Transfrontier Conservation Area Research Articles

Geoheritage Assessment for the Geoconservation and Geotourism Promotion of in the Altamira Sector of the La Amistad International Park, Costa Rica

Geoheritage Assessment for the Geoconservation and Geotourism Promotion of in the Altamira Sector of the La Amistad International Park, Costa Rica

Landscape connectivity for African elephants in the world's largest transfrontier conservation area: A collaborative, multi‐scalar assessment

Abstract Landscape connectivity operates at a variety of scales, depending on the geography of the area in question and the focal species or ecological process under consideration. Most connectivity studies, however, are typically focused on a single scale, which in the case of resistance‐based connectivity modelling, is often the entire landscape or protected area (PA) network. This large, single‐scale focus may miss areas that are important for connectivity at smaller scales and that can be documented via observed animal movements without resorting to landscape‐wide statistical modelling and extrapolation approaches. Here, we characterize landscape connectivity at three different scales (local/micro, inter‐PA, and landscape‐wide/macro), using observed animal movements rather than conventional resistance surface models, to produce a connectivity conservation blueprint for African elephants (Loxodonta africana) in the Kavango‐Zambezi transfrontier conservation area (KAZA) in southern Africa. This analysis is based on an extensive, high‐resolution GPS tracking database comprising approximately 4 million GPS locations from nearly 300 tagged elephants and their associated herds. Our results show that high‐fidelity elephant use of micro‐corridors is typically—though not exclusively—related to directed movements towards water, often amidst heavy anthropogenic presence. Movement pathways that connected KAZA's core protected areas were longer and variable, with some channelled into narrow areas of use and others more dispersed across larger sub‐landscapes. At the largest scale, a network analysis incorporating all used landscape grid cells revealed several clusters of large‐scale movement corridors that connected distant parts of KAZA. Synthesis and applications: Our three scales of analyses reveal disparate geographical priorities for connectivity conservation that collectively could help ensure the functional connectivity of KAZA for its largest inhabitants. Each scale will require its own set of inter‐related conservation interventions, while further research into areas with sparse data collection, and other species of conservation concern, could reveal additional connectivity priorities at each scale.

Performing multispecies studies in Southern Africa: historical legacies, marginalised subjects, reflexive positionalities

Multispecies studies are known for tackling human exceptionalism. Whilst the field has seen a remarkable increase in popularity amongst scholars in the humanities and social sciences, critiques argue that it neglects inequalities and consequential differences amongst humans and between humans and other-than-humans. These critiques are especially relevant in the context of Southern Africa, where extreme inequalities amongst humans persist whilst wildlife is often perceived to enjoy a favoured position in the region‘s prominent conservation industries. As four researchers working in a multispecies study project focusing on the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area in Southern Africa, we pose the question of what a politicised multispecies studies might look like. In this article, we share our thoughts and reflections on working in this complex political landscape. Using insights from our own fields, we share some of the persistent concerns encountered during fieldwork and discuss and contextualise these by drawing on multispecies literature that deals with similar concerns. We identify three salient themes that should inform and politicise multispecies work in postcolonial conservation landscapes: historical legacies, reflexive positionalities and marginalised subjects.

Hunting the hippo: a brief history of wildlife hunting and the reconfiguration of animal-human relations in Namibia’s Zambezi region

The Zambezi region in north-eastern Namibia is located at the centre of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), an area that is endowed with a great variety of wildlife and managed not only to protect this asset but also to promote its proliferation and economic utilisation. In this contribution I consider the notion of hunting in Namibia and explore the realms of local hunting and trophy hunting from the turn of the twentieth century until today. Starting my journey with the depiction of hippo hunting in colonial times, I explore how a hunting narrative was created along the spectacle of hunting big game. Besides the glorification of hippopotami amongst white hunters and early European travellers, the modification of hunting practices that occurred alongside the reconnaissance of this region in the early twentieth century resulted in strong pressures on hippo populations — and wildlife more generally — and led to the strict regulation of all hunting practices in favour of trophy hunting and at the expense of local hunting. This colonial trajectory of hunting has played a major role in the planning and implementation of a conservation landscape that has strong effects on local livelihoods.

