Biological Reviews最新文献

Ranger patrols are a cornerstone of wildlife protection efforts around the world and occur across all ecological governance systems. Evidence that patrols reduce threats to wildlife and enable their recovery has not been systematically examined previously. Without evidence of patrol effectiveness in varying contexts, protected area managers risk wasting limited conservation resources and lack information required to improve the effectiveness of patrols. We conducted a meta-analysis evaluating the effectiveness of terrestrial patrols for conserving African, Asian, and Latin American wildlife directly threatened by exploitation. After filtering 57 studies, we calculated effect sizes from each of the remaining 15 studies that included a comparator and measurement of wildlife abundance and calculated standardised mean difference and % change in wildlife species abundance. Results suggest tentative support that areas implementing patrols (alongside other interventions) were associated with higher wildlife abundance levels compared to time periods or locations without patrols. We were unable to confirm causality between patrols and changes in wildlife population abundance because studies were inadequately designed to evaluate and report on effectiveness. Studies commonly lacked a comparator or counterfactual event, temporal or spatial replication, and consistent and/or long-term monitoring of population abundance, and had study designs that confounded conservation actions. Further, of the 15 included studies linking wildlife abundance to patrol efforts, five also reported a reduction in a poaching threat, but only three of these used a comparator in the threat reduction evaluation. Without monitoring threat trends alongside wildlife abundance, it is difficult to be confident that patrols resulted in increases in wildlife abundance. To help evaluate patrol interventions (i.e. not only whether they work but where and under what conditions they work), we identify opportunities to improve future patrol effectiveness research and provide recommendations on how to improve the evidence base.

The impact of plastic pollution on ecosystems and marine fauna is well documented, although research into its effects on waders (also known as shorebirds) remains limited. Given that waders are exposed to coastal marine litter, this exposure could be a significant factor in the decline of their populations. This study aims to assess the global distribution of plastic ingestion in waders and investigate regional differences in their exposure. Our analysis included 30 studies, examining 316 digestive tracts and 1114 faecal samples. Only four studies analysed plastic in wader nests or entanglements. Eastern Asia exhibited the highest prevalence of plastic ingestion in waders, although no significant differences were detected among coastal regions. Descriptive patterns suggest that this trend may be influenced by intensive industrial activity, high population density, and pollution along migratory flyways. Southern Asia had the highest prevalence of plastics in faecal samples. No statistically significant differences were observed across wader families; however, descriptive results indicated elevated ingestion frequencies in Haematopodidae and Scolopacidae, while Recurvirostridae and Haematopodidae tended to show higher plastic prevalence in faecal samples. This study highlights the need for standardised sampling protocols and continued research on the effects of plastic on wader populations, which could contribute to their conservation.

Recent advances in data collection technologies (e.g. automated sensor networks, satellite remote sensing, and high-throughput sequencing) have greatly expanded the availability of ecological time series, enabling new opportunities for causal analyses in dynamic ecosystems. Granger causality (GC) and convergent cross mapping (CCM), two prominent dynamical causal discovery methods, have gained attention in ecological studies for uncovering causal relationships in nonlinear systems. GC traces its roots to economics and was later extended through the information-theoretic framework of transfer entropy (TE). On the other hand, CCM was developed from studies of chaotic time series. Both methods have provided critical insights into the dynamics of complex systems. In this review, we synthesize foundational concepts and recent developments in GC and CCM, exploring their respective strengths and limitations, while clarifying their interrelationship. We also review recent advances in temporal causal discovery methods, originally developed within the framework of statistical causal inference for non-temporal data, and highlight their applicability to ecological data sets. Despite these advances, such approaches remain largely unfamiliar to ecologists. We argue that a rigorous framework of time-series-based causal inference, together with an appreciation of their diverse methodological developments to date, will not only raise awareness of unresolved challenges but also create new research opportunities in ecology. By offering an integrated perspective, we encourage the application and development of cutting-edge methods in ecology to help foster a deeper understanding of ecosystem dynamics.

