Conservation Of Biological Resources Research Articles

Status on management of access to genetic resources, traditional knowledge and benefit sharing

The management of access to genetic resources, traditional knowledge (TK), and benefit sharing among indigenous people and local communities in the worldwide is extensively addressed in international legal instruments, including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits (ABS) Arising from their Utilization. The CBD aims to promote the conservation of biological resources, the sustainable use of biodiversity components and the equitable, fair sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. The Nagoya Protocol sets out core obligations for its contracting Parties to take measures in relation to ABS and compliance. In 2021, the Secretariats of the CBD released the first draft of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework with the mission for the period up to 2030, aiming towards the 2050 vision: “To take urgent action across society to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of genetics resources, to put biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030 for the benefit of planet and people.” Therefore, capacity building and development for the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol are crucial, especially for developing countries. One of the most commonly identified new capacity building needs is digital sequence information on genetic resources and their roles in ABS. As a member of the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol, Vietnam has obligations to develop the National Strategy Framework on Biodiversity to 2030, with a vision to 2050, consistent with the requirements of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, Protocols, and relevant Agreements. This includes developing recommendations on management of access to genetic resources and TK, as well as benefit sharing within the Draft of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. This research aims to contribute to implement the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and the Nagoya Protocol in Vietnam by assessing the status of management regarding access to genetic resources, TK, and benefit sharing.

Chromosome-level assembly of Triplophysa yarkandensis genome based on the single molecule real-time sequencing

Triplophysa yarkandensis, a species of freshwater fish endemic to Xinjiang, China, is currently classified as endangered. The objective of this study was to obtain the chromosome-level genome of T. yarkandensis using PacBio and Hi-C techniques. The PacBio sequencing technology resulted in an assembly of 520.64 Mb, with a contig N50 size of 1.30 Mb. Hi-C data was utilized for chromosome mapping, ultimately yielding 25 chromosome sequences. The success rate of chromosome mapping was 93%, with a scaffold N50 of 19.14 Mb, and a BUSCO evaluation integrity of 94.1%. The genome of T. yarkandensis encompasses 25,505 predicted protein-coding genes, with a total of 30,673 proteins predicted. The BUSCO evaluation integrity for predicted protein-coding genes was found to be 91.5%. Additionally, the genome contained a genomic repeat sequence accounting for 27.29% of its total length. Future research employing comparative genomics holds considerable importance in elucidating the molecular mechanisms behind saline-alkali adaptation and ensuring the conservation of biological resources.

Assessment of ethnomedicinal plants in Attoor, Kanyakumari, Tamil-Nadu

Utilization of plants for medicinal purposes in India has been documented long back in ancient literature. South India holds more hidden treasure of plant resources for healthcare. Information on the uses of plants as traditional medicine has not been documented in Tamil Nadu till today. Ironically, information on the uses of plants for medicines and lack of interest among the younger generation as well as their tendency to migrate to cities for lucrative jobs, wealth of knowledge from this area is declining. In this backdrop, the present work attempts to record the use of medicinal plants by the local people and traditional healers who have sound knowledge of herbal remedies. Therefore, documenting indigenous knowledge through ethno-botanical studies is important for the conservation of biological resources and their sustainable utilization. Despite the increasing acceptance of traditional medicine in Attoor, Kanyakumari district, this rich indigenous knowledge on traditional remedies is not adequately documented. Documentation of plants used as traditional medicines in Attor is urgent so that the knowledge can be preserved; the utilized plants are conserved and used sustainably. The current investigation therefore, attempts to fill some of the gaps in indigenous knowledge related to the use of herbal medicines in Attoor, Kanyakumari District emphasizing their role in basic health care.

