Globally, human activities have a significant impact on the diversity, abundance, and distribution of large mammals in Protected Areas (PAs). These disturbances increase human pressure on biodiversity and species habi...Globally, human activities have a significant impact on the diversity, abundance, and distribution of large mammals in Protected Areas (PAs). These disturbances increase human pressure on biodiversity and species habitats, highlighting the need for conservation. This study aimed to assess the abundance and distribution of large mammals in different habitat types within Nimule National Park (NNP) and understand the impacts of human activities on them. Data on the abundance and distribution of large mammals and their respective habitat types were collected through line transect surveys. Human activity signs were observed and recorded along the transect lines. To estimate the impacts of human activities on the diversity, abundance, and distribution of large mammal species, as well as to identify any significant differences between them and their habitat types, the study utilized the Kruskal Wallis test, Polynomial multiple regressions, and diversity indices. The findings from the Shannon-Weiner and Simpson indices indicated that large mammal species were more diverse inside the park (H’ = 1.136;D = 0.570) compared to the buffer zone (H’ = 0.413;D = 0.171), with 85% (443 out of 510 samples) recorded within Nimule National Park. The species abundance showed a semi-balanced status (0.58). The diversity results among different habitat types revealed that large mammals were more diverse and highly distributed in both open woodlands (244) and dense woodlands (192), while riverine vegetation had the lowest diversity (8). Statistical tests demonstrated a highly significant difference at a 99% confidence interval (p-value = 0.01) between habitat types and identified species of large mammals. Additionally, the results highlighted the high abundance of Uganda kob (274), baboons (141), and warthog (57) across most habitat types, accounting for at least 75% of their distribution. The most prevalent human activities observed were cattle footprints (27%) and cattle dung (14%). Human footprints and tree cutting combined accounted for 9%, indicating the practice of livestock grazing, poaching, encroachment, and fuelwood collection by local communities. However, these activities did not appear to significantly impact the diversity, abundance, and distribution of large mammals in Nimule National Park. Therefore, it is crucial to foster shared responsibilities and engage relevant stakeholders in the management and conservation of large wildlife species. Regular community awareness programs should be implemented to cultivate a sense of ownership. Moreover, it is recommended that a comprehensive survey be conducted on the population status of all mammal species in Nimule National Park, including its surrounding Buffer Zone. Monitoring the impact of human activities on their behavior and habitats using satellite images should also be carried out at least every five to ten years.展开更多
The composition of animal species and interactions among them are widely known to shape ecological communities and fine-scale(e.g.,<1 km)monitoring of animal communities is essential for understanding the relations...The composition of animal species and interactions among them are widely known to shape ecological communities and fine-scale(e.g.,<1 km)monitoring of animal communities is essential for understanding the relationships among animals and plants.Although the co-existence of large-and medium-sized species has been studied across different scales,research on fine-scale interactions of herbivores in deciduous broadleaf forests is limited.Camera trapping of large-and medium-sized mammals was carried out over a 1 year period within a 25 ha deciduous broadleaf forest dynamics plot in the Qinling Mountains,China.Fourteen species of large-and medium-sized mammals,including six carnivores,six ungulates,one primate and one rodent species were found.Kernel density estimations were used to analyse the diel or 24 h activity patterns of all species with more than 40 independent detections and general linear models were developed to explore the spatial relationships among the species.The combination of overlapping diel activity patterns and spatial associations showed obvious niche separation among six species:giant panda(Ailuropoda melanoleuca David),takin(Budorcas taxicolor Hodgson),Reeves’s muntjac(Muntiacus reevesi Ogilby),tufted deer(Elaphodus cephalophus Milne-Edwards),Chinese serow(Capricornis milneedwardsii David)and wild boar(Sus scrofa Linnaeus).Long-term fine-scale monitoring is useful for providing information about the co-existence of species and their interactions.The results demonstrate the importance for fine-scale monitoring of animals and plants for improving understanding of species interactions and community dynamics.展开更多
Brain plasticity is heterogeneous in mammals：Brain regeneration and repair are the dream of every neurobiologist as well as every common citizen in the world who knows that most neurological diseases,dementia and oth...Brain plasticity is heterogeneous in mammals：Brain regeneration and repair are the dream of every neurobiologist as well as every common citizen in the world who knows that most neurological diseases,dementia and other age-related problems affecting the central nervous system（CNS）do represent a heavy health and social burden.Efficacious re-generative processes are not＂ a natural property of the mammalian CNS, rather, due to evolutionary constraints they seem substantially reduced （if compared to those occurring in non-mammalian vertebrates） and hardly inducible by therapeutic approaches （reviewed in Martino et al., 2011）.展开更多
