Journal for Nature Conservation最新文献

Protected Areas (PAs) are pivotal instruments in natural resource conservation and maintaining or enhancing ecosystem services, including hydrological functions. In the Amazon, the impact of PAs on the quality of river waters remains largely overlooked. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate whether Environmental Protected Areas (EPAs) and Indigenous Lands (ILs) efficiently protect the quality of surface waters in the Brazilian Amazon. Water quality variables from river gauge stations distributed across the lowlands Amazon are analyzed according to baseline river hydrogeochemistry classification, both inside and outside PAs. This study found that whitewater and clearwater rivers coursing within EPAs and ILs show lower turbidity and electrical conductivity compared to those outside PAs, likely due to the buffering effect of dense forest cover within protected landscapes. Moreover, data indicate that protected areas enhance the water quality from upstream unprotected landscapes in the Brazilian Amazon. These results highlight the need to further invest on effective mechanisms of water resource conservation across lowland tropical regions, and particularly in the Earth’s largest watershed.

Important plant area (IPA) is one of the global approaches to conserving threatened species and their habitats in situ. In the present study, we assess the risk of ecosystem collapse of Mursala Island and identify the island’s potential as the first IPA site in Indonesia. Mursala Island is located on the west coast of the Sumatera Utara Province and is known as one of the hotspots for dipterocarps species diversity. Our compiled data records at least 178 species of plant on Mursala Island, which belong to 47 families. A total of 104 species have been assessed for their conservation status according to the IUCN Red List, of which 27 (25.96%) are threatened with extinction with the category of Critically Endangered (CR; 4), Endangered (10), and Vulnerable (13). The majority (24 or more than 88%) of these threatened species are from the Family Dipterocarpaceae. Following the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems protocol, we propose CR B1c as the risk category of Mursala Island’s ecosystem. Under this category, the ecosystem is considered to be at an extremely high risk of collapse. Furthermore, our assessment shows that Mursala Island qualifies as an IPA under criteria Ai and Aii. Increasing the protection level of the island is recommended to conserve the ecosystem and its plant diversity.

Primates are one of the most threatened mammalian taxa and are also one of the most commonly exhibited in zoological gardens. The information from the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) was used to provide an overview of the species of Primates belonging to the subfamily Cercopithecinae currently held in zoos. A total of 56 species (71.79 %) are kept in ZIMS institutions. Of these, 27 (48.31 %) are threatened. Zoos do not show any preference in keeping threatened species or non-threatened ones. In the case of threatened species, only five of them are represented by more than 200 individuals while the non-threatened ones are nine. In the past 12 months, 17 non-threatened species and 16 threatened ones managed to breed. At a regional level, Asia, Europe, and North America have the highest number of species however the highest number of individuals is found in European zoos which also have a higher rate of threatened individuals to non-threatened ones. The population trends of the last 20 years indicate that Europe has the highest number of increased threatened populations (10) followed by Asia (eight) and North America (four). The latter features the highest number of increased non-threatened populations (11). Europe has the highest number of decreased threatened and non-threatened populations (16 and 17) whilst North America lost the highest number of species in the last 20 years. The analysis indicates that European zoos are at the forefront of the ex situ conservation of threatened Cercopithecinae. Although trends in zoo design and philosophy make unlikely a future increase of space for threatened cercopithecids, a better integration of conservation priorities in zoos’ master planning process may arrest the decline of space available to threatened taxa.

Techniques of degraded ecosystems restoration in the Sahel have largely contributed to slowing down desertification process. However, they are often very costly, requiring important manpower and financial resources. The economic benefits of such cases of land restoration are under-documented, especially in scientific literature. The aim of this study is to estimate the ecosystem benefits (market and non-market, direct and indirect) associated with changes in biodiversity induced by forest and landscape restoration (FLR) interventions in the Sahel, and to compare them with the costs of these interventions. Data has been compiled using individual and group surveys, floristic inventory, and existing literature. Ecosystem services framework has been used to structure the analysis. Financial and economic cost-benefit analysis have been compiled, based on the historical case of the managed Gourga forest (Ouahigouya, North Burkina Faso), to estimate whether FLR brings benefits greater than it costs. The results show that restoration of the site is profitable over the first ten years thanks to farming activities, becoming unprofitable in years 11–45 after farming is completely stopped. This study opens up new prospects for improved design of FLR in the Sahel.

Open dry acidic habitats protected under the Natura 2000 Network (Council Directive 92/43/EEC) occur in Italian Continental lowlands with an either poor or bad conservation status. The LIFE Drylands project was designed with the aim of restoring these habitats in the western Po Plain. In the context of this project, we translocated plants typical of habitat 4030 “European dry heaths” and of the acidophilous subtype of habitat 6210 “Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) (* important orchid sites)” in two sites hosting them. We assessed the outcome of the translocations by monitoring survival, flowering, and fruiting rates of the translocated plants during either the first or the second year following the translocation. We compared plants’ performances by a one-way analysis of variance and then cross-referenced them with literature data. Based on our results, we suggest that a mix of hemicryptophytes, such as Armeria arenaria, Betonica officinalis, Dianthus carthusianorum and Festuca filiformis, and geophytes, like Anthericum liliago and Limniris sibirca, with a density of about 34 plants/m² could be used for other translocations in dry heathlands and dry grasslands in the European Continental biogeographical region, while the addition of therophytes needs further evaluation.

