scholarly journals Domestic Livestock and Rewilding: Are They Mutually Exclusive?

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iain J. Gordon ◽  
Adrian D. Manning ◽  
Laetitia M. Navarro ◽  
Julia Rouet-Leduc
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Land Sparing ◽  
Stochastic Disturbance ◽  
Domestic Livestock ◽  
Livestock Products ◽  
Formed Part ◽  
Context Specific

Human influence extends across the globe, from the tallest mountains to the deep bottom of the oceans. There is a growing call for nature to be protected from the negative impacts of human activity (particularly intensive agriculture); so-called “land sparing”. A relatively new approach is “rewilding”, defined as the restoration of self-sustaining and complex ecosystems, with interlinked ecological processes that promote and support one another while minimising or gradually reducing human intervention. The key theoretical basis of rewilding is to return ecosystems to a “natural” or “self-willed” state with trophic complexity, dispersal (and connectivity) and stochastic disturbance in place. However, this is constrained by context-specific factors whereby it may not be possible to restore the native species that formed part of the trophic structure of the ecosystem if they are extinct (e.g., mammoths, Mammuthus spp., aurochs, Bos primigenius); and, populations/communities of native herbivores/predators may not be able to survive or be acceptable to the public in small scale rewilding projects close to areas of high human density. Therefore, the restoration of natural trophic complexity and disturbance regimes within rewilding projects requires careful consideration if the broader conservation needs of society are to be met. In some circumstances, managers will require a more flexible deliberate approach to intervening in rewilding projects using the range of tools in their toolbox (e.g., controlled burning regimes; using domestic livestock to replicate the impacts of extinct herbivore species), even if this is only in the early stages of the rewilding process. If this approach is adopted, then larger areas can be given over to conservation, because of the potential broader benefits to society from these spaces and the engagement of farmers in practises that are closer to their traditions. We provide examples, primarily European, where domestic and semi-domestic livestock are used by managers as part of their rewilding toolbox. Here managers have looked at the broader phenotype of livestock species as to their suitability in different rewilding systems. We assess whether there are ways of using livestock in these systems for conservation, economic (e.g., branded or certified livestock products) and cultural gains.

scholarly journals Rewilding Lite: Using Traditional Domestic Livestock to Achieve Rewilding Outcomes

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3347
Author(s):  
Iain J. Gordon ◽  
F. Javier Pérez-Barbería ◽  
Adrian D. Manning
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Bos Taurus ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Economic Returns ◽  
Natural Form ◽  
Stochastic Disturbance ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
Context Specific

The vision of rewilding is to return ecosystems to a “natural” or “self-willed” state with trophic complexity, dispersal (and connectivity) and stochastic disturbance in place. The concept is gaining traction, particularly in Europe where significant land abandonment has taken place in recent years. However, in reality, the purest form of rewilding (Rewilding Max) is constrained by a number of context-specific factors whereby it may not be possible to restore the native species that form part of the trophic structure of the ecosystem if they are extinct (for example, mammoths, Mammuthus spp., aurochs, Bos taurus primigenius). In addition, populations/communities of native herbivores/predators may not be able to survive or be acceptable to the public in small scale rewilding projects close to areas of high human density or agricultural land. Therefore, the restoration of natural trophic complexity and disturbance regimes within rewilding projects requires careful consideration if the broader conservation needs of society are to be met. Here we highlight the importance of herbivory as a key factor in rewilding. We argue that the use of the suite of livestock species, and in particular traditional breeds, offers the opportunity, under both land sharing/sparing strategies, to reinstate a more “natural” form of herbivory but still retain the option for management interventions (Rewilding Lite). It will even be possible to gain economic returns (ecotourism, sale of livestock products) from these systems, which will make them more acceptable to state and private landowners. We develop our case based on the advantages of using landraces versus de-domestication strategies, and on the implementation of eco-shepherding herbivory as a restoration tool in fine mosaics of agriculture/natural patches. If this approach is adopted, then larger areas can be given over to conservation, because of the potential broader benefits to society from these spaces and the engagement of farmers in practices that are closer to their traditions.

