Protection Of Endangered Species Research Articles

Beyond the 'Protected Area' Paradigm in Conservation: Exploring India's Forest Legislation as a New Conservation Model for Developing Countries.

To achieve global biodiversity targets, expanding protected area (PA) networks has been regarded as a major strategy in international commitments. However, the PA strategy often fails to achieve its objective - preserving biodiversity and ecosystem services. In addition, the expansion of PA areas could replicate and amplify historical injustices such as forced evictions, state-led physical violence, assimilation of culture and loss of traditional ecological knowledge, affecting communities' livelihood, quality of life and rights. There is an increasing consensus that the post-2020 biodiversity conservation framework should be rights-based and sensitive to the role and contributions of local communities towards achieving the PAs' targets. India's Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006 may be considered a useful framework for biodiversity conservation in the context of this new conservation vision. It puts local people at the centre stage, making them active participants in designing and managing conservation. PAs following 'fortress conservation' approach were based on the flawed idea that human interference endangers biodiversity and therefore habitats should be preserved by force if required. Such an idea contradicts the recent understanding that ecosystems once perceived as 'wilderness', have been transformed by people. PAs undermine the intricate and intertwined relationship of humans with their immediate ecosystem. The conservation model proposed by FRA 2006, on the other hand, recognises local communities as an integral part of ecosystem and thereby acknowledges people's rights and agency in conservation. It ensures locals' equitable benefits from economic activities, and provides equitable opportunities to participate in decision-making. Though various provisions under FRA empowered local people in conservation, it faces various challenges during the implementation on the ground. It is argued that a clear and appropriate institutional arrangement specifying various stakeholders' power, roles and responsibilities in the conservation and management of bioresources (including the protection of endangered species) should be developed for transformative change in biodiversity conservation.

Harnessing Intellectual Property Rights for Endangered Species Conservation: Balancing Innovation with Biodiversity Protection

Protection of endangered species has now become an essential priority worldwide due to alarming rates of biodiversity destruction, largely because of habitat destruction, climate variation, pollution, and over-exploitation. Conventional conservation methods include protective legislation, habitat preservation, and international agreements. However, Intellectual Property Rights, hereinafter referred to as IPR, has emerged over the past few decades as an increasingly powerful yet complex tool for nature conservation. IPR can take the form of legal protections through the use of patents, trademarks, copyrights, and geographical indications that provide an incentive for the innovation and development of technologies that directly or indirectly assist in species conservation. Examples include Patents on the utilization of biotechnological innovations, such as genetically modified organisms engineered to increase the survival of threatened species, cloning, and cryopreservation techniques to preserve genetic material; and Trademarks to promote wildlife-friendly products. While IPR has great potential to boost the course of conservation, it is by no means devoid of challenges. Some of the major issues include ethical issues regarding the commodification of varieties of life, rights to genetic resources, and benefits sharing with Indigenous communities and countries rich in biodiversity. It, therefore, requires a careful balance between the drive for innovation and the imperative to protect biodiversity, and international frameworks navigate the complexities arising-in particular, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol. This paper discusses the intersection of IPR and conservation through an analysis of legal regimes governing the area, benefits, and challenges associated with IPR in conservation, and ethical debates shaping its application. The paper points out, through case studies and legal precedents, how IPR can be made to align with the bigger conservation goals so that protection accorded to endangered species is sustainable and yet encourages innovation. Findings highlight that although IPR may act as a catalyst for technological advances supportive of conservation, it needs to be implemented with clear guidelines, ethical oversight, and strong international collaboration in order not to produce unintended consequences. The needed directions include the strengthening of regulatory frameworks, raising awareness, and equitable benefit-sharing to balance IPR with conservation goals. If managed judiciously, the ultimate synergy between IPR and conservation strategies promises to unleash innovations that could go a long way toward protecting and preserving the most threatened species of the world.

