Preservation Of Endangered Species Research Articles

Double jeopardy: global change and interspecies competition threaten Siberian cranes.

Anthropogenic global change is precipitating a worldwide biodiversity crisis, with myriad species teetering on the brink of extinction. The Arctic, a fragile ecosystem already on the frontline of global change, bears witness to rapid ecological transformations catalyzed by escalating temperatures. In this context, we explore the ramifications of global change and interspecies competition on two arctic crane species: the critically endangered Siberian crane (Leucogeranus leucogeranus) and the non-threatened sandhill crane (Grus canadensis). How might global climate and landcover changes affect the range dynamics of Siberian cranes and sandhill cranes in the Arctic, potentially leading to increased competition and posing a greater threat to the critically endangered Siberian cranes? To answer these questions, we integrated ensemble species distribution models (SDMs) to predict breeding distributions, considering both abiotic and biotic factors. Our results reveal a profound divergence in how global change impacts these crane species. Siberian cranes are poised to lose a significant portion of their habitats, while sandhill cranes are projected to experience substantial range expansion. Furthermore, we identify a growing overlap in breeding areas, intensifying interspecies competition, which may imperil the Siberian crane. Notably, we found the Anzhu Islands may become a Siberian crane refuge under global change, but competition with Sandhill Cranes underscores the need for enhanced conservation management. Our study underscores the urgency of considering species responses to global changes and interspecies dynamics in risk assessments and conservation management. As anthropogenic pressures continue to mount, such considerations are crucial for the preservation of endangered species in the face of impending global challenges.

In Vitro Fertilization in Kazakh Whiteheaded Cattle: A Comparative Study.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) technologies have great potential in the preservation of endangered species. In the current study, an IVF experiment was carried out to evaluate whether reproductive technologies are suitable for Kazakh Whiteheaded cattle, aimed at preserving this breed whose population has reduced drastically over the last thirty years. The reproduction characteristics of Kazakh Whiteheaded cows were compared to Aberdeen Angus cows. Transvaginal ultrasound-guided ovum pick up sessions were carried out followed by in vitro embryo production and embryo transfer and pregnancy diagnosis. The total and viable oocytes per OPU procedure were 12.8 ± 1.18 and 8.7 ± 0.85 for the Aberdeen Angus breed, and 8.8 ± 1.04 and 6.2 ± 0.83 for the Kazakh Whiteheaded breed. Similarly, the mean number of cleaved oocytes and morula/blastocyst stage embryos produced by OPU/IVF were 4.8 ± 0.49 and 1.4 ± 0.15 for the Aberdeen Angus breed, and 2.4 ± 0.46 and 0.18 ± 0.05 for the Kazakh Whiteheaded breed (p ≤ 0.02). From fifty Kazakh Whiteheaded donor animals, 2585 oocytes were aspirated following six ovum pick up sessions. One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six (72.5%) oocytes were chosen for maturation and were further fertilized. The number of embryos cleaved was 720 (38.3% out of oocytes fertilized) on day four post-fertilization. Of these cleaved embryos, 56 (7.5%) developed into the late morula/blastocyst stage on day seven post-fertilization, averaging 1.12 embryos per donor animal. Pregnancy was detected in 12 recipients; 4 healthy calves have been born to date. The outcomes of our study have demonstrated that reproductive technologies can be applicable in preserving the endangered Kazakh Whiteheaded cattle. The findings in this report will enhance knowledge of the reproductive characteristics of endangered domestic animals and help develop sophisticated reproductive protocols for animals with unique reproductive mechanisms.

The effects of augmented reality on students’ perceptions, awareness, and attitudes toward sustainability of endangered animals

Preserving endangered animals is one effort whose importance should be instilled early. To realize that the education sector is regarded as a crucial sector. This effort can be realized by building and developing elementary students’ perceptions, awareness, and attitudes toward endangered animals. This study aimed to enhance the perceptions, awareness, and attitudes of elementary students toward endangered animals in Indonesia by leveraging augmented reality. This study was conducted using a quasi-experimental method with five treatments. This research involved 352 elementary school students in West Java, Indonesia. Three types of questionnaires were used to collect data. The research findings are that the perceptions, awareness, and attitudes of elementary students toward the preservation of endangered species have improved. The most significant improvement is seen in students’ perceptions. Therefore, this study concludes that augmented reality is effective in enhancing the perceptions, awareness, and attitudes of elementary students toward the preservation of endangered animals in Indonesia. Keywords: Attitude; augmented reality; awareness; endangered animal; perception, sustainability.

