A novel application of cultural consensus models to evaluate conservation education programs

Conservation professionals recognize the need to evaluate education initiatives with a flexible approach that is culturally appropriate. Cultural‐consensus theory (CCT) provides a framework for measuring the extent to which beliefs are communally held and has long been applied by social scientists. In a conservation‐education context, we applied CCT and used free lists (i.e., a list of items on a topic stated in order of cultural importance) and domain analysis (analysis of how free lists go together within a cultural group) to evaluate a conservation education program in which we used a children's picture book to increase knowledge about and empathy for a critically endangered mammal, the Javan slow loris (Nycticebus javanicus). We extracted free lists of keywords generated by students (n = 580 in 18 schools) from essays they wrote before and after the education program. In 2 classroom sessions conducted approximately 18 weeks apart, we asked students to write an essay about their knowledge of the target species and then presented a book and several activities about slow loris ecology. Prior to the second session, we asked students to write a second essay. We generated free lists from both essays, quantified salience of terms used, and conducted minimal residuals factor analysis to determine presence of cultural domains surrounding slow lorises in each session. Students increased their use of words accurately associated with slow loris ecology and conservation from 43% in initial essays to 76% in final essays. Domain coherence increased from 22% to 47% across schools. Fifteen factors contributed to the domain slow loris. Between the first and second essays, factors that showed the greatest change were feeding ecology and slow loris as a forest protector, which increased 7‐fold, and the humancentric factor, which decreased 5‐fold. As demonstrated by knowledge retention and creation of unique stories and conservation opinions, children achieved all six levels of Bloom's taxonomy of learning domains. Free from the constraints of questionnaires and surveys, CCT methods provide a promising avenue to evaluate conservation education programs.     

Targeted gene flow and rapid adaptation in an endangered marsupial

Targeted gene flow is an emerging conservation strategy. It involves translocating individuals with favorable genes to areas where they will have a conservation benefit. The applications for targeted gene flow are wide-ranging but include preadapting native species to the arrival of invasive species. The endangered carnivorous marsupial, the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus), has declined rapidly since the introduction of the cane toad (Rhinella marina), which fatally poisons quolls that attack them. There are, however, a few remaining toad-invaded quoll populations in which the quolls survive because they know not to eat cane toads. It is this toad-smart behavior we hope to promote through targeted gene flow. For targeted gene flow to be feasible, however, toad-smart behavior must have a genetic basis. To assess this, we used a common garden experiment, comparing offspring from toad-exposed and toad-naïve parents raised in identical environments, to determine whether toad-smart behavior is heritable. Offspring from toad-exposed populations were substantially less likely to eat toads than those with toad-naïve parents. Hybrid offspring showed similar responses to quolls with 2 toad-exposed parents, indicating the trait may be dominant. Together, these results suggest a heritable trait and rapid adaptive response in a small number of toad-exposed populations. Although questions remain about outbreeding depression, our results are encouraging for targeted gene flow. It should be possible to introduce toad-smart behavior into soon to be affected quoll populations.     

Land sharing complements land sparing in the conservation of disturbance-dependent species

Alteration of natural disturbances in human-modified landscapes has resulted in many disturbance-dependent species becoming rare. Conservation of such species requires efforts to maintain or recreate disturbance regimes. We compared benefits of confining efforts to habitats in protected areas (a form of land sparing) versus integrating them with general management of production land (a form of land sharing), using two examples: fire in forests and grazing in semi-natural grasslands. We reviewed empirical studies from the temperate northern hemisphere assessing effects of disturbances in protected and non-protected areas, and compiled information from organisations governing and implementing disturbances in Sweden. We found advantages with protection of areas related to temporal continuity and quality of disturbances, but the spatial extent of disturbances is higher on production land. This suggests that an approach where land sparing is complemented with land sharing will be most effective for preservation of disturbance-dependent species in forests and semi-natural grasslands.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-022-01820-1.     

响应面法优化厌氧消化过程中抗生素去除效果

为了深入探究厌氧消化过程中厌氧消化时间、猪粪含固率、抗生素初始质量分数对磺胺二甲嘧啶和磺胺甲噁唑去除效果的相互影响,本研究采用响应面优化法,以厌氧消化时间、猪粪含固率、抗生素质量分数为3因素,以抗生素残留质量分数和厌氧消化产气量为响应值,探索使用厌氧消化法降低抗生素残留质量分数的最佳工艺参数。结果表明,根据响应面分析可知,当猪粪含固率为3%,初始质量分数为40 mg·kg⁻¹TS,厌氧消化时间为30 d,预测的磺胺二甲嘧啶残留质量分数最低为0.428 mg·kg⁻¹TS;当猪粪含固率为7%,磺胺二甲嘧啶初始质量分数为40 mg·kg⁻¹TS,厌氧消化时间为20 d,预测的磺胺甲噁唑残留质量分数最低为0.1063 mg·kg⁻¹TS。综合产气量考虑,当猪粪含固率为5.58%,磺胺二甲嘧啶初始质量分数为80 mg·kg⁻¹TS,厌氧消化时间为27.8 d,预测的产气量最高为389.3 mL·kg⁻¹TS。当猪粪含固率为5.89%,磺胺甲噁唑初始质量分数为80 mg·kg⁻¹TS,厌氧消化时间为30 d,预测的产气量最高为389.6 mL·kg⁻¹TS。该研究可为猪粪厌氧消化过程中的降低抗生素残留、提高产气量的工艺优化提供参考。     

