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Challenges of soil health restoration in Tunisian cereal production systems: an analysis through the social-ecological systems framework (SES)

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Challenges of soil health restoration in Tunisian cereal production systems: an analysis through the social-ecological systems framework (SES) Authors: Khamassi, Aya; Guimarães, Maria Helena; Chemak, Fraj; Bourceret, Amélie; Requier-Desjardins, Mélanie; Rozakis, Stelios Abstract: Soil health is essential for sustainable and resilient agricultural systems, supporting food production and maintaining vital ecosystem services. In the Mediterranean region, including Tunisia, it is seriously threatened by both natural and anthropogenic factors, such as erosion, loss of organic matter, intensive agricultural practices, and inadequate land management. In this context, adopting farming practices that can preserve and restore soil health is crucial, but such a transition is far from straightforward. To explore what this transition entails, we applied the Socio-Ecological Systems (SES) framework as the guiding structure for our methodological approach. Data was collected through a literature review, eleven semi-structured interviews, a multi-actor workshop involving twenty participants, and a multi-criteria analysis. Results reveal a combination of technical, political, institutional, economic, and socio-cultural barriers that hinder the adoption of practices that can secure soil health. The most critical include (1) the absence of agricultural policies supporting transition, (2) limited communication and cooperation among actors, and (3) high implementation costs. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for a coordinated national strategy that fosters cross-sectoral collaboration and provides effective support for farmers transitioning toward sustainable soil management in Tunisia’s cereal systems.

Genetic monogamy in high density populations of a threatened Mediterranean rodent

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 23:00:00 GMT

Title: Genetic monogamy in high density populations of a threatened Mediterranean rodent Authors: Pita, Ricardo; Jiménez, José; Paupério, Joana; Cienfuegos, Benigno; de Castro, Alejandro Chamizo; Díaz-Caballero, Joshua; Queirós, João; Ferreira, Clara; Mougeot, François; Anega, Alfredo; Palacios, Maria Jesús; Luque-Larena, Juan José Abstract: Monogamous mammal species often exhibit flexible mating strategies in response to socio-ecological factors such as population density, though the extent of this flexibility remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the genetic mating system of the Cabrera vole (Microtus cabrerae) in high density habitat patches from Extremadura (Spain), assessing whether it aligns with or deviates from the genetic monogamy previously found in low-density populations (< 20 individual/ha). Using genetic non-invasive sampling of vole faeces combined with spatial capture-recapture modelling, we first obtained precise estimates of population density. We then evaluated whether Cabrera voles display alternative mating tactics in these high-density patches by means of space use and parentage analysis. Results indicated that, even under unusually high population densities (> 90 individuals/ha), Cabrera voles exhibit genetic monogamous mating system, contrasting with the density-dependent variations often observed in other socially monogamous species. This suggests that Cabrera voles may have limited flexibility in their reproductive behaviours, potentially influenced by life-history traits such as strong pair-bonds, paternal care, and low levels of sperm competition, which likely promote paternity assurance and reduce the chances of extra-pair mating. These traits probably evolved in response to the limiting conditions that semi-arid Mediterranean environments impose to herbivores, influencing the most optimal mating strategies to the successful rearing of offspring. Overall, our findings highlight that not all monogamous mammal species exhibit flexibility in their mating strategies in response to population density. In the case of the Cabrera vole, being a near-threatened Iberian endemism, the predominance of genetic monogamy may increase its vulnerability to land-use and climate changes, given this mating strategy is generally associated with lower effective population sizes and overall genetic diversity. Conservation efforts for Cabrera voles should thus focus on preserving large and stable habitat patches, while improving landscape connectivity to mitigate potential population and genetic bottlenecks, and enhance the long-term viability of extant populations.

