Nielsen, B. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2025

Optimizing seagrass planting arrangements for animal benefits in a multi-habitat restoration seascape

Restoring lost and degraded ecosystems to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services is a global priority, and animal responses to the restoration of habitats are a critical but undervalued component. Identifying the key drivers of animal colonization in restored habitats provides critical insights for restoration practitioners seeking to maximize ecological outcomes. When integrated into predictive frameworks and spatial decision- support tools, this knowledge becomes especially valuable for strategic planning, particularly in complex multi-habitat restoration projects where spatial configuration remains a crucial yet understudied dimension influencing ecosystem recovery trajectories. We collect and analyze animal data from one of the worlds largest multi- habitat coastal restoration systems in Denmark, comprising restored seagrass (Zostera marina), boulder reefs and mussel reefs. Using fine-scale spatial patterns in population abundances, we develop spatially explicit predictions across the seascape for various seagrass restoration scenarios and produce a series of optimizations, showing that it is practical to configure restoration to optimize biodiversity objectives, including those linked with fished species. Species-specific responses translated to variable outcomes across restoration scenarios and optimizations. While the optimal number and arrangement of restored patches varied depending on the target species or species group (e.g., fisheries species or seagrass specialists), one near-ubiquitous arrangement was patchy seagrass planting. This aligns with current practice, maximizes restoration efficiency, and highlights the importance of not homogenizing seascapes for biodiversity. Our approach provides a practical framework for incorporating animal monitoring data into restoration planning, helping practitioners design and optimize spatial planting configurations to achieve specific ecological objectives. Open Research StatementAll data and code/scripts (R language), including a README file, are freely available at: https://github.com/msievers100/DenmarkSpatial

ecology↗

bioRxiv2025

Postsynaptic adaptations in direct pathway muscarinic M4-receptor signaling follow the temporal and regional pattern of dopaminergic degeneration

In Parkinson’s disease (PD), imbalances in dorsal striatum (DSt) output pathways leading to motor dysfunction are thought to be driven by the loss of dopamine (DA) itself and the disruption of its coordinated modulation with acetylcholine (ACh). While the gradual decline of DA across striatal regions over time is a defining characteristic of PD, less is known about the adaptive and/or pathological alterations in cholinergic signaling that develop throughout disease progression in response to DA loss. Here, we examined changes in cholinergic modulation of striatal direct pathway medium spiny neurons (dMSNs) in mice that were partially or completely depleted of DA, in order to model early and advanced stages of PD. We found a reduction in muscarinic M4 receptor signaling that began in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) following a partial loss of DA, yet was not evident in the dorsomedial region (DMS) until the dopaminergic lesion was nearly complete. Combining electrophysiological, pharmacological and 2-photon imaging approaches, we determined that this decrease was the result of reduced postsynaptic M4 receptor function, and was not accounted for by changes in ACh release or clearance. Replacing the partial loss of endogenous DA with levodopa could not rescue the dysfunctional M4 receptors. Together, these findings reveal how changes in cholinergic modulation closely follow the temporal and regional pattern of dopaminergic degeneration, which is critical for understanding their shared role in PD progression, and for developing alternative therapeutic interventions.

neuroscience↗