The role of climate change as a driver of local extinctions has rarely been tested using primary distribution data, largely due to the scarcity of such data for many species, especially from historical periods. Santolina etrusca (Asteraceae), an Italian endemic shrub listed as Near Threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Global Red List of Threatened Species, is a notable exception, as both historical and current distributional data are available for it. In this study, we documented the distribution changes of this species, highlighting the local extinction of populations located in the northernmost and southernmost edges of its historical range during the twentieth century. Direct anthropogenic impacts on land use are unlikely to have been the primary causes of local extinctions, although the absence of historical data prevents us from ruling out past anthropogenic drivers. By analysing the ecological conditions at sites hosting extinct versus extant populations, we identified significant climatic factors that are potentially responsible for this range contraction. Our findings provide empirical evidence of an association between climate change and local extinctions in a Mediterranean plant, suggesting that greater temperature seasonality, continentality and annual temperature range are linked to range contraction.

Long-lived trees support biodiversity at multiple scales, maintain ecosystem functionality, serve as natural archives, and hold cultural and aesthetic value. Despite their importance, the maximum longevity of many tree species remains poorly understood, limiting the design of effective conservation strategies. Challenges in obtaining reliable tree ages are commonly represented by natural wood decay, sampling obstacles, and indistinct or absent annual rings, which prevent or limit the application of tree-ring analyses (dendrochronology). Radiocarbon dating, increasingly accessible and applicable to all species, provides a flexible approach to study tree longevity and its ecological implications. For tropical trees, which mostly lack annual rings, radiocarbon dating is one of the few reliable methods to determine tree ages. Even in sections of the calibration curve characterized by oscillations and plateaus, statistical methods such as wiggle-matching or deposition models may be used to reduce the range of probable tree ages. In this paper, we illustrate a mismatch between tree-ring and radiocarbon-derived estimates of the longevity of angiosperm trees, with tree-ring maximum ages often half of those obtained through radiocarbon dating. We also present the most up-to-date estimates of maximum longevity for 42 arboreal angiosperm species worldwide, based on a literature review. Radiocarbon results indicate that ages of 400–500 years are a common feature of many broadleaved species, while exceptional old ages are restricted to a small minority of individual trees. Our results underscore the need for increased efforts to locate old and ancient trees, investigate their role in ecosystem ecology and ensure their protection.

The study documents the embryonic and larval development of Clarias dussumieri, a Near-Threatened, cultivable, and highly valued food fish endemic to the Western Ghats. Induced breeding facilitated detailed observation of developmental stages using light microscopy. Unfertilized eggs measured 1.5 ± 0.02 mm in diameter and enlarged to 1.7 ± 0.10 mm after fertilization (∼13% increase). The first cleavage occurred at 00:36 ± 00:02 h, reaching 64 cells by 01:35 ± 00:06 h. Epiboly progressed from 30% at 03:20 ± 00:10 h to 50% at 04:30 ± 00:05 h and 90% at 05:50 ± 00:10 h; neurulation was evident by 07:40 ± 01:10 h and somites by 11:08 ± 01:26 h. The first heartbeat appeared during the pharyngula period (17:25 ± 01:30 h), and hatching occurred at 25:30 ± 01:30 h at 26–27°C. Hatched larvae were 4.2 ± 0.02 mm total length, observed few melanophores by 12 h, conspicuous eye pigmentation by 24 h, and body pigmentation spreading by day 2 (5.90 ± 0.04 mm).The yolk sac was fully absorbed by 72 ± 2.50 h post-hatching, marking the onset of exogenous feeding. By day 4 (pre-flexion), larvae reached 7.1 ± 0.02 mm; initial notochord flexion began around day 7 and post-flexion from day 10, with juvenile-like morphology evident by day 25 (15.27–17.80 mm). The standardized timelines and measurements provide a baseline for hatchery practice and conservation aquaculture of C. dussumieri, supporting protocol refinement for improving survival and growth under controlled conditions

Human impacts on species and ecosystems are increasing at a drastic rate. Raptors, a group of birds particularly vulnerable due to their ecological traits, are heavily affected by a variety of direct and indirect threats. Identifying important areas used during the breeding season and assessing exposure to main risks is crucial for promoting effective management and conservation strategies. We GPS-tracked 25 Eleonora’s Falcons Falco eleonorae, i.e. 2% of the Italian breeding population from a colony in Sardinia, and identified an Important Conservation Area (ICA) of 8,099 km2. This ICA spans Sardinia (Italy, 83%) and Corsica (France, 17%), with only 29.1% of its area covered by Natura 2000 sites. During the breeding season falcons undertook extensive excursions across both sea and land (females: 159 ± 288, males: 198 ± 391 km), often reaching areas far from the colony and routinely encountering wind farms. In Sardinia, 10.2% of the region’s turbines were within the ICA. Around 53% of the locations during foraging excursions fell within the turbine rotor-swept zone (RSZ), and accelerometer data revealed that peak flight activity of falcons coincided with peak wind intensity, the moment when turbines are most likely to be operational. Overall, results suggested that Eleonora’s Falcons are highly mobile during the breeding season and that wind farms pose a potential threat. To aid in spatial planning and management, especially considering the predicted increase in offshore wind farms in the area, we provide the identified ICA freely available for download.

