Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Robert Luetkemeier, Ronja Kraus, Meed Mbidzo, Morgan Hauptfleisch, Stefan Liehr, Niels Blaum
Summary: Wildlife populations in Namibia have increased due to policy instruments that promote private ownership and sustainable use. However, this has also led to increased resource competition and conflicts among stakeholders. This paper explores these conflicts in Namibia's Kunene Region and provides insights into the societal conflicts originating from diverging interests, livelihood strategies, moral values, knowledge holders, personal relations, and views on institutional procedures.
Article
Agronomy
Ilias Karmiris, Thomas G. Papachristou, Dimitrios Fotakis
Summary: Silvopasture is a traditional agroforestry practice that plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and protecting species. However, the abandonment of this practice in Europe has led to changes in vegetation and wildlife habitats, potentially negatively impacting certain species' habitat use.
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Joachim Lubbo Kleen, Raphal Guatteo
Summary: Digital tools are increasingly important in livestock farming, particularly in dairy cattle husbandry. Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) combines sensors, algorithms, and interfaces to optimize animal production, health, and welfare. While some PLF systems are already widely used, others are still waiting for practical application. Scientific evidence on the effectiveness of PLF is currently limited.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Marcelo Hernan Cassini
Summary: This study compares the impacts of native and introduced species on human and natural environments in the United States. Surprisingly, it finds that native species cause significantly more damage than introduced species, particularly in agriculture, property, and health and safety. The differences in impacts on biodiversity and natural ecosystems are minor.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Enrico Di Minin, Rob Slotow, Christoph Fink, Hans Bauer, Craig Packer
Summary: African lions and elephants pose threats to people, crops, and livestock, and are themselves threatened with extinction. Human-wildlife conflicts mainly occur in areas with high human populations, crops, and cattle. Investing in high-quality mitigation fences could be a cost-effective strategy to protect people and prevent further declines in lion and elephant populations.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Review
Agronomy
Christos Tzanidakis, Ouranios Tzamaloukas, Panagiotis Simitzis, Panagiotis Panagakis
Summary: Over the past four decades, the global population's dietary needs have increased, leading to a rise in animal product consumption, particularly in South America and Asia. This has led to the expansion of livestock production systems and changes in animal management. Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) utilizes sensors and computer algorithms for real-time monitoring and control, allowing for early problem detection and increased awareness of individual animal needs. Although commercial PLF products are available, adoption is limited due to economic and cultural constraints and inadequate technological infrastructure.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Charles Carslake, Jorge A. Vazquez-Diosdado, Jasmeet Kaler
Summary: Previous research has shown that monitoring multiple behaviors and their features in calves is important for disease prediction. Additionally, an adjusted count quantification algorithm was developed to accurately predict the prevalence of calf behaviors.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Francisco Almarcha, Trinitario Ferrandez, Jose Vicente Lopez-Bao
Summary: The wolf is a symbolically significant animal, with different social groups having contrasting views and claims about the human-wolf relationship. Recognizing the complex symbolic burden of the wolf is essential in addressing social conflicts, and promoting communication strategies that can change the symbolism and meanings associated with the species.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Peter Tyrrell, Irene Amoke, Koen Betjes, Femke Broekhuis, Robert Buitenwerf, Sarah Carroll, Nathan Hahn, Daniel Haywood, Britt Klaassen, Mette Lovschal, David Macdonald, Karen Maiyo, Hellen Mbithi, Nelson Mwangi, Churchil Ochola, Erick Odire, Victoria Ondrusek, Junior Ratemo, Frank Pope, Samantha Russell, Wilson Sairowua, Kiptoo Sigilai, Jared A. Stabach, Jens-Christian Svenning, Elizabeth Stone, Johan T. du Toit, Guy Western, George Wittemyer, Jake Wall
Summary: The savannas of the Kenya-Tanzania borderland are important for biodiversity conservation and support a large number of pastoralists and their livestock. However, the ongoing fragmentation of natural vegetation by smallholder fencing and agricultural expansion threatens this social-ecological system. In this study, data from multiple sources were synthesized to create a spatial-temporal database, providing valuable information for ecological research, conservation, livestock management, and spatial planning.
