The role of psychology in determining human–predator conflict across southern Kenya

Conflict between people and carnivores can lead to the widespread killing of predators in retaliation for livestock loss and is a major threat to predator populations. In Kenya, a large, rural, pastoralist population comes into regular conflict with predators, which persist across southern Kenya. We explored the social and psychological backdrop to livestock management practices in this area in a process designed to be easy to use and suitable for use across large areas for the study of conflict and transboundary implementation of wildlife conflict reduction measures, focusing on community involvement and needs. We carried out fully structured interviews of livestock managers with a survey tool that examined how social and psychological factors may influence livestock management behavior. We compared survey responses on 3 sites across the study area, resulting in 723 usable responses. Efficacy of individuals’ livestock management varied between and within communities. This variation was partially explained by normative and control beliefs regarding livestock management. Individual livestock managers’ self-reported management issues were often an accurate reflection of their practical management difficulties. Psychological norms, control beliefs, and attitudes differed among sites, and these differences partially explained patterns associated with conflict (i.e., variation in livestock management behavior). Thus, we conclude that a one-size-fits-all approach to improving livestock management and reducing human–predator conflict is not suitable.     

Pashmina production and socio‐economic changes in the Indian Changthang: Implications for natural resource management

A unique pastoral community uses the arid rangelands of eastern Ladakh, known as Changthang, northern India. The nomadic people rear a variety of livestock such as sheep, goats, horses and yaks, which provide them with various goods and services. Nevertheless, the needs and aspirations of the people are changing. There is a trend towards increasing the livestock population, especially of a breed of goat that produces one of the finest natural fibres: Pashmina, which is the mainstay of their economy. This increase in goat population, however, is jeopardising the long‐term survival of the wild herbivores in the region, and as such is not sustainable. We present information on the current trends in socio‐economy, Pashmina production, wildlife conservation, and the conflicts of interest between wildlife and nomads in the region. On the basis of this information, we make suggestions for the conservation of natural resources in the region. We recommend preserving the historical societal norms and notions of the people, and capitalising on them to manage natural resources. We also recommend joint management of natural resources by the local people, State and non‐governmental organisations. Our findings provide a platform on which a grazing policy for the region may be formulated.     

Effects of Private‐Land Use,Livestock Management,and Human Tolerance on Diversity,Distribution, and Abundance of Large African Mammals

Successful conservation of large terrestrial mammals (wildlife) on private lands requires that landowners be empowered to manage wildlife so that benefits outweigh the costs. Laikipia County, Kenya, is predominantly unfenced, and the land uses in the area allow wide‐ranging wildlife to move freely between different management systems on private land. We used camera traps to sample large mammals associated with 4 different management systems (rhinoceros sanctuaries, no livestock; conservancies, intermediate stocking level; fenced ranches, high stocking level; and group ranches, high stocking level, no fencing, pastoralist clan ownership) to examine whether management and stocking levels affect wildlife. We deployed cameras at 522 locations across 8 properties from January 2008 through October 2010 and used the photographs taken during this period to estimate richness, occupancy, and relative abundance of species. Species richness was highest in conservancies and sanctuaries and lowest on fenced and group ranches. Occupancy estimates were, on average, 2 and 5 times higher in sanctuaries and conservancies as on fenced and group ranches, respectively. Nineteen species on fenced ranches and 25 species on group ranches were considered uncommon (occupancy < 0.1). The relative abundance of most species was highest or second highest in sanctuaries and conservancies. Lack of rights to manage and utilize wildlife and uncertain land tenure dampen many owners’ incentives to tolerate wildlife. We suggest national conservation strategies consider landscape‐level approaches to land‐use planning that aim to increase conserved areas by providing landowners with incentives to tolerate wildlife. Possible incentives include improving access to ecotourism benefits, forging agreements to maintain wildlife habitat and corridors, resolving land‐ownership conflicts, restoring degraded rangelands, expanding opportunities for grazing leases, and allowing direct benefits to landowners through wildlife harvesting. Efectos del Uso Privado de Suelo, Manejo de Ganado y la Tolerancia Humana sobre la Diversidad, Distribución y Abundancia de Mamíferos Mayores Africanos     

