Global Ecology and Conservation最新文献

{"title":"Taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of aerial insectivorous bats decay on forest islands created by a mega Amazonian dam","authors":"Paulo Estefano D. Bobrowiec ,&nbsp;Raffaello Di Ponzio ,&nbsp;Guthieri Teixeira Colombo ,&nbsp;Carlos A. Peres ,&nbsp;Maíra Benchimol","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03488","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03488","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydroelectric dams have proliferated across the tropics, leading to extensive landscape changes driven by habitat loss and fragmentation of lowland forests. Assessing their effects on biodiversity and designing effective conservation strategies require a comprehensive understanding of both the local habitat context and landscape-scale perspective. We investigated the influence of local, patch and landscape-scale variables on the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of aerial insectivorous bats in a 30-year-old archipelagic forest landscape in Brazilian Amazonia. Bats were surveyed using passive recorders across 28 forest islands and six adjacent continuous forest sites. Taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity facets were calculated within a Hill numbers approach that considers the importance of rare, common, and dominant species. We analyzed the response of bat diversity to both local and landscape changes, using vegetation structure, patch, and landscape variables as predictors. Taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversities were reduced on forest islands. All facets of diversity for species richness (q = 0) and common species (q = 1) were positively influenced by local and patch-scale characteristics, including tree species diversity and forest cover, but negatively affected by edge area around the islands. Taxonomic diversity was found to be a good indicator of phylogenetic diversity. Undisturbed continuous forests and islands that support species-rich tree floras and lower edge habitat density, harboured greater numbers of aerial insectivorous bats, as well as phylogenetically diverse assemblages exhibiting broader ecological functions. Bat diversity was most influenced by habitat quality, highlighting the need to establish protected forest areas that include large islands (&gt;100 ha) around land bridge island systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03488"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143402819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effects of recreational activities on wild mammals","authors":"F. Sganzerla ,&nbsp;L. Scillitani ,&nbsp;F. Brivio ,&nbsp;S. Grignolio","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03485","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03485","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An increasing number of people practise nature-based recreational activities, generating great economic resources, which can become a threat to wildlife species, because wild animals may perceive human presence as a predation risk. Many studies have investigated the effects induced in wild mammals by nature-based recreation. Despite that, a thorough overview of the literature focused on this topic is lacking. We conducted a broad bibliographic search, reviewed 209 articles, and identified 672 case studies about the effect of recreational activities on terrestrial mammals. We hypothesised behavioural metrics, disturbance sources and protocols of data collection affect the probability of detecting the effect of recreational activities. We highlighted this research topic is affected by huge bias both on a taxonomical and geographical level. Studies were mostly carried out in North America or Europe and almost 90 % of them focused on Cetartiodactyla, Carnivora, and Rodentia. Nevertheless, trends in publication rates suggest that these biases are declining. Using multiple regression, we examined the study designs to understand which features were linked with a higher probability of detecting a disturbance. Although studies measuring physiological responses are scarce in the literature, these seem to be more likely to detect disturbances than behavioural ones. Studies implemented on individually recognisable animals are associated with a higher likelihood of detecting the effects of the disturbance.</div><div>Harnessing this knowledge, future studies could generate a better understanding of the effects of recreational activities. Adopting suitable study protocols is essential for efficiently managing economic resources in scientific research and can help define better conservation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03485"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143420192","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Knowledge, attitude, perceived threats and conservation challenges of the critically endangered White-bellied Heron, Ardea insignis, in Bhutan","authors":"Pelden Nima ,&nbsp;Tshering Dorji ,&nbsp;Mohan Singh Rana ,&nbsp;Tandin Dorji","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03484","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03484","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the human aspects of wildlife, especially awareness, perceptions and attitudes, is important for fostering species knowledge, positive attitudes and support for conservation efforts, as well as for designing sound conservation and management practices. However, no studies have yet been conducted on the knowledge, attitude, perceived threats and conservation awareness of the critically endangered White-bellied Heron, <em>Ardea insignis</em>. To fill this gap, an online survey (<em>N</em> = 513) was conducted using Google Forms across the east, west, central and south regions of Bhutan in 2024 from February to May. Descriptive analysis revealed that over half (52.8 %) of the Bhutanese have limited knowledge, while a majority (82 %) showed a positive attitude towards the White-bellied Heron. GLMM analysis revealed that the knowledge was significantly influenced by gender and parents’ occupation. Likewise, there was a significant association between gender, age, education level, occupation and conservation awareness. Further, the results revealed that the perceived threats and conservation challenges are primarily anthropogenic, with