Increasing goose populations in the northern hemisphere during the past 50 years have generated human-goose conflicts regarding agricultural damages and various ecosystem effects. The population increase, and the marked southward breeding range expansion of Barnacle Geese Branta leucopsis into temperate regions in northwestern Europe, motivated the adoption of an AEWA International Single Species Management Plan for the species. To protect the population at internationally important key sites and, if necessary, grant derogations to prevent damage, the management plan emphasised the need for updated estimates of the size of different population segments, data on demographic parameters, and assessments of the role of predators in regulating populations. In this study, the increase, and subsequent 98% decrease, of the breeding population of Barnacle Geese on the islands of Gotland and Öland, Sweden, in the central Baltic Sea during the 55-year period from 1971 to 2025 is analysed. Previous analyses of demographic parameters performed during the increase phase are supplemented by analyses of reproductive success and survival during the decline phase. The first breeding pair in the Baltic Sea region was recorded on Gotland in 1971. Thereafter, the total number of breeding pairs on Gotland and Öland increased rapidly to c.5,290 breeding pairs in 2002. At that point these birds constituted the major part of the species Baltic population. Thereafter, the number declined rapidly to only c.100 breeding pairs in 2025. Reproductive parameters such as clutch size and production of fledged young declined or remained low during the decline phase, but the lower reproductive output could not alone explain the decline of breeding pairs. Instead, declining adult survival rates due to intensive predation by increasing numbers of White-tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla, in combination with increased natal dispersal rates, were found to be the major cause of the steep decline.

Regurgitalites (fossilized vomit) have been recognized as such for a century, but only recently they became better understood and systematically described. Centimetre-sized clumps containing tightly packed skeletal material of invertebrates (e.g. bivalves, serpulids and crinoids) and plant fragments are reported from well-core material offshore Norway for the first time. They occur in numerous wells with continuous cores through Middle to Upper Jurassic (Bathonian to Oxfordian) siliciclastic successions. The clumps mainly occur in delta-front deposits with records of salinity fluctuation due to incoming freshwater. This contrasts with their composition, consisting of stenohaline forms. The tight fabric, diverse composition, co-occurrence of fractured and complete organisms, and etched margins are consistent with an interpretation as regurgitalites. This biologically introduced allochthonous material differs from physically deposited skeletal concentrations (e.g. in storm layers) by their localized distribution (few centimetres). Delta-front environments are dynamic systems with a high sedimentation rate and frequent bioturbation. Consequently, the gastric pellets are subject of reworking and alteration, resulting in their disintegration or incorporation into burrows. An evaluation of potential producers of the regurgitalites – based on functional morphology and stomach content – infers that Cryptoclididae are most likely (although Hybodontiformes cannot be ruled out), which agrees with their abundance and stratigraphic distribution in the basin. Accordingly, these long-necked plesiosaurs were bottom-feeding on offshore epi-and infauna and regularly egested undigestible food remains nearshore, where it became preserved. The regurgitalites are ichnotaxonomically described as Vomitus igen. nov., including V. concha isp. nov., V. serpula isp. nov. and V. echinoderma isp. nov.

Few frameworks are currently available to assess the flows of ecosystem services (ESs) and disservices (EDSs) from and into livestock farming systems (LFSs). We estimated these flows using the Barn, a graphical tool designed to represent the integration of LFS into their surrounding landscapes. This tool uses bi-directional arrows to depict flows of multiple types of ES and EDS. Based on five contrasting lamb meat systems, we estimated that the flows of ES that support lamb meat production, such as the provision of forage and nitrogen fixation, were often associated with EDS, such as wolf predation or rodent outbreaks. These EDSs were particularly detrimental for the LFS that depended more on ES than on external inputs. We also observed that few operational indicators exist for quantifying EDS. The results show that deriving benefits from ecosystems implies interacting closely with the environment, which can generate disadvantages. This result also reveals a trade-off between ES and EDS, which has received little attention so far. This highlights the need to better assess and mitigate EDS, to prevent them from hindering the transition toward more sustainable practices that aim to reduce external inputs.

