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13 pages, 6006 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Density Pattern of Flare-Horned Markhor (Capra falconeri) in Northern Pakistan

by Shakeel Ahmad, Ejaz Ur Rehman, Hussain Ali, Nazakat Din, Jibran Haider, Jaffar Ud Din and Muhammad Ali Nawaz

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9567; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159567 - 4 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4194

Abstract

Wild ungulates play vital roles in maintaining a balanced ecosystem through herbivory and are also an important determinant of carnivores’ density. The flare-horned markhor (Capra falconeri) is a threatened wild goat distributed across the mountain ranges of Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Russia, [...] Read more.

Wild ungulates play vital roles in maintaining a balanced ecosystem through herbivory and are also an important determinant of carnivores’ density. The flare-horned markhor (Capra falconeri) is a threatened wild goat distributed across the mountain ranges of Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. The remote terrain and fragmented population limit our understanding of the population ecology of markhor, though knowledge of the target species population is vital for making informed management decisions. Therefore, the current study was designed to determine the markhor population across their range in Northern Pakistan and to evaluate the efforts made by the government and non-government organizations for the conservation of markhor. Double-observer surveys were conducted during 2019–2021 in nine major watersheds of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan covering an area of 4664 km². Secondary data were collected for unassessed areas to gain a holistic overview of the markhor population and density in the region. Results revealed a markhor population of 7579, with a density of 0.30 animals per km² in Northern Pakistan. Our analysis of the double-observer data through the Bayesian behavioral capture–recapture model estimated a population of 5993 individuals (95% CI) of markhor across nine study sites, with a density of 1.28 animals per km². A review of secondary data revealed that a population of about 1586 was present in the un-surveyed area (20,033.33 km²), with a density of 0.08 per km². A total of 146 groups of markhor were counted, with a mean group size of 23 (3–58) individuals. There were 109 males and 108 young per 100 females in the population. Among 1936 recorded males, Class I males accounted for 27.74%, followed by Class II (26.45%), Class IV (trophy-size) (23.40%), and Class III (22.42%). The overall detection probability was recorded as 0.87 and 0.68 for the first observer and second observer, respectively. Compared with the past reports, the population of markhor in Northern Pakistan appears to be increasing, particularly in protected areas (PAs) such as national parks and community-controlled hunting areas (CCHAs). Conservation programs, notably trophy hunting and PA networks, appear to be vital in sustaining markhor populations in parts of the species range. We recommend expansion in such programs in the markhor range in order to maintain a viable population of this majestic wild goat in the region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management)

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13 pages, 1993 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prediction of Resin Production in Copal Trees (Bursera spp.) Using a Random Forest Model

by Julio César Buendía-Espinoza, Elisa del Carmen Martínez-Ochoa, Rosa María García-Nuñez, Selene del Carmen Arrazate-Jiménez and Alejandro Sánchez-Vélez

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 8047; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14138047 - 1 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2181

Abstract

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are essential for community development, but their enormous demand has posed a serious threat to trees growing in their natural habitat. Copal resin is one of these products, which has a great deal of religious and ceremonial significance in [...] Read more.

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are essential for community development, but their enormous demand has posed a serious threat to trees growing in their natural habitat. Copal resin is one of these products, which has a great deal of religious and ceremonial significance in Mexico and around the world. Resin extraction from a tree depends on its morphological and physiological characteristics, as well as its physical and sanitary condition. In this study, a methodology was proposed for determining the yield and health status of Copal trees, and a random forest (RF) model was developed to explain their resin production based on their morphological and condition characteristics. The experiment was conducted in the Agua Escondida watershed in Puebla, Mexico. With the training data, the average accuracy of the model was 99%, with a Kappa index of 98%, which is considered an excellent level of agreement beyond chance, and with the validation data, the average accuracy was 71% and 47%, which is considered a good level of agreement beyond chance. Tree condition was the most important factor affecting resin production in Copal trees, followed by stem diameter (33 and 38 cm), height (2 and 2.5 m), and diameter of secondary branches (from 8 to 15, 22 and 32 cm). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management)

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14 pages, 589 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synergistic Effects of Acacia Prunings-Derived Biochar and Nitrogen Application on the Mineral Profile of Maize (Zea mays L.) Grains

by Habib Ullah, Sahib Alam, Waqar Ahmad, Stuart Morrow, Muhammad Sabir and Yacine Hemar

Sustainability 2022, 14(5), 2995; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052995 - 4 Mar 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1723

Abstract

Despite the proven impact of biochar (BC) on crop yield, little is known about its effect on cereal grain quality. We explored the effect of acacia pruning-derived biochar and nitrogen (N) applications on the mineral profile of maize grains in a field study. [...] Read more.

