Climate-change habitat shifts for the vulnerable endemic oak species(Quercus arkansana Sarg.)

Quercus arkansana(Arkansas oak)is at risk of becoming endangered,as the total known population size is represented by a few isolated populations.The potential impact of climate change on this species in the near future is high,yet knowledge of its predicted effects is limited.Our study utilized the biomod2 R package to develop habi-tat suitability ensemble models based on bioclimatic and topographic environmental variables and the known loca-tions of current distribution of Q.arkansana.We predicted suitable habitats across three climate change scenarios(SSP1-2.6,SSP2-4.5,and SSP5-8.5)for 2050,2070,and 2090.Our findings reveal that the current suitable habitat for Q.arkansana is approximately 127,881 km^(2) across seven states(Texas,Arkansas,Alabama,Louisiana,Mississippi,Georgia,and Florida);approximately 9.5%is encompassed within state and federally managed protected areas.Our models predict that all current suitable habitats will disap-pear by 2050 due to climate change,resulting in a northward shift into new regions such as Tennessee and Kentucky.The large extent of suitable habitat outside protected areas sug-gests that a species-specific action plan incorporating pro-tected areas and other areas may be crucial for its conserva-tion.Moreover,protection of Q.arkansana habitat against climate change may require locally and regionally focused conservation policies,adaptive management strategies,and educational outreach among local people.

Influence of Human Activity Intensity on Habitat Quality in Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park,China

Due to long-term human activity interference,the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park(HTRNP)of China has experienced ecological problems such as habitat fragmentation and biodiversity loss,and with the expanding scope and intensity of human activity impact,the regional ecological security is facing serious challenges.A scientific assessment of the interrelationship between human activity intensity and habitat quality in the HTRNP is a prerequisite for achieving effective management of ecological disturbances caused by human activities and can also provide scientific strategies for the sustainable development of the region.Based on the land use change data in 2000,2010,and 2020,the spatial and temporal variations and the relationship between habitat quality(HQ)and human activity intensity(HAI)in the HTRNP were explored using the integrated valuation of ecosystem services and trade-offs(InVEST)model.System dynamics and land use simulation models were also combined to conduct multi-scenario simulations of their relationships.The results showed that during 2000–2020,the habitat quality of the HTRNP improved,the intensity of human activities decreased each year,and there was a negative correlation between the two.Second,the system dynamic model could be well coupled with the land use simulation model by combining socio-economic and natural factors.The simulation scenarios of the coupling model showed that the harmonious development(HD)scenario is effective in curbing the increasing trend of human activity intensity and decreasing trend of habitat quality,with a weaker trade-off between the two compared with the baseline development(BD)and investment priority oriented(IPO)scenarios.To maintain the authenticity and integrity of the HTRNP,effective measures such as ecological corridor construction,ecological restoration,and the implementation of ecological compensation policies need to be strengthened.

Disentangling the effects of management and climate change on habitat suitability for saproxylic species in boreal forests

Forest degradation induced by intensive forest management and temperature increase by climate change are resulting in biodiversity decline in boreal forests.Intensive forest management and high-end climate emission scenarios can further reduce the amount and diversity of deadwood,the limiting factor for habitats for saproxylic species in European boreal forests.The magnitude of their combined effects and how changes in forest management can affect deadwood diversity under a range of climate change scenarios are poorly understood.We used forest growth simulations to evaluate how forest management and climate change will individually and jointly affect habitats of red-listed saproxylic species in Finland.We simulated seven forest management regimes and three climate scenarios(reference,RCP4.5 and RCP8.5)over 100 years.Management regimes included set aside,continuous cover forestry,business-as-usual(BAU)and four modifications of BAU.Habitat suitability was assessed using a speciesspecific habitat suitability index,including 21 fungal and invertebrate species groups.“Winner”and“loser”species were identified based on the modelled impacts of forest management and climate change on their habitat suitability.We found that forest management had a major impact on habitat suitability of saproxylic species compared to climate change.Habitat suitability index varied by over 250%among management regimes,while overall change in habitat suitability index caused by climate change was on average only 2%.More species groups were identified as winners than losers from impacts of climate change(52%–95%were winners,depending on the climate change scenario and management regime).The largest increase in habitat suitability index was achieved under set aside(254%)and the climate scenario RCP8.5(>2%),while continuous cover forestry was the most suitable regime to increase habitat suitability of saproxylic species(up to+11%)across all climate change scenarios.Our results show that close-to-nature management regimes(e.g.,continuous cover forestry and set aside)can increase the habitat suitability of many saproxylic boreal species more than the basic business-as-usual regime.This suggests that biodiversity loss of many saproxylic species in boreal forests can be mitigated through improved forest management practices,even as climate change progresses.

