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GeoPl@ntNet: A High-Resolution Biodiversity Mapping Platform for Environmental Forensics
No full textThe increasing frequency of environmental crimes (Rippingille 2023), from illegal deforestation and habitat degradation to biopiracy, requires new digital tools for collecting, verifying, and communicating biodiversity evidence. GeoPl@ntNet addresses this need by transforming citizen-science and expert plant observations into auditable, high-resolution biodiversity intelligence suitable for research, conservation, and forensic applications.Built upon the globally used Pl@ntNet infrastructure, which hosts more than 20 million users contributing georeferenced plant observations from 200 countries, GeoPl@ntNet Leblanc et al. (2025a) integrates this vast dataset with environmental predictors to generate predictive biodiversity maps at 50×50m spatial resolution. At its core, GeoPl@ntNet employs a multi-species deep learning model (DeepSDM Botella et al. 2018) and a Habitat Distribution Model based on a transformer model.The DeepSDM is first trained on approximately 30 million Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) species occurrence records and 5 million European Vegetation Archive (EVA) surveys to infer species presence, habitat types, and biodiversity indicators across Europe. The model combines environmental variables, Sentinel-2 RGB and near-infrared imagery, elevation, land cover, and long-term climatic time series. Species distribution predictions are then computed over a European grid of 50×50 m cells within 25×25 km meta-tiles. The species distribution predictions are subsequently fed into a transformer-based model (Pl@ntBERT Leblanc et al. 2025b) to predict habitats under the EUNIS 2020 standard. Finally, derived biodiversity indicators, such as counts of protected, local, or invasive species, are aggregated into reproducible spatial layers that users can explore, download, or integrate via WMS or STAC services.Beyond ecological research, GeoPl@ntNet demonstrates strong potential for environmental forensics. Investigators can detect non-native or invasive taxa near ports and industrial areas, monitor biodiversity decline before and after disturbance events, and generate standardized biodiversity reports that support legal or regulatory proceedings.GeoPl@ntNet implements a provenance-based auditing system that tracks the full lifecycle of each biodiversity layer. Every map is linked to machine-readable metadata describing the source datasets, model versions, and environmental predictors used to generate it. These metadata are exposed through STAC and WMS services, enabling external verification, reproducibility of outputs, and legally traceable biodiversity reporting.The platform's design: Nuxt and Leaflet for the frontend, Python backend with MapProxy and TiTiler services, also ensures transparency and reproducibility, enabling alignment with TDWG data standards including World Geographic Scheme for Recording Plant species Distributions (WGSRPD) and EUNIS habitat classifications. By coupling scalable AI models trained on both citizen-science and expert data with diverse maps and reports, GeoPl@ntNet connects biodiversity informatics with environmental governance, enabling auditable, site-level verification of biodiversity integrity.Accessible via https://geo.plantnet.org, the platform will be extended to global coverage and integrated within Pl@ntNet to support scalable and legally robust biodiversity assessments worldwide
Economic base and demographic change in Mongolia’s small rural towns (2015–2023)
No full textThis study examines the spatial and economic dimensions of 247 small rural towns across Mongolia between 2015 and 2023, focusing on the interplay between traditional mainstay economic base types, livestock herding, sown area, enterprise activity (including mining, business, etc.), and changes in total population and age structure. We track demographic outcomes as changes in total population and the working-age share; component processes (births, deaths, migration) are not decomposed. Nonetheless, the spatial patterns we observe near transport corridors and mining towns are consistent with net in-migration. Drawing on economic base theory and functional rurality, the research uses standardized spatial datasets to classify settlements and track population structure in relation to economic specialization and infrastructure access. The findings reveal that livestock remains the most widespread economic base, particularly in central and western Mongolia, though increasingly vulnerable to environmental shocks. Enterprise activity has expanded significantly, especially in towns with access to rail and road networks, contributing to labor retention and demographic growth. Sown area intensity has remained concentrated in traditional grain-producing regions, with only modest expansion observed in some central and western provinces. Towns dependent on a single economic base, especially livestock or aging mining, experienced working age population decline, while towns with diversified or infrastructure-linked economies showed demographic resilience. These results contribute to the understanding of rural transformation in Mongolia and offer insights for targeted, decentralized development planning. Findings highlight the need for coordinated investment in diversified local economies to support demographic sustainability in small rural towns
Temporal monitoring of genetic diversity in aquatic insects: a pilot study in the Bavarian Forest National Park