Planning for a Biodiversity Park as limited tourism area development in Seruyan Regency

Biodiversity Park (Kehati) is an area with the function of preserving local biological resources outside the forest area, especially for plants whose pollination and/or seed dispersal are assisted by wildlife, with a vegetation structure and composition that supports the sustainability of pollinators and seed dispersers. One of the efforts that can be undertaken is through sustainable planning of Kehati parks. This research focuses on the location of the Kehati park in the Asam Baru village, Danau Seluluk District, Seruyan Regency. The aim is to develop an ecological and sustainable limited tourism area that supports the conservation of biological resources in Seruyan Regency. The research method used is a qualitative descriptive method with field surveys and literature reviews, including direct observations, interviews, and questionnaires. The planning stages of the Kehati park start with inventory, site analysis, followed by generating planning concepts and site plans. Based on the inventory and site analysis results, a planning concept is developed, consisting of space, circulation, vegetation, and facility concepts. The spatial concept of the Kehati park is determined by the area's functions. Circulation is designed to prioritize user convenience in accessing and engaging within the area. Vegetation planning is based on ecological and physical functions of the area, while facility planning emphasizes the grouping of facilities for each spatial function. The site plan for the Kehati park meets government regulations, with infrastructure development covering only 1.13% of the total area. The planning aims to achieve its objectives with the support of all relevant parties in the management and development of a sustainable limited tourism destination.

Will the new Chinese National Parks system save the world's rarest primate, the Hainan gibbon?

AbstractThe protection of species and conservation of biological resources is crucial. China has set forth an ambitious plan to establish the world's largest network of national parks to meet its conservation goals. One of the first five established national parks is Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park, a pristine original jungle and the habitat of the critically endangered Hainan gibbon (Nomascus hainanus), the rarest primate on Earth. Despite existing conservation laws, policies and technologies, conservation education in China remains inadequate. To address this issue, as a part of a larger visitor experience study, we conducted an ethnographic study employing qualitative methods, such as participant observation, field notes and interviews with 106 domestic tourists and residents within Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park. Surprisingly, only seven individuals demonstrated awareness of the presence of endemic gibbons. Our findings suggest that despite conservation programs and infrastructure improvement, awareness‐raising and education initiatives about the intrinsic conservation value of Hainan gibbons are essential for their protection and survival. These findings carry important implications for governing bodies and policymakers, emphasising the need to incorporate awareness‐raising initiatives into conservation plans.

Legal Protection Against Illegal Orangutan Trade

The archipelago is vast, even become the largest archipelagic country in the world. Having many islands makes Indonesia rich in diversity of flora and fauna, one of which is the orangutan wildlife that lives in the forests of Indonesia. Illegal trade in protected wildlife is still rampant due to the lack of public awareness about the importance of preserving nature so that the population of protected wildlife does not experience extinction. The trade-in wildlife does not only cover the national level, it has even penetrated at the international level. One of the regulations regarding the protection of the international wildlife trade is the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Legislation regarding the trade-in protected wildlife in Indonesia has been regulated in Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning the Conservation of Biological Resources and Their Ecosystems. The writing of this paper uses data collection methods from various sources such as articles, journals, and some websites on the internet. The novelty of this research is to discuss the legal protection of the orangutan wildlife trade in Indonesia. Ineffective government regulations make there still a lot of illegal wildlife trade.

Development of a Methodology for the Conservation of Northern-Region Plant Resources under Climate Change

According to the guidelines of the Nagoya Protocol, species are now recognized as ‘resources’ and owned by each country, thereby emphasizing the significance of biological resources and the importance of the continuous efforts made to systematically manage them. Despite these efforts, climate change, which influences climatic factors such as temperature and precipitation, is expected to negatively impact the struggle for conservation of biological resources by affecting species’ habitats. We aimed to devise methodologies that could be utilized for the management of biological resources, especially valuable tree species, that are experiencing difficulties due to climate change. First, changes in habitat of the northern-region plant Needle fir (Abies holophylla) due to of climate change were estimated using the BIOMOD2 package in R under the RCP8.5 scenario. Second, the time period of management was estimated based on the change in habitat area over time. It is expected that 30% of the current habitat of A. holophylla will be lost by 2030 and 50% will be lost by 2042. Third, four management zones (maintenance, reduction, dispersal, and non-habitat areas) were derived by comparing habitats according to the period of management required. In this case, we compared the present and the time point at which 30% habitat loss (2030) is expected to occur. After that, the management steps that can be taken for each management zone were suggested. Our results show the impact of climate change, especially change in Bio1 (annual mean temperature) and Bio13 (precipitation of wettest month), on species distribution patterns and have potential applicability in biological resource management. We have specified the suitable point of time, area, and direction of management in this study, which will contribute to climate change management planning and policy-making. By doing so, we hope that when a management policy on biological resources is applied, by dividing the four management zones, policymakers will be able to apply a cost-efficient policy.