The nature conservation-geopolitics complex: Bridging between conservation geopolitics and peace park discourses

Nature conservation strategies are affected by, as well as instruments of, geopolitics and interterritorial relations. This paper provides a conceptual framework that facilitates a systems-based analysis of the relationship between nature conservation and geopolitics. We compare and connect two prominent academic literatures relevant to this relationship: the peace parks and conservation geopolitics literatures. Whereas peace parks refer to an academic knowledge field, a social movement, and a territorialized conservation reality on the ground, conservation geopolitics refers to an academic discourse within critical geopolitics. We analyzed both academic literatures on four aspects: (i) the approach to nature conservation; (ii) the approach to interterritorial relations; (iii) the framing of the relationship between nature conservation and geopolitics; (iv) the actors involved. The former literature predominantly emphasizes cross-border integration, community development and nature conservation benefits. The latter predominantly highlights the more exclusionary, conflictive, and normative aspects of the relationship. The comparison highlights that the relationship between nature conservation and geopolitics can be best understood as a complex. Relational approaches, such as systems approaches, can uncover the intricacies of the nature conservation-geopolitics complex. We have laid the groundwork for such a systems approach by identifying four system components domains: the diversity of involved actors, the institutional framework, multiscale and historical dynamics, and the spatial-territorial context. A systems approach to the nature conservation-geopolitics complex provides a guiding framework for the examination of contemporary issues like the diverging agencies of various actors, trade-offs, and ethical dilemmas between nature conservation and geopolitical concerns.

Assessment and mapping of priority areas for transboundary ecological conservation: Suggestions for the protection of the Altai Mountains in Central Asia

Political boundaries often do not coincide with ecological boundaries, and it is common for the same physical geographical unit to span multiple countries. Exploring establishing transboundary protected areas and ecological networks can effectively protect the integrity of natural ecosystems separated by political boundaries. Based on the integrated evaluation of ecosystem services function, ecological vulnerability, and ecosystem integrity, this study explored a methodological system for evaluating ecological protection priority areas in transboundary areas and selected the Altai Mountains, which span four countries, contain China, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Mongolia, as a typical case to conduct empirical research. The study found that the extremely important areas of ecosystem services function, ecological vulnerability, and ecosystem integrity showed transboundary contiguous characteristics. Furthermore, weighted overlay analysis identified the spatial distribution pattern of ecological protection priority areas in the Altai Mountains. We suggested establishing transboundary protected areas in the four countries’ transboundary areas, building the identified ecological protection priority areas and existing protected areas into a transboundary protected area network, and deepening a multi-party transboundary protection cooperation mechanism. This study can provide a theoretical and practical reference to achieve the 2030 biodiversity conservation goals.

Antibiotic Resistant and Plasmid Borne Bacteria Associated with Locally Produced Honey in Enugu State, Nigeria

Aim: The aim of this study is to isolate and identify bacteria contaminants present in the honey samples sold in Ogbete market and detect the presence of imipenem resistance genes in the isolates. Place and Duration of Study: A total of four samples were collected from Ogbete market at Zenith bank, Peace mass, Wheelbarrow and Peace park stations between the early hours of the morning (8-9am) within the month of April, 2023. Methodology: Microbiological analysis was carried out on the samples, including antimicrobial susceptibility test using disc diffusion method., after which Molecular analysis involving DNA extraction, PCR and Plasmid Profiling, were carried out. Results: The total mean heterotrophic bacterial count ranged from 0.03±2.5×103cfu/ml to 22.1±25.5×103cfu/ml. The highest total mean heterotrophic bacterial count was recorded in Zenith bank while the lowest was in Peace mass. The bacteria isolated and characterized through morphological and biochemical tests include Escherichia coli (45%) Klebsiella spp. (41%), Staphylococcus spp. (9%) and Streptococcus spp. (5%). Escherichia coli had the highest frequency of occurrence at 45% while Streptococcus spp. had the lowest at 5%. The sensitivity test showed that the isolates with the highest frequency of occurrence, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. posed a high resistance to Imipenem and Nalidixic at 80% while the least resistance was in Levofloxacin at 10% from these two isolates. The gene of interest, BlaIMP was found after PCR assay. Plasmid DNA was further carried out using the alkaline lysis method using the Zymo research kit. All isolates possessed a single plasmid with molecular weight of 23.1kbp. Conclusion: These isolates may undergo horizontal gene transfer and confer resistance to other microorganisms. Thus, there is need for the development of proper measures to counter bacterial contamination of locally produced honey as this poses a threat to public health.

DESCRIPTION OF FEMALE DENDRITOBILHARZIA PULVERULENTA (BRAUN, 1901) SKRJABIN, 1924 FROM TWO NEW AVIAN HOSTS IN NAMIBIA WITH PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSES AND COMMENTS ON SEVERAL TAXONOMICALLY UNCERTAIN AVIAN SCHISTOSOME SEQUENCES.

