Frame Of Project Research Articles

Non-invasive characterization of the manufacturing process of a Nuragic bronze statuette: a Neutron Imaging study

The Nuragic civilization (Sardinia, Italy, XVIII–VIII Cen. B.C) developed a flourishing bronze metallurgy. The production of Nuragic bronze figurines from Sardinia represents a rich historical archive that provides key information about the iconography, the metal production and casting techniques, and on the development of metallurgy in the Mediterranean basin. Since the question about their manufacturing method remains without definitive answer, the understanding of the Sardinian bronze metallurgy is essential to determine which manufacturing techniques were employed to produce complex bronze artefacts. In the frame of a wider research project relating to Nuragic bronzes, four artefacts, three anthropomorphic statuettes (a warrior, a priestess, and an offering figure), and one miniature of a basket, were made available by Museo Nazionale Preistorico “L. Pigorini” (Roma, IT). In this work we present the results of the analyses conducted on a bronze figurine depicting an iconic type of Nuragic figure: the Priestess. The analysis was performed using White Beam Neutron Tomography (NT) and Bragg Edge Neutron Transmission (BENT) at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) (Villigen, CH). Neutron techniques are nowadays the only available approach for revealing, non-destructively and with good spatial resolution, the morphological and microstructural properties within the whole volume of solid cast metallic artefacts such as this bronze statuette. This work presents the result of a non-invasive analytical investigation on an archaeological bronze artefact, providing outstanding results: from a quantitative analysis of the composition to an in-depth morphological and microstructural analysis capable of unveiling details on the ancient casting methods of the statuette.

A critical review to identify data gaps and improve risk assessment of bisphenol A alternatives for human health.

Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical widely used in the production of polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins, has been associated with a variety of adverse effects in humans including metabolic, immunological, reproductive, and neurodevelopmental effects, raising concern about its health impact. In the EU, it has been classified as toxic to reproduction and as an endocrine disruptor and was thus included in the candidate list of substances of very high concern (SVHC). On this basis, its use has been banned or restricted in some products. As a consequence, industries turned to bisphenol alternatives, such as bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF), which are now found in various consumer products, as well as in human matrices at a global scale. However, due to their toxicity, these two bisphenols are in the process of being regulated. Other BPA alternatives, whose potential toxicity remains largely unknown due to a knowledge gap, have also started to be used in manufacturing processes. The gradual restriction of the use of BPA underscores the importance of understanding the potential risks associated with its alternatives to avoid regrettable substitutions. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge on the potential hazards related to BPA alternatives prioritized by European Regulatory Agencies based on their regulatory relevance and selected to be studied under the European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC): BPE, BPAP, BPP, BPZ, BPS-MAE, and TCBPA. The focus is on data related to toxicokinetic, endocrine disruption, immunotoxicity, developmental neurotoxicity, and genotoxicity/carcinogenicity, which were considered the most relevant endpoints to assess the hazard related to those substances. The goal here is to identify the data gaps in BPA alternatives toxicology and hence formulate the future directions that will be taken in the frame of the PARC project, which seeks also to enhance chemical risk assessment methodologies using new approach methodologies (NAMs).

Measurement of sound reflection and sound insulation of installed noise barriers using the SOPRANOISE quick method

This paper presents the preliminary results of a study on the new possibilities emerging from the analysis of measurements on installed noise barriers following the quick method designed in the frame of the SOPRANOISE project. Measurements of sound reflection and sound insulation were done in laboratory on a full-scale acoustic barrier and on an acoustic barrier installed along the Brennero motorway in northern Italy. The measurements were carried out using the SOPRANOISE quick system device, designed and engineered to provide a fast and lightweight version of the Adrienne method (i.e., EN 1793-5 and EN 1793-6), and then checked by applying the standardized Adrienne method, using instrumentation and procedures validated during the round-robin test performed in the frame of the QUIESST project. The preliminary results of the measurements are presented.

The impact of marine traffic radiated underwater noise on the in the Baltic Sea

Continuous anthropogenic noise, generated by commercial shipping, is considered to exert a considerable pressure on the marine environment. Noise emitted by ships is mainly due to their propellers whose energy is predominantly at low frequencies and can interfere with the communication of marine animals. The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), has set the objective of achieving good environmental status of Europe's seas. In particular, anthropogenic underwater sound should be at a level that does not harm the marine environment. Here we present the first implementation of the new framework for assessing the environmental status of low frequency continuous noise on a basin scale, carried out in the frames of the EU-funded HELCOM BLUES project. The assessment was based on modeled levels in two 125 and 500 Hz decidecade bands deemed relevant for the indicator fish and marine mammals respectively. Sound propagation modelling, calibrated against underwater ambient noise monitoring data, results in statistical sound maps in species-specific frequency bands. The application of spatial thresholds allows the environmental status of marine areas to be determined. Factors affecting the reliability of results are discussed.