International consensus principles for ethical wildlife control

Human–wildlife conflicts are commonly addressed by excluding, relocating, or lethally controlling animals with the goal of preserving public health and safety, protecting property, or conserving other valued wildlife. However, declining wildlife populations, a lack of efficacy of control methods in achieving desired outcomes, and changes in how people value animals have triggered widespread acknowledgment of the need for ethical and evidence‐based approaches to managing such conflicts. We explored international perspectives on and experiences with human–wildlife conflicts to develop principles for ethical wildlife control. A diverse panel of 20 experts convened at a 2‐day workshop and developed the principles through a facilitated engagement process and discussion. They determined that efforts to control wildlife should begin wherever possible by altering the human practices that cause human–wildlife conflict and by developing a culture of coexistence; be justified by evidence that significant harms are being caused to people, property, livelihoods, ecosystems, and/or other animals; have measurable outcome‐based objectives that are clear, achievable, monitored, and adaptive; predictably minimize animal welfare harms to the fewest number of animals; be informed by community values as well as scientific, technical, and practical information; be integrated into plans for systematic long‐term management; and be based on the specifics of the situation rather than negative labels (pest, overabundant) applied to the target species. We recommend that these principles guide development of international, national, and local standards and control decisions and implementation.     

呼兰县畜牧生态环境建设现状及其对策的研究

主要介绍呼兰县近几年畜牧生态环境建设中存在的问题,对主要问题进行科学分析,并提出相应的对策。     

清初“摊丁入亩”政策对环境的影响

清初“摊丁入亩”政策对清社会经济的恢复发展确实起到了促进作用,但同时对环境也构成了巨大威胁,引发了地表植被遭严重玻坏、自然灾害频繁、珍稀野生动植物大量灭绝等一系列环境问题。剖璞见玉,对今有史鉴作用。     

Response of soil CO2 efflux to precipitation manipulation in a semiarid grassland

Soil CO_2efflux(SCE) is an important component of ecosystem CO_2 exchange and is largely temperature and moisture dependent, providing feedback between C cycling and the climate system. We used a precipitation manipulation experiment to examine the effects of precipitation treatment on SCE and its dependences on soil temperature and moisture in a semiarid grassland. Precipitation manipulation included ambient precipitation, decreased precipitation(- 43%), or increased precipitation(+ 17%). The SCE was measured from July2013 to December 2014, and CO_2 emission during the experimental period was assessed.The response curves of SCE to soil temperature and moisture were analyzed to determine whether the dependence of SCE on soil temperature or moisture varied with precipitation manipulation. The SCE significantly varied seasonally but was not affected by precipitation treatments regardless of season. Increasing precipitation resulted in an upward shift of SCE–temperature response curves and rightward shift of SCE–moisture response curves,while decreasing precipitation resulted in opposite shifts of such response curves. These shifts in the SCE response curves suggested that increasing precipitation strengthened the dependence of SCE on temperature or moisture, and decreasing precipitation weakened such dependences. Such shifts affected the predictions in soil CO_2 emissions for different precipitation treatments. When considering such shifts, decreasing or increasing precipitation resulted in 43 or 75% less change, respectively, in CO_2 emission compared with changes in emissions predicted without considering such shifts. Furthermore, the effects of shifts in SCE response curves on CO_2 emission prediction were greater during the growing than the non-growing season.     

基于农牧民生计资本的干旱区草地适应性管理——以准噶尔北部的富蕴县为例

草地适应性管理是有效解决我国“三牧”（牧业、牧区和牧民）问题的重要路径。论文以准噶尔北部的富蕴县为例,采用系统（分层）抽样、参与性农户评估方法开展农牧户调查,建立生计资本量化指标体系及系统耦合协调度模型,测算农牧户生计资本及其耦合协调度。基于评估结果,提出干旱区草地适应性管理策略。研究表明：1）农牧民过度依赖天然草地放牧,普遍缺乏发展型生计,其生计资本水平低、生计转换能力弱、生计脆弱性高;2）农牧户间同质性较大,5项生计资本间属性分异明显,缺乏牧业合作经济组织,是研究区农牧户生计资本耦合协调度较低的主要原因;3）推进牧民生计多样化,转变牧业生产方式,发展牧区草产业,优化草地生产功能与生态功能的时空配置,有助于增强草地畜牧业人文-自然耦合系统的恢复力/弹性力。因此,加快培育新型职业牧民,加快发展现代草牧业,加快建设良好的农牧民组织,加强草地科学放牧管理,成为干旱区草地适应性管理的迫切任务。