The Sustainable Taman Nasional Gunung Gede Pangrango Ecotourism Policy Scheme

The environmental damage of Taman Nasional Gunung Gede Pangrango (TNGGP) is triggered by visitors or the local community, it can threaten the sustainability of the ecotourism area and disrupt the stability of the ecological are functions. The solving of existing problems is the forming of sustainable ecotourism development policy, that it can preserve and preserve the ecotourism area of TNGGP. This study method was descriptive. The research was analyzed by Analytic Hierarchy Process. AHP is one of the tools to formulate the priorities policies among many intangible factors. The needed ecotourism policy ware TNGGP area conservation, increasing the role of the local community around TNGGP and the enhancing unique ecological experiences for visitors policy. The ecotourism policies must apply based on priority of TNGGP ecosystem protection and preservation, protection of vulnerable ecosystems, activities to improve community welfare around TNGGP, protection of unique and endangered species, providing environmental education to visitors and local community around the TNGPP, management's efforts towards TNGGP entry rates, fostering TNGGP staff to improve services for visitors, and unique ecotourism experience activities and environmental awareness raising for all stakeholders in TNGGP.

Spatial and Seasonal Changes in Microbial Community of Hynobius amjiensis Breeding Pools in a Sphagnum-Dominated Peatland.

Peatlands deliver a variety of beneficial ecosystem services, particularly serving as habitats for a diverse array of species. Hynobius amjiensis is a critically endangered amphibian initially discovered in a Sphagnum-dominated peatland in Anji, China. The unique habitat requirements of H. amjiensis make it highly vulnerable to environmental changes. Here, we investigated the different breeding pools of H. amjiensis in the Sphagnum-dominated peatland (the type locality) for a one-year period to evaluate the interactions among the egg sacs present, water quality, and microbial communities (16S and 18S rRNA gene amplicon). The numbers of egg sacs were higher in the breeding pools located at the marginal area than those at the core area of the peatland. Similarly, the α-diversity of bacteria, fungi, and protists were lower in the core region compared to those at the edge of the peatland, perhaps due to water eutrophication. The microbial communities and water quality differed significantly among breeding pools and sampling months. The simpler microbial networks of the breeding pools in the core wetland may impact the numbers and health of the egg sacs. This study contributes to a better understanding of the effect of water quality on biodiversity in peatlands, and it can also guide regulations for wetland conservation and the protection of endangered species.

The devil is in the detail: Environmental variables frequently used for habitat suitability modeling lack information for forest-dwelling bats in Germany.

In response to the pressing challenges of the ongoing biodiversity crisis, the protection of endangered species and their habitats, as well as the monitoring of invasive species are crucial. Habitat suitability modeling (HSM) is often treated as the silver bullet to address these challenges, commonly relying on generic variables sourced from widely available datasets. However, for species with high habitat requirements, or for modeling the suitability of habitats within the geographic range of a species, variables at a coarse level of detail may fall short. Consequently, there is potential value in considering the incorporation of more targeted data, which may extend beyond readily available land cover and climate datasets. In this study, we investigate the impact of incorporating targeted land cover variables (specifically tree species composition) and vertical structure information (derived from LiDAR data) on HSM outcomes for three forest specialist bat species (Barbastella barbastellus, Myotis bechsteinii, and Plecotus auritus) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, compared to commonly utilized environmental variables, such as generic land-cover classifications (e.g., Corine Land Cover) and climate variables (e.g., Bioclim). The integration of targeted variables enhanced the performance of habitat suitability models for all three bat species. Furthermore, our results showed a high difference in the distribution maps that resulted from using different levels of detail in environmental variables. This underscores the importance of making the effort to generate the appropriate variables, rather than simply relying on commonly used ones, and the necessity of exercising caution when using habitat models as a tool to inform conservation strategies and spatial planning efforts.

Identification of potential suitable areas and conservation priority areas for representative wild animals in the Greater and Lesser Khingan Mountains.