nest predation also being a key driver of the White-bellied Heron decline. Taken together, these results underscore the need to fill the knowledge gap among the Bhutanese people and address the current threats and conservation challenges of the White-bellied Heron. We recommend that relevant stakeholders, including media and educational institutions, should optimize conservation awareness through environmental education outreach and broader public engagement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03484"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Functional and habitat characteristics associated with nativeness, rarity, and invasiveness in the aquatic vascular flora of Sardinia","authors":"Mauro Fois ,&nbsp;Alba Cuena-Lombraña ,&nbsp;Jennifer Nagel Boyd ,&nbsp;Lina Podda ,&nbsp;Gianluigi Bacchetta","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03482","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03482","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mediterranean wetlands are of great conservation concern given their high biodiversity, functional value, societal importance, and significant decline during recent decades. Within the contexts of species protection and functional resilience, understanding the biological and environmental factors that influence the composition and diversity of wetland plant communities could help to inform management of these critical systems. To examine such factors, we considered 13 functional and habitat characteristics in explanatory models of the nativeness, rarity, and invasiveness of a comprehensive flora of 224 vascular plant species associated with wetlands in Sardinia. We categorised 59 of the 184 native species as rare and 21 of the 40 non-native species as invasive. Our models revealed some functional and habitat characteristics that are significantly associated with plant species’ nativeness, rarity, and invasiveness in Sardinian wetlands. Specifically, native species generally have smaller flowers than non-native species, while non-native species tend to flower later and reproduce more vegetatively. Rare native species typically occur across a narrower elevation range, have shorter flowering duration, and are less likely to reproduce vegetatively than common species, while invasive species tend to have larger flowers than non-invasive species. The relatively high incidences of rarity and invasiveness in Sardinian wetlands are likely influenced by the intrinsic fragmentation of freshwater environments and profound anthropogenic modifications in the region. In addition, we suggest that differences in reproductive traits may further contribute to species’ rarity and invasiveness in these systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03482"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143402818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the formation and evolution of plant diversity patterns in the Qiangtang Plateau based on phylofloristics approach","authors":"Xiaoping Li ,&nbsp;Yun Han ,&nbsp;Lei Miao ,&nbsp;Hao Xu ,&nbsp;Jingya Yu ,&nbsp;Shuang Han ,&nbsp;Faqi Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03479","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03479","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phylofloristics integrates phylogenetic information into the analysis of flora to elucidate the origin and evolutionary history of flora. The Qiangtang Plateau, located in the hinterland of the Tibetan Plateau, is the \"Roof of the World's Roof,\" serving as a natural laboratory for studying the origin and evolution of cold and arid flora not only within the Tibetan Plateau but also globally. We analyzed the phylogenetic diversity (PD) of the Qiangtang Plateau flora and the effects of environmental factors on the most phylogenetic beta diversity, and inferred the divergence time of species based on a phylogenetic tree constructed from 228 complete plastid genomes, aiming to explore the pattern of plant diversity and its evolutionary history on the Qiangtang Plateau. We quantified the PD of the Qiangtang Plateau flora utilizing a macro-phylogenetic tree derived from a plant list of 370 species. Our analysis identified two distinct phyloregions, designated CⅠ and CⅡ, corresponding to the southeastern and northwestern sectors of the plateau, respectively, as delineated by their beta diversity. Concurrently, our findings indicate that the primary climatic determinants of phylogenetic beta diversity in these regions are bio15 (precipitation seasonality) and bio17 (precipitation in the driest quarter). Furthermore, using fossil data, we deduced that the emergence of seed plant families in this region dates back to the Cretaceous period (145.00 Ma), with a significant acceleration in evolutionary rates observed since the onset of the Quaternary Ice Age (2.00 Ma). These findings underscore the pivotal role of the uplift of the Qiangtang Plateau and the climatic shifts during the Quaternary Ice Age as primary drivers shaping the region's contemporary distribution patterns of alpine plants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03479"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143378493","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Steppe-land birds under global change: Insights from the Eurasian Stone-curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) in the Western Palearctic","authors":"Andrea Simoncini ,&nbsp;Samuele Ramellini ,&nbsp;Mattia Falaschi ,&nbsp;Mattia Brambilla ,&nbsp;Alexis Martineau ,&nbsp;Alessandro Massolo ,&nbsp;Dimitri Giunchi","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03478","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03478","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Global change is having dramatic impacts on the distribution of animals. Birds, and especially steppe-land birds, are particularly sensitive to climate and land-use/land-cover change and identifying areas that are critical for their conservation is pivotal, as well as estimating the expected impact on these areas under different climate and land-use/land-cover scenarios. <em>In-situ</em> refugia (areas suitable under both current and future conditions) are especially valuable for the conservation of species sensitive to global change, and is therefore important to identify them and evaluate their coverage by protected