The paper assessed the land cover change in Gashaka-Gumti National Park between 1991 and 2021. To achieve this, LandSat data of years 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 were obtained from the United States Geological Survey on...The paper assessed the land cover change in Gashaka-Gumti National Park between 1991 and 2021. To achieve this, LandSat data of years 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 were obtained from the United States Geological Survey online resource. The findings of the study revealed that there is decrease in the different land cover types over time as a result of anthropogenic activities of the enclave dwellers. The study observed that the continuous existence of enclaves within and around the Park constitutes a serious threat to the survival of the Park. The study recommended that the federal government should consider resettlement of the enclave dwellers to give way for the development of the Park.展开更多
The growth and sprawl of the American black bear (Ursus americanus) population have been observed and monitored in the past two decades, especially in south-central Kentucky. To better manage human-black bear interact...The growth and sprawl of the American black bear (Ursus americanus) population have been observed and monitored in the past two decades, especially in south-central Kentucky. To better manage human-black bear interaction and develop informed policy and best practices, the current study sought to 1) understand south-central Kentucky residents’ current knowledge of and previous experience with black bears, 2) investigate residents’ attitudes toward black bears and regulated hunting in wildlife management;and 3) identify residents’ level of acceptance of various black bear related management actions in south-central Kentucky. From February to April 2017, residents of London and Stearns districts (southeastern regions) of the Daniel Boone National Forest, a black bear habitat, were invited to participate in this study. The results from 139 completed surveys showed that residents lacked sufficient knowledge about black bear populations in the region and received minimal information regarding black bear management efforts. In comparison to education efforts and relocation, regulated black bear hunting could be a cost-effective option to promote responsible use of wildlife resources and black bear population control. This study provided lessons and recommendations for black bear management in south-central Kentucky and may be of utilization for any other wildlife conservation areas.展开更多
Estimating tree fruit production is important for various purposes;however, no consensus has been established on which method is appropriate over different tree species. Here the aim of this study was to assess whethe...Estimating tree fruit production is important for various purposes;however, no consensus has been established on which method is appropriate over different tree species. Here the aim of this study was to assess whether the tree crop size of taxa with different fruit morphology could be accurately estimated using the visual survey method (VSM), taking into consideration errors due to the participation of different observers. Eight main tree species of temperate deciduous forests of Japan were used. Using a hierarchical Bayesian framework, the model parameters were estimated to convert the number of fruits counted by VSM to the fallen fruit density. The estimated model had a high accuracy for seven of the eight tree species. The trees of the outlier species had the smallest diameter and height, presumably resulting in false-positive errors. The model could be easily generalized for other species that were not tested in this study by adjusting the model parameters to the size of the unit used in the visual survey. The bias caused by errors depending on the observer (likely false-negatives) was not substantial. Thus, the generalized VSM proposed in this study should be useful to accurately estimate the crop size across various tree taxa with low workload.展开更多
Forest management practices, particularly timber harvesting activities, affect the habitats of a large numberof wildlde species found in southwestem ponderosa pine forests of the United States. Timber harvesting activ...Forest management practices, particularly timber harvesting activities, affect the habitats of a large numberof wildlde species found in southwestem ponderosa pine forests of the United States. Timber harvesting activities and othervegetative treatments offen change the relative abundances of food and cover. Wildlife habitats for some wildlife Species arebenefited, while the habitats for other wildlife species are detrimentally impacted. The guidelines presented in this papershould be helpful to foresters, wildlffe managers, and other interested in maintaining or increasing wildlife habitat qualitiesin the foreSt ecosystems inveStigated. While the wildlde species considered are indigenous to the southwestem ponderosapine fotests, many of the wildlde management principles implied in the guidelines are likely to have applications in otherecosystems throughout the world.展开更多
