Fenced Area Research Articles

Demographic characteristics of the endangered Barbary sheep Ammotragus lervia (Bovidae: Caprini) in the fenced Amassine reserve, Western High Atlas range, Morocco

Abstract Population characteristics of the Barbary sheep Ammotragus lervia, the only wild caprine in Northwest Africa, were investigated in a captive population located in a 150-ha fenced area within the Amassine reserve, Morocco, created for promoting wildlife watching tourism. We analysed the population trend during 20 years since the introduction of 10 individuals in 1999. Using direct counting in March-April 2016 to 2019, before herd dispersal, we assessed population size, age-sex structure, birth and survival rates. We estimated survival rates from mortality analysis using exponential regression models. The population size exhibited fluctuations over time expressed by significant exponential equations. We observed three successive phases corresponding each to a fast-growing period followed by a sharp decline. Estimated population density ranged from 0.25 to 0.41 ind. ha−1. Adult sex ratio varied from 67 to 91 rams per 100 ewes. Juveniles and subadults comprised 27–43 % of the population, and adults, rams and ewes, represented 26–31 % and, 29–45 %, respectively. Birth rate varied from 14 to 73 lambs per 100 ewes. The survival rate during the postnatal year approximated 35 %. For adult rams, it was around 69 % year−1. Our findings would be helpful for developing a sustainable population management plan, and assessing potential reintroduction/restocking in other areas.

Spatiotemporal responses of ungulates to hunting in a fenced multi-use area

Context Human activities, such as tourism and hunting, affect the spatiotemporal behaviour of wildlife. For example, it is well documented that ungulates change their spatiotemporal behaviour as a response to hunting pressure, but less is known about ungulate responses to hunting in areas where human activity is common throughout the year and ungulates are constrained by fences. Aims In this camera-trap study, we analysed the change in spatiotemporal behaviour of wild ungulates (elk, Cervus canadensis (3519 events), moose, Alces alces (1153 events), and white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus (2708 events)) in response to the hunting period in a recreational and fenced park, the Cooking Lake–Blackfoot Provincial Area, Canada. Methods We used general linear models to compare species-specific patterns of intensity of use, calculated as events per week, in response to changes in the nature of human disturbance, namely a shift from recreation to hunting activity. In particular, we compared intensity of use in and out of the hunting season to determine whether species engaged in spatial patterns of avoidance with respect to hunting. We used daily and seasonal patterns of activity to determine how ungulates shifted their temporal use in response to hunting activity and whether they became more nocturnal as a result. Key results We found that ungulates responded temporally to the hunting period by generally shifting their activity to more nocturnal hours, with white-tailed deer showing the biggest temporal shift, suggesting that the ungulates distinguish between consumptive and non-consumptive human activities. Nevertheless, temporal overlap between humans and all ungulate species increased during the hunting period as humans targeted times of increased ungulate activity. Spatially, the response was less distinctive and was species-specific. Elk showed little change in spatial behaviour in response to the hunting period. In contrast, moose decreased the use of trail areas and other areas frequented by humans, whereas deer, counterintuitively, increased the use of trail areas, albeit their use became much more nocturnal. Conclusions We have shown that responses of ungulates to hunting exceed those to non-consumptive recreational use, and whereas temporal responses (increased nocturnality) were consistent across ungulate species, spatial responses were species-specific. Implications Management in small fenced multi-use areas needs to account for shifts in the intensity of disturbance resulting from a change in human disturbance from recreational activity to hunting. Providing spatial opportunities for avoidance of humans is key for most species if hours of operation in these areas already limit the timing of human activity.

The initial impact of a predator exclosure sanctuary on small vertebrates in semi‐arid Western Australia