Wetlands are critical ecosystems for many species of conservation concern, including migratory birds. These species face resource depletion and unpredictability in the context of global change and are expected to adjust their space use accordingly. Understanding how waterbirds use space and identifying their foraging needs are essential for guiding conservation efforts. Here, we present preliminary results on the fine-scale space use of a wetland flagship species, the Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida, in La Brenne, a historical French breeding stronghold. The species is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ in France and breeds in only a few large wetlands. For the first time, we equipped four adult terns with miniature GPS tracking devices, providing unique, high-resolution data on their daily movements throughout the breeding season (i.e. pre-incubation, incubation, rearing, and post-breeding). Our results showed that most daily foraging trips did not exceed 2–3 km, resulting in relatively small home ranges (ranging from 2.00 km2 to 14.95 km2). Values were higher during the post-breeding period (up to 8 km from the nest and home range size up to 74.45 km2). Furthermore, we found that Whiskered Terns remained faithful to their foraging areas throughout the season and preferentially foraged in ponds – especially those near their colony – compared with other potential foraging habitats. On average, 91% of foraging positions occurred in ponds and 9% in grasslands. We also provide practical details on bird capture and device attachment methods. Finally, this pioneering bio-logging study offers promising prospects for future research on the movement ecology of Whiskered Terns, which could be invaluable for their conservation.

Data on species’ demography are essential to detect changes in population size, identify drivers of population change, motivate conservation plans, or evaluate the effectiveness of management. The Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus is a seabird with a circumpolar distribution, which is listed as “Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) European Red List, although listed as “Least Concern” globally. It is both a predator and a kleptoparasite reliant on marine and terrestrial prey, and undertakes migrations from northern breeding habitats to temperate and tropical marine environments. Most studies of breeding populations originate from North Atlantic populations where Arctic Skuas are primarily kleptoparasitic. However, a large proportion of the global breeding population occupies remote coastal and inland tundra of Arctic regions where Arctic Skuas are more generalist in foraging modality and the range of prey taken. Here, we collated and summed national/regional population estimates to provide an updated global estimate of breeding population size and trends. We reviewed drivers of population change and knowledge gaps, and their implications for the conservation of this species. We estimated a minimum breeding population of 185,131–395,315 pairs combining Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Europe; we extrapolated that at least 40,000 pairs could be found in Asian Russia, where no estimates were available. We noted differential trends, with substantial declines in typically kleptoparasitic populations of the North Atlantic where data quality was higher, whereas for populations in the Nearctic, trend data were scarce and geographically restricted. Various threats were identified as potential drivers of population change, including bottom-up processes, fisheries, heat stress, and interspecific competition/predation. Given the large uncertainty around abundance and population trends for much of the Arctic Skua’s range, the current global conservation status of Least Concern may be better designated as “Data Deficient”, and we encourage the implementation of a range of approaches to improve monitoring of population trends and demography globally.

Scientists still debate whether small groups of Paleolithic hunter-gatherers caused the extinction of large Ice Age animals like prehistoric elephants, giant sloths and cave lions. Beyond paleontology, this question has deep sociological implications and is relevant for how we understand the role of humankind in today’s environmental crisis. A human-driven megafauna extinction has often fostered the idea of a naturalization of human environmental impacts and the belief that all people (modern or ancient, rich or poor, from any part of the world) share responsibility for the current crisis. But is that true? In the review, I discuss whether a long evolutionary history of impacts really makes us inevitably destructive, compelling humanity to accept a devastating anthropocentric dominance as the fateful destiny natural selection built for us. In contrast, I argue that, while our exceptional ability to shape environments has made us a ‘hyper-keystone’ species, benefiting only a few species and humans, this same ability also has the potential to help us restore balance to the world. That requires rejecting anthropocentric supremacy and placing ecosystems at the center stage of our relationship with nonhuman nature. We may have wiped out the mammoths and mastodons, but human destructiveness is not fate.

Cock-tailed Tyrant Alectrurus tricolor (Vieillot, 1816), a Vulnerable South American grassland specialist, is facing substantial habitat loss due to land-use change by agricultural and forestry expansion. This study aims to assess the current distribution and suitable habitat availability for Cock-tailed Tyrant using species distribution modelling (SDM) and recent distributional data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Occurrence data from 1,583 records, mapped by season and habitat type, were used to generate a MaxEnt model with a high predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.974). Results revealed three main distributional clusters: one in Brazil, another spanning Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraguay and north-eastern Argentina, and a separate group in the Bolivian lowlands. Seasonal analysis found no significant distributional shifts, supporting previous findings of the species’ non-migratory behaviour. Key environmental contributors to habitat suitability included ecoregion type, precipitation, and vapour pressure. The predicted suitable habitat covers approximately 177,753 km². These findings underscore the urgent need for conservation efforts focusing on critical grassland habitats, particularly within the Cerrado, Southern Cone Mesopotamian grasslands, and Beni savanna biomes. Sustainable land-use practices, grassland restoration, and periodic habitat reassessments are essential to preserve Cock-tailed Tyrant populations and support the biodiversity of South American grasslands.