Using spatially explicit individual-based models to prioritize conservation strategies: A case study on the little bustard

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Using spatially explicit individual-based models to prioritize conservation strategies: A case study on the little bustard Authors: Crispim-Mendes, Tiago; Marques, Ana Teresa; Valerio, Francesco; Godinho, Sérgio; Pita, Ricardo; Silva, João Paulo Abstract: Steppe birds are among the most threatened terrestrial birds worldwide, requiring urgent, well-planned, and cost-effective conservation strategies to halt population declines. The little bustard (Tetrax tetrax) is one of those species that has experienced sharp population declines across its western range, yet the effectiveness of different management interventions remains poorly understood. Predictive models, such as Individual-Based Models (IBM), provide powerful tools to anticipate and assess the effectiveness of conservation scenarios for endangered species, supporting evidence-based management decisions. In this study, we developed a spatially explicit demographic IBM to evaluate conservation strategies for the little bustard in Extremadura, Spain, where the species faces a skewed sex ratio towards males, habitat degradation and high anthropogenic mortality. Our model integrates high-resolution habitat suitability data with demographic parameters to simulate individual behaviours and interactions with the environment, forecasting habitat use and population dynamics under different management strategies. The model calibration process supported the hypothesis that nest, chick, and adult survival positively correlate with habitat suitability. Notably, our results suggest that the unbalanced sex ratio is partially driven by low female survival rates in less favourable habitats. We simulated conservation strategies focused on habitat improvement and the mitigation of anthropogenic mortality over 50 years (2022–2072). The results indicate that habitat enhancements alone are insufficient to reverse population declines without complementary efforts to reduce anthropogenic mortality. This finding emphasizes the need for an integrated, long-term conservation strategy that combines habitat management with proactive measures to mitigate human-induced mortality, ensuring the sustainable recovery of little bustard populations. More broadly, this study highlights the value of IBMs as high-resolution, spatially explicit decision-support tools for conservation planning, offering critical insights into prioritizing and implementing cost-effective strategies.

The InBIO Barcoding Initiative Database: contribution to the knowledge of DNA barcodes of the vascular plants of north-eastern Portugal

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Title: The InBIO Barcoding Initiative Database: contribution to the knowledge of DNA barcodes of the vascular plants of north-eastern Portugal Authors: Queirós, João; Silva, Rodrigo; Pinho, Catarina J.; Vale-Gonçalves, Hélia M.; Pita, Ricardo; Alves, Paulo C.; Beja, Pedro; Paupério, Joana; Porto, Miguel Editors: Mergen, Patricia Abstract: Background: Metabarcoding is invaluable for understanding trophic interactions, enabling high-resolution and rapid dietary assessments. However, it requires a robust DNA barcode reference library for accurate taxa identification. This dataset has been generated in the framework of the InBIO Barcoding Initiative (IBI) and Agrivole project. The integration of these two projects was crucial, as Agrivole aimed to investigate the trophic niche of small mammals in Trás-os-Montes Region through DNA metabarcoding, which required a reliable plant DNA barcode library for this same region. Given the large number of species not yet represented in international databases, a survey of local plants was essential to fill this gap. Thus, this study created an accurate DNA reference database for the plants of the Trás-os-Montes Region of Portugal. New information: The current DNA reference database contains 632 vascular plant samples, all morphologically identified and belonging to 435 species. This represents 14% and 38.7% of the total known plant species for Portugal and the study area, respectively. Of the 1781 barcode sequences provided in this dataset, 1099 contain new information (61.7%) at different levels: 254 (13.6%, ITS2: 41, trnL-ef: 126, trnL-gh: 87) are completely new to GenBank and/or BOLD databases at the time of publication, 438 (24.6%, ITS2: 59, trnL-ef: 173, trnL-gh: 206) are new records for a given species and 407 (22.9%, ITS2: 187, trnL-ef: 206, trnL-gh: 14) provide additional information (e.g. different bp length, intraspecific genetic variability); the remaining 682 sequences (38.3%) are equal (100% identity) to sequences already publicly available for the identified species. Overall, this dataset represents a significant contribution to the genetic knowledge of vascular plants represented in public libraries. This is one of the public releases of the IBI database, which provides genetic and distributional data for several taxa. All vouchers are deposited in the Herbarium of the Museum of Natural History and Science of the University of Porto (MHNC-UP) and their DNA barcodes are publicly available in the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD), NCBI GenBank online databases and International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration (INSDC).