The Casablanca region is world famous for its fossil sites,ranging from the Mio-Pliocene to the Holocene. The"gazelles cave"at Tamaris I in the region of Casablanca(Morocco),was recently discovered during co...The Casablanca region is world famous for its fossil sites,ranging from the Mio-Pliocene to the Holocene. The"gazelles cave"at Tamaris I in the region of Casablanca(Morocco),was recently discovered during construction work.It forms a pocket,cut into the marine calcarenite of the A(i|¨)n Roumman Member and is filled with continental sediments(Lahlalfa member) of Upper Pleistocene age.The fauna is largely dominated by gazelles,hence the name given to this locality.Ankle bones discovered at the展开更多
The current and dominant theory about the origin of modern humans is the out-of-Africa hypothesis, which asserts that populations of Homo sapiens left Africa 100,000 years ago and replaced indigenous populations of hu...The current and dominant theory about the origin of modern humans is the out-of-Africa hypothesis, which asserts that populations of Homo sapiens left Africa 100,000 years ago and replaced indigenous populations of humans in Eurasia. Many scholars equated the out-of-Africa dispersal of humans with paleoenvironmental changes. However, until now, few have paid special attention to the faunal data and whether or not faunal patterns are supportive of the popular theory. Recent comparative study of the Chinese fauna shows that the communication of faunas between Africa and East Asia could have occurred during the Neogene, but it was very limited during the Pleistocene. In the Chinese Quaternary fauna, only 16% of the genera are also present in the sub-Saharan African fauna. There is also no element among the dominant taxa of the Chinese Quaternary fauna which can be related to the African fauna. There is no reliable proof for the existence of Hippopotamus and Giraffa, as well as Panthera leo, during the Quaternary in China. Two controversial taxa are Acinonyx and Crocuta, about which there is still argument concerning their species identification in Eurasia. It is possible that both of the genera have co-specific taxa in Africa and Eurasia. Although the two genera are confined to Africa today, they did have a long evolutionary history in China. For the Out of Africa hypothesis for Homo sapiens, the implications of the limited faunal interchanges between China and Africa are not completely clear yet.展开更多
Two surveys of the diversity of large and medium sized mammal species of the Haizishan Nature Reserve,Sichuan Province,China were conducted in 2003-2004.Thirty-four mammal species and 475 trails or individuals were do...Two surveys of the diversity of large and medium sized mammal species of the Haizishan Nature Reserve,Sichuan Province,China were conducted in 2003-2004.Thirty-four mammal species and 475 trails or individuals were documented along 70 routes.Mammals were most abundant in alpine shrub habitat.At higher elevations,we noted a trend toward a gradually increasing proportion of Palearctic mammal species and a decreasing proportion of Oriental mammal species;this change occured between 3 800-4 400 m.Between 4 400-4 700 m,62% of the mammal fauna is of Palearctic origin;above 4 700 m the fauna is exclusively Palearctic.Among the 34 mammal species,the Wapti,Serow,Goral and Blue sheep have the broadest elevational ranges and are widely distributed in the area.During these surveys,the Roan musk deer was found to be the most common species in the area.展开更多
文摘Globally, human activities have a significant impact on the diversity, abundance, and distribution of large mammals in Protected Areas (PAs). These disturbances increase human pressure on biodiversity and species habitats, highlighting the need for conservation. This study aimed to assess the abundance and distribution of large mammals in different habitat types within Nimule National Park (NNP) and understand the impacts of human activities on them. Data on the abundance and distribution of large mammals and their respective habitat types were collected through line transect surveys. Human activity signs were observed and recorded along the transect lines. To estimate the impacts of human activities on the diversity, abundance, and distribution of large mammal species, as well as to identify any significant differences between them and their habitat types, the study utilized the Kruskal Wallis test, Polynomial multiple regressions, and diversity indices. The findings from the Shannon-Weiner and Simpson indices indicated that large mammal species were more diverse inside the park (H’ = 1.136;D = 0.570) compared to the buffer zone (H’ = 0.413;D = 0.171), with 85% (443 out of 510 samples) recorded within Nimule National Park. The species abundance showed a semi-balanced status (0.58). The diversity results among different habitat types revealed that large mammals were more diverse and highly distributed in both open woodlands (244) and dense woodlands (192), while riverine vegetation had the lowest diversity (8). Statistical tests demonstrated a highly significant difference at a 99% confidence interval (p-value = 0.01) between habitat types and identified species of large mammals. Additionally, the results highlighted the high abundance of Uganda kob (274), baboons (141), and warthog (57) across most habitat types, accounting for at least 75% of their distribution. The most prevalent human activities observed were cattle footprints (27%) and cattle dung (14%). Human footprints and tree cutting combined accounted for 9%, indicating the practice of livestock grazing, poaching, encroachment, and fuelwood collection by local communities. However, these activities did not appear to significantly impact the diversity, abundance, and distribution of large mammals in Nimule National Park. Therefore, it is crucial to foster shared responsibilities and engage relevant stakeholders in the management and conservation of large wildlife species. Regular community awareness programs should be implemented to cultivate a sense of ownership. Moreover, it is recommended that a comprehensive survey be conducted on the population status of all mammal species in Nimule National Park, including its surrounding Buffer Zone. Monitoring the impact of human activities on their behavior and habitats using satellite images should also be carried out at least every five to ten years.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China project(No 41671183).
