Reliable assessment measures are crucial for tracking changes in biodiversity and evaluating the state of biodiversity. Two main drivers habitat heterogeneity resource amount. These used as proxies but assessing both is costly, limiting their practical use. To test which best predicts number abundance sessile species conservation concern (including macrofungi, lichens, bryophytes, vascular plants), we assessed forest stand using a method developed Sweden ('Habitat Heterogeneity Score HHS'),...

In the recent decades, Norway spruce forests (Picea abies Karst.) in Europe have been subject to large-scale tree mortality caused by bark beetle (Ips typographus L.). The outbreaks were induced storm-felling events and periods of drought, which are becoming increasingly frequent due climate change. Because storms droughts spatially affect differently, infestation patterns configuration beetles might differ between drought. this study, we examined local landscape factors associated with...

Because of their dependence on ambient temperature ectothermic animals can serve as sentinels conservation problems related to global warming. Reptiles in temperate areas are especially well suited study such effects, annual and daily activity patterns directly depend temperature. This is based data spanning 68 years from a fringe population Grass Snakes ( Natrix natrix ), which the world’s northernmost oviparous (egg-laying) reptile, known be constrained by for reproduction, morphology,...

Abstract Large‐scale industrial forestry is a threat to biodiversity and imposes long‐lasting changes many forested biomes. Preserving forests as reserves an important component of the strategy for safeguarding forest biodiversity. Yet, selection high value usually based on proxies (i.e., subsets aboveground habitat characteristics) rather than direct assessments species occurrences. This approach assumption that diversity community composition all organism groups are well represented by...

Abstract Forest pest insects may cause large‐scale tree growth reductions and mortality during outbreaks. The development of outbreaks has frequently been studied, while the colonization‐extinction dynamics is less known. We study a severe tree‐killing bark beetle, Ips typographus , an outbreak across 130 000 ha forest landscape in southern Sweden. recorded annual colonization extinction events 1 pixels by helicopter surveys three consecutive years, modeled probabilities based on focal pixel...

Summary Forestry has markedly changed a large proportion of the world's boreal forests, often with negative effects on biodiversity. As result, forest restoration is increasingly implemented to counteract effects. However, measures aimed at mimicking natural disturbance regimes could simultaneously increase risk unwanted effects, such as damage by pest species. This study compares effect two methods (prescribed burning and gap‐cutting), both biodiversity conservation control, provide basis...

Summary 1. A lack of warm nest‐sites prevents oviparous reptile species from reproducing in cool climates; such areas are dominated by viviparous because sun‐seeking pregnant females can maintain high temperatures for their developing offspring. 2. Our field and laboratory studies show that one (the grass snake, Natrix natrix ) escapes this cold‐climate constraint (and hence, extends much further north Europe than do other taxa) ovipositing a thermally distinctive man‐made microhabitat...

The fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) poses a major threat to amphibian populations. To assist efforts address such threats, we examined differences in Bd host infection prevalence among species and its relations both local environmental factors breeding habitats landscape variables measured at three scales (500, 2000 5000 m radii) around sites southernmost Sweden. We sampled 947 anurans of six 31 ponds assessed their status. then correlations with canopy cover, pond...

Abstract Context Biodiversity is highly affected by industrial forestry, which leads to the loss and fragmentation of natural habitats. To date, most conservation studies have evaluated associations among a single species group, forest type, or spatial scale. Objective The objective was evaluate richness multiple groups across various types characteristics at scales. Methods We used occurrence data for 277 interest from 455 stands high value, including four types. Results Local, landscape,...

Satellite-based inventories of bark beetle attacks are increasingly used for detecting and monitoring infested forest at the landscape scale. The Normalized Distance Red & SWIR index is one few indices that have shown higher accuracies than commonly vegetation indices. In this study, temporal changes distance red swir (ΔDRS) were analyzed, validated applied to multi-temporal Sentinel-2 images covering tile 110 x km2. main purpose was assess applicability a new ΔDRS detect spruce after (Ips...

Abstract Non‐native tree species are widely used in forest plantations. This may have negative consequences for biodiversity. Hitherto, most studies compared diversity between native and non‐native stands, which makes it difficult to separate the impact of per se from stand characteristics. Our study, conducted south Sweden, compares saproxylic beetle across different nutritional groups, dead wood two four a block design after one three seasons. Such an approach allows analysis se. Mean...

Human-induced changes of the environment, including landscape alteration and habitat loss, may affect wildlife disease dynamics have important ramifications for conservation. Amphibians are among vertebrate taxa most threatened by anthropogenic change. The emerging fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has caused extinctions population declines in hundreds anuran species globally. We studied how urban is associated with prevalence Bd infections sampling 655 anurans 3 (mainly...

During an extensive study regarding the epidemiology of larval Eustrongylides infestation in a free-ranging endangered population dice snakes (Natrix tessellata) from Histria, Romania, adult female was euthanized to evaluate pathologic changes. Parasites appeared as nodules at various locations: subcutaneous connective tissues, on serosae intestines and liver. Histologic sections revealed nematode larvae surrounded by capsule, forming parasitic granuloma with 3 layers: macrophage layer,...

Abstract The restoration of forest structure and function is increasingly being used in boreal forests order to halt the loss biodiversity. Often ecological aimed at increasing volume dead dying trees enhance biodiversity deadwood-dependent organisms, but it may also increase population sizes pest bark beetle species, even several years following restoration. Herein, we a large-scale experiment Northern Sweden assess 5 post-restoration effects restorative gap cutting prescribed burning on...

The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( Bd ) has caused worldwide declines in amphibian populations. While is widespread southern and central Europe, its occurrence distribution northernmost Europe mostly unknown. We surveyed for breeding anurans Sweden by sampling 1917 amphibians from 101 localities 3 regions (southern, northern central). found that was Sweden, occurring all 9 investigated species 45.5% of the with an overall prevalence 13.8%. No infected individuals were 4...

Abstract Amphibians are among the most threatened vertebrate taxa due to anthropogenic habitat change and emerging pathogens. The fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( Bd ) may cause trade‐offs between immune responses other important functions, such as mobility. pool frog Pelophylax lessonae is red‐listed in Sweden, an earlier study conducted our area did not detect fungus. In this study, 67 Swedish frogs were tested for Bd. Of these, 28 adults provided with external radio transmitters...