Population genetic structure and conservation management of hill pigeons (Columba rupestris) recently endangered in South Korea

Background Hill pigeons (Columba rupestris) are close to local extinction (ca. less than 100 individuals) in South Korea where a variety of conservation management procedures are urgently required. Objective This study was aimed at determining the conservation direction of captive propagation and reintroduction of hill pigeons using genetic information based on mitochondrial DNA. We also evaluated the extent of hybridization between hill pigeons and cohabiting domestic pigeons. Methods We used 51 blood samples of hill pigeons from Goheung (GH), Gurye (GR), and Uiryeong (UR), and domestic pigeons cohabiting with hill pigeon populations. Genetic diversity, pairwise Fst, analysis of molecular variance, and haplotype network analysis were used to examine the genetic structure of hill pigeons. Results Hill pigeons that inhabited South Korea were not genetically distinct from Mongolian and Russian populations and showed relatively low genetic diversity compared with other endangered species in Columbidae. The GR population that exhibited the largest population size showed lower genetic diversity, compared to the other populations, although the pairwise Fst values of the three populations indicated low genetic differentiation. The GH and GR populations were confirmed to lack hybridization, relatively, whereas the UR population was found to exhibit some degrees of hybridization. Conclusion To conserve hill pigeons with low genetic diversity and differentiation in South Korea, the conservation process of captive propagation and reintroduction may require artificial gene flows among genetically verified populations in captivity and wildness. The introduction of foreign individuals from surrounding countries is also considered an alternative strategy for maintaining genetic diversity.

Community awareness and participation in biodiversity conservation at Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam

Truong DD. 2021. Community awareness and participation in biodiversity conservation at Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam. Biodiversitas 23: 583-594. Local community's perception and attitude towards biodiversity conservation are essential to the sustainable management of national parks in Vietnam. The conservation of biodiversity in national parks is facing pressures from economic development activities, which has led to the degradation of the ecological values ??of the national parks. People's awareness and their participation in conservation management are crucial to the sustainable management of national parks. This study examined the awareness and participation of local people in biodiversity conservation at Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (PN-KBNP), Vietnam. PN-KB is one of the national parks with the highest biodiversity values ??in Vietnam and is recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site. To assess participation in conservation management, the study implemented a Contingent Valuation Method for estimating the willingness to pay of households in the buffer zone for biodiversity conservation in PN-KBNP. A survey was implemented to 358 households randomly selected in five communes adjacent to the park. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with selected key informants were also practiced for the management of insight information. The result showed that local villagers generally hold a fairly high perception of biodiversity values and positive attitudes towards biodiversity conservation at PN-KBNP. This positive perception comes from the close interaction between household livelihoods and the national park on a daily basis. However, awareness of national park management rules are not high. In addition, local people are willing to sacrifice part of their income to conserve biodiversity for current and future generations. On an average, each household was willing to pay 297,000 VND/year for biodiversity conservation. Payment levels, age, length of residency and education were observed to significantly impact on villagers' participation in biodiversity conservation initiatives. The balance between development and conservation was found to be the key in Park management, where communities need to be given more power to plan, monitor and implement conservation activities while establishing clear forest land user right for households and communities.

SMART GRID ENERGY CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT BASED ON THE UNIVERSITY'S ENERGY INNOVATION HUB OF KNOWLEDGE

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES. Due to increasing energy costs, as well as strict environmental regulations, there is a growing need for greater resource efficiency, which makes energy-efficient solutions necessary. Thus, the importance of innovations based on technologies designed to save energy, such as the Smart Grid, is increasing. Smart Grid is not just a compilation of smart meters or other electrical devices, it is a series of technologies, a concept of a fully integrated, self-regulating and self-healing power grid, which has a network topology and includes all sources of generation, transmission and distribution, managed by a single network of information and control devices and systems.METHODS. As the main method used was the calculation of the synthetic balance of savings from the use of different types of energy resources by the university after the implementation of the application Smart Grid-energy conservation management on the basis of the university energy-innovation Hub of knowledge.FINDINGS. A mechanism for the implementation of the Smart Grid energy-saving management application on the basis of the university energy-innovation Knowledge Hub is proposed. Smart Grid is designed to provide real-time data on the almost instantaneous balance of energy supply and demand. To ensure grid reliability by reducing peak demands and improving energy efficiency, Smart Grid data management is an affordable and effective tool for data analysis and decision making.CONCLUSION. The results of calculation of the predicted effect of the Smart Grid application implementation for the 4th building of Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design proved that the reduction of installed capacity as a result of the project was 80.5%, i.e. a 1% reduction in capacity creates an economic effect of 0.58% of the costs associated with modernization. Given the current level of electricity consumption, we can predict a potential reduction of 951 thousand UAH per year or almost 50% of the cost of electricity consumed in 2020.

