Background: The interaction and co-evolution between the gut microbiome and the host play important roles in the host’s physiology, nutrition, and health. Diet is considered an important driver of differences in the gut microbiota; however, research on the relationship between the gut microbiota and diet in Asian elephants remains limited. Methods: In this study, we explored the gut microbiota structure and its relationship with diet in different populations of Asian elephants through metagenomic sequencing, combined with previously published dietary data. Results: This study found that the dominant gut microbiota of Asian elephants includes the phyla Bacillota (29.85% in BP, 22.79% in RC, 21.89% in SM, 31.67% in ML, and 33.00% in NGH), Bacteroidota (25.25% in BP, 31.44% in RC, 16.44% in SM, 25.73% in ML, and 23.74% in NGH), and Spirochaetota (3.49% in BP, 6.18% in RC, 1.71% in SM, 2.69% in ML, and 3.52% in NGH), with significant differences in the gut microbiota among different populations. Correlation analysis between the gut microbiota and diet revealed that dietary diversity did not directly affect the alpha diversity of the gut microbiota. However, specific food types might play a key role in shaping the gut microbiota structure by regulating the abundance of certain microbiota. Conclusions: This study reveals significant differences in the gut microbiota structure among different populations of Asian elephants and explores the impact of diet on the structure. The results provide foundational data for a deeper understanding of the gut microbiota structure of Asian elephants and offer important references for the scientific conservation and precise management strategies of this species.

The Shiquan River National Wetland Park in Tibet is an integrated high-elevation wetland ecosystem. This wetland park also serves as a demonstration site for international river conservation and the ‘conservation–utilization–sustainable enhancement’ of wetland resources in alpine desert zones. This study supplements the research on bird community structure and ecological function to fill the gap in basic data on birds in the Shiquan River National Wetland Park. From May 2023 to October 2024, a sampling point method was used to conduct four systematic surveys during the breeding and non-breeding periods of birds in four habitats—grass land, marsh land, bare land, and water bodies—in the Shiquan River National Wetland Park to explore the effects of different habitat types on bird communities from the perspective of species and functional diversity. A total of 56 bird species, representing 23 families and 11 orders, were documented in this survey. Species diversity was highest in the marsh habitat during the breeding season, followed sequentially by grassland, bare land, and water bodies, with consistent results in the non-breeding period. The functional richness (FRic) results revealed a pattern of marsh land > grass land > bare land > water bodies, indicating that birds utilized the ecological space within the marsh habitat to the greatest extent. The functional differentiation (FDiv) results followed a pattern of bare land > water bodies > grass land > marsh land, suggesting stronger niche complementarity and weaker competition in bare ground habitats. Finally, the functional dispersion (FDis) results demonstrated a pattern of grass land > marsh land > bare land > water bodies, indicating a greater number of species with similar functional traits in grass habitats. This study addresses the research gap concerning bird communities in the Shiquan River National Wetland Park through the lens of both species and functional diversity, thereby providing a scientific foundation and critical support for the conservation of avian biodiversity in the Shiquan River Basin and high-elevation regions.

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.

To elucidate the mammalian community structure and interspecific relationships within the alpine ecosystem of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, this study was conducted in the Selin co National Nature Reserve for Black-necked Cranes, Tibet. Based on infrared camera monitoring data collected from June 2023 to July 2024, we analyzed mammalian species diversity and their spatial association patterns. A total of 150 infrared cameras were deployed, of which 128 were effectively retrieved, yielding 13,301 effective camera-trap days and 31,170 photographs of mammals. In total, 21 mammal species were recorded, belonging to 5 orders, 9 families, and 17 genera. The species accumulation curve approached an asymptote, indicating adequate sampling effort. Relative abundance analysis showed that Bharal (Pseudois nayaur) was the dominant species (RAI = 13.72), followed by Plateau Pika (Ochotona curzoniae) (RAI = 8.44), Moupin Pika (Ochotona thibetana) (RAI = 5.93), and Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) (RAI = 5.50), while Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) exhibited a moderate abundance level (RAI = 3.69). Significant differences in species diversity were observed among habitat types. Alpine meadow and meadow–desert ecotone exhibited higher diversity indices, whereas alpine desert and alpine bare rock habitats showed lower diversity. Interspecific association analysis identified 30 significant species pairs (p < 0.05), among which positive associations accounted for 93.3% and negative associations for 6.7%. The constructed association network comprised 16 nodes and 30 edges, with Chiru (Pantholops hodgsonii), Snow Leopard, and Red Fox serving as key hub species. Predator–prey pairs exhibited clear spatial coupling, while positive associations among herbivores mainly reflected shared utilization of similar habitat resources. The association structure varied across habitats, being most complex in alpine meadow, whereas no significant associations were detected in alpine desert. Overall, the mammalian community in this region is characterized by “low species richness and high endemism,” with interspecific relationships dominated by positive associations. Habitat heterogeneity plays a critical role in shaping the structure of the association network. These findings provide a scientific basis for biodiversity conservation and alpine ecosystem management on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.

Plateau wetlands provide important wintering habitats for migratory waterbirds, making the assessment of environmental contamination relevant to their conservation. Characterizing potentially toxic elements in lake sediments provides a basis for identifying contamination patterns and prioritizing environmental monitoring in these habitats. Here, we assessed potentially toxic element contamination in surface sediments and potential ecological risks in three plateau lakes supporting wintering black-necked cranes (Grus nigricollis) in Shangri-La, Yunnan, China. In January 2025, 131 composite sediment samples (0–20 cm) were collected from Bitahai, Shudu, and Napahai lakes. Concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb, As, Hg, and Cd were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Contamination and potential ecological risks were evaluated using the geo-accumulation index (I_geo) and potential ecological risk index (PERI), respectively. Potential sources were investigated using EPA PMF 5.0. Sediments were generally unpolluted to slightly polluted. Mean PERI values were 65.2, 62.7, and 76.5, respectively, indicating low potential ecological risk, with Cd and Hg contributing most. PMF resolved four factors tentatively associated with traffic/domestic emissions, agricultural/combustion inputs, localized inputs, and natural/regional sources. These findings provide a baseline for sediment monitoring and environmental management of black-necked crane wintering habitats, with particular attention to Cd, Hg, and As.