Effects of habitat configuration on biodiversity along gradients of forest cover on the Swiss Plateau

The negative effects of habitat loss on biodiversity are undisputed,while the effect of habitat configuration,i.e.,the spatial arrangement of habitat area,has been debated for decades.To develop a more comprehensive understanding,it is important to know when and how configuration matters.In this study,we tested whether forest configuration influences the richness of species in groups characterized by varying shade tolerance in different ways and how such effects are related to habitat amount(i.e.,the percentage of forest cover)at the landscape scale.Based on 104 survey plots(each measuring 1km^(2))of vascular plants on the Swiss Plateau,and using two statistical approaches(i.e.,multiple regression and path analysis),we modeled the effects of habitat amount and configuration(measured as number of forest patches,total edge length,and proximity index)across all the plots and separately for three habitat amount classes:<10%,10%–30%,and>30%forest cover.When we modeled all plots together,we found that,after controlling for habitat amount,the forest configuration significantly affected species richness.When we considered the different habitat amount classes separately,most of the significant effects of habitat configuration on species richness occurred only for habitat amounts of<10%forest cover.Additionally,the response to forest configuration differed among species with different shade tolerances.When forest area was<10%,the effects of the number of patches and the total edge length on the species richness of light-demanding forest species were greater than the effect of habitat amount,whereas neither configuration metric affected the richness of shade-tolerant species.In conclusion,our findings highlight the importance of configuration in landscapes with a small amount of habitat.At the same time,they demonstrate that considering the confounding factors(e.g.species traits)is important for understanding the effects of forest configuration on biodiversity and that generalizations remain a challenge for landscape ecology.

Assessment of the Characteristics of Demersal Fish Communities Using Species-and Trait-Based Approaches in the Coastal Habitats Along Rongcheng Bay,Shandong Peninsula,China

Biodiversity declines have motivated many studies on the relationship between species diversity and ecosystem functioning.In this study,we described the spatial-temporal characteristics of demersal fish communities along a coastal habitat in Rongcheng Bay,Shandong Peninsula,China with both species-based and biological trait-based approaches.The field survey was carried out monthly using traps from April to October of 2018,and divided into three seasons(spring:April and May;summer:June,July and August;autumn:September,October and November).The study area included five distinct habitats:seagrass bed,natural rocky reef,bare sand,artificial reef together with natural rocky reef,and artificial reef together with bare sand.We analyzed the fish communities with three taxonomic diversity indices,including Shannon-Wiener,Simpson,and Pielou Evenness,as well as four functional diversity indices,including FRic,FEve,FDiv,and FDis,based on 7 functional groups which are categorized into 27 traits.The results showed that there were no significant differences in taxonomic diversity indices among different habitats in the three seasons.However,significant differences were found in the functional richness of fish communities among different habitats in three seasons.Seagrass bed represented the highest functional richness in spring and autumn.This study demonstrates that seagrass bed is very important in enhancing the functional diversity of fish communities in a complex habitat.The study also indicates that the combination of taxonomic diversity and functional diversity will provide a more detailed description of the characteristics of fish communities.