areas. Via species distribution modelling, we aimed to identify <em>in-situ</em> refugia in the Western Palearctic for the Eurasian Stone-curlew [<em>Burhinus oedicnemus oedicnemus</em> (Linnaeus, 1758)], an umbrella steppic species of conservation concern. We used a comprehensive dataset of occurrences in the breeding period to fine-tune a Maxent species distribution model and project it under two carbon emission and land-use/land-cover scenarios of increasing severity for the year 2050. We then identified <em>in-situ</em> refugia and performed a gap analysis estimating the percentage of refugia falling within the network of currently protected areas. Climate change is expected to increase habitat suitability and land-use/land-cover change to decrease it. Given the low relevance of land-use/land-cover in the model, the climate change model is more supported and an increase of suitability, especially at Northern latitudes, is expected. According to our results, the Eurasian Stone-curlew has the potential to maintain viable populations in the Western Palearctic, even though dispersal limitations might hinder the colonization of newly suitable breeding areas. <em>In-situ</em> refugia were mainly identified outside protected areas, particularly in Northern Africa and the Middle East. Therefore, we advocate targeted actions in refugia to promote the conservation of this and other steppe-land species under global environmental change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03478"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143387707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shrub encroachment alters the diversity of soil fungal communities in topsoil, but not in subsoil under alpine grassland of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau","authors":"Wenming Ma ,&nbsp;Tenzing Droma ,&nbsp;Changting Wang ,&nbsp;Xiangli Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03472","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03472","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Encroachment of alpine grassland ecosystems by shrubs is widespread in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. However, effects of shrub encroachment on fungal community structure and its function are limited. The objective of this study was to elucidate the response of soil organic carbon composition, soil fungal community, and their functions to shrub encroachment within the same region. We investigated soil fungal communities in top- and subsoils of shrub-encroached patches (<em>Potentilla fruticosa</em>, <em>Spiraea alpina</em> and <em>Caragana microphylla</em>) and the open grassland using nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS). A total of 48 samples were collected. The Fourier Translation Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was conducted to assess the soil organic carbon (SOC) chemical composition. Potential fungal functions were explored using FUNGuild. Both top- and subsoils, total nitrogen (TN) and SOC contents did not alter under shrub patches compared to the open grassland (control sites) (TN, <em>F</em>=1.460, <em>p</em> = 0.24; SOC, <em>F</em>=1.294, <em>p = 0.267</em>). The aromatic groups were dominant fraction in SOC at top- and subsoils under shrub-encroached and unencroached sites. Shrub encroachment exhibited a higher fungal diversity in topsoil, and a significantly different fungal community composition in top- and subsoils compared with open grassland. Results of FUNGuild showed saprotroph was the dominant fungal trophic mode among the <em>P. fruticosa</em>, <em>S. alpina</em> and <em>C. microphylla</em> patches, and saprotroph in <em>P. fruticosa</em> and <em>S. alpina</em> were significantly higher than open grassland in the topsoil (<em>F</em>=6.621, <em>p</em> = 0.028; <em>F</em>=8.224, <em>p</em> = 0.017), not in the subsoil (<em>F</em>=0.467, <em>p</em> = 0.510; <em>F</em> =2.888, <em>p</em> = 0.120). Co-occurrence networks between fungal taxa showed higher network links and more assembled, indicating the stability of fungal community was promoted by shrub development. Hierarchical partitioning (HP) analysis indicated that pH and SOC were the main key factors affecting fungal community structure in top- and subsoils, respectively. Shrub encroachment in alpine grassland leads to soil fungi preferring to utilize the relatively accessible recalcitrant SOC (aliphatic group), and causes enrichment of copiotrophic fungi.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03472"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143377814","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of the \"Worth More Alive\" wildlife campaign at Zambia’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport: A case study on travelers’ perceptions and attitudes","authors":"Mirriam Nasilele ,&nbsp;Norman Nduna ,&nbsp;Luwi Nguluka ,&nbsp;Sarah Davies ,&nbsp;Vincent R. Nyirenda","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03475","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03475","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the impact of the \"Worth More Alive\" wildlife conservation campaign implemented at Zambia’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, aiming to contribute to addressing the global challenge of illegal wildlife trade and raise awareness among international travelers. Wildlife trafficking remains a critical global issue, threatening biodiversity and necessitating innovative awareness strategies. Zambia, with its rich biodiversity, serves as a case study to evaluate the efficacy of targeted conservation messaging in influencing perceptions and attitudes. Data collection involved pre- and post-campaign surveys with 79 and 101 respondents, respectively. The demographic analysis revealed a predominance of male participants, though the gender ratio improved post-campaign. The campaign successfully increased public recognition of elephants as endangered, rising from 40 % to 49 %. However, awareness on black and white rhinoceroses and African lions declined, indicating a potential shift in focus. Knowledge of wildlife protection, particularly regarding illegal wildlife trade, showed slight improvement, with recognition of campaign materials increasing from 11 % to 20 % post-campaign. Awareness of penalties for illegal possession of trophies saw a marginal rise, from 24 % to 26 %. