Conservation Interest Research Articles

Spectrally selective and thermally insulating hybrid nanofiber aerogel coolers for building energy conservation

With the advancement of worldwide carbon neutralization, passive radiative cooling (PRC) has attracted tremendous interest in energy conservation by dissipating heat into the ultracold outer space without any electricity consumption. Despite some progress has been made in tailoring spectral properties for PRC, it still remains a crucial challenge in fabricating efficient and low-cost coolers for building energy saving. Herein, hierarchical cellulose-based aerogel coolers consisting of beads-on-string structural electrospun nanofibers are manufactured for all-day and all-region energy saving by combining radiative cooling and thermal insulation in one design. The hierarchically porous architectures and well-designed chemical compositions endow the aerogels with strong solar reflectance (∼0.974), high mid-infrared emittance (∼0.985), and ultra-low thermal conductivity (0.0285 W (m K)−1), achieving a sub-ambient cooling of ∼8.24 °C during the daytime and ∼7.41 °C during the nighttime. The aerogels also exhibit exceptional compressive resiliency, anti-aging, and self-cleaning properties, promising for durable cooling under harsh conditions. The building energy simulations show that about 23.1 kWh m−2 of the total energy consumption per year can be saved if the aerogel coolers are widely deployed as building envelopes in China. This work provides new perspectives for the development of advanced aerogel coolers for future energy saving applications.

THE ECONOMIC PAMPHLETEER: Government regulation: Too much or too little

First paragraphs: On June 28, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed a 40-year-old Court decision that had made it easier for the federal government to enforce regulations that protect the environment, public health, workers, and consumers from eco­nomic exploitation. The six-to-three majority ruling was widely considered a victory for corporate and conservative political interests that have worked for decades to weaken government regulations. The case has been called “the conservative-dominated court’s clearest and boldest repudiation yet of what critics of regulation call the administra­tive state” (Sherman, 2024a, para. 3). The same justices, by the same majority, stripped the Securi­ties and Exchange Commission of its primary means of fighting fraud by requiring jury trials for accused violators of SEC rules (Sherman, 2024b). In other words, the current Supreme Court has demonstrated a commitment to weakening the government’s ability to write and enforce rules and regulations. . . .

Barn Owl (Tyto alba)† Habitat Suitability, Nest Box Occupancy, and Management Implications Based on Kentucky Surveys 2010–2022

ABSTRACT Barn Owls (Tyto alba) are a species of conservation interest, but management of nesting populations can require significant effort. To focus management activities, we conducted analyses of statewide survey data collected for Barn Owl nests (n = 515) and roosts (n = 145) in Kentucky, USA, from 2010–2022. Nest and roost sites included natural (e.g., trees, rock shelters) and human-made (e.g., barns, attics, hunting blinds, silos, etc.) structures and nest boxes (n = 270) installed on various substrates. Using data related to land cover, agricultural features, and other habitat-related variables, we examined factors influencing Barn Owl site occupancy by creating habitat suitability models. Additionally, we assessed changes in nest box occupancy over time and the factors that influenced nest box occupancy. The Shannon habitat diversity index and number of buildings within 75 m were the most important variables for habitat suitability throughout the study area, though the proportion of hay/pasture/grassland within 625 m and distance to an area intensively managed for Barn Owls were important regionally. Barn Owl nest box occupancy increased over the course of our study, likely due to management efforts. Owls were more likely to occupy nest boxes if they were installed on tall feed silos, retired utility poles, or barns. Moreover, nest boxes installed at sites where we observed owl pairs (prior to installation) were more likely to become occupied and used sooner than nest boxes installed opportunistically. Future management should focus on installing nest boxes for known pairs, on unused feed silos, on retired utility poles on reclaimed surface mines, and near areas intensively managed for the species.