The Piangua Anadara tuberculosa and Anadara similis are bivalve species thrive among mangrove roots and are crucial for vulnerable human communities, providing both economic and nutritional support. In the Colombian Pacific coast, significant efforts have been directed towards understanding the abundance and population structure of these mangrove bivalves. However, the impact of climate change on the spatiotemporal relationship between the potential distribution of these bivalves and their potential habitat, Rhizophora mangle, remains underexplored. We developed distinct Ecological Niche Models (ENMs) for both bivalve species and their potential habitat based on species presence-pseudo-absence data, soil physicochemical attributes, and bioclimatic variables projected for the present and future in the Colombian Pacific coast. The projections for 2030 and 2050 were formulated using the optimistic (Shared Socioeconomic Pathways –SSP1), intermediate (SSP2), and pessimistic (SSP5) climate change scenarios as proposed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its sixth report. Currently, there is a significant correlation between the potential distribution of the Piangua species and the mangroves on the Colombian Pacific coast. However, this relationship is expected to undergo spatiotemporal changes due to future climate shifts, especially by 2050 under the most pessimistic climate scenario (SSP5). Our findings offer valuable insights for the management and conservation of both the Piangua and the mangroves in the Colombian Pacific coast. Conservation efforts for the Piangua species should prioritize areas that are likely to remain suitable for both the species and its associated habitat, the mangroves.

In the Anthropocene, fostering a more sustainable relationship between humans and nature is paramount. National parks, as successful global models of conservation, promote coexistence between humans and the natural world. This study examines the complex interplay between human well-being, connection to a national park, and pro-environmental actions among community residents. Employing a community survey within Wuyishan National Park in China, we collected and analyzed 285 valid questionnaires. Using a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), our findings reveal significant positive correlations between both objective and subjective well-being, place attachment, and pro-environmental intention and behavior. Our results further indicate that human well-being influences pro-environmental intention and behavior in complex ways, with place attachment acting as a mediating factor. These findings suggest that strengthening community-park bonds and enhancing residents' well-being are crucial strategies for promoting the sustainable conservation of protected areas.

Freshwater turtles and tortoise are one of the oldest yet most threatened groups among the vertebrates. Exploitation from their natural habitats for consumption as food and medicine, pet and trade are some of the threats experienced by turtles. Protected areas are supposed to provide some degree of protection to these groups, however, the conservation status and role of buffer zone, a protected area of level VI category according to IUCN Category of Protected Areas is poorly known. Thus, the study was conducted with the aim of fulfilling the void in knowledge about the conservation status of turtles in the buffer zone of Chitwan National Park. Prior to the field, standard questionnaire related to the distribution, exploitation and conservation of turtles were prepared which was employed in household survey conducted in 99 households. The data thus collected were managed in Microsoft Excel and was analyzed by using descriptive statistics followed by inferential statistics. Data analysis was done using R software. In the study area, elongated tortoise was the most common species that were reported by respondents to observe, while tricariante hill turtle was commonly used turtle. Consumption as meat was the most dominant cause of exploitation and exploitation was significantly associated with family collecting turtle, perception about population trend of turtle and knowledge on threatened status of turtles. Furthermore, exploitation tendency was correlated with age and involvement of family member in turtle exploitation.

Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs hereafter) have become a significant global challenge for biodiversity conservation and management. Understanding factors that drive collisions is crucial for devising management policies and plans. Field surveys were conducted in 2019 to collect data on the physical and ecological features of the study area in each 875 m segment, and species death records were collected from government agencies between 2015 and 2019. This study identified the most important factors that influence WVCs, and we predicted the WVC hotspot along the East-West highway of Banke and Bardia National Parks in western Nepal using the kernel density estimation function in Arc GIS 10.5. We performed Binomial regression analysis to identify the most important factors associated with WVCs. Results showed that geographic factors such as topography, presence of retaining walls, canals/drainage, land use or land cover, forest land, agricultural land, grassland, and barren land have negative influence on WVCs, whereas speed breaker and aspect exhibit a positive influence. We found that WVCs are more likely to occur near forest land than agricultural land, grasslands, and barren land. We also found that the presence of the retaining wall, cannel/drainage, and speed breakers increased the likelihood of WVCs events. Mammals like spotted deer, Axis axis (27 %) and wild boars, Sus scrofa (21 %) are the most frequently affected species in wildlife-vehicle collisions. Due to the unavailability of data from the park office, this study does not include species like insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and small mammals. Animal-friendly infrastructures like wildlife crossings (overpass/underpass), canopy bridges, conservation signage and reflectors near the hotspot can reduce WVCs. In addition, alternative roads outside the park area can be constructed to divert vehicle movement and reduce collisions in the national park area.

This paper attempts to review the methods and experiences in preserving and restoring grayling stocks in water bodies, which this species currently inhabits or previously inhabited. The study includes a retrospective analysis of the status of grayling populations in their natural conditions as well as a review of current ecological and anthropogenic factors negatively impacting the survival and reproduction of the European grayling in Carpathians. The review includes both foreign and Ukrainian experiences in the creation of broodstocks, which could be used to restore grayling populations in Ukrainian waters in the future. We discuss the use of molecular methods for controlling and maintaining the optimal state of European grayling broodstocks at fish hatcheries as well as their application in supporting river restocking efforts to restore ichthyosis is also discussed. We highlight the state and contemporary problems for the existence of the European grayling in Ukraine. The review presents fundamental approaches using aquaculture and molecular methods that can be employed to address ongoing tasks and challenges in grayling stock recovery.