Despite the proven impact of biochar (BC) on crop yield, little is known about its effect on cereal grain quality. We explored the effect of acacia pruning-derived biochar and nitrogen (N) applications on the mineral profile of maize grains in a field study. Biochar was applied at the rates of 5, 10, 15, and 20 t ha⁻¹ and N at 100, 150, and 200 kg ha⁻¹ along with the control (BC or N not applied) in a split-plot arrangement using a randomized complete block design. At crop maturity, the grains were analyzed for K, P, Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, and Cu content. The results showed that BC application at the rate of 10 t ha⁻¹ along with N at 200 kg ha⁻¹ resulted in the highest concentrations of K, P, Ca, and Mg in grains. The Fe content was the maximum at the N application rate of 200 kg ha⁻¹ while Zn and Cu had the highest concentration at 150 kg N ha⁻¹ with no BC. It was concluded that the integrated use of BC and N could be a valuable strategy to improve the nutritional quality of maize grains. The enrichment of BC with micronutrients is recommended to achieve the desired concentration of micronutrients in maize grains to help cure malnutrition. However, further investigation is warranted to validate the impact of BC made of different feedstocks on soils of contrasting mineralogy as organo-mineral interactions might mask the true potential of BC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management)

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28 pages, 2337 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Vulnerability Assessment of Target Shrimps and Bycatch Species from Industrial Shrimp Trawl Fishery in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh

by Umme Kaniz Fatema, Hasan Faruque, Md. Abdus Salam and Hiroyuki Matsuda

Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1691; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031691 - 1 Feb 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4143

Abstract

Productivity susceptibility analysis (PSA) is a semi-quantitative ecological risk assessment tool, widely used to determine the relative vulnerability of target and non-target species to fishing impacts. Considering the available information on species-specific life-history and fishery-specific attributes, we used PSA to assess the relative [...] Read more.

Productivity susceptibility analysis (PSA) is a semi-quantitative ecological risk assessment tool, widely used to determine the relative vulnerability of target and non-target species to fishing impacts. Considering the available information on species-specific life-history and fishery-specific attributes, we used PSA to assess the relative risk of the 60 species interacting with the shrimp trawl fishery in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. Penaeus monodon, the most important target, and Metapenaeus monoceros, the highest catch contributor, along with other 15 species were in the moderate-risk category, while seven non-target bycatch species were in the high-risk category. PSA-derived vulnerability results were validated with IUCN extinction risk, exploitation rate and stocks’ catch trend. The majority of the identified species showed high productivity (37%) and high susceptibility (46%), and all the moderately and highly vulnerable species were subjected to overfishing conditions by shrimp trawl fishery, which coincided with the vulnerability scores (V ≥ 1.8). Species with V ≥ 1.8 mostly showed a decreasing catch trend, while the species with a stable or increasing catch trend had a V ≤ 1.72. Data quality analysis of productivity and susceptibility attributes indicated that the majority of species were considered data-limited, which emphasizes the acquisition of data on spatio-temporal abundance, catch and effort, and biological information specifically relating to species age, growth, and reproduction. However, our findings can assist fishery administrators in implementing an ecosystem approach to ensure the sustainability and conservation of marine biodiversity in the Bay of Bengal. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management)

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29 pages, 6907 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using Naturalness for Assessing the Impact of Forestry and Protection on the Quality of Ecosystems in Life Cycle Assessment

by Sylvie Côté, Robert Beauregard, Manuele Margni and Louis Bélanger

Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 8859; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168859 - 8 Aug 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2561

Abstract

A novel approach is proposed to evaluate the impact of forestry on ecosystem quality in life cycle assessment (LCA) combining a naturalness assessment model with a species richness relationship. The approach is applied to a case study evaluating different forest management strategies involving [...] Read more.

A novel approach is proposed to evaluate the impact of forestry on ecosystem quality in life cycle assessment (LCA) combining a naturalness assessment model with a species richness relationship. The approach is applied to a case study evaluating different forest management strategies involving concomitantly silvicultural scenarios (plantation only, careful logging only or the current mix of both) combined with an increasing share of protected area for wood production in a Québec black spruce forest. The naturalness index is useful to compare forest management scenarios and can help evaluate conservation needs considering the type of management foreseen for wood production. The results indicate that it is preferable to intensify forest management over a small proportion of the forest territory while ensuring strict protection over the remaining portion, compared to extensive forest management over most of the forested area. To explore naturalness introduction in LCA, a provisory curve relating the naturalness index (NI) with the potential disappeared fraction of species (PDF) was developed using species richness data from the literature. LCA impact scores in PDF for producing 1 m³ of wood might lead to consistent results with the naturalness index but the uncertainty is high while the window leading to consistent results is narrow. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management)

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16 pages, 3659 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rangeland Biodiversity and Climate Variability: Supporting the Need for Flexible Grazing Management

by Mounir Louhaichi, Mouldi Gamoun, Farah Ben Salem and Azaiez Ouled Belgacem

Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7124; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137124 - 25 Jun 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2900

Abstract

Resting or grazing exclusion is an effective practice widely adopted to restore degraded, arid rangelands. To understand its effect on plant diversity, we studied Hill’s diversity indices during two growing seasons (2017–2019). The experiment consisted of a three-level factorial design with four plant [...] Read more.