Effects of Offshore Wind Farms: Environmental and Social Perspectives from Uruguay

The installation of offshore wind farms is rising, driven by the goal of changing the global energy matrix. However, many of their possible impacts are still unknown. Increased noise levels, disruptions to food chains, pollution due to traffic, and impacts on fishing communities and tourism are all potential effects to consider. Marine habitats are essential carbon dioxide sinks. Therefore, losing marine biodiversity due to offshore wind farms can be counterproductive in mitigating climate change. Balancing biodiversity conservation, wind potential, and political interests is challenging. Today, Uruguay has significantly decreased the fossil share in its electricity generation, incorporating electricity generation from wind, solar, and biomass energy alongside hydroelectricity. In line with this, the country’s Hydrogen Roadmap highlights green hydrogen as relevant, potentially serving as a fuel for both domestic and export transportation. Combining the country’s strong base of wind energy production experience with its sustainable policy, it plans to implement offshore wind farms to produce green hydrogen, making studies of its impacts crucial. This paper reviews the current social and environmental information on the Uruguayan coastal habitat, analyzes onshore wind farms’ ecological studies, and examines offshore wind farms’ global environmental and social impacts. Finally, it proposes studies for environmental approval of offshore wind farms.

Seasonality in Sonoran pronghorn survival and movement within a managed rangeland

AbstractThe endangered Sonoran pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonoriensis) has a large portion of its range within a military operations area in southwestern Arizona, USA. Sonoran pronghorn have been actively managed in this region for more than 20 years. Recovery efforts have included release of captive‐born pronghorn into areas both currently and historically occupied by wild pronghorn. These areas provide habitat for federally endangered essential and experimental non‐essential, referred to as 10(j), pronghorn populations. More than 20 years of monitoring efforts have resulted in a large dataset on their spatial occurrence and movement within these areas. To synthesize long‐term trends and seasonality in Sonoran pronghorn movement and mortality, we employed a suite of quantitative analyses that characterized the pronghorns' 1) individual and population‐level home ranges, 2) occurrence near active military targets, 3) trends in seasonal group sizes and composition, 4) sex‐ and group‐specific survivorship, and 5) changes in movement‐based behavior following release from captivity. We found strong seasonal trends throughout, including sex‐specific differences in seasonal movement rates, home ranges, survival, and group composition. Further, captive‐born pronghorn released into the endangered population exhibited markedly higher survival compared to those released in 10(j) areas. Captive‐born pronghorn exhibited significant seasonal use of active military target areas. These analyses, which represent the most comprehensive analysis of Sonoran pronghorn movement and survival to date, have important implications for the future conservation and management of this endangered species. Our results indicate that active management of endangered Sonoran pronghorn has successfully increased survival, and we recommend maintaining or increasing current recovery efforts, such as captive breeding and placement of supplemental resources throughout their range (e.g., freestanding water and supplemental forage), to further boost the survivorship of both wild‐ and captive‐born pronghorn. Moreover, future management efforts could use our seasonality results to create dynamic prediction models of when and where pronghorn are likely to overlap with military activities to best manage interactions. Our methods have added application to other mobile species of conservation interest occurring in disturbed and resource‐limited landscapes.

«Зеленая» экономика в контексте международных инвестиционных соглашений

The matters of green economics within the framework of the environmental transformation of the energy sphere (the energy transition), reduction of the anthropogenic impact on the environment in the course of socioeconomic development, give investment opportunities for international business but at the same time pose specific systemic and structural challenges to investors, states that receive investments, researches and individuals that witness the consequences of the dynamic change of the environment in the contemporary conditions. The presented article studies the evolution of approaches to international law regulation of investment activities from the standpoint of solution of environmental protection and conservation tasks in order to analyze opportunities with regards to the named challenges. Such analysis is used as a basis to conclude that the historical and legal method of studying the problems in question gives an opportunity for a systemic and structural evaluation of the original prerequisites for the logic of development of the international law architecture of regulation of investment activities in respect of goals and tasks of publicly significant environmental protection and conservation interests including the sphere of green economics and minimization of negative consequences of the anthropogenic impact as a result of investment activities, and evaluate the logic and limits of application of international investment agreements to achieve the environmental protection and conservation goals.