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are key components of dryland ecosystems worldwide, contributing to soil stabilization, nutrient cycling and enhancing ecosystem resilience. Despite their ecological importance, biocrusts in the Arabian Peninsula are largely underexplored, with much of the region’s biocrust diversity and functionality remaining undocumented. This review synthesizes current knowledge on biocrusts across the Arabian Peninsula, focusing on their major taxonomic groups (cyanobacteria, fungi, lichens, mosses and algae), their ecological roles and distribution patterns. It also discusses the potential for biocrust restoration through strategies such as cyanobacterial inoculation and passive protection, which could contribute to land degradation and desertification control in the Arabian Peninsula. Our work identifies significant research gaps in biocrust biodiversity, ecophysiology and their role in ecosystem functioning within this region, and calls for more focused research to integrate biocrusts into land management strategies for the Arabian Peninsula.

Visual methods of surveying snakes are subject to observer bias and their accuracy is often questioned. Data collection by non-specialists offers an alternative way to record sightings. We present citizen science as a valuable tool for surveying the viperid snake Lachesis rhombeata, yielding more data than a traditional visual census in a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in north-east Brazil. From visits to local museum/university collections and a literature search, we obtained only 10 georeferenced historical records for this species in the study area dating from 1990 to 2020. In 218 h of visual field surveys during 2022 and 2023, covering 15,000 m2, we did not locate any L. rhombeata individuals, probably because their low population density and cryptic habits made their detection difficult. However, during the same period we acquired 110 georeferenced records through citizen science. The high number of records from citizen science underscores the value of this approach when working with an elusive and threatened snake. Lachesis rhombeata is often implicated in human–wildlife conflict but engaging local people in the project led to positive behavioural changes. Through citizen science we were able to examine live individuals, map the species’ current distribution, investigate threats to its survival and contribute data for studies on taxonomy, diet, home range, diseases and ethno-herpetology.

An understanding of bird movement and habitat use in breeding and non-breeding areas is critical for the conservation of migratory birds. Latham’s Snipe Gallinago hardwickii breeds in Japan and Russia then migrates more than 6,000 km to its non-breeding sites in Australia. It is at risk because it favours areas under pressure from urban development. We investigated the movement patterns of Latham’s Snipe at a key non-breeding site – Jerrabomberra Wetlands, in Canberra, Australia. We tracked 32 Latham’s Snipe using GPS telemetry devices in the 2022/3 and 2023/4 seasons. The tracked birds remained at Jerrabomberra Wetlands for their non-breeding season and formed distinctive and predictable patterns of roosting and foraging. The distance range between roosting and foraging sites was similar across both the 2022/3 and 2023/4 seasons, with 75% of birds travelling less than 2.5 km and the majority of birds travelling <6 km. Approximately one third (31%) of birds travelled up to 30 km overnight before returning to the wetlands, and two birds (6%) travelled up to 140 km for up to three days. Home range sizes averaged 19 ha and did not significantly differ among individuals in either season. The relatively small size of the home ranges and short foraging trip distances suggest that conservation of non-breeding habitat in urbanised areas can be achieved through the protection of small areas, providing the habitat is suitable. However, individuals varied in their use of the broader landscape and therefore their susceptibility to threats may vary. From an urban planning perspective, habitat protection should prioritise roost sites while ensuring a diversity of foraging habitat within 6 km.

Understanding biotic responses to environmental changes will help identify extinction risks and direct conservation efforts to mitigate negative effects associated with anthropogenic-induced environmental changes. Here we use the Quaternary fossil record of mole salamanders (Ambystoma) from the southwestern United States and northern Mexico to reveal geographic patterns of extirpation since the Pleistocene. Ambystoma are known to have previously inhabited regions of central Texas on the Edwards Plateau; however, they are largely absent from the region today. We used a well-dated fossil record of Ambystoma from Hall’s Cave combined with other fossil sites in the region to deduce why Ambystoma was ultimately extirpated from the Edwards Plateau and to test hypotheses related to temperature-driven body-size changes in line with the temperature–size rule. We propose that Ambystoma was likely extirpated from the region due to changing temperature and precipitation regimes that caused increased mortality and disruptions to breeding and larval development. We found some support for decreased body size in Ambystoma with increased temperature during the late Pleistocene, suggesting that body size may be an important feature to monitor in modern populations of Ambystoma as salamanders become subjected to increasingly hotter temperatures in the coming decades.