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Forensic Applications in Biodiversity Research: The Clock Is Ticking for Registering Biodiversity (Meta)data
No full textWith climate change and accelerating biodiversity decline, lawmakers have been implementing legislation to curtail the negative impact of human actors on further decline. A few noteworthy legal acts are the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR, Reg. EU 2023/1115) in 2023 and the updated European Environmental Crime Directive (ECD, Dir. EU 2024/1203) in 2024. Enforcing these legal instruments requires forensic scientific services able to provide traceable, auditable evidence for provenance, habitat change, and chain-of-custody.IntroductionBiodiversity loss represents a systemic risk to human well-being and planetary function; this has been synthesised in the IPBES Global Assessment (IPBES 2019) and earlier conservation science (Soulé 1985. Economic thinking incorporated ecological risk through natural-capital accounting and valuation of ecosystem services (Costanza et al. 1997), which helped motivate legal instruments that translate ecological risk into enforceable rules. The EUDR obliges companies placing forest-risk commodities (FRCs: timber, coffee, cocoa, soy, palm oil, rubber) on the EU market to exercise due diligence to exclude links to deforestation and degradation, while Member States must verify compliance using scientific evidence.Results and operational workWithin the Horizon Europe GUARDEN project (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101060693) we developed a decision-support application (DSA) to inform policy choices with biodiversity data. Use of DSAs in regulatory contexts raises forensic questions: who bears responsibility for decisions, how is uncertainty documented, and can DSAs be adapted to produce court-usable artefacts as evidence? Converting digital policy tools into forensic-grade outputs requires provenance capture, immutable audit trails, model-versioning, and explicit uncertainty propagation.Dr. P. Bonnet has contributed significantly to the monitoring of plants through the Pl@ntNet initiative (Lefort et al. 2024). Together with Dr. A. Joly they cary out research to access the uncertainty in biodiversity modelling and emphasise quantifying identification error, observer bias; these metrics define whether species-level inferences reach forensic viability. Model-sensitivity analyses can be inverted to identify minimal sampling density and taxonomic resolution needed to meet legal evidentiary thresholds in priority areas.Dr. Ch. Van Neste established an atomic-elemental laboratory at Meise Botanic Garden to characterise elemental fingerprints of FRCs and build reference baselines in collaboration with Dr. V. Declerck from World Forest ID (Deklerck et al. 2024). The lab was designed with forensic principles: documented Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), instrument calibration records, and an open-source traceability platform deployed via Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) to enable reproducible, auditable instances for other labs or corporate due-diligence systems (https://github.com/AgentschapPlantentuinMeise/MeiseCSI). DiscussionA recurring concern at Living Data 2025 was incomplete metadata and sampling bias in historical and contemporary biodiversity databases; these omissions produce a “data shadow” of unseen assumptions and missing observations that undermines forensic credibility (Leonelli et al. 2017). Forensic utility demands (1) standardised metadata schemas capturing geolocation with uncertainty, timestamp, collector identity, sampling protocol identifiers, chain-of-custody tags, and Certified Reference Material (CRM) usage; (2) reference baselines (elemental, isotopic, genetic) with documented spatial coverage and measurement uncertainty; (3) accredited lab networks and inter-lab proficiency testing; (4) auditable software (immutable logs, versioned models, IaC); and (5) training for expert witnesses to communicate quantified uncertainty against legal standards of proof.ConclusionThis session acted as a call to action. Decision-support tools are necessary but insufficient without forensic design: SOPs, metadata-first capture, uncertainty quantification, accredited analyses, and capacity building for experts and communities. Registering high-quality and comprehensive biodiversity metadata is a minimal requirement to enable enforcement of legal instruments such as the EUDR and the strengthened ECD; the clock is ticking
Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records
No full textWe provide a list of all named Lepidoptera in the USA and Canada. Data include ranges, host plants, and synonymies. Information is annotated, including detailed range notes and host-plant records. Data are also provided in unique, easily filtered fields. The list establishes 12,541 native species, 325 exotic species, and 189 species straying occasionally into North America. In addition, we list 146 known but undescribed species, 112 species with uncertain or unresolved status, and 450 excluded species. 7423 of the described species in North America have host record data. Information is presented here as an Excel spreadsheet
Taxonomic revision of two dominant Munidopsis species (Decapoda, Anomura, Munidopsidae) from the cold seeps in the northern South China Sea: new records and complementary descriptions