Activity Pattern and Habitat Use of Shorebirds in an Artificial Wetland Complex:A Case Study of Breeding Pied Avocet in the Yellow River Delta,China

With the loss of substantial natural wetlands in coastal zones,artificial wetlands provide alternative habitats for many shorebirds.Scientific management of artificial wetlands used by shorebirds plays an important role in maintaining the stability of shorebird population.Satellite tracking technique can obtain high-precision location information of individuals day and night,providing a good technical support for the study of quantitative relationship between waterfowls and their habitats.In this study,satellite tracking method,Remote Sensing(RS)and Geographic Information System(GIS)technology were used to analyze the activity pattern and habitat utilization characteristics of Pied Avocet during breeding period in an artificial wetland complex in the Yellow River Delta(YRD),China.The results showed that the breeding Pied Avocets had a small range of activity,with a total core and main home range of 33.10 km^(2) and 216.30 km^(2),respectively.This species tended to forage in the pond and salt pan during the day and night,respectively,with an unfixed staying time in the breeding ground.The distance between breeding ground and feeding ground was less than 6 km.It is emphasized that in addition to improving the conditions of the remaining natural habitats,effective managing artificial habitats is a priority for shorebird conservation.This research could provide reference for the management of artificial wetlands in coastal zones and supply technique support for the protection of shorebirds and their habitats,and alleviate human-bird conflicts and sustainable development of coastal zones.

Island biogeography theory and the habitat heterogeneity jointly explain global patterns of Rhododendron diversity

Mountain biodiversity is of great importance to biogeography and ecology.However,it is unclear what ecological and evolutionary processes best explain the generation and maintenance of its high levels of species diversity.In this study,we determined which of six common hypotheses(e.g.,climate hypotheses,habitat heterogeneity hypothesis and island biogeography theory)best explain global patterns of species diversity in Rhododendron.We found that Rhododendron diversity patterns were most strongly explained by proxies of island biogeography theory(i.e.,mountain area)and habitat heterogeneity(i.e.,elevation range).When we examined other relationships important to island biogeography theory,we found that the planimetric area and the volume of mountains were positively correlated with the Rhododendron diversity,whereas the‘mountains-to-mainland’distance was negatively correlated with Rhododendron diversity and shared species.Our findings demonstrate that Rhododendron diversity can be explained by island biogeography theory and habitat heterogeneity,and mountains can be regarded as islands which supported island biogeography theory.

Habitat preferences and nest site selection by sympatric populations of Middle Spotted Woodpecker(Dendrocoptes medius) and Syrian Woodpecker(Dendrocopos syriacus) in natural mountain forests of Southwest Iran

We examined habitat preferences and nesting requirements of sympatric populations of Middle Spotted Woodpecker(Dendrocoptes medius) and Syrian Woodpecker(Dendrocopos syriacus).We carried out our study in 2015–2018 in natural mountain forests of Southwest Iran.We compared selected features of nesting,territory,and outside territory tree stands of the studied woodpeckers.The Middle Spotted Woodpecker occupied only oak forests,but the Syrian Woodpecker inhabited heterogenic forests that included the preferred tree of this species,the Mount Atlas Mastic.We recorded that in the breeding territories of the Middle Spotted Woodpecker,a greater area covered by tree crowns,as well as a larger number of trees,and a larger trunk basal area were observed in comparison to the territories occupied by the more plastic Syrian Woodpecker.Different habitat preferences demonstrated by both species could be a result of the selection of tree stands that provide the necessary food resources for each woodpecker species.Adaptation of Syrian Woodpecker to use heterogenic forest stands including tree species that produce fruits and as Mount Atlas Mastic trees,which likely allowed this species to colonise in Asia and Europe non-forest tree stands as orchards or gardens.Our results showed that poor tree condition and large tree trunk dimensions had a positive impact on the selection of nesting sites by both species.The presence of trees with large trunk dimensions was associated with multiple years of use of woodpecker breeding sites in the studied forests.Maintaining habitats in suitable condition for both studied woodpeckers can be achieved by preserving natural forests in the mountain regions of Iran.