AbstractPredator exclosure reserves have become pivotal to conserving some threatened Australian mammalian fauna. However, the impact of predator exclosure reserves on resident (non‐target) small vertebrates is less understood. Given the potential ecological consequences of fencing, and the contribution of small vertebrates to ecosystem processes, we investigated species' occupancy, and site colonization and extinction dynamics, inside and outside of a predator exclosure fenced area for nine small vertebrates (six reptile, three mammal). We conducted vertebrate surveying 4 years (2011–2014) pre‐ and 2 years (2015–2016) post‐fence construction at the Australian Wildlife Conservancy Mt Gibson Sanctuary, in the semi‐arid, critically endangered Wheatbelt Eucalypt Woodlands of Western Australia, to assess spatial and temporal trends in small mammal and reptile populations. Of nine species modelled, one reptile (Diplodactylus pulcher) decreased in occupancy inside of the fence following construction. We detected no negative impact of the predator exclosure fence on the remaining eight species. One native reptile species (Lerista kingi) and an introduced rodent (Mus musculus) increased occupancy inside (but not outside) the fenced area. Spatial and temporal occupancy inside and outside of the fenced area for all other modelled species was stable. Biotic (habitat) factors and stochastic interannual detectability were the most significant drivers of species' occupancy. Species‐specific habitat associations were partially determined by site‐based presence and absence probabilities. This suggests that the predator exclosure sanctuary either benefitted or had minimal impact on all but one modelled species. These results may be a useful reference for future fencing projects aimed at both conservation and land management.

Rutting calls of harem‐holders, harem‐candidates and peripheral male Siberian wapiti Cervus canadensis sibiricus: Acoustic correlates of stag quality and individual identity

AbstractThis study investigates the effects of individuality and harem‐holding status on the acoustic parameters of rutting calls (bugles) of 14 stags of Siberian wapiti Cervus canadensis sibiricus. The stags competed for mating with hinds in a large herd, free ranging inside a fenced area with complex landscape. We considered as harem‐holders the stags, which kept a harem of 5 or more hinds for at least 2 days. Of the 15 days of observations enveloping the most active rutting period, during 3 days there was only one harem in the enclosure, during 9 days two harems, during 2 days three harems and during 1 day four harems. Stag bugles displayed both individual and status‐related variation. Harem‐holders compared with peripheral stags had shorter bugles with higher minimum fundamental frequency. After winning a harem and changing status from harem‐candidate to harem‐holder, stags shortened the duration of their bugles, lowered the beginning and maximum fundamental frequency and increased the minimum fundamental frequency. Significantly higher than the levels expected by chance, discriminant analysis classified 78.9% of bugles by the correct stag status and 53.2% of bugles by the correct individual callers. Different acoustic parameters encoded the status and individuality of the bugles. Status was encoded by the duration of the start and end parts and by the beginning and end fundamental frequencies. Individuality was encoded by the maximum fundamental frequency. We discuss that rutting calls of Siberian wapiti, although individualized, do not represent vocal signatures. However, these calls reliably mark stag harem‐holding status.

Application of remote sensing to understand the role of Galician feral horses in the biomass reduction of a shrub-grassland-dominated landscape

Galician forests in northwestern Spain are subject to frequent wildfires with high environmental and economic costs. In addition, due to the consequences of climate change, these fires are becoming more virulent, occurring throughout the year, and taking place in populated areas, in some cases involving the loss of human life. Therefore, forest fire prevention is even more relevant than mitigating its consequences. Given the costs involved in forestry work, alternative measures to reduce fuel load and create vegetation gaps are needed. One involves grazing by an endemic species of feral horses (Equus ferus atlanticus) that feed on thicket-forming gorse (Ulex europaeus). In a 100-ha forest fenced study area stocked with 11 horses, four 50 m2 enclosed plots prevented the access of these wild animals to the vegetation, with the aim of manipulating their impact on the reduction of forest biomass. The measurement of biomass volumes is an important method that can describe the assessment of wildfire risks, unfortunately, high-resolution data collection at the regional scale is very time-consuming. The best result can be using drones (unmanned aerial vehicles - UAVs) as a method of collecting remotely sensed data at low cost. From September 2018 to November 2020, we collected information about aboveground biomass from these four enclosed plots and their surrounding areas available for horses to forage, via UAV. These data, together with environmental variables from the study site, were used as input for a fire model to assess the differences in the surface rate of spread (SROS) among grazed and ungrazed areas. Our results indicated a consistent but small reduction in the SROS between 0.55 and 3.10 m/min in the ungrazed enclosured plots in comparison to their grazed surrounding areas (which have an SROS between 15 and 25 m/min). The research showed that radar remote sensing (UAV) can be used to map forest aboveground biomass, and emphasized the importance and role of feral horses in Galicia as a prevention tool against wildfires in gorse-dominated landscapes.

