vacuum chamber. A science case has been presented to demonstrate the uniqueness of the newly established method at ILL. Temporal structural rearrangements of both, organic stabilizing agents and organically capped gold colloidal particles during gold nanoparticle growth are simultaneously probed, enabling immediate correlated structural information. The newly established nano-analytical method at ILL will open the way for real time investigations of a wide range of innovative nanomaterials and will enable comprehensive in situ studies on biological systems. A potential development of a fully-automated SAXS/SANS system with a common control environment and additional sample environments, permitting a continual and efficient operation of the system at the hands of ILL users, has also been introduced.

Avifaunal diversity plays a very important role in determining the health of an ecosystem. The study was conducted over a period of 12 months from July 2018 to June 2019. The bird species were recorded using point counts and line transects method where ever possible for studying avian diversity. A total of 56 species belonging to 33 families and 12 orders were recorded during the study period. Least concern were recorded 100% A total of 8% species accounted for migratory and 4% species of near threatened were recorded. This study provides baseline data for monitoring the avifauna in the University campus and demonstrates the importance of University campus in bird conservation.

Central Indian forested lands, biologically one of the most diverse regions in India, are facing the serious problem of habitat fragmentation both at small and large scales. While the entire conservation programme in this region revolves around a network of protected ...

This work presents new records and extends the geographic distribution of Heliconius sara apseudes in theAtlantic Forest of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Five new records were taken along butterfly inventories carried outbetween 2005 and 2010 in distinct phytophysiognomies at Rio Grande do Sul northeast region: Swamp Forest, AtlanticForest stricto sensu and Araucaria Moist Forest. The fact that all registers occurred in well preserved habitats of the AtlanticForest emphasizes the need of conservation of this biome in Rio Grande do Sul.

Bird diversity plays an important role for the endangered ecosystem, because birds are good indicator species and their presence shows the overall health of the system. The study was carried out at Samoha Dam which is highly productive and unique ecosystem that supports large number of birds, for the period of one year during June 2015 to May 2016. In the present study total 57 species of were recorded belonging to 34 families and 28 order. Bird Diversity was calculated by using the Shannon-Weinner Index methods to compare the avifaunal diversity of the study area.

The present study deals with a new spider species, state, India. It is a new genus and species on the Chhattisgarh spider fauna list. A new spider species 1935 is added to the spider fauna list of Chhattisgarh. This discovery wi Chhattisgarh and their diversity.

Purpose-This study aims to examine the role and application of extinction accounting as a governance tool to address biodiversity loss in the context of rapid urbanisation. Focusing on the motivations, strategies and institutional dynamics of government bodies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Hong Kong, an indepth analysis of the challenges and opportunities for urban biodiversity conservation within constrained metropolitan settings is presented. Design/methodology/approach-Using interpretive content analysis, the study evaluates the Hong Kong Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (HKBSAP) and annual reports from selected Hong Kong government agencies and NGOs (2016-2023). Context-specific processes, challenges and tensions in extinction accounting practices are identified, highlighting the way institutional dynamics and power disparities influence biodiversity conservation efforts. Findings-The research reveals significant divergence in extinction accounting approaches between government and NGO bodies: government entities prioritise quantifiable, urban planning-driven metrics, while NGOs emphasise ecocentric values and grassroots engagement. Although cross-sector collaboration has advanced certain conservation efforts, persistent power asymmetries and the predominance of anthropocentric motivations continue to constrain broader transformation. Drawing on these empirical insights, the study proposes pathways that integrate measurable approaches such as habitat-hectare metrics and open data portals, paired with participatory governance structures. These improvements can foster more inclusive, ecocentric and effective biodiversity governance in urban contexts. Research limitations/implications-This study expands both the theoretical and practical understanding of extinction accounting by situating it within metropolitan public-sector biodiversity governance. The analysis demonstrates how integrating evidence-based practices with adaptive and inclusive recommendations can guide the development of context-sensitive frameworks in diverse urban settings. Originality/value-The study addresses a significant gap in the biodiversity governance literature by positioning evidence-based research on extinction accounting within densely urbanised environments. The actionable recommendations provide scalable, evidence-based strategies that empower policymakers and practitioners to strengthen biodiversity stewardship in cities worldwide.