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Bing Jiang, Wenjie Tang, Lihang Cui, Xiaoshang Deng
Summary: There has been a significant increase in research on precision livestock farming in recent years. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the current state of research on precision livestock farming by creating knowledge maps using the visualization tool CiteSpace. The study objectively reveals the dynamics, development process, and trends in precision livestock farming research, while identifying frontiers and hotspots in the field.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Alex Jiang, Andrew Tribe, Clive J. C. Phillips, Peter J. Murray
Summary: The study reveals that koala populations in Australia are facing threats from livestock-inflicted injuries and deaths, with a severity rate of 75% mortality. Despite the low reported frequency of livestock-koala incidents, there is a gradual increase over time. Future research is encouraged to explore the causes of these incidents and develop strategies to minimize the threat posed by livestock to koalas.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mingyue Yang, Sai Liang, Haifeng Zhou, Yumeng Li, Qiumeng Zhong, Zhifeng Yang
Summary: Forage-livestock conflict (FLC) is a major cause of rangeland degradation in China, posing significant threats to the environment. This study reveals that domestic final demand is responsible for the majority of FLCs in China, with non-pastoral regions driving about three-quarters of the total conflicts. Rangeland-based livestock raising, agricultural and sideline product processing, and catering sectors play a crucial role in driving FLCs. These findings highlight the importance of targeted demand-side strategies and interregional cooperation in mitigating rangeland degradation in China.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Romaan Hayat Khattak, Liwei Teng, Tahir Mehmood, Shakeel Ahmad, Fathul Bari, Ejaz Ur Rehman, Zhensheng Liu
Summary: The high economic costs of human-wildlife conflicts hinder long-term conservation successes in developing countries, as shown by a study in Nowshera district, Pakistan. Livestock predation and crop damage by certain species resulted in significant annual economic losses in the area. Negative attitudes towards certain wildlife species were prevalent among the respondents. Cooperation between wildlife officials and local communities, along with education and compensation measures, is essential to reduce human-wildlife conflicts in the study area.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chris D. Hasselerharm, Esty Yanco, Jeannine S. McManus, Bool H. Smuts, Daniel Ramp
Summary: By using remote tracking methods to detect vegetation and environmental changes on rangeland farms in South Africa, it was found that wildlife-friendly farming practices had higher vegetation productivity, stronger response to rainfall, and greater vegetation cover and grass cover compared to rotational grazing practices. This study highlights the potential benefits of adopting wildlife-friendly farming practices in rangeland ecosystems.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Maosong Yin, Ruiqin Ma, Hailing Luo, Jun Li, Qinan Zhao, Mengjie Zhang
Summary: In the future, more efficient, sustainable, and precise agri-sensing technologies will be adopted to promote precision livestock farming (PLF). Non-contact sensing technology (such as infrared detection, microwave radiometry, image processing, and machine vision, and acoustic detection) holds promise for application in intensive livestock production systems. With the help of the Internet of Things, big data, and artificial intelligence, non-contact sensing technology can play a crucial role.
COMPUTERS AND ELECTRONICS IN AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Rocio Bahia, Sergio A. Lambertucci, Pablo Plaza, Karina L. Speziale
Summary: This article reviews the interactions between parrot and plant species, focusing on urbanization and species introduction as global change drivers. The study found that while most research focused on native parrots interacting with native plants, both native and non-native parrots interacted with plants of both origins in urban areas.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Emmanouil Lempidakis, Andrew N. Ross, Luca Borger, Emily L. C. Shepard
Summary: This study provides the first assessment of the impact of flow characteristics on the distribution of seabird colonies using computational fluid dynamics. The results show that the breeding habitat selection of seabirds is influenced not only by airflows, but also by the need for shelter from wind and rain/wave action. Models of airflows and cliff orientation are effective in predicting high-quality habitat.