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that campaign awareness significantly improved recognition of the pangolin (β = 1.1928, p = 0.032), showing a 330 % increase in knowledge about this lesser-known species. Chi-square tests confirmed a significant association between campaign awareness and increased recognition of endangered species, particularly pangolins. While park visitation positively correlated with awareness, inconsistencies across residency status and nationality were observed. Gender disparities were evident, with males exhibiting higher awareness levels, highlighting the need for targeted communication strategies to engage all demographic groups effectively. The present study underscores the \"Worth More Alive\" campaign’s success in enhancing awareness of lesser-known species, particularly pangolins while identifying areas for improvement in broader species recognition and engagement. Future campaigns should prioritize tailored messaging to address diverse demographic interests and behaviors, ensuring a more comprehensive and effective approach to wildlife conservation awareness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03475"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143377889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exotic Laguncularia racemosa drives rapid shifts in pond-to-mangrove restoration communities","authors":"Lin Zhang ,&nbsp;Yamian Zhang ,&nbsp;Yijuan Deng ,&nbsp;Pingping Guo ,&nbsp;Wenqing Wang ,&nbsp;Mao Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03481","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03481","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid decline of mangrove ecosystems worldwide underscores the urgency of restoring these environments. In China and Southeast Asia, a recently popular method involves converting abandoned aquaculture ponds into secondary mangrove forests (i.e., pond-to-mangrove restoration), which reshapes the landscape to create suitable habitats for mangrove plants. However, an often overlooked issue is how these new habitats may facilitate the spread of exotic species. Our study examined plant communities in a pond-to-mangrove restoration area, comparing the plant community four and eight years after restoration began. We found that the exotic species <em>Laguncularia racemosa</em> expanded rapidly, significantly suppressing native mangrove species and altering the community structure. The relative abundance of <em>L. racemosa</em> increased from 8 % in the fourth year to 57 % by the eighth year, during which time three native species disappeared from the plot. By the eighth year, <em>L. racemosa</em> also dominated in terms of plant height. Given the rapid spread of invasive species and the high connectivity of wetlands, we recommend closely monitoring non-native plants during restoration projects like pond-to-mangrove restoration. Our study highlights the threat biological invasions pose to restoration efforts and the importance of managing ecological niches created by restoration processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03481"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143348632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"People’s knowledge, attitudes, and conflicts with carnivores in central hills, Sri Lanka","authors":"Ashan Thudugala ,&nbsp;Hem Bahadur Katuwal ,&nbsp;Nalindra Laxman ,&nbsp;Vishwa Dushmantha ,&nbsp;Ravindi Menikrama ,&nbsp;Harsha Dissanayake ,&nbsp;Chameera Dilshan ,&nbsp;Ru-Chuan He ,&nbsp;Rui-Chang Quan","doi":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03476","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03476","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>People’s knowledge and attitudes toward carnivores are crucial for understanding the distribution, ecology, conflicts, interactions, and threats that these species face. Carnivores are found both within and outside protected areas, making them susceptible to human-carnivore conflicts. However, In Sri Lanka, human dimensions of carnivores remain relatively understudied, despite several reported conflicts. To address these gaps, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 303 households around Dhunumadalwa Forest Reserve, Kandy, Central Sri Lanka in 2023. Our goal was to explore people's knowledge—specifically their ability to identify carnivore species and understand environmental laws—alongside their attitudes and experiences with human-carnivore conflicts. We found that 99 % of the respondents identified at least one of the 12 carnivore species shown during the interview. However, only 2 % of respondents identified as many as nine species, indicating a generally low ability to identify carnivore species. The ability to identify carnivores was significantly influenced by distance to the forest, gender, and education level. Respondents demonstrated a strong understanding of environmental laws, including forest and wildlife regulations and the penalties associated with killing species. Forty-one percent of the respondents expressed a positive attitude toward one of the carnivores, particularly leopards and other cat species, while 74 % particularly showed a negative attitude toward the civet species. The attitude towards carnivores was significantly influenced only by urbanization and education level. Carnivore conflicts were reported by 33 % of respondents, primarily involving leopards and civets, causing disturbances and economic losses. Despite these challenges, 68 % of respondents believed conflicts had decreased over the last two decades. However, 73 % of respondents had no clear idea about conflict mitigation measures, while 17 % advocated relocating problematic animals as a primary solution for conflicts. Our study highlights the complex nature of human-carnivore interactions and emphasizes the need for educating people about carnivores. It also underscores the importance of improving protection measures for domestic animals and establishing compensation schemes and performance payments to enhance tolerance, coexistence, and foster positive attitudes toward these species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54264,"journal":{"name":"Global Ecology and Conservation","volume":"58 ","pages":"Article e03476"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143350042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}