Comparative Understory Development in Fenced and Unfenced Beech Forest Stands in the Southern Alps

This study examines the impact of ungulate browsing on the understory dynamics of the Cansiglio Forest, the only European beech high forest in the Southern Limestone Alps. Utilizing seven pairs of fenced versus unfenced forest stands established over two decades, we assessed how fencing affects understory structure and tree regeneration. Significant differences were found in cover, height and vascular species composition in both tree regeneration and shrub layers. Fenced areas showed a significantly higher number and greater average height of young trees, supporting the hypothesis that ungulate browsing negatively impacts tree regeneration. Despite previous studies attributing the lack of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) regeneration primarily to red deer (Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758) browsing, our findings did not show a significant association of this species with fenced conditions. While Rubus abundance was higher inside fenced areas, overall vascular species richness did not differ. Our results highlight the evident effects of ungulate browsing and suggest the need to consider other factors influencing forest regeneration and understory development. Future research should establish additional study replicates, balanced across diverse site and stand structure conditions, to further explore these dynamics.

Severely degraded high mountain vegetation recovers under different levels of wild herbivore grazing pressure, 1991–2021

Context It is important to understand the way in which wild herbivore grazing affects decadal vegetation dynamics after cessation of unnatural disturbances, especially in a context of climate change. Aims We investigated the decadal effects of different grazing regimes on treeless subalpine vegetation recovery from stock grazing and burning, on sites of different environmental character and initial state. Methods At each of four sites, two fenced areas that excluded mammalian herbivores, two that allowed in only rabbits and two grazed control plots were monitored every 5 years between 1991 and 2021. General linear models were developed to explain variation in change over the 30 years in different cover types. The years in which peak and trough values occurred were also determined, as were the incidence and direction of differences between treatments in sites and years. Key results There was marked variation in change over 30 years between the sites and lifeforms. Exclusion of mammalian herbivores increased the slow rate of revegetation. There was little effect from rabbits by themselves. Unexpectedly, the cover of both short and tall herbs was not promoted by grazing exclusion. Short term climatic variation affected some cover types, with many peaks and troughs in the dry year of 2001, but it was not possible to disentangle decades scale climate change effects from the process of recovery after disturbance. Conclusions The slight increase in revegetation rates in the absence of native herbivores and rabbits does not justify culling. Restoration interventions appear to be unnecessary. The prospect of increasing fire incidence and deer numbers suggests that it is desirable to continue monitoring the plots.

Moved frogs don’t settle: Evaluating the impact of translocation on the movement behaviour of a threatened frog

The deliberate movement of wildlife is an accepted mitigation measure to manage the impact of anthropogenic activities. A presumption is that moved individuals settle at recipient sites that possess appropriate habitat. However, translocations have a low rate of success, with many projects unable to identify the cause of failure. We studied the translocation of a threatened amphibian, the green and golden bell frog, Litoria (=Ranoidea) aurea, over short distances within a metapopulation in Australia. Individuals were removed from a fenced area of contaminated habitat earmarked for remediation (donor site) and translocated to nearby ponds (recipient sites) to maintain the breeding population in-situ and allow future natural recolonisation once remediation was completed. The distance between recipient and donor site significantly influenced the chance of translocated frogs being detected back at the fenceline, with the return rate dropping from 35 % to 5 % when the recipient site was moved from 50 to 400 m away. Additionally, translocated frogs exhibited heightened movement from the recipient site when compared to non-translocated frogs. This is one of only a few artificial movement studies of amphibians, with implications for the management of populations undergoing translocation. Our work shows the potential dangers of using translocation to remove individuals from land development and presuming this avoids impacts to threatened species. We recommend monitoring the return of translocated amphibians to donor sites and disturbances to movement behaviour induced by translocation, in order to predict the likely effectiveness of amphibian translocations for mitigating the ecological impacts associated with land development.

Type and frequency of wild pig-domestic livestock contacts and operator concern for disease spread

Abstract Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) can levy substantial costs to domestic livestock operations and global supply chains due to disease introduction. Producers can take defensive action to avert these costs, but the factors influencing these decisions are not well understood. We examined survey data to characterize the type and frequency of contacts between wild pigs and domestic livestock and investigated the determinants of farm operator concern for disease introduction using an ordered logit model. We found that operators with livestock kept in buildings were more concerned about disease than those with livestock kept in fenced areas or that roam free. However, the latter are at greater risk due to more frequent reported contacts with wild pigs. Results indicate that concern is significantly associated with other characteristics of farm operations, such as operation size, perceived change in wild pig populations, and respondent demographics. Developing a better understanding of the factors influencing operator concern for disease spread can contribute to the improved design of prevention policy targeting small-scale livestock producers. This could help ensure the continued safety of livestock supply chains and reduce the risk of disease-related trade restrictions, along with continued support for disease surveillance and monitoring at the national scale, and prolonged control of domestic vectors such as invasive wild pigs, specifically in regions with the most small operations.