Species geographic distribution and conservation priority areas are important bases for insitu biodiversity conservation and conservation decision-making. In view of the urgency of endangered species protection, eight representative endangered species in the typical forest ecosystem of the Greater and Lesser Khingan Mountains were studied. Based on 1127 occurrence points and environmental data collected from 2016 to 2021, used BIOMOD2 and Zonation to reconstruct the potential distribution area and identify conservation priority areas of eight species (Tetrao parvirostris, T. tetrix, Gulo gulo, Alces alces, Martes zibellina, Moschus moschiferus, Lynx lynx, Lutra lutra). The results showed potential distribution areas for almost all species concentrated in the northern part of the Greater Khingan Mountains (GKM) and the central part of the Lesser Khingan Mountains (LKM). The potential distribution areas of each species were as follows: black-billed capercaillie, 102,623 km2; black grouse, 162,678 km2; wolverine, 63,410 km2; moose, 140,287 km2; sable, 112,254 km2; Siberian musk deer, 104,787 km2; lynx, 139,912 km2; and Eurasian otter, 49,386 km2. Conservation priority areas (CPAs) clustered in the north GKM and central LKM and totaled 220,801 km2, and only 16.94% of the CPAs were currently protected by nature reserves. We suggest that the Chinese government accelerate the integration of existing protected areas in the northern GKM and establish a larger GKM National Park based on cost-effective multi-species protection.

Behavioral and physiological responses of nocturnal marine shellfish to predation pressure

Predator-prey interactions are critical in ecological communities. As the wild resources of Pacific abalone are on the verge of exhaustion, efforts to reveal the effects of predation by hostile organisms on the efficiency of its bottom sowing and proliferation are crucial for the success of resource restoration. In this study, abalone and its predator, starfish Asterias amurensis, were placed in a customized monitoring unit. Through continuous infrared video monitoring, predation pressure was found to cause a significant decrease in the distance moved, duration of movement, cumulative feeding duration and orexin levels in hemolymph (P < 0.01). It also caused a significant increase in the average velocity of movement, group cohesion, coordination and cholecystokinin levels in hemolymph (P < 0.01). Surprisingly, when a shelter was set up in the environment, the cumulative feeding duration of abalone was significantly extended in the presence of the predator (P < 0.001), whereas when the predator was removed, the distance moved, duration of movement, and cumulative feeding duration of abalone were found to significantly increase during continuous 24 h monitoring (P < 0.01). These results first identified the anti-predation strategy by nocturnal marine organisms when exposed to predation risk, and supported the pivotal role of shelter in helping abalone make a trade-off between predation pressure and survival needs, which not only provides a new insight to optimizing the strategy for prevention and control of marine ecological disasters and strengthening the protection of marine endangered species, but also results in a productive attempt to restore the marine benthic ecosystem.

Understanding Pesticide Exposure Mitigation Effectiveness in Achieving Endangered Species Protection Goals

Understanding Pesticide Exposure Mitigation Effectiveness in Achieving Endangered Species Protection Goals

Anti-Poaching for Endangered Megafauna Conservation in Assam, India: Examining Stakeholder Perception

India is the stronghold for endangered species and poaching and illegal trade have seriously threatened wildlife conservation. Against this backdrop, Indian regulatory authorities have strengthened workforce capacity for monitoring and enforcement actions against poaching, employed patrolling systems, and adopted lethal deterrence-based policies. However, efforts to control poaching and conserve biodiversity are often at odds with local communities&amp;apos; needs and interests, and stakeholder participation in management is integral to successful wildlife conservation. This research aims to understand stakeholder perception of anti-poaching management practices and tribal customs in protected areas. A survey was conducted to gather information from forest staff and fringe villagers at the four national parks and one wildlife sanctuary in Assam, India. The results indicate that villagers around protected areas generally perceive that the Forest Department and patrolling effectively prevent poaching. However, stakeholders&amp;apos; perceptions of the lethal deterrence-based policies and tribal customs were split, depending on the local communities&amp;apos; unique social, economic, and political situations. Leveraging these responses, wildlife managers in India can collaborate with villagers around the protected areas to address the threats of poaching to wild megafauna. Further, this research underpins the reason to strengthen the enforcement capacity of forest staff, as they stand at the frontline of endangered species protection in biodiversity-rich, developing countries.