土壤生物过滤去除畜禽养殖臭气

研究土壤生物过滤去除畜禽养殖臭气,旨在为土壤生物滤体除臭装置主要结构参数和运行参数及其优化配置提供依据。建立能同时进行多个处理的生物过滤除臭实验装置,分析影响土壤生物过滤法除臭效果的环境因子。结果表明,活性滤料组合草腐土75%,珍珠岩20%,黑炭5%,滤层高度1 000 mm,滤料表面负荷18 m3/(m2.h),滤料湿度55%的条件下,主要恶臭气体和温室气体释放物NH3、CH4、H2S和CO2去除率>95%,CO和NO2去除率>85%,与畜禽臭气共同扩散的总挥发性有机物(TVOC)、可吸入颗粒物(PM10)和总悬浮物(TSP)去除率>95%,系统排出气体的臭气浓度7.5～8.0,均符合达标排放要求。系统加湿策略应控制滤料湿度(52±3)%,不会出现气道"短路"现象,除臭效果稳定。     

新疆农牧区畜禽养殖污染现状与防治对策

基于新疆农牧区畜牧业发展历史、现状及趋势分析，分别对新疆农牧区畜禽养殖的污染现状、分布特征、污染防治现状及存在问题进行了估算与分析，并对未来新疆畜禽养殖污染的变化趋势进行了预测，针对不同区域提出了新疆畜禽养殖污染防治的重点区域和防治对策。     

启东市畜禽养殖污染调查及防治对策思考

根据启东市第一次全国污染源普查数据,对启东市畜禽养殖污染的现状和成因进行了深入分析,并提出了对畜禽养殖污染防治的对策思考。     

Conversion of specialised dairy farming systems into sustainable mixed farming systems in Cuba

From the 1960s onwards, a ‘High External Input’ dairy production model was applied widely in Cuba. Overall milk production of the national herd increased considerably, but the system was inefficient from both a financial and energetic point of view. In the early 1990s, after the abrupt end of inflow of capital and other resources from Eastern Europe, the dairy sector collapsed. In the short term, the modern infrastructure of milk production deteriorated and the sector experienced profound vulnerability. However, in the longer term, this situation stimulated a search for more sustainable approaches, such as low external input Mixed Farming Systems (MFS). The current study aimed to evaluate two small scale prototype farms to assess the implications of converting ‘Low External Input’ Dairy Farming Systems into MFS. Fifteen agro-ecological and financial indicators were selected and monitored over a 6-year period. Two configurations of MFS, i.e. the proportion of the farm area occupied by arable crops, were tested: 25 and 50%. Productivity, energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness all improved following conversion. Total energy input was low for both farms and decreased over time, whereas energy efficiency was high and increased over time. Human labour input was high directly following conversion, but decreased by one-third over the 6-year period. This study demonstrates, at an experimental scale, the potential of MFS to achieve ecological, productivity and financial advantages for dairy production in Cuba. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

集约化畜禽养殖对环境的污染及防治研究

治理集约化畜禽养殖废弃物污染,开展废弃物的资源化利用,是解决中国畜牧业环境污染问题的主要路径。文章详述了中国畜禽养殖业污染问题的产生及对环境可能造成的影响,分析了畜禽废弃物处理措施与资源化利用的主要方式及其效果和存在的问题,并提出了控制畜禽粪污染物的对策和环境管理建议,将有助于推动中国畜禽养殖业的可持续发展,改善农业生态环境及农村人居环境。     

畜禽养殖污染治理技术综述

随着畜禽养殖业的迅速发展，其产生的污染问题已成为我国环境保护的热点和难点问题。本文综述了传统养殖模式下污染物的治理方法，并重点介绍了一种新型的零排放养殖模式，可有效地防治养殖污染，并降低养殖成本，提高产品品质，该模式可扩大试点，并逐步推广。     

川西北高原畜牧业界限温度日期及资源的变化特征

利用川西高原31个气象观测站1961~2012年的观测资料,采用线性趋势法、Mann-Kendall突变检测法和Morlet小波分析方法,详细分析了川西北高原畜牧业界限温度0℃初日、5℃终日及0℃初日至5℃终日之间畜牧气候资源的变化特征。结果表明:(1)川西北高原稳定通过0℃初日及5℃终日在区域上有很大差异,主要受海拔高度、纬度的影响。(2)畜牧气候资源的年际变化总体呈增加趋势,但区域变化不均;(3)各要素年代际变化不同,积温在各个年代都比前一年代增加,而日照时数则呈现出一增两减一增的趋势,降水量的年代际变化型式与日照相反,呈现一减两增一减的趋势;(4)各因素突变特征明显,突变的时间主要出现在20世纪80年代,不同因素的突变类型不同;(5)畜牧业气候资源存在明显的周期性变化,各要素变化周期长短不一致,尤其是降水量以4a左右的短周期振荡为主。