Considerations on effort, precision and accuracy for long-term monitoring of African lions (Panthera leo), when using Bayesian spatial explicit capture-recapture models, in fenced protected areas.

Intensive management is frequently required in fenced wildlife areas to reduce deleterious effects of isolation. Decisions on how best to manage such wildlife are ideally informed by regular and reliable estimates of spatiotemporal fluctuations in population size and structure. However, even in small, fenced areas, it is difficult and costly to regularly monitor key species using advanced methods. This is particularly the case for large carnivores, which typically occur at low density and are elusive yet are central to management decision-making due to their top-down effects in ecosystems and attracting tourism. In this study, we aimed to provide robust estimates of population parameters for African lions (Panthera leo) and use the data to inform a resource-efficient long-term monitoring programme. To achieve this, we used unstructured spatial sampling to collect data on lions in Pilanesberg National Park, a small (~550 km2) fenced protected area in South Africa. We used Bayesian spatial capture-recapture models to estimate density, abundance, sex ratio and home range size of lions over the age of 1 year. Finally, to provide guidance on resource requirements for regular monitoring, we rarefied our empirical data set incrementally and analysed the subsets. Lion density was estimated to be 8.8 per 100 km2 (posterior SD = 0.6), which was lower than anticipated by park management. Sex ratio was estimated close to parity (0.9♀:1♂), consistent with emerging evidence in fenced lion populations, yet discordant with unfenced populations, which are usually ~2♀:1♂ in healthy, source populations. Our rarefied data suggest that a minimum of 4000 km search effort needs to be invested in future monitoring to obtain accurate and precise estimates, while assuming similar detection rates. This study demonstrates an important utility of Bayesian spatial explicit capture-recapture methods for obtaining robust estimates of lion densities and other important parameters in fence-protected areas to inform decision-making.

Economic aspects of the balanced development of the beekeeping industry

The relevance of the research lies in the solution of possible ways of accelerated development of beekeeping and the creation of a market for its products and acquires primary importance. Essential aspects of market relations between producers, processors, and distributors of beekeeping products still need to be explored. In addition, there needs to be more information on the economic efficiency of beekeeping production. In this regard, there is a need to research to increase the effectiveness of their interaction in forming economic aspects regarding the balanced development of the beekeeping industry to increase labor productivity in this area and meet the needs of their products. The article aims to determine the main trends of the economic aspects of the balanced development of the beekeeping industry. The article analyzes the economic aspects of the balanced development of the beekeeping industry. It was determined that modern beekeeping aims to increase production efficiency and product quality and ensure the industry's sustainable development in the conditions of modern economic and environmental challenges. It has been proven that beekeeping provides an opportunity to obtain valuable products and contributes to increasing the productivity of agricultural production and other sectors of the economy. It was determined that the balanced development of beekeeping considers economic aspects that allow for sustainable and profitable development of the industry. Several economic aspects are essential for the balanced development of beekeeping, including market orientation, diversification of products, improvement of product quality, efficient use of resources, financial sustainability, supply chain optimization, innovation, and research. It was found that a feature of the area for the location of beekeeping is that bees do not tolerate the negative impact of environmental protection. However, at the same time, they act as an indicator of its condition. Within their spatial limitation, bees can adapt to unfavorable living conditions. At the same time, the risk of substances that can be harmful to the human body increases in beekeeping products. According to the territorial principle, population organization is an essential factor in beekeeping development. For example, areas with a high level of urbanization are less favorable for the development of beekeeping due to the uncertain ecological situation in cities and their surrounding areas, significant plowed land, and the absence of extensive forest areas in fenced areas, as well as strained transport and communication infrastructure between settlements. These characteristics also affect the formation of local sales networks, product certification centers, veterinary control points in the industry, the availability of a technological base for expanding the range of products, and research centers for new production technologies. To develop concrete strategies for the balanced development of the beekeeping industry in different regions of Ukraine, additional complex studies are needed, considering social and geographical aspects. These studies will assess the scientific basis for substantiating the optimal conditions for the functioning of this industry. Keywords: ecological and economic foundations, beekeeping, agricultural sector, export.

