Constant adaptation to environmental changes is required by ruminants to allow them to adapt to different ecological niches and feeding habits. In addition, the morphology and function of ruminant digestive systems reveal some adaptive evolutionary characteristics. Blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) display a variety of morpho-physiological adaptations that are typical of grazers. In this study, we collected 64 adult blue sheep samples (whole animal carcasses) from the Helan Mountains, China, during different seasons. The external morphological parameters, digestive system morphological indexes, and rumen surface enlargement factors were determined. Our results reveal that the rumen and reticulum weights were positively correlated with the body weight (p = 0.004), while the food channel aperture, intestinal length, and weight of the blue sheep digestive tract presented no significant differences between different seasons (p > 0.05) and sexes (p > 0.05). There were significant differences (p < 0.001) in the density, length, and width of mastoids, and the rumen surface enlargement factor was 2.85 ± 1.37, which is typical of roughage feeders. The nutritional and ecological characteristics of blue sheep represent obvious morphological and physiological adaptations to an herbivorous diet. Adopting a quick foraging strategy allows blue sheep to rapidly consume and excrete large amounts of feed, thus obtaining the required energy for their activities and facilitating better adaption to environmental changes.

Explaining the mechanism of the coexistence of sympatric species is an important goal of ecology. Five species of woodpeckers coexist in the broadleaved Korean pine forest of Liangshui National Nature Reserve, including the Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos minor), Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus), and White-backed Woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos). Woodpeckers are considered to be keystone species because of their role as ecosystem engineers, creating breeding and shelter sites for many vertebrate and invertebrate taxa. As woodpeckers are predominant in primary forests, they are sensitive to changes in forest ecosystems. To understand their coexistence mechanisms and propose conservation strategies, it is necessary to investigate their foraging niche differentiation. This study aimed to identify the foraging behavior parameters and foraging tree parameters of five woodpecker species in Liangshui Reserve from October to December. The foraging niches of five woodpecker species were observed, including the type of foraging techniques, foraging height, foraging site, foraging duration, tree species being foraged upon, diameter of the foraging tree at breast height, foraging tree height, and decay status of trees. Our results identified that there were significant differences in the overall foraging ecology of the five species of woodpecker at Liangshui Reserve. The Great Spotted Woodpecker and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker had more diverse foraging patterns and preferred to forage on live trees. The Black Woodpecker and Three-toed Woodpecker excavated and pecked at the trunks of decaying spruce and fir trees. The White-backed Woodpecker preferred to forage in broadleaved trees. The choice of foraging sites was complicated. The size of the foraging trees and decay status of trees were important bases for woodpeckers when choosing trees to forage from. Different woodpeckers achieve stable coexistence through the separation of their foraging niches. This information regarding foraging behavior and foraging tree characteristics provides a basis to study the coexistence patterns of woodpeckers. Our research into woodpecker foraging should be used to inform forest management practices, protect forest ecosystem diversities, and maintain woodpecker community diversity.

Woodpeckers exhibit selectivity when choosing tree cavities for nest development in forest ecosystems, and fungi play a significant and important role in this ecological process. Therefore, there is a complex and intricate relationship between the various behaviors of woodpeckers and the occurrence of fungal species. Research into the complex bond between fungi and woodpeckers was undertaken to provide more information about this remarkable ecological relationship. Through the process of line transect sampling, woodpecker traces were searched for, and mist nets were set up to capture them. A total of 21 woodpeckers belonging to four species were captured. High-throughput sequencing of the ITS region was performed on fungal-conserved samples to enable an in-depth analysis of the fungal communities linked to the woodpeckers’ nests. Members of Ascomycota were the most abundant in the samples, accounting for 91.96% of the total, demonstrating the importance of this group in the forest ecosystem of this station. The statistical results indicate significant differences in the fungal diversity carried by woodpeckers among the different groups. Species of Cladosporium were found to be the most prevalent of all the detected fungal genera, accounting for 49.3%. The top 15 most abundant genera were Cladosporium, Trichoderma, Beauveria, Epicococcum, Hypoxylon, Penicillium, Nigrospora, Aspergillus, Oidiodendron, Cercospora, Talaromyces, Phialemo-nium, Petriella, Cordyceps, and Sistotrema. The standard Bray–Curtis statistical technique was used in a hierarchical clustering analysis to compute inter-sample distances, allowing for the identification of patterns and correlations within the dataset. We discovered that in the grouped samples from woodpeckers, there were differences in the diversity of fungal communities carried by four woodpecker species, but the less dominant fungal species were still similar. The findings highlight the need to consider these diverse ecological linkages in woodpecker research and conservation efforts.

Wetlands, frequently termed the “kidneys of the Earth,” represent one of the most vital global ecosystems. Despite their limited spatial extent, plateau wetlands function as unique ecological units that play a pivotal role in the global carbon cycle, water resource regulation, and biodiversity conservation, while exhibiting acute sensitivity to climate change. Advances in remote sensing technology—characterized by macro-scale cover-age, temporal efficiency, and non-invasive operations—have established it as a corner-stone for the dynamic monitoring and analysis of these environments. This study presents a bibliometric synthesis of 2138 publications (1982–2024) retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. We systematically evaluated publication trajectories, international collaborative networks, disciplinary shifts, core journals, and the spatiotemporal evolution of research hotspots. Our findings reveal an exponential growth in scholarly output alongside a marked diversification of research fields. Geographically, research is predominantly clustered around the Tibetan Plateau, flanked by the Alps and the Himalayas, with sparse representation in other regions. Future endeavors should prioritize underrepresented low-latitude and remote regions through strengthened international synergy and the integration of emerging technologies, such as UAVs and hyperspectral sensors.

Understanding how species share resources (niche dynamics) and associate with each other is crucial for maintaining stable ecological communities. Using infrared camera traps, we constructed spatial association networks for an isolated Asian elephant population. The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), a keystone species in tropical forests, faces significant threats from habitat fragmentation and human disturbances, particularly in the isolated population of Nangunhe National Nature Reserve, Yunnan, China. Using infrared camera trapping, niche analysis, and interspecific association models, we examined the ecological role of Asian elephants and their sympatric species networks in fragmented habitats. We identified 44 species, including 11 species with higher relative abundance showing significant ecological correlations with elephants. Asian elephants exhibited the broadest spatial distribution, consistent with their role as ecological engineers due to high environmental tolerance and diverse resource utilization. Sympatric herbivores exhibited moderate spatial co-occurrence. Wild boars (Sus scrofa), red-bellied squirrels (Callosciurus erythraeus), northern pig-tailed macaques (Macaca leonina), and red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) demonstrated significant spatial associations with elephants. Lambda coefficient analysis revealed asymmetric associations reflecting spatial reliance of red-bellied squirrels and wild boars on elephant activity zones. Temporally, Asian elephants exhibited a stable bimodal activity pattern at dawn and dusk. Despite varying degrees of diel overlap with sympatric species, no significant temporal avoidance was detected, suggesting fine-scale coexistence mechanisms beyond the temporal dimension. We argue that conservation strategies are in urgent need of a transformation from single-species protection to the preservation of ecological interaction networks. This study clarifies the dominant position of Asian elephants in the community by mapping the spatial association networks between Asian elephants and sympatric species, and its findings hold substantial guiding significance for the recovery and protection of isolated Asian elephant populations.