Context. Habitat loss is a primary contributor to the decline in koala populations. While existing legislation aims to preserve koala habitats, on-ground surveys for habitat classification are timeconsuming, potentially biased, and limited in scale. Leveraging plant community type (PCT) mapping for large-scale classification of koala habitat is promising but requires testing and clear methodological steps. Aims. We describe and test a method (the 'PCT/SEPP' method) to use PCT mapping to predict legal koala habitat as defined under NSW State Environmental Planning Policy (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021 (SEPP) in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales (NSW). Methods. We surveyed 195 sites (49 PCTs) and measured the frequency of koala use tree species (KTS) as outlined in the SEPP. Next, using the FIDEL tables for the NSW PCTs, we assigned the expected average frequency and median combined cover of KTS to each site, on the basis of its associated PCT (the 'PCT/SEPP' method). We assessed sites for legal ('potential') koala habitat by using field vegetation survey data and 'PCT/SEPP' data, comparing congruence. Finally, we evaluated the effectiveness of both methods in identifying contemporary occupied ('core') koala habitat by using records from dog and acoustic surveys, and BioNet Atlas (as per the SEPP). Key results. Legal koala habitat, verified from on-ground field surveys, was best predicted by the 'PCT/SEPP' method which used a '15% frequency/15% cover' rule for KTS. This rule was also the best matching for occupied koala habitat, outperforming the field method by a small margin. Conclusions. Our study supports the effectiveness of the 'PCT/SEPP' method in predicting legal koala habitat in the Hastings-Macleay region. Further testing would be required before the approach can be extended to other regions. Implications. The proposed method introduces a possible means for conducting large-scale assessment of land for legal koala habitat classification. In the future, the use of a standardized and reliable method, such as the one described here, should be considered in biodiversity conservation and land-use planning.

Vespula germanica is an invasive worldwide species that has been detected in continental Patagonia of Argentina and Chile. In this work, we extend the range of this invasive wasp in Patagonia to include the Tierra del Fuego Archipelago. We indicate the location, year and habitat of each sighting and/or collection. The expansion pattern of this species indicates that it is well established in natural and anthropogenic areas and that it has most probably depended on human transport to arrive from the continent. This short communication also provides information to take practical measures for its mitigation and control, including basic information for the citizens of the island to become aware of its presence and help it not arrive to new areas. Finally, more research is recommended for management and control of this new invasive species in Tierra del Fuego.

Nowadays, marketing influences landscape design plant selection in Thailand, with less concern for ecology, culture, or local identity. Archaic murals showing historical contexts offer extraordinary evidence related to the effort to understand the history of plants in the geographic area. It is highly informative to study whether plants on murals correlate with plants that were part of daily life at the time that the murals were created. The study of Thailand's famous murals at Phumin and Nongbua temples is the first complete identification of plant species in Tid Buaphan's murals in Nan province. It aims to (1) document the plants on the murals in a database, (2) categorize and analyze them in order to identify their species, and (3) validate the plant species and study how they were used for landscape design in various contexts. The murals at both temples were examined, photographed, and coded for documentation in a database. The collected pictures were classified by physical characteristics and identified by investigating the Tai Lue scripts and Lord Buddha allegories, which are represented as stories on the murals. Moreover, some realistic paintings were analyzed and compared with botany literature and discussed in interviews with a botanist. There are 259 paintings in 76 groups at Phumin temple, and 560 paintings in 138 groups at Nongbua temple. The results show 35 hypothetical species, including eight exotic species. Plants are represented in various contexts, including residences, towns, and agricultural and natural areas. The identified species were potentially used for consumption, daily use, ornamentation, or a representions of religious or cultural beliefs. This research suggests plant species that reveal their historical value and can be used for current landscape design that seeks to express the historical and cultural values of Nan province.

Keywords:plant species, landscape, mural painting, plant identification, Thai painting, Thai temple

Jambey Tsering, BJ Gogoi, Pallabi K Hui, N Tam & Hui Tag* Department of Botany, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Doimukh791 112, Arunachal Pradesh, India; Orchid Research Centre, Tipi, Bhalukpong790 114, Arunachal Pradesh, India; Defence Research Laboratory, Post Bag No.2, Tezpur784001, Assam, India; National Institute of Technology, District Papum Pare, Yupia791 112, Arunachal Pradesh, India; State Forest Research Institute, Van Vihar, P B No-159, Itanagar791 111, Arunachal Pradesh, India E-mail: huitag2008rgu@gmail.com

The Cerrado biome, a biodiversity hotspot, faces challenges such as soil degradation and water resource depletion. Passive restoration is a strategy used to recover its ecosystem, with remote sensing technology enabling monitoring of forest recovery and environmental changes. This study applied multi-temporal analysis using environmental data and vegetation indices to assess a passive restoration area in a reserve at Brotas, Brazil. Data were gathered from a meteorological station and Landsat-8 satellite images. Vegetation indices such as the Simple Ratio Index (SRI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) were calculated and analyzed over time (2014-2020) by year and season (winter and summer). The environmental analysis revealed seasonal differences, highlighting the contrast between the dry winter months and wet summer months. All vegetation indices varied across years, SRI and EVI also showing seasonal differences. A noticeable deviation was observed in 2014-2015, attributed to the severe drought of 2014, with a lagged response in vegetation. Our results demonstrate that vegetation indices are effective tools for assessing ecological resilience under climate extremes and can provide evidence for designing public policies. Specially, linking passive restoration outcomes to land tenure security and watershed conservation highlights the role of tenurerestoration nexus in ensuring log-term success. These findings have implications for conservation policy in Brazil and elsewhere, reinforcing that ecological recovery strategies must be integrated with land use and land tenure frameworks to achieve sustainable climate adaptation and ecosystem services.

