scholarly journals Birdlime in Western Myanmar: Preparation, Use, and Conservation Implications for an Endemic Bird

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 68-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven G. Platt ◽  
Kalyar Platt ◽  
Thet Zaw Naing ◽  
Hong Meng ◽  
Win Ko Ko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
Conservation Implications ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Adhesive Compound ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Vantage Points ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hunting Strategy

Birdlimes are adhesive entangling compounds that passively capture birds by binding them to a substrate and rendering flight feathers useless. We investigated birdlime use among indigenous Chin hunters during a wildlife survey of Natma Taung National Park (NTNP) in western Myanmar (May-June 2011). We found that birdlime is prepared from the sap of various banyan trees (Ficus spp.) collected during the annual dry season (December-May). Birdlime is prepared by boiling sap to remove water, and the finished product is a readily malleable and extremely adhesive compound known locally as nghet phan te kaw (“bird glue”). Hunters employ four principal strategies when using birdlime: 1) limed sticks are placed at waterholes and springs; 2) limed sticks are placed in fruiting trees or nocturnal roost sites; 3) limed sticks are positioned at prominent vantage points and hunters mimic vocalizations to attract birds; 4) small insects (possibly termites) are affixed to a limed pole and serve as bait to attract birds. Large numbers (>200) of birds can reportedly be captured during a single day by hunters using birdlime. At least 186 (63.9%) of 291 species of birds occurring in Natma Taung National Park are thought to be vulnerable to this non-selective hunting strategy. The endangered white-browed nuthatch (Sitta victoriae Rippon Sittidae), a poorly-studied endemic species restricted to high elevation Oak-Rhododendron forest in NTNP, is vulnerable to birdliming, although the impact of hunting on populations remains unclear. We recommend that future investigations determine the sustainability of the Chin bird harvest by relating hunter off-take to recruitment and survivorship of nuthatches. If conservation action is deemed prudent, management plans should be developed in close collaboration with local Chin communities.

Towards the definition of a standard protocol for the estimation of CO2 fixation by Posidonia oceanica meadows in the Mediterranean Sea (SeaForest Life Project)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Madonia ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
National Park ◽  
Posidonia Oceanica ◽  
Blue Carbon ◽  
Standard Protocol ◽  
Life Project ◽  
Seagrass Meadows ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Impact

<p><em>Posidonia oceanica </em>(L.) Delile meadows are considered as the most productive ecosystems of the Mediterranean basin, sequestering and storing significant amount of blue carbon in their rich organic sediments and in their living and non-living biomass and these meadows are identified as a priority habitat type for conservation under the Habitat Directive (Dir 92/43/CEE). Despite the importance of the ecosystem services it provides, this habitat is disappearing at a rate four times as high as that of terrestrial forests, experiencing an alarming reduction due to the impacts of human activities in coastal areas, especially in the north-western side of the Mediterranean Sea. To face this issue, the SeaForest Life project foresees the quantification of carbon deposits and their rate of change related to habitat degradation specifically focusing on the effects caused by boat’s anchors and moorings. The project is realized in the Archipelago of la Maddalena National Park, the Asinara National Park and the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, for which ad hoc management plans of mooring are going to be adopted to reduce the impact of this practice on the seagrass meadows. As a first step, an updating of habitat 1120*’s cartography in each of the Marine Protected Areas engaged in the project have been fulfilled, using high definition multispectral imagery. Furthermore, monitoring of the areas with the highest attendance of the anchorages was carried out through the use of medium resolution satellite multi-spectral images using the infrared band, to identify and quantify the degradation and the state of conservation of the <em>P.oceanica</em> meadows present in the investigated areas. The updated cartography has been used to implement the InVEST Coastal Blue Carbon (CBC) which attempts to predict the sequestration, storage and, when degraded, the emissions of carbon by coastal ecosystems, so representing a useful tool for the analysis of the ecological and economic effects of the degradation processes (boats anchoring) and mitigation measures (anchor management plan and eco friendly moorings). Up to now, the InVEST-CBC model has estimated a CO<sub>2</sub> loss due to boats anchoring equal to 2300 tCO<sub>2</sub>/year, using stock and flow data in soil and biomass obtained from the results of the Life Blue Natura project and<em> P. oceanica</em> samples collected in the Cilento National Park. In the future, the results of the model will be improved with data collected in the other two project areas, also through the use of innovative instrumentation. Moreover, the scenarios with the implementation of the mooring management plans will be analyzed in the three study areas. The dataset obtained by the model is being used to define a standard protocol for the estimation of CO<sub>2</sub> fixation by <em>P. oceanica </em>meadows in the Mediterranean Sea. Such protocol will be fundamental for the realization of a national IT-based platform for a voluntary based carbon market to sell and acquire the carbon credits generated by the SeaForest Life project activities, to be extended to all the Mediterranean countries and to be scaled up to new protected marine areas.</p>

scholarly journals The Diatomic Diversity of Two Mediterranean High-Elevation Lakes in the Sibillini Mountains National Park (Central Italy)

