Notes on three closely related species of the genus Pimoa (Araneae, Pimoidae) from Southwest China

The genus Pimoa Chamberlin & Ivie, 1943, is highly diverse and currently contains 85 species, of which 67 are distributed in Asia. In this study, a new species of Pimoa is described from Southwest China: P. shimian Wang, Yao & Zhang, sp. nov. (♂♀). This new species is closely related to P. bomi Zhang & Li, 2021, and P. reniformis Xu & Li, 2007. The taxonomic keys for distinguishing these three closely related species and a distribution map of all Asian pimoids are also provided

First specimen-based Indonesian record of the Wongat Dragonet Callionymus zythros Fricke, 2000 (Actinopterygii, Perciformes, Callionymidae) from Saparua Island, the Moluccas

A single male dragonet (32.3 mm standard length) (Callionymidae), collected from Saparua Island, the Moluccas Islands, Indonesia, is identified as Callionymus zythros Fricke, 2000. This specimen is the westernmost record of the species, which was previously known only from two localities, Wongat Island, Madang, Papua New Guinea and Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua, Indonesia

Vascular endothelial growth factor-C increases lymphatic vessels in the conjunctiva and maintains low intraocular pressure after trabeculectomy in rabbits

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-C (VEGF-C) in stimulating the growth of functional lymphatic vessels of postoperative conjunctival filtration blebs in rabbits. Twelve New Zealand Red Eye rabbits were allocated to four treatment groups, each receiving an injection of recombinant VEGF-C at doses of 0 µg (control), 1 µg, 3 µg, and 10 µg following trabeculectomy surgery. The effects of the VEGF-C injection on lymphatic vessels were analyzed using FLT4 fluorescence immunostaining and trypan blue filling techniques. Additionally, vascular vessels were examined using CD31 immunostaining, and post-surgical intraocular pressure (IOP) was compared across the treatment groups. Lymphatic vessels in treatment groups exhibited higher mean values of 11.7, 12.7, and 19.0 in groups treated with 1 µg, 3 µg, and 10 µg of VEGF-C, respectively, compared to a mean value of 5.3 in the control group (p = 0.00). Blood vessel count revealed using CD31 did not indicate any increase in vascular vessels between the groups. Intraocular pressure (IOP) levels ten days after trabeculectomy were significantly lower in the 3 µg and 10 µg treatment groups (7.00 mmHg) compared to 10.33 mmHg in the control group (p = 0.047). The study demonstrates that trabeculectomy augmented with VEGF-C injection in rabbits results in an increased lymphatic vessel count in the conjunctiva and a decrease in IOP levels on the tenth post-operative day. These findings suggest that VEGF-C may be a potential adjuvant agent for enhancing the efficacy of trabeculectomy

Morpho-phylogenetic evidence for the first freshwater record of Trichoderma protrudens Samuels & P. Chaverri (Hypocreales, Sordariomycetes)

Trichoderma protrudens Samuels & P. Chaverri was originally described from the trunk of Theobroma cacao L. in Kerala, India, in 2008. Morphologically, it is defined by trichoderma‑like conidiophores bearing subulate or lageniform phialides, green subglobose to obovoidal conidia, and the presence of chlamydospores in culture. Multilocus phylogenetic analyses based on ITS, rpb2, and tef1-α sequence data confirmed the iden‑ tity of the isolates from the Philippines as T. protrudens, with robust support values (100% ML, 1.00 BPP) clustering them with the holotype CBS 121320. This study represents the first global record of T. protrudens in a freshwater ecosystem, expanding this species’ known ecological range into aquatic environments. These findings emphasize the ecological versatility of T. protrudens and underscore the importance of further investigations into the fungal diversity of freshwater habitats

Sedum simingshanense (Crassulaceae), a new species from Zhejiang, East China

In this paper, Sedum simingshanense sp. nov. is described as a new species based on morphological and molecular analyses, and its taxonomic relationships are discussed. Morphological analysis indicates S. simingshanense should be classified in the genus Sedum sect. Sedum and is distinct from the related species S. xunvense and S. formosanum in the morphology of its solitary, light green and smooth stems, flattened leaves, larger, obovate and spurless sepals, yellow anthers, 22–30 ovules per carpel, oblique follicles, and its habitat on shaded slopes or rocks. Phylogenetic analysis of sequences of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) also demonstrates that S. simingshanense has a highest similarity of only 97.22% with any known species and S. formosanum is the closest extant relative of the new species