文摘The composition of animal species and interactions among them are widely known to shape ecological communities and fine-scale(e.g.,<1 km)monitoring of animal communities is essential for understanding the relationships among animals and plants.Although the co-existence of large-and medium-sized species has been studied across different scales,research on fine-scale interactions of herbivores in deciduous broadleaf forests is limited.Camera trapping of large-and medium-sized mammals was carried out over a 1 year period within a 25 ha deciduous broadleaf forest dynamics plot in the Qinling Mountains,China.Fourteen species of large-and medium-sized mammals,including six carnivores,six ungulates,one primate and one rodent species were found.Kernel density estimations were used to analyse the diel or 24 h activity patterns of all species with more than 40 independent detections and general linear models were developed to explore the spatial relationships among the species.The combination of overlapping diel activity patterns and spatial associations showed obvious niche separation among six species:giant panda(Ailuropoda melanoleuca David),takin(Budorcas taxicolor Hodgson),Reeves’s muntjac(Muntiacus reevesi Ogilby),tufted deer(Elaphodus cephalophus Milne-Edwards),Chinese serow(Capricornis milneedwardsii David)and wild boar(Sus scrofa Linnaeus).Long-term fine-scale monitoring is useful for providing information about the co-existence of species and their interactions.The results demonstrate the importance for fine-scale monitoring of animals and plants for improving understanding of species interactions and community dynamics.
基金supported by MIUR-PRIN2015(grant 2015Y5W9YP)University of Turin(Ricerca locale 2016)
文摘Brain plasticity is heterogeneous in mammals：Brain regeneration and repair are the dream of every neurobiologist as well as every common citizen in the world who knows that most neurological diseases,dementia and other age-related problems affecting the central nervous system（CNS）do represent a heavy health and social burden.Efficacious re-generative processes are not＂ a natural property of the mammalian CNS, rather, due to evolutionary constraints they seem substantially reduced （if compared to those occurring in non-mammalian vertebrates） and hardly inducible by therapeutic approaches （reviewed in Martino et al., 2011）.
文摘The Casablanca region is world famous for its fossil sites,ranging from the Mio-Pliocene to the Holocene. The"gazelles cave"at Tamaris I in the region of Casablanca(Morocco),was recently discovered during construction work.It forms a pocket,cut into the marine calcarenite of the A(i|¨)n Roumman Member and is filled with continental sediments(Lahlalfa member) of Upper Pleistocene age.The fauna is largely dominated by gazelles,hence the name given to this locality.Ankle bones discovered at the
基金supported by the International Cooperation Program of MST of China(2009DFB20580)the Major Basic Research Project of MST of China(Grant No: 2006CB806400)+1 种基金Special Basic Research Project(Grant No:2007FY110200)of MST of Chinathe IVPP Project(Grant No:KA209508)
文摘The current and dominant theory about the origin of modern humans is the out-of-Africa hypothesis, which asserts that populations of Homo sapiens left Africa 100,000 years ago and replaced indigenous populations of humans in Eurasia. Many scholars equated the out-of-Africa dispersal of humans with paleoenvironmental changes. However, until now, few have paid special attention to the faunal data and whether or not faunal patterns are supportive of the popular theory. Recent comparative study of the Chinese fauna shows that the communication of faunas between Africa and East Asia could have occurred during the Neogene, but it was very limited during the Pleistocene. In the Chinese Quaternary fauna, only 16% of the genera are also present in the sub-Saharan African fauna. There is also no element among the dominant taxa of the Chinese Quaternary fauna which can be related to the African fauna. There is no reliable proof for the existence of Hippopotamus and Giraffa, as well as Panthera leo, during the Quaternary in China. Two controversial taxa are Acinonyx and Crocuta, about which there is still argument concerning their species identification in Eurasia. It is possible that both of the genera have co-specific taxa in Africa and Eurasia. Although the two genera are confined to Africa today, they did have a long evolutionary history in China. For the Out of Africa hypothesis for Homo sapiens, the implications of the limited faunal interchanges between China and Africa are not completely clear yet.
文摘Two surveys of the diversity of large and medium sized mammal species of the Haizishan Nature Reserve,Sichuan Province,China were conducted in 2003-2004.Thirty-four mammal species and 475 trails or individuals were documented along 70 routes.Mammals were most abundant in alpine shrub habitat.At higher elevations,we noted a trend toward a gradually increasing proportion of Palearctic mammal species and a decreasing proportion of Oriental mammal species;this change occured between 3 800-4 400 m.Between 4 400-4 700 m,62% of the mammal fauna is of Palearctic origin;above 4 700 m the fauna is exclusively Palearctic.Among the 34 mammal species,the Wapti,Serow,Goral and Blue sheep have the broadest elevational ranges and are widely distributed in the area.During these surveys,the Roan musk deer was found to be the most common species in the area.