Environments ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 79
Author(s):  
Rosalba Padula ◽  
Antonella Carosi ◽  
Alessandro Rossetti ◽  
Massimo Lorenzoni
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Management ◽  
National Park ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Heterogeneity ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Changes Over Time

Temporary high-elevation lakes represent vulnerable and unstable environments strongly threatened by tourism, hydrogeological transformations and climate changes. In-depth scientific knowledge on these peculiar habitats is needed, on which to base integrated and sustainable management plans. Freshwater diatoms, thanks to their high diversity and their particular sensitivity to the water chemistry, can be considered powerful ecological indicators, as they are able to reflect environmental changes over time. The aim of the present study was to analyze the diatomic diversity of the Pilato and Palazzo Borghese lakes, two small temporary high-mountain basins, falling in a protected area within the Apennine mountains chain (central Italy). Diatoms data were collected, at the same time as 12 physicochemical parameters, through six microhabitat samplings, from 17 June to 30 August 2019. In both lakes, a total of 111 diatomic species and varieties were identified. The most species-rich genera were Gomphonema, Navicula, and Nitzschia. The Pilato Lake showed a diatomic community dominated by few species, favored by more stable and predictable environmental conditions than the Palazzo Borghese Lake, which hosted a more diversified community, guaranteed by greater spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Both lakes were characterized by the presence of diatomic species typical of good quality waters. The occurrence of numerous aerial species reflected adaptation strategies adopted to colonize environments subjected to extended drought periods. Endangered diatomic species of particular conservational interest were recorded, confirming the need to preserve their habitats.

Syrian Crisis and Migration

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 181-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pinar Yazgan ◽  
Deniz Eroglu Utku ◽  
Ibrahim Sirkeci
Keyword(s):  
Human Mobility ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Syrian Crisis ◽  
Mass Migration ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Europe Today ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Near Future

With the growing insurrections in Syria in 2011, an exodus in large numbers have emerged. The turmoil and violence have caused mass migration to destinations both within the region and beyond. The current "refugee crisis" has escalated sharply and its impact is widening from neighbouring countries toward Europe. Today, the Syrian crisis is the major cause for an increase in displacement and the resultant dire humanitarian situation in the region. Since the conflict shows no signs of abating in the near future, there is a constant increase in the number of Syrians fleeing their homes. However, questions on the future impact of the Syrian crisis on the scope and scale of this human mobility are still to be answered. As the impact of the Syrian crisis on host countries increases, so does the demand for the analyses of the needs for development and protection in these countries. In this special issue, we aim to bring together a number of studies examining and discussing human mobility in relation to the Syrian crisis.

scholarly journals An update on the distribution of Glossina (tsetse flies) at the wildlife-human-livestock interface of Akagera National Park, Rwanda

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard S. Gashururu ◽  
Samuel M. Githigia ◽  
Methode N. Gasana ◽  
Richard Habimana ◽  
Ndichu Maingi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Glossina Pallidipes ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Tsetse Flies ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Surrounding Areas ◽  
Biconical Traps

Abstract Background Glossina (tsetse flies) biologically transmit trypanosomes that infect both humans and animals. Knowledge of their distribution patterns is a key element to better understand the transmission dynamics of trypanosomosis. Tsetse distribution in Rwanda has not been well enough documented, and little is known on their current distribution. This study determined the current spatial distribution, abundance, diversity, and seasonal variations of tsetse flies in and around the Akagera National Park. Methods A longitudinal stratified sampling following the seasons was used. Biconical traps were deployed in 55 sites for 6 consecutive days of each study month from May 2018 to June 2019 and emptied every 48 h. Flies were identified using FAO keys, and the number of flies per trap day (FTD) was used to determine the apparent density. Pearson chi-square (χ2) and parametrical tests (t-test and ANOVA) were used to determine the variations between the variables. The significance (p < 0.05) at 95% confidence interval was considered. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between tsetse occurrence and the associated predictors. Results A total of 39,516 tsetse flies were collected, of which 73.4 and 26.6% were from inside Akagera NP and the interface area, respectively. Female flies accounted for 61.3 while 38.7% were males. Two species were identified, i.e. G. pallidipes [n = 29,121, 7.4 flies/trap/day (FTD)] and G. morsitans centralis (n = 10,395; 2.6 FTD). The statistical difference in numbers was significant between the two species (p = 0.000). The flies were more abundant during the wet season (15.8 FTD) than the dry season (4.2 FTD). Large numbers of flies were trapped around the swamp areas (69.1 FTD) inside the park and in Nyagatare District (11.2 FTD) at the interface. Glossina morsitans was 0.218 times less likely to occur outside the park. The chance of co-existing between the two species reduced outside the protected area (0.021 times). Conclusions The occurrence of Glossina seems to be limited to the protected Akagera NP and a narrow band of its surrounding areas. This finding will be crucial to design appropriate control strategies. Glossina pallidipes was found in higher numbers and therefore is conceivably the most important vector of trypanosomosis. Regional coordinated control and regular monitoring of Glossina distribution are recommended. Graphic Abstract