Investigating a hybrid mixed population leads to recognizing a new species of Arctostaphylos (Ericaceae)

While investigating the potential for Arctostaphylos species to hybridize in the mixed populations of Point Sal and Burton Mesa in Santa Barbara County, California, we discovered that Arctostaphylos from the Nipomo Mesa (San Luis Obispo County), formerly considered a northern population of A. rudis, are genetically and morphologically distinct. We name this new taxon A. nipumu after the ytt (Northern Chumash language) word for the Nipomo Mesa region. For morphological and molecular analyses, we sampled 54 plants, focusing on A. purissima, A. rudis, and A. crustacea from multiple species and comparative single species populations. Parametric and nonparametric clustering analyses (STRUCTURE and PCA) of ddRADseq data show that Arctostaphylos from the Nipomo Mesa segregate from all other samples in the dataset. In mixed populations A. purissima and A. crustacea samples cluster with samples from other unmixed populations of the same species but A. rudis samples form two distinct clusters. One is composed of the mixed populations in Santa Barbara County, and the other consists of the Nipomo Mesa population. Additionally, the Santa Barbara County A. rudis samples are admixed in STRUCTURE analysis unlike the samples from the Nipomo Mesa. A principal component analysis of eight morphological characters shows that A. rudis individuals from Santa Barbara County tend to be phenotypically variable, occurring in a wide morphological cluster that overlaps with the tight clusters formed by A. purissima, A. crustacea, and Arctostaphylos from the Nipomo Mesa. Based on this evidence we describe the Nipomo Mesapopulation as a new species of Arctostaphylos. Given its limited and fragmented distribution we believe that A. nipumu is of critical conservation concern

From Trees to Data: A Standardised Approach to Forest Monitoring

Forest ecosystems provide a wide range of services, including timber production, biodiversity conservation, protection against natural hazards, and human recreation. However, they are increasingly under pressure from direct human interventions and climate change. Strengthening forest resilience to changing environmental conditions requires appropriate adaptation measures, which in turn depend on a deep understanding of near-natural forest structures and functions. High-resolution in situ data, both temporally and spatially, are essential for understanding and effective planning and management.This presentation introduces a potential eLTER service offering standardised terrestrial data collection, good practice guides and white papers to assess high resolution 3D structural forest ecosystem properties. Recent advances in proximate sensing like LiDAR and photogrammetry enable high-precision, three-dimensional forest reconstructions at unprecedented levels of detail. Among these, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) has become the gold standard for generating very high-resolution, accurate 3D point clouds in forest environments. With improvements in portability and usability, TLS technology is now more accessible for widespread application. Mobile laser scanning (MLS), including handheld or backpack-mounted personal laser scanning (PLS) systems, has recently emerged as a much faster alternative, capable of mapping a view hectares per day. However, this speed comes at the expense of reduced precision compared to TLS. For even larger-scale mapping, unmanned aerial vehicle laser scanning (UAVLS) is increasingly used to assess high resolution 3D forest structures across entire landscapes. Additionally, UAV-based and terrestrial photogrammetry based on spectral data provide detailed 3D structural information from overlapping images, while also enabling functional trait assessment through spectral data analysis.A variety of sensors and methods are now available to capture detailed structural and functional information on trees and forests. These data acquisition techniques, along with their derived products, can significantly enhance eLTER standard observations by improving information on e.g. vegetation structure, biomass, energy flows and light availability. Furthermore, such standardised and scalable approaches can add value to various satellite missions by supporting the calibration and validation of satellite-derived data products.In this presentation, we will outline the potential data products, documents and guidelines of this proposed service, discuss the benefits for different eLTER user groups, and explore its role in improving satellite data calibration and validation