During a 2021 parasitological survey of birds in the Nyae Nyae-Khaudum Dispersal Area (Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, Namibia), we collected 9 specimens of Dendritobilharzia pulverulenta (Braun, 1901) Skrjabin, 1924 infecting the blood (heart lumen) of a white-backed duck, Thalassornis leuconotus (Eyton, 1838) (Anseriformes: Anatidae), and a fulvous whistling duck, Dendrocygna bicolor (Vieillot, 1816) (Anatidae). These flukes were fixed for morphology and preserved for DNA extraction. We assigned our specimens to DendritobilharziaSkrjabin and Zakharow, 1920 because they were strongly dorso-ventrally flattened in both sexes and had an intestinal cyclocoel with a zig-zag common cecum with lateral dendritic ramifications, numerous testes posterior to the cyclocoel and flanking the dendritic ramifications, and a tightly compacted convoluted ovary as well as lacking an oral sucker, ventral sucker, and gynaecophoric canal. Further, our specimens were morphologically identical to previously published descriptions of D. pulverulenta. Sequences of the 28S from our specimens were nearly identical to those identified as D. pulverulenta from North America (New Mexico), and our 28S phylogenetic analysis recovered D. pulverulenta within a polytomy of other Gigantobilharziinae spp. The CO1 phylogenetic analysis recovered a monophyletic Dendritobilharzia and, with low taxon sampling, a monophyletic Gigantobilharzia. This is the first record of a species of Dendritobilharzia infecting these ducks as well as the first record of an adult Dendritobilharzia from sub-Saharan Africa. The original description of adult D. pulverulenta (type locality: northern Sudan) was based on 2 males only, and hence the present study is the first description of female D. pulverulenta from Africa (the continent of the type locality). We reassign 2 Gigantobilharziinae spp. based on morphology and nucleotide evidence: Gigantobilharzia ensenadense (Lorenti, Brant, Gilardoni, Diaz, and Cremonte, 2022) Dutton and Bullard, n. comb., and Gigantobilharzia patagonense (Lorenti, Brant, Gilardoni, Diaz, and Cremonte, 2022) Dutton and Bullard, n. comb. We also comment on several avian schistosome sequences whose identities need confirmation or that likely have been misidentified.

Polycentric Groundwater Governance: Insights from the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area

This paper analyses groundwater governance within a transfrontier conservation landscape. Given the current heightened interest in groundwater development, it is imperative that more thought be given to how groundwater resources can best be managed in different contexts for multiple uses and users. Transfrontier conservation areas are areas of vast biological diversity whose functioning and ecosystem integrity depends on the availability of water to sustain ecosystems and subsequently derive economic benefit. Further, climate vulnerable rural communities depend on and form an important part of this landscape. The work highlighted in this paper is based on a study conducted in parts of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA), the largest TFCA in the world. Climate induced challenges such as droughts and general poor land use planning have resulted in threats to long term sustainability of freshwater ecosystems and increased incidences of human-wildlife conflicts over limited water resources. Effective groundwater governance can potentially provide pathways for alleviating these challenges. Building on the theoretical fundamentals of polycentric governance, this paper analyses the case of the KAZA TFCA in which multiple levels of governance exist. The paper discusses how to achieve coordination and accountability within a shared landscape to foster sustainable use and management of groundwater. Groundwater within a TFCA context has the potential to alleviate human-wildlife conflict over freshwater, support groundwater dependant ecosystems and sustain smallholder agriculture for the rural communities. Understanding this role of groundwater adds to the framing of freshwater governance and conservation efforts within a TFCA and the identification and development of platforms for the integrated management of groundwater. Bringing together freshwater and conservation institutions in a multi-country context towards integrated water resource management is an initial and novel attempt which forms the foundation for achieving optimal governance approaches in the commons.