Whole genome analyses of introgression in British and Irish Apis mellifera mellifera

The Western honey bee, Apis mellifera (A. mellifera) Linnaeus, is one of the world’s most economically important pollinators. Conserving genetic resources in this species is therefore of significant value. Despite this, little attention has been paid to the potential erosion of locally adapted genetic variants by transhumance of particular subspecies favoured by beekeepers. In particular, introgression and hybridisation by repeated backcrossing can disrupt naturally-selected allele combinations and therefore erode local adaptation. Here we use whole genome sequencing (WGS) to assess levels of introgression in the native subspecies Apis mellifera mellifera (A. m. mellifera) across a wide geographical scale in Britain and Ireland. Samples were obtained from both colonies maintained by individual beekeepers from non-imported stock and those outside of protected populations or specific breeding programmes. These were examined alongside sub-species reference samples from established refuges. ADMIXTURE and ABBA BABA analysis revealed that 17 out of 70 colonies showed no significant introgression. The remaining 53 colonies showed some evidence of introgression. This study underpins previous findings that Ireland harbours a large reservoir of A. m. mellifera. The Island of Colonsay (Scotland) and parts of the South West of England also harbour ‘pure’ colonies. New areas of interest for conservation are identified in Jersey, mainland Scotland and the Isle of Man. Our results are discussed in the context of implications for future research and conservation strategies of this globally important insect in its native range.

How dare they? Neoliberal resentment and carbon taxes in Alberta, Canada

ABSTRACT Policies that put a price on carbon dioxide emissions have long been favored in economic circles for reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Yet when such policies were deployed in Alberta, Canada, they sparked passionate opposition by conservative politicians, pundits, and interest groups. The opposition revealed that while carbon taxes remain firmly within a market-based neoliberal policy framework, many of those who opposed them are committed to market-based policies. Drawing on legislative debates and media commentary, I argue that the answer can be found in anti-elitist resentment. I contend that anti-elitist resentment served as a component of the affective formations that underwrote the emergence of expertise and policymaking in the 1970s and 1980s, only to now be taken up in opposition to neoliberal policy expertise.

The role of protected areas in the Balkan freshwater biodiversity conservation: The case of Blidinje Nature Park (Southwestern Bosnia-Herzegovina)

Freshwaters of the Balkan Peninsula show high levels of endemism and relict species, which are still little studied and are threatened by numerous anthropogenic stressors. Protected areas could give special opportunities to improve knowledge of their biodiversity and develop proper conservation measures for the most at-extinction risk species. The aims of this research were to: i) fill the knowledge gap regarding fish and crustaceans occurring in the main water bodies of the Blidinje Nature Park (Southwestern Bosnia-Herzegovina); ii) assess the population abundance and growth, for the species of conservational interest; iii) identify fish biodiversity hotspots in Bosnia-Herzegovina; iv) identify anthropogenic pressures and suggest proper conservation measures. Fish and crayfish data were collected in four sampling sites located on the main water bodies, using electrofishing and gillnets, in three sampling phases over the period July 2022-August 2023. The presence of three species at high extinction risk has been detected: Squalius tenellus, Aulopyge huegelii and Astacus astacus. Their populations were abundant, with balanced age structure and good growth performance. A spatial analysis allowed to quantify the fractions of the endemic species range covered by the Blidinje Nature Park, which were 6.1% and 2.3% for S. tenellus and A. huegelii, respectively. The presence of invasive Atlantic trout and overharvesting of crayfish seem to represent the main anthropogenic pressures on freshwater biota. The obtained information allowed to expand the knowledge on the distribution and population status of threatened species and to highlight diversity hotspots as valuable tools for their conservation and management.

A Critical Analysis Of Legal And Institutional Framework Of Natural Resource Conservation In Kabale, Uganda

Natural resource conservation in Kabale, Uganda, presents a critical challenge given the district's ecological significance and socio-economic dynamics. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the legal and institutional frameworks governing natural resource management in Kabale. It examines the effectiveness and limitations of existing policies, regulations, and institutional structures in achieving conservation goals amidst growing pressures from population growth and economic activities. While there are notable legislative efforts and institutional commitments to resource conservation, issues such as inadequate enforcement, limited institutional capacity, and conflicts between conservation and local economic interests undermine the effectiveness of these measures. The analysis highlights the need for a more integrated approach that enhances legal enforcement, strengthens institutional capacities, and addresses socio-economic challenges. Recommendations are provided for policy improvements and strategic interventions aimed at fostering more effective natural resource conservation practices in Kabale. This study contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable development by offering actionable insights into optimizing legal and institutional mechanisms for resource management in similar contexts.