The potential of geronggang (Cratoxylon arborescens (Vahl.) Blume) in conserving Sycanus sp. as natural enemy of insect pests in peatland areas

Geronggang (Cratoxylon arborescens) is a promising species for peatland management. This tree is a native species of peatlands distributed in several areas of Riau Province. In addition to being used for construction timber and a source of natural fibre, it has a role in the conservation of biological resources, such as insects. Some natural enemies (predators and parasitoids) commonly breed around Geronggang tree areas, such as a predator namely Sycanus sp. Conserving biological resources is a strategy to support integrated pest management. This observations aims to explore the potency of Geronggang as habitat for Sycanus sp. The role of the native tree in conserving Sycanus sp. was observed from January to December 2020 by observing interval at about 4.8 days. The results indicated that at about 26.09 individuals of Sycanus sp. caught per 100 m2 of the Geronggang tree. This implies that Geronggang has great potentials for conserving Sycanus as natural enemy of insect pests. In summary, potential natural enemies can then be developed by applying the “capture, develop and release” method.

Role of Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) in Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Legislation Laws in India

The world economy is growing through the development rate. Every day we come across new developments, inventions and innovations in the field of natural science, medical science, commerce and management etc. One of the main factors that are helping in these developments is strong IPR in the world by the introduction of TRIPS by the World Trade Organization (WTO). In this study, an attempt has been made to discuss the role of TRIPS in IPR legislation laws in India. The study is exploratory cum descriptive in nature. The study found that with the emergence of TRIPS it became obligatory for its member nation to follow its guidelines. In India various amendments has been done in the Patent Act, Copyrights act, Trademarks act to comply with the guideline of TRIPS. Major amendments include Abolition of exclusive market Rights, Terms of patents increased from 14 years to 20 years, Power of Government broadcasting organisations and performers in certain other countries in case of copyrights, registration of design, extension of definition of trademarks etc. Further geographical indication act came into existence where geographical indication cannot register as trademarks; protection of plant varieties and farmers’ rights also there is a three-tier body at local, state and national level that works for the preservation and conservation of biological resources. The study suggested that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) should take part in boosting the IPR.

Mapping mining and ecological distribution conflicts in Latin America, a bibliometric analysis

The growing worry about changing climatic circumstances, the COVID-19 economic crisis, and the management and conservation of biological resources necessitates the development of appropriate models for the long-term management of mining resources, as well as the regulation of extractivism at the Latin American level and its massive effects on the environment and communities. The major goal of this paper is to evaluate the influence of the mining conflict on the scholar. This study analyzed the Latin American mining sector and its recent evolution in the socio-ecological conflicts issues. The research was conducted through a bibliometric analysis in Scopus database from 1991 to 2020. The period with the highest concentration of publications was from 2013 to 2020, and the countries with the most substantial number of publications are Colombia and the USA. Our article concludes that mining conflicts are causing increasing worry among scholar, and their management has significant potential to address the issues of protecting the environment and communities while avoiding the crisis and its consequences in Latin America.