Changes of an endangered population of Iris dichotoma after conservation translocation in Taeanhaean National Park, Korea

Sustainable habitats play a significant role in determining the survival and habitat preservation of endangered species. To conserve the endangered species <i>Iris dichotoma</i> Pall. and its habitat in Taeanhaean National Park, we collected seeds from a natural population and germinated and propagated them in a greenhouse. In 2019, the propagated individuals of <i>I. dichotoma</i> were transplanted at two study sites in Taeanhaean National Park. After conservation translocation, annual monitoring was conducted from 2020 to 2022, and factors related to the survival and growth of <i>I. dichotoma</i> (clonal propagation rate [%], the flowering rate [%], the population density [individual/m<sup>2</sup>], the maximum leaf bundle length [height; cm], the maximum leaf bundle width [cm], and the pedicel length [cm]) were measured. According to the results of the monitoring of the flowering and fruiting periods for three years after transplantation, 82.4% of individuals in total were found to have survived. During 2020 to 2022, the mean population density (individual/m<sup>2</sup>) increased from 0.36 to 0.42 and the size of the leaf bundle length and the width both decreased compared to the corresponding figures in 2019 (p < 0.05). According to the findings here, the transplanted population of <i>I. dichotoma</i> is considered to have adapted successfully to its new site in Taeanhaean National Park.

First sex modification case in equine cloning.

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is an asexual reproductive technique where cloned offspring contain the same genetic material as the original donor. Although this technique preserves the sex of the original animal, the birth of sex-reversed offspring has been reported in some species. Here, we report for the first time the birth of a female foal generated by SCNT of a male nuclear donor. After a single SCNT procedure, 16 blastocysts were obtained and transferred to eight recipient mares, resulting in the birth of two clones: one male and one female. Both animals had identical genetic profiles, as observed in the analysis of 15-horse microsatellite marker panel, which confirmed they are indeed clones of the same animal. Cytogenetic analysis and fluorescent in situ hybridization using X and Y specific probes revealed a 63,X chromosome set in the female offspring, suggesting a spontaneous Y chromosome loss. The identity of the lost chromosome in the female was further confirmed through PCR by observing the presence of X-linked markers and absence of Y-linked markers. Moreover, cytogenetic and molecular profiles were analyzed in blood and skin samples to detect a possible mosaicism in the female, but results showed identical chromosomal constitutions. Although the cause of the spontaneous chromosome loss remains unknown, the possibility of equine sex reversal by SCNT holds great potential for the preservation of endangered species, development of novel breeding techniques, and sportive purposes.

Bovid Interspecies Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer with Ooplasm Transfer.

Interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) contributes to the preservation of endangered species, albeit nuclear-mitochondrial incompatibilities constrain its application. iSCNT, coupled with ooplasm transfer (iSCNT-OT), has the potential to overcome the challenges associated with species- and genus-specific differences in nuclear-mitochondrial communication. Our iSCNT-OT protocol combines the transfer of both bison (Bison bison bison) somatic cell and oocyte ooplasm by a two-step electrofusion into bovine (Bos taurus) enucleated oocytes. The procedures described herein could be used in further studies to determine the effects of crosstalk between nuclear and ooplasmic components in embryos carrying genomes from different species.

Martin Weitzman: A Gift That Keeps on Giving

Martin Weitzman: A Gift That Keeps on Giving

A Panoramic Innovation Paradigm for Eco-Sustainability in Infrastructure Megaprojects

A mega transportation project often crosses natural reserves and habitat zones of species. Preservation of endangered species has always been a challenge. This article presents a panoramic innovation paradigm for improving a megaproject's eco-sustainability. The paradigm structures the innovative solutions in four categories of organizational, strategic, technological, and management innovations along the three phases of a project's lifecycle of initialization, construction, and maintenance. The implementation of the solutions in the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge has successfully preserved the endangered Chinese white dolphin ( <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Sousa chinensis</i> ) by increasing its population by 50% from 1200 in 2009 when the project was started to 1890 in 2016 when the project was completed. The panoramic innovation paradigm can provide useful insight and guidance to similar megaprojects around the world.

