In this study, based on high-throughput sequencing technology, the biodiversity and the community structure of microbiota in different GIT segments (the stomach, small intestine, cecum and rectum) of plateau zokors and Gansu zokors were studied and compared. A source tracking analysis for the microbial communities of different GIT segments was carried out using the fast expectation–maximization microbial source tracking (FEAST) method. We found that, for both species, the microbial community richness and diversity of the small intestine were almost the lowest while those of the cecum were the highest among the four segments of the GIT. Beta diversity analyses revealed that the bacterial community structures of different GIT segments were significantly different. As for the comparison between species, the bacterial community compositions of the whole GIT, as well as for each segment, were all significantly different. Source tracking conducted on both zokors indicated that the soil has little effect on the bacterial community of the GIT. A fairly high percentage of rectum source for the bacterial community of the stomach indicated that both zokors may engage in coprophagy.

Climate warming threatens dozens of bumblebee species across the world, including alpine areas. In plateaus with vast and continuous high-altitude areas, bumblebees’ response to climate warming may be relatively optimistic. To study the species’ responses to future climate in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, we quantified the suitable areas for 4 local bumblebee indicator species under current and future climate scenarios (Shared Socio-economic Pathway 126, 245, 370, and 585 in 2,100) using MaxEnt models. Suitable areas of indicator species were stacked to obtain the species richness layer. According to the acreage and connectivity of suitable areas and the acreage of the high richness area, a warmed climate will be more suitable for bumblebees’ distribution compared to the current climate. The SSP 126 and SSP 245 scenario will be the 2 most suitable. Meanwhile, with climate warming, suitable areas and the high richness areas will move to high altitudes and their altitude range will decrease. The greater suitability in warmed climates may be caused by the topography of plateaus, which provides an opportunity for bumblebees to migrate to cooler areas. However, mitigation of warming is still necessary because an excessively warm climate will decrease bumblebees’ habitat suitability. In plateaus, species in lower altitudes will migrate to higher altitudes, conservation in high altitudes should pay attention to not only original species, but also immigrated species. In lower altitudes, many species will migrate to higher altitudes, then local bumblebee diversity will decrease. Local conservation should be focused on these lower altitude areas.

Stellera chamaejasme L. f. chrysantha S. C. Huang is a toxic perennial herb of Thymelaeaceae and has the potential for medicine as Stellera chamaejasme L. Here, we present the complete chloroplast genome sequence of S. chamaejasme f. chrysantha based on Illumina sequencing data. The complete chloroplast genome sequence is 173,364 bp in size and contains four subregions: a pair of inverted repeats (IRs, each for 41,978 bp), a large single-copy region (LSC, 86,558 bp), and a small single-copy region (SSC, 2,850 bp). 141 genes were recognized in the assembled sequence: 93 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 38 tRNAs, 8 rRNAs, and 2 pseudo genes. The phylogenetic analysis result strongly supported that Stellera chamaejasme f. chrysantha was closely related to S. chamaejasme L.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Melanostoma scalare was sequenced and reported here. The circle genome of the syrphid fly is 16,380 bp in length. There are 38 sequence elements including 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes, and a control region. The order of all elements was the same with that of Eristalia cerealis. With 2 species from Muscidae and Drosophilidae as outgroups, phylogenetic relationships of 8 Syrphidae species based on mitogenomes were in complete agreement with their taxonomic relationships based on morphological characteristics. Our result will provide more fundamental data to the development of the molecular systematics of Syrphidae.

Background: Gut microbiota play a vital role in nutrient metabolism, immune regulation, and host homeostasis. However, the role of sex differences in shaping the gut microbiota of plateau zokors ( Eospalax baileyi ) remains unclear. The present study aims to explore how sex influences the composition, function, and assembly processes of the gut microbiota in plateau zokors. Methods: In this study, we performed Illumina 16S rRNA (V3–V4) sequencing on 15 gastrointestinal samples to assess sex-related differences in gut bacterial diversity, function, and community assembly. Results: No significant differences were observed in species richness or diversity between males and females; however, the gut microbial community structures differed significantly by sex ( p < 0.01). At the phylum level, both sexes shared dominant phyla, including Firmicutes, Desulfobacterota, and Bacteroidota. Across both the phylum and genus levels, males and females shared the same dominant taxa, yet their relative abundances exhibited clear sex-specific differences. PICRUSt-based functional prediction indicated that the gut microbiota were mainly associated with energy metabolism, DNA repair, and cellular defense. Significant sex-related differences were detected in metabolic functions ( p < 0.05), with males showing higher carbohydrate metabolism ( p < 0.05), while females exhibited stronger xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism ( p < 0.05). Neutral community model (NCM) analysis showed that males (Nm = 228.21) had higher Nm values than females (Nm = 213.44), indicating greater microbial dispersal among males. Standardized neutrality score (NST) values (<0.5) indicated that deterministic processes predominantly governed community assembly in both sexes, with males exhibiting significantly lower values than females ( p < 0.001). iCAMP analysis further revealed that drift and dispersal limitation were the primary assembly processes, with significant sex-related differences ( p < 0.001). Conclusion: Sex differences markedly influence gut microbial structure, functions, and assembly processes in plateau zokors, offering new insights into the adaptive evolution of this species in cold, hypoxic environments.

Bombus kashmirensis is a key ecological indicator species on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, and clarifying its genetic characteristics in Qinghai Province is essential for supporting bumblebee conservation and management efforts in this region. In this study, we analyzed the genetic diversity, population structure, and environmental factors influencing genetic diversity in 539 B. kashmirensis individuals from 36 geographic populations using 15 SSR markers. A total of 382 alleles were identified across the 15 SSR loci, with an average polymorphic information content ( PIC ) of 0.85, indicating a high level of genetic polymorphism. The populations also exhibited high genetic diversity, with mean values of the number of alleles ( N a ) = 10.03, Shannon's information index ( I ) = 1.98, and unbiased expected heterozygosity ( uHe ) = 0.84. Genetic differences among populations were generally low but variable, with Nei's genetic distance ranging from 0.130 to 0.710 and F st values between 0.013 and 0.078. Consistent results from STRUCTURE, UPGMA, and PCoA analyses revealed two major genetic clusters corresponding to eastern and western regions. AMOVA at K = 2 further supported this pattern, showing that genetic variation between groups (2.00%) exceeded that among populations within groups (1.42%). Pearson correlation analysis identified longitude, latitude, solar radiation (July and September), and water vapor pressure (September) as significant environmental factors shaping population genetic diversity. These results provide essential baseline data for understanding the genetic diversity of B. kashmirensis and offer a scientific basis for its regional conservation and management.