Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences - Journal Articles
Permanent URI for this collection
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item A continuous feast of bramble: Rubus fruticosus agg. is a key cross‐seasonal dietary resource for a fallow deer population(John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2025-02-09) Gresham, Amy; Pillay, Kirthana; Healey, John R.; Eichhorn, Markus P.; Ellison, Amy M.; Lowe, Abigail; Cordes, Line S.; Creer, Simon; Shannon, Graeme; Natural Environment Research Council; Wales Biodiversity Partnership; European Regional Development FundContext: Deer (Cervidae) populations are increasing in many global regions, leading to concerns about their impacts on temperate forests. Advancing evidence-based management requires a detailed understanding of the dietary habits of deer and how these are shaped by resource availability. Methodology: We studied the diet of fallow deer (Dama dama) in North Wales (United Kingdom), using faecal DNA metabarcoding. Samples were collected monthly from three woodlands during 2019–2021. Tree surveys and seasonal ground flora surveys were conducted in these woodlands and seven additional woodlands. Preference analyses were used to assess the consumption of plant taxa relative to their availability. Results: The fallow deer consumed high proportions of bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.) across the seasons, especially in the winter months. Diet diversity was significantly lower in winter compared to the other seasons, suggesting that the deer were bulk foraging on a widely available, predictable resource to conserve energy during winter. Grasses did not form a major component of the diet in any season. The preference analysis showed that spatially clustered woody taxa (e.g. Betula sp., Corylus sp. and Fraxinus sp.) occurred less often than expected in the diet, while widespread woody species occurred in the diet more often than expected (e.g. Rosa sp., Prunus sp. and Quercus sp.). Practical implication: The expansion of deer populations in the United Kingdom has occurred alongside the recovery and maturation of degraded or planted forests since the middle of the 20th century. Despite reduced light availability in these closed-canopy forests and increased herbivory pressure, bramble has remained a dominant understory plant compared to other less herbivory-tolerant plant species. Perhaps as a consequence, bramble has become the winter survival resource for this fallow deer population, remaining a prominent dietary component throughout the year. With increasing disturbance from extreme weather and tree diseases leading to a more open canopy structure, bramble cover is set to increase in European forests, which could support further expansion of deer populations. As we work to expand tree cover and enhance forest resilience and biodiversity, we should seek to understand the dynamic interactions of increasing deer populations with rapidly changing treescapes.Item Land use change consistently reduces α‐ but not β‐ and γ‐diversity of bees(John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2025-01-03) Tsang, Toby P. N.; De Santis, A. A. Amado; Armas‐Quiñonez, Gabriela; Ascher, John S.; Ávila‐Gómez, Eva Samanta; Báldi, András; Ballare, Kimberly M.; Balzan, Mario V.; Banaszak‐Cibicka, Weronika; Bänsch, Svenja; Basset, Yves; Bates, Adam J.; Baumann, Jessica M.; Beal‐Neves, Mariana; Bennett, Ashley; Bezerra, Antonio Diego M.; Blochtein, Betina; Bommarco, Riccardo; Brosi, Berry; Burkle, Laura A.; Carvalheiro, Luísa G.; Castellanos, Ignacio; Cely‐Santos, Marcela; Cohen, Hamutahl; Coulibaly, Drissa; Cunningham, Saul A.; Cusser, Sarah; Dajoz, Isabelle; Delaney, Deborah A.; Del‐Val, Ek; Egerer, Monika; Eichhorn, Markus P.; Enríquez, Eunice; Entling, Martin H.; Escobedo‐Kenefic, Natalia; Ferreira, Pedro Maria Abreu; Fitch, Gordon; Forrest, Jessica R. K.; Fournier, Valérie; Fowler, Robert; Freitas, Breno M.; Gaines‐Day, Hannah R.; Geslin, Benoît; Ghazoul, Jaboury; Glaum, Paul; Gonzalez‐Andujar, Jose L.; González‐Chaves, Adrian; Grab, Heather; Gratton, Claudio; Guenat, Solène; Gutiérrez‐Chacón, Catalina; Hall, Mark A.; Hanley, Mick E.; Hass, Annika; Hennig, Ernest Ireneusz; Hermy, Martin; Hipólito, Juliana; Holzschuh, Andrea; Hopfenmüller, Sebastian; James Hung, Keng‐Lou; Hylander, Kristoffer; Izquierdo, Jordi; Jamieson, Mary A.; Jauker, Birgit; Javorek, Steve; Jha, Shalene; Klatt, Björn K.; Kleijn, David; Klein, Alexandra‐Maria; Kovács‐Hostyánszki, Anikó; Krauss, Jochen; Kuhlmann, Michael; Landaverde‐González, Patricia; Latty, Tanya; Leong, Misha; Lerman, Susannah B.; Liu, Yunhui; Pereira Machado, Ana Carolina; Main, Anson; Mallinger, Rachel; Mandelik, Yael; Ferreira Marques, Bruno; Matteson, Kevin; McCune, Frédéric; Meng, Ling‐Zeng; Metzger, Jean