Dynamics of Environmental Conservation Agriculture (ECA) Utilization among Fujioka Farmers in Japan with High Biodiversity Conservation Awareness but Low ECA Interest

Japan aims to be carbon-neutral by 2050 by targeting various sectors including agriculture. One of the main strategies in this sector to mitigate climate change effects is environmental conservation agriculture (ECA); however, ECA utilization remains low in most of Japan’s prefectures to this date. To address this problem and to know what factors influence ECA adoption, we collected data from Fujioka city, Gunma prefecture, which has low ECA utilization but has high biodiversity conservation efforts. Using factor analysis and binary logistic regression, two major themes emerged by which ECA continuation can be increased, namely: farmers’ intent to improve their local/global environment and to enhance their production. The study highlighted the importance of ECA information dissemination as evidenced by the presence of a knowledge gap on how ECA translates into climate change advocacies. The promotion of farmer-consumer market channels and extension of ECA products in local industries by government and non-government institutions are also recommended to strengthen rural-urban linkages in the area. Increasing the ECA uptake of farmers would also have a positive impact on the ongoing preservation of endangered yaritanago fish species in Fujioka. Lastly, the results from this study highlight the heterogeneity of factors that affect any given farming community with respect to the strategies that can effectively drive ECA adoption.

Gastrointestinal parasites in captive wild animals from two Brazilian Zoological Gardens

Keeping animals in zoos is important for the preservation of endangered species. However, captive animals can also be affected by different species of parasites. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in wild and exotic animals from two zoos in the state of Sergipe, Northeastern Brazil. Fecal samples were obtained by spontaneous defecation of 287 specimens, grouped into mammals (n = 101), birds (n = 99), and reptiles (n = 87). The samples were assessed using two techniques, Mini-FLOTAC and Ziehl-Neelsen, to identify helminths and protozoa, respectively. In total, 60.2% (173/287) of the animals evaluated were positive for some type of gastrointestinal parasite. Among the classes evaluated, mammals (81.1%; 82/101; p-value &lt;0.0001) were mostly affected, followed by birds (56.6%; 56/99) and reptiles (40.2%; 35/87). Furthermore, our findings showed that the parasites Ancylostomatidae and coccidian oocysts were the most abundant among the species. It is important to highlight the first record of some parasites in species in the South America, such as: Ancylostomatidae in Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) and Brown Bear (Ursus arctos); Toxascaris leonina in Leo (Panthera leo); and Trichostrongyloidea and Ascarididae in Equus quagga burchellii and Lama glama. Taken together, our data showed a high occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in captive animals, including zoonotic species, which may pose a risk to animal and human public health.

Preserving Rare and Endangered Calcific Steppe-Dwelling East-European Species ex situ

We have summed up the results of experimental efforts for preserving threatened and endangered calcific steppe-dwelling East-European species in the N V Tsitsin Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The results of experiments carried out since 2009 on the preservation of rare and endangered calcephilic-steppe species of Eastern Europe, which require alternative methods of protection, including in connection with the suppression of their populations in modern reserves of Russia, are presented in the conditions of the RAS GBS. The previous experience and methods of organizing such collections and expositions are analyzed. The main factors that negatively affect the life cycle of species at our point of introduction are identified, among them are inappropriate cultural conditions and competition that determine the duration of the existence of samples, that is, their stability. In this regard, it is proposed to create a system of specialized rockeries that imitate the characteristic natural habitats of various calciphilic communities: outcrops of rocky limestone, outcrops of writing chalk or calcareous soils. The developed approaches made it possible to study ex situ the peculiarities of adaptation of more than 170 rare and stenotopic plant species, mainly difficult in terms of cultivation. As a result of observations during the research period, preliminary results of their cultivation were summed up and the following ratio of species in the groups of introduction resistance was revealed: unstable (8%), weakly resistant (15%), resistant (40%), highly resistant (37%), that is, positive results were obtained for almost 80% of species undergoing a full life cycle in Moscow. The research results can find practical application not only in the creation of such collections in botanical gardens, but also for the restoration of populations of protected species in anthropogenically disturbed natural habitats.

Analisis Kebijakan Pemerintah Dalam Perlindungan Satwa Langka Di Indonesia

Protection and management of conservation, biodiversity and ecosystems in Indonesia is very necessary, one of that is the protection of endangered species. The existence of endemic species in a conservation area can be an indicator that the protection and management of the area is running well and sustainable. The area of ​​Indonesia's original natural forests is currently shrinking rapidly. So now animals life is increasingly threatened because of human growth that is more rapidly and human civilization that more sophisticated. Therefore, this journal aims to analyze the protection and preservation of endangered species in Indonesia’s by using normative legal research methods. The approach method in this research is a statute approach with secondary data sources. The secondary data referred to include primary legal materials, secondary legal materials, and tertiary legal materials.

