Tag: ecology

Recently launched Individual-based Ecology journal publishes its first articles

IBE offers a transformative framework for addressing global challenges such as the loss of biodiversity and potential loss of ecosystem services.

Individual-based Ecology (IBE), a new open-access peer-reviewed journal by scholarly publisher and technology provider Pensoft, has now published its first articles, offering a fresh perspective on how the behaviour of individual organisms and ecological systems dynamics are linked.

The journal was launched in September 2024 with an official announcement made during the German Ecological Society’s 53^rd annual conference (Freising, Germany).

Pensoft launches new journal: Individual-based Ecology

To fill a known gap in knowledge, the journal focuses on individual-based perspectives in ecology, complementing other ecological disciplines. Current approaches cannot fully capture the mechanisms underlying ecological responses to change in drivers, the journal’s editors believe, as they rarely focus on the individual organisms who directly respond to change.

Four editors-in-chief lead IBE: Prof. Dr. Volker Grimm and Prof. Dr. Karin Frank of Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Prof. Dr. Mark E. Hauber of The City University /(CUNY) of New York, and Prof. Dr. Florian Jeltsch of the University of Potsdam. “This team represents an international and collaborative group who agree on the conceptual and empirical need for this new journal”- says Dr Mark E. Hauber, from the Graduate Center of CUNY, and a former guest professor in ecology at the University of Potsdam.

The journal is published under a diamond open-access model, which makes it free of charge for both readers and authors. It publishes a wide range of articles, including empirical, experimental, and modeling studies, as well as reviews, perspectives, and methodological papers.

By blending basic and applied research, IBE offers a transformative framework for addressing global challenges such as the loss of biodiversity and potential loss of ecosystem services.

“We propose a paradigm shift in ecological science, moving from simplifying frameworks that use species, population or community averages to an integrative approach that recognizes individual organisms as fundamental agents of ecological change,” advocates write in a forum paper just published in IBE’s first issue.

Illustration showing mouse behavior variation, predation effects, and colonization success based on boldness and size in new habitats. — Examples of individual variation and its consequences: a individual variation describes the variation in traits, including behaviour, between or within individuals resulting from various processes such as microevolution and biotic filtering. It also explicitly includes variation induced by experience, health status or microbes and microbial communities associated with the host; b simplified example showing how successful colonisation or invasion depends on inter-individual variation in morphological or behavioural traits (González-Suárez et al. 2015; Dammhahn et al. 2020; Premier et al. 2020).

“By unravelling and predicting the dynamics of biodiversity in the Anthropocene through a comprehensive study of individual organisms, their variability and their interactions, individual-based global change ecology will provide a critical foundation for a better understanding if and how we can manage individual variation and behaviour for conservation and sustainability, taking into account individual-to-ecosystem pathways and feedbacks.”

Illustration showing the impact of individual variation on biodiversity across genes, populations, communities, and ecosystems under global change. — Hierarchical organisation from genes to ecosystems. Individuals are the elementary particles of ecological systems, meaning that variation and interactions between individuals can scale up to emergent properties at the population, community and ecosystem levels. The different ecological levels are highly interconnected through both bottom-up and top-down processes. Elucidating these feedback loops through an individual-based lens is a prerequisite for understanding ecosystem resilience and response to global change.

“By taking into account the variation, behaviours, and interactions of individual organisms, individual-based ecology links the responses of organisms to the responses of ecosystems: if we understand enough about individuals, we can predict complex system dynamics, even under novel conditions,” the editors and colleagues write in a “manifesto” for individual-based ecology that they published in the new journal. “We intend the journal to show how the individual-based perspective, in empirical, theoretical, and computational studies, benefits all branches of ecology.”

IBE’s first published research articles provide excellent examples of the individual-based perspective of the journal. Church et al. explore, using an established model of brown trout, how the uptake of microplastics by fish with different personalities affects population size. Ayllón et al. use the same model to explore to what extent behavioural plasticity allows this species to cope with environmental change, in particular increasing temperatures. Railsback and Harvey argue that in many models the representation of mortality risk is too simple. They present a new method, “survival increase functions”, which is more realistic but still straightforward to calibrate.

Guest blog post: Global change, individual behaviour, and trout population persistence

The journal is supported by the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ, Germany) and the City University of New York (CUNY, USA).

The journal utilises Pensoft’s innovative ARPHA platform, which offers a seamless end-to-end publishing experience, encompassing all stages between manuscript submission and article publication, indexation, dissemination and permanent archiving. As a journal of Pensoft, IBE joins a number of open-access scholarly outlets in ecology by the publisher.