Monitoring of a fatigue test on a full-size railway steel bridge with acoustic emission

Within the frame of the Rail4Future project (https://www.rail4future.com) co-funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency, a railway steel bridge was removed from the track and transported to a workshop in one piece. Artificial defects were introduced at different sections of the bridge structure as per advice of the scientific project partners in order to initiate fatigue cracks in the course of the subsequent fatigue test. One objective of the fatigue test was to identify suitable measurement and testing techniques for monitoring of fatigue crack growth. Among other techniques utilised by different project partners, acoustic emission monitoring was applied by TÜV AUSTRIA. This contribution describes the preparation as well as the performance of the acoustic emission monitoring and the results obtained. It is shown that this non-destructive testing technique is suitable for fatigue crack monitoring.

Between Delivery and Luck: Projectification of Academic Careers and Conflicting Notions of Worth at the Postdoc Level

AbstractThis paper investigates how early career academics interpret and respond to institutional demands structured by projectification. Developing a ‘frame analytic’ approach, it explores projectification as a process constituted at the level of meaning-making. Building on 35 in-depth interviews with fixed-term scholars in political science and history, the findings show that respondents jointly referred to competition and delivery in order to make sense of their current situation. Forming what I call the project frame, these interpretive orientations were legitimized by various organizational routines within the studied departments, feeding into a dominant regime of valuation and accumulation. However, while the content of the project frame is well-defined, attempts to align with it vary, indicating the importance of disciplines and academic age when navigating project-based careers. Furthermore, this way of framing academic work and careers provokes tensions and conflicts that junior scholars try to manage. To curb their competitive relationship and enable cooperation, respondents emphasized the outcome of project funding as ‘being lucky.’ They also drew on imagined futures to envision alternative scripts of success and worth. Both empirically and conceptually, the article contributes to an understanding of academic career-making as a kind of pragmatic problem-solving, centered on navigating multiple career pressures and individual aspirations.

“Letting themselves go during care” – exploring patient autonomy during co-designed intrapartum care in a Beninese maternity ward

BackgroundPatient autonomy is central to the provision of respectful maternity care. Enabling women to make decisions free of discrimination and coercion, and respecting their privacy and confidentiality can contribute to positive childbirth experiences. This study aimed to deepen the understanding of how patient autonomy is reflected through social practices during intrapartum care in Benin.MethodsSemi-structured interviews with women and midwives, a focus-group discussion with women’s birth companions, and non-participant observations in the delivery room were conducted within the frame of the ALERT research project. This study analysed data through a reflexive thematic analysis approach, in line with Braun and Clarke.ResultsWe identified two themes and five sub-themes. Patient autonomy was systemically suppressed over the course of birth as a result of the conditions of care provision, various forms of coercion and women’s surrendering of their autonomy. Women used other care practices, such as alternative medicine and spiritual care, to counteract experiences of limited autonomy during intrapartum care.ConclusionsThe results pointed to women’s experiences of limited patient autonomy and their use of alternative and spiritual care practices to reclaim their patient autonomy. This study identified spiritual autonomy as an emergent dimension of patient autonomy. Increasing women’s autonomy during childbirth may improve their experiences of childbirth, and the provision of quality and respectful maternity care.

UAV Inspections of Power Transmission Networks with AI Technology: A Case Study of Lesvos Island in Greece

The inspection of overhead power transmission lines is of the utmost importance to ensure the power network’s uninterrupted, safe, and reliable operation. The increased demand for frequent inspections implementing efficient and cost-effective methods has emerged, since conventional manual inspections are highly inaccurate, time-consuming, and costly and have geographical and weather restrictions. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are a promising solution for managing automatic inspections of power transmission networks. The project “ALTITUDE (Automatic Aerial Network Inspection using Drones and Machine Learning)” has been developed to automatically inspect the power transmission network of Lesvos Island in Greece. The project combines drones, 5G data transmission, and state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms to replicate the power transmission inspection process using high-resolution UAV data. This paper introduces the ALTITUDE platform, created within the frame of the ALTITUDE project. The platform is a web-based, responsive Geographic Information System (GIS) that allows registered users to upload bespoke drone imagery of medium-voltage structures fed into a deep learning algorithm for detecting defects, which can be either exported as report spreadsheets or viewed on a map. Multiple experiments have been carried out to train artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to detect faults automatically.