Comparison of Rhizosphere Bacterial Communities of Pinus squamata, a Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations (PSESP) in Different Conservation Sites.

Pinus squamata is one of the most threatened conifer species in the world. It is endemic to northeastern Yunnan Province, China, and has been prioritized as a Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations (PSESP). The integrated study of soil properties and rhizosphere bacteria can assist conservation to understand the required conditions for the protection and survival of rare and endangered species. However, differences between the rhizospheric bacterial communities found in the soil surrounding P. squamata at different conservation sites remain unclear. In this study, Samples were collected from wild, ex situ, and reintroduced sites. Bacterial communities in different conservation sites of P. squamata rhizosphere soils were compared using Illumina sequencing. The soil physicochemical properties were determined, the relationships between the bacterial communities and soil physicochemical factors were analyzed, and the potential bacterial ecological functions were predicted. The reintroduced site Qiaojia (RQ) had the highest richness and diversity of bacterial community. Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Acidobacteriota were the dominant phyla, and Bradyrhizobium, Mycobacterium, Acidothermus were the most abundant genera. Samples were scattered (R = 0.93, p = 0.001), indicating significant difference between the different conservation sites. The abundance of Mycobacterium differed between sites (0.01 < p ≤ 0.05), and the relative abundances of Bradyrhizobium and Acidothermus differed significantly among different sites (0.001 < p ≤ 0.01). Soil total potassium (TK) and available nitrogen (AN) were the main factors driving bacterial community at the phylum level (0.01 < p ≤ 0.05). This study generated the first insights into the diversity, compositions, and potential functions of bacterial communities associated with the rhizosphere soils of P. squamata in different conservation sites and provides a foundation to assess the effect of conservation based on bacterial diversity and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) to guide future research into the conservation of P. squamata.

Marine Stewardship Council’s Fisheries Standard: Updated best practices for promoting sustainable seafood

Eco-labeling can incentivize effective management to sustain productive fisheries, but certification standards occasionally need to be updated to reflect iterative advancement in marine policy. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) recently developed a revised standard for fishery certification, and the process provides case studies in policy development that are compiled in this special issue. Consultation with a broad group of international stakeholders identified several aspects of the MSC standard that required re-evaluation. Standards, expressed as performance indictors and scoring criteria, were revised based on current perceptions of best practices in fishery management. The revised standard requires greater evidence of management performance, more rigorous protection of endangered species and vulnerable habitats, more comprehensive mitigation of ghost fishing, explicit harvest strategies, more effective exclusion of shark finning, and socioeconomic performance indicators. Although the implementation of certification standards will continue to be imperfect, the process and results from MSC’s standard review offer methods and case studies for broader application to codify best practices in marine policy as they continually evolve.

Resources and utilization of medicinal plants in countries and regions involved in "the Belt and Road" Initiative