scholarly journals The environmental and ecological determinants of elevated Ross River Virus exposure in koalas residing in urban coastal landscapes

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian J. Johnson ◽  
Amy Robbins ◽  
Narayan Gyawali ◽  
Oselyne Ong ◽  
Joanne Loader ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Movement ◽  
Ross River Virus ◽  
Mosquito Vector ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Culex Annulirostris ◽  
Coastal Landscapes ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Virus Exposure ◽  
Elevated Exposure ◽  
The Impact

AbstractKoala populations in many areas of Australia have declined sharply in response to habitat loss, disease and the effects of climate change. Koalas may face further morbidity from endemic mosquito-borne viruses, but the impact of such viruses is currently unknown. Few seroprevalence studies in the wild exist and little is known of the determinants of exposure. Here, we exploited a large, spatially and temporally explicit koala survey to define the intensity of Ross River Virus (RRV) exposure in koalas residing in urban coastal environments in southeast Queensland, Australia. We demonstrate that RRV exposure in koalas is much higher (> 80%) than reported in other sero-surveys and that exposure is uniform across the urban coastal landscape. Uniformity in exposure is related to the presence of the major RRV mosquito vector, Culex annulirostris, and similarities in animal movement, tree use, and age-dependent increases in exposure risk. Elevated exposure ultimately appears to result from the confinement of remaining coastal koala habitat to the edges of permanent wetlands unsuitable for urban development and which produce large numbers of competent mosquito vectors. The results further illustrate that koalas and other RRV-susceptible vertebrates may serve as useful sentinels of human urban exposure in endemic areas.

scholarly journals Social media reveal ecoregional variation in how weather influences visitor behavior in U.S. National Park Service units

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily J. Wilkins ◽  
Peter D. Howe ◽  
Jordan W. Smith
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
National Park Service ◽  
Spatial Behavior ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Daily Maximum Temperature ◽  
Daily Maximum ◽  
Daily Weather ◽  
Visitor Behavior ◽  
Park Service ◽  
The Impact

AbstractDaily weather affects total visitation to parks and protected areas, as well as visitors’ experiences. However, it is unknown if and how visitors change their spatial behavior within a park due to daily weather conditions. We investigated the impact of daily maximum temperature and precipitation on summer visitation patterns within 110 U.S. National Park Service units. We connected 489,061 geotagged Flickr photos to daily weather, as well as visitors’ elevation and distance to amenities (i.e., roads, waterbodies, parking areas, and buildings). We compared visitor behavior on cold, average, and hot days, and on days with precipitation compared to days without precipitation, across fourteen ecoregions within the continental U.S. Our results suggest daily weather impacts where visitors go within parks, and the effect of weather differs substantially by ecoregion. In most ecoregions, visitors stayed closer to infrastructure on rainy days. Temperature also affects visitors’ spatial behavior within parks, but there was not a consistent trend across ecoregions. Importantly, parks in some ecoregions contain more microclimates than others, which may allow visitors to adapt to unfavorable conditions. These findings suggest visitors’ spatial behavior in parks may change in the future due to the increasing frequency of hot summer days.

scholarly journals Prevalence of mastitis in Nigerian livestock: a Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-29
Author(s):  
Hussaini Ojagefu Adamu ◽  
Rahimat Oshuwa Hussaini ◽  
Cedric Obasuyi ◽  
Linus Irefo Anagha ◽  
Gabriel Oscy Okoduwa
Keyword(s):  
Control Strategies ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Livestock Production ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Ecological Development ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Control And Management ◽  
The Impact

AbstractMastitis is a disease of livestock that directly impede livestock production and thus hindering the socio-ecological development of sub-Saharan Africa. Studies have estimated the prevalence of this disease in 30% of Africa countries, with Ethiopia having the highest prevalence. The coverage is low, despite the wide livestock and dairy farms distribution in Africa. Furthermore, estimated economic losses due to the impact of mastitis are lacking in Nigeria. The disease is endemic in Nigeria as indicated by the available data and there are no proposed management plans or control strategies. This review is thus presented to serve as a wakeup call to all parties involved to intensify efforts towards the diagnosis, control, and management of the disease in Nigeria.