Assembly and annotation of a chromosome-level reference genome for the endangered Colorado pikeminnow Ptychocheilus lucius.

Advancements in genome sequencing technology have brought unprecedented accessibility of high-throughput sequencing to species of conservation interest. The potential knowledge gained from application of these techniques is maximized by availability of high-quality, annotated reference genomes for endangered species. However, these vital resources are often lacking for endangered minnows of North America (Cypriniformes: Leuciscidae). One such endangered species, Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) is the largest North American minnow and the top-level native aquatic predator in the Colorado River Basin of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Over the past century Colorado pikeminnow has suffered habitat loss and population declines due to anthropogenic habitat modifications and invasive species introductions. The lack of genetic resources for Colorado pikeminnow has hindered conservation genomic study of this unique organism. This study seeks to remedy this issue by presenting a high-quality reference genome for Colorado pikeminnow developed from Pacific Biosciences HiFi sequencing and Hi-C scaffolding. The final assembly was a 1.1 Gb genome comprised of 305 contigs including 25 chromosome-sized scaffolds. Measures of quality, contiguity, and completeness met or exceeded those observed for Danio rerio (Danionidae) and two other Colorado River Basin leuciscids (Meda fulgida and Tiaroga cobitis). Comparative genomic analyses identified enrichment of gene families for growth, development, immune activity, and gene transcription; all of which are important for a large-bodied piscivorous fish living in a dynamic environment. This reference genome will provide a basis for important conservation genomic study of Colorado pikeminnow and help efforts to better understand the evolution of desert fishes.

Predictive GAM seabed maps can account for defined and fuzzy boundaries to improve accuracy in a Scottish sea loch seascape

Marine seabed mapping is an important element in marine spatial and conservation planning. Recent large scale mapping programmes have greatly increased our knowledge of the seafloor, yet at finer resolutions, large gaps remain. Loch Eriboll, Scotland, is an area of conservation interest with a diverse marine environment supporting habitats and species of conservation importance. Here we test and present strategies for a predictive seabed substrata map for Loch Eriboll using drop down Stereo Baited Remote Underwater Video (SBRUV) imagery collected as part of systematic underwater survey of the Loch. A total of 216 SBRUV deployments were made across the study site in depths of 3 m–117 m, with six seabed classes identified using an adaptation of the EUNIS (European Nature Information System) hierarchical habitat classification scheme. Four statistical learning approaches were tested, we found, Generalised Additive Models (GAMs) provided the optimal balance between over- and underfitted predictions. We demonstrate the creation of a predictive substratum habitat map covering 63 km2 of seabed which predicts the probability of presence and relative proportion of substratum types. Our method enables naturally occurring edges between habitat patches to be described well, increasing the accuracy of mapping habitat boundaries when compared to categorical approaches. The predictions allow for both defined boundaries such as those between sand and rock and fuzzy boundaries seen among fine mixed sediments to exist in the same model structure. We demonstrate that SBRUV imagery can be used to generate cost effective, fine scale predictive substrata maps that can inform marine planning. The modelling procedure presented has the potential for a wide adoption by marine stakeholders and could be used to establish baselines for long term monitoring of benthic habitats and further research such as animal distribution and movement work which require detailed benthic maps.

Scale‐sensitive marine law and policy design: Towards ecosystem‐based management across spatial and temporal scales

AbstractEcosystem‐based management (EBM) is promoted in scholarly literature and international policy as a way to improve marine ecosystem outcomes, through the integration of marine law and policies across sectors, communities, and scales. A legal and policy framework that supports EBM at appropriate temporal and spatial scales is fundamental to the successful deployment of EBM. However, marine management is typically fragmented and misaligned, with a range of laws, policies, governance institutions, and sectoral frameworks applying to different marine spaces and working on varying timescales. In this focus article, we draw on our comprehensive study of Aotearoa New Zealand's marine law and policy to analyze the challenges scale mismatches present for marine law and policy implementation, focusing on key policy areas across fisheries, environment, conservation, and Indigenous rights and interests. We identify key opportunities to better align marine law and policy to ecosystem scale dynamics, revealing critical lessons for the imperative of scale‐sensitive marine law and policy design, globally.This article is categorized under: Policy and Economics > Research and Development Policy and Economics > Governance and Regulation Climate and Environment > Ecosystem Services