Precautionary Principle or Evidence-Based Conservation? Assessing the Information Content of Threat Data for the Yangtze Finless Porpoise

Conservation management requires evidence, but robust data on key parameters such as threats are often unavailable. Conservation-relevant insights might be available within datasets collected for other reasons, making it important to determine the information content of available data for threatened species and identify remaining data-gaps before investing time and resources in novel data collection. The Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis) has declined severely across the middle-lower Yangtze, but multiple threats exist in this system and the relative impact of different anthropogenic activities is unclear, preventing identification of appropriate mitigation strategies. Several datasets containing information on porpoises or potential threats are available from past boat-based and fishing community surveys, which might provide novel insights into causes of porpoise mortality and decline. We employed multiple analytical approaches to investigate spatial relationships between live and dead porpoises and different threats, reproductive trends over time, and sustainable offtake levels, to assess whether evidence-based conservation is feasible under current data availability. Our combined analyses provide new evidence that mortality is spatially associated with increased cargo traffic; observed mortality levels (probably a substantial underestimate of true levels) are unsustainable; and population recruitment is decreasing, although multiple factors could be responsible (pollutants, declining fish stocks, anthropogenic noise, reduced genetic diversity). Available data show little correlation between patterns of mortality and fishing activity even when analyzed across multiple spatial scales; however, interview data can be affected by multiple biases that potentially complicate attempts to reconstruct levels of bycatch, and new data are required to understand dynamics and sustainability of porpoise-fisheries interactions. This critical assessment of existing data thus suggests that in situ porpoise conservation management must target multiple co-occurring threats. Even limited available datasets can provide new insights for understanding declines, and we demonstrate the importance of an integrative approach for investigating complex conservation problems and maximizing evidence in conservation planning for poorly known taxa.

SYSTEMATIC INVENTORY FOR HERITAGE SHOPHOUSE FACADES IN IPOH, PERAK, MALAYSIA

Nowadays, many heritage shophouses remain intact in major urban areas in Malaysia, including Ipoh, Perak. These architectural assets are significant as they portray the glory and achievements of Ipoh over the centuries. However, some shophouses face inappropriate façade changes due to improper conservation activities performed on the heritage properties. These situations have resulted in the phenomenon of inconsistency elements of building facades. Therefore, this paper focuses on two aspects regarding heritage shophouse facades; first, developing the taxonomy of architectural styles according to the tangible elements, and second, classifying and grading the architectural styles. Then, an inventory form named eFakad was developed as a tool to evaluate 65 shophouses at Jalan Sultan Iskandar, Ipoh. The result shows that 49% of facades are in excellent condition, but the rest of the facades need to be conserved and maintained, particularly roof finishes, windows and doors. By applying eFakad inventory form, the documentation and conservation management of the heritage shophouses can be done systematically. Consequently, the stakeholders will be aware of the main problems faced by the heritage shophouses through the inventory record and appropriate actions can be taken in preserving the integrity of the facades. Additionally, the local authority may use the information to improve the existing conservation guidelines.

Checklist of Odonata (Insecta) of Doon Valley, Uttarakhand, India

In this communication, we have collated a checklist of 97 species of odonates from Doon valley, Uttarakhand by reviewing the literature. These species are distributed across 13 families, 58 genera, and eight superfamilies. Of these species, 60 were Anisoptera (dragonflies) and 37 were Zygoptera (damselflies). Three species of dragonflies and two damselflies are endemic to India. This checklist updates existing knowledge on insect diversity in the Doon valley and will aid conservation management of wetlands in the region.