Estimating tree biomass using UAV Lidar in Braila Islands LTSER site

Forest biomass provides a valuable metric for assessing both ecosystem productivity and carbon storage capabilities. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology, represents a powerful tool for estimating tree biomass due to its capacity to produce high-resolution three-dimensional data.We tested a methodology for estimating tree biomass within an area located in the flood plain of the Danube River, part of Brăila Islands Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research (LTSER) site. This area is characterized by floodplain forest plantations and natural wetlands under semi-natural hydrological regime. We selected six forest plots, representative for the area in terms of species composition and age structure. The forest composition is mainly based on willow (Salix sp.), poplar (Populus sp.) and ash (Fraxinus sp) species, planted in relation with the flooding regime. On the ground, diameter at breast height (DBH), and total tree height for 80 individual trees were recorded in order to estimate their biomass using species-specific allometric equations. These estimations are further used for LIDAR based model calibration. We have conducted a LiDAR survey over the sampling area of approx. 22 Ha, collecting a high-density point cloud to capture forest structure. The LiDAR dataset is used to generate a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and a Canopy Height Model (CHM), as well as to derive forest and tree specific indicators (i.e. density, number of stems, heights).Preliminary results indicate that canopy height and LiDAR-derived metrics exhibit good correlations with field-based biomass estimates. Additionally, integrating LiDAR-derived, forest structure with environmental covariates, such as soil moisture and topographic features, improves biomass estimation accuracy.The study highlights the potential of UAV LiDAR, for biomass assessment in floodplain forests, in order to improve traditional field-based inventory methods that are challengingdue to seasonal flooding and dense vegetation and accessibility. The findings have implications for carbon stock assessments, ecosystem monitoring, and sustainable management strategies within the Brăila Islands LTSER site

The northernmost known observation of Myrmecophilus acervorum and the first records of Myrmecophilidae (Orthoptera, Ensifera) from Latvia

The first observations of myrmecophilous ant cricket Myrmecophilus acervorum (Panzer, 1799) and the family Myrmecophilidae from Latvia are presented. The observations were made in two locations subject to flooding in springtime. Adult and juvenile female individuals were observed. The discussed records appear to be the northernmost known distribution limit of this species

Polar Ocean Mixing by Internal Tsunamis (POLOMINTS)

Mixing of the ocean around Antarctica is a key process that exerts influences over large scales and in multiple ways. By redistributing heat in the ocean, it exerts strong influences on the Antarctic Ice Sheet, with implications for sea level rise globally. Similarly, the redistribution of ocean heat affects the production of sea ice in winter and its melt in summer, with consequences for climate. Mixing also affects the distribution of nutrients in the ocean, with direct impacts on the marine ecosystem and biodiversity and with consequences for fisheries.It was long thought that mixing of the seas close to Antarctica was predominantly caused by winds, tides and the loss of heat from the ocean especially in winter. However, we recently discovered that when glaciers calve in Antarctica, they can trigger underwater tsunamis. These are large (multi-metre) waves that move rapidly away from the coastline and when they break, they cause sudden bursts of very intense mixing. Simple calculations indicated that the net impact of these underwater tsunamis could be as strong as winds, and much more important than tides, in driving mixing. It was also argued that they are likely to be relevant everywhere that glaciers calve into the sea, including Greenland and across the Arctic. As our ocean and atmosphere continue to heat up, it is very possible that glacier calving will become more frequent and intensify, increasing further the impact of underwater tsunamis on large-scale climate, the cryosphere and ecosystems.This is an exciting new avenue of scientific investigation and many key questions remain unanswered. We need to know how widespread and frequent the generation of underwater tsunamis is, how far they travel from the coastline before breaking, and how variable this is. We need to measure what impacts the extra mixing has on ocean temperature and nutrient concentrations, and to determine what this means for the cryosphere and ocean productivity. There is a pressing need to include the effects of underwater tsunamis in the computer models that are used for projecting future ocean climate and ecosystem conditions and to determine the feedbacks between climate change and the generation of more underwater tsunamis.To answer these questions, our project will deploy innovative techniques for measuring the ocean and ice in close proximity to a calving glacier, including robotic underwater vehicles and remotely-piloted aircraft, and cutting-edge deep-learning techniques applied to satellite data. We will use advanced computer simulations to fully understand the causal mechanisms responsible for the creation and spread of the underwater tsunamis and their impacts on ocean climate and marine productivity. We will make our developments in computer simulation available to the whole community of users, for widespread uptake and future use.This project will have significant benefits for academics seeking to predict the future of Antarctica and its impacts on the rest of the world, for Governments and intergovernmental agencies seeking to understand how best to respond to climate change, and for the curious general public wanting to learn more about the extremes of the planet and why they matter. The fieldwork will be especially photo- and video-genic and will lead to outstanding outreach and impact opportunities, and we will work with media agencies seeking to tell compelling stories about the extremes of the Earth