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You can keep up with updates from the journal on Bluesky, X and Facebook.

A toxic pufferfish (that could bite off your fingers) has been found in Croatian waters

The silver-cheeked toadfish has spread aggressively in the Mediterranean since entering through the Suez Canal.

On May 13, 2024 researchers discovered a highly invasive silver-cheeked toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) in the Bay of Medulin, just off the coast of Croatia. The 52 cm, 1.3 kg male represents the northernmost record of the species in the Mediterranean, raising serious concerns about potential impacts on marine biodiversity, fisheries, and coastal tourism.

Pufferfish specimen on a metal plate. — Specimen of *Lagocephalus* *sceleratus* (♂) from Medulin Bay, Croatia.

Originating from the Indo-Pacific, Lagocephalus sceleratus is a ‘Lessepsian migrant’ (meaning it migrated through the artificially created Suez Canal) and has spread aggressively through the Mediterranean since its first sighting in 2003. This latest discovery is the fourth confirmed record of the species in the Adriatic and the first from its northernmost waters.

Map of Medulin Bay, Croatia. — The area in the northern Adriatic Sea where *Lagocephalus* *sceleratus* was caught, Medulin Bay, southern Istria, Croatia.

Recent evidence from the southern and eastern Mediterranean shows that bites from the powerful beak-like jaws of the species can result in severe injuries such as partial amputations of fingers. Its flesh and organs also contain a potent neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin, which can be lethal if consumed.

In Mediterranean coastal regions, Lagocephalus sceleratus has become an increasingly significant portion of small-scale fishing catches, often causing damage to fishing gear with its bite. Stomach analysis of the captured individual revealed a diet consisting of bivalves, gastropods, and sea urchins, suggesting potential disruptions to the Adriatic’s ecological balance.

Map showing the Adriatic Sea with five circles marking sightings of the species since 2012. — Adriatic records of *Lagocephalus* *sceleratus*.

“The presence of Lagocephalus sceleratus in the northern Adriatic is a clear warning sign of the species’ expanding range and potential ecological and economic consequences. Proactive monitoring and management strategies are important to mitigating its impact on local marine biodiversity, fisheries, and public safety.”
Dr Neven Iveša, co-author of the study.

Experts recommend increased monitoring, regulatory measures, and public awareness campaigns to address threats posed by the species. Targeted removal efforts, public education on handling and reporting sightings, and further research can also play a part in mitigating threats.

Researchers from the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Juraj Dobrila University of Pula and the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in Split published the discovery in the open-access journal Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria.

Original source

Iveša N, Buršić M, Dulčić J (2025) Northernmost Mediterranean record of the silver-cheeked toadfish, Lagocephalus sceleratus (Actinopterygii, Tetraodontiformes, Tetraodontidae). Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria 55: 77-81. https://doi.org/10.3897/aiep.55.146945

Follow Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria on Facebook and X.

Fungal Fairy Rings: the science behind the magic

Researchers explore the history, ecology, and impacts of these intriguing fungal formations.

A new review article published in the OA journal IMA Fungus sheds light on the phenomenon of fungal fairy rings, mysterious circular patterns of altered vegetation found in grasslands and forests.

In the review, researchers Maurizio Zotti, Giuliano Bonanomi, and Stefano Mazzoleni from the University of Naples Federico II explore the history, ecology, and impacts of these intriguing fungal formations.

Fungal fairy rings (FFRs), they explain, occur when certain fungi grow radially outward through the soil from a central point, breaking down organic matter and affecting plant growth in distinctive circular patterns. While folklore once attributed these rings to magic, scientists now understand them as a natural process driven by underground fungal activity.

Cross-section of a fungal fairy ring (FFR) transect providing a visual representation of the mycelial mat distribution in the soil, with arrows representing growth direction.

In their paper, the researchers synthesise centuries of research on FFRs, from early observations in the 1800s to modern studies using cutting-edge genomic techniques. “The study of FFRs provides a valuable opportunity to delve deeper into the complex field of soil and fungal ecology, bridging multiple scientific disciplines such as mycology, microbiology, chemistry and botany,” they write.

Describing how different types of FFRs form and expand over time, the authors note that some persist for hundreds of years, reaching massive sizes: “In French grasslands, large FFRs of I. geotropa, with a diameter of 800 m, were estimated to be around 700 years old.”

Fungal fairy rings on grasslands. — FFRs of *Agaricus* *crocodilinus* in Monte Pratello subalpine grassland, Rivisondoli, Abruzzo, Italian Apennines. (Photo by Franco Carnevale).