No full textMunidopsis species represent some of the dominant macrobenthos in cold seep habitats of the northern South China Sea. Earlier studies documented high abundances of M. verrilli Benedict, 1902 at Site F cold seep and M. lauensis Baba & de Saint Laurent, 1992 at Haima cold seep. However, comparative morphological and genetic analysis of additional materials from the deep waters of California, Manus Basin, and southern Okinawa Trough now indicate that those specimens in the South China Sea require taxonomic revision: the specimens at Site F should be M. longispinosa Cubelio, Tsuchida & Watanabe, 2007 and the specimens at Haima cold seep belong to M. ryukyuensis Cubelio, Tsuchida & Watanabe, 2007. Complementary descriptions of M. ryukyuensis, M. longispinosa and M. verrilli, as well as their geographic distributions, are provided to facilitate future identification
Assessing the impossible trinity principle in BRICS grouping
No full textThis paper contributes to the literature on the policy trilemma by evaluating potential policy combinations for the original BRICS within the framework of the Impossible Trinity. It also introduces a novel modelling approach that defines a boundary for the linear combination of variables associated with the policy trilemma. The findings reveal that the trilemma emerges from the interplay of these three policy dimensions. Given the global influence of the BRICS countries, the results suggest that, if they maintain a fixed exchange rate system, they will likely have to sacrifice either free capital movement or independence from monetary policy. This loss of flexibility could be particularly detrimental, considering their significant international influence and their role as major recipients of capital flows for trade and financial transactions. Consequently, the optimal policy combination for BRICS is free capital flow, monetary independence, and a flexible exchange rate
Comparing ichthyofaunal composition between Zostera japonica beds (Plantae, Alismatales, Zosteraceae) and adjacent bare ground within a small temperate estuary in southern Japan
No full textZostera japonica Ascherson et Graebner, 1907 is a dominant seagrass species that forms coastal habitats in the northwestern Pacific. Bare areas adjacent to these seagrass beds are also recognized as fish habitat. However, few studies have comparatively evaluated the ecological importance of Z. japonica beds and adjacent bare ground within estuarine environments. We conducted seine net sampling to compare ichthyofaunal composition between Z. japonica beds and adjacent bare ground in a small temperate estuary in Kyushu, southern Japan, during three summer seasons (2015, 2016, and 2019), when seagrass growth is at its peak. Fish species richness and the abundance of the predominant species, Redigobius bikolanus (Herre, 1927), were significantly higher in the seagrass beds than over bare ground. Additionally, the size distribution of R. bikolanus was broader in seagrass beds. PERMANOVA analysis revealed a significant difference in abundance-based species composition between the two habitats, and SIMPER analysis identified three species that contributed most to this distinction: R. bikolanus and Gerres japonicus Bleeker, 1854 (both more abundant in seagrass beds), and Gymnogobius breunigii (Steindachner, 1880) (more abundant over bare ground). These findings imply that Z. japonica beds enhance fish diversity and serve as key habitats for dominant fish species, while adjacent bare ground also supports specific fish communities. The results underscore the importance of conservation efforts within estuaries that account for the ecological roles of both seagrass and bare substrates
A faunistic revision of Fulgoromorpha and Cicadomorpha (Insecta, Hemiptera) of Lithuania
No full textThe article presents an update catalogue of Fulgoromorpha and Cicadomorpha of Lithuania basing on analysis of publishing records, the material preserved in the available institutional and private collections of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, also the material collected between 2017 and 2025 from various regions of Lithuania. A total of 360 species belonging to 147 genera of Fulgoromorpha and Cicadomorpha are confirmed for Lithuanian fauna; 20 species are reported in this article from Lithuania for the first time, 4 of which are newly recorded in the Baltic States
Image-based recognition using advanced neural networks can aid surveillance of Agrilus jewel beetles
No full textThe genus Agrilus includes two species, Agrilus planipennis and A. anxius, that are of particular phytosanitary concern and that are regulated by the European Union legislation. This implies that phytosanitary agencies of all EU countries are obliged to establish specific surveillance programs to verify the absence of these species from their territory. These activities commonly consist of the use of green-colored traps, which are however attractive not only for A. planipennis and A. anxius, but also for a wide range of other Agrilus species. For this reason, much time and expertise is required to sort and identify specimens to species, impeding an efficient rapid response. In this study, we tested the efficacy of the Entomoscope, a low-cost, open-source photomicroscope that uses high-resolution digital imaging and allows a pre-trained Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) model to accurately detect, image and classify insect specimens, for automatic identification of 13 Agrilus species, including A. planipennis and A. anxius. We benchmarked models from three different CNN architectures and selected YOLOv8l as the most robust performer; this model achieved a Top-1 accuracy of 90.2% on a “real-world” test set (i.e. a dataset simulating real surveillance conditions). For most species, including A. planipennis and A. anxius, either no errors or only a few errors were made, whereas for a few native species misidentifications were more common. These results provided proof of concept for an AI-driven surveillance system that can strongly aid in surveillance activities of Agrilus species
