ABSTRACT Invasive species can impact human populations beyond ecological effects, particularly in urban environments. The Johnstone's whistling frog ( Eleutherodactylus johnstonei ), native to the Lesser Antilles, has established in urban gardens in the Caribbean and northern South America. Its loud and persistent nocturnal calls are a source of noise pollution that may affect human health and well‐being. In this study, we conducted a preliminary assessment of noise‐related impacts in Cali, Colombia, a major urban center where whistling frogs are present. Our methods included (1) night‐time vehicle surveys to estimate property occupancy rates along city streets, (2) sampling in urban gardens to estimate their density, and (3) an online survey ( n = 330) to gauge residents' perceptions of the whistling frog's calls and potential health effects. Results indicate that whistling frogs in Cali occupy approximately 25% of surveyed properties, with over 50% probability of occupancy in areas larger than 0.1 ha. Densities varied with garden vegetation, ranging from 8 to 29 individuals per 10 m², exceeding those reported from natural sites within the species' native range. Survey responses revealed divergent perceptions and health outcomes associated with whistling frog calls: 42% of respondents, mostly younger adults (18–34 years), reported positive perceptions linked to nature connection and relaxation. Conversely, 19% reported annoyance driven by irritability, stress, and difficulty sleeping, suggesting a dual burden on mental health and sleep disturbance. Older adults (> 55 years) and those with pre‐existing sleep disorders showed greater vulnerability. The remaining 39% expressed neutral perceptions, although some individuals in this group also reported negative impacts. Overall, our findings provide one of the first empirical assessments revealing potentially widespread but overlooked public health impacts caused by the noise of an invasive species, warranting further public health investigation.

ABSTRACT This special issue explores the evolving scientific and management landscape of snow leopard ( Panthera uncia ) conservation, highlighting a twentyfold increase in research output alongside the persistent threats of climate change and habitat fragmentation. The assembled studies address three core themes: establishing population baselines at geographic range edges, advancing non‐invasive genomic and prey monitoring methodologies, and evaluating landscape connectivity across political boundaries. Findings reveal a significant “governance‐ecology mismatch,” where current protected areas fail to encompass vital movement corridors and transboundary home ranges. To ensure the long‐term persistence of this cryptic apex predator, the editorial advocates for a transition from site‐specific protection to integrated, landscape‐scale conservation characterized by standardized monitoring, protected corridors, and coordinated international governance.

ABSTRACT This study examines the role of nature education in advancing conservation and sustainability in China between 2014 and 2023. Drawing on national survey reports and historical–comparative methods, it analyses the dynamics of public demand, institutional supply, and practitioner capacity. Findings reveal that public demand is strong, diversified, and rising, while supply remains fragile, regionally uneven, and constrained by financial instability and talent turnover. Applying public goods theory, the study identifies a structural supply–demand imbalance that limits the sector's contribution to conservation goals. To address this mismatch, four strategies are proposed: redistributing resources to underserved regions, tailoring curricula to diverse social groups, strengthening practitioner development, and establishing hybrid funding and governance mechanisms. Aligning supply more effectively with demand is critical not only for the sustainable development of nature education but also for enhancing its contribution to conservation governance in China.

ABSTRACT Ecosystem restoration, guided by numerous principles and practical guidelines, has been hailed as a strategy to combat climate change, reduce global biodiversity loss, restore ecosystem services, and enhance human well‐being. Yet, translating restoration principles into practice remains challenging for policymakers and practitioners. To address this issue, we identify five frontiers for advancing ecosystem restoration in East Africa's forest landscapes, using western Rwanda as a case study. Instead of drawing on existing high‐level ecosystem restoration guidelines, we synthesized locally grounded insights into tangible restoration priorities. We conducted a full‐day multi‐expert workshop using a “world café” approach to facilitate participatory large‐group discussions, involving scientists, practitioners, and decision‐makers working on ecosystem restoration in Rwanda. Five critical frontiers for ecosystem restoration science and practice were identified: (i) defining ecosystem restoration goals and elements of success; (ii) embedding ecosystem restoration in the promotion of multifunctional landscapes; (iii) enhancing food security, nutrition, and livelihoods through ecosystem restoration; (iv) engaging with values and nature's contributions to people in ecosystem restoration; and (v) governing ecosystem restoration for equity. For each of these frontiers, we highlight the state‐of‐the‐art, emerging research priorities, and recommendations for practice and policy to move ecosystem restoration ahead.

