Deconstructing compassionate conservation

Compassionate conservation focuses on 4 tenets: first, do no harm; individuals matter; inclusivity of individual animals; and peaceful coexistence between humans and animals. Recently, compassionate conservation has been promoted as an alternative to conventional conservation philosophy. We believe examples presented by compassionate conservationists are deliberately or arbitrarily chosen to focus on mammals; inherently not compassionate; and offer ineffective conservation solutions. Compassionate conservation arbitrarily focuses on charismatic species, notably large predators and megaherbivores. The philosophy is not compassionate when it leaves invasive predators in the environment to cause harm to vastly more individuals of native species or uses the fear of harm by apex predators to terrorize mesopredators. Hindering the control of exotic species (megafauna, predators) in situ will not improve the conservation condition of the majority of biodiversity. The positions taken by so-called compassionate conservationists on particular species and on conservation actions could be extended to hinder other forms of conservation, including translocations, conservation fencing, and fertility control. Animal welfare is incredibly important to conservation, but ironically compassionate conservation does not offer the best welfare outcomes to animals and is often ineffective in achieving conservation goals. Consequently, compassionate conservation may threaten public and governmental support for conservation because of the limited understanding of conservation problems by the general public.     

Risk analysis in research environment – Part I: Modeling Lab Criticity Index using Improved Risk Priority Number

Current available risk analysis techniques are well adapted to industry needs since they were developed for its purpose. All hazards present in industry are also met in research/academia, although quantities of some hazardous substances are smaller. Still, because of its characteristics e.g., high turnover of collaborators, rapid reorientation of research programs, freedom of research, equipment often in development stage, difficulty to obtain accidents statistics, not well described processes, etc., research/academia milieu is an environment whose risks are difficult to assess by available risk analysis techniques. In the present paper, a new methodology, Laboratory Assessment and Risk Analysis – LARA, for research and/or complex environment is proposed. When multiple hazards are analyzed, the result of assessment is a risk ranking calculated using a Lab Criticity Index – LCI, providing identification of critical areas and prioritization of safety actions. LCI is conceived through two approaches: the Risk Priority Number – RPN and the Analytic Hierarchy Process – AHP. It is suggested to estimate risk as a combination of severity, probability, detectability, worsening factors and research specificities.     

Adjustment of brood care behaviour in the absence of a mate in two species of Nicaraguan crater lake cichlids

In many taxa, parental strategies can vary among individuals. This is especially true in species with biparental care, with males, more often than females, deserting their mates. While there is an abundance of theoretical predictions and empirical data on factors inducing mate abandonment by males, much less is known about what consequences this may have on female behaviour, particularly in the field and in non-avian systems. Here, we compared brood defence rate, behavioural defence types, and brood success of solitary and paired females in two species of Neotropical cichlid fish in their natural habitat. In terms of the rate of territorial aggression towards potential brood predators, solitary females were able to fully compensate in the absence of a male but, in so doing, ended up maintaining smaller territories, which appeared to compromise offspring fitness in at least one of the two species. Hence, our results suggest that even extensive quantitative compensation in parental effort by solitary females may not be enough to ensure adequate qualitative compensation for the lack of male participation, highlighting the importance of distinguishing between these two aspects of compensatory parental care.     

Average nanorough skin surface of the pilot whale (Globicephala melas, Delphinidae): considerations on the self-cleaning abilities based on nanoroughness

In aquatic environments, the biofouling process is assumed to initiate from the conditioning layer of absorbed organic carbon residues on wetted surfaces. Microfouling organisms attach to this conditioning layer, building up a biofilm on which further biofouling proceeds. In dolphins, biofouling reduces hydrodynamic efficiency and may negatively affect health if not managed. In the present study we examined the skin surface of the pilot whale (Globicephala melas). Employing cryo-scanning electron microscopic techniques combined with various sample preparations, the skin displayed an average nanorough surface characterized by a pattern of nanoridge-enclosed pores; the average pore size (approximately 0.20 µm²) was below the size of most marine biofouling organisms. Further, the implications of this type of surface to the self-cleaning abilities of the skin of pilot whales are discussed, based on reduced available space for biofouler attachment, the lack of any particular microniches as shelters for biofoulers, and the challenges of turbulent water flow and liquid-air interfaces during surfacing and jumping of the dolphin.     