No full textTemporal monitoring of genetic diversity within species is crucial for incorporating intraspecific genetic variation into global change monitoring. This pilot study aims to establish and validate a methodology for long-term genetic monitoring of aquatic insects in the Bavarian Forest National Park. Over seven years, the genetic diversity and spatiotemporal population structure of the mayfly Baetis alpinus, the stonefly Brachyptera seticornis, and the caddisfly Drusus discolor were investigated within three rivers in the national park. Utilising nuclear microsatellite analysis across nine loci for each species, 735 B. alpinus, 295 B. seticornis, and 193 D. discolor individuals were genotyped to assess local population structures in space and time. Our results revealed distinct spatial genetic patterns in B. alpinus, while B. seticornis and D. discolor lacked spatial genetic structure, indicating maintained gene flow throughout the populations within the national park. B. alpinus exhibited site-specific temporal changes, while B. seticornis and D. discolor showed stable genetic structures over the study period. These findings demonstrate the ability of this system to detect subtle genetic shifts over time. Furthermore, the results emphasise that environmental changes act species-specifically, highlighting the importance of species-level approaches in ecological studies. Continued monitoring and expanded analyses will further our understanding of ecological and population dynamics in changing environments. In light of our preliminary data, it is posited that neutral intraspecific genetic variation is a key indicator of the impacts of global change on freshwater species as it is often among the first aspects of biodiversity to reflect the consequences of changing environmental conditions in a species
Middletonia tiepiana (Gesneriaceae), a new species from southern Vietnam
No full textA new species of Middletonia (Gesneriaceae), M. tiepiana, is described from Nui Chua National Park in southern Vietnam. This is the third species of the genus recorded in Vietnam, and notably, the second Vietnamese species with a blue corolla – a trait previously observed in M. evrardii (Vietnam), M. changjiangensis, and M. hainanensis (both from China). Middletonia tiepiana differs from the Vietnamese species by its leaves lacking interpetiolar ridges, shorter peduncles, linear and minute bracts, free glandular anthers dehiscing by apical pores, and from the Chinese congeners by its growth form, distinct leaf morphology, length of peduncles, deep blue-violet corolla with a white base, and absence of staminodes. It grows in sandstone-based soils within coastal semi-arid forest, a habitat not previously associated with the genus. A detailed morphological description, illustration, notes on distribution, ecology, and phenology, and a provisional conservation assessment are provided. A key to all known Middletonia species is also included
A new species of the Cymbasoma longispinosum species-group (Copepoda, Monstrilloida) from the northern South China Sea
No full textA new monstrilloid copepod species, Cymbasoma stricturum sp. nov., is described and illustrated on the basis of adult females from the Pearl River estuary, northern South China Sea. The new species is closest to C. morii Sekiguchi, 1982, C. sinopense Üstün, Terbiyik & Suárez-Morales, 2014, and C. jinigudira Suárez-Morales & McKinnon, 2016, but it can be distinguished by a combination of characters including strongly protuberant, straight oral papilla; a cephalothorax that is distinctly constricted at the anterior two-fifths in both dorsal and lateral views; and two pairs of well-developed nipple-like processes on anterior dorsal surface, among other diagnostic traits. This is the ninth nominal species known in the Cymbasoma longispinosum species-group. We provide an updated dichotomous key for females and a revised worldwide distribution map of the species-group
Use of Americium and Curium fractions of minor actinides for the production of heat sources for radioisotope thermoelectric generators
No full textThe article considers the possibility of using the mixed (Am, Cm)-fraction extracted from minor actinides (MA) for large-scale production of powerful heat sources for space radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG). Such a choice of the MA fraction removes the limitation on the proportion of 236Pu in plutonium and leaves only a limitation on the proportion of 238Pu (above 80%). The irradiation of the (Am, Cm) mixture and the separated Am-fraction of MA are considered and compared. The irradiated material was placed in the central assembly of the VVER-1000 light-water power reactor core. It is proposed to remove only fission products (FP) from the irradiated material and to use the remaining three-component (Pu, Am, Cm) mixture as a heat source in the RTG. It has been shown that the mixed (Am, Cm)-fraction of MA is a preferable starting material compared to the Am-fraction since it provides the higher specific heat release of the produced three-component (Pu, Am, Cm) mixture at comparable rates of plutonium production and its isotopic compositions
Listening northward: first evidence of Cormura brevirostris (Wagner, 1843) (Emballonuridae, Chiroptera) in Honduras
No full textAcoustic methods have revolutionized the study of bats in the Neotropics, but they have not been widely used in Central America. This is partly due to a lack of funding for recording equipment, training limitations, and the absence of open-source repositories of verified voucher reference files. Since 2020, passive acoustic surveys have been conducted throughout Honduras, providing new insights into ecological, relative abundance, and distribution of several species. Based on two recent exploratory passive acoustic surveys in southeastern Honduras, Cormura brevirostris (Wagner, 1843), Emballonuridae, is reported for the first time in this country, extending its known range approximately 160 km north of the previous record in Nicaragua.
