Population Ecology of the Endangered Himalayan Yew in Khokhan Wildlife Sanctuary of North Western Himalaya for Conservation Management

The Himalayan Yew (Taxus baccata subsp. wallichiana) is an endangered native high value medicinal plant of the Himalayan Region. The several medicinal properties of the bark and leaves of this species have increased its risk of extinction due to pressures for utilization. It is also subjected to harvest for fuelwood. The species does not regenerate well from seed and that is another risk factor. The objective of this research was to investigate the population ecology of the species as a foundation for its conservation. Six forest communities in the Khokhan Wildlife Sanctuary where the species is present were sampled. The abundance of the species, impacts of harvesting and its current regeneration patterns indicate that it may soon be extirpated from the Sanctuary. A plan for conserving the remaining sub-populations is presented. It could provide a template for conservation in other locations where the species is at risk.

Conservation management decreases surface runoff and soil erosion

Conservation management practices e including agroforestry,cover cropping,no-till,reduced tillage,and residue return e have been applied for decades to control surface runoff and soil erosion,yet results have not been integrated and evaluated across cropping systems.In this study we collected data comparing agricultural production with and without conservation management strategies.We used a bootstrap resampling analysis to explore interactions between practice type,soil texture,surface runoff,and soil erosion.We then used a correlation analysis to relate changes in surface runoff and soil erosion to 13 other soil health and agronomic indicators,including soil organic carbon,soil aggregation,infil-tration,porosity,subsurface leaching,and cash crop yield.Across all conservation management practices,surface runoff and erosion had respective mean decreases of 67%and 80%compared with controls.Use of cover cropping provided the largest decreases in erosion and surface runoff,thus emphasizing the importance of maintaining continuous vegetative cover on soils.Coarse-and medium-textured soils had greater decreases in both erosion and runoff than fine-textured soils.Changes in surface runoff and soil erosion under conservation management were highly correlated with soil organic carbon,aggregation,porosity,infiltration,leaching,and yield,showing that conservation practices help drive important in-teractions between these different facets of soil health.This study offers the first large-scale comparison of how different conservation agriculture practices reduce surface runoff and soil erosion,and at the same time provides new insight into how these interactions influence the improvement or loss of soil health。

Conservation utility of botanic garden living collections:Setting a strategy and appropriate methodology

In the realities of the modern world, when the natural habitat is rapidly disappearing and the number of imperiled plants is constantly growing, ex situ conservation is gaining importance. To meet this challenge, botanic gardens need to revise both their strategic goals and their methodologies to achieve the new goals. This paper proposes a strategy for the management of threatened plants in living collections,which includes setting regional conservation priorities for the species, creation of genetically representative collections for the high priority species, and usage of these collections in in situ actions. In this strategy, the value of existing and future species living collections for conservation is determined by the species' conservation status and how well the accessions represent their natural genetic variation.

Bilateral Congenital Upper Eyelid Eversion (Ectropion): A Rare Presentation Responded Well to Conservative Treatment at Temeke Regional Referral Hospital-Tanzania

Congenital eversion of the upper eyelids is a rare condition, the exact cause of which remains unknown. It is more frequently associated with Down’s syndrome and black babies. If diagnosed early and treated properly, the condition can be managed without surgery. We report a case of non syndromic congenital bilateral severe upper eyelid eversion in otherwise normal 3 days old neonate of African descent (Tanzanian), born by vaginal delivery. The case was conservatively managed by lubricants, antibiotics and eyelid patching. We report this case because from the best of our knowledge it has never been documented here at our hospital and Tanzania before.

Benefits of conservation-driven mowing for the EU policy species Gladiolus palustris Gaudin in mountain fen meadows:a case-study in the European Alps