The protection, development, and utilization of medicinal plant resources are important cornerstones of maintaining human health. However, due to factors such as the reduction of high-quality land resources, deterioration of ecological environments, and excessive and disorderly resource development, medicinal plant resources are becoming scarce, and some of them are insufficiently supplied. With the proposal of &quot;the Belt and Road&quot; Initiative, the cooperation between China and &quot;the Belt and Road&quot; partners(the countries and regions involved in &quot;the Belt and Road&quot; Initiative)is increasingly close, which provides a new opportunity for carrying out trade of medicinal plant resources and alleviating the problem of imbalance and relative inadequacy of medicinal plant resources in countries. This study first determined the distribution and species information of plant resources in countries and regions involved in &quot;the Belt and Road&quot; Initiative by investigating the database of plant distribution and that of medicinal plant resources. Then, according to the published data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora(CITES), this study identified the rare and endangered medicinal plants and the medicinal plants under trade control in countries and regions involved in &quot;the Belt and Road&quot; Initiative and finally sorted out the list of potential medicinal plant resources in countries and regions involved in &quot;the Belt and Road&quot; Initiative that can be used by China. This data resource can not only be used for the overall protection of important endangered species but also scientifically guide the development and utilization of medicinal resources, providing guidance and a theoretical basis for the sustainable development of medicinal plant resources in countries and regions involved in &quot;the Belt and Road&quot; Initiative.

WildARe-YOLO: A lightweight and efficient wild animal recognition model

For the protection of endangered species and successful wildlife population monitoring, wild animal recognition is essential. While deep learning models like YOLOv5 have shown promise in real-time object recognition, their practical applicability may be constrained by their high processing requirements. In this paper, we suggest a faster and lighter version of YOLOv5s for wild animal recognition. To lower computational costs for model parameters and floating-point operations (FLOPs) for the backbone, our suggested model includes Mobile Bottleneck Block modules and an improved StemBlock. We also use Focal-EIoU as a loss function to gauge the accuracy of the predicted bounding boxes during inference and employ a BiFPN-based neck. We tested our technique on three datasets, including Wild Animal Facing Extinction, Fishmarket, and MS COCO 2017. Additionally, our technique is compared with state-of-the-art deep learning models, and from the baseline model we recorded a 17.65% increase in FPS, 28.55% model parameters reduction, and 50.92% in FLOPs reduction. Furthermore, our model has a faster model loading time, which is critical for deployment in remote areas. This enables real-time species recognition on basic hardware, aiding conservation efforts through rapid analysis. The model advances deep learning in ecology by balancing efficiency with performance.

Prioritizing resource allocation to reduce adverse effects of pesticide risk for endangered species

The use of pesticides promotes food security because of the multiple benefits it brings to agriculture, such as reduction in crop losses. However, the use of pesticides can be potentially harmful to non-target species. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency regulates the use of pesticides to manage the risks associated with these agents and to protect species under the Endangered Species Act. As part of these regulations, pesticides must be registered and then reviewed every 15 years to ensure the use conditions are updated with the best available data. The registration and review process can invoke corrective measures to ensure protection of endangered species. However, the registration review process is highly resource and time consuming. There is currently a backlog of unreviewed pesticides, leaving a large quantity of pesticides without updated use conditions to protect species. Identifying ways to streamline this process is urgently needed. We develop a sequencing approach to address the risk assessment bottleneck in the pesticide registration and review process and identify species that would benefit most from detailed assessments. We then demonstrate the magnitude of potential efficiencies using this sequencing process for 61 terrestrial listed species in the state of California. Our results show a consistent ranking of listed species according to their relative benefits from assessment, with 90 % of the species being robustly classified across scenarios in the sensitivity analysis. We found that prioritizing the assessment of a small group of species could potentially result in high conservation benefits, and identify species in need of more detailed data for a robust sequencing. We examine how a sequencing approach can guide decisions about what species might benefit most from different levels of assessment. Our results demonstrate the conservation benefits of employing a sequencing approach to prioritize the allocation of limited resources for endangered species.

