-
Maintaining taxonomic accuracy in genetic databases: A duty for taxonomists— Reanalysis of the DNA sequences from Mercan et al. (2024) on the genus Potamothrix (Annelida, Clitellata) in Turkish lakes
-
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2025
-
Major excursions in sulfur isotopes linked to permafrost change in Eurasia during the last 50,000 years.
-
We identify a major sulfur isotope excursion in Eurasian faunal bone collagen from the last 50,000 years, here termed the Late Pleniglacial Sulfur Excursion. Our analysis suggests this is linked to changing permafrost conditions, presenting the utility of faunal collagen δ34S as a proxy for permafrost dynamics, a critical component of the global carbon cycle. Our findings complicate the use of archaeological faunal sulfur isotopes for mobility and palaeodietary studies.
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2025
-
Malacological inventory of a sediment sample collected around the 500-meter isobath, southwest of Iceland
-
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2025
-
Management of the water quality in Vietnamese coastal waters impacted by CLIMate change and human induces DISasters using a marine modelling tool
-
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2023
-
Managing canopy cover to preserve forest microclimate and diverse macroarthropod communities in times of drought
-
1. Forest canopies play a vital role in buffering macroclimatic conditions, creating stable microclimates that support species unable to survive under the surrounding climate. However, disturbances driven by climate change alongside management interventions can disrupt canopy cover, altering forest microclimates and, consequently, forest- related biodiversity. 2. To investigate these dynamics, we monitored forest floor temperature, soil moisture and macroarthropod communities along a canopy cover gradient in the National Park Brabantse Wouden, Belgium. Forest microclimate was recorded using TMS4- loggers throughout the 2022–2023 growing seasons. Macroarthropod activity- density and species richness were sampled using pitfall traps during the 2022 summer. Generalized linear mixed models and piecewise structural equation modelling were used to assess the influence of forest structure. 3. As canopy cover decreased, microclimate temperatures became more similar to macroclimate temperatures, reducing the forest's thermal buffering capacity. Once canopy cover dropped below 50%, temperatures were amplified rather than buffered. Additionally, lower stand densities were linked to higher soil moisture levels. 4. Microclimatic conditions significantly affected both the activity- density and species richness of macroarthropod communities. Woodlice profited from temporarily elevated forest floor temperatures if soil moisture was sufficient, while prolonged high temperatures negatively affected ground beetles. Ground beetles benefited from reduced canopy cover and increased deadwood, while woodlice preferred oak- dominated stands. 5. Synthesis and applications. To sustain a stable and well- buffered microclimate, we recommend maintaining canopies as closed as possible. Even small openings reduce the forest's ability to buffer temperature, with canopy covers below 50% leading to temperature amplification. Closed canopies should be combined with isolated canopy gaps to promote habitat heterogeneity. Additionally, deadwood amounts should increase to provide shelter during droughts. This balanced management approach fosters stable forest microclimates and diverse habitats, supporting long- and short- term macroarthropod biodiversity in temperate broadleaf forests.
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2025
-
Managing subsurface geosystem services within geological limits: A sustainable scale framework
-
The increasing exploitation of geological resources requires sustainable management frameworks that balance resource utilisation with the long-term conservation of the geophysical environment’s functions. Despite growing recognition of geosystem services (derived from geophysical structures and processes), the current literature lacks a comprehensive discussion of their sustainable management that integrates established ecological eco- nomics principles. This study aims to (1) systematically assess existing geosystem services management literature and (2) develop a framework for their sustainable management based on geophysical constraints. Through a systematic review of 40 publications, we find that the literature has developed foundational work on the clas- sification and mapping of geosystem services, with limited subsequent development of operational guidance for sustainable resource management. No existing framework links resource-use rates to geological regeneration capacities and defines sustainable scales in terms of geophysical constraints. To address these shortcomings, we introduce a process-based geosystem service cascade model that links geophysical structures and processes to their functional outputs and societal benefits. This cascade classifies services by function and reveals the regeneration timescales of the geophysical processes that produce them. Guided by the sustainable development principles of Daly (1990), we use this classification to develop a conceptual scheme that identifies which services are suitable for steady-state exploitation and which require pairing with renewable alternatives. The proposed scheme provides a conceptual basis for assessing the scale at which geological resource use can be sustained, grounded in the underlying geophysical structures and processes that determine geological limits and regener- ative capacity.
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2026
-
Mangrove Ecosystem Properties Regulate High Water Levels in a River Delta
-
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2023
-
Mangrove ecosystem properties regulate high water levels in a river delta
-
Intertidal wetlands, such as mangroves in the tropics, are increasingly recognized for their role in nature-based mitigation of coastal flood risks. Yet it is still poorly understood how effective they are at attenuating the propagation of extreme sea levels through large (order of 100 km2) estuarine or deltaic systems, with complex geometry formed by networks of branching channels intertwined with mangrove and intertidal flat areas. Here, we present a delta-scale hydrodynamic modelling study, aiming to explicitly account for these complex landforms, for the case of the Guayas delta (Ecuador), the largest estuarine system on the Pacific coast of Latin America. Despite coping with data scarcity, our model accurately reproduces the observed propagation of high water levels during a spring tide. Further, based on a model sensitivity analysis, we show that high water levels are most sensitive to the mangrove platform elevation and degree of channelization but to a much lesser extent to vegetation-induced friction. Mangroves with a lower surface elevation, lower vegetation density, and higher degree of channelization all favour a more efficient flooding of the mangroves and therefore more effectively attenuate the high water levels in the deltaic channels. Our findings indicate that vast areas of channelized mangrove forests, rather than densely vegetated forests, are most effective for nature-based flood risk mitigation in a river delta.
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2024
-
Mangrove vegetation density and channel density have trade-off effects on nature-based flood risk mitigation
-
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2025 OA
-
Mangroves are an overlooked hotspot of insect diversity despite low plant diversity
-
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2020