The sword lily Gladiolus palustris Gaudin is protected on European level and listed in Annexes II and IV of the EC Habitat Directive 92/43/EEC.It grows in nutrient-poor,calcareous meadows in central and eastern Europe.Tree encroachment in montane meadows of the European Alps as a result of recent land use changes and the abandonment of traditional farming practices threaten the survival of this species.Conservation-driven mowing is considered a feasible conservation measure for maintaining high species diversity in abandoned semi-natural grasslands.To assess the effects of tenyears of biennial mowing on a grassland community in the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park,Italy(Site of Community Importance,Natura 2000 network),ten25 m2 plots were established whereby four plots were placed in the mowed area,four in the non-mowed area and two in a small non-mowed patch of grassland inside the mowed area.In each plot the following variables were recorded,total percentage of plant cover,percentage cover of woody species,percentage cover of herbaceous species,percentage cover and number of flowering ramets of G.palustris and a complete list of species and their percentage abundance.Mowed plots showed a higher species richness than non-mowed plots.The number of G.palustris flowering ramets and percentage cover increased manifold in mowed plots compared to nonmowed plots.The resumption of mowing forconservation purposes undertaken by the managing authority halted the process of tree encroachment and avoided a drastic change in plant composition.Periodic mowing(every second or third year)was demonstrated to be a cost-effective conservation measure in non-productive grasslands to keep grasses at bay in favour of forbs of high conversation value.

The Importance of Spatiotemporal Heterogeneity for Biodiversity in Forest—Heathland Mosaics and Implications for Heathland Conservation

In biodiversity management, spatio-temporal heterogeneity is important to consider conserving high levels of habitat diversity and ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the relationship between landscape spatio-temporal heterogeneity and biodiversity in a mosaic-landscape, located in the Fontainebleau forest (France). The diversity of successional stages along a gradient from heathland to forest as well as the persistence of Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull in different forest stands was examined in order to find how the numerous patches of European Heathland habitat embedded in this area should be maintained. The results indicated that in the areas of high spatio-temporal heterogeneity, a general increase is observed in species richness, in particular for vascular plants, bryophytes and carabids. C. vulgaris persisted in coniferous stands and young mixed stand but decreased under deciduous trees and old mixed stands. The Ellenberg’s values for light, nutrients and acidity, show the persistence of favorable enviromental conditions for heathland vegetation under coniferous stands and young mixed stands. These results enable us to offer recommendations to better manage mosaic-landscape biodiversity, and in particular, the heathland semi-natural habitats in the Fontainebleau forest and elsewhere in Europe.

θ-improved limited tolerance relation model of incomplete information system for evaluation of water conservancy project management modernization

The modernization of water conservancy project management is a complicated engineering system involving a management system, a management method, management personnel, the exertion of social, economic, and ecological effects, and so on. However, indices for evaluating the modernization of water conservancy project management are usually unobtainable in practical applications. Conducting appropriate extension of the classical rough set theory and then applying it to an incomplete information system are the key to the application of the rough set theory Based on analysis of some extended rough set models in incomplete information systems, a rough set model based on the θ-improved limited tolerance relation is put forward. At the same time, upper approximation and lower approximation are defined under this improved relation. According to the evaluation index system and management practices, the threshold for θ is defined. An example study indicates the practicability and maneuverability of the model.

Conceptual models of forest dynamics in environmental education and management:keep it as simple as possible,but no simpler

Background：Conceptual models of forest dynamics are powerful cognitive tools,which are indispensable for communicating ecological ideas and knowledge,and in developing strategic approaches and setting targets for forest conservation,restoration and sustainable management.Forest development through time is conventionally described as a directional,or ＂linear＂,and predictable sequence of stages from ＂bare ground＂ to old forest representing the ＂climax-state＂.However,this simple view is incompatible with the current knowledge and understanding of intrinsic variability of forest dynamics.Hypothesis：Overly simple conceptual models of forest dynamics easily become transformed into biased mental models of how forests naturally develop and what kind of structures they display.To be able to communicate the essential features and diversity of forest dynamics,comprehensive conceptual models are needed.For this end,Kuuluvainen（2009） suggested a relatively simple conceptual model of forest dynamics,which separates three major modes of forest dynamics,and incorporates state changes and transitions between the forest dynamics modes depending on changes in disturbance regime.Conclusions：Conceptual models of forest dynamics should be comprehensive enough to incorporate both longterm directional change and short-term cyclic forest dynamics,as well as transitions from one dynamics mode to another depending on changes in the driving disturbance regime type.Models that capture such essential features of forest dynamics are indispensable for educational purposes,in setting reference conditions and in developing methods in forest conservation,restoration and ecosystem management.

Successful conservative management of Class III iatrogenic aortic dissection

Iatrogenic aortic dissection （IAD） is a rare complication of percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI） with an estimated incidence of 0.02%--0.04%. lAD occurs more frequently in the setting of urgent PCI for acute myocardial infarction （AMI） （0.19%） than for elective procedures （0.01%）.[11 The mortality risk associated with IAD is high （16%） and is comparable to that for spontaneous aortic dissection （16%）.Urgent surgery is the treatment of choice for extensive dissection or hemodynamic instability. In this report, we present a case of severe IAD that was managed conservatively with good clinical outcome.