The effects of FFRs vary substantially. Indeed, the study explores the various ways FFRs impact soil properties and plant communities as they spread. In some cases, the fungal activity leads to lush green rings of stimulated plant growth. In others, it causes bands of dead or stunted vegetation.

FFRs don’t just affect plants; they also influence soil microbes. The review describes how “the development of FFR mycelial mats is associated with a general simplification of the bacterial community” in some cases, while other studies have found increased microbial diversity within fairy rings.

Fungal fairy ring examples. — FFR examples (left) and a comparison of soil densely occupied by mycelial mat vs. unaffected soil (right).

The researcher team emphasises that there is still much to learn about the ecological roles and formation mechanisms of FFRs. Several promising areas should be explored in future research, including investigating the volatile compounds produced by fairy ring fungi and using advanced sequencing methods to unravel how FFRs regulate species coexistence in soil and plant communities.

Concluding the study the authors assert that, while improved knowledge of FFRs may have removed some of their mystical aura, “such removal of thin magic halo has certainly not reduced the wonder for the beauty of nature in its ever surprisingly dynamic pattern and intertwined complex systems.”

Read the full research paper here.

Original source

Zotti M, Bonanomi G, Mazzoleni S (2025) Fungal fairy rings: history, ecology, dynamics and engineering functions. IMA Fungus 16: e138320. https://doi.org/10.3897/imafungus.16.138320

Follow IMA Fungus on Bluesky and Facebook.

Values and dependence of society on pollinators: Pensoft joins the EU project VALOR

VALOR is to prompt better understanding of our relationship with pollinators. Pensoft will lead activities related to co-developing tools for expanding engagement and interaction, and support communication, dissemination, and exploitation activities.

Animal pollinators have become a flagship for biodiversity conservation, largely due to their globally recognised role in supporting broader biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and human well-being.

Despite this recognition and the widely acknowledged benefits of pollination, many of the pressures on pollinators persist. As a result, there is growing evidence of localised yet significant deficits in pollination services, affecting both crop pollination and other communities.

Coordinated by Dr Tom Breeze (University of Reading) and funded by Horizon Europe, VALOR is a multi-actor project that will develop a comprehensive, systems-based approach to gaining a deeper understanding of the cascading impacts of pollinator shifts from flower to fork and beyond.

The project will examine the effects of pollinator shifts on ecosystems, farm businesses, and local communities through primary research and modelling.

*VALOR’s coordinator Dr Tom Breeze (UREAD) gave an introductory presentation during the project’s kick-off meeting in February (Reading, United Kingdom).*

The project aims to empower actors to develop a deeper comprehension of relationships with pollinators and will produce a range of co-developed tools for landowners, businesses, and policymakers.

These tools will facilitate a better understanding of pollination-related risks and enable users to conduct their own studies by replicating the project’s methods and applying its models. To ensure comprehensive data collection without compromising scale, VALOR will adopt a systems-based approach, employing a series of in-depth case studies in focal regions to assess the importance of pollinators.

VALOR launched in January 2025 and will be running until the end of 2028.

To achieve its goals the VALOR project has six objectives:

Co-develop a better understanding of stakeholder knowledge needs around pollinators.
Better understand the dependence of society and the economy on pollinators.
Measure and model the cascading impacts of plant-pollinator networks on ecosystems and human well-being.
Explore the consequences of pollinator loss through value chains.
Forecast the resilience of pollinator networks and human benefits under future conditions.
Co-develop tools to engage and empower actors about pollinator conservation.

Pensoft’s role

Building on its experience in communication, dissemination, and exploitation of results, Pensoft will focus on maximising the project’s impact and long-term legacy. This involves a broad scope of activities, including the development of the project’s visual identity and online presence, as well as the translation of research findings into policy recommendations.

As a leader of the work on co-developed tools for expanded engagement and interaction, Pensoft will support the development of a spatially explicit tool to allow users to explore the fine-scale changes in pollinator abundance and diversity, as well as pollination services resulting from a change in landscape management.

Moreover, Pensoft will assist the VALOR project in contributing to the Safeguard Knowledge Exchange Hub (Safe-Hub).

Pensoft will also facilitate collaboration opportunities with other projects, leveraging its expertise in numerous EU-funded projects. These efforts will be directed towards VALOR’s sister project: BUTTERFLY (101181930).

International consortium

The VALOR consortium comprises partners from thirteen European institutions, along with three associated partners, including China and Australia.

