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1. A landmark environmental law looks ahead: Updating practices for the genomic era

   Fischman, Robert L; Ruhl, J B; Forester, Brenna R; Lama, Tanya M; Kardos, Marty; Rojas, Grethel Aguilar; Robinson, Nicholas A; Shirey, Patrick D; Lamberti, Gary A; Ando, Amy W; et al (December 2023, Science)

   In late December 1973, the United States enacted what some would come to call “the pitbull of environmental laws.” In the 50 years since, the formidable regulatory teeth of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) have been credited with considerable successes, obliging agencies to draw upon the best available science to protect species and habitats. Yet human pressures continue to push the planet toward extinctions on a massive scale. With that prospect looming, and with scientific understanding ever changing, Science invited experts to discuss how the ESA has evolved and what its future might hold. 

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2. Conservation genetics of Sclerocactus in Colorado: the importance of accurate taxonomy to conservation

   https://doi.org/10.3389/fcosc.2023.1310985  

   McGlaughlin, Mitchell E; Naibauer, Samantha K (December 2023, Frontiers in Conservation Science)

   IntroductionRecent advances in genetic data collection utilizing next-generation DNA sequencing technologies have the potential to greatly aid the taxonomic assessment of species of conservation concern, particularly species that have been difficult to describe using morphology alone. Accurate taxonomic descriptions aided by genetic data are essential to directing limited conservation resources to species most in need.Sclerocactus glaucusis a plant endemic to Western Colorado that is currently listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). However, in 2023, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed de-listingS. glaucusfrom the ESA due to recovery of the species. Previous research had found substantial genetic structure between populations in the northern part of theS. glaucusrange relative to the majority of the species distribution. MethodsIn this study we utilized double-digest Restriction-site Associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) in order to better understand the genetic structure ofS. glaucus. ResultsOur results indicate thatS. glaucuscontains two distinct evolutionary lineages that warrant recognition at the level of species, with what was previously described asS. glaucusNorth being recognized asSclerocactus dawsoniae. DiscussionThe newly describedS. dawsoniaehas a limited estimated number of individuals, low levels of nucleotide diversity, a very narrow geographic range, and an uneven geographic distribution with most plants being found in a single management area, all of which supports continued direct conservation of this species. In contrast,S. glaucushas a large estimated minimum population size, a broad geographic range that includes numerous protected areas, and adequate levels of genetic diversity. Without further conservation action, a delisting decision forS. glaucuswill simultaneously remove all Endangered Species Act protections forS. dawsoniae. The current work demonstrates the importance of having robust genetic datasets when planning conservation activities for species of concern. Moving forward, we recommend that government stakeholders prioritize supporting genetic studies of endangered species prior to making any changes to listing decisions. 

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3. Review of the Messor semirufus complex (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in Greece

   https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1185.111484  

   Salata, Sebastian; Lapeva-Gjonova, Albena; Georgiadis, Christos; Borowiec, Lech (November 2023, ZooKeys)

   Messoris a diverse genus of Myrmicinae with 168 extant species and subspecies. In the Mediterranean, some of its taxa historically were classified as members of theMessor instabilisgroup (sensu Santschi), of which 19 are known from the eastern Mediterranean. Here, theMessor semirufuscomplex of the Balkan Peninsula that assembles a distinct subsection of members of theinstabilisgroup is defined and treated. In total, five species are recorded, including three that are new.Messor atanassoviiAtanassov, 1982 is redescribed and confirmed for Bulgaria (Thracian Plain, Struma, and Mesta Valley, Pirin Mt., and Eastern Rhodopi) and Greece (Epirus, Ionian Islands, Central and Eastern Macedonia, and Thraki). Three species are described as new to science:Messor danaesSalata, Georgiadis & Borowiec,sp. nov.(Cyclades: Serifos),Messor kardamenaeSalata & Borowiec,sp. nov.(Dodecanese: Kos, Nisyros, Rhodes, and Tilos), andMessor venerisSalata, Georgiadis & Borowiec,sp. nov.(Cyclades: Milos). The fifth member of the complex,Messor creticusBorowiec & Salata, 2019, maintains its status of Cretan endemic. 

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4. Deconstructing Conceptions of Rigor in Computer Science Education

   https://doi.org/10.1145/3776542  

   Everson, Jayne; Kivuva, F Megumi; Sherif, Eman; Oleson, Alannah; Ko, Amy (November 2025, ACM Transactions on Computing Education)

   ObjectivesIn calls for excellent and equitable Computer Science (CS) education, the wordrigoroften appears, but it often goes undefined. The goal of this work is to understand how CS teachers, instructors, and students conceive of rigor. Research Questions:1) What do CS instructors think rigor is? and 2) What do students think rigor is? Methods:Using the principles of phenomenological research, we conducted a semi-structured interview study with 10 post-secondary CS students, 10 secondary CS teachers, and 9 post-secondary CS instructors, to understand their conceptions of rigor. Results:Analysis showed that no participants had the same understanding of rigor. We found that participants had abstractPrinciples of Rigorwhich included: Precision, Systematic Thought Process, Depth of Understanding, and Challenge. They also had concreteObservations of Rigorthat included Time and Effort, Intrinsic Drive, Productive Failure, Struggle, Outcomes, and Gatekeeping. Participants also sharedConditions for Rigorwhich included Expectations, Standards, Community Support, and Resources. Implications:Our data supports prior work that educators are using different definitions of rigor. This implies that each educator holds different expectations for students, without necessarily communicating these expectations to their students. In the best case, this might confuse students; in the worst case, it reinforces hegemonic norms which can lead to gatekeeping which prevents students from fully participating in the CS field. Based on these insights, we argue that to commit to the idea of quality CS learning, the community must discard the use of this concept of rigor to justify student learning and re-imagine alternate benchmarks. 

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5. A review of Nearctic Lathrobium (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), with revision and descriptions of new flightless species from the mountains of the southeastern U.S.

   https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1198.118355  

   Haberski, Adam; Caterino, Michael S. (April 2024, ZooKeys)

   Species of the genusLathrobiumGravenhorst (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae) from North America north of Mexico are reviewed and 41 species are recognized. Morphology and mitochondrial COI sequence data were used to guide species designations in three flightless lineages endemic to the southern Appalachian Mountains, a biologically diverse region known for cryptic diversity. Using a combination of phylogeny, algorithm-based species delimitation analyses, and genitalic morphology, five new cryptic species are described and possible biogeographic scenarios for their speciation hypothesized:L. balsamenseHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.,L. camplyacraHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.,L. islaeHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.,L. lividumHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.,L. smokienseHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.Five additional species are described:L. absconditumHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.,L. hardeniHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.,L. lapidumHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.,L. solumHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov., andL. thompsonorumHaberski & Caterino,sp. nov.Two species are transferred fromLathrobiumtoPseudolathraCasey:Pseudolathra parcum(LeConte, 1880),comb. nov.andPseudolathra texana(Casey, 1905),comb. nov.Twenty-six names are reduced to synonymy. Lectotypes are designated for 47 species. Larvae are described where known, and characters of possible diagnostic value are summarized. Species diagnoses, distributions, illustrations of male and female genitalia, and a key toLathrobiumspecies known from the Nearctic region (including several introduced species) are provided. 

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