The domestic cat Felis catus is a predator, variously regarded as a pet, pest or pest controller, making its management ecologically and socially complex. On islands, wildlife predation by cats is a major conservation concern. Knowledge of the ecology of free-roaming cats is essential for identifying the variables that influence their predatory behaviour, for regulating their populations and for controlling their negative effects. We assessed the seasonal diet of free-roaming cats, including the importance of anthropogenic foods, using stable isotope analysis, on Linosa. This small Mediterranean island is home to the largest Scopoli’s shearwater Calonectris diomedea colony in Europe and an important stop-over site for migratory passerines. We also compared the diet of neutered and unneutered cats, to investigate whether differences in husbandry practices influence consumption of wild prey. Cat diets mainly comprised anthropogenic foods during summer and autumn. Consumption of Scopoli’s shearwaters increased during the early chick-rearing period and shifted towards passerines during the autumn migration. Invasive mammals in cat diets were primarily European rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus. Unneutered cats consumed more shearwaters and passerines than neutered cats. Neutered individuals relied more heavily on pet foods rather than pasta, possibly indicating improved husbandry conditions. Overall, anthropogenic foods likely support the high cat densities observed on Linosa, and wild prey consumption, primarily by unneutered cats, fluctuated according to availability. Free-roaming cats are protected by Italian Law 280/91, and their populations can be managed only with non-lethal methods. Enhanced cat husbandry and compulsory reproductive control via neutering combined with adoptions could significantly reduce consumption of wild prey.

The results of the taxonomic, taphonomic, and paleoecological analyses of Late Pleistocene micromammals from the Salto de Piedra paleontological locality are presented in this paper. Our results support the conclusion that the microfaunal remains were mainly accumulated by diurnal raptors in areas close to where the remains were deposited, as there is no evidence of transport. Taxonomically, the recovered micromammals include rodents currently inhabiting the Humid Pampa (Calomys cf. C. musculinus-laucha, Ctenomys sp., and Reithrodon auritus) and species that became extinct during the Late Pleistocene (Microcavia cf. M. robusta) and Holocene (Galea tixiensis). Additionally, remains of the Patagonian marsupial Lestodelphys halli and the amphibious sigmodontine Holochilus brasiliensis were identified. These analyses, along with the paleoecological and malacological studies at Salto de Piedra, confirm a trend toward increased humidity, consistent with the paleoenvironmental evidence documented for the region at the end of the Pleistocene. This study of the central Humid Pampa based on this small mammal record is of particular interest for interpreting the paleoenvironmental and paleoecological scenario, coinciding with the arrival of the first humans in the area and the extinction of the megafauna.

Predation is a strong driver of prey behaviour and sympatric species are likely exposed to similar selective predatory pressures. We test the hypothesis that this leads to similar anti-predator behaviours using the widespread Neotropical snake tribe Pseudoboini as our model. We reviewed and compiled documented defensive behaviours for all species, adding new unreported behaviours for three species. We used a cluster analysis to generate a matrix of defensive behaviour dissimilarity between species. We then used a phylogenetic generalized linear mixed model to test how behaviour dissimilarity changed with geographical overlap, similarity in ecological traits, and phylogenetic relatedness. Only 41 species had available data on defensive behaviour, with only 22 of those represented in the phylogeny. We found that similarity in defensive behaviour is significantly (albeit not strongly) correlated with geographical overlap, but only for species with similar body sizes. Phylogenetic relatedness by itself was a poor predictor of behaviour dissimilarity. This corroborates our hypothesis that defensive behaviours are spatially structured at larger scales but that this can be modulated by morphological differences. Testing inter-species ecogeographical differences of defensive behaviour and its implications can be broadly applied to other taxa.

The endemic Crow Honeyeater Eugymnomyza aubryana of New Caledonia is classified as “Critically Endangered”. Its rainforest habitat on mainland Grande Terre has been reduced by around 80% and the remaining habitat is highly fragmented. It is likely that by early 1900, anthropogenic changes had split the Crow Honeyeater’s distribution into two populations: one in the north of the island and one in the south separated by over 200 km. From 2011, the species was only known to be present in the south of Grande Terre with its distribution centred on the Blue River Provincial Park. It is essential for the species’ survival to protect its remaining natural habitat and its nests from predators.