The consortium spans a wide and diverse range of scientific disciplines, from pollinator ecology, sociology, and economics to stakeholder engagement and communications.

University Of Reading (UREAD)
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (ALU-FR)
Jagiellonian University (UJ)
The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
Wageningen University (WU)
Lund University (ULUND)
University of La Laguna (ULL)
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU)
The University of Helsinki (UH)
Pensoft Publishers (PENSOFT)
World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC)
European Landowners’ Organization (ELO)
University of New England (UNE)
China West Normal University (CWNU)
Beijing Forestry University (BJFU)

The VALOR project website is coming soon!

In the meantime, follow the project’s progress via its social media channels on BlueSky and LinkedIn.

Unseen ecosystems, unheard stories: How art can amplify subterranean science

Bridging art and science can have profound, lasting impacts on scientific communication and conservation efforts.

Guest blog post by Veronica Nanni, Jagoba Malumbres-Olarte, and Stefano Mammola

In an era where information is more accessible than ever, one might assume that communicating science has never been easier. However, science communicators often find themselves in a constant battle against public skepticism and media sensationalism. Scientific research is, by nature, intricate and nuanced, making it inherently challenging to communicate effectively. Academic papers are often laden with equations, technical jargon, and acronyms that, while ensuring precision and accuracy, may alienate even the most intrepid readers. The challenge, then, lies in translating complex findings into digestible and engaging narratives without oversimplifying or distorting the truth. Striking this balance is crucial, as misrepresentation can lead to misunderstanding, erode public trust, or even fuel misinformation.

Celebrating One Year on Weibo

Pensoft joins the Biodiversity Meets Data Horizon project to support

An illustrated scene of a sunset over mountains, as seen from the inside of a cave, showcasing diverse life forms such as insects, worms, and bats.

Unseen ecosystems, unheard stories: How art can amplify subterranean science

Clear, Open and Engaged: Pensoft’s perspective on the mission of

As scientists working with subterranean biodiversity, we face an additional layer of challenges in science communication. Unlike more familiar ecosystems, such as forests or oceans, caves and other subterranean environments are foreign and unseen to most audiences. These hidden worlds are often perceived as mysterious, inhospitable, or even irrelevant to everyday life. This lack of direct experience or knowledge creates a significant barrier to interest and engagement. For instance, the delicate balance of subterranean ecosystems and their hidden interconnection with surface ecosystems is not only difficult to visualize but also challenging to relate to broader environmental issues that resonate with the public, such as climate change or biodiversity loss.

A speckled gecko with a light brown body climbs on a rocky surface. — Werner’s leaf-toed gecko (*Asaccus elisae*), picture from https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.18.8185

Furthermore, subterranean organisms, such as blind fish, pale invertebrates, and microbial communities, often lack the visual appeal of iconic surface species (e.g., lions, dolphins, polar bears), making it difficult to generate interest or concern. Such scarce interest often means that subterranean ecosystems are scarcely represented in global biodiversity agendas, leaving most of them unprotected or poorly regulated.

Exploring the hidden treasures of Aziza Cave: A biodiversity hotspot in North Africa

This communication challenge and policy gap became even more apparent at the start of the Biodiversa+ project DarCo, a transnational project involving 13 research institutes across Europe. The project aims to advance knowledge about subterranean biodiversity in Europe and advance its conservation. DarCo’s overarching goal is to develop a concrete plan to incorporate subterranean ecosystems into the European Union (EU) Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

For the successful implementation of the project, there is a need to engage with diverse audiences, from the general public to stakeholders who rely on subterranean resources in various ways—e.g., speleological groups, water managers, national park authorities, and even politicians involved in EU-level legislation on nature conservation. This is where the challenge of communicating the importance of subterranean biodiversity to the health of ecological systems and the well-being of society became quite apparent. We realized that tapping into non-scientific forms of communication might offer a promising way forward.

Illustration of a cave ecosystem featuring spiders, a centipede, bats, and a guano pile, highlighting food sources and detritus flow. — **Figure 1**. Life in the darkness of caves through an illustration targeting kids. Modified from https://doi.org/10.3389/frym.2022.657265 (original illustration by Irene Frigo).

We began collaborating with various artists and scientific illustrators to aid in our communication efforts. Whether illustrating cave life and its conservation for children (Figure 1) or involving illustrators to create compelling visuals for our scientific publications (Figure 2), the science-art collaboration proved particularly effective. We even invited a scientific illustrator, Dr. Jagoba Malumbres-Olarte, to the 26th International Conference on Subterranean Biology (Cagliari, Italy, 9–14 September 2024), where the DarCo team organized a workshop on subterranean conservation open to both scientists and stakeholders. Jagoba’s role was to create an artistic representation of the workshop flow (Figure 3) and illustrate key aspects of selected scientific talks.

