Nature Conservation Agency

Advanced molecular poliovirus diagnostics across multiple real-time PCR platforms with locked nucleic acids and primer overhangs

This study details the development and validation of five real-time RT-PCR assays for the intratypic differentiation (ITD) of polioviruses and the discrimination of vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPVs) utilizing locked nucleic acid (LNA) technology and primer overhangs. Updated a...

Elevational Differences in Plant Growth Traits, Litter Decomposition, and Soil Bacterial Communities During Deyeuxia angustifolia Encroachment in Alpine Tundra

Graminoid encroachment in alpine tundra is often reduced to a simple rise in dominant-species cover, leaving open whether this aboveground shift is coupled to belowground soil conditioning. Here, we tracked the encroachment front of Deyeuxia angustifolia (Kom.) Y.L.Chang in the C...

Complementary, not competing: passive acoustic monitoring and point counts reveal different facets of bird communities in agricultural landscapes

Reliable, scalable monitoring of declining bird communities is essential for evaluating conservation management. We compared species richness and community composition derived from passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) with those from traditional point counts in 11 winter wheat field...

The secret of the saws: historical DNA analysis reveals global genetic diversity loss in a highly threatened species

Abstract Genetic diversity is critical to long-term survival of species but can be eroded by population declines driven by human pressures. Temporal genetic monitoring of threatened species can reveal changes in genetic diversity over time, providing key data for conservation. Sp...

Plant species richness is key for restoring grassland butterfly assemblages

Abstract Palaearctic grasslands are heavily threatened by land‐use changes that lead to degradation and habitat loss. Thus, successful grassland restoration for vegetation and wildlife is urgently needed. Butterflies, as sensitive indicators, could provide a holistic view of rest...