Advances from R2CA project on reactor simulations for burst rod number evaluation during LOCA

In the frame of the “Reduction of Radiological Consequences of design basis and extension accidents” European Union’s Horizon 2020 project, a specific effort was focused on the update and the development of methodologies to assess the radiological consequences of loss-of-coolant accidents. Evaluation of the radiological consequences associated to this accident is strongly linked to the prediction of the rod burst ratio and new approaches were investigated through research and development associated to accident simulation software. Complementarily to approaches chaining system thermalhydraulic simulation to fuel performance code, approaches with integral codes ASTEC, DRACCAR and ATHLET-CD were developed respectively by ENEA, IRSN and HZDR. These applications were demonstrated on LOCA simulation for PWR and highlighted the capabilities of the tools. The ASTEC PWR model was extended by ENEA, which proposes a 2D core model with an increased number of representative fuel rods. HZDR and IRSN proposes approaches based on 3D core model which are able to capture distinctive fuel assembly responses and predict the rod burst ratio according to the distribution of rod behaviors within the core. This work highlighted several possible core models to predict the rod burst ratio and which can be used in integral tools abled to couple thermal hydraulics and thermomechanics. Advanced core models simulating the thermomechanical response of several representative rods per fuel assemblies and using 3D thermal hydraulics model are recommended due to the heterogeneities on power distribution, which impacts flow distribution. The need to model RPV in 3D was underlined by ATHLET-CD large break loss-of-coolant demonstrative case, which exhibits non-symmetric core heat-up.In addition, demonstrative cases proposed by ENEA and IRSN compared predictions obtained with the specific burst criteria developed in the frame of R2CA project and more classical one devoted to the core coolability assessment. The strong sensitivity of the rod burst ratio prediction to the burst criteria was highlighted. The need to handle uncertainties within a global methodology for rod burst ratio evaluation was underlined.Finally, throughout the development of loss-of-coolant accident applications with ASTEC, DRACCAR and ATHLET-CD, some prospects of development were identified for the codes and should bring advances for LOCA simulation and RBR predictions.

Improvement of Buildings’ Air Quality and Energy Consumption Using Air Purifying Paints

Among the existing techniques to mitigate the problem of contamination in the indoor environment, photocatalytic technology is considered to be the most promising solution in terms of effectiveness and cost. To that end, in the frame of the LIFEVISIONS project, a novel photocatalytic powder (photo-powder) was mixed in paints’ matrix, producing a photocatalytic building material (photo-paint) able to improve indoor air quality (IAQ), upon its application, without downgrading paint physical properties. As a result, of IAQ improvement, less energy will be needed from ventilation systems, addressing not only health issues related to air quality but also energy reduction targets. Many powder formulae were synthesized using different synthetic pathways, concentration of dopants, and TiO2 particles’ size. They were tested in a photocatalytic reactor (lab-scale tests), according to CEN TS 16980-1:2017, under visible light and the results showed that the most promising photocatalytic performance degrades 85.4% and 32.4% of nitrogen oxide (NO) and toluene, respectively. This one was used for the production of two different kinds of paints, organic (with organic binder) and inorganic (with potassium silicate binder), in an industrial scale. Both were tested in the Demo Houses’ prototype demonstrator (real-scale tests) with an ultimate scope to estimate their effectiveness to degrade air pollutants under real-world conditions. In addition, the reduced energy consumption as a result of less ventilation needs was calculated in Demo Houses. More specifically, the energy reduction based on simulation results on Demo Houses was more than 7%. Although lab-scale tests showed better photocatalytic performance than the real scale, the efficiency of the paints under a more complicated environment was very promising.

Methodological approach for assessing new incentives for soil health business models in EU

Soil health business models can lead to the maintenance of sustainable and competitive agriculture. The agricultural policy in the EU pursues different incentives to encourage adoption of environmentally oriented practices. Investments in soil health can lead to significant benefits not only for the environment but for society as well. The aim of this paper is to present the methodological approach for assessing new incentives for soil health business models in the frame of the NOVASOIL project. The goal is to investigate the opportunities and gaps of new incentives for redirection of financial streams and policy support measures for provision of innovative soil health technologies. The methodology includes two phases. The first one comprises of targeting new incentives for soil health and then identifying the corresponding gaps and opportunities. The second one continues the analysis with assessing the selected incentives with the BOCR-ANP model.