Stemming from these fruitful collaborations, we decided to write a scientific paper on the role art can play in the conservation of subterranean ecosystems, highlighting the benefits for subterranean scientists engaging with artists and vice versa. Although there is no quantitative proof yet that art directly promotes subterranean conservation, our experience as scientists who frequently collaborate with artists—and artists who often collaborate with scientists—suggests that bridging these worlds can have profound, lasting impacts on scientific communication and conservation efforts. By engaging with artists, subterranean scientists can create more impactful visuals for research papers and presentations, enhance public engagement through powerful storytelling, and spark fresh insights that may drive new research directions.

To maximize these benefits, scientists should foster collaborations by inviting artists to conferences and workshops, involving them in cave expeditions, and even dedicating small portions of research budgets to artistic initiatives. On the other hand, artists can undertake projects focused on conservation and related scientific fields, using their own platforms and tapping into funding sources beyond traditional scientific grants.

Illustration summarizing the DarCo Project Workshop themes: data, questions, impact, and dissemination for subterranean ecosystem conservation. — **Figure 3.** Infographic created through the graphic facilitation of DarCo’s workshop held during the 26th International Conference on Subterranean Biology (Cagliari, Italy, 9–14 September 2024). Original illustration by Jagoba Malumbres-Olarte.

Art has long been a bridge between knowledge and emotion, making complex ideas accessible through storytelling, visuals, and performance. Scientific illustrations, data visualizations, and interactive exhibits can transform abstract information into tangible experiences. Moreover, films, theater, and literature can create emotional connections with audiences, helping them grasp the real-world implications of scientific discoveries.

By integrating art with science communication, we can reach people who might otherwise feel disconnected from scientific discourse. Art and science are not opposing forces but complementary ones, enriching each other in profound ways. As we face global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and public health crises, integrating artistic expression with scientific inquiry can foster deeper understanding, empathy, and action, spreading knowledge and awareness of these threats in society.

Research article:

Mammola S, Malumbres-Olarte J, Vaccarelli I, Nanni V, Bellvert A, Jarić I (2025) On art, science, and the conservation of subterranean ecosystems. Subterranean Biology 51: 1-19. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.51.139954

Promoting sustainable agriculture for pollinators: Pensoft joins the EU project AGRI4POL

The new Horizon project is to assist the transition of agriculture to a positive force for biodiversity, crop pollination services, ecosystems and people. Pensoft will lead the communication, dissemination, exploitation and synergies with other projects.

Threats to pollinators and pollination services that support agriculture and provide benefits to people are a worldwide problem, recognized by intergovernmental scientific assessments, national or transnational initiatives as well as policies.

Intensive agriculture is among the principal threats to pollinator biodiversity and the crop pollination services that pollinators provide. Moreover, typically crop breeding has tended to overlook the benefits of pollination for sustained crop yields in favour of other crop traits.

Coordinated by Dr. Adam Vanbergen (INRAE) and funded by Horizon Europe, the AGRI4POL project takes an ambitious and achievable interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach to achieve a transition towards sustainable pollinator-friendly farming.

*AGRI4POL kick-off meeting (January 2025, Brussels, Belgium).*

The project aims to deliver an integrated state-of-the-art analysis of the crop – farming system – pollinator interplay across levels of biological organisation from the crop gene to the agroecosystem.

AGRI4POL launched in January 2025 and will be running until the end of 2028.

To achieve its goals, AGRI4POL project has outlined seven objectives:

Work with a multi-actor community on research and solutions for promoting pollinator-friendly farming.
Evaluate crop genetics, varieties and floral traits governing pollinator attraction to stimulate breeding of future pollinator-smart crops.
Establish the benefits of pollinator-friendly farming systems for farmers and farming.
Optimise ecological and landscape features for crop pollination, pollinator biodiversity and multiple ecosystem benefits.
Assess the social and economic opportunities and obstacles presented by pollinator friendly farming options.
Evaluate how policies and practitioner awareness influence uptake of pollinator-friendly farming from national to international scales.
Communicate and promote the benefits of pollinator-friendly farming.