Transboundary Central African Protected Area Complexes Demonstrate Varied Effectiveness in Reducing Predicted Risk of Deforestation Attributed to Small-Scale Agriculture

The forests of Central Africa constitute the continent’s largest continuous tract of forest, maintained in part by over 200 protected areas across six countries with varying levels of restriction and enforcement. Despite protection, these Central African forests are subject to a multitude of overlapping proximate and underlying drivers of deforestation and degradation, such as conversion to small-scale agriculture. This pilot study explored whether transboundary protected area complexes featuring mixed resource-use restriction categories are effective in reducing the predicted disturbance risk to intact forests attributed to small-scale agriculture. At two transboundary protected area complex sites in Central Africa, we used Google Earth Engine and a suite of earth observation (EO) data, including a dataset derived using a replicable, open-source methodology stemming from a regional collaboration, to predict the increased risk of deforestation and degradation of intact forests caused by small-scale agriculture. For each complex, we then statistically compared the predicted increased risk between protected and unprotected forests for a stratified random sample of 2 km sites (n = 4000). We found varied effectiveness of protected areas for reducing the predicted risk of deforestation and degradation to intact forests attributed to agriculture by both the site and category of protected areas within the complex. Our early results have implications for sustainable agriculture development, forest conservation, and protected areas management and provide a direction for future research into spatial planning. Spatial planning could optimize the configuration of protected area types within transboundary complexes to achieve both forest conservation and sustainable agricultural production outcomes.

A novel record of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve, Malawi.

Most African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) populations are in decline and, due to habitat fragmentation and conflict rates in areas of higher anthropogenic land-use, are primarily restricted to protected areas. As a species that occurs at low densities, with a strict reproductive social structure, wild dogs rely on long-range dispersal to facilitate colonization, reproduction, and pack formation. In Malawi, large carnivores have been subject to widespread population decline and several protected areas have a reduced large carnivore guild, including the loss of resident wild dog populations. Here, during a biodiversity monitoring camera trap survey, we captured a novel record of wild dogs in Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve (Vwaza), Malawi. The 11 photographic captures of potentially three individual wild dogs represent the first documented evidence of the species in Vwaza and the first record since an unconfirmed report in 2011. We hypothesize that this group of wild dogs moved into Vwaza through the Malawi-Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area (MZTFCA), with the MZTFCA linking protected areas in Malawi with the Luangwa Valley, Zambia. The evidence provided here, and similar documentation in Kasungu National Park, Malawi, show that large carnivores can potentially move through the MZTFCA into protected areas in Malawi. We argue that the MZTFCA provides an important dispersal corridor that could help facilitate the recolonization of wild dogs, and other large carnivores, in Malawian protected areas. However, further research is needed to assess the permeability and status of the MZTFCA corridor into Malawi. We show that camera traps can be useful to document novel records of rare species and can be used to inform conservation management planning.

Evaluating patterns and drivers of mammal space use and richness in the Angolan savannah woodlands of the Kavango‐Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area

AbstractLarge transboundary protected areas such as the Kavango‐Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA‐TFCA), improve mammal conservation by addressing biodiversity threats on regional and international levels, but an adequate understanding of mammal space use and richness within protected areas is critical for effective management planning. This information has however been missing from the Angolan component of the KAZA‐TFCA, such as areas of Luengue‐Luiana National Park (LLNP), especially compared with neighbouring countries. We used camera trap data from 2021 to 2023 to investigate species richness of medium‐ and large‐sized mammals in two hotspot areas of LLNP, as well as assess the space use patterns of 9 carnivore and 16 herbivore species. A total of 48 species were recorded over 10,781 camera trapping nights, with African elephant (Loxodonta africana) and small antelope (e.g. common duiker Sylvicapra grimmia and steenbok Raphicerus campestris) being the most common. Species composition differed significantly between sites, with 21 species more relatively abundant at Ndunjuru, including cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), and eight species more relatively abundant at Bico, including lion (Panthera leo) and hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius). The detection probability of 22 species were affected by one or more ecological (e.g. proximity to rivers) or anthropogenic (e.g. human settlement) covariate. These results are intended to act as a baseline to monitor conservation effort and aid habitat management in LLNP, as well as similar protected areas within the KAZA‐TFCA and elsewhere.

Discourses on landscape governance and transfrontier conservation areas: converging, diverging and evolving discourses with geographic contextual nuances

AbstractTransfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs) are regarded as crucial instruments for biodiversity conservation as they connect landscapes across country borders. The TFCA framework is built on multi-actor, multi-sector and multi-level negotiations, a concept that incorporates principles of landscape governance (LG). This article is driven by our interest in the governance of transfrontier landscapes such as the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. The study aims to explore the narratives of two academic discourses of TFCA and LG. The study uses a bibliometric analysis and systematic review based on PRISMA to determine (i) to which degree the two discourses share commonalities in their narratives and take each other into account (ii) how the discourses have developed between 1998 and 2022 (iii) the geographical distribution of publications on the two discourses. Our results identified six clusters which include: African Wildlife Conservation, Governance for Biodiversity Conservation, TFCA Wildlife Connectivity, Policies and Strategies, Political Ecology, and Management of Protected Areas. The discourses depict commonalities attributed to conservation, power and actor roles. However, LG is more governance-oriented while TFCA is more skewed towards wildlife management. The TFCA discourse is a more Southern African-centred debate whilst the LG debate is more rooted in the global North resulting from unique challenges, priorities, and approaches to landscape management. Moreover, a shift from a conservation-centred approach to a more holistic social-ecological system approach is evident. By leveraging on LG and TFCA strengths, cross-fertilization can foster meaningful cross-collaborations in managing different landscapes through dialogue, knowledge sharing, and identifying common goals, challenges and opportunities.