A new species of smooth-skinned Spinomantis frog (Anura: Mantellidae) from south-eastern Madagascar

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4317 (2) ◽  
pp. 379
Author(s):  
MIGUEL VENCES ◽  
JÖRN KÖHLER ◽  
FRANK GLAW
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Type Specimen ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Molecular Evidence ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Reciprocal Monophyly ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Candidate Species

We present molecular evidence for the presence of two species morphologically similar to Spinomantis bertini in Andohahela National Park, south-eastern Madagascar, differing by 5.5−6.3% pairwise DNA sequence divergences in the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. One of these was observed at higher elevations of ca. 1650 m above sea level, whereas the other was found at lower elevations of ca. 715 m a.s.l., close to the type locality of S. bertini (Isaka-Ivondro), and in one other location (Andreoky, ca. 1050 a.s.l.). We herein assign these low- to mid-elevation specimens to S. bertini based on their occurrence near the type locality and general agreement in colour pattern with the type specimen of Gephyromantis bertini Guibé, 1947. The high-elevation form is described as Spinomantis beckei sp. nov. based on its molecular divergence and reciprocal monophyly with respect to S. bertini, lower expression of greenish dorsal colour and less distinct frenal stripe. Based on a comparison of published call descriptions for S. bertini and our recordings of S. beckei, we hypothesize that S. bertini has a lower note repetition rate in advertisement calls. Molecular data suggest that the S. bertini species complex is more diverse than previously recognized, with at least two more candidate species identified: S. sp. Ca7 from Ranomafana National Park, and a newly identified candidate species S. sp. Ca12 from Pic d’Ivohibe Special Reserve. 

scholarly journals Marsh rabbit mortalities tie pythons to the precipitous decline of mammals in the Everglades

2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1805) ◽  
pp. 20150120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. McCleery ◽  
Adia Sovie ◽  
Robert N. Reed ◽  
Mark W. Cunningham ◽  
Margaret E. Hunter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Ongoing Debate ◽  
Faunal Communities ◽  
Python Molurus ◽  
Scale Experiment ◽  
Precipitous Decline ◽  
Python Molurus Bivittatus ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Ecological Functioning

To address the ongoing debate over the impact of invasive species on native terrestrial wildlife, we conducted a large-scale experiment to test the hypothesis that invasive Burmese pythons ( Python molurus bivittatus ) were a cause of the precipitous decline of mammals in Everglades National Park (ENP). Evidence linking pythons to mammal declines has been indirect and there are reasons to question whether pythons, or any predator, could have caused the precipitous declines seen across a range of mammalian functional groups. Experimentally manipulating marsh rabbits, we found that pythons accounted for 77% of rabbit mortalities within 11 months of their translocation to ENP and that python predation appeared to preclude the persistence of rabbit populations in ENP. On control sites, outside of the park, no rabbits were killed by pythons and 71% of attributable marsh rabbit mortalities were classified as mammal predations. Burmese pythons pose a serious threat to the faunal communities and ecological functioning of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, which will probably spread as python populations expand their range.

Factors influencing success among collaborative sage-grouse management groups in the western United States

2010 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
LORIEN R. BELTON ◽  
DOUGLAS JACKSON-SMITH
Keyword(s):  
Early Stage ◽  
Collaborative Group ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Sage Grouse ◽  
Implementation Success ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Collaborative Conservation ◽  
Process Factors ◽  
Group Success ◽  
The Impact

SUMMARYConsiderable efforts have been put into collaborative conservation efforts across the globe. In the western USA, concern about declines of two sage-grouse species (Centrocercus urophasianus and C. minimus) has led to the creation of over 60 collaborative wildlife management partnership groups to develop and implement local sage-grouse management plans. These sage-grouse local working groups (LWGs) share a common goal, information, and policy environment, but were implemented in diverse ways. As a result, they provide a rare opportunity to study systematically the impact of contextual, organizational, institutional and process factors on local collaborative group success. Data from document reviews and an extensive survey of over 700 group participants from 53 sage-grouse LWGs were used to assess the success of this collaborative conservation effort and identify those group attributes that were related to successful implementation and funding of projects. Specifically, external, internal and emergent group characteristics were considered as likely predictors of LWG implementation success. The LWGs varied broadly in their achievements. The presence of a neutral facilitator, participants' feelings of ownership, groups whose local plans had more authority and early-stage group successes were significantly related to implementation success at the group level.

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