Stuck in between: First case of transverse intersexuality in Trochosa cachetiensis Mcheidze, 1997 (Araneae, Lycosidae) from Georgia
No full textThe first illustrated description of transverse intersexuality in Trochosa cachetiensis Mcheidze, 1997, from Georgia, is provided. In this specimen, both male (palpal bulbs) and female (epigyne) structures are underdeveloped. Brief comparison of the intersex specimen with normally developed conspecifics is given
Long-distance dispersals and ecological transitions underlie the biogeographic expansion of the pantropical magnoliid genus Xylopia (Annonaceae)
No full textPantropical taxa with broad and changing distributions provide useful models for assessing drivers of tropical tree biodiversity. Originating at the Eocene-Oligocene boundary, Xylopia is a vertebrate-dispersed woody plant genus with ca. 190 species evenly distributed across the Tropics. How did biogeographic and ecological transitions in this genus shape its broad present-day distribution? We analysed these transitions using ancestral area, climatic and spatial phylogenetic reconstructions, based on an extensive nuclear phylogeny and a curated dataset of occurrence records. The ancestral area was reconstructed as palaeotropical. The genus then underwent two dispersals from Africa, one to the Asia-Pacific area and one to the Neotropics. While niche conservatism in continental rain forests continued, the genus repeatedly transitioned to subhumid, inundated and ultramafic environments. Transitions from rain forests to subhumid environments increased in the Afrotropics as many rain forest groups underwent extinction. Association with inundated habitats, frequent in the early evolution of the genus, became sporadic. Ultramafic transitions occurred in five clades. Xylopia is present on 51 tropical islands; single-island endemics make up ca. 90% of insular species. Repeated dispersals took place between Africa and Madagascar, the Sunda and Sahul plates in the Asia-Pacific and from Central America to the Caribbean. Island distributions indicate overdispersion to remote islands, as well as limited radiations and stepping-stone dispersals. Novel environments, including islands, acted largely as sinks, together encompassing about half the species in the genus. A suite of traits promoting long-distance dispersal by a variety of non-resident birds, combined with the capacity for habitat transitions, were fundamental drivers of pantropical expansion and diversification. These drivers operated repeatedly in all regions, while idiosyncratic historical factors determined the timing and routes of dispersals. Highlights Age and distribution of basal grade lineages suggest that the ancestral Xylopia lineage occupied Eocene Boreotropical forests, moving southwards and diversifying independently in the Afrotropic and Asia-Pacific areas of the Palaeotropics. Biogeographic stochastic mapping estimated high regional in situ speciation (89.8%) amongst total biogeographic events for Xylopia. The plants provide high value seed rewards taken by birds that transit long distances and between habitats, promoting long-distance dispersal. Xylopia exhibits overdispersion even to isolated islands, but there is no significant correlation between species richness and isolation index. In response to Miocene aridification and shifts to monsoon climates in the Afrotropics, Xylopia dispersed across multiple lineages, including transitions to subhumid habitats. Ultramafic species occur on islands throughout the range of Xylopia; radiations took place in Xylopia sect. Xylopia on Cuba and in Xylopia sect. Stenoxylopia on New Guinea and New Caledonia
Limnocythere curvispinosa sp. nov. (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from two ancient lakes in the Xiaojiang Fault zone, Yunnan Province, southwestern China
No full textAncient lakes often harbor endemic species that are invaluable for studying adaptive radiation and speciation. In Yunnan Province, southwestern China, a number of ancient lakes emerged as a result of Cenozoic tectonic activities. Within these lakes, ostracods constitute a crucial component of the ecosystems, yet they remain poorly studied. Here, we describe Limnocythere curvispinosa sp. nov. (Limnocytheridae Sars, 1925) from Fuxian and Yangzong Lakes in east-central Yunnan. This new species belongs to the L. stationis group based on its posteriorly inclined dorsal valve margin and the reduced seventh limb. It can be distinguished from other species in this group by the three long, curved dorsal spines on the right valve, the small antero-dorsal spine on the left valve, and the unique morphology of the hemipenis. Our data indicate that Limnocythere curvispinosa sp. nov. colonized Yangzong Lake by the Early Holocene at the latest, but it is uncertain if it still occurs there today. Some females and a few males of this species still live in Fuxian Lake. Together, Limnocythere curvispinosa sp. nov., Limnocythere xinanensis Zhao, 1987, and another undescribed but closely related species represent a small evolutionary lineage within the L. stationis group that has inhabited southwestern China since the Early Pleistocene