Everywhere we look around: Aerial eDNA to capture fungal diversity

AbstractResearch Highlight discussing: Runnel, K., Lõhmus, P., Küngas, K., Marmor‐Ohtla, L., Palo, A., Pütsepp, G., Tamm, H., Tammekänd, I., & Lõhmus, A. (2024). Aerial eDNA contributes vital information for fungal biodiversity assessment. Journal of Applied Ecology, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365‐2664.14691. Fungi play key roles in ecosystems, yet it is not clear how best to capture their diversity or monitor their presence, especially for those species of particular conservation concern. In this issue of the Journal of Applied Ecology Runnel et al. address this problem by comparing different methodologies to estimate the diversity of lichen‐forming fungi and wood‐inhabiting basidiomycetes at a forest stand scale. Pairing aerial eDNA sampling with visual observation‐based surveys better captured the full spectrum of fungal diversity, including cryptic species and those of particular conservation interest. Certain fungal groups that are underrepresented in air samples might be better captured by sampling eDNA directly from wood or soil, but visual surveys should be considered as a more cost‐effective complementary method at least at a local scale. Their results highlight the importance of using multiple methods simultaneously in biodiversity assessments and the need for standardized methods to study and monitor fungal diversity.

Prehistorical and historical occurrence and range dynamic of the Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) and the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) in Europe

AbstractThe Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) and the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) are emblematic birds of high conservation interest. This article examines their range history in Europe since the end of the last Glacial by analyzing subfossil bone finds of both species, mostly from archaeological excavations. It is shown that two thousand years ago, White Storks occurred exclusively in the territory of the Roman Empire, i.e. the northern border of their distribution ran along the Rhine and Danube rivers. The north-east part of the continent, with its high population density today, was only colonized in the last few centuries. The Spoonbill’s patchy occurrence in Europe today appears to be a typical distribution pattern for this species. The subfossil findings also do not indicate a large, closed distribution area for any phase of the last 10,000 years. Some of its distribution islands (e.g. those in the Netherlands) have existed for thousands of years.

Community rights and energy politics in a pro-fracking Appalachian town

Research shows that conservatives support fossil fuel extraction and distrust regulation. Yet scholarship overlooks where environmentalist and conservative interests may align—a question I explore through studying a rural, white, and conservative Pennsylvania community where many leased their land for shale gas drilling (fracking). Landowners endorsed fracking and discredited state regulators and environmentalists. Eventually, however, many became troubled by how their land sovereignty and community “home rule” were eroded by petroleum companies and state zoning preemption laws. Though few rejected fracking outright, most believed their town should be allowed to manage the industry’s footprint. Although climate advocates increasingly view local sovereignty as enabling NIMBYism that stymies climate action, communities often experience state-led energy siting policies as a procedural injustice. Regarding fracking, community empowerment would abet climate action by enabling municipal checks on industrial expansion. Environmentalists could forge alliances with rural, conservative towns by supporting greater local democratic decision-making over fracking.

Sentiment and attitudes toward offsetting and the biodiversity market in online media articles.