Predicting changes in the suitable habitats of six halophytic plant species in the arid areas of Northwest China

In the context of changes in global climate and land uses,biodiversity patterns and plant species distributions have been significantly affected.Soil salinization is a growing problem,particularly in the arid areas of Northwest China.Halophytes are ideal for restoring soil salinization because of their adaptability to salt stress.In this study,we collected the current and future bioclimatic data released by the WorldClim database,along with soil data from the Harmonized World Soil Database(v1.2)and A Big Earth Data Platform for Three Poles.Using the maximum entropy(MaxEnt)model,the potential suitable habitats of six halophytic plant species(Halostachys caspica(Bieb.)C.A.Mey.,Halogeton glomeratus(Bieb.)C.A.Mey.,Kalidium foliatum(Pall.)Moq.,Halocnemum strobilaceum(Pall.)Bieb.,Salicornia europaea L.,and Suaeda salsa(L.)Pall.)were assessed under the current climate conditions(average for 1970-2000)and future(2050s,2070s,and 2090s)climate scenarios(SSP245 and SSP585,where SSP is the Shared Socio-economic Pathway).The results revealed that all six halophytic plant species exhibited the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values higher than 0.80 based on the MaxEnt model,indicating the excellent performance of the MaxEnt model.The suitability of the six halophytic plant species significantly varied across regions in the arid areas of Northwest China.Under different future climate change scenarios,the suitable habitat areas for the six halophytic plant species are expected to increase or decrease to varying degrees.As global warming progresses,the suitable habitat areas of K.foliatum,S.salsa,and H.strobilaceum exhibited an increasing trend.In contrast,the suitable habitat areas of H.glomeratus,S.europaea,and H.caspica showed an opposite trend.Furthermore,considering the ongoing global warming trend,the centroids of the suitable habitat areas for various halophytic plant species would migrate to different degrees,and four halophytic plant species,namely,S.salsa,H.strobilaceum,H.glomeratus,and H.capsica,would migrate to higher latitudes.Temperature,precipitation,and soil factors affected the possible distribution ranges of these six halophytic plant species.Among them,precipitation seasonality(coefficient of variation),precipitation of the warmest quarter,mean temperature of the warmest quarter,and exchangeable Na+significantly affected the distribution of halophytic plant species.Our findings are critical to comprehending and predicting the impact of climate change on ecosystems.The findings of this study hold significant theoretical and practical implications for the management of soil salinization and for the utilization,protection,and management of halophytes in the arid areas of Northwest China.

Designated critical habitats for U.S.imperiled species are not protected from climate and land-use change

Designation of critical habitat is an important conservation tool for species listed as threatened or endangered under the United States(U.S.)Endangered Species Act(ESA).While this is an important protective mechanism,lands designated as critical habitat could still be subject to degradation and fragmentation if they are not also in a protected status that prioritizes biodiversity conservation.Additionally,most designations of critical habitat do not explicitly take climate change into account.The objective of our study was to determine whether and to what extent critical habitats for species listed under the ESA are located within protected areas and areas previously identified as climate refugia or climate corridors,to inform management strategies to better conserve and recover these species.We mapped the designated critical habitats of 153 ESA-listed species and measured their overlap with previously-identified areas of climate refugia and corridors(CRC),and also with lands designated as nature-protected by U.S.Geological Survey’s Gap Analysis Project(GAP Status 1 or 2)and working lands with wildlife habitat potential(GAP Status 3).Only 18%of all designated critical habitat is located on lands that are both in CRC and nature-protected,and only 9%of species had over half of their designated critical habitats in such lands.84%of species had<25%overlap of their critical habitats with these areas.Critical habitats may therefore not fulfill their essential role of helping imperiled species persist and recover.

Spatio-temporal evolution analysis of landscape pattern and habitat quality in the Qinghai Province section of the Yellow River Basin from 2000 to 2022 based on InVEST model