Poziomy zewnętrznych dawek promieniowania gamma w wybranych miejscach w Rumunii, Mołdawii i Grecji

The study presents a synthesis of results obtained in the frame of international cross-border projects, implemented in partnership, for gamma radiation dose rates measured in outdoor environments in various sites in Romania, Moldova, Greece, including urban, rural, touristic and protection areas. The selected sites (n=41) are found in the Eastern Carpathians Mountains, Lower Danube basin, Danube Delta, Lower Prut River Reserve, Dniester River, as well as Black Sea and Northern Aegean Sea basins. The data recorded for targeted spots using portable dosimeters highlight an hourly and daily variation of the outdoor gamma dose rate and the specificity of the geological background and terrain utilization. The mean values of outdoor gamma radiation dose rate, calculated for 50 measurements per each site, are ranging between 71 nGy/h (Vama Veche, Constanta County, Black Sea coast, Romania) and 394 nGy/h (Nea Peramos, Ammolofoi beach, Northern Aegean Sea, Greece), with a minimum of 41 nGy/h in Vama Veche and a maximum of 489 nGy/h in Ammolofoi beach. A comparison is made with legislated values and other world places. The measurements performed at water surface during boat expeditions (n=21) on Danube River and Danube Delta lakes and channels point out lower values of dose rate, due to the weak influence of gamma rays’ emission from bottom sediments. The data of the dose rate temporal variations will be used for the target regions as a base in further investigations and preparation of maps of gamma dose rates (terrestrial and cosmic), and calculation of the health risk for inhabitants and tourists.

Multimammate rat (Mastomys erythroleucus) capture‐mark‐recapture data in Bandia (Senegal) between 1984 and 2012

AbstractLong‐term ecological data are of paramount importance to document the effects of global changes on biodiversity and dynamics of populations and communities. The site of Bandia, 70 km southeast of Dakar in western Senegal, has been the scene of numerous ecological studies since the 1970s. In the frame of projects led by researchers of the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), rodent populations were monitored at various periods using capture‐mark‐recapture (CMR) protocols on trapping grids that yielded important datasets on population dynamics and ecology of the main species present. Among them, the Guinea Multimammate Rat Mastomys erythroleucus proved to represent the dominant species. Thus, CMR data were collected on M. erythroleucus between (i) November 1975–March 1981, (ii) January 1983–October 1986, (iii) January 1997–April 2001, and (iv) June 2007–June 2012. Raw data from the 1975–1981 period were not available, but those from the three other periods are now in the IRD data repository DataSuds at https://doi.org/10.23708/YEA5AR. They represent 2556 (re)captures of 1296 M. erythroleucus individuals. They include the identity of each animal captured with some biological attributes (sex, weight at first capture, and reproductive activity), exact date and point of capture (via a trap‐specific code) at each trapping occasion, and additional comments that may help to interpret the data. This dataset concerning one of the most widespread rodent species of the Sahelo‐Sudanian bioclimatic belt provides information that can be used to address various questions such as outbreak prediction or effects of climate change. The complete data set for this abstract published in the Data Article section of the journal is also available in electronic format in MetaCat in JaLTER at http://db.cger.nies.go.jp/JaLTER/metacat/metacat/ERDP-2024-05.1/jalter-en.

A multicriteria protocol for the set-up and long-term monitoring of a pilot project for the restoration of alpine vegetation threatened by climate change

Climate change triggers changes of vegetation floristic composition, physiognomy and even the onset of new successional pathways, requiring adequate, robust and replicable methodological approaches to properly track these changes. In tundra ecosystems woody plants are encroaching into grasslands and snowbeds, inducing their gradual regression. “Back from the Future” is a pilot project performing selective shrub removal from grasslands and snowbeds in the Italian Central Alps to contrast climate-driven shrub encroachment and promote the recovery and active conservation of vegetation communities.Here we propose a multi-criteria research protocol providing a quantitative tool for: a) the set-up of the manipulation experiment; b) the assessment of the full comparability of manipulation and control areas; c) the long-term monitoring of the efficiency of the manipulation experiment. The experiment was carried out in three study sites (Braulio, Cedec, Sforzellina) across an elevation gradient from the subalpine to the nival belts in the Italian Central Alps. At each study site we identified a control and a manipulation zone to assess the efficiency of the manipulation experiment compared to the natural ecosystem dynamics.The multi-criteria research protocol integrates different sampling approaches: mapping and morphological characterization of trees and shrubs; phytosociological survey of permanent plots; grid-point intercept survey of permanent plots; line-intercept survey along transects; allometric shrub measurements along transects.Our data show that this protocol is applicable to different vegetation types, across different elevation belts, and is suitable to match different targets and/or bioindicators of change. Indeed, the limitations of each selected method when individually applied can be overcome by their combination. Our data demonstrate the full comparability of the control and manipulation zone at each of the three study sites in terms of species richness, floristic composition, species coverage, shrub characteristics and volume.Our results supported the feasibility of this protocol as tool for the set-up of the experiment, to assess the full comparability of control and manipulation zones, and perform a detailed monitoring of the effects and the feasibility of the restoration action and the success and efficiency of this pilot project. The protocol elaborated in the frame of this pilot project could be exported beyond the local context and applied to similar mountain regions, especially in the European Alps, for the planning, set up and monitoring of good land management practices aiming to climate change mitigation.