Bird diversity analysis in the lower mountain forest of mount Bulusaraung to support ecotourism’s activities in Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park

Lower mountain forest in the complex of Mount Bulusaraung Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park, is a one of bird’s habitat in the South Sulawesi. This area is a tourist destination, especially mountain climbing activities. Thus, it is necessary to know the diversity of animals, especially birds on this hiking trail, so that the information can be used to support ecotourism activities. This study aims to analyze the diversity of bird species in the complex of Bulusaraung Mountain, Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park in order to support ecotourism activities. This research was conducted from April to June 2018. Data was collected using the line transect method on three lines, namely the Balleanging, Kattokaddaro and Tompobulu lines. The second and third paths are hiking trails, while the rest are trails leading to community agricultural areas. The geographical position of the transect line was recorded using GPS. The GIS method was used to generate a bird watching trail map. Data analysis was carried out to calculate the individual density and frequency of bird presence. In addition, the species diversity indices, species evenness indices, and species richness indices were also calculated. The results showed that there were 44 species of birds found in the study area, which were 16 species in the Balleanging line, 27 species in the Kattokaddaro line and 37 species in the Tompobulu line. The highest bird species diversity indices value was found on the Tompobulu line (H' = 2.93), while on the Kattokaddaro line it was H' = 2.73 and the Balleanging H' = 2.55. The results of this study will support the management strategy in Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park in order to harmonize the conservation of biological resources through ecotourism activities that involve local communities to increase their economic income.

Role of Forest Departments in the Conservation of Biological Resources: An Empirical Study from the Forests of Kamrup District, Assam

Forests Departments in India were legally established to commercialize the forests' resources by the British Imperial Rule. Later on, after witnessing a massive degradation of the Biodiversity and due to the worldwide pressures, the same forest departments were made the custodian of the forests. Those forest departments treated local inhabitants as encroachers and tried to isolate the forests from the human population. But such initiatives could not protect the forests from illegal Bio-trading rather made the local communities, which were dependent on forest resources, to struggle for maintaining their livelihood. However, the world fraternity realized the need for active participation of local communities in the conservation of Biodiversity, and accordingly the jurisprudence was shaped for enacting laws and policies to give effect to such initiatives. In India, initiatives like Joint Forest Management, Access and Benefit Sharing, Forests Rights Act, the establishment of Biodiversity Authorities, etc. were adopted. But still, the rates of green crimes are not decreasing. The paper, therefore, tries to study the legislative and the institutional framework regulating and administering conservation of biological resources in the forests to have an understanding of the reasons for non-realization of the objectives of conservation of Biological Resources.

Conceptual evolution of the bioeconomy: a bibliometric analysis.

The growing concern over the change in climatic conditions and the management and conservation of biological resources makes it necessary to create models suitable for the sustainable management of these resources. The bioeconomy suggests a model based on the production of renewable biological resources and the conversion of these resources into value-added products. The main aim of this article is to assess the impact of the bioeconomy on the scholar. This manuscript also aims to continue and update this discussion of public policies oriented toward a bioeconomy. This research follows a computed analysis based on the R package using Biblioshiny, a web interface for Bibliometrix analysis; this approach offers a positive alternative for studying bioeconomic literature in the traditional bibliometric analysis. This is one of the first research which analyzes the literature pathways of the bioeconomy issue using a computational analysis. Our article concludes that the principles of the bioeconomy have a strong potential to address these related challenges to manage and maintain the environment.

Medicinal Plants from Vettangudi Water Bird Sanctuary in Sivagangai District of Tamil Nadu, Southern India

Most of the people depending on traditional medicine to meet their primary healthcare needs. Documenting the indigenous knowledge through ethnobotanical studies is important for the conservation of biological resources as well as their sustainable utilization. It is also necessary to collect the information about the knowledge of traditional medicines before it is permanently lost. Having all these facts in mind, the present study was carried out to document the plants used as medicine by the people inhabiting around the Vettangudi Water Bird Sanctuary of Sivagangai district in Tamil Nadu, India. The field survey was conducted in two villages situated near to Vettangudi Water Bird Sanctuary. The medicinal uses of 40 angiospermic plant species belonging to 36 genera of 24 families for various diseases and ailments were recorded by this study. The people inhabiting in the study area used 45 herbal therapies prepared from 40 plants to treat 27 different illnesses. Regarding the plant parts used, leaf was the mostly used plant part (51.16%) and extract was found as mostly followed mode (42.28%) to treat a particular disease. Attention should be made on proper exploitation and utilization of these medicinally important plant species.
 Keywords: Medicinal plants, Vettangudi Water Bird Sanctuary, Sivagangai district, Tamil Nadu.

