The classical niche theory supports the idea that stable coexistence requires ecological differences between closely related species. However, information on waterbirds coexistence in the entirely landlocked freshwater system of Poyang Lake is not well understood, especially when the available biomass of their food in the area decreases. In this study, we tested the ecological segregation mechanisms in the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 wintering periods among eight herbivorous waterbirds (including the Siberian crane Grus leucogeranus, hooded crane Grus monacha, white‐naped crane Grus vipio, common crane Grus grus, greater white‐fronted goose Anser albifrons, bean goose Anser fabalis, swan goose Anser cygnoides, and tundra swan Cygnus columbianus) at Poyang Lake. Using field observations and species niche and foraging habitat selection models, we investigated the abundance, distribution, and food sources of these eight waterbird species to quantify and compare their habitat use and ecological niches. Our results showed that niche segregation among the waterbirds, with respect to food types, time, and spatial location, allow them to coexist and use similar resources. The water level gradually receded in the sub‐lakes of the Poyang Lake, which could provide food sources and various habitats for wintering herbivorous waterbirds to coexist. We demonstrated that the differences in habitat use could mitigate interspecific competition, which may explain the mechanism whereby waterbirds of Poyang Lake coexist during the wintering period, despite considerable overlap in the dietary niches of herbivorous waterbirds.

Chloroplast translation systems have evolved specialized regulatory mechanisms distinct from those of their prokaryotic ancestors. However, critical gaps persist in understanding how these systems coordinate translation efficiency with photosynthetic apparatus assembly-a process central to plant development. Here, we identify Arabidopsis BACTERIAL LARGE RIBOSOMAL SUBUNIT PROTEIN 31 (bL31c) as a critical chloroplast ribosomal protein that interacts with the translation elongation factor RAB GTPASE HOMOLOG 8D (RAB8D) to ensure translation elongation efficiency. Knocking down bL31c disrupts chloroplast translation, causing preferential depletion of photosystem I (PSI) subunits, a functional imbalance between PSI and PSII, and paradoxical accumulation of the PSI-LHCI-LHCII supercomplex. Comparative analysis reveals evolutionary conservation of the bL31c-EF-Tu functional module in Cyanobacteria but not in E. coli, demonstrating lineage-specific adaptation of translation surveillance mechanisms. Crucially, pharmacological inhibition of translation elongation in wild-type plants phenocopies the photosystem stoichiometry defects observed in bl31c mutants, establishing defective ribosome processivity as the primary driver of photosystem imbalance. Our findings uncover a plant-specific ribosomal checkpoint mechanism that dynamically coordinates protein synthesis with photosynthetic complex assembly, providing important insights into the evolutionary rewiring of organellar gene expression systems in eukaryotes.

Hulless barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var. nudum) on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is consistently exposed to intense solar irradiance, yet whether and how reproductive spikes and flag leaves partition photoprotection remains unclear. Here, we compared a pigmented black landrace (Cai Peng Zi, CPZ) with a white cultivar (Zang Qing 3000, ZQ3000) across early, middle, and late spike coloration stages under field conditions. By integrating measurements of anthocyanin and chlorophyll contents, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, and rapid light-response curves, we dissected organ-specific strategies in photochemistry and energy dissipation in spikes and flag leaves. The results showed that anthocyanin accumulation in CPZ spikes increased significantly during spike coloration, while chlorophyll a and the chlorophyll a/b ratio declined, indicating a shift from light harvesting to photoprotection in reproductive tissues. This pigment transition coincided with reduced PSII performance (declines in QY_max, qP, and qL) but stable non-photochemical quenching (NPQ and qN), pointing to reduced photochemical capacity with relatively stable energy dissipation in the spike. In contrast, CPZ leaves maintained higher QY_max than ZQ3000 but exhibited a pronounced decline in NPQ and qN at late stages, reflecting CPZ’s attenuated regulated energy dissipation capacity. Rapid light-response analysis further supported differences between organs and cultivars. Under high PAR, ZQ3000 spikes exhibited steeper declines in Y(II) and stronger downregulation of ETR(II), whereas CPZ spikes showed more moderate decreases; in leaves, ZQ3000 maintained consistently lower Y(NO) and higher Y(NPQ), indicating greater reliance on regulated energy dissipation. Collectively, our results reveal how pigment-mediated screening in reproductive structures and dynamic regulation of energy dissipation in leaves are coordinated to optimize light-use efficiency in high-altitude environments, providing physiological insights for breeding resilient hulless barley varieties.