Introduction:Non-timber forest products(NTFPs)have been an essential source for food,medicine,and handicraft products among the indigenous populations living in forested areas for millennia.Scientific research on the ...Introduction:Non-timber forest products(NTFPs)have been an essential source for food,medicine,and handicraft products among the indigenous populations living in forested areas for millennia.Scientific research on the restoration of the importance of NTFPs and their value addition could potentially guide the development of new nutraceutical products in the future.The present study aims to investigate the diversity of non-timber forest products of the Karbi Anglong District of Assam in Northeast India.Methods:Multistage sampling technique was used for the study.A total of 70 respondents from 7 randomly selected villages were interviewed with a well-developed semi-structured questionnaire to explore the utilisation of NTFPs.Data analysis was done using four quantitative indices:(a)use report(UR),(b)use value(UV),(c)informant consensus factor(ICF),and(d)fidelity level(FL).Results:A total of 138 plant species belonging to 59 families distributed in 110 genera were recorded and identified as NTFPs of 1 type or the other.These include 42%having ethnomedicinal use,33%as edible forest products,15%as household building materials and utensils,6%as spices and condiments,and 4%as herbal dyes.Among the medicinal plant species,Abroma augustum(L.)L.f.,Amaranthus spinosus L,and Geophila repens(L.)I.M.Johnst.showed the highest ICF and FL.Conclusions:The present study confirms that NTFPs have played an essential role in the healthcare and livelihood of the indigenous people of the Karbi tribe throughout their generations and continue to do so.Also,the species with high value for both ICF and FL could be used for the development of new,cheap,effective,and eco-friendly herbal formulations for healthcare management leading to economic and social benefits to the indigenous tribe.However,anthropogenic pressure and overexploitation of NTFPs may lead to the loss of this precious natural resource from this area.展开更多
To counteract the negative effects of forest fragmentation on wildlife, it is crucial to maintain functional ecological networks. We identified the ecological networks for 2 mammals with very different degrees of fore...To counteract the negative effects of forest fragmentation on wildlife, it is crucial to maintain functional ecological networks. We identified the ecological networks for 2 mammals with very different degrees of forest specialization, the European badger Meles metes and the Roe deer Capreolus capreolus, by differentiati ng 4 agroforestry eleme nts as either no des or conn ectivity elements, and by defining the distanee that provides the functional connectivity between fragments. Species occurrenee data were collected in a wide agroecosystem in northern Italy. To test the role of hedgerows, traditional poplar cultivations, short rotation coppices, and reforestations as ecological network elements for the 2 species we applied the method of simulated species perceptions of the Iandscape (SSPL), comparing the ability of different SSPLs to explain the observed species distribution. All analyses were repeated considering different seenarios of species movement ability through the matrix. Model outputs seem to show that the specialist and highly mobile Roe deer has the same movement ability throughout the matrix (2 km) as the European badger, a smaller, but generalist species. The ecological network identified for the European badger was widespread throughout the area and was composed of woodlands, poplar cultivations and hedgerows as nodes and short rotation coppices as connectivity elements. Conversely, the ecological network of the Roe deer was mostly limited to the main forest areas and was composed of woodlands, poplar cultivations and ref o restat i ons as no des and short rotation coppices and hedgerows as conn ectivity elements. The degree of forest specialization strongly affects both species perception of habitat and movement ability throughout the matrix, regardless of species size. This has important implications for species conservation.展开更多
The advent of modem forces and the changes in socio- economic patterns of forest dwellers have increased the pressures on the forests. In order to mitigate such pressures and also to protect the forests and wildlife t...The advent of modem forces and the changes in socio- economic patterns of forest dwellers have increased the pressures on the forests. In order to mitigate such pressures and also to protect the forests and wildlife the model of protected areas networks has shifted and en- hanced such pressures in the unprotected natural forests due to several reasons. Being a low profile category of protected status and continuous human settlements, the present study highlights the case of dry deciduous forests of Sarguja district of Chhattisgarh state of India. The major objec- tives of this study were to quantify the status of forests and wildlife and also to determine the extent of anthropogenic disturbances faced by the dry deciduous forests of central India. Transect and silent drive count methods were used for sampling wildlife and quadrat method was used for sampling vegetation. Besides, the local uses of various forest pro- duces were also studied in view of understanding the people dependency on forests. The forest vegetation, in the study area, was pre-dominated by Shorea robusta, which had Madhuca indica, Diospyrus melanoxylon and Buchnania lanzan as the major companion species. The forest had either the high girth class mature tree species or the saplings. The low vegeta- tion cover and density were due to the high anthropogenic pressures mainly in the form of heavy livestock grazing and collection of etlmo- botanically important species. The study though reveals that the area is not rich in wildlife and the forest is fragmented, the area still supports some important species, which include many rare and endangered plants and animals. The findings of this study have been discussed in view of the management and conservation of the forest and wildlife in the dry deciduous forests.展开更多
文摘The paper assessed the land cover change in Gashaka-Gumti National Park between 1991 and 2021. To achieve this, LandSat data of years 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 were obtained from the United States Geological Survey online resource. The findings of the study revealed that there is decrease in the different land cover types over time as a result of anthropogenic activities of the enclave dwellers. The study observed that the continuous existence of enclaves within and around the Park constitutes a serious threat to the survival of the Park. The study recommended that the federal government should consider resettlement of the enclave dwellers to give way for the development of the Park.