The rapid global expansion of photovoltaic (PV) solar facilities, now comprising nearly 80% of the recent and projected growth of renewable electricity, represents one of the most significant land-use changes of the 21st century. While PV facilities are critical for decarbonising energy systems, their large spatial footprint and infrastructure fundamentally alter local abiotic conditions, with potential cascading effects on ecosystems and biodiversity. This review synthesises findings from 33 peer-reviewed publications across diverse climates and ecosystems, examining how large-scale solar facilities modify microclimates. Key environmental variables affected include temperature, humidity, wind speed, soil moisture, albedo, and photosynthetically active radiation. Generally, PV arrays create spatially heterogeneous microclimates: air temperatures are often elevated above panels, while soils beneath tend to be cooler, more stable, and retain more moisture due to shading. However, these patterns are not universal. Generalisations are limited by small sample sizes, variation in sensor placement, and differences in study design, so results may not apply to all PV facilities or biomes. The effects of PV arrays on microclimate are likely context dependent, varying with local climate, facility design, and ground-cover management. This review highlights the need for standardised microclimate research and reporting within solar facilities to understand environmental variability better across sites and regions. Integrating microclimate studies with ecological modelling and habitat suitability assessments will help researchers and land managers determine how species interact with environments within and around PV facilities. Leveraging such insights can guide facility design, inform habitat restoration, and support the sustainable development of solar energy.

The complexity of breast cancer (BC) lung metastasis lies in the capacity of tumour cells to interact efficiently with distant organs to promote colonisation, a process that involves the sophisticated coordination of inherent cellular plasticity and the remodelling of the distant microenvironment. This review emphasises the essential function of extracellular vesicles (EVs) within this communication network. Tumour-derived EVs (TEVs) not only induce epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) by reprogramming breast cancer cell gene expression networks, thereby enhancing migratory and invasive capabilities, but also serve as a ‘vanguard’, arriving in the lungs in advance to educate stromal cells and establish a pre-metastatic niche that facilitates breast cancer progression. This review uniquely conceptualises EV-mediated EMT and niche formation as a synergistic and sequential biological continuum. We comprehensively examine the sorting mechanisms of EV molecular cargo, targeted delivery approaches, and hierarchical regulatory networks. Critically, we propose that the concurrent regulation of EMT and niche formation is likely driven by the synergistic action of distinct EV subpopulations rather than single ‘multitasking’ vesicles. Future investigations dissecting this heterogeneity will be pivotal for verifying this synergistic subpopulations hypothesis and establishing a theoretical basis for precise EV-based metastasis intervention strategies.

Extra-pair behaviours – reproductive behaviours, including those related to copulation and paternity of offspring, amongst animals outside of a social pair bond – have long intrigued behavioural ecologists, particularly from the female animal's perspective. Female extra-pair paternity is not supported by classic models of sexual selection yet is common across birds. Researchers recognise that variation in extra-pair paternity, both within and between species, is in part driven by the costs to the individual; however, empirical studies tend to focus on benefits. This is because benefits are often measured through direct fitness measurements, whereas costs have more complex, indirect pathways to fitness. However, both the prevalence and magnitude of a cost are experienced in the context of an individual's environment and may affect fitness, either directly (by affecting reproduction or survival) or indirectly (through the fitness of offspring). Here, we review our current understanding of costs associated with extra-pair paternity and extra-pair copulation. For example, we review both the costs of producing extra-pair offspring and the behaviour associated with extra-pair paternity. We conclude that the costs of extra-pair paternity and extra-pair copulation are understudied, but are likely a key factor shaping this behaviour. More research, particularly empirical and experimental studies in taxa other than birds, is needed to understand the intricate cost–benefit equation underlying extra-pair paternity.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has become a critical threat to wildlife, shifting from a seasonal epizootic to a persistent, year-round panzootic with global consequences. Here, we summarise the origin, evolutionary mechanisms, and expanding host range of the current H5N1 virus (clade 2.3.4.4b) and assess its impact on wildlife. Over the past 5 years, HPAI has caused the deaths of millions of wild birds, causing dramatic population declines in several seabird species. Mortality records, however, are often anecdotal, focus on localised mass die-offs, and thus represent only a fraction of the true mortality. This lack of quantitative data limits the ability to predict outbreak dynamics and mitigate long-term consequences. Using the northwestern European Sandwich tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) population as a case study, we demonstrate the value of integrating mortality data with ecological, serological and genetic data before, during and after an outbreak. This approach uncovered age-specific vulnerability, selective mortality, and population immunological responses, and provided insights into how breeding density, carcass removal, and host adaptation modulate outbreak dynamics. The absence of a centralised and standardised wildlife mortality monitoring framework, on the other hand, remains a major barrier to effective outbreak forecasting and conservation planning. We argue that integrating population and mortality monitoring, serological assays, and genetic analyses within a One Health framework is essential to enable early detection, targeted mitigation, and robust evaluation of outbreak impacts, and caution that without a proactive and data-driven approach to conservation, HPAI will continue to threaten global wildlife populations, with cascading ecological, economic and public health consequences.