Resting or grazing exclusion is an effective practice widely adopted to restore degraded, arid rangelands. To understand its effect on plant diversity, we studied Hill’s diversity indices during two growing seasons (2017–2019). The experiment consisted of a three-level factorial design with four plant communities subjected to different resting durations (one, two, and three years) compared to continuously grazed areas (control). The results showed that rainfall plays an important role in arid rangeland restoration. Under favorable conditions, one-year grazing exclusion considerably enhanced species richness and evenness diversity compared to longer resting durations under dry to average rainfall conditions. The decision to how long livestock grazing exclusion would last should not be decided upfront as it depends on the climatic and the site-specific conditions. The findings of this study will have vital management implications for development agencies. Knowing that short grazing exclusion with adequate rainfall amount and distribution could be enough and offers a cost-effective technical option to ensure the sustainable restoration of arid rangeland. This flexible grazing management would also be more acceptable by the pastoral communities. Longer resting periods could have detrimental effects on arid rangeland vegetation, in addition to adding more pressure on the remaining rangeland areas open to grazing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management)

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17 pages, 2943 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Environmental Design Features for Large-Scale Nature-Based Solutions: Development of a Framework That Incorporates Landscape Dynamics into the Design of Nature-Based Solutions

by Bo-Syuan Wu, Laddaporn Ruangpan, Arlex Sanchez, Marzenna Rasmussen, Eldon R. Rene and Zoran Vojinovic

Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6123; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116123 - 28 May 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2658

Abstract

Large-scale nature-based solutions (NBS) contribute to the change in large-scale landscapes and ecosystems for which continuous monitoring activities would be necessary to reflect the constantly changing environment. To fill the existing gap in the design-making process of implementing NBS, a framework that incorporates [...] Read more.

Large-scale nature-based solutions (NBS) contribute to the change in large-scale landscapes and ecosystems for which continuous monitoring activities would be necessary to reflect the constantly changing environment. To fill the existing gap in the design-making process of implementing NBS, a framework that incorporates the landscape dynamics into the design of NBS is expedient and beneficial. This research addresses the above knowledge gap and presents a practically applicable framework for large-scale NBS that incorporates landscape dynamics into the design of NBS. To amplify the power of stakeholders’ involvement and evidence-based knowledge (i.e., field experiences and literature reports), the framework developed in this study was evaluated on a case-study site in Odense area, Denmark, within the EU-funded RECONECT project. Furthermore, this study also addresses the relationship between landscape dynamics and biodiversity by performing a detailed literature review. The results obtained from this work demonstrate that the framework developed can be applied to existing large-scale NBS and it has the potential to recommend guidelines during the planning and design step of large-scale NBS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management)

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15 pages, 967 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Selection Regime on Invasive Characteristics in an Emerging Biomass Crop, Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.)

by Shelby A. Flint, Ruth G. Shaw and Nicholas R. Jordan

Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 5045; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095045 - 30 Apr 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1756

Abstract

Production of biomass feedstock crops could produce substantial environmental benefits, but these will be sharply reduced if these crops become invasive. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is being bred for biomass production; these selective efforts may enhance invasive traits. To inform the assessment [...] Read more.

Production of biomass feedstock crops could produce substantial environmental benefits, but these will be sharply reduced if these crops become invasive. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is being bred for biomass production; these selective efforts may enhance invasive traits. To inform the assessment of invasive risk, undomesticated switchgrass strains were used as a baseline for comparison with strains bred for biomass production. In a three-year field experiment, we compared juvenile plant densities and survival, persistence of established plants, and aboveground biomass between selectively bred (cultivar) and undomesticated switchgrass strains. Cultivars had modestly greater third-year biomass and first-year plant densities than commercial ecotypes but lower survival and persistence; consequently, third-year plant densities did not significantly differ between cultivars and commercial ecotypes. Higher initial establishment and subsequent self-thinning in cultivars resulted in stands that were similar to those of commercial ecotypes. Therefore, our results do not suggest that the breeding of current cultivars of switchgrass enhanced juvenile and young-stand traits associated with invasiveness. Because biomass yields were not greatly different between cultivars and commercial ecotypes, use of the latter in biomass grasslands could provide functional benefits, including an enhanced habitat for native biodiversity and reduced pathogen loads, without incurring large losses in biomass production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity and Natural Resources Management)

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