Calculating the lexical frequency profile of written German texts

2004 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin East
Keyword(s):  
Small Scale ◽  
Computer Programme ◽  
Lexical Frequency ◽  
Frequency Profile ◽  
Bilingual Dictionary ◽  
Word Families ◽  
Lexical Richness ◽  
Formed Part ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Measures of lexical richness aim at quantifying the degree to which L2 writers are using a varied and large vocabulary. One method for calculating lexical richness is the Lexical Frequency Profile, or LFP (Laufer & Nation, 1995). The LFP, calculated by a computer programme, provides a detailed picture of vocabulary use measured against several frequency lists of words. This paper reports on a small-scale study to investigate the effectiveness of calculating the LFP of written texts of German. This study formed part of a larger study to investigate the impact of dictionaries on students’ writing. Six subjects completed two timed writing tasks in examination conditions, one with and one without a bilingual dictionary. It was envisaged that the LFP might be helpful in determining if the presence of the bilingual dictionary made a difference to students’ lexical sophistication. A calculation of the LFP was carried out using two context-specific lists. Figures were calculated for the number of word tokens and word families. It was concluded that, although using the computer programme with German texts presented some difficulties not present when using the software with English frequency lists, the LFP showed itself to be a valuable diagnostic tool that was able to differentiate between proficiency levels in German and to provide useful information about lexical richness in German texts.

scholarly journals Diet composition of the invasive red-whiskered bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus in Mauritius

2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 347-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jannie Fries Linnebjerg ◽  
Dennis M. Hansen ◽  
Nancy Bunbury ◽  
Jens M. Olesen
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Introduced Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Ecological Perspective ◽  
Positive Interactions ◽  
Invasional Meltdown ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Successful Establishment ◽  
The Impact

Disruption of ecosystems is one of the biggest threats posed by invasive species (Mack et al. 2000). Thus, one of the most important challenges is to understand the impact of exotic species on native species and habitats (e.g. Jones 2008). The probability that entire ‘invasive communities’ will develop increases as more species establish in new areas (Bourgeois et al. 2005). For example, introduced species may act in concert, facilitating one another's invasion, and increasing the likelihood of successful establishment, spread and impact. Simberloff & Von Holle (1999) introduced the term ‘invasional meltdown’ for this process, which has received widespread attention since (e.g. O'Dowd 2003, Richardson et al. 2000, Simberloff 2006). Positive interactions among introduced species are relatively common, but few have been studied in detail (Traveset & Richardson 2006). Examples include introduced insects and birds that pollinate and disperse exotic plants, thereby facilitating the spread of these species into non-invaded habitats (Goulson 2003, Mandon-Dalger et al. 2004, Simberloff & Von Holle 1999). From a more general ecological perspective, the study of interactions involving introduced and invasive species can contribute to our knowledge of ecological processes – for example, community assembly and indirect interactions.

scholarly journals Assessing market-based conservation governance approaches: a socio-economic profile of Indonesian markets for wild birds

Oryx ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 482-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Jepson ◽  
Richard J. Ladle ◽  
Sujatnika
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Policy Instrument ◽  
Wild Birds ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Poor Growth ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Conservation Governance

AbstractOne of the most difficult situations for conservation is where state capacity to regulate is weak, major corporate organizations are absent, and the population does not have a strong culture of wildlife conservation. All these apply to the hugely popular urban Indonesian pastime of keeping wild songbirds, thought to be responsible for rolling local extinctions of several native species. In such situations the introduction of a voluntary, market-based approach could interact with regulation to create new and more effective approaches to reducing the negative conservation impacts of the associated trade. Here we assess the potential of such an approach through an in-depth analysis of the socio-economic and cultural aspects of bird keeping. We project that overall the pastime contributes USD 78.8 million to the economies of the six cities surveyed, supporting a range of associated small-scale rural and urban livelihoods relating to the production of cages and collection of live bird food. Finally, we describe five general bird-breeding models with the capacity to scale up the production of captive-bred birds that may substitute for wild-caught conspecifics. Based on this information we argue that a market-based policy instrument that is capable of shifting bird-keeping trends from wild-caught birds to captive-bred alternatives would align easily with macro-policy agendas in Indonesia relating to pro-poor growth and the creation of more and better jobs. Such a policy instrument could provide exciting opportunities for conservationists to engage the interest and support of non-conservation sectors in Indonesia in efforts to conserve diminishing populations of wild birds.

