These are the changes of ARK: Survival Evolved’s Patch 196.0, grouped into categories for clarity. If not otherwise indicated, they’re quoted from the relevant Steam Thread.

Dino Changes

• Alpha predators damage vs Stone structures reduced by 80%
• Alpha predators now tend to only appear inland / in mountainous regions
• Alpha predators natural targeting range reduced, easier to deliberately avoid
• Alpha predators now ALWAYS Survivor drop inventories when killed. (i.e. Carno and Rex)

Item Changes

• Added “Re-Fertilizer” item craftable at the Compost Bin which can be used over ground to re-grow depleted foliage over time even if it’s close to structures (avoids the structure distance check, though wont’ regrow if it’s stuck ‘within’ a structure).

Server Changes

• Added option to disable specific Alpha predators (“NPC Replacements”) on custom servers
• Custom servers can now specify “ResourceNoReplenishRadiusStructures” & “ResourceNoReplenishRadiusPlayers” multipliers, if they wish to allow resources to regrow closer or farther away from players & structures.
• Added adjustable “Tethering” distance for non-dedicated multiplayer sessions (maximum distance from Host player)
• PvP servers have an optional +1 minute additonal respawn that doubles each time if you are killed by a team within 5 minutes of your previous death to that team (timer indicated on Spawn UI). Is enabled in pvp by default, and on all the official pvp servers. Helps prevent PvO ammo-wasting of auto turrets by repeatedly throwing sacrificial players at them.
• Improved server perf, and fixed some server crash cases
• Admin-Only-Access doors (and their doorframes) can no longer be demolished or Replaced by non-Admin tribe members regardless of Governance settings
• Server INI’s option to switch from PvE to PvP mode at pre-specified in-game times OR a pre-specified real-world (server-side) times!

Fixes

• Auto Turrets now target & shoot down enemy grenades AND rockets
  (and any bullet weapon can shoot grenades & rockets to explode them now)
• Replacing Structures doesn’t do obstruction checks anymore (no more failures to replace)

Updated 13. Aug. 15

(Original Announcement on Steam)

Here are the patchnotes of the previous patch (195.2)