scholarly journals Cattle Grazing Effects on Vegetation and Wild Ungulates in the Forest Ecosystem of a National Park in Northeastern China

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan James Roberts ◽  
Yueheng Zhang ◽  
Ian Convery ◽  
Xin Liang ◽  
Darrell Smith ◽  
...  

There is evidence that cattle grazing in forests limits big cat abundance. There is concern, too, about competition with wild ungulate prey through bottom-up effects on vegetation. Hence, there have been calls to remove or control forest livestock grazing in aid of restoring endangered large carnivores and their prey. To help inform scientific debate and decision making, we explored cattle-vegetation-prey dynamics in Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park, northeast China and present a reappraisal of livestock grazing in the context of coexistence and an integrated approach to land use in China. Inside long-term forest grazing enclosures, wild boar (Sus scrofa) density increased with cattle density. Roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) density and occurrence probability of wild boar and roe deer were not influenced by cattle density. Wild ungulate densities were not related with the number of annual shoots, i.e., forage plant abundance. The presence/absence and abundance of annual shoots was not related with cattle density. Wild ungulate density had mixed associations with vegetation structure; arbor tree diameter at breast height (DBH) and habitat “openness” increased with cattle density. Finally, inside and outside enclosures had different vegetation characteristics and wild boar densities, while roe deer densities were equal. We conclude that cattle density and associated changes to vegetation have positive, negative, and neutral effects on two wild ungulate prey species. Each of these factors warrant consideration in evidence-based management decisions in regard to regulating ungulate community composition to support different large predators as preferred prey in core areas and corridors of habitats.

2018 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-124
Author(s):  
Robert W. Mysłajek ◽  
Sabina Nowak ◽  
Maciej Romański ◽  
Katarzyna Tołkacz

Abstract The diet of wolves Canis lupus L. was assessed in the Wigry National Park in North-Eastern Poland, which overlaps with the Natura 2000 site “Ostoja Wigierska”. The content of a total of 149 scat samples was collected in 2017 and analysed in order to determine dietary composition. Wolves primarily feed on wild ungulates, which make up 75.4% of food biomass. Despite the fact that wild boar Sus scrofa L. and red deer Cervus elaphus L. dominate in the ungulate community in the study area, the primary prey species was observed to be roe deer Capreolus capreolus L. with 39.6%, while red deer and wild boar only constituted 18.7% and 8.3% of the food biomass, respectively. Additionally, beaver Castor fiber L. was found to be an important prey (10.9%) as well and livestock accounted for 15.1% of all biomass consumed. The livestock eaten by wolves also included carcasses of domestic animals illegally disposed of in the forest. We therefore conclude that decisions on the management of the wolf’s food base within protected areas, such as national parks or Natura 2000 sites, should be preceded by intensive local studies.


Author(s):  
Shibing Zhu ◽  
Yi Qu ◽  
Yingzhu Liu ◽  
D. V. Dobrynin ◽  
O. V. Sukhova ◽  
...  

Today the population of the Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) in the Russian Far East is being restored, young individuals are spread within the historical range, including the territory of China. Here the assessment of the territories suitability that exists at Northeastern China as the habitat of the Amur tiger and its food supply (three species of ungulates – wild boar, red deer and roe deer) are shown. Basically a specially protected area is chosen – the Taipingou National Park, located on the border of the Public Republic of China and Russia. The modeling of habitat suitability for ungulates was carried out on the basis of remote sensing data (Earth remote sensing) by using two different approaches – expert geo-information assessment of the territory and discriminant analysis modeling. The modeling of the suitability of ungulate habitats without the variability of plant communities based on discriminant analysis and showed a small difference between the model results for wild boar and roe deer. Nevertheless, the connection with the morphometric characteristics of the relief is more important for the wild boar than for the roe deer, and for the roe deer there is a variability of vegetation types more important. The results of the analysis that included the type of biotopes, showed that the wild boar prefers the central and northern parts of the Taipingou National Park, while the roe deer is the western part of the park; red deer is more common in the southern part of the park.


Agro Ekonomi ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 126
Author(s):  
Mark Rademaker ◽  
Any Suryantini ◽  
Jangkung Handoyo Mulyo

Livestock grazing is a major driver of human-wildlife confl ict in conservation areas. Currently, it is estimated that 3000 heads of cattle illegally grazing within Baluran National Park (BNP) in East Java. The recent research has suggested the potential of livestock system intensifi cation to reduce land-use and conflict through conservation priorities. The research goal was to investigate the fi nancial feasibility of starting intensive cow-calf cooperatives by smallholders in the BNP area. Data were collected using Farm surveys in a Criterion sampling design. Optimal herd management plans were generated using whole farm Linear Programming and fi nancial feasibility was assessed using Discounted cash-flow analysis and debt-servicing capabilities. Investment lifetime was set at 15 years and four alternative varieties of cattle were taken from Bali, Peranakan Ongole, Limousin and Simmental. Results show that investing in all varieties represents a positive investment opportunity. Bali cattle obtaining the highest NPV ($53.769), IRR (14,25%) and B/C ratio (1,13). Farmer income can be increased by 163% by combining additional Off-farm labor. However, debt servicing capabilities of cow-calf cooperative activities showed that the loan principal can only be repaid in the 10th year instead of the maximum eight years set by the government cow-calf credit scheme. We urge the government to reconsider either the grace period or the repayment time of the credit scheme to better fit the cash-fl ow characteristics of cow-calf enterprises.