*AGRI4POL’s coordinator Dr. Adam Vanbergen (INRAE) gave an introductory presentation during the project kick-off meeting in Brussels (January 2025, Belgium).*

Pensoft’s role

Building on its experience in communication, dissemination, and exploitation of results, Pensoft will focus on maximizing the project’s impact and long-term legacy. This encompasses a wide array of activities, ranging all the way from building a project’s visual identity and online presence and creating a podcast to translating results into policy recommendations. Moreover, Pensoft will be facilitating collaboration opportunities with other projects, leveraging on its involvement in numerous EU-funded projects. As of now, Pensoft takes part in six EU Pollinator projects, which serves well to facilitate synergies.

International consortium

The AGRI4POL consortium comprises twenty partners from fourteen European institutions. The consortium covers a wide diverse range of scientific disciplines spanning from pollinator ecology and agriculture to stakeholder engagement and communications.

For update from AGRI4POL, subscribe to the newsletter on the project website!

You can also forllow AGRI4POL’s progress via its social media channels on BlueSky and LinkedIn.

Pensoft joins new Horizon Europe project to help tackle terrestrial invasive alien species

Pensoft will play a vital role in public awareness, engagement and promoting effective strategies for monitoring and managing IAS.

*The Chinese muntjac* *(Muntiacus reevesi)* *is an invasive alien species for Europe with established populations across the western part of the continent*. *Photo by Mario Shimbov (Pensoft).*

As one of the partners in charge of maximising the project’s impact, Pensoft will work on OneSTOP’s visual branding, communication, dissemination and exploitation, and the development of a data management plan for the project.

Invasive alien species (IAS) pose one of the most significant threats to global biodiversity, contributing to species extinctions, ecosystem degradation, and economic losses exceeding $400 billion annually.

To tackle this, the EU enforces Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 and the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, aiming to prevent IAS introduction, enhance early detection, and manage their spread. Member States coordinate efforts with scientific support and citizen engagement to minimise their impact and protect Europe’s biodiversity. Addressing this urgent challenge, the EU Horizon project OneSTOP has officially launched as part of a coordinated European effort to combat biological invasions in terrestrial environments.

Comprehensive Approach to Tackling Invasive Alien Species

OneSTOP is one of two ambitious projects funded under the Horizon Europe programme, the other being GuardIAS, which focuses on marine and freshwater habitats. The two collaborative initiatives held their joint official kick-off meeting in January at the Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Italy. Together, these projects aim to develop innovative solutions for detecting, preventing, and managing invasive alien species across all ecosystem realms.

Coordinated by Dr Quentin Groom from Meise Botanic Garden, Belgium, and Prof Helen Roy from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, OneSTOP will integrate advanced scientific research, cutting-edge detection technologies, and policy-driven strategies to enhance biosecurity across Europe.

*The ОneSTOP project consortium at the project’s kick-off meeting held on 20-24 January 2025 in Ispra, Italy.*

The project is structured around four key objectives:

Improve species detection and response time by incorporating computer vision, environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis and citizen science initiatives.
Facilitate swift action against invasive species threats by openly sharing data in international standards for biodiversity data with stakeholders who need it.
Support policy-makers in making informed decisions about where and how to allocate resources for invasive species management by developing data-driven systems.
Ensure stakeholder collaboration and knowledge exchange by implementing Living Labs at the regional level and an international policy forum, thereby encouraging socio-political action.

OneSTOP aligns with the European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN) mission to protect EU biodiversity by improving IAS management through advanced biosecurity technologies and enhanced data integration. By fostering collaboration with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and supporting Member States with innovative tools, the project strengthens the EU’s capacity to detect, respond to, and mitigate IAS threats in line with existing regulations.

Pensoft’s role in OneSTOP

As the leader of Work Package 1, Pensoft is responsible for shaping OneSTOP’s visual identity and developing a comprehensive strategy for communication, dissemination, and impact. This includes crafting a data and knowledge management plan to ensure the project’s findings are effectively shared and utilised. By fostering collaboration with key biosecurity networks, these efforts will strengthen OneSTOP’s long-term influence.

A key part of this work is to raise awareness about invasive alien species (IAS) and their pathways, ensuring that policymakers, researchers, and the public understand their impact and the importance of prevention. Pensoft will contribute to translating complex scientific findings into accessible content—including infographics, policy briefs, and interactive visualisations—to engage policymakers, researchers, and the public. These efforts will ensure that IAS knowledge is effectively shared, fostering collaboration and informed decision-making across sectors. Knowledge transfer materials will be shared through various channels, including OneSTOP’s five Living Labs across Europe, where stakeholders will be actively engaged in outreach and citizen science initiatives.