Biodiversity offsetting, a conservation approach to offset loss of habitat and ecosystem services, has been widely accepted and implemented in different legislative frameworks around the globe. I assigned sentiment scores (from -3 [very negative] to +3 [very positive]) to online news articles to examine public sentiment toward offsetting. I identified 86 pertinent articles published from 2013 to 2023 by web scraping online media outlets through keywords. I examined article content based on topics commonly associated in scientific literature with offsetting, such as risks or financial aspects. Most articles were from Australia (44%), 16% were from the United Kingdom, and 5% were from Colombia and Madagascar. Three distinct groups covered finances (n=47), species, and social impacts of offsetting (n = 23) and offsetting frameworks (n=16). Articles covering monetary and finance aspects had a lower predicted sentiment score (-0.72, 95% CI -0.98 to -0.47) than articles that covered new, alternative offsetting forms (-0.15, 95% CI -0.46 to 0.17), such as mitigation banking and credits. In articles focused on charismatic species and loss of livelihood, offsetting risk and social issues were associated with low sentiment scores (<-0.85). Sentiment scores were high for articles on offsetting at a multicountry or global scale (0.47, 95% CI -0.06 to 0.99), and scores were the lowest in Australia (-1.03, 95% CI -1.36 to -0.70). Public sentiment based on media articles was generally negative toward offsetting, and many of the ecological and methodological issues and risks were reflected in the articles, but mitigation measures as a prerequisite to offsetting were mentioned in only 18% of all articles. With the seemingly high public interest in conservation and hence offsetting, it will be imperative to expand the current breadth of information about offsetting that is being communicated or made available to the public.

A Literature Review of Conceptualization Ecotourism-based Development Strategy to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Along with economic development and growth, the role of tourism today is increasing as a sector that contributes to considerable foreign exchange to people’s welfare. Development strategies that accommodate conservation interests with the interests of residents, government, and investors are based on ecotourism. Ecotourism is then seen as one of the alternative policies that can be used as a solution to the shift in cultural, social, and environmental wisdom values. Therefore, an overview is needed to explain ecotourism-based development strategies. This research uses qualitative research methods with SWOT analysis. The results of the study describe the concept of ecotourism, its management strategy, the benefits of ecotourism, and the results of the SWOT analysis of ecotourism. It is expected to be a conceptualization consideration in developing ecotourism and development strategies for national policies in the field of sustainable tourism and supporting regional economic independence. Keywords: conceptualization, development strategy, ecotourism, literature review, SDGs

Environmental education in zoos: analysis of different scales to measure the impact of educational programs

Regular evaluation of environmental education is important for quality assurance and the self-assessment of educational institutions such as zoos. However, capacity is often lacking. Therefore, this study presents instruments that can be used to track the impact of educational programs on connection to nature, interest in species conservation, environmental concern, and attitude toward biodiversity loss. Questionnaires were used before (NT1 = 674) and after (NT2 = 619) different educational programs in nine different zoos. Factor analyses were conducted to control for how the scales performed in the zoo context and with visitors of different ages in a pre-post setting. The results showed that the adjusted instruments work well with a few adaptations. Interest in species conservation can be measured as an overall 6-item construct. Biodiversity loss attitude can be measured using a 5-item scale. Using a shortened version of the Environmental Motives Scale, environmental concern was found to be three-dimensional, as intended, and can distinguish effects on egoistic, biospheric, and altruistic concern in zoos. Hence, the scales presented can be used for evaluation purposes and are even applicable beyond zoos.

Accessible nature: Balancing contradiction in protected areas

Physical and social barriers have long hindered people with disabilities from full participation in outdoor recreation and nature experiences. As spending time in nature, where protected areas constitute an important arena for nature engagement, is increasingly connected to improved health and well-being, there is a need for nature activities and experiences in protected areas to become more accessible and inclusive. However, the provision of accessible protected areas for outdoor recreation and nature activities poses challenges for planners and managers of such areas, as there are elements of contradiction between interests of accessibility and nature conservation. This qualitative study examines how providers of nature experiences and outdoor activities, such as governmental authorities, outdoor recreation associations and nature-based tourism entrepreneurs in Sweden view and practice the balancing of these interests, through perspectives of the social construction of nature, inclusion, and collaboration. Findings indicate that interests in nature conservation generally take precedence over measures of accessibility and that such initiatives are directed to a few, designated areas. There is also an apparent lack of knowledge about how people with disabilities wish to engage with nature, which hinders full access to nature. It is therefore important to include people with disabilities in the process of developing accessibility in protected areas and promote collaboration between stakeholders, to avoid excluding decisions. The study concludes by stating the necessity to challenge the viewpoint of accessible infrastructure for outdoor activities in protected areas as ‘ruining’ the nature experience, in order for access to nature to become a truly democratic right.