Habitat quality is an important indicator for evaluating the quality of ecosystem.The Qinghai Province section of the Yellow River Basin plays an important role in the ecological protection of the upper reaches of the Yellow River Basin.To comprehensively analysis the alterations of habitat quality in the Qinghai Province section of the Yellow River Basin,this study utilized the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs(InVEST)model to calculate the habitat quality index and analyze the spatio-temporal variation characteristics of habitat quality in the study area from 2000 to 2022,and calculated seven landscape pattern indices(number of patches,patch density,largest patch index(LPI),landscape shape index(LSI),contagion index(CONTAG),Shannon diversity index,and Shannon evenness index)to research the variation of landscape pattern in the study area.The results showed that the number of patches,patch density,LPI,LSI,Shannon diversity index,and Shannon evenness index increased from 2000 to 2022,while the CONTAG decreased,indicating that the landscape pattern in the Qinghai Province section of the Yellow River Basin changed in the direction of distribution fragmentation,shape complexity,and heterogeneity.The average value of the habitat quality index in the Qinghai Province section of the Yellow River Basin from 2000 to 2022 was 0.90.Based on the value of habitat quality index,we divided the level of habitat quality into five categories:lower(0.00-0.20),low(0.20-0.40),moderate(0.40-0.60),high(0.60-0.80),and higher(0.80-1.00).Most areas were at the higher habitat quality level.The lower habitat quality patches were mainly distributed in Longyang Gorge and Yellow River-Huangshui River Valley.From 2000 to 2022,the habitat quality in most areas was stable;the increase areas were mainly distributed in Guinan County,while the decrease areas were mainly distributed in Xining City,Maqen County,Xinghai County,Qumarleb County,and Darlag County.To show the extent of habitat quality variation,we calculated Sen index.The results showed that the higher habitat quality area had a decrease trending,while other categories had an increasing tendency,and the decreasing was faster than increasing.The research results provide scientific guidance for promoting ecological protection and high-quality development in the Qinghai Province section of the Yellow River Basin.

Riparian habitat quality as an indicator of land use/land cover effects on riverine water quality

Riparian land use/land cover(LULC)plays a crucial role in maintaining riverine water quality by altering the transport of pollutants and nutrients.Nevertheless,establishing a direct relationship between water quality and LULC is challenging due to the multi-indicator nature of both factors.Water quality encompasses a multitude of physical,chemical,and biological parameters,while LULC represents a diverse array of land use types.Riparian habitat quality(RHQ)serves as an indicator of LULC.Yet,it remains to be seen whether RHQ can act as a proxy of LULC for assessing the impact of LULC on riverine water quality.This study examines the interplay between RHQ,LULC and water quality,and develops a comprehensive indicator to predict water quality.We measured several water quality parameters,including pH(potential of hydrogen),TN(total nitrogen),TP(total phosphorus),T_(water)(water temperature),DO(dissolved oxygen),and EC(electrical conductivity)of the Yue and Jinshui Rivers draining to the Han River during 2016,2017 and 2018.The water quality index(WQI)was further calculated.RHQ is assessed by the InVEST(Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs)model.Our study found noticeable seasonal differences in water quality,with a higher WQI observed in the dry season.The RHQ was strongly correlated with LULC compositions.RHQ positively correlated with WQI,and DO concentration and vegetation land were negatively correlated with T_(water),TN,TP,EC,cropland,and construction land.These correlations were stronger in the rainy season.Human-dominated land,such as construction land and cropland,significantly contributed to water quality degradation,whereas vegetation promoted water quality.Regression models showed that the RHQ explained variations in WQI better than LULC types.Our study concludes that RHQ is a new and comprehensive indicator for predicting the dynamics of riverine water quality.

Estimation of Potential Habitat of Caragana acanthophylla in Xinjiang Based on Maximum Entropy Model

[Objectives]To determine the potential habitat range of Caragana acanthophylla in Xinjiang.[Methods]The known distribution points of C.acanthophylla were used as samples,and a MaxEnt model was developed based on their climatic variables to identify key environmental factors affecting the potential habitats of C.acanthophylla through jackknife method and construction of a response relationship between representative variables and habitat suitability;the suitability of habitats for C.acanthophylla in Xinjiang was evaluated based on the output results of the model.[Results](i)The accuracy of the model verified by AUC curve was 0.971,indicating that the potential habitats of C.acanthophylla in Xinjiang predicted by MaxEnt model were highly credible.(ii)The optimum climatic characteristics for the distribution of C.acanthophylla in Xinjiang were:isothermality 18.8%-34%,minimum temperature of coldest month-30℃to-13℃,mean temperature of coldest quarter-18℃ to-4℃,annual precipitation 80-410 mm,precipitation of driest month 0-25 mm,precipitation of driest quarter 0-82 mm,and precipitation of coldest quarter 0-75 mm.(iii)The total potential distribution area of C.acanthophylla in Xinjiang was modeled to be 1.03×10^(5) km^(2),of which 8.54×10^(3)km^(2) was high suitability area,mainly in the front mountain belt of the north slope of Tianshan Mountain in Urumqi City,Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture,Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture,and Yili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture and the front mountain belt of Barluk Mountain in Tacheng Prefecture.[Conclusions]This study is of great significance for the future scientific management,regeneration,vegetation restoration and ecological protection of C.acanthophylla.