Pensoft will play a vital role in strengthening public awareness, fostering engagement, and promoting effective strategies for monitoring and managing IAS.

International Consortium

The project brings together twenty international partners from fifteen countries operating in various sectors, ultimately contributing with diverse expertise:

Meise Botanic Garden – Belgium
Aarhus University – Denmark
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology – United Kingdom
Biopolis – Portugal
Coventry University – United Kingdom
The Cyprus Institute – Cyprus
Research Institute for Nature and Forest – Belgium
Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences – Czech Republic
Lincoln University – New Zealand
Platform Kinetics – United Kingdom
Pensoft Publishers – Bulgaria
Stellenbosch University – South Africa
University of Exeter – United Kingdom
University of Vienna – Austria
Greenformation – Hungary
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – Germany
Ovidius University of Constanta – Romania
Natural Resources Institute Finland – Finland
The Binary Forest – Belgium
Experimental Station of Arid Areas of the Spanish National Research Council – Spain

For more information, visit the OneSTOP project website, and make sure to follow the project’s progress via our social media channels on BlueSky and LinkedIn.

Take vegetation succession into account when planning solar parks, otherwise problems can grow up

The planning and sustainable management of ground-mounted solar parks can be enhanced by the consideration of vegetation succession.

Large-scale ground-mounted solar parks are relatively new phenomena. Over time, ideas have been put forward about how they can accommodate biodiversity, and some parks are indeed becoming more multifunctional, for example by providing habitats for plants, invertebrates and birds. From a background of studying idyllic ecosystems in dynamic change, Dr. Markus Zaplata, research technician at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Germany, has come to appreciate the biology of solar parks, and has found evidence that they can support a wide range of biodiversity.

A photo of plants growing near a solar park. — Biodiversity in solar parks is a given (here two *Mantis religiosa* nymphs) and, with the possible exception of self-seeded woody plants, is desirable. Photo by Dr Markus Zaplata

His research, published in the open-access journal One Ecosystem, proves the previously overlooked fact that vegetation succession also takes place in solar parks, and that certain intrinsic technical structures can even help self-seeded woody plants live there. Vegetation succession refers to the directional development from easily spreading but low-competitive species such as herbs and grasses towards highly competitive species such as woody plants. Mowing alone is not enough to deal with woody plants, he argues. “The fact is that subsurface woody structures continue to grow after mowing, and may at some point massively interfere with the solar installations”, he says.

With 18 years of experience in studying vegetation succession, Dr. Zaplata has supported a research project on biodiversity in solar parks since 2021.

“I do the mowing myself, so I experience the very things I write about in this paper”, he says.

Mowing can also be expensive and labour-intensive, he adds, suggesting that other construction methods and grazing could provide a more sustainable alternative.

Including insights from succession research can make global solar energy landscapes more sustainable, he argues. “The universal and unstoppable ecological process of succession is here linked to a management recommendation that can bring society closer again, on the new or neutral territory of new energy landscapes. In fact, new and old professions are connected, for example solar park manager and livestock farmer.”

A photo of willow tree stalks in a solar park. — Above-ground parts of a willow tree (*Salix* sp.) that have resisted a recent mowing campaign. Photo by Dr Markus Zaplata

“Finally, and very importantly, my article points out that experts with in-depth predictive knowledge of dynamic vegetation processes must be consulted in the future on everything that has to do with the technical transformation of landscape units, including solar parks,” he says in conclusion.

Original source

Zaplata M (2025) Management and sustainability of ground-mounted solar parks requires consideration of vegetation succession as an omnipresent process. One Ecosystem 10: e141583. https://doi.org/10.3897/oneeco.10.e141583

Life cycle and climate adaptability of South Africa’s Cape autumn widow butterfly

A recent study published in the open-access journal African Invertebrates provides insights into the life history and behaviour of the endemic Cape autumn widow butterfly (Dira clytus), a species endemic to South Africa.

In the study, Silvia Mecenero of the Lepidopterists’ Society of Africa and Stephen Kirkman of Nelson Mandela University examine the species’ developmental stages and responses to environmental conditions, with implications for conservation efforts.

By rearing the subspecies Dira clytus clytus in controlled conditions, the researchers documented the butterfly’s complete life cycle, from egg to adult.

Image showing the various life stages of a butterfly, from egg to caterpillar to pupa to butterfly. — Photographs of the life stages of *Dira* *clytus* *clytus* a adult b eggs **c, d** newly hatched larva e first instar larva (three days old) f first instar larva preparing to moult (nine days old) **g, h** second instar larva i third instar larva j fourth instar larva **k, l** fifth instar larva m fifth instar larvae huddling together in a big group n pre-pupal form **o, p** pupa.