Assessment of Fiber Bragg Grating sensors for monitoring induced strains on the draft tube cone of hydraulic turbines

Abstract In hydraulic turbines, several flow instabilities can take place inside the draft tube cone during off-design and transient operating conditions such as the rotating vortex rope which can severely damage the structure if sustained in time. In the frame of the AFC4Hydro H2020 research project, an extensive measurement campaign has been carried out to monitor and predict this rotating vortex rope phenomenon in a reduced scale Kaplan turbine model at the Vattenfall Research and Development facility in Älvkarleby, Sweden. The hydraulic turbine model has been operated in propeller mode with a fixed blade angle corresponding to its best efficiency point. Several sensors have been placed along the test stand to monitor vibrations, strains and pressures. Concretely, the present paper assesses the performance of using Fiber Bragg Grating sensors to measure the strains induced on the draft tube cone walls with high-spatial resolution in three different zones of influence: the upper and lower flanges and the vertical cone wall between the runner outlet and the elbow. To do so, a total of 3 arrays embedding a total of 48 Fiber Bragg Grating sensors were glued inside three grooves previously machined on these particular areas of the draft tube cone. Analysing the frequency response of the different Fiber Bragg Grating sensors, the strain patterns induced by the rotating and plunging components of the rotating vortex rope have been precisely determined. Moreover, their impacts at the different part load conditions tested have also been quantified.

ALGORITHM FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF MENTORSHIP SUPPORT FOR WAR VETERANS IN A TERRITORIAL COMMUNITY

In the article there have been studied issues and needs that war veterans and defenders of Ukraine have after demobilization from the service and return to civil life as well as flaws of the acting system of social protection for combatants and persons with disability caused by war. There have been presented the results of implementation of the social project «Mentors for veterans», which has been carried out by the non-governmental organization «Youth institute» in Uzyn municipal territorial community (Kyiv region) in 2023–2024. Under this project, there has been developed and tested the implementation mechanism for mentorship (assistance) institution for veterans at the level of the territorial community, that, at the same time, requires the implementation of three interdependent components, such as: informing local authorities and citizens of the community about the existing problem in transition of veterans to civil life and possible solutions; selection and training of mentors / assistants for veterans; implementation of the mentorship support for veterans on the level of the territorial community. In the article one can find a sequence order for development of a reference book, which includes reliable data about facilities and institutions that work with veterans, defenders of Ukraine and members of their families in the territorial community. This reference book will be useful for specialists in the social sphere during development of the system for information and mentorship support of military servants, who have been dismissed due to health conditions and / or family circumstances and undergo transition to civil life. In the article the sequence of involvement and training of mentors for veterans, contents of the training program for mentors have been explained. The algorithm of mentorship support for veterans, defenders of Ukraine and their family members in the territorial community that has been developed within the framework of the project covers the organization of the interaction between a mentor / an assistant and a veteran in the following order: establishment of contacts with experts in the social sphere, who work with veterans; the first meeting with the veteran (acquaintance, collection of information on needs / issues of veterans; keeping in touch / mentorship support of veterans); support in case of problematic situations; finalization of interaction with the veteran. The algorithm of mentorship support for veterans has been implemented in Uzyn municipal territorial community (Kyiv region) and that has allowed identifying the main conditions for efficient implementation of the mentorship (assistance) institution for veterans in the territorial community. Methodical and organizational forms developed and tested within the project frame will be useful for specialists in the social sphere during development of methodical recommendations and implementation of the assistance institution in the period of transition from military service to civil life and provision of the appropriate social services.