Paul; Montoya‐Pfeiffer, Paula María; Morales, Carolina; Morandin, Lora; Morrison, Jane; Mudri‐Stojnić, Sonja; Nalinrachatakan, Pakorn; Norfolk, Olivia; Otieno, Mark; Park, Mia G.; Philpott, Stacy M.; Pisanty, Gideon; Plascencia, Montserrat; Potts, Simon G.; Power, Eileen F.; Prendergast, Kit; Quistberg, Robyn D.; de Lacerda Ramos, Davi; Rech, André Rodrigo; Reynolds, Victoria; Richards, Miriam H.; Roberts, Stuart P. M.; Sabatino, Malena; Samnegård, Ulrika; Sardiñas, Hillary; Sánchez‐Echeverría, Karina; Teixeira Saturni, Fernanda; Scheper, Jeroen; Sciligo, Amber R.; Sidhu, C. Sheena; Spiesman, Brian J.; Sritongchuay, Tuanjit; Steffan‐Dewenter, Ingolf; Stein, Katharina; Stewart, Alyssa B.; Stout, Jane C.; Taki, Hisatomo; Tangtorwongsakul, Pornpimon; Threlfall, Caragh G.; Faleiro Tinoco, Carla; Tscharntke, Teja; Turo, Katherine J.; Vaidya, Chatura; Vandame, Rémy; Vergara, Carlos H.; Viana, Blandina F.; Vides‐Borrell, Eric; Warrit, Natapot; Webb, Elisabeth; Westphal, Catrin; Wickens, Jennifer B.; Williams, Neal M.; Williams, Nicholas S. G.; Wilson, Caleb J.; Wu, Panlong; Youngsteadt, Elsa; Zou, Yi; Ponisio, Lauren C.; Bonebrake, Timothy C.Land use change threatens global biodiversity and compromises ecosystem functions, including pollination and food production. Reduced taxonomic α‐diversity is often reported under land use change, yet the impacts could be different at larger spatial scales (i.e., γ‐diversity), either due to reduced β‐diversity amplifying diversity loss or increased β‐diversity dampening diversity loss. Additionally, studies often focus on taxonomic diversity, while other important biodiversity components, including phylogenetic diversity, can exhibit differential responses. Here, we evaluated how agricultural and urban land use alters the taxonomic and phylogenetic α‐, β‐, and γ‐diversity of an important pollinator taxon—bees. Using a multicontinental dataset of 3117 bee assemblages from 157 studies, we found that taxonomic α‐diversity was reduced by 16%–18% in both agricultural and urban habitats relative to natural habitats. Phylogenetic α‐diversity was decreased by 11%–12% in agricultural and urban habitats. Compared with natural habitats, taxonomic and phylogenetic β‐diversity increased by 11% and 6% in urban habitats, respectively, but exhibited no systematic change in agricultural habitats. We detected a 22% decline in taxonomic γ‐diversity and a 17% decline in phylogenetic γ‐diversity in agricultural habitats, but γ‐diversity of urban habitats was not significantly different from natural habitats. These findings highlight the threat of agricultural expansions to large‐scale bee diversity due to systematic γ‐diversity decline. In addition, while both urbanization and agriculture lead to consistent declines in α‐diversity, their impacts on β‐ or γ‐diversity vary, highlighting the need to study the effects of land use change at multiple scales.Item A framework for phenotyping rubber trees under intense wind stress using laser scanning and digital twin technology(Elsevier Ltd., 2024-11-28) Yun, Ting; Eichhorn, Markus P.; Jin, Shichao; Yuan, Xinyue; Fang, Wenjie; Lu, Xin; Wang, Xiangjun; Zhang, Huaiqing; National Natural Science Foundation of China; Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province; Chinese Academy of Forestry; Jiangsu Provincial Agricultural Science and Technology Independent Innovation FundRubber trees in coastal habitats are exposed to a high degree of wind stress. An algorithm-hardware synergetic methodology was developed for investigating and predicting rubber tree phenotyping excited by strong winds. The framework includes (1) a custom-designed industrial fan that recreates a variable airflow field at wind speeds of 15, 30 and 45 m/s coupled with a terrestrial laser scanner and bundled motion sensors to acquire point clouds and vibration data; (2) a graphic model that approximates tree canopies based on foliage clumps with phenotypic traits that are derived from point clouds captured while trees are subjected to aerodynamic drag; and (3) the wind characteristic parameters of forest canopies were calculated by a developed forest-specialized k-ε turbulence model combining the constructed tree models and grid-scale subdivision of the wind fluid field. (4) A digital twin model that incorporates detailed tree phenotypic traits and considers plant mechanical characteristics was established, depicting the related wind-induced actions of target trees under various wind influences. The results show that tree crowns with spreading forms are prone to yield larger pendulum amplitudes than compact crowns, but trees directly exposed to wind exhibit greater crown volume reductions than trees in sheltered areas. Within tree canopies, a one-fold increase in inlet wind speed intensified crown compression (approximately 17 % decrease in crown