Local Institutions and the Governance of Tree Resources: The Case of the Shea Tree (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F Gaertn.) in West Nile Region of Uganda

The role of institutions in conservation of biological resources is globally recognised. This study is aimed at assessing institutions governing conservation and management of the Shea tree in West-Nile region of Uganda where it is at risk of extirpation. Arua and Nebbi districts which are dominated by different ethnic groups were selected for the study. The study involved 200 respondents, six focus groups and 20 key informants. Chi-square tests were used to analyse the origin and level of compliance to institutions between the two districts. A multinomial logit model was used to analyse factors influencing levels of rule enforcement. Content analysis was used to analyse data from key informants and focus group discussions. The results showed the existence of seven different rules that were categorised as management, conservation and harvesting rules. The level of compliance to rules for the Shea tree was higher in Nebbi than Arua. Involvement in rule crafting, clarity of resource boundary, age, education level and ethnicity of respondents significantly influenced participation in rule enforcement. The study concluded that traditional institutions are relevant in the conservation of Shea trees. It is therefore, vital to incorporate them into statutory laws in the quest for sustainable management of Shea tree.

Ethnobotanical Study of Magar Ethnic Community of Palpa District of Nepal

Background: This study was aimed to document the important medicinal plants and their herbal preparation method. The investigation and documentation of medicinal plants and their associated indigenous knowledge are crucial to raise the socio-economic status of the indigenous Magar ethnic community, and for the conservation of biological resources. Methods: Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) that involved direct interaction with local people and observations was used to collect data. Informant Consensus Factor (Fic) and Relative Frequency Citation (RFCs) were applied to explore the cultural importance of ethnomedicinal plants. Results: Forty medicinal plants, out of 58 ethnobotanically useful plant species were reported. Fic value was found to be high (1) for treatment of maternal ailment, followed by eye irritation (0.95), rheumatism and urinary ailments (0.92). Similarly, cancer (0.90), skin diseases (0.87), asthma (0.83), nervous system disorders (0.73), fever (0.67), gastrointestinal (0.53), and least value was recorded for respiratory problems (0.48). Based on the RFCs values, the most important ethnomedicinal species were Cissampelos pariera (0.86), Centella asiatica (0.78), Bergenia ciliata (0.54), Delphinium vestitum (0.48), Clematis buchananiana (0.44), Oxalis corniculata (0.42), Cassia fistula (0.32), Cuscuta reflexa and Asparagus racemosus (0.26), Corchorus aestuans (0.24), and Nicotiana tabacum (0.22). Conclusions: Further research on high valued plants for investigation of particular chemical components and their commercialization into national level is recommended. Results on such aspects would help local communities to conserve and disseminate their ethnomedicinal knowledge, and also to transfer their unique healthcare practices to young generations. Keywords: Indigenous knowledge, Magar ethnic community, Medicinal practices, Palpa District

Biodegradable Raffia as a Sustainable and Cost-Effective Alternative to Improve the Management of Agricultural Waste Biomass

The transition from intensive conventional agriculture to sustainable agriculture has become a global priority. This is due to the need for environmentally friendly agriculture to ensure sufficient food for a rapidly growing population. The bioeconomy is essential to progress in the field of sustainable agriculture. It contributes to the conservation of biological resources through circular and comprehensive management. The bioeconomy prioritizes the reduction and reuse of materials and products. The focus of this study is the use of biodegradable/compostable raffia in protected horticultural crops in the Province of Almería (Spain). The analysis and evaluations, based on an extensive literature review and information given by stakeholders, determined that biodegradable raffia use significantly improves the management of residual biomass in Almería. However, biodegradable raffia is only used in a small percentage of crops even though it is a sustainable alternative and profitable for farmers. The economic analysis incorporates the higher cost of recycling non-biodegradable raffia.