Enhanced Species Diversity Unlocked by Habitat Conservation in Agricultural Landscapes: New Perspectives on Ecological Weed Management and Sustainable Intensification—Species Diversity and Habitat Conservation

The impulse to remain profitable by increasing agricultural production levels in view of the greater demand for food, provided impetus to production intensification. The aim of this review is to summarise current literature, reporting specifically on the impact of production intensification on habitats and yield constraints caused by weeds. Secondly, in alleviating these effects over the short term, ecological measures that enhance species diversity in conserved habitats and promote semi-natural habitats in the agricultural landscape, are discussed. In large-scale intensive agriculture, weed control is predominantly rooted in agrochemical applications in the form of herbicides. Long lasting intensive agricultural practices show discord both with the promotion of the biodiversity of microbes belowground and aboveground and with organisms involved in the breaking down of plant material. The presence of native species in the surroundings, in combination with hedgerows and field margins, with a comparatively intricate and balanced variety of plants in a sheltered environment, are essential for settlement of benign insects, particularly in the face of intensive agricultural production. The promising tactic of advantageous seed predators enables decreased herbicide applications. Crop mosaics arranged to advance compatibility at the landscape scale are important to bolster pollination services and insect management, while ecological variety in the surroundings acts as a safety net for habitat diversity. Weed control in combination with different tactics of vegetation use, comprising cover cropping, hedgerows and field margins, sets up safe havens in the landscape, and improves the diffusion of complementary life forms. Field margins perform a meaningful natural function as point of provision for forage, safe havens and distribution passageways for pollinators and insect predators. Production practices that promote more heterogeneity and combine high density semi-natural safe havens and habitat conservation in agro ecosystems are beneficial to species diversity across trophic levels and contribute to agricultural production stability and food safety.

Propagation Dynamics of Forced Pulsating Waves for a Time Periodic Lotka-Volterra Cooperative System with Nonlocal Effects in Shifting Habitats

In this paper, we will concern the existence, asymptotic behaviors and stability of forced pulsating waves for a Lotka-Volterra cooperative system with nonlocal effects under shifting habitats. By using the alternatively-coupling upper-lower solution method, we establish the existence of forced pulsating waves, as long as the shifting speed falls in a finite interval where the endpoints are obtained from KPP-Fisher speeds. The asymptotic behaviors of the forced pulsating waves are derived. Finally, with proper initial, the stability of the forced pulsating waves is studied by the squeezing technique based on the comparison principle.

Modeling foraging habitats of Hume’s Pheasant (Syrmaticus humiae) in Dazhong Mountain, Yunnan, southwestern China

We modeled foraging habitats of Hume’s Pheasant (Syrmaticus humiae) on a macro-habitat level using ArcGIS in an attempt to provide scientific reference for management and restoration of habitats. Field work was conducted from March to April in 2006 and 2008, and from October to November in 2005 and 2008 in Dazhong Mountain, Yunnan Province, southwestern China. The selection of ecological factors was estimated by means of a resource selection index, distance analysis and the method of hierarchical habitat selection. The foraging habitat patches were modeled spatially by ArcGIS. The results show that actual and potential foraging patches overlapped considerably in spring and autumn. The number and total areas of patches in the autumn were smaller than those in the spring. The minimum and average areas of patches in the autumn were larger than those in the spring, while the maximum areas of actual and potential foraging patches in the autumn were equal to those in the spring. Similarity in the selection for survival and safety consideration in both seasons was the main strategy for landscape factors of habitats by Hume’s Pheasant, while seasonal difference in selecting a landscape matrix was their secondary strategy, affecting landscape factors in the habitat. Changes of foraging patches in both seasons reflect a difference of resources requirement by the bird. Fragmentation and miniaturization of foraging patches would result in the formation of a meta-population of Hume’s Pheasant.

