Understanding the diet of farmland raptors is essential for evaluating prey availability, habitat quality, and planning wildlife-friendly agricultural practices. However, individual dietary assessment methods may capture different components of prey use. We therefore investigated the diet of the Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) in Türkiye by combining pellet analysis from a breeding colony in Central Anatolia with photo-based records from citizen science platforms at the national scale. We analysed a total of 93 pellets collected in June and July 2020, yielding 821 identified prey items, with a mean of 8.8 (SD = 5.4) prey items per pellet. Arthropods dominated the diet (99% of individuals). Coleoptera (68%) and Orthoptera (26%) were the dominant prey groups, indicating a relatively narrow trophic niche. Additionally, we screened 1,019 photos from citizen science platforms, yielding 219 unique prey records. Orthoptera were the most frequently recorded prey, and proportionally more often in photos than in pellets, likely reflecting detection bias toward larger and more conspicuous prey. Our results confirm the predominantly insectivorous diet of the Lesser Kestrel in Türkiye and show that pellet- and photo-based approaches provide complementary perspectives on prey composition. Integrating conventional and citizen-science-based dietary data can improve ecological assessments and support bird-friendly agricultural management in pseudo-steppe landscapes.

The concept of space–time equivalence refers to the observation that ecological patterns might look similar when studied in space or time. It has frequently been applied in studies on environmental (mainly climate) change, where appropriate temporal data are lacking. Here, we take advantage of long-term butterfly museum records, taken from 1985 to 2022 at multiple sites from three habitat types in the northern Austrian Alps. We ask whether the pattern of species accumulation, the demographic variability, and the temporal pattern of species turnover (β-diversity) of butterflies are qualitatively and also quantitatively equivalent in space and time. A power function model of species accumulation was able to describe the long-term temporal and large-scale spatial variability of butterfly assemblages. Slopes of the species accumulation curves and β-diversity were always higher in space than in time. Average species ranks of the most frequently occurring species in space were consistently higher than those in time. Both patterns were most pronounced in ecologically more specialised species and in pastures. We conclude that habitat characteristics and heterogeneity are more important for the degree of β-diversity than species traits. We predict that increasing spatial faunal homogenisation should shift butterfly and also other arthropod assemblages towards patterns of species accumulation with similar slopes.

Populations of Gmelina arborea (Lamiaceae), a fast-growing deciduous tree widely used in afforestation, agroforestry and timber production, and valued for carbon sequestration and land rehabilitation, are declining across parts of its range due to escalating anthropogenic pressure and climate-driven environmental change. As large-scale planting and restoration programmes increasingly rely on this species, identifying areas where climate conditions will remain suitable is essential for climate-smart site selection and long-term plantation viability. We applied species distribution modelling to quantify the current and projected habitat suitability of G. arborea under present and future climatic conditions proxied through several Shared Socioeconomic Pathways climate change scenarios. We used the low-resolution global climate model by the Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace Climate Modelling Centre, Version 6A, to simulate future climate conditions for the year 2050 across the eastern Indian state Jharkhand. At present, approximately 38% of Jharkhand's area provides suitable habitat for the species; however, projections indicate that this may decline to 17-40% by 2050, depending on the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways scenario. Precipitation of the driest month and mean temperature of the driest quarter were the most influential predictors, indicating that the species is probably highly sensitive to moisture deficits and seasonal climatic extremes that regulate establishment and growth. These results provide a scientific basis for climate-informed management strategies, including targeted site selection, assisted dispersal, and silvicultural interventions, to sustain future restoration and farm forestry initiatives involving G. arborea in vulnerable tropical landscapes.

The South African ragwort Senecio inaequidens is among the most invasive plant species in Europe, especially in mountainous and Mediterranean regions, and is suspected to exert allelopathic effects (release of chemical inhibitors) on native vegetation. This study investigated the allelopathic potential of South African ragwort using radish Raphanus sativus as a model species. In laboratory experiments, I treated radish seeds with ragwort leaf extracts at varying concentrations. After three days, the extract reduced radish seed germination by up to 40% in a concentration-dependent manner. High extract concentrations significantly inhibited radish seedling root length, whereas lower concentrations rather stimulated root growth. Measurements of oxidative stress-related parameters, including lipid peroxidation and total antioxidative capacity, showed no changes in treated roots. In a complementary pot experiment, I exposed radish seeds for 36 days to pulverised ragwort leaves mixed with vermiculite. This treatment delayed, but did not suppress seed germination. Subsequent plant growth and physiological status remained unaffected. The results suggest that South African ragwort exerts moderate allelopathic effects, primarily influencing seedlings, whereas mature plants appear less sensitive to its allelochemicals.

Heredity - It is hard to be small: Inbreeding depression on male breeding success depends on body size in a threatened songbird

Przyroda nie sprowadza się wyłącznie do brutalnej walki o przetrwanie. Delfiny podtrzymujące rannego towarzysza przy powierzchni, szczury uwalniające inne osobniki z pułapki czy mrówki poświęcające si...

WELCOME to our lab! We're the Systematic Entomology group of Marcin Kaminski. Research interests: We are investigating the evolutionary history of species, genera, and higher-level lineages using gene...

Scientific Reports - Replicated urban mosaics reveal trait- and species-specific shifts in carotenoid and structural plumage colouration of two passerines