There was early enthusiasm in Australia, and the world in general, for forestry to be a major contributor to carbon emissions mitigation. However, forestry incorporating neutral and negative emissions technologies, has not contributed as expected to mitigation, even when combined with bioenergy. This thesis explores why Australia's natural advantage associated with forestry and agriculture was not exploited as expected. It focuses in particular on reforestation in agroforestry systems or carbon agroforestry, a form of bio-sequestration integrated into agriculture, which has the potential to contribute significantly to climate change mitigation and provide a range of sustainability and production co-benefits, including bioenergy. Socio-Technical Transition theory, an approach to explaining barriers to technology change, is used to explain why carbon agroforestry has not played the major role anticipated for this form of abatement. The theory helps explain the complexity of motivating and supporting large numbers of stakeholders through a multi-level transition to an agricultural economy-wide adoption. While transition theory has been used in agricultural systems, this thesis extends its application to carbon agroforestry. In order to apply transition theory to agroforestry, it is necessary to identify additional influences on agricultural systems, such as international concerns surrounding land use change and definitions of sustainability in agroforestry. In addition, this thesis draws upon path dependency analysis to assist the explanation of the rate of change to integrated agroforestry. The expanded set of influences which constrain or encourage movement towards adoption, provides a more complete analysis which can be applied globally. A case study drawn from the dryland farming areas of Western Australia identifies many national, local and regional influences on the expansion of carbon agroforestry. The Oil Mallee Project resulted in millions of short-stature eucalypts (Oil Mallees) being integrated into dryland cropping and grazing systems on around 1000 properties. Financial support from the Commonwealth and State Governments was provided to plant the trees to combat salinity and wind erosion. A key ambition of Oil Mallee Project was to extend the management of these plantations to include the production of eucalyptus oil and bioenergy, thereby creating new regional industries and further expanding agroforestry. However, the project did not expand beyond experimentation and the trialling of new multi-product technologies.

In the tranquil village of Cholti Kheri, nestled within Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib district, stands a natural wonder that has silently observed centuries of history unfold beneath its vast canopy. The Kaya Kalp Vriksh, affectionately known as the Great Banyan Tree, is far more than a tree-it is a living testament to nature's resilience and the cultural reverence it inspires. Spanning an impressive 3.5 acres and estimated to be over 300 years old, this majestic banyan was declared Punjab's first Biodiversity Heritage Site in 2021, a fitting recognition of its ecological and cultural significance.

The Ecological and Heath Gardens at the Royal botanic Garden Edinburgh were created in 1991 and 1997 respectively. The Ecological Garden started as a naturalistic area of native woodland plants where cryptogams were encouraged to grow. building on its success other habitat types were created nearby. The Heath Garden replaced an older heather garden and sought to recreate the ‘feel’ of a Scottish upland heathland. in recent years additional wild origin material of conservation concern has been added to each Garden and this paper describes the process along with some of the plants selected.

We show that the decline in the extinction rate during the Phanerozoic can be accurately parameterized by a logarithmic fit to the cumulative total extinction. This implies that extinction intensity is falling off approximately as the reciprocal of time. We demonstrate that this observation alone is sufficient to explain the existence of the proposed power-law forms in the distribution of the sizes of extinction events and in the power spectrum of Phanerozoic extinction, results which previously have been explained by appealing to self-organized critical theories of evolutionary dynamics.

UTG Journal No. 11 International Edition is now available, including articles by 12 authors covering 8 countries - hence the International Edition subtitle to this issue of the journal. There were challenging objectives set for this issue of the journal but were well met because of the extensive work of the authors. Key themes: (1) Humanity’s relationship with Nature, including environmental education; (2) World overpopulation. On the first theme there are a number of articles ranging from personal accounts through to the more systemic. Also, there are exemplary examples of environmental education in Finland, Ukraine and Cabo Verde. The underlying strategy here is to take people from their present attitudes to Nature to biocentric and then ecocentric perspectives. The article on overpopulation is a comprehensive account of the real issues facing this planet. Comment from a reader: "Excellent journal! The different examples maintained a coherent and intellectual message while at the same time infused a very personal and humane perspective."