Whose rights to the city? Parklets, parking, and university engagement in urban placemaking

ABSTRACT Streetscapes are among the urban geographies shaped by people’s belonging in place and movements through the spaces-between. Such geographies give expression to powerful ideas about rights to the city. Witness international PARK(ing) Day, during which people playfully reclaim on-street parking areas by displacing vehicles and creating parklets. Yet, parklets have been criticised when their installation results in long-term loss of parking spaces. The purpose of this paper is to analyse such contestation in a case that involved a university undergoing significant transformations. As part of its place-making strategy, the university sought to create a parklet on a municipal streetside in a central business district near new purpose-built student accommodation. In short order, the idea was protested by particular stakeholders in the city, and the university later withdrew the municipal development application. As drawn out in our analysis of news reports and comments, the significance of the case is that the parklet was a casualty of deep divisions about who has rights to the city and about the functions of universities. Such divisions also exist in cities around the world and arguably undermine small actions to support decarbonising futures and caring infrastructures that attend urgently needed larger social and environmental gains.

Evaluating connectivity models for conservation: insights from African lion dispersal patterns

ContextEvaluating connectivity and identifying corridors for protection is a central challenge in applied ecology and conservation. Rigorous validation and comparison of how approaches perform in capturing biological processes is needed to guide research and conservation action.ObjectivesWe aim to compare the ability of connectivity surfaces optimised using home range and dispersal data to accurately capture lion movement during dispersal, using cost-distance and circuit theory approaches.MethodsWe delineate periods of dispersal in African lions (Panthera leo) to obtain movement trajectories of dispersing individuals across the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, southern Africa. We use these trajectories to assess comparative measures of connectivity values at dispersal points across surfaces and the ability of models to discriminate between observed and randomised paths.ResultsEncouragingly, results show that on average, all connectivity approaches and resistance surfaces used perform well in predicting movements of an independent set of dispersing lions. Cost-distance approaches were generally more sensitive to resistance input than circuit theory, but differences in performance measures between resistance inputs were small across both approaches.ConclusionsFindings suggest that home range data can be used to generate resistance surfaces for connectivity maps in this system, with independent dispersal data providing a promising approach to thresholding what is considered as “connected” when delineating corridors. Most dispersers traversed through landscapes that had minimal human settlement and are likely highly connected by dispersal. Research into limiting factors and dispersal abilities will be critical to understanding how populations will respond to increasing habitat fragmentation and human expansion.

Spatial Green Space Accessibility in Hongkou District of Shanghai Based on Gaussian Two-Step Floating Catchment Area Method

Green space in urban areas is one of the most critical infrastructures for the well-being of residents, and its spatial accessibility configuration is a key indicator of urban planning layout and ecological civilization construction. Using the Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (G2SFCA) method, K-means cluster analysis, and Kriging spatial interpolation, this study examines the spatial characteristics of green space accessibility in the Hongkou District, focusing on the relationship between “green space-community” supply. The findings indicate the following: (1) green space accessibility in Hongkou District decreases as the level of green spaces decreases. Higher levels of accessibility are associated with smaller variations in spatial distribution. (2) The green space accessibility in Hongkou District is affected by the surrounding large green space. Compared to other areas, the community green spaces near Lu Xun Park and Peace Park have higher accessibility. (3) The green space accessibility in Hongkou District is impacted by the mismatch between population density and green spaces. An overlay analysis of accessibility and population density reveals that high accessibility areas have average or low-average population density. Based on the results of the green space accessibility analysis, recommendations are proposed to optimize the green space layout in Hongkou District from the perspective of spatial justice. These suggestions are aimed at promoting the equalization of green space services in Hongkou District, improving the overall level of urban green space services, with a view to improving the quality of urban living environment and creating a green and livable urban area.