Invertebrate community responses to recreational clam digging

Marine reserves can help in maintaining biodiversity and potentially be useful as a fishery management tool by removing human-mediated impacts. Intertidal, soft-sediment habitats can often support robust recreational and commercial shellfish harvests, especially for clams; however, there is limited research on the effects of reserves in these habitats. In San Juan County, Washington, several reserves prohibit recreational clam digging. We examined the effects of these reserves on infaunal community composition through comparison with non-reserve beaches during a 6-week period. Clam abundance, overall species richness and total polychaete family richness were greater on reserve beaches compared to non-reserve beaches. Additionally, an experiment within a reserve demonstrated negative impacts of digging on non-target infauna. These effects probably resulted from local disruption and disturbance of the sediment habitat and not from increased post-digging predation, which was controlled. Intertidal reserves could play an important role in sustaining local and potentially regional biodiversity.     

Effects of simulated light regimes on maturity and body composition of Antarctic krill, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Euphausia superba</Emphasis>

The effect of different light regimes on the development of sexual maturity and body composition (carbon, nitrogen, lipid and protein) of Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, was studied over 12 weeks under laboratory conditions. Krill were exposed to light-cycle regimes of variable intensity to simulate Southern Ocean summer, autumn and winter conditions, respectively using: (1) continuous light (LL; 200 lux max), (2) 12-h light and 12-h darkness (LD 12:12; 50 lux max), and (3) continuous darkness (DD). The sexual maturity of female and male krill exposed to LL and LD 12:12 showed an accelerated succession of external maturity stages during the experimental period, while krill exposed to continuous darkness showed no changes in external maturity during the course of the study. Changes in the maturity development of krill between the different light regimes are reflected in changes in body composition. Krill exposed to LL and LD 12:12 showed an increase in lipid utilization, indicating that the development of external maturation may be fuelled preferentially by lipid reserves. In contrast, values of total lipid content of krill held under continuous darkness indicated an unchanged lipid catabolism during the course of the study. Thus, the maturity development of krill was affected either directly or indirectly by the different simulated light conditions. Based on these results, and observations on the effects of simulated light regimes on feeding and metabolic rates of krill available from a previous study, we suggest that the Antarctic light regime is an essential cue governing the seasonal cycle of krill physiology and maturity, and highlight the importance of this environmental factor in the life history of krill.     

The first world conservation lecture

Summary This, The First World Conservation Lecture, was presented at the Royal Institution, London, UK, on 12 March 1981. The Lecture celebrated the 20th anniversary of the World Wildlife Fund, and the first anniversary of the World Conservation Strategy. The Lecture was organized by the World Wildlife Fund, UK.Published with the kind permission of the World Wildlife Fund, UK.Edward Max Nicholson, CB, CVO, Commandeur (Netherlands), Order of the Golden Ark, holds honorary doctorates from the University of Aberdeen, and The Royal College of Art London. He was educated at the University of Oxford, and was a member of the University's expeditions to Greenland (1928) and to British Guiana (1929). He was General Secretary (until 1940), later Chairman of PEP (Political and Economic Planning): now Vice-President of its successor body, the Policy Studies Institute. From 1945 to 1952 he was Secretary of the Office of the Lord President of the Council, then Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He was member of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy from 1948–1964. In 1952 he was leader of the joint UN/FAO Development Team in Baluchistan. Charter Member from 1949, and Director-General (1952–1966) of the Nature Conservancy, London, UK. From 1963 to 1974 he was Convenor of the Conservation Section of the International Council of Scientific Unions' International Biological Programme. President of the IUCN Technical Meeting in Edinburgh in 1956, concerned with rehabilitation of areas biologically devastated by human disturbance, and relation of ecology to landscape planning. Member, Panel on Landscape Action Program, The White House Conference (USA) on Natural Beauty (1965). Secretary, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh's Study Conference on The Countryside in 1970 (1963 and 1965). Council and Board Member of IIED. Godman-Salvin Medallist British Ornithologist Unions. Phillips Medallist and Member of Honour IUCN, Geoffroy St. Hilaire Gold Medal, Société Nationale de Protection de Nature de France, Premio Europeo Cortina-Ulisse (1971), Europa Preis für Landespflege (1972), Hon Member of World Wildlife Fund, Chairman Ecological Parks Trust, President RSPB, 1980. Principal Consultant and Chairman of Land Use Consultants Ltd (London) since 1966. Author of many books,Birds and Men (1951);Britain's Nature Reserves (1958),The System (1967);The Environmental Revolution (1970).