Biosphere Reserve Concept Implementation for Creating Sustainability

The main priority of UNESCO MAB program is to emphasize the implementation of biosphere reserve concept for achieving sustainable development. Biosphere reserve is a concept of site management to harmonize the needs for conservation of both land and coastal ecosystem with the need for economic development in the basis of research on the utilization of natural resources, including cultural resources recognized by UNESCO MAB Program in order to promote a balanced relationship between human and the nature. Principally, the concept of biosfer reserve is applied to bring the conservation of biological diversity into line with sustainable development for achieving a balanced relationship between human and the nature. The advantage of applying the biosphere reserve concept lays on the excellent combination of its three functions, namely: (1) The function associated with conservation of biological resources, ecosystems, and cultural diversity; (2) The function associated with development that supports and enriches sustainable economic development through an ecologicaly and culturally wise approach; and (3) The function associated with provision of logistics supports for various activities related with conservation and sustainable development, in a local, regional, national, or global context, including research, education, training, and monitoring. In implementing those three functions integratively, a zonation approach is applied, in which the site of biosphere reserve is devided into three different areas with specific functions and roles: (1) The core area: It is the area for conservation and it must have a firm, long-term legal protection for preserving the biodiversity, monitoring the undisturbed ecosystems or undertaking non-destructive research, and other “passive” activities such as education and training and ecosystem services; (2) The buffer zone: It is the area encircling or adjoining the core area that is determined to provide protection to the core area against the negative impacts of human activities; and (3) The transition area: The transition area. It is typically the largest part of the biosphere reserve area fuctioning to develope cooperation with local communities. It is established side by side with the buffer zone and this area is a place to develope models for sustainable development and develop an appropriate management of natural resources for the area. Biosphere reserves are used as a place to test and build a sustainable way of life through integrated programs of natural resources management and biodiversity conservation, with the objective to contribute in reducing poverty and increasing the living standard, especially of rural communities. In addition, the implementation of the biosphere reserve concept is also aimed to help reducing the loss of biodiversity, facilitating scientific development and bulding the capacity in the context of providing services neccessary for ecological sustainability.

Penegakan dan Perlindungan Hukum Terhadap Satwa Kuskus (Phalanger SPP) yang Dilindungi di Kota Ambon

One of the animals favored by people and can be used as food for some people in Ambon City is cuscus (phalanger spp) is one of the long-tailed marsupial mammals and is also a part of natural resources that is priceless so that its sustainability needs to be maintained through various safeguards. In detail, the regulations concerning these animals are regulated in the regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry No. 20 of 2018 concerning the types of plants and animals that are protected. Protected animals are animals that have rarely existed and are therefore protected by various regulations. One of the actions which until now still often occurs and violates the rules in protecting animals is used as food (killed) for some people in Ambon City are cuscus (phalanger spp). The killing of wild animals is an act that has violated the provisions contained in Law No. 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Resources and their Ecosystems. Where in article 21 paragraph (2) (a) it has been stated that the prohibition to kill protected animals. In an effort to protect the animals from killing, law enforcement against the trade of protected animals is a process of embodiment of the rules regarding the protection of animals in practice legally in order to realize the goal of protecting protected animals. Research based on normative law research (normative law research) uses normative case studies in the form of legal behavior products, for example reviewing laws. The subject of the study is a law conceptualized as a norm or rule that applies to society and becomes a reference for everyone's behavior. The application of criminal sanctions against some residents of Ambon City who consume cuscus animals (phalanger spp) does not work properly

The Tapanuli orangutan: Status, threats, and steps for improved conservation

The Tapanuli orangutan: Status, threats, and steps for improved conservation