Evaluating the Sand-Trapping Efficiency of Sand Fences Using a Combination of Wind-Blown Sand Measurements and UAV Photogrammetry at Tottori Sand Dunes, Japan

Fences are commonly used in coastal regions to control wind-blown sand. Sand-trapping fences and sand-stabilizing fences have been installed at the Tottori Sand Dunes, Tottori Prefecture, Japan, to prevent damage by wind-blown sand; however, the effectiveness of these fences has not previously been quantitatively evaluated. This study analyzed the effects of sand fences on sand trapping using field observations of blown-sand flux and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry. The estimated total blown-sand flux in the near-ground surface observed inside and outside the sand fences indicated that wind-blown sand was effectively trapped by the sand fences at wind speeds lower than 17 m s−1, reducing sand flux by more than 80%. The UAV photogrammetry results demonstrated that large amounts of sand were transported from the dune to the fenced area during March and April, and sand initially accumulated on the lee side of the sand-trapping fences, forming a new foredune. Sand accumulated on the existing foredune during April and May, and the vertical accretion around the foredune was two to four times the sand deposition within the sand-stabilizing fences. This indicated the effectiveness of sand-trapping fences for controlling wind-blown sand; however, their efficiency was reduced as they were gradually buried, with sand being trapped by the sand-stabilizing fences.

Nest survival of threatened Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) breeding at low densities across a human‐modified landscape

Targeted management actions to boost key demographic rates can help to restore rare and localized populations but are increasingly required to stabilize or reverse declines of formerly common and widespread species. Many breeding wader populations across Europe are declining because of unsustainably low rates of productivity, and the conservation tools designed to boost wader breeding productivity have been most effectively used for semi‐colonial species within protected areas. Targeted management for wader species that breed at low densities across human‐modified landscapes, such as the rapidly declining Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata, is likely to be more challenging. Here, we quantify variation in Curlew nest survival to explore how management could be targeted to boost this key component of breeding productivity. Up to 80 pairs of Eurasian Curlew were monitored annually between 2019 and 2021 in eight locations across Breckland, eastern England, where nesting densities range from <1 to c 0.7 pairs/km2. For 136 nests across grassland‐ and arable‐dominated sites, the majority of failures (86%) were caused by (primarily nocturnal) predation and the mean probability of surviving incubation (PSI) for all hatched or predated nests (127) was c. 0.25. Nest survival showed little annual or seasonal variation but did vary slightly between sites; however, this spatial variation was not clearly related to management conditions or nest concealment at these sites. Fencing to exclude mammalian nest predators can be effective for waders, but too few Eurasian Curlews currently nest within fenced areas in Breckland to produce observable effects. Fencing the few sites with high nesting densities could potentially double the number of chicks hatched each year within the study area, but landscape‐scale actions to reduce predator impacts on nests and chicks are likely to be needed to maintain breeding numbers in the wider countryside.

Magyar szürke szarvasmarha és vizi bivalylegelők vegetációjának összehasonlítása Duna-Tisza közi mintaterületen

We made a coenological study on the Kelemen-szék in the Kiskunság National Park. The coenological studies were carried out twice, in 2014 and 2015. During these two surveys, we examined in total 90 quadrats of mixed grazed and fenced control areas by domestic water buffalo and Hungarian Grey Cattle. Due to the size and heterogeneity of the studied area, we intended to investigate small homogeneous areas and respective control areas. Coenological surveys were done on lower and higher lying pastures, saline soil areas and loess areas.
 The studied areas were assessed based on the Borhidi relative plant ecological indicators NB (relative nitrogen values) and WB (relative groundwater and soil moisture indicator values). The distribution of nature conservation value categories (TVK) and social behavior types (SzMT) were used to assess the areas. Cluster analysis and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the data.
 The data were assessed based on both habitat condition in terms of naturalness condition. On the other hand, relative ecological indicators of the occurred species. Our objectives were to provide a detailed description of the vegetation composition of the study areas, to assess the changes in grassland composition and their conservation impacts as a result of grazing and its abandonment, to assess the impact of grazing on the occurrence of protected species and weed species, and to assess grazing as a conservation habitat management practice.
 The examination of the species composition showed that the loess and saline soil areas grazed by domestic water buffalos and Hungarian Grey Cattle provided a better composition of grassland in terms of natural condition compared to the control areas. In the dense and tall Puccinellia swards vegetation type, grazing requires more attention, because it is more vulnerable to grazing, has fewer species and is more damageable.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Changes in management shape the spatial ecology of wild ponies in relation to habitat conservation