In the sub-Antarctic, where food webs are relatively simple and species richness is low, the introduction of predators can be devastating, as native prey may lack sufficient defences and native predators may be less competitive. Merizodus soledadinus Guerin-Meneville, 1930 is a predatory carabid beetle that has been introduced to two sub-Antarctic islands. This ground beetle is known to threaten native insect populations; however, the full extent of its impacts in its introduced ranges is unknown because of its poorly described dietary breadth. As invasive predator impacts depend strongly on their dietary preferences and behaviour, we performed experiments to study the responses of this beetle to olfactory cues and sub-Antarctic diet. We studied the responses of M. soledadinus to olfactory cues to understand whether this species relies on odour to locate prey or different habitats, but we found no significantly different responses to different stimuli. We found that M. soledadinus attacked and consumed mostly juvenile forms of invertebrates from diverse phylogenetic lineages, indicating that many native species may be at risk from this predator and that attack by multiple individuals increased their success with hunting difficult prey. Our findings reveal that M. soledadinus has a wide dietary breadth, which has probably contributed to its successful establishment in multiple novel communities. We discuss the implications of our results for the ecology and conservation of terrestrial macroinvertebrate communities in its colonized range, where limited options exist to prevent further spread of this invader.

How do sociolegal scholars who liken monetary sanctions to “bleeding a turnip” or “drawing blood from stones” reconcile these idioms with the fact that fines and fees constitute a growth industry? We take up this puzzle by turning our attention to perhaps the most relatable experience with monetary sanctions among the population: parking tickets. Much of the available law and society literature on fines and fees documents how these sanctions disproportionately impact communities subjugated by race and class. Because parking tickets are adjudicated within a legal domain so fundamentally different from fines and fees that dominate the academic focus, we ask whether these insights extend outside criminal counts to municipal ones. Using Chicago as a case study, our inquiry measures the structural determinants of 11.3 million tickets issued between 2013 and 2017. We use a series of count models to predict the incidence rates of tickets at the tract level as well as how many were subject to reprimands for nonpayment. What we find are disparate patterns of racialization in terms of who is targeted by these sanctions versus who is devastated by them. We synthesize key ideas from empirical critical race theory and developing work on predation theory to make sense of these findings.

It is well documented that Andean bears (Tremarctos ornatus) feed extensively on plants and carrion, but their hunting habits remain understudied. Better understanding and documentation of Andean bear feeding ecology can improve conservation efforts for this vulnerable species. Here, we report an observation of an Andean bear hunting and capturing a wild guinea pig (Cavia aperea) in Chingaza National Natural Park, in Cundinamarca, Colombia. The sighting occurred in January 2023 by a team of conservationists, and we provided photographic evidence and details of the encounter. Our observation suggests that Andean bears are capable hunters of small rodents, indicating that hunting may play a more important role in the ecology of Andean bears than previously appreciated and highlighting the need for a better understanding of this feeding behaviour.

The aim of the present study was to report canid attacks on sea turtles in northeastern Brazil. The study was conducted on the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin coastline between March 2010 and October 2019. Injured-stranded sea turtles or carcasses were recorded through systematic beach monitoring. The specimens were submitted for clinical or postmortem assessments, providing evidence for the identification of injuries caused by canids. In the study period, 9841 stranded sea turtles were recorded, with the diagnosis of canid attacks in 55 (0.55%) events. Lepidochelys olivacea was the species with the largest number of events (90.90%), followed by Chelonia mydas (7.27%), and Caretta caretta (1.81%). The attacked sea turtles were clinically healthy, with a good body score and no apparent diseases; most were in the reproductive stage. The injuries were mainly found on the front flippers, with considerable loss of musculature affecting the brachial plexus, with the rupture of large blood vessels, and in some cases, exposure of the humerus or oesophagus. Thus, these events hampered the reproductive cycle, limiting the egg-laying process and preventing the hatching of hundreds of new turtles. Therefore, mitigating measures should be implemented, addressing the consequences of abandoning pets and their unsupervised presence on beaches.

