江苏溧水神仙洞的发掘和研究——中华文明史应追溯到万年前

对溧水神仙洞的发掘和进行地质、地貌、孢粉、古脊椎动物与古人类、C14 年代及考古等多学科综合研究结果表明 :该洞是石炭系石灰岩沿层面裂隙经地下水溶蚀而成 ;洞穴堆积物的时代应属全新世早期 ,或新石器时代早期 ,绝对年代距今约为 1.1万年。其中发现的动物群为我国南方晚更新世动物群向现代动物群过渡的类型 ,而代表中 -晚更新世的最后鬣狗与代表新石器时代文化标志的陶片共生 ,为我国第四纪时代的划分 ,或新、旧石器时代文化的划分提供了重要依据。陶片则迄今为止是我国具有完整地层层位记录的最古陶片。它的发现 ,不仅将我国新石器时代文化大大推前 ,更为重写中华古史 ,校正“中华五千年文明”的提法 ,将中华文明追溯到一万年前并重排世界古文明位次增加了依据。同时 ,智人颞骨的发现 ,对长江中、下游古人类的研究 ,也提供了新的资料     

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.