Check List ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
Gilberto Nepomuceno Salvador ◽  
Nathali Garcia Ristau ◽  
Isabel Sanches da Silva ◽  
André Nunes

The wild boar is one of the most dangerous invasive species. It is widespread in the world, including records for many Brazilian states. However, there is a lack of record from Maranhão state. In the present study, we reported a population of wild boar inside the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, in Barrerinhas county, State of Maranhão. We discuss about the negative effects of this introduction on native species, including a record of predation by wild boar in nests of endangered turtles.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 010-020
Author(s):  
Samson Shimelse Jemaneh

The study was conducted in Kafta-Shiraro in Northern region of Ethiopia. The study uses two important parameters to realize the objective of the study investigating themanagement and integration of the park, one is studying and explaining the community perceptions towards elephant (flagship species) conservation in Kafta Shiraro National Park (KSNP) and secondly compare and contrast the population structure and density of the (economically important plant) Boswellia papyrifera (Del.) Hochst inside and outside of the protected areas and the study contribute to the scientific bases for improved management of biodiversity and its conservation system. A total of 100 households were selected from 10 villages using a stratified random sampling. A rapid vegetation assessment survey was conducted in two Boswellia stands, inside the park and outside the park at villages in order to examine the status of the resource base. A total of 40 sample plots of size 20 X 20 m were laid at regular interval along parallel transects with smaller sample plots of size 5 X 5 m nested in the center of each plot for regeneration count. The conflicts between humans and wildlife in KSNP have been getting worse over time and underline the need to find a workable solution to stop the progress of encroaching human activities that are core factors in the conflict. The underlying factors were found to be free encroachment into the wildlife home ranges, mainly for cultivation and dry wood collection. The factors that contributed to the poor conservation of African elephant included weak community awareness and understaffed anti-poaching and patrolling team of the KSNP. The improper land use by host settlers locally called “wefrizemet” as well as legal settlers maximizes the level of habitat disturbance (threat of the elephants in the park) due to illegal cultivation with high number of livestock crossing to the park. B. papyrifera population structure illustrates that natural regeneration is lacking in all two study areas. Additionally, the population of Boswellia in the study areas is unstable and under threat due to lack of recruitments through regeneration. Based on the stands structure analysis, it is hypothesized that lack of natural regeneration is primarily caused by livestock grazing pressure and the absence of recruitment is largely caused by lack of seed production by mother trees as the result of intensive tapping of the frankincense. KSNP is deteriorating due to a lack of integration and development cooperation between the Park and the surrounding local community as well as administration the minimal managerial and institutional capacity of the Park, minimal alternative livelihoods for the surrounding communities, inadequate commitment among all officials in taking the Park as an issue of development agenda, absence of legal procedures and understandings on expansion of large scale farms, unplanned and non-integrated land use systems, and a lack of appropriate outreach programs needed to change the attitudes of the surrounding communities. Collaborative Park management is urgently required to rescue KSNP; agreement should be made from National to Woreda level stakeholders.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 4541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luisa Sturiale ◽  
Alessandro Scuderi

The new and more conscious sensibility towards the environmental sphere supports the idea of “green city”, promotes initiatives of structural integration of the green with the built environment and involves a considerable number of disciplines in a cultural and social debate. The literature reports different experiences of collaborative governance, between administrations and citizens, which tend to enhance the interaction between the different social actors involved in the investments of Green Infrastructures, to share objectives and management methods and to assess the extent of ecosystem services. The objective of this article is to propose a methodological approach to assessing green investments in the urban area, which is able to internalize the social perception of citizens regarding this important component for the urban landscape, with a view to guiding the city’s government towards a new urban eco-social-green planning and evaluation model. It presents a concise framework of the scientific debate on climate change and on the effects of urban planning issues; some relevant experiences of Green Infrastructures; and the proposed methodology, applied to the reality of the “urban green system” of Catania, based on an integrated approach between participatory planning and the method NAIADE (Novel Approach to Imprecise Assessment and Decision Environments).


2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (No. 6) ◽  
pp. 624-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Srebočan ◽  
A. Prevendar Crnić ◽  
A.M. Ekert Kabalin ◽  
M. Lazarus ◽  
JurasovićJ ◽  
...  

Cadmium, lead, and mercury concentrations were determined in roe deer and wild boar tissues (muscle, liver, kidney) of three different age groups from lowland Croatia. Cadmium concentrations in the examined tissues increased with age in both species, being the highest in the kidney, and higher in roe deer as compared to wild boar. Lead concentration was higher in younger animals in comparison with both older groups. Contrary to the expectations, roe deer tissues revealed mostly higher lead concentrations than those of wild boar. Mercury concentration in the tissues of the animals examined was relatively low and no correlation with age was found. However, mercury concentration was higher in kidney than in liver with both species. Wild boar had higher mercury concentrations in tissues than roe deer in all age groups. Cadmium and mercury concentrations in both species from lowland Croatia are comparable to those given in similar studies in other European countries, while lead concentration was lower in wild boar and higher in roe deer tissues than those in the same species from European countries. From the hygienic point of view, the muscle samples from roe deer and wild boar were edible as the concentrations of cadmium and lead did not exceed the values prescribed by the official regulations. However, cadmium concentration in liver exceeded the prescribed values in one fifth of all samples while lead concentrations were lower than the allowed concentrations. Most kidney samples from both animal species contained cadmium exceeding the recommended concentrations, while lead concentrations in all samples did not exceed the official value regulation. Mercury concentrations are no longer (since 2008) a matter of legislative.


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