The Super-population Bridges the Habitat Diversity and Biodiversity

There is another way for new species to invade former settlers＇ habitats and successfully settle there; it is demonstrated that the su- per-population, which plays a key role in changing the world-wide environment, can create many new microhabitats in the old habitat, it is these new microhabitats that make new species easily come into the old habitat and settle there without fierce competition with former settlers. In other words, the super-population lead to the differentiation of the worldwide environment, lead to the environmental diversity in the biosphere. Through the differentiation of the environment the super-population produces many new microhabitats for new species, the appearance of many new microhabitats make it possible for new species to coexist with former settlers in the biosphere. The cqexistence of new species with former settlers or with new species＇ ＂ancestors＂ results in the increaseing in the biodiversity of the biosphere. The super-population is the founder of many new environments on the earth, it bridges the habitat diversity and the biodiversity. Now It is easy to explain the phenomenon that new species sometimes coexist with former settlers and even depend on former settlers in the biosphere rather than fierce competition between them.

Post-fire habitat restoration of sables during winter season in northern slope of the Great Xing＇an Mountains

Habitat loss and fragmentation have been associated with the decline of endangered species. In 1987, a catastrophic fire in the northern Great Hing＇an Mountains of China, where the main habitat of sables （Martes zibellina） is located, aggravated the loss and fragmentation of the forest landscape. Due to restricted distribution and low population density, sables were listed in the national first-grade protected species in China. The objective of this paper was to identify to what extent the habitat of sables had been restored 13 years after the fire. Based on the behavioral data, which came from field survey information by radio-tracking, GPS （Global Positioning System） and forest inventory data, suitability habitat maps were derived using the Ecological Niche Suitability Model （ENSM）. In addition, the habitat structure was analyzed with selected landscape indices. Although forest cover mostly had been restored by 2000, the results indicated that, compared to the pre-fire situation, the areas of suitable habitat had been reduced significantly, especially those of less suitable, marginally suitable and moderately suitable designation. Fragmentation was aggravated, and suitable patches were found to be further isolated with the exception of those in most suitable areas. The ratio of the patch perimeter to area in unsuitable, moderately suitable and suitable areas decreased, while the ratios within other suitability types increased. Moreover, the percentage of soft boundaries decreased slightly, which can influence the redistribution of sables. The results above indicated that the suitable habitat had deteriorated, and the restoration of the sables＇ habitat remained to be done.

Habitat suitability change of red-crowned crane in Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve

Habitat loss and fragmentation are mainly associated with population decrease of endangered species and biodiversity loss. The habitat suitability maps of red-crowned crane （Grusjaponensis） in 1992, 1999 and 2006 were produced by using Ecological Niche Suitability Model （ENSM） in Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve （118°33′-119°20′E longitude, 37°35′-38°12′N latitude）, Shandong Province, China. Based on the habitat suitability maps, the causation and change law of habitat loss and fragmentation of red-crowned crane were analyzed by selecting a series of landscape pattern indices. Results showed that due to scarcities of fresh water sources, habitat suitability of red-crowned crane in 1999 was inferior to that in 1992 and 2006 no matter whether human disturbances existed or not. Besides, human disturbance activities, especially road disturbances, increased rapidly during the period of 1992-2006. This worsened the habitat loss and frag- mentation of red-crowned crane, and led to degrading habitat suitability of red-crowned crane in 2006, compared with that in 1992. In conclusion, fresh water sources and human disturbance activities are the two main factors that drive the habitat suitability change of red-crowned crane.

Approach Thermal Habitat Assessment in N’Djamena in Chad

For the earth material construction is the most used one in Chad, the object of this work is the assessment of the thermal quality of earthen adobe mixed with straw. Different simulation software analyzes the CoDyBa which is conducted to determine the behavior of this material compared to living comfort thanks to the Fanger model, which is a method of approach to thermal comfort standpoint. The study focused on two configurations on the formation of the walls of a room. The first of these configurations led to the definition of a first cell constructed earthen adobe named Batter roofing sheet aluminum and a second cell built in blocks named Batbet which had the same geometric characteristics (thickness, dimensions and side openings) and covered in the same manner as the ground cell. The different comfort indices PMV and PPD values of these two configurations of habitat were identified and were used to determine their thermal comfort rating.