Peoples’ Perception and Conservation of Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D. Don) Soóin Manaslu Conservation Area, Central Nepal

The present study analyzes the information and perception of the local community of Samagaun VDC, Manaslu Conservation Area Project (MCAP) regarding Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D. Don) Soó (Orchidaceae). We assessed the local peoples’ perception on its population status, its availability, factors causing its decline and management practices of this terrestrial orchids. A pre-designed questionnaire was used to gather information targeting the age group between 25 and 60 years (n = 75, 45 male and 30 female). Most of the informants (76%) believe that the abundance of this orchid is declining. Over grazing of domestic animals, over harvesting and lack of awareness among the local community were determined to be the major causes of decline of D. hatagirea in the study area. Protection measures as prescribed by the informants were control grazing, raising awareness among the individuals and sustainable harvestings for the long-term conservation of the species. Systematic management plans that incorporate the participation of local individuals and prioritization of their views will be applicable for the proper conservation of the species.

Identifying priority protection areas of key food resources of the giant panda

Animals that live in seasonal environments adjust their reproduction cycle to optimize seasonal forage quality.Giant pandas(Ailuropoda melanoleuca)are seasonal altitudinal migrants that feed on bamboo shoots and leaves with different nutritional quality.However,the importance of bamboo shoots to giant pandas,especially small and isolated populations,is not fully appreciated.Here,we explored whether mating time of giant pandas is shaped by bamboo shoot phenology.We also assessed the intensity of ongoing bamboo shoot harvesting by local communities in 42 giant panda reserves based on questionnaire surveys.Varying intensity and protection levels of bamboo shoot harvesting were found.From these data,we developed a priority ranking scheme of protection areas for this key food resource.Our study showed that pandas time their mating behavior to coincide with bamboo shoot phenology due to the high nutritional demands associated with mating and pregnancy.We also found that bamboo shoots were not well protected in many places.Liangshan,Daxiangling,and Xiaoxiangling,containing the most isolated panda populations,were identified as the areas with the most urgent need of protection.Furthermore,equal attention should be paid to the Qiong L-B population,as this region holds considerable potential to serve as a corridor between the Minshan and Qionglai populations.To address the challenges posed by bamboo shoot harvesting,we recommend establishing more practical bamboo shoot management policies,increasing public awareness of bamboo shoot protection,and providing alternative sources of income for local communities.

Comparative population genetic analyses suggest hybrid origin of Rhododendron pubicostatum,an endangered plant species with extremely small populations endemic to Yunnan,China

Gene flow between sympatric congeneric plants is thought to be very common and may pose serious threats to endangered species.In the present study,we evaluate the genetic diversity and divergence of three sympatric Rhododendron species in Jiaozi Mountain using newly developed microsatellites through the Illumina MiSeq sequencing approach.Genetic diversity of all three Rhododendron species studied was moderate in comparison to genetic parameters previously reported from species of this genus.Interestingly,genetic structure analysis of the three species identified a possible hybrid origin of the threatened Rh.pubicostatum.This sympatry should be considered a unimodal hybrid zone,since Rh.pubicostatum is predominant here.Unimodal hybrid zones are uncommon in Rhododendron,despite the fact that hybridization frequently occurs in the genus.Issues pertaining to the conservation of Rh.pubicostatum resulting from admixture of genetic material from its parental species are discussed.

Seasonal variations in the plant diet of the Chinese Monal revealed by fecal DNA metabarcoding analysis