Article
Ecology
Julia D. Monk, Justine A. Smith, Emiliano Donadio, Paula L. Perrig, Ramiro D. Crego, Martin Fileni, Owen Bidder, Sergio A. Lambertucci, Jonathan N. Pauli, Oswald J. Schmitz, Arthur D. Middleton
Summary: Disease outbreaks caused by humans can have significant impacts on wildlife communities, as shown by the mange outbreak in the Andes that led to a population decline in the vicuna and subsequent changes in trophic interactions and ecological dynamics.
Article
Biology
Sofia Ruiz-Suarez, Vianey Leos-Barajas, Juan Manuel Morales
Summary: Hidden Markov models (HMMs) and their extensions, such as hidden semi-Markov models (HSMMs) and autoregressive-HMMs, have been shown to be powerful tools for classifying observations that have temporal dependence. This paper provides implementation details for these models in a supervised learning context and demonstrates their application in classifying accelerometer data from Merino sheep. The study also investigates the impact of model misspecification on classification performance.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STATISTICS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Santiago Zuluaga, Karina L. Speziale, Sergio A. Lambertucci
Summary: Land use change affects wildlife movement and ecological functions, but aerial wildlife's movement capabilities and functional redundancy can partially compensate for these losses. The movements of aerial wildlife may mask the loss of terrestrial wildlife functions and provide alternatives for ecosystem functions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Pablo Plaza, Guillermo M. Wiemeyer, Sergio A. Lambertucci
Summary: The overuse and misapplication of veterinary pharmaceuticals have negative effects on the ecosystem, even at low concentrations. Vultures are exposed to these compounds when consuming improperly disposed carcasses of animals previously treated with these pharmaceuticals, which can have diverse negative impacts on their health and populations, even leading to death. This study investigates the veterinary pharmaceuticals vultures are exposed to worldwide and assesses the potential consequences for these species. It suggests the need to improve scientific information and implement sustainable conservation action involving various stakeholders.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Ecology
M. -Martina Quaggiotto, Jose A. Sanchez-Zapata, David M. Bailey, Ana Payo-Payo, Joan Navarro, Andrew Brownlow, Rob Deaville, Sergio A. Lambertucci, Nuria Selva, Ainara Cortes-Avizanda, Fernando Hiraldo, Jose A. Donazar, Marcos Moleon
Summary: This article systematically reviews global data on cetacean strandings and analyzes its association with human population density and regulations. The study found that stranded cetacean carcasses provide a wide range of ecosystem services to ancient and modern civilizations worldwide, and the occurrence of strandings is not strongly correlated with human population density or regulations. The article provides recommendations for the future management of stranded cetacean carcasses, including encouraging natural decomposition and improving coastal management strategies.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2022)
Letter
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Juan M. Perez-garcia, Jon Morant, Eneko Arrondo, Esther Sebastian-Gonzalez, Sergio A. Lambertucci, Andrea Santangeli, Antoni Margalida, Jose A. Sanchez-Zapata, Guillermo Blanco, Jose A. Donazar, Martina Carrete, David Serrano
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Paula L. Perrig, Sergio A. Lambertucci, Emiliano Donadio, Justine A. Smith, Arthur D. Middleton, Jonathan N. Pauli
Summary: This study investigated the response of Andean condors to predation risk and found that they searched for carrion in areas where pumas had killed camelids. However, condors avoided exploiting carrion in areas with high vegetation and steep slopes, indicating that they primarily manage risk by identifying safe foraging sites.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Victor Gamarra-Toledo, Pablo I. Plaza, Yuri A. Pena, Pierina A. Bermejo, Juan Lopez, Gonzalo L. Cano, Santiago Barreto, Sandra Caceres-Medina, Sergio A. Lambertucci
Summary: Plastic pollution is a serious problem affecting various species globally. Andean condors in Peru were found to have high levels of plastic contamination, acquired through the food web both in marine and terrestrial environments. Microplastics were observed in their regurgitated pellets at a very high frequency. Urgent action is needed to address this hazardous pollutant and its potential impacts on the condors' health, population dynamics, and conservation.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Natalia Rebolo-Ifran, Pablo Plaza, Juan Manuel Perez-Garcia, Victor Gamarra-Toledo, Francisco Santander, Sergio A. Lambertucci
Summary: Power lines pose a threat to birds worldwide, leading to electrocutions and collisions resulting in significant bird fatalities. While this issue has been extensively studied globally, limited information is available from South America. Through a comprehensive review of scientific literature and additional data from citizen science projects, electrical companies, and field monitoring, it was found that the threat of power lines to birds exists throughout South America and affects several at-risk species. However, there is a lack of information on the most affected species, the extent of the impact, high-risk areas, and the effectiveness of mitigation efforts. This is concerning considering the region's rich biodiversity. Urgent evaluation, identification of priority areas for power line avoidance, and implementation of effective mitigation actions are crucial. Retrofitting dangerous power lines and establishing national regulations are necessary for minimizing the impact on wildlife.