volume), generated 2.1-fold pressure gradients and increased turbulence kinetic energy by approximately 60 %. Moreover, the entire scenario of the adaptation of experimental trees to wind perturbations was visually restored using digital twin techniques, serving as an integral behaviour dataset for further data-driven decision-making. In summary, this paper presents a comprehensive methodology that can decipher the phenotypic manifestations of trees' reactions to wind hazards, with potential applications in phenotyping or envirotyping studies designed to evaluate the wind resistance properties of rubber trees.Item Status, advancements and prospects of deep learning methods applied in forest studies(Elsevier Ltd., 2024-06-04) Yun, Ting; Li, Jian; Ma, Lingfei; Zhou, Ji; Wang, Ruisheng; Eichhorn, Markus P.; Zhang, Huaiqing; National Natural Science Foundation of China; Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province; Jiangsu Provincial Agricultural Science and Technology Independent Innovation Fund; Ministry of Natural Resources of the People's Republic of ChinaDeep learning, which has exhibited considerable potential and effectiveness in forest resource assessment, is vital for comprehending and managing forest resources and ecosystems. However, extensive assessment of forest resources is highly challenging due to the complex and varied nature of forest types sourced from diverse remote sensing platforms, which include images, point clouds, and fusion data. To facilitate further study, we systematically review the current status, applications and prospects of deep learning technologies for different types of forest remote sensing data. After considering more than two hundred forest-related papers published over the past decade, we introduce sensors and devices for forest data acquisition, classify deep learning methods based on their data processing methods and operational principles, and categorize diverse instances of these methods with various forest applications. Moreover, we summarize available datasets related primarily to forest data and examine the global geographic distribution of the relevant literature. Comprehensive insights into the advantages and limitations of each method are described, offering a forward-looking perspective on the trend of applying deep learning technology to forest research. In this paper, we aim to provide an overview of the current trends and challenges of deep learning techniques applied to forest research, creating a comprehensive picture for use as a reference by both academia and industry professionals.Item A holistic study on the effects of a rural flood detention basin: flood peaks, water quality and grass growth(Elsevier, 2025) Murphy, Darragh; Weatherill, John; Henriques, Rossana; Quishi, Xie; Harrison, Simon; Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications; Office of Public works; Environmental Protection AgencyNature-based Solutions (NbS) are widely advocated to have multiple benefits, including in flood risk reduction, water quality improvement and ecosystem health. There are, however, few empirical studies quantifying such multi-functionality. Given the ongoing pressures of flooding and poor water quality within Europe, there is an urgent need for empirical evidence to assess the potential for NbS features to address these issues. We present the first empirical results on the impacts of a nature-based flood detention basin on peak flow attenuation, water quality and pasture health. The detention basin comprised a 1.5m high soil bund constructed within a field bordering a first order tributary on a farm in the south of Ireland. Over two years, peak flows were diverted from the stream channel to the detention basin via a constructed sluice during the rising limb of high discharge. Detained waters were returned slowly to the channel via drainage pipes. During this time hydrological and quality data were collected from upstream, downstream and within the detention basin during peak flow events and pasture sward growth and health within the detention basin was assessed. These data revealed marked peak flow attenuation by < 38%, except under conditions of prolonged rainfall. The detention basin sequestered suspended solids (Removal efficiency RE 5.35%; p < 0.05) and nitrate (RE 13.37%; p < 0.001), but was a source of soluble reactive (RE -95%; p < 0.001) and particulate phosphorus (RE -83%; p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant reduction in pasture biomass, but higher Chlorophyll a/b ratio of inundated plants indicated reduced photosynthetic efficiency (30.85%; p < 0.001). Whilst capable of reducing peak flows, the mixed results on water quality and pasture health show that the operation of NbS features is complex, and that multi-functionality is not an inherent facet of NbS.