The Chinese Monal(Lophophorus thuysii)is an alpine-obligate galliform species of global conservation priority.It has been listed as a first class protected wildlife species in China,requiring conservation actions during the 14 th Five-Year Plan period.However,the diet composition of Chinese Monal and its seasonal variations have rarely been studied,constraining the effective conservation of the species.Here,we investigated the plant diet composition of the Chinese Monal and its seasonal variations using a DNA metabarcoding approach on fecal samples.We collected 190 fecal samples of the Chinese Monals from the central Qionglai Mountains located in China,and analyzed the plant diet of this species using a DNA metabarcoding approach.Taxonomic profiling of higher plants in the fecal samples was performed using the second internal transcribed spacer(ITS2)amplicon.Downstream analyses,including rarefaction curves,nonmetric multidimensional scaling(NMDS)and permutational multivariate analysis of variance(PERMANOVA),were used to explore the seasonal variations in diet composition.The Chinese Monal foraged a wide range of plant recipes composed of 35 families and 83 genera throughout the year,with Brassicaceae,Apiaceae,and Poaceae as the dominant families,and Cardamine as the dominant genus.The species consumed plants from 62 genera from 28 families during the breeding season(n=81)and 66 genera from 31 families during the non-breeding season(n=109).Further,the plant diet composition significantly varied between the breeding and non-breeding seasons,especially for the frequency of occurrence and relative read abundances at genus level.Our study analyzed the plant diet of the Chinese Monal at a high resolution for the first time,and the results revealed that the seasonal variations in its plant diet composition was adapted to plant phenology and foraging strategy.Fritillaria species,a previously confirmed important food resource for the Chinese Monal,were not detected in any fecal samples,potentially due to overharvesting of Fritillaria bulbs for Traditional Chinese Medicine.Therefore,we highly recommend further restriction of herb gathering in Chinese Monal habitats to facilitate the conservation of this endangered species.Altogether,our study enriches essential ecological information for the Chinese Monal and also provides insights into conservation management for this endangered species.

Analysis of Ecotourism, Culture and Local Community Empower­ment: Case Study of Wasur National Park - Indonesia

The focus of this research lies in community empowerment based on culture and local communities as well as sustainable ecotourism,which is directed at a complicated mechanism of empowerment elements,local culture that is thick in ecotourism to get added value for the novelty of ecotourism research.The object of research is Wasur National Park(WNP),Papua,Indonesia.Qualitative methods have been used to obtain accurate data and information,i.e.,in-depth interviews with indigenous people to find out the benefits or functions of their culture that can be developed in ecotourism,interviews with leaders and staff of WNP and the Department of Culture and Tourism to find out the potential and processes empowerment and existing tourism potential.As a result,from the perspective of empowerment,local people will easily follow the empowerment process provided that they use methods that are culturally appropriate which is from the viewpoints from the culture of sasi,totem and sacred places.The culture adopted by the community is in accordance with the principles of ecotourism that supports sustainability,environmental conservation,protection of environmental resources and increases economic value.However,it is recommended to carry out modified socialization in accordance with the current conditions.Hence,tourists who visit WNP do not become afraid of the very rigid sanctions which are applied to them who violate the existing cultural and environmental customs.Moreover,to get added economic value in the tourism business within WNP,it is necessary to explore the potential of cultural wealth,natural and biological wealth so that it becomes the main attraction in carrying out the economic empowerment of local communities in the field of ecotourism.

Conservation and Management of Agricultural and Fishery Heritage System in South Korea

An interest in the biodiversity and historical and cultural aspects of farming and ifshing communities, in addition to the basic role of food production, is growing. Development of an Agricultural Heritage System and Korea Important Agricultural Heritage System has been a key objective of South Korea’s central government. Given that restoration and technology transfer becomes impossible once heritage is damaged, a detailed study of manage-ment regarding conservation is required alongside the development of the Agricultural Heritage System. Here, I was able to analyze several applications submitted by local governments to the Korea Important Agricultural Heritage System. The main objective was to identify the uniqueness of each application with the nature of heritage, threats to this heritage, and current preservation efforts. I found that the most common threat is the decreasing population status for heritage maintenance due to changes in agricultural environments. In response, each site plans to boost local tourism activities as a solution but current tourism oriented management plans may result in further damage to heritage. In light of my analysis I discuss three pilars for future planning： the improvement of heritage understand-ing and awareness; sufifcient space to maintain heritage features; and new industrialization plans that maintain pro-duction activities. These recommendations wil ensure heritage protection, conservation of the natural environment, and invigoration of farming and ifshing communities through biodiversity.