PERSPECTIVES IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Ernesto Ruelas Inzunza, Kristina L. Cockle, Maria Gabriela Nunez Montellano, Carla S. Fontana, Cecilia Cuatianquiz Lima, Maria A. Echeverry-Galvis, Ronald A. Fernandez-Gomez, Flavia A. Montano-Centellas, Elisa Bonaccorso, Sergio A. Lambertucci, Cintia Cornelius, Carlos Bosque, Leandro Bugoni, Alejandro Salinas-Melgoza, Katherine Renton, Juan F. Freile, Fernando Angulo, Lourdes Mugica Valdes, Enriqueta Velarde, Sandra Cuadros, Carolina Isabel Mino
Summary: Global-scope scientific journals have upheld colonial inequities in ornithology and now have a role to play in increasing equity in publishing. Common barriers faced by Neotropical ornithologists include biased criteria, high publication costs, language hegemony, and lack of representation. Recommended actions include adjusting publication criteria, providing free or low-cost options, offering submission in Spanish, increasing representation, and introducing reflexivity statements.
ORNITHOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Matthew P. Duda, Christopher Grooms, Lorenzo Sympson, Jules M. Blais, Daniel Dagodzo, Wenxi Feng, Kristen M. Hayward, Matthew L. Julius, Linda E. Kimpe, Sergio A. Lambertucci, Daniel Layton-Matthews, Stephen C. Lougheed, Julieta Massaferro, Neal Michelutti, Peir K. Pufahl, April Vuletich, John P. Smol
Summary: Using palaeoecological proxies, we found that Andean Condors have been using the same nesting site for at least 2200 years, with a nesting frequency slowdown of approximately 1000 years from 1650 to 650 years before the present. The nesting slowdown coincided with increased volcanic activity, resulting in a decrease in food availability. After returning to the nesting site, condor diet shifted to carrion from introduced livestock and exotic herbivores. Currently, Andean Condors show elevated lead concentrations in their guano, likely due to human persecution linked to the shift in diet.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jorgelina Maria Guido, Nicolas Rodolfo Cecchetto, Pablo Ignacio Plaza, Jose Antonio Donazar, Sergio Agustin Lambertucci
Summary: In order to understand animal ecology, mitigate threats, and protect species effectively, it is important to study how different age and sex groups utilize space over time. Little is known about the movement patterns of immature animals during their dispersal period. This study focuses on the movement behavior of immature Andean condors and finds that their movement patterns differ according to age, sex, and season. The findings highlight the importance of considering the movements of immature individuals in conservation strategies.
Article
Agronomy
Francis Felici, Juan Manuel Gurevitz, Mauro Mortarini, Juan Manuel Morales
Summary: In recent decades, the use of synthetic pesticides has significantly increased due to the intensification of agricultural production and the growing pressure from pests in various crops. Integrated pest management (IPM) offers a sustainable approach for controlling pests by monitoring crop pest complex and using decision tools such as predictive models. This study developed an empirical modeling approach, based on a hierarchical Bayesian model, to forecast stink bug density and improve the efficacy and efficiency of IPM interventions. The forecasts made using the best model showed reasonable accuracy, providing advisors with a tool to make better-informed decisions about pest control interventions.