Two distinct pupation and adult emergence phases were identified over a period of a few months, influenced by cold temperatures, suggesting that environmental cues play a role in triggering these developmental events. The fact that two broods were found in a matter of months is interesting, because in the wild this species breeds only once a year.

The findings indicate that Dira clytus clytus could show some phenological plasticity in its response to climate change, by changing its timing of pupation and the number of broods within a year.

Such flexibility may not always be beneficial to butterflies, as shifts in phenology could lead to mismatches with the availability of their host plants. However, Dira clytus clytus is a generalist that feeds on a variety of grasses and may therefore be more adaptable to changes in its phenology.

The study was published as part of a commemorative collection of articles published in honour of the late ecologist Prof. Stefan H. Foord.

Original study

Mecenero S, Kirkman SP (2025) Life history and behavioural observations during the rearing of Dira clytus clytus (Linnaeus, 1764) (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae), with notes on implications for climate change adaptation. African Invertebrates 66(1): 65-72. https://doi.org/10.3897/AfrInvertebr.66.138082

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Clear, Open and Engaged: Pensoft’s perspective on the mission of a science communicator

Teodor Metodiev, senior communications officer at Pensoft, offers his thoughts on why and how research should be publicised today.

Teodor Metodiev, senior communications officer at Pensoft at the opening of “**The pollinators we can’t live without**” temporary exhibition at the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (Sofia, Bulgaria, 2023).

With more than three decades of experience in the domain of science communication, Pensoft has a rich perspective on what it takes to bring science into the spotlight. A testament to this is its growing projects department, where the public face of some of Europe’s most innovative research undertakings is being moulded by a cohort of experts.

Among their ranks is Teodor Metodiev, a communicator with years of experience when it comes to bridging the gap between the scientific and the public. He recently sat down for an interview to share his observations on the significance, challenges and lessons of the job.

Read below to find out how effective engagement can make today’s research tomorrow’s reality.

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Why is science communication important and how can it influence the scope and impact of today’s research?

I believe science communication is fundamental because it eliminates the gap between researchers and users of their work, be they policymakers, practitioners or other stakeholders. By combining novel and traditional communication methods, scientific knowledge, results and data are much more likely to be shared, understood, and applied. If not communicated effectively, scientific results and advances have no real impact and are simply lost in an avalanche of emerging new information.

What are the most common challenges you encounter as a science communicator?

There are many diverse challenges one could encounter as a science communicator! I believe the most common one is the overall complexity of science, which is sometimes very difficult to communicate in a clear, visually appealing way. For me personally, one of the greater challenges is to delve into controversial topics such as climate change, vaccines, or genetic engineering, where emotions and ideologies may run high.

How can complex technical concepts be made accessible to non-science stakeholders and the general public?

Making complex concepts accessible to the general public is among the main responsibilities of a science communicator. There are many different approaches to do that, but it ultimately depends on the audience you want to engage – for example, you would not necessarily want to interact with a farmer through policy briefs. In general, I would list three main ‘pillars’ that can be considered when dealing with complex scientific information:

Simplify the language and avoid scientific jargon (i.e. by using short sentences with a clear structure)
Always leverage visual aids, such as infographics, animations, videos or graphical abstracts
Try to present the information in a narrative-like form – start with the background and problem, and then explain the solutions you are offering.

By adhering to these simple steps, I believe most challenging scientific concepts can be easily translated into an understandable format for laypersons or other stakeholder groups!

Which indicators do you consider crucial when assessing the success of a science communication campaign?

In my view, the success of any science communication campaign should be measured beyond quantitative indicators. Sure, audience reach, number of impressions and demographic data are important, but real success should be assessed through active engagement (i.e. comments or questions towards the topic, participation in events or activities, feedback and criticism from evaluation surveys, etc). I believe that monitoring these qualitative indicators on an ongoing basis is instrumental for a long-term awareness and understanding of a given topic over time.

What has made Pensoft unique and effective in the field of science communication?

I honestly believe the driving force behind Pensoft’s success in science communication is the motivated team behind it – it has demonstrated that an openness to engage, combined with an urge to learn and expand your horizons, is ultimately the making of a successful science communicator. In addition to being curious and forthcoming, an environmental conscience is another fundamental characteristic of Pensoft which surely resonates with all of its members!

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Explore past and present research projects in Pensoft’s communication portfolio.