Contemporary approach to active surveillance for favorable risk prostate cancer

The approach to favorable risk prostate cancer known as“active surveillance”was first described explicitly in 2002.This was a report of 250 patients managed with a strategy of expectant management,with serial prostate-specific antigen and periodic biopsy,and radical intervention advised for patients who were re-classified as higher risk.This was initiated as a prospective clinical trial,complete with informed consent,beginning in 2007.Thus,there are now 20 years of experience with this approach,which has become widely adopted around the world.In this chapter,we will summarize the biological basis for active surveillance,review the experience to date of the Toronto and Hopkins groups which have reported 15-year outcomes,describe the current approach to active surveillance in patients with Gleason score 3þ3 or selected patients with Gleason score 3þ4 with a low percentage of Gleason pattern 4 who may also be candidates,enhanced by the use of magnetic resonance imaging,and forecast future directions.

Habitat suitability response to sea-level height changes: Implications for Ommastrephid squid conservation and management

Sea level rise,amplified by anthropogenic climate change,causes visible impacts on wildlife habitats in low-lying coastal areas.However,the potential consequences of sea level height(SLH)changes for pelagic fish habitats in the open oceans are poorly understood,especially for climate-sensitive Ommastrephid squid.In this study,the impacts of SLH changes were estimated under three different SLH change scenarios(5 cm,20 cm,and 35 cm)for the western stock of winter-spring neon flying squid Ommastrephes bartramii,an ecologically-and commercially-important species in the northwest Pacific Ocean(NWPO).A habitat suitability index(HSI)modeling approach was applied to predict the habitat suitability of O.bartramii,using data from 2006 to 2014 for model construction and data from 2015 for model validation.Results showed that the decreasing catch-per-unit-effort(CPUE)of O.bartramii from 2006 to 2015 was highly correlated with the increases in sea level height(SLH).Significant positive relationships were found between the HSI values for latitudinal centers of gravity(LATGHSI)and SLH.The monthly-averaged HSI of O.bartramii was negatively correlated with the SLH,except in July and November.SLH scenarios revealed that the predicted suitable habitat(areas with HSI≥0.6)exhibited a decreasing trend with increasing SLH from August to October.In July and November,the suitable habitat initially increased in the+5 cm and+20 cm scenarios,but largely declined under the+35 cm scenario.The poor habitat(areas with HSI≤0.2)significantly increased under all SLH scenarios.A poleward shift of LATGHSI was observed under all scenarios.These findings suggest that the O.bartramii habitats in the NWPO are at risk to SLH changes and have important implications for better conservation and fishery management regarding pelagic short-lived Ommastrephid squid in global oceans.

Wetland loss in Turkey over a hundred years:implications for conservation and management

The aims of this study were to provide a complete inventory of wetlands in Turkey including their past status(1910-1930)in comparison to the present time(2014).The types of wetlands and their area sizes were determined by using cartographical maps of 1/200,000 in scale made between 1910s and 1920s vs.2006 CORINE Land Cover data,which were updated with Landsat 8 satellite images in 2014.The effect of possible climate change on wetlands sizes various local,national and regional rainfall datasets were analysed by correlation and regression analysis.A hundred years ago,the total number of natural wetlands was 1299 with a total surface area of 1,376,505 hectares.In 2014,the total number of natural wetlands had decreased to 900,with a total surface area of 1,085,936 hectares,so that 21.2%of the original wetlands were lost(291,339 hectares).The observed changes in the number of wetlands and their relative sizes cannot be attributed directly to changes in climate.Wetland drainage was largely responsible for observed wetland losses,but local changes in precipitation regimes partially contributed to this loss.Urgent conservation and restoration of wetlands are recommended to avoid further loss of wetlands in Turkey.

Viable Second Trimester Cervical Ectopic Pregnancy Managed Successfully with Uterine Preservation: Case Report

Cervical pregnancy is a rare clinical entity that accounts for less than 1% of all ectopic pregnancies. It results from implantation of the blastocyst in the cervical canal below the level of the internal os. Although non-tubal ectopic pregnancies account for only 5% of ectopics, they contribute to a significant morbidity. The cornerstone in the management of cervical ectopic is early diagnosis by high index of suspension and a qualified sonographer. Management options for cervical ectopic pregnancies range from conservative drug treatment to radical hysterectomy. Over the last few years, the mortality and morbidity rates of ectopic pregnancies have been reduced. This is mainly due to the early recognition of the condition and the wide availability of minimally invasive surgical procedures. We present a case of a 33-year-old woman that was 16 weeks pregnant. She presented initially with recurrent vaginal bleeding followed by minimal lower abdominal pain. Her early US scans were misleading. Several weeks later, a follow up MRI scan suggested cervical ectopic. She was managed surgically with uterine preservation.