文摘The growth and sprawl of the American black bear (Ursus americanus) population have been observed and monitored in the past two decades, especially in south-central Kentucky. To better manage human-black bear interaction and develop informed policy and best practices, the current study sought to 1) understand south-central Kentucky residents’ current knowledge of and previous experience with black bears, 2) investigate residents’ attitudes toward black bears and regulated hunting in wildlife management;and 3) identify residents’ level of acceptance of various black bear related management actions in south-central Kentucky. From February to April 2017, residents of London and Stearns districts (southeastern regions) of the Daniel Boone National Forest, a black bear habitat, were invited to participate in this study. The results from 139 completed surveys showed that residents lacked sufficient knowledge about black bear populations in the region and received minimal information regarding black bear management efforts. In comparison to education efforts and relocation, regulated black bear hunting could be a cost-effective option to promote responsible use of wildlife resources and black bear population control. This study provided lessons and recommendations for black bear management in south-central Kentucky and may be of utilization for any other wildlife conservation areas.
文摘Estimating tree fruit production is important for various purposes;however, no consensus has been established on which method is appropriate over different tree species. Here the aim of this study was to assess whether the tree crop size of taxa with different fruit morphology could be accurately estimated using the visual survey method (VSM), taking into consideration errors due to the participation of different observers. Eight main tree species of temperate deciduous forests of Japan were used. Using a hierarchical Bayesian framework, the model parameters were estimated to convert the number of fruits counted by VSM to the fallen fruit density. The estimated model had a high accuracy for seven of the eight tree species. The trees of the outlier species had the smallest diameter and height, presumably resulting in false-positive errors. The model could be easily generalized for other species that were not tested in this study by adjusting the model parameters to the size of the unit used in the visual survey. The bias caused by errors depending on the observer (likely false-negatives) was not substantial. Thus, the generalized VSM proposed in this study should be useful to accurately estimate the crop size across various tree taxa with low workload.
文摘Forest management practices, particularly timber harvesting activities, affect the habitats of a large numberof wildlde species found in southwestem ponderosa pine forests of the United States. Timber harvesting activities and othervegetative treatments offen change the relative abundances of food and cover. Wildlife habitats for some wildlife Species arebenefited, while the habitats for other wildlife species are detrimentally impacted. The guidelines presented in this papershould be helpful to foresters, wildlffe managers, and other interested in maintaining or increasing wildlife habitat qualitiesin the foreSt ecosystems inveStigated. While the wildlde species considered are indigenous to the southwestem ponderosapine fotests, many of the wildlde management principles implied in the guidelines are likely to have applications in otherecosystems throughout the world.
基金the form of National Fellowship for Higher Education(NFHE)of ST Students to pursue M.Phil./Ph.D.degree(F1-17.1/2016-17/NFST-2015-17-ST-ASS-2761).