Analytical support of the main trends in the development of the livestock industry

2020 ◽  
pp. 10-21
Author(s):  
Elena Kostyukova ◽  
Alexander Frolov
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Animal Husbandry ◽  
Agricultural Economics ◽  
Industrial Complex ◽  
Livestock Industry ◽  
Domestic Livestock ◽  
Livestock Products

Agriculture is the most important area of economic activity for the production of products and services in order to provide the population with quality food, industry with raw materials and promote sustainable development of rural areas. In recent years, there has been a downward trend in the rate of agricultural development, which is lagging behind the growth rate of the Russian economy as a whole. Structural changes in the agro-industrial complex have not produced significant positive results, which is caused by a number of reasons. One of the directions of agricultural policy in Russia is the accelerated development of animal husbandry and increasing the competitiveness of domestic livestock products in the domestic market. The state program for the development of agriculture and regulation of markets for agricultural products, raw materials and food provides for a set of measures for the priority development of animal husbandry. Implementation of these measures requires improved management in order to increase the efficiency of livestock production. The article considers aspects of the formation of accounting and analytical support for management of the livestock industry, economic and statistical analysis of trends and structural changes in the livestock industry. The best practices of Russian scientists in the field of accounting and agricultural Economics are summarized

Early career development in the public sector: Lessons from a social constructionist perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-51
Author(s):  
Todd Bridgman ◽  
Annie De’ath
Keyword(s):  
Social Constructionism ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Social Constructionist ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
State Sector ◽  
Recent Graduates ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Collective Construction

This article explores the contribution a social constructionist paradigm can make to the study of career, through a small-scale empirical study of recent graduates employed in New Zealand’s state sector. A social constructionist lens denies the possibility of an individualised, generalised understanding of ‘career’, highlighting instead its local, contingent character as the product of social interaction. Our respondents’ collective construction of career was heavily shaped by a range of context-specific interactions and influences, such as the perception of a distinctive national identity, as well as by their young age and state sector location. It was also shaped by the research process, with us as researchers implicated in these meaning-making processes. Social constructionism shines a light on aspects of the field that are underplayed by mainstream, scientific approaches to the study of career, and therefore has valuable implications for practitioners, as well as scholars.

An Investigation of the Aerodynamic Response of a Wind Turbine Blade to Tower Shadow

2004 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
pp. 1034-1040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xabier Munduate ◽  
Frank N. Coton ◽  
Roderick A.McD. Galbraith
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Turbine Blade ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Wind Turbine Blade ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Force Coefficient ◽  
Velocity Deficit ◽  
Pressure Transducers ◽  
Aerodynamic Model ◽  
Tower Shadow

This paper presents results from a wind tunnel based examination of the response of a wind turbine blade to tower shadow in head-on flow. In the experiment, one of the blades of a small-scale, two-bladed, downwind turbine was instrumented with miniature pressure transducers to allow recording of the blade surface pressure response through tower shadow. The surface pressures were then integrated to provide the normal force coefficient responses presented in this paper. It is shown that it is possible to reproduce the measured responses using an indicially formulated unsteady aerodynamic model applied to a cosine wake velocity deficit. It is also shown that agreement between the model and the measured data can be improved by careful consideration of the velocity deficit geometry.