25th ANNIVERSARY OF CLONING BY SOMATIC-CELL NUCLEAR TRANSFER: Nuclear transfer and the development of genetically modified/gene edited livestock.

The birth and adult development of 'Dolly' the sheep, the first mammal produced by the transfer of a terminally differentiated cell nucleus into an egg, provided unequivocal evidence of nuclear equivalence among somatic cells. This ground-breaking experiment challenged a long-standing dogma of irreversible cellular differentiation that prevailed for over a century and enabled the development of methodologies for reversal of differentiation of somatic cells, also known as nuclear reprogramming. Thanks to this new paradigm, novel alternatives for regenerative medicine in humans, improved animal breeding in domestic animals and approaches to species conservation through reproductive methodologies have emerged. Combined with the incorporation of new tools for genetic modification, these novel techniques promise to (i) transform and accelerate our understanding of genetic diseases and the development of targeted therapies through creation of tailored animal models, (ii) provide safe animal cells, tissues and organs for xenotransplantation, (iii) contribute to the preservation of endangered species, and (iv) improve global food security whilst reducing the environmental impact of animal production. This review discusses recent advances that build on the conceptual legacy of nuclear transfer and – when combined with gene editing – will have transformative potential for medicine, biodiversity and sustainable agriculture. We conclude that the potential of these technologies depends on further fundamental and translational research directed at improving the efficiency and safety of these methods.

The Vera Causa of Endangered Species Legislation: Alfred Newton and the Wild Bird Preservation Acts, 1869–1894

During the mid-nineteenth century, the eminent British zoologist Alfred Newton recognized that some of the ideas embedded in Origin of Species provided new scientific rationales for the preservation of endangered species. He then embarked on a twenty-five-year-long campaign for law reforms and successfully lobbied Parliament to enact three new statutes for the preservation of endangered wild birds that gave priority to the scientific value of rare species. The account of Newton's campaign presented in this article helps to locate Newton in the nineteenth century conservation movement, while also shining a side light on the relationship between conservation science and policy-making more generally, including the variety of voices and approaches taken to conservation in the UK and US. Today, as we pursue new regulatory responses to critical environmental issues, such as biodiversity loss and climate change, the history of Newton's campaign offers an early example of a successful approach to science-based law reform. It also shows how some of the issues that Newton and his contemporaries confronted at the science-policy interface in the nineteenth century are enduring and remain relevant today, including debates about; the role of scientist-advocates in policy-making, the criteria that make science advice effective, and whether the "democratization" of science leads to better policy decisions.

Conservation of endangered species through somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)

Currently, the conservation of biodiversity is a pressing issue due to the extinction and endangerment of many species. There are multiple reasons for the extinction or endangerment of species including anthropogenic (poaching, hunting, and deforestation) and natural causes (forest fire, invasion of non-local species, climate change, and global warming). The somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is an emerging tactic, which requires the nucleus from a donor somatic cell, which is transferred to the enucleated oocyte in vitro, for the conservation of biodiversity, especially related to the wildlife which is gradually decreasing with the fear of extinction. Somatic cell nuclear transfer has a broad spectrum of potential applications, including the rescue of endangered species, the resurrection of extinct species, the production of transgenic animals, drug production, and regenerative medicine. Reproductive cloning of animals by SCNT can also offer permanent gene editing, genetic modification, and gene derives for the production of species adaptive to their native habitats and the destruction of unwanted invasive species. The overall potential of this technique has not been explored yet, probably due to its limitations. In this review, we discussed cloning through SCNT, the preservation of endangered species through SCNT, and the use of modern genetical concepts in SCNT for the preservation of biodiversity.

Donor-derived spermatogenesis following stem cell transplantation in sterile NANOS2 knockout males

Spermatogonial stem cell transplantation (SSCT) is an experimental technique for transfer of germline between donor and recipient males that could be used as a tool for biomedical research, preservation of endangered species, and dissemination of desirable genetics in food animal populations. To fully realize these potentials, recipient males must be devoid of endogenous germline but possess normal testicular architecture and somatic cell function capable of supporting allogeneic donor stem cell engraftment and regeneration of spermatogenesis. Here we show that male mice, pigs, goats, and cattle harboring knockout alleles of the NANOS2 gene generated by CRISPR-Cas9 editing have testes that are germline ablated but otherwise structurally normal. In adult pigs and goats, SSCT with allogeneic donor stem cells led to sustained donor-derived spermatogenesis. With prepubertal mice, allogeneic SSCT resulted in attainment of natural fertility. Collectively, these advancements represent a major step toward realizing the enormous potential of surrogate sires as a tool for dissemination and regeneration of germplasm in all mammalian species.