Large herbivores are key regulators of open habitats across the world. Free roaming ponies have a prominent ecological role in many Atlantic landscapes, where different habitats with conservation interest are linked to ponies’ occurrence. The traditional management of wild ponies, which implies minimum human intervention, is declining in Galicia, NW Spain. Changes in the management regimes include the confinement of ponies in fenced areas, the use of improved pastures (IPs) and rotation between fields. Indirect effects of these changes are expected on the ecological condition of important habitats for conservation such as dry and wet heathlands and bogs. We studied social structure, spatial ecology and habitat use in 29 mares fitted with global positioning system (GPS) collars and field observations in two areas of Galicia dominated by wet heaths and blanket bogs (Xistral), and dry heaths (Sabucedo). We used spatial location and field observations to identify each band, and calculated band size, sex ratio, home range (HR) and core areas size and overlap, and habitat use. We addressed differences and adjusted Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) for these variables as functions of the type of management: free roaming vs rotation, use of IPs, fencing, and available ranging area. Larger bands were found in smaller commons, fenced and with rotation management. Home ranges, but not core area, varied as a function of the available ranging area. Bands overlap more on fenced areas with rotation management. Increasing management may concentrate grazing pressure by reducing HR and increasing bands overlapping areas, and this may have a long-term effect on habitat quality and conservation.

Habitat selection and foraging preference of the endangered addax (Addax nasomaculatus) in a fenced wildlife reserve within its historic range: insights for supporting effective reintroduction

Reintroduction of species should be based on ecological knowledge, which is fundamental to enhancing the probability of success, but also in predicting the response to future changing landscapes. The addax (Addax nasomaculatus), an endangered antelope whose ecology is mostly unknown, was released in a fenced area of the Jbil National Park, Tunisia. Considering the extreme desert conditions of the area, seasonal changes should affect both habitat and diet selection. Addax occurrence, habitat selection and diet were assessed using an integrative approach, and analysed with multivariate statistics. During the wet season, preferred and avoided plant species abundance were highly correlated with addax occurrence; while in the dry season, preferred plant species abundance were positively correlated with addax presence. Micro-histological analysis of faecal samples indicated differences in diet between seasons. The integrative approach proposed represents a useful contribution for decision-making in the scope of reintroduction programmes and habitat restoration measures, by facilitating the assessment of habitat suitability for endangered antelopes in arid environments.

Consular complexes on the territory of Manchuria

The article discusses the features of the formation of consular institutions on the basis of the principles laid down in the design of consular facilities in the UK and their succession by other countries. The study made it possible to identify the compositional and planning features of the sections of consular offices, which preferably adhered to a certain scheme in the planning structure that has developed in the countries of the representatives. When designing, preference was given to a complex of consular buildings located mainly in a dedicated fenced area with various functional content. The results obtained are the basis for further research on the architecture of consular offices in the cities of Manchuria located in the zone of influence of the railway during the period under review.