Analysis of the phenomenon of keeping endangered animals as a trend

Indonesia is a country with diverse fauna. However, many animals are experiencing an extinction crisis, one of the causes is the exploitation of these rare animals, one of which is for free keeping. Wild animals have natural instincts that evolved with their evolution and help them survive in their natural habitat. When wild animals are kept in different environments, such as captivity or shelters, they often lose or change some aspects of their original instincts. The protection of rare and endangered wildlife species is of international concern, as biodiversity conservation is essential for survival. Unfortunately, the enforcement of these protected wildlife regulations is not strict enough and there are still many violations, so it is important for the Indonesian government and its citizens to work together to ensure effective implementation of wildlife protection regulations. This research method uses a qualitative approach with data collection from literature studies and uses interpretation analysis techniques. The importance of wildlife conservation in Indonesia cannot be ignored. It is important for Indonesians to follow applicable regulations and participate in protected wildlife conservation efforts to maintain the country's biodiversity. This study illustrates the factors that lead to the keeping of wild and endangered animals and the role of the government in this regard and answers how the phenomenon has become a trend in high society.

Perlindungan Harimau Sumatera Menurut Convention On International Trade In Endangered Species Of Wild Fauna And Flora (Cites) 1963

Introduction: The illegal trade in protected animals is increasing in places where laws are not respected, as if they weren't there. This is reflected in the decrease in the number of wildlife and the increase in the number of legal and illegal wildlife traders whose criminals do not face severe sanctions. The number of Sumatran tigers is decreasing, reaching around 400 individuals. In various parts of Sumatra, these endangered and protected animals continue to be hunted and traded for their organs. Apparently, in the near future, they succeeded in capturing or blocking the Medan tiger skin trade.Purposes of the Research: This writing aims to know and understand the Regulations regarding the protection of endangered species based on the 1963 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Implementation of CITES 1963 in Indonesia to protect the Sumatran Tiger.Methods of the Research: Normative research method with the type of research is qualitative analysis. The problem approach used is the statute approach, the conceptual approach and the case approach. The sources of legal materials used are Primary legal materials, Secondary legal materials, and Tertiary legal materials and are used as a technique for collecting legal materials, then processing and analyzing legal materials through methods of interpretation, harmonization, systematic and legal discovery.Results of the Research: The results of the study show that the arrangements regarding the protection of endangered species based on the 1963 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) are that as a whole, CITES is a convention that applies as a general guide to regulate matters relating to trade of all kinds. Wild plants and animals that live in nature. Specifically regarding the protection of Sumatran tigers as implementation of CITES 1963 is the enactment of Presidential Decree No. 43 of 1978 concerning Ratifying the Convention On International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, Law No. 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Natural Resources, Biology and Their Ecosystems, Regulations Government Number 8 of 1999 Utilization of Wild Plants and Animals, Minister of Forestry Regulation Number P.42/Menhut-II/2007 concerning Sumatran Tiger Conservation Plans and Actions.

Linking endangered species protection to construct and optimize ecological security patterns in the National ecological Civilization construction Demonstration Zone: A case study of Yichang, China

Constructing an ecological security pattern (ESP) is an effective measure to ensure environmental safety and urban development. With the establishment of national ecological civilization construction demonstration zone in China, higher requirements are put forward for biodiversity conservation. Previous studies have focused on the identification and construction of ESPs, while few studies have optimized ESPs based on endangered species protection. This study took Yichang as the research object, and used geospatial data and endangered species data to construct and optimize ESPs. We identified ecological sources through ecological sensitivity assessment and extracted ecological corridors based on minimum cumulative resistance model. On this basis, this study innovatively introduced endangered species information, optimized an ESP and discussed ecological function zones in order to play a greater role in biodiversity conservation. The results showed that: (1) The ESP of Yichang includes 12 ecological sources with a total area of 2,186.34 km2, 30 ecological corridors with a total length of 1120.44 km and 15 ecological nodes. (2) The optimization of ESP connects important nature reserves and scenic tourist areas, bringing endangered species into the corridor network. The corridors importance evaluation delineated 8 Level I corridors focusing on biological protection and 22 Level II corridors focusing on landscape construction. (3) The ecological function zones of Yichang are divided into ecological conservation zone, ecological control zone and ecological restoration zone, and the spatial control principles of each zone are clearly defined. The results can provide a reference for biodiversity conservation in species-rich cities.

