Rui Zhang

Mangroves, as one of the most efficient carbon—sequestering ecosystems globally, provide critical ecological services including coastal protection, water purification, and biodiversity conservation. This study integrates remote sensing and ecological modeling to assess the spatial–temporal dynamics and restoration potential of mangroves in coastal Guangdong, China, under alternative socioeconomic pathways. Using Sentinel‐2 imagery and hybrid classification, we mapped the 2020 mangrove distribution with high accuracy, estimating a total area of 110.28 km ² . The MaxEnt model, driven by 37 climatic, hydrological, topographic, soil, and land use/land cover (LUCC) variables, identified a maximum potential habitat area of 1908 km ² . However, when LULC constraints were introduced, the suitable area decreased to 1221 km ² , highlighting LULC as a major limiting factor. Variable importance analysis revealed that LULC (38.2%), annual temperature range (20.8%), and distance to coastline (11.7%) jointly explained over 70% of the variation in habitat suitability, underscoring the interplay of anthropogenic and natural drivers. By coupling MaxEnt with LULC projections from the Patch‐generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model under three SSP scenarios for 2040, we further identified dominant land‐use constraints and generated multi‐scenario distribution predictions. Results suggest that the SSP126 (low‐emission) pathway provides the greatest restoration opportunities, whereas SSP585 (high‐emission) favors limited climatic suitability gains but widespread habitat loss due to urban expansion. Our findings emphasize that integrating ecological niche modeling with advanced LULC simulation provides a novel decision‐support framework that links potential habitat prediction with realistic land‐use governance. The study not only identifies high‐priority restoration and conservation zones but also offers actionable strategies—such as pond‐to‐forest conversion, hydrological connectivity restoration, and zoning‐based adaptive management—to reconcile coastal development with long‐term ecosystem resilience.

Vegetation changes often elicit adaptive responses in herbivores. However, how burrow‐dwelling animals utilize the potential underground spatial resource in response to rapid aboveground vegetation changes remains poorly understood. In 2016, we conducted field experiments on a degraded alpine meadow on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau using plateau pikas ( Ochotona curzoniae ) as model species. The research area was 1.5 ha in total, of which half received fertilization to simulate vegetation restoration. We constructed 288 artificial burrows of four types (length: 10 cm/20 cm; inclination: 45°/90°) at the beginning of the growing season and monitored the utilization throughout the season. The results showed that artificial burrow utilization rate in the form of latrine pits (shallow pits used for defecation) was higher than that of shallow duck holes (shallow refuge holes used for emergency predator evasion) and active burrows. Artificial burrow use did not differ significantly between restored and control areas during the growing season. The results indicate that plateau pikas may not prefer to cope with rapid vegetation changes by adjusting the use of spatial resources. Instead, burrow accessibility and scent‐marking potential—driven by morphological preferences—are the primary determinants shaping their spatial resource selection. Our findings enhance understanding of the spatial adaptation of burrow‐dwelling animals to rapid vegetation changes and provide insights for their conservation.

Not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown Mangrove ecosystems are among the most effective natural environments for carbon fixation and sequestration, playing a critical role in coastal protection, water quality maintenance, and providing habitats for marine life, which are essential for environmental conservation and climate regulation. This study utilized Sentinel-2 satellite imagery to map the distribution of mangroves along the coast of Guangdong Province, China, where the existing area was found to be 110.28 km². Subsequently, the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model was employed to predict potential mangrove distribution areas, estimated at 1756 km². By analyzing both current and potential distribution maps, the carbon sequestration of the coastal mangroves in Guangdong were estimated at 131.65 ± 62.63 Mg C yr⁻¹ and 1958.41 ± 921.61 Mg C yr⁻¹, respectively. Environmental variables, soil physical properties, topographical data, marine variables, and land type data were used in the MaxEnt model to identify the key factors limiting mangrove distribution. The study found that the primary constraints on the potential distribution of mangroves along the Guangdong coast were the precipitation of the driest month (bio14) and the annual temperature range (bio7). Although the carbon sequestration capacity of Guangdong’s coastal mangroves is below the global average, the extensive potential distribution area suggests that strategic ecological restoration could significantly enhance regional carbon sequestration capacity while providing a wealth of ecosystem services and mutual benefits for the coastal area.

Burrow‐dwelling animals such as the plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) often seek sturdy entrances for their burrows, which can reduce the need for frequent maintenance. The toughness of the ground surface is often reinforced by the interweaving of plant roots and often varies with the root characteristics. To better understand ground cover preferences when selecting burrow entrances by plateau pikas, we investigated the ratios of different ground covers at the rear of the entrances, as well as their coverage and underlying soil compaction in an undegraded alpine meadow on the Qinghai‐Xizang Plateau. The results indicated a clear preference hierarchy of sedges > forbs > grass > bare soil. This distribution was aligned with the soil compaction hierarchy of the topsoil layer beneath each cover type. The sedge coverage was significantly negatively correlated with burrow density, suggesting that plateau pikas opt for sturdy entrances with a natural inclination toward energy conservation. However, there is consensus that the population density of plateau pikas often reaches its maximum on almost nonvegetated “black soil beaches.” We hypothesized that the survival benefits brought about by vegetation degradation would be higher than the maintenance costs of burrow entrances.

The construction of burrow systems is one of the most important challenges for burrowing animals, especially during population reestablishment. To explore their strategy of utilizing burrow resources during this period, we chose plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) as the research object. We conducted monthly field positioning of the four components (available burrows(AvB), abandoned burrows (AbB), latrine pits(LP), and sporting pits (SP)) of their burrow systems. By analyzing the utilization dynamics of the components at different base time, we found the remaining burrows before extermination were largely utilized in rebuilding their new burrow systems, and theutilization rate magnitude relationshipsof the four components were AvBs > AbBs > LPs > SPs. Burrow components during population reestablishment generally have higher maintenance rates, higher transformation rates to AvBs, lower disappeared rates and lower new adding rates than in the natural state. During population reestablishment, burrows at the early breeding season are used more stably than at other times.