ABSTRACT For population management of threatened species according to the One Plan Approach to Conservation by the IUCN's CPSG, not only knowledge about in situ but also about ex situ populations is required. To enhance the conservation of threatened birds and improve zoos participation in the One Plan Approach we analyzed non‐passerine bird data from the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS): their individual numbers, breeding success, and the number of holding institutions. We categorized species as threatened, non‐threatened, or not evaluated based on IUCN Red List assessments. Only 1541 (34.2%) of 4503 recognized non‐passerine bird species are held in ZIMS institutions worldwide, mostly in Europe, North America, and Asia. Approximately ~83% of the species kept globally are classified as non‐threatened, and ~16% (246 species) as threatened. About 49% of the species kept have successfully bred in the last year, 31% in only one zoo each. Of the threatened species, 146 species reproduced. About ~15% of threatened species are kept in only one zoo. About one‐third of the non‐passerine bird species kept are represented by less than 10 individuals. To improve the conservation of threatened non‐passerine birds, a shift toward keeping threatened species should be considered within ex situ management programs, thus extending conservation breeding networks. Cooperative projects with institutions and stations in species richness hotspots could greatly benefit the conservation of passerine birds by supporting future reintroductions and are thus in full agreement with the One Plan Approach to conservation.

ABSTRACT Nature education, regarded in China as activities in nature that connect humans with nature, is gaining increasing interest. Research studies in this area are growing too. However, little has been synthesized to understand the overarching patterns. This review explored the current status and trends of nature education studies in China. We adopted the traditional narrative literature review approach to examine 87 articles relevant to nature education in China, published in both English and Chinese from 2014 to April 2024. Our findings showcase three types of articles that represent the trends of studies in nature education: philosophical, empirical, and practical articles. Philosophical articles mainly addressed North American and European theories, with a relatively few Chinese philosophies. Empirical articles focused on exploring the current status of people's perception of nature and nature education, relationships among different variables, nature education outcomes, and setting or curriculum analysis. Practical articles described theoretical and practical applications as well as regional development efforts. The study sheds light on future research directions: (1) exploring Chinese theories and traditional cultures to deepen and ground nature education in local contexts, (2) developing innovative interventions and measuring nature education outcomes, and (3) connecting research to practice to enhance the field of nature education in China.

ABSTRACTDust emission and accumulation have been continually increasing over the past several decades in South Asia. Dust storms, originating in western regions, regularly move across the Indian subcontinent and may reach parts of the Himalayas, including the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Their frequency has risen rapidly on the Indo‐Gangetic Plains. Dust storms impact processes associated with atmospheric composition, radiative balance, precipitation, nutrient cycling, and vegetation sustainability. However, these effects have not yet been synthesized in the context of South Asia, which this study addresses. We investigate dust sources and the causes of dust storms in South Asia, their implications for the TP ecosystem, and how they impact vegetation health and sustainability. Indian dust storms originate from both, the local Thar Desert and distant deserts in the Middle East and Northeast Africa. Long‐range dust transport has synergistic as well as antagonistic effects on vegetation health and ecosystem sustainability, while vegetation also acts as a trap for atmospheric dust, purifying polluted air. Soils in forest ecosystems may derive 4%–30% of their nutrient inputs, mainly phosphorus (P), from long‐range transported dust. Dust‐bound P can also be absorbed through foliar uptake of dust deposited on leaves. In simulation experiments, plants were able to increase their P content by 30%–37% through foliar uptake. However, dust deposition on leaves and its subsequent uptake can impair plant growth and biomass production by clogging stomata, modifying the leaf microenvironment, hindering transpiration and gas exchange, degrading chlorophyll, limiting photosynthesis, and reprogramming cellular metabolism. It is hypothesized that plant responses to dust may have an evolutionary basis. We conclude that dust can have mixed impacts on ecosystem functioning and highlight the urgent need for systematic and detailed investigations into its effects in a regional context.

ABSTRACTFecal samples are commonly used in conservation genetics for endangered and elusive species such as the snow leopard (Panthera uncia). However, the limited quantity and low quality of endogenous DNA in these samples present a challenge for acquiring genetic and genomic data. Previous studies of snow leopard mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) phylogeography have produced inconsistent results, likely due to the limited sequencing length of PCR‐based methods. To address this limitation, we performed Next‐Generation Sequencing (NGS) on 19 fecal samples obtained from the eastern Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau, resulting in 6.51–12.72 Gb of raw data per sample. We successfully assembled 17 complete mitogenome sequences (~16,720 bp) and identified 67 SNPs. Phylogeographic analysis revealed two divergent mtDNA lineages with a patristic distance of 0.31%, comparable to the divergence observed between major lineages of lions (0.38%–0.82%) and tigers (0.24%–0.56%). One lineage was predominantly found in the Qilian Mountains, while the other was more broadly distributed across the Sanjiangyuan Region and the Hengduan Mountains. These results reveal a considerable level of mtDNA diversity at a local scale, which was missed in a previous study focusing on short mtDNA segments. Our study demonstrates the promising applicability of mitogenome assembly via NGS of fecal DNA, and we anticipate that it may advance global snow leopard conservation genetics by alleviating technical hurdles and enhancing data sharing.