Individual, Vocational, and Societal Dimensions of Relevance of Science Education

The relevance of science education and its individual, societal, and vocational dimensions is important issues for the modern learning and teaching process in many countries. These dimensions are considered based on the data obtained from 1541 Georgian students. The study was conducted within the frames of the international ROSES project. The structure analysis of the ROSES questionnaire was conducted to define scales and individual items, which then were processed accordingly and relevant conclusions were drawn. The study findings reveal that Georgian students from basic and secondary schools demonstrate motivation and interest in learning science, participate in extracurricular activities, use social media for study aims, are concerned about environmental problems, and consider science classes interesting. However, the levels of interest, motivation, and positive attitudes are not high and the correlations between them are weak. The study shows that the vocational and societal dimensions of the relevance of science education are relatively better represented in our sample, but the individual dimension lags behind. Both structural and content findings might serve educators from similar contexts.

Places of Learning: A Discussion of Radcliffe’s Framework for Learning Spaces in Light of Merleau-Ponty’s Phenomenology

This paper presents a discussion of Radcliffe’s pedagogy-space-technology (PST) framework for the development, implementation, and evaluation of learning spaces in light of Merleau-Ponty’s Phenomenology of Perception. The following research questions have guided the theoretical discussion: In which ways can Merleau-Ponty’s body-subject phenomenology enlighten Radcliffe’s framework? How can Merleau-Ponty’s body-subject paradigm be integrated into the development and implementation of hybrid learning environments? The reference to an exploratory case study within the frame of a larger research project will support the theoretical argumentation. In the study, the genesis of an innovative learning environment linked to a cross-institution master’s program located at two Norwegian universities will serve as an example.

How to Develop a Qualitative Evaluation Plan for a Complex National Intervention: Key Steps and Reflections from the RADx-UP Program

This article describes the formative process of developing and implementing a Qualitative Evaluation Plan (QEP) for a large-scale, National Institute of Health (NIH) supported program: Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics — Underserved Populations (RADx-UP). RADx-UP includes over 137 projects in the United States that aim to ensure that all Americans have access to timely, accurate diagnostics for COVID-19, with a specific focus on populations the pandemic disproportionately affects. As part of a comprehensive, mixed-methods strategic evaluation plan, our team developed the QEP. We employed qualitative methods to understand RADx-UP academic and community partners’ experiences implementing community-engaged research strategies, and to understand how projects addressed COVID-19 outreach, testing, and response efforts in-depth. This paper describes how our evaluation team developed the QEP in three phases. Within these phases, we describe our processes related to planning the QEP, sampling from a diverse frame of projects, creating interview guides, collecting interview data, analyzing data, and disseminating findings. We provide our key takeaways and lessons learned from creating a QEP for a large-scale research initiative that other researchers may consider when creating similar evaluation plans.

Rehabilitation and release of orphaned Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in Europe: Implications for management and conservation.

Rehabilitation of injured or immature individuals has become an increasingly used conservation and management tool. However, scientific evaluation of rehabilitations is rare, raising concern about post-release welfare as well as the cost-effectiveness of spending scarce financial resources. Over the past 20 years, events of juvenile Eurasian lynx presumably orphaned have been observed in many European lynx populations. To guide the management of orphaned lynx, we documented survival, rehabilitation and fate after the release and evaluated the potential relevance of lynx orphan rehabilitation for population management and conservation implications. Data on 320 orphaned lynx was collected from 1975 to 2022 from 13 countries and nine populations. The majority of orphaned lynx (55%) were taken to rehabilitation centres or other enclosures. A total of 66 orphans were released back to nature. The portion of rehabilitated lynx who survived at least one year after release was 0.66. Release location was the best predictor for their survival. Of the 66 released lynx, ten have reproduced at least once (8 females and 2 males). Conservation implications of rehabilitation programmes include managing genetic diversity in small, isolated populations and reintroducing species to historical habitats. The lynx is a perfect model species as most reintroduced populations in Central Europe show significantly lower observed heterozygosity than most of the autochthonous populations, indicating that reintroduction bottlenecks, isolation and post-release management have long-term consequences on the genetic composition of populations. The release of translocated orphans could be a valuable contribution to Eurasian lynx conservation in Europe. It is recommended to release orphans at the distribution edge or in the frame of reintroduction projects instead of a release in the core area of a population where it is not necessary from a demographic and genetic point of view. Rehabilitation programmes can have conservation implications that extend far beyond individual welfare benefits.