文摘Introduction:Non-timber forest products(NTFPs)have been an essential source for food,medicine,and handicraft products among the indigenous populations living in forested areas for millennia.Scientific research on the restoration of the importance of NTFPs and their value addition could potentially guide the development of new nutraceutical products in the future.The present study aims to investigate the diversity of non-timber forest products of the Karbi Anglong District of Assam in Northeast India.Methods:Multistage sampling technique was used for the study.A total of 70 respondents from 7 randomly selected villages were interviewed with a well-developed semi-structured questionnaire to explore the utilisation of NTFPs.Data analysis was done using four quantitative indices:(a)use report(UR),(b)use value(UV),(c)informant consensus factor(ICF),and(d)fidelity level(FL).Results:A total of 138 plant species belonging to 59 families distributed in 110 genera were recorded and identified as NTFPs of 1 type or the other.These include 42%having ethnomedicinal use,33%as edible forest products,15%as household building materials and utensils,6%as spices and condiments,and 4%as herbal dyes.Among the medicinal plant species,Abroma augustum(L.)L.f.,Amaranthus spinosus L,and Geophila repens(L.)I.M.Johnst.showed the highest ICF and FL.Conclusions:The present study confirms that NTFPs have played an essential role in the healthcare and livelihood of the indigenous people of the Karbi tribe throughout their generations and continue to do so.Also,the species with high value for both ICF and FL could be used for the development of new,cheap,effective,and eco-friendly herbal formulations for healthcare management leading to economic and social benefits to the indigenous tribe.However,anthropogenic pressure and overexploitation of NTFPs may lead to the loss of this precious natural resource from this area.
文摘To counteract the negative effects of forest fragmentation on wildlife, it is crucial to maintain functional ecological networks. We identified the ecological networks for 2 mammals with very different degrees of forest specialization, the European badger Meles metes and the Roe deer Capreolus capreolus, by differentiati ng 4 agroforestry eleme nts as either no des or conn ectivity elements, and by defining the distanee that provides the functional connectivity between fragments. Species occurrenee data were collected in a wide agroecosystem in northern Italy. To test the role of hedgerows, traditional poplar cultivations, short rotation coppices, and reforestations as ecological network elements for the 2 species we applied the method of simulated species perceptions of the Iandscape (SSPL), comparing the ability of different SSPLs to explain the observed species distribution. All analyses were repeated considering different seenarios of species movement ability through the matrix. Model outputs seem to show that the specialist and highly mobile Roe deer has the same movement ability throughout the matrix (2 km) as the European badger, a smaller, but generalist species. The ecological network identified for the European badger was widespread throughout the area and was composed of woodlands, poplar cultivations and hedgerows as nodes and short rotation coppices as connectivity elements. Conversely, the ecological network of the Roe deer was mostly limited to the main forest areas and was composed of woodlands, poplar cultivations and ref o restat i ons as no des and short rotation coppices and hedgerows as conn ectivity elements. The degree of forest specialization strongly affects both species perception of habitat and movement ability throughout the matrix, regardless of species size. This has important implications for species conservation.
文摘The advent of modem forces and the changes in socio- economic patterns of forest dwellers have increased the pressures on the forests. In order to mitigate such pressures and also to protect the forests and wildlife the model of protected areas networks has shifted and en- hanced such pressures in the unprotected natural forests due to several reasons. Being a low profile category of protected status and continuous human settlements, the present study highlights the case of dry deciduous forests of Sarguja district of Chhattisgarh state of India. The major objec- tives of this study were to quantify the status of forests and wildlife and also to determine the extent of anthropogenic disturbances faced by the dry deciduous forests of central India. Transect and silent drive count methods were used for sampling wildlife and quadrat method was used for sampling vegetation. Besides, the local uses of various forest pro- duces were also studied in view of understanding the people dependency on forests. The forest vegetation, in the study area, was pre-dominated by Shorea robusta, which had Madhuca indica, Diospyrus melanoxylon and Buchnania lanzan as the major companion species. The forest had either the high girth class mature tree species or the saplings. The low vegeta- tion cover and density were due to the high anthropogenic pressures mainly in the form of heavy livestock grazing and collection of etlmo- botanically important species. The study though reveals that the area is not rich in wildlife and the forest is fragmented, the area still supports some important species, which include many rare and endangered plants and animals. The findings of this study have been discussed in view of the management and conservation of the forest and wildlife in the dry deciduous forests.