Changes in the adult sex ratio of six duck species breeding populations over two decades

Despite all efforts, long-term changes in the adult sex ratios of breeding duck populations are still unclear; this uncertainty is especially true for male-bias populations, which are often under the scrutiny of researchers lacking convenient results for the active protection of endangered species. Species with male-bias populations are usually strongly affected by a decline in population size that leads to a higher extinction risk. In this study, we examined our long-term data of the abundance of breeding populations in six duck species (Mallard Anas platyrhynchos, Gadwall Mareca strepera, Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina, Common Pochard Aythya ferina, Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, and Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula) from fishponds in South Bohemia, Czechia, between 2004 and 2022. This evidence was used to assess long-term changes in the adult sex ratio in these breeding populations and investigate the possible effects of the NAO index (North Atlantic Oscillation index) on them, indicating climate conditions in winter. We determined a long-term decrease of the proportion of females in the breeding season in two of the six examined species: Common Pochard and Red-crested Pochard, which is driven by the long-term increase in the number of males in contrast to the decreasing or stable number of females likely caused by different migration behaviours between females and males. In the case of Common Pochard, in breeding populations, we estimated 60–65% of males in the early 2000s rising to 75–80% in the early 2020s. However, we establish no significant effects linked to climate conditions of the previous winter in these species as a crucial cause of the changes of the proportion of females in the breeding population.

Secondary Embryogenesis of Linaloe in Temporary Immersion Bioreactor-Type RITA®.

The linaloe [Bursera linanoe (La Llave) Rzed, Calderon and Medina] is an endemic species of Mexico, representative of the low deciduous forest of the states of Guerrero, Puebla, Morelos, and Oaxaca, and has been of great economic importance for the people, mainly for the artisanal use of its aromatic wood that is used to make boxes, trunks, and furniture that are manufactured in Olinala, Guerrero, Mexico; and industrial, thanks to the fine aroma of its essential oil (linalool), which is used in the manufacture of perfumes and pharmaceuticals. Overexploitation has endangered the species in recent years, and propagation by seed and/or cuttings has produced very poor results compared to those obtained with other recalcitrant Bursera species. The protection of endangered species makes urgent the need to propose new alternatives for its propagation. Somatic embryogenesis is a reliable and feasible technique, including induction, maintenance, multiplication, and maturation of embryos, often in semisolid culture media; however, the recent use of liquid media has allowed semi-automation in temporary immersion bioreactors, for example, the RITA® system, which favors both the multiplication rate and the final conversion to seedlings.

The Negative Investment List Policy in Indonesia: A Review of Free Trade and the Conservation of Endangered Fish Species

This study examines and analyzes the problems arising from the interaction between Indonesian investment measures and compliance with the international trade regime. This study uses a normative legal research method. The collected legal material is then qualitatively analyzed to describe the problem and answer the study objectives. The results show that Indonesia has successfully justified the alignment of its Negative Investment List policy regarding endangered fish species, listed in Appendix I of CITES juncto Article XX of the GATT 1994. On another note, the Dispute Settlement Body may issue rulings with differing considerations. Nonetheless, the WTO Agreement and CITES are provisions established to provide adequate negotiation space for all their members. Thus, CITES and WTO member states should refrain from raising disputes over Indonesia’s investment measures if it restricts their economic interests and market access within Indonesia. Therefore, it is recommended that the WTO and CITES members recognize and appreciate the Negative Investment List policy in maintaining a balance between investment development and the protection of endangered fish species. Furthermore, stakeholders are urged to delve deeper into the principles and objectives of the WTO and CITES Agreements. Additionally, the members of the relevant organizations must collaborate in a spirit of solidarity and environmental awareness, prioritizing dialogue, consultation, and negotiation over dispute legal action that could complicate the situation. In this context, multilateral dialogue can serve as an effective platform for mediating diverse interests and seeking sustainable solutions that benefit the economy and the conservation of endangered fish species.