A Critical Evaluation of International Agreements Towards a Revised Categorization for Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs)

Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) are widely promoted as an international instrument to achieve certain conservation, cooperation and developmental goals, especially within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). In the SADC context, the status of TFCAs is categorized based on the extent to which international agreements have been signed. These agreements take different forms such as treaties, memorandums of understanding (MoUs), protocols and bilateral agreements. However, the efficacy of agreement-based approaches towards the categorization of TFCAs has been questioned because it does not acknowledge the implementation complexities of TFCAs and lacks a sound conceptual basis. This research evaluates the international TFCA agreements in SADC with a view to recommending a revised categorization. This is achieved by applying Theory of Change (ToC) to a sample of ten signed TFCAs agreements. The results show a lack of enforcement mechanisms, weak provision for implementation and poorly defined objectives. These weaknesses of agreement-based approaches can best be addressed by expanding the categorization of TFCAs to also include the extent of legislative and operational alignment. The revised categorization supports a more complete understanding of TFCA implementation.

Empirically modelling household vulnerability and food security across a southern African land system

ABSTRACT People reliant on agropastoral land systems are vulnerable to variability and changes in land function. Their vulnerability is linked to their exposure and sensitivity to various land system components and is often mediated by access to multiple livelihood capitals. We quantify aspects of that intersection with household vulnerability as measured by food insecurity, and as it is mediated by access to livelihood capitals. We use a structural equation model of household vulnerability, organized under a livelihoods framework, fitted empirically using a combination of information from 726 household surveys. These surveys were conducted in communities in Namibia, Botswana and Zambia, and are contained within a socio-ecological gradient in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area of southern Africa. We provide evidence that adaptive capacity strongly mediates household vulnerability to food insecurity via both direct and indirect pathways that are statistically associated with land use-derived functions.

Eucalypts of Hodogaya: Organic cultural diplomacy at Yokohama War Cemetery

Located within a former Hodogaya recreation park about 5 kilometres west of the city centre, the 27-acre Yokohama War Cemetery is the primary commemoration and remembrance site for Commonwealth Allies of the Second World War within mainland Japan. Alongside Hiroshima Peace Park and Tokyo’s Yasakuni Shrine, it serves to remind both foreign nationals and locals of war’s consequences. Yet beyond official narratives, its establishment in the peripheral city of Yokohama, rather than Tokyo, Japan’s imperial, cultural, and political heart remains relatively unknown. This paper aims to understand better Australia’s significant role in this war cemetery’s creation. Under the auspices of the Australian War Graves Service, Australian and Japanese designers and the contractors of both nations collaborated to create a significant setting for deceased servicemen and women. Whilst ostensibly another of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s many such sites worldwide, Australian involvement offers an alternative interpretation of its conception. By examining the factors leading to the considered allocation of the site and its subsequent layout design, this study intends to enhance our knowledge of this important Australian contribution to our region—by asking why this war cemetery differs considerably from the orthodox nature of the conventional war cemeteries; by unveiling the many unknown architects, landscapers, contractors, and officials that put aside differences to collaborate on this war cemetery and its memorials; and by recording and analysing the careful detailing and construction of the memorials using local and imported materials. The lens from architectural history offers unique insights into these processes.

Bighorn sheep associations: understanding tradeoffs of sociality and implications for disease transmission.

Sociality directly influences mating success, survival rates, and disease, but ultimately likely evolved for its fitness benefits in a challenging environment. The tradeoffs between the costs and benefits of sociality can operate at multiple scales, resulting in different interpretations of animal behavior. We investigated the influence of intrinsic (e.g., relatedness, age) and extrinsic factors (e.g., land cover type, season) on direct contact (simultaneous GPS locations ≤ 25 m) rates of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) at multiple scales near the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. During 2002-2012, male and female bighorn were equipped with GPS collars. Indirect contact (GPS locations ≤ 25 m regardless of time) networks identified two major breaks whereas direct contact networks identified an additional barrier in the population, all of which corresponded with prior disease exposure metrics. More direct contacts occurred between same-sex dyads than female-male dyads and between bighorn groups with overlapping summer home ranges. Direct contacts occurred most often during the winter-spring season when bighorn traveled at low speeds and when an adequate number of bighorn were collared in the area. Direct contact probabilities for all dyad types were inversely related to habitat quality, and differences in contact probability were driven by variables related to survival such as terrain ruggedness, distance to escape terrain, and canopy cover. We provide evidence that probabilities of association are higher when there is greater predation risk and that contact analysis provides valuable information for understanding fitness tradeoffs of sociality and disease transmission potential.