The Grivet monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops aethiops) is an Old World primate distributed east of the White Nile from Sudan to Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti. We studied the diet composition and preference of Grivet monkeys in and around Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources in Ethiopia from February 2021 to June 2022 during both the wet and dry seasons, using the instantaneous scan sampling method at 15-minute intervals for up to 10 minutes. The line transect method and plot sampling were used to collect data on the availability of plant-based food items in the sampling sites. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, such as the Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test, were used to analyze the data. Grivet monkeys consumed 47 food sources grouped into 41 plant species-27 wild plants, 14 field crops, 5 cooked food types, and 1 insect-during the entire season. On average, forb leaves (32±3.2%) and fruits (26±2.5%) comprised the highest percentage of their diet, whereas the 'roasted grain' (0.1±0.1%), roots (0.3±0.2%), and insects (0.5±0.4%) comprised the lowest. Psidium guava, Desmodium intortum, and Persea americana were the three most common plant species, and Coffee arabica, Bidens pilosa, and Callistemon linearis were the least common plant species preferred by the grivet monkey. Grivet monkeys consumed more food during the dry season than during the wet season. We therefore recommend that the regional government should stop deforestation and rehabilitate the natural forests. Sustainable management is needed for the top preferred plant species to allow grivet monkeys to optimize their diet.

Butterflies are well known for their ecological services as good pollinators and bioindicators of ecosystem health. The current study examined the diversity and abundance of butterflies on the Acharya Prafulla Chandra College campus between November and March. A total of 36 species from 5 families were identified. The family Lycaenidae contributed the most species (13), while Hesperiidae only had two. The family Pieridae (34%) displayed the highest abundance count, indicating its dominance within the assemblage, followed by Lycaenidae (24.7%), Nymphalidae (20.7%), Papilionidae (18.7%), and Hesperiidae (1.8%). Species were categorized as rare, regular, or abundant, with community structure reflecting the coexistence of a few dominant taxa alongside several rare ones. Diversity peaked in November (H? = 3.355, Simpson 1–D = 0.9602), which corresponded with favorable floral resources, demonstrating seasonal variation. Rank abundance curves showed a log-normal distribution of species, indicating ecological stability, and rarefaction analysis validated sufficient sampling effort. NMDS showed distinct clustering and separation of butterfly assemblages across habitat types, reflecting habitat heterogeneity. Pieridae and Nymphalidae occupied multiple habitats, whereas Lycaenidae and Papilionidae were associated with specific vegetation, particularly nectar-rich ornamental gardens. Overall, the results provide baseline data for long-term monitoring and conservation plans, highlighting the significance of the college campus's semi-urban landscape as a butterfly habitat.

Os Psittacidae são aves cosmopolitas amplamente encontradas em território brasileiro. Esses animais sofrem com o comércio ilegal, um mercado que cresce a cada ano no Brasil. Os animais apreendidos no tráfico de animais silvestres, de acordo com a legislação, são destinados aos Centros de Triagem de Animais Silvestres (CETAS), onde passam por procedimentos de recepção, manejo, reabilitação e destinação. Os animais aptos para soltura são encaminhados as Áreas de Soltura e Monitoramento de Fauna (ASMF) seguindo os protocolos vigentes em legislação específica. As ASMF são locais em que os animais destinados passam por um período de pré-aclimatização em viveiros integrados com a natureza, ao final deste processo é realizada a soltura dos indivíduos de acordo com os protocolos de soltura branda (Soft Release). Este trabalho apresenta um levantamento de dados e discussão das ocorrências de Psittacidae do CETAS-IBAMA de Lorena/SP, descrevendo como os processos de recepção e contenção das aves, os recintos onde são mantidas, os processos de reabilitação e a possível destinação final. As espécies mais frequentes no CETAS-IBAMA de Lorena/SP, entregues voluntariamente ou apreendidas, durante os anos de 2012 e 2013, foram Amazona aestiva e Psittacara leucophthalmus, além das quais foi possível verificar a recepção de diversas espécies que figuram na Lista de Espécies da Fauna Silvestre Ameaçadas de Extinção como Amazona rhodocorytha, Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus, Pyrrhura pfrimeri, Amazona vinacea e Guaruba guarouba. Dados quantitativos apontaram um predomínio na destinação dos animais para áreas de soltura em relação às destinações para criadouros e mantenedores. Vinte e cinco projetos de soltura foram realizados pelo CETAS-IBAMA de Lorena/SP e os animais encaminhados a ASMF. Desta forma, o CETAS-IBAMA de Lorena/SP representa uma referência nas atividades de recepção, triagem, reabilitação e destinação de animais silvestres no estado de São Paulo.