Previous molecular studies of the wide-ranging Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx focused mainly on its northern Palearctic populations, with the consequence that the reconstruction of this species’ evolutionary history did not include genetic variation present in its southern Palearctic distribution. We sampled a previously not considered Asian subspecies (L. l. dinniki), added published data from another Asian subspecies (L. l. isabellinus), and reassessed the Eurasian lynx mtDNA phylogeny along with previously published data from northern Palearctic populations. Our mitogenome-based analyses revealed the existence of three major clades (A: Central Asia, B: SE Europe/SW Asia, C: Europe and Northern Asia) and at least five lineages, with diversification in Lynx lynx commencing at least 28kyr earlier than hitherto estimated. The subspecies L. l. isabellinus harbors the most basal matriline, consistent with the origin of Lynx lynx in this subspecies’ current range. L. l. dinniki harbors the second most basal matriline, which is related to, and may be the source of, the mtDNA diversity of the critically endangered Balkan lynx L. l. balcanicus. Our results suggest that the Anatolian peninsula was a glacial refugium for Eurasian lynx, with previously unconsidered implications for the colonization of Europe by this species.

Biotic interactions are expected to influence species' responses to global changes, but they are rarely considered across broad spatial extents. Abiotic factors are thought to operate at larger spatial scales, while biotic factors, such as species interactions, are considered more important at local scales within communities, in part because of the knowledge gap on species interactions at large spatial scales (i.e., the Eltonian shortfall). We assessed, at a continental scale, (i) the importance of biotic interactions, through food webs, on species distributions, and (ii) how biotic interactions under scenarios of climate and land‐use change may affect the distribution of the brown bear (Ursus arctos). We built a highly detailed, spatially dynamic, and empirically sampled food web based on the energy contribution of 276 brown bear food species from different taxa (plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates) and their ensemble habitat models at high resolution across Europe. Then, combining energy contribution and predicted habitat of food species, we modelled energy contribution across space and included these layers within Bayesian‐based models of the brown bear distribution in Europe. The inclusion of biotic interactions considerably improved our understanding of brown bear distribution at large (continental) scales compared with Bayesian models including only abiotic factors (climate and land use). Predicted future range shifts, which included changes in the distribution of food species, varied greatly when considering various scenarios of change in biotic factors, providing a warning that future indirect climate and land‐use change are likely to have strong but highly uncertain impacts on species biogeography. Our study confirmed that advancing our understanding of ecological networks of species interactions will improve future projections of biodiversity change, especially for modelling species distributions and their functional role under climate and land‐use change scenarios, which is key for effective conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Understanding the current and future distribution of wildlife species is crucial for effective conservation planning, particularly in the face of climate change and increasing anthropogenic pressures. This study aims to assess the potential distribution of brown bears across Türkiye both presently, by 2050 and 2070, considering various climate change scenarios, evaluating habitat vulnerability, and reassessing the effectiveness of protected areas. Using an ensemble forecasting approach, we modeled brown bears' current and future habitat suitability, incorporating 608 occurrence records along with bioclimatic, topographic, and anthropogenic predictors under climate scenarios. Our model estimates that approximately 17.3% of Türkiye (135,556 km²) currently offers suitable habitat for brown bears with the highest suitability found in the Euro‐Siberian (46%), Irano‐Turanian (43%), and Mediterranean (11%) biogeographic regions. The results indicate that climate change combined with anthropogenic pressures, is expected to reduce brown bear habitat suitability by 40%–48% by 2050, and 40%–67% by 2070 under various scenarios. A significant contraction in the brown bears' range, along with a northward shift in suitable habitats, is projected, reflecting the broader impacts of climate. Additionally, the suitability of brown bear habitats is estimated to be strongly influenced by the changes in altitude. The proportion of suitable habitats under protection is projected to decline from 21.4% to 15%–16.1% by 2050 and further to 11.3%–15.9% by 2070, depending on the scenario. These findings highlight the need for targeted conservation strategies to address the emerging conservation gap for brown bears in the Mediterranean, Irano‐Turanian, and Euro‐Siberian regions. Enhancing connectivity between fragmented habitats and reassessing the status of protected areas are critical actions to safeguard the brown bear population in Türkiye. This study underscores the pressing conservation challenges and strategic opportunities for securing the future of brown bears in Türkiye.

Phylogenetic and phylogeographic assessments of species should ideally include individuals of all known populations. However, this is difficult for species with large distribution areas. Previous molecular studies of the wide-ranging Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx focused mainly on its northern Palearctic populations, with the consequence that the reconstruction of this species’ evolutionary history did not include genetic variation present in its southern Palearctic distribution. We sampled a previously not considered Asian subspecies (L. l. dinniki), added published data from another Asian subspecies (L. l. isabellinus), and reassessed the Eurasian lynx mtDNA phylogeny along with previously published data from northern Palearctic populations. Our mitogenome-based analyses revealed that the subspecies L. l. isabellinus harbours the most basal matriline, consistent with the origin of Lynx lynx in this subspecies’ current range. L. l. dinniki harbours the second-most basal matriline, which is related to, and may be the source of, the mtDNA diversity of the critically endangered Balkan lynx L. l. balcanicus. Our results suggest that the Anatolian peninsula was a glacial refugium for Eurasian lynx, with previously unconsidered implications for the colonization of Europe by this species. Genetic variation present in southern Palearctic populations of Lynx lynx is clearly important for elucidating the evolutionary history of this species.

Biotic interactions are expected to influence species’ responses to climate change, but they are usually not included when predicting future range shifts. We assessed the importance of biotic interactions to understand future consequences of climate and land use change for biodiversity using as a model system the brown bear ( Ursus arctos ) in Europe. By including biotic interactions using the spatial variation of energy contribution and habitat models of each food species, we showed that the use of biotic factors considerably improves our understanding of the distribution of brown bears. Predicted future range shifts, which included changes in the distribution of food species, varied greatly when considering various scenarios of change in biotic factors, warning about future indirect climate change effects. Our study confirmed that advancing our understanding of ecological networks of species interactions will improve future scenarios of biodiversity change, which is key for conserving biodiversity and ecosystem services.

This study focuses on Capra aegagrus aegagrus, a subspecies of wild goat listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Hunting of males aged 8 years and older is allowed due to their low reproductive capacity. This study aimed to analyze essential and potentially toxic elements in meat of male C. aegagrus aegagrus from a high altitude protected area in Mersin using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Thigh muscle samples from 18 males aged 10 years and older were analyzed. Phosphorus, potassium, and calcium were the most abundant macro elements in the samples, while sodium and magnesium were the lowest. Iron was the most abundant microelement, followed in decreasing order by zinc, copper, manganese, boron, selenium, cobalt, chromium, vanadium, and nickel. Among the potentially toxic metals, lead had the highest concentration. Arsenic, antimony, strontium, cadmium, aluminum, and barium were found in lower concentrations. Tin was not detected in the samples. High levels of potassium, phosphorous, and iron suggest nutritional benefits but potentially toxic elements must be monitored to ensure safety.