GROWTH FEATURES OF ABERDEEN ANGUS BREED IN DIFFERENT HOUSING TECHNOLOGIES

The article presents results of the studies of dynamics of live weight, average daily gains and relative growth rate of Aberdeen Angus bulls under different housing technologies. The purpose of the research is to establish the degree of growth parameters for cattle of Aberdeen-Angus breed in economic and technological conditions of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. Bulls of Aberdeen-Angus breed were the object of the research. Group I - year-round keeping in a fenced area, group II - stall-pasture with transfer of animals in the summer to high-mountain pastures (the length of the pasture period is 152 days). Total duration of production cycles was 18 months. The suckling period was 7 months, rearing - 9 months and intensive final fattening - 2 months. It was established that (due to differences in housing technologies), differences between individuals of different groups at the age of one year reached 18.1 kg (P> 0.95) in favor of animals located on high mountain pastures with high nutritional value of the grass stand. The superiority of this group of bulls over the peers of year-round keeping in a fenced area at the age of 16 months was 21.5 kg (P> 0.95), at the end of the fattening period -25.1 kg (P> 0.95). Over the entire period of research, as expected, the maximum average daily gain of live weight was common for Aberdeen Angus animals of remote pasture keeping - 965 g versus 919 g - ofanimals of year-round keeping in a fenced area (by 46 g, Р> 0.95) , in terms of growth energy – by 0.9% (Р>0.95). A comparative assessment of housing technologies for bulls of Aberdeen-Angus breed in economic and technological conditions of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic showed higher growth parameters in the conditions of distant-mountain keeping compared to year-round keeping in a fenced area.

Effectiveness of physical barriers in mitigating human–elephant negative interactions in North-East India

Physical barriers, like solar fences, elephant-proof trenches, stone, or rubble walls, are installed as conflict mitigation interventions in India’s major Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) ranges. However, installations lacking a priori scientific assessment of site specificity for reducing elephant incursion in the human settlements often fail in the intended goals of the resource-intensive management interventions. Since humans are central to conflict issues, research focusing on social aspects is essential for devising solutions. Despite the use of barriers in the Golaghat district in Assam, human–elephant conflict (HEC) cases are increasing, which offers an opportunity to evaluate their efficacy. Optimized hotspot analysis of the historic HEC records from 2010 to 2019 was done to check the spatial extent of the conflict and its dispersion in the district. We also assessed the efficiency of a 4.2-km long solar fence and a 2-km long elephant-proof trench through generalized linear modeling. We evaluated the encounter rates of elephant signs and other site covariates at the barrier and non-barrier sites. Multinomial logistic regression was applied to assess the perception of local people on the barriers and overall HEC in their areas based on their willingness to pay (WTP) for maintenance of the barriers. The highest cases occurred between 2016 and 2017, making up 25% of the total conflict cases. It was noticed that the extent of these hotspots was concentrated, and there was no dispersion of the conflict to other areas. Furthermore, a significant difference in the encounter rates of elephant signs between barriers and no barrier sites was observed. Solar fenced areas showed relatively lower encounter rates than areas with the trench, suggesting better efficiency of solar fencing than trench in the landscape. In addition, only five out of seven explanatory variables, viz., the persistence of HEC cases, amount of ex-gratia compensation, time taken in getting compensation, change in elephant behavior (incursion), and crop-raiding frequency significantly explained people’s perception of the barrier and non-barrier sites. According to local people, physical barriers are essential in managing HEC; hence, installing and maintaining solar fences in the high conflict hotspots is crucial for this landscape.

Temperate coppice forests in north-western Italy are resilient to wild ungulate browsing in the short to medium term

In southern European temperate forests, coppicing is a traditional form of forest management that shaped the present cultural landscape, providing multiple ecosystem services. Roe deer densities have been growing notably during the last decades mainly due to the abandonment of rural areas, changes in human land use and restocking.The impact of roe deer on coppice forests can affect the resprouting and, in turn, compromise the products and ecosystem services provided by these forests. During coppicing, stems are cut down close to the ground, where the growing shoots are exposed to deer browsing, especially during the early years following cutting.In this study, using a browsing exclusion experiment, we investigated the impact of browsing on temperate mountain hardwood coppice forests in the western Italian Alps over a period of eleven years following coppicing.We found that the impact of browsing was highest in the first two years following coppicing, with Quercus pubescens and Castanea sativa being the most affected tree species. The height of shoots was the variable that showed the biggest difference between fenced and unfenced areas. A significant negative effect of browsing on shoot height was found at the beginning of the experiment, with shoots growing in unfenced area showing the lowest height increments. After the third year, when the browsing intensity diminished, we observed the opposite trend, with shoots growing in unfenced areas showing higher height increments compared with fenced areas. A similar trend was observed also for the diameter of shoots over the course of the experiment. Eleven years after coppicing, however, the structural characteristics of the natural regeneration converged at all sites and in both fenced and unfenced areas.This study shows that coppice forests are resilient to browsing and are capable to recover growth loss within a few years after browsing has naturally diminished and stopped. The research conducted also points out the importance of medium- to long-term monitoring to assess post-disturbance dynamics and evaluate implications for management.