Little is known about the effects of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on tropical insect communities, even though they are suffering rapid declines in complexity and stability due to climate change. We explore the impact of fluctuations in local climate imposed by ENSO on the performance of herbivore defences mediating enemy interactions. In a widespread rainforest edge community, we quantified the mortality caused by five enemy guilds on the immature stages of the herbivorous beetle, Acromis sparsa. ENSO was a significant determinant of beetle mortality. During warmer, drier El Niño years, the survival of beetles decreased. This was due to increased egg parasitism by wasps, which reduced hatching. Additionally, ant predation on beetle larvae increased. Flies and wasps were in competition for larval prey in wetter, cooler La Niña years. Experimental removal of maternal guards or chemical shields revealed which ENSO-related parameters predicted larval mortality. Guarding was most effective against social wasps in La Niña, whereas shields proved most effective in El Niño. Two ENSO-related defence–enemy breakdowns occurred: (1) decoupling whereby the efficacy of a narrow defensive adaptation was reduced to increase mortality, and (2) mismatching whereby the resistance of a narrow defensive adaptation against non-targeted enemies was further reduced to increase mortality. These results highlight that defence efficacy against natural enemies can vary predictably with biotic and abiotic environmental conditions. ENSO events will increase breakdowns in defence-mediated interactions, shifts in competition among enemies, and species loss.

Spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), is an invasive insect that was first detected in the United States in 2014 and feeds on a wide variety of plants, with economic impacts on the agricultural, ornamental, and timber industries. Part of what likely contributes to the success of L. delicatula in its invaded range is that it appears to be chemically defended by sequestering toxins from its host plant(s), which may deter predators in the introduced range. To determine the identity and behavior of North American predators that feed on spotted lanternfly, we performed a community science study in which we asked members of the public to contribute reports of animals feeding on spotted lanternfly through a Facebook page. The largest group of reported predators was arthropods followed by birds. Araneae was the arthropod order with the most reports and Phasianidae was the most frequently reported bird family. Using Pearson's χ2 tests, we also identified significant relationships between predator behavior and (1) taxonomic group of the predator, (2) L. delicatula life stage, and (3) host plant L. delicatula was observed on. These results can help to guide future research on predator host shifting to spotted lanternfly and potential for biocontrol as a management tactic.

The success of translocation as a management tool is based on reversing the factors that led to a population becoming threatened or locally extinct. We assessed whether translocating a jaguar Panthera onca into the surroundings of a protected area in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest with a resident jaguar population was effective. We captured a male jaguar in an urban area where there were no substantiated previous records of jaguars. In the capture area only one predation event had been recorded, when the jaguar killed several chickens a few days before capture. After capture we translocated the jaguar to a forested area 240 km from the capture site, adjacent to the Rio Doce State Park. To investigate whether the potential geographical origin of the individual was any nearby fragment of the Atlantic Forest or nearby fragments of the Cerrado ecoregion, we genotyped it for 12 microsatellite loci and compared the results to a database developed previously. We fitted the jaguar with a GPS/VHF collar from which we recovered 2.5 months of data. Post-release monitoring with camera traps indicated the jaguar established residence within the region of the Park and we recorded no events of predation on livestock. The genetic analysis indicated that the jaguar resembled individuals from the Inner Atlantic Forest, Cerrado and Amazon. Translocation was an important tool for avoiding potentially negative interactions between the jaguar and local people, and may have benefitted the jaguar population at the release site.

We tested the effectiveness of predation by the cyclopoid copepod Mesocyclops longisetus (Thiébaud, 1912) in Culicidae and Chironomidae larvae, aiming to test if (i) the introduction of copepods effectively controls mosquito larvae and (ii) the density of copepods is important for ensuring control. We conducted two semi-field experiments: the first involved 14 experimental runs over 75 consecutive days, compared in a randomized block design, four repetitions per treatment in each experimental run (block); and the second experiment involved a total of five experimental runs, lasting 25 and 33 days each. In the first experiment, culicid larvae were preyed on by copepods, especially at high copepod densities (15 copepods per litre), which reduced culicid densities by approximately 61% and 64% for different containers, considering that the environmental temperature declined linearly by about 10ºC from February (summer) to May (autumn) (32ºC to 22ºC). Even the lowest copepod density (5 per liter) produced a substantial reduction in the abundance of culicid larvae when chironomid larvae were abundant. On the other hand, there was no effective control of chironomid larvae. In the second experiment, increases in Culicidae and Chironomidae were concomitant with decreases in copepods. Thus, when the copepods were in high densities, there was no increase in insects, although the larvae of culicids were not eliminated from the experimental units. We conclude that the introduction of copepods in small containers and ponds can be useful for the control of culicid larvae without harming chironomid populations, and densities up to 15 per litre are recommended, although even low densities cause substantial reduction.