Bush Tucker, Bush Pets, and Bush Threats: Cooperative Management of Feral Animals in Australia's Kakadu National Park

Abstract:  Although feral animal management is often based on the proposition that introduced species threaten ecological and conservation values, that view is not necessarily shared by all stakeholders, including those indigenous people who own and co-manage Kakadu National Park with Australia's federal government. Drawing on field-based interviews with the Jawoyn people, we found that these indigenous people categorize water buffalo (  Bubalus bubalis ) as an important food source (tucker), view horses (  Equus caballus ) as bush pets, and consider pigs (  Sus scrofa ) a threat to their lands. As a result, Jawoyn people want more water buffalo in the park, have high tolerance of environmental damage caused by horses, and are open to the idea that pig population densities should be reduced. Jawoyn also advocate an adaptive and participatory approach to feral animal control so that the consequences of any management actions can be properly understood before irrevocable change occurs. These findings highlight one example of how indigenous people's ecological knowledge has adapted in response to changing landscapes and community aspirations. Co-management strategies that aim to incorporate the dynamics of indigenous people's views need to start with issues on which there is agreement between different groups and take a cautious approach to joint exploration of more contentious issues. That approach should include ongoing and on-site monitoring so that the consequences of management actions can be properly understood and comprehensively negotiated by all parties.     

浅论大理州畜禽养殖业污染及其防治对策

主要分析大理州畜禽养殖业污染排放情况,与工业废水、生活污水进行对比分析,提出加强畜禽养殖业环境管理的必要性以及污染防治的重要性,提出加强畜禽养殖业污染防治的对策措施及建议。     

建立地震动物试验场推进地方地震事业发展

本文介绍了地震动物试验场建立、动物观测、数据处理和饲养管理等方面的工作，为动物习性异常与地震关系的研究积累了可贵的观测资料，对于动物的行为异常预报地震具有一定的参考价值。     

浙江沿岸海域海洋动物体内的石油烃水平

报道了浙江沿岸32种海洋动物体中的石油烃含量。结果表明，海洋动物体内的石油烃含量明显有软体类＞甲壳类＞鱼类的趋势；海洋动物的石油烃含量还与它们的生活方式有关，其含量有定居性动物＞游泳能力弱动物＞游泳能力强动物的特征；比较了各类海洋动物内石油烃在浙江沿岸不同海域的含量水平，还与国内外其他海域的海洋动物体内的石油烃含量作了比较。     

大庆龙凤湿地野生动物资源调查研究

通过调查,大庆龙凤湿地有脊椎动物207种,其中兽类13种,鸟类142种,两栖、爬行类共7种,鱼类45种,占黑龙江省动物总数的38.2%左右.区系成分以古北界种占绝对优势,广布种亦混杂其中.湿地有珍稀濒危动物43种,其中国家Ⅰ级和Ⅱ级保护动物有24种,湿地经济动物种类较多,在本区域有较高的生物多样性.     

Effect of organophosphorus pesticide pollution on soil animals

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畜禽养殖废水生物处理与农田利用过程抗生素抗性基因的转归特征研究进展

兽用抗生素的广泛使用造成了畜禽养殖场及其周边环境中抗生素抗性基因丰度的提高,而畜禽养殖废水所携带的抗性基因在生物处理及其农田利用过程中的转归规律尚不明确,存在抗性基因从畜禽养殖场向周边环境的传播风险.本文通过文献调研,综述了畜禽养殖废水中抗性基因的赋存特征、抗性基因在畜禽养殖废水生物处理和农田利用过程中转归的研究进展,并提出了今后的研究方向,以期为揭示畜禽养殖废水在生物处理和农田利用过程中抗性基因的消减规律、降低抗性基因传播风险提供借鉴.     

Evaluation of Local Ecological Knowledge as a Method for Collecting Extensive Data on Animal Abundance

Abstract:  The use of local ecological knowledge (LEK) has been advocated for biodiversity monitoring and management. To date, however, it has been underused in studying wild populations of animals and, particularly, in obtaining quantitative abundance estimates. We evaluated LEK as a tool for collecting extensive data on local animal abundance and population trends. We interviewed shepherds in southeastern Spain, asking them to estimate the local abundance of the terrestrial tortoise Testudo graeca . We quantified reliability of abundance estimates derived from interviews by comparing them with those obtained from standard field-sampling protocols (distance sampling). We also explored the complementarity of these 2 approaches. LEK provided high-quality and low-cost information about both distribution and abundance of T. graeca . Interviews with shepherds yielded abundance estimates in a much wider range than linear transects, which only detected the species in the upper two-thirds of its abundance range. Abundance estimates from both methodologies showed a close relationship. Analysis of confidence intervals indicated local knowledge could be used to estimate mean local abundances and to detect mean population trends. A cost analysis determined that the information derived from LEK was 100 times cheaper than that obtained through linear-transect surveys. Our results should further the use of LEK as a standard tool for sampling the quantitative abundance of a great variety of taxa, particularly when population densities are low and traditional sampling methods are expensive or difficult to implement.     

Conservation Biology in Asia: the Major Policy Challenges

Abstract:  With about half the world's human population and booming economies, Asia faces numerous challenges to its biodiversity. The Asia Section of the Society for Conservation Biology has identified some key policy issues in which significant progress can be made. These include developing new sources of funding for forest conservation; identifying potential impacts of energy alternatives on the conservation of biodiversity; curbing the trade in endangered species of plants and animals; a special focus on the conservation of mountain biodiversity; enhancing relevant research; ensuring that conservation biology contributes to major international conventions and funding mechanisms; using conservation biology to build a better understanding of zoonotic diseases; more effectively addressing human–animal conflicts; enhancing community-based conservation; and using conservation biology to help address the pervasive water-deficit problems in much of Asia. These challenges can be met through improved regional cooperation among the relevant stakeholders .     

Biodiversity Consequences of Genetic Variation in Bark Characteristics within a Foundation Tree Species

Abstract: The developing field of community genetics has the potential to broaden the contribution of genetics to conservation biology by demonstrating that genetic variation within foundation plant species can act to structure associated communities of microorganisms, invertebrates, and vertebrates. We assessed the biodiversity consequences of natural patterns of intraspecific genetic variation within the widely distributed Australian forest tree, Eucalyptus globulus. We assessed genetic variation among geographic races of E. globulus (i.e., provenances, seed zones) in the characteristics of tree‐trunk bark in a 17‐year‐old common garden and the associated response of a dependent macroarthropod community. In total, 180 macroarthropod taxa were identified following a collection from 100 trees of five races. We found substantial genetically based variation within E. globulus in the quantity and type of decorticating bark. In the community of organisms associated with this bark, significant variation existed among trees of different races in composition, and there was a two‐fold difference in species richness (7–14 species) and abundance (22–55 individuals) among races. This community variation was tightly linked with genetically based variation in bark, with 60% of variation in community composition driven by bark characteristics. No detectable correlation was found, however, with neutral molecular markers. These community‐level effects of tree genetics are expected to extend to higher trophic levels because of the extensive use of tree trunks as foraging zones by birds and marsupials. Our results demonstrate the potential biodiversity benefits that may be gained through conservation of intraspecific genetic variation within broadly distributed foundation species. The opportunities for enhancing biodiversity values of forestry and restoration plantings are also highlighted because such planted forests are increasingly becoming the dominant forest type in many areas of the world.