"What a Thing, then, is this Cow...": Positioning Domestic Livestock Animals in the Texts and Practices of Small-Scale "Self-Sufficiency"

2003 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lewis Holloway
Keyword(s):  
Human Behavior ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
Domestic Livestock ◽  
Political Conditions ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
Domestic Food

AbstractThis paper focuses on the positioning of animals other than human in the texts and practices of two versions of small-scale food "self-sufficiency" in Britain. The paper discusses the writings of Cobbett (1822/1926, 1830/1985) and Seymour (1960s/1970s) on self-sufficiency, suggesting that livestock animals are central, in a number of ways, to the constitution of these modes of self-sufficiency. First, animals are situated in both the texts and in the practicing of self-sufficiency regarded as essential parts of the economies and ecologies of small-scale food production. Second, animals' parts in these authors' criticisms of wider social, economic and political conditions supplement their role in small-scale domestic food supply. Animals become associated with a morality of human behavior and lifestyle and are part of the broader social critiques that the writing and practicing of these modes of self-sufficiency imply. These historically and geographically specific versions of self-sufficiency are valuable in defining and enacting possible alternative modes of human-animal relation in the context of food production.

scholarly journals Preliminary Study of the Influence of Conductivity and Calcium Concentrations on the Density and Species Richness of Native and Invasive Gastropods in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

2013 ◽  
Vol 36 ◽  
pp. 46-49
Author(s):  
Michele Larson ◽  
Gary Beauvais
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Native Community ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Freshwater Gastropods ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Nitrogen Levels ◽  
Freshwater Habitats ◽  
Primary Producer ◽  
Preliminary Study

Freshwater gastropods are a diverse taxa that inhabit a wide variety of freshwater habitats (Lydeard et al. 2004, Strong et al. 2008). Freshwater gastropods often form narrow endemic ranges (Strong et al. 2008) with many species restricted to a single drainage or an isolated spring (Brown et al. 2008). In North America, over 60% of freshwater snails are listed as imperiled or presumed extinct (Lysne et al. 2008). The main factors for the reduction in snail biodiversity are habitat loss, water pollution, and the introduction of invasive species (Strong et al. 2008). Invasive species can dramatically alter the native community by reducing biodiversity and changing ecological processes (Alonso and Castro-Diez 2008). The effects of invasive species on aquatic ecosystems are often permanent and lead to reductions in biodiversity due to predation and competition with native species (Alonso and Castro-Diez 2008, Lysne et al. 2008, Strayer 1999). Invasive gastropods impact native ecosystems by altering carbon and nitrogen levels (Hall et al. 2003, Arango et al. 2009), consuming large amounts of primary producer biomass (Hall et al. 2003, Riley et al. 2008, Strayer 2010), and changing native macroinvertebrate community composition (Kerans et al. 2005, Riley et al. 2008, Cross et al. 2010, Brenneis et al. 2011).

Creating a competence profile of a new profession: social service agents in welfare centers

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 362-380
Author(s):  
Riitta Forsten-Astikainen ◽  
Pia Heilmann
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Practical Knowledge ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Services ◽  
The Future ◽  
To Come ◽  
Context Specific

Purpose This study examines in detail how a new occupational group in a field creates and defines its professional competences. The background of the study refers to a new way of organizing social and health care services that requires new type of expertise. The authors examine the professionals of this new sector – service agents and the competences – they need in a multi-professional networking organization. The goal of this organizational pilot project is to gather both experience and practical knowledge of how the “gatekeeper” model can work between the customer and the service provider. The purpose of this paper is to learn the service agents’ perspective on their own work, namely, how they create their work, what their visions of the future are, and what can be learned from the new organizing model. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative data collection and small-scale exploratory study of a new profession: eight service agents and their two supervisors were interviewed to raise awareness of what professional competences these new job contents require, how service agents can influence the content of their work, and what competence needs will emerge in the future. Findings The key findings indicate that service agents lack the courage to modify their own mission. When a new profession is created, they are uncertain about how to create self-content on their own terms. They assume they need a certain degree and to know something more than they already know. They do not dare define their own new professional territory, but rather wait for that definition to come from their organization or society. However, the results also show that some service agents have a hidden willingness to be creative even when there is a lack of courage. There is a need to take more initiative and for agents to think freely outside the box in this new situation. Research limitations/implications The number of interviewees is small and the context specific. However, the study gives an indication of the factors that need to be taken into account when the dissemination of the model starts. Originality/value The paper describes the results of the pilot project of a new profession and a customer-oriented model in the social and health care sector.

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