Discoveries of Dothideomycetes (Fungi) associated with pteridophytes in China
No full textPteridophytes are iconic symbols of the Earth’s biodiversity and harbor diverse fungal communities. In this study, an investigation of saprobic fungi associated with pteridophytes in China identified several fascinating taxonomic groups within Dothideomycetes. A polyphasic approach based on morphology, along with multi-gene phylogenetic analysis using combined LSU, RPB2, SSU, and tef1-α sequence data, revealed nine new collections representing five species in Pleosporales and five new collections representing two species in Muyocopronales. Consequently, six new genera (Cyatheomyces, Microlepicola, Neoberkleasmium, Pseudopalawaniella, Synnematospora, and Xenopleopunctum), six new species (Cyatheomyces synnematosus, Microlepicola guizhouensis, Pseudopalawaniella woodwardiae, Synnematospora pronephrii, Xenopleopunctum guizhouense, and X. sporodochiale), and five new combinations, viz., Neoberkleasmium micronesiacum (≡ Berkleasmium micronesiacum), N. nigroapicale (≡ B. nigroapicale), Xenoberkleasmium crinisium (≡ B. crunisia), X. pandani (≡ B. pandani), and X. typhae (≡ B. typhae), are proposed. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis reveals that four species of Xenoberkleasmium form a distinct lineage within Pleosporales, and they are evolving in a newly proposed family, Xenoberkleasmiaceae. Detailed morphological descriptions and a phylogenetic tree revealing the taxonomic placements of these new taxa are provided
Stability of financial inclusion determinants in emerging market economies: A dynamic coefficients approach
No full textThis paper addresses a significant gap in the existing literature on financial inclusion — namely, the dynamic instability of the impacts generated by its determinants in four major emerging market economies: Brazil, Russia, India, and China. A time-varying coefficients framework is applied to examine whether the factors shaping financial inclusion at the aggregate level produce nonlinear effects over time. The analysis covers the period from 2000–2001 to 2022–2023. A composite financial inclusion index is constructed to capture inclusion across three key dimensions — availability, access, and usage — using the distance function approach. Three classes of determinants are modeled: socio-demographic, infrastructural, and macroeconomic variables. Evidence indicates structural instability in the financial inclusion process for the BRIC economies, with several determinants exerting nonlinear impacts over time. The findings challenge the conventional assumption of time-invariant relationships between financial inclusion and its dominant determinants. The results reveal considerable temporal volatility in the effects of macroeconomic factors, including growth and inflation, on financial inclusion across emerging markets. Policymakers should adjust strategies, moving beyond assumptions of linear processes and managing dynamic, nonlinear factors more effectively to achieve universal financial inclusion
Social unrest, subjective well-being, and active government: Evidence from a global sample
No full textThis study presents fresh evidence on the impact of social unrest on the subjective well-being of approximately 400,000 individuals worldwide from 1981 to 2022. Utilizing data from a media reports platform allows us to capture the effects of unrest with a lag of about one month, as opposed to conventional national-level data. The results provide clear evidence of a growing negative effect of regional instability — causing a decline in people’s welfare. Notably, examining government actions during this period using the Integrated Macroprudential Policy (iMaPP) Database reveals that governments may mitigate the adverse effects of social unrest on citizens’ satisfaction through policies concerning liquidity adjustments and relaxed reserve requirements. Still, most other actions appear to exacerbate the situation. The findings of this study suggest practical implications for the design of prudent policy measures during periods of instability to enhance the subjective well-being of their citizens