ИЗОГЕНЕЗ ЕКСПЛАНТІВ SILENE HYPANICA KLOKOV ТА ЇХ АДАПТАЦІЯ ДО УМОВ EX VITRO

Among the conservation measures related to the preservation of plant diversity, an important place belongs to the creation and preservation of rare and endangered species in the crop conditions. Thus, the species Silene hypanica Klokov is under threat of extinction. This relict and endemic species is listed in the Red book of Ukraine, the European Red list, and 6th Resolution of the Berne Convention. Prospects for the conservation of this species are related to the study of its viability and require the development of effective methods of reproduction, in particular in vitro crop. The article presents the results of studies of one of the breeding stages in vitro – rhizogenesis of S. hypanica esplants and its dependence on the concentrations of β-indolyl butyric acid in nutrient media (0,1; 0,5; 1,0; 1,5; 2,0 mg / l), followed by adaptation of regenerating plants to ex vitro conditions. The study showed that the active process of rhizogenesis occurred due to the addition of β-IMC to the nutrient medium at a concentration of 0.5 mg/l and contributed to the production of 86.4 % of rooted regenerating plants. &#x0D; Transplanting rooted plants into peat disks and then growing them in containers contributed to the successful adaptation of rooted plants.

Corona II – eclipse

Corona II – eclipse

Equilibration in freezing extender alters in vitro sperm–oviduct binding in the domestic cat (Felis catus)

For the preservation of endangered felid species, epididymal sperm may be received from valuable individuals after castration or death and they need to be cryopreserved for storage. However, pregnancy rates with epididymal or cryopreserved sperm are lower than with ejaculated and non-frozen semen even if insemination is surgically performed into the oviduct.To investigate whether equilibration, the first step of the cryopreservation procedure, has an impact on sperm-oviduct binding, we generated oviduct epithelial cell vesicles from isthmus segments of preovulatory domestic cats. Binding assays were performed with epididymal sperm in a cell culture medium (M199) without supplements, or after cooling to 15 °C in a freezing extender (TestG), supplemented with glycerol and the water-soluble fraction of hen’s egg yolk mainly comprising LDL. The sperm-oviduct binding was assessed both quantitatively and qualitatively (head or tail binding of sperm with active or inactive mitochondria).Most of the bound sperm prepared in M199 had active mitochondria and were attached to the vesicles by their heads. In equilibrated samples, the proportion of bound sperm with active mitochondria and the proportion of head-bound spermatozoa were reduced. The total motility of the sperm after 1 h of incubation in the absence or presence of vesicles were also affected by the preparation (higher in equilibrated) and the incubation (lower in co-incubated), while mitochondrial activity was influenced just by the preparation. Obviously, LDL has a beneficial effect on sperm motility, but we suggest that it interferes with the molecular sperm-oviduct crosstalk and causes a reduced binding of “good” sperm.

Isolation, characterization, in vitro expansion and transplantation of Caspian trout (Salmo caspius) type a spermatogonia

Sprmatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are valuable for preservation of endangered fish species, biological experimentation, as well as biotechnological applications. However, the rarity of SSCs in the testes has been a great obstacle in their application. Thus, establishment of an efficient in-vitro culture system to support continuous proliferation of SSCs is essential. The present study aimed to establish an efficient and simple method for in vitro culture of Caspian trout undifferentiated spermatogonial cells. Using a two-step enzymatic digestion, testicular cells were isolated from immature testes composed of mainly undifferentiated spermatogonial cells with gonadosomatic indices of <0.05%. The spermatogonial cells were purified by differential plating through serial passaging. The purified cells indicated high expression of type A spermatogonia-related genes (Ly75, Gfrα1, Nanos2, Plzf and Vasa). Proliferation of purified cells was confirmed by BrdU incorporation. Co-culture of purified cells with testicular somatic cells as a feeder layer, resulted in continuous proliferation of type A spermatogonia. The cultured cells continued to express type A spermatogonia-specific markers after one month culture. The cultured spermatogonia were successfully incorporated into the germline after being intraperitoneally transplanted into sterile triploid rainbow trout hatchlings. These results, for the first time, demonstrated that the somatic microenvironment of the rainbow trout gonad can support the colonization and survival of intraperitoneally transplanted cells derived from a fish species belonging to a different genus. Therefore, the combination of in vitro culture system and xenotransplantation can be considered as a promising strategy for conservation of Caspian trout genetic resources.