Human mobility and connectivity between cities are key features of globalization that foster urban expansion, landscape transformations, and changes in species distributions. Andean ecosystems which function as biodiversity reservoirs, are vulnerable to environmental changes and to the introduction of exotic species. Through this study, we assess the association of migratory flows and other socioenvironmental characteristics with the prevalence of exotic woody species in the Andean region. We collected data on urban and demographic dynamics, migration proxies, and topographic and climate indicators for every first-order administrative unit of the Andean region. We used global biodiversity databases to obtain occurrence records of woody plants and estimated the proportion of exotic species records in each administrative unit. We performed multiple regression models that assessed the association of this prevalence with socioenvironmental information, and we compared them using the Akaike information criterion. We obtained 2,461,168 records of native species and 891,579 records of exotic species. Topography, climate, and immigration were included i the 10 best models, suggesting that the social connectivity of administrative units (through immigration) is a driver of changes in species composition of local communities. We consider that the prevalence of exotic species in woody plant composition is highly influenced by cultural drivers through the introduction of exotic species and through their use in urban and periurban environments.

Understanding the heterogeneity of agricultural production systems is important both for the design of targeted and tailored policies and for providing effective extension services. In Switzerland, seasonal grazing of alpine pastures during summer is important for many farms, but also for biodiversity conservation. However, these so-called alpine summer farms are threatened by water scarcity due to climate change, the lack of skilled labor, and human–wolf conflict, resulting in the abandonment of farms and loss of biodiversity. Swiss agricultural policies govern alpine summer farms with uniform policy interventions through direct payments to address these challenges. However, these farms are highly heterogeneous in terms of socioeconomic and biophysical conditions, and we lack an understanding of their structure. We investigate the heterogeneous structure of Swiss alpine summer farms by using census data (N = 5900) and a mixed-methods approach combining unsupervised clustering techniques and expert assessment to generate a farm typology. Our methodological approach enriches the existing socioeconomic farm-level data with spatial data to depict the farms' infrastructure and biophysical environment. Our results suggest 6 types that differ in terms of organizational structure, herd composition, biophysical environment, and accessibility: (1) private dairy farms; (2) communal mixed cattle and dairy farms; (3) communal cattle farms; (4) remote farms; (5) small, private cattle farms; and (6) sheep farms. We also anticipate challenges for each cluster and discuss optimization and policy measures. This will help develop targeted policies tailored to specific alpine farm types, addressing both climate and farm structural change.

In the Changthang region of Ladakh, India, pastoralism serves as the cornerstone of both the local economy and the local way of life. However, recent socioeconomic shifts and environmental constraints put this economic structure, which has been expertly adapted to the difficult trans-Himalayan geography, in danger of becoming unsustainable. To explore methods for balancing development, ecology, and Indigenous culture, this review analyzes pastoralism in Changthang. The sole dependable method of food production for generations has been mobile pastoralism, supported by high-elevation rangelands. Breeds of native livestock adapted to scant vegetation and seasonal variation have been selectively bred by generations of pastoralists. Sale of wool and cashmere provides financial stability for pastoralist families, mitigating income vulnerability to climate shocks and market fluctuations that would otherwise disrupt predominantly livestock-rearing livelihoods. However, traditional transhumance cycles and collective resource management have been hampered by sedentarization, population growth, conservation constraints, and market integration. Climate change and unrestricted grazing contribute to grassland degradation. Promising programs combine conventional methods with innovations like mobile veterinary services and satellite forecasting to preserve breeds and grazing resources while increasing productivity and climate resilience. These initiatives seek to support regulated grazing practices. Comanagement practices that involve communities in conservation planning are essential. This production system and culture can be maintained through integrated strategies respecting pastoralists' stewardship.