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Riparian ecosystems comprise less than 2% of the landscape in the arid western United States, yet they provide habitat and resources to over half of arid‐land wildlife species, including a broad diversity of anurans (frogs and toads). Despite this, relatively few studies describe riparian herpetofaunal communities in the Southwest, and remote wilderness areas are particularly undersurveyed.We employed passive acoustic monitoring to capture anuran advertisement calls in wilderness area tributaries of the Verde River, Arizona, USA. In the spring and summer of 2021 and 2022, 13–29 autonomous recording units (ARUs) were deployed along perennial, intermittent and ephemeral tributary stream reaches. We characterized sites based on the per cent of pool, riffle, run and side channel habitat within 100 m of each ARU and quantified substrate, wetted channel width and canopy cover. To relate anuran occupancy to environmental and hydrological variables, we evaluated acoustic detection data using single‐species, single‐season occupancy models.Four species were detected in this study: canyon treefrog (Hyla arenicolor), red‐spotted toad (Anaxyrus punctatus), Woodhouse's toad (Anaxyrus woodhousii) and non‐native American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), with canyon treefrog being the most ubiquitous species observed. Vocal activity of canyon treefrog was higher at perennial and intermittent sites compared to ephemeral sites, and the presence of pools was most strongly associated with canyon treefrog occupancy.Persistent, slow‐moving water best predicted the presence of breeding canyon treefrogs. Notably, this study did not detect several species with historical records in the middle Verde River catchment, including Arizona toad (Anaxyrus microscaphus) and northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens).Given climate change‐related flow declines and intensifying demands for water in arid lands globally, maintaining stream flows that provide consistent and suitable hydroregimes for anuran breeding and larval development is of increasing importance. Determining habitat use and flow regimes necessary to support anuran populations can aid in prioritization of conservation actions related to water management and predict how changes in water availability may impact stream‐breeding anurans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wilderness areas are important in maintaining biodiversity, and "retaining existing intact and wilderness areas" is listed as the first of 21 action targets for 2030 in the first draft of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. However, the quantity and quality of regional-scale wilderness mapping and identification of priority areas for conservation are still insufficient. Here, an approach integrating Boolean and Multi-Criteria Evaluation is used to conduct wilderness mapping, and priority conservation areas are identified based on ecosystem service values and the current status of wilderness protection in protected areas in the state-owned forest region of Daxing'anling. It is found that the wilderness areas account for 96.72% of the total area of the study area, of which high-quality wilderness areas constitute for 50.34% of the total area of wilderness areas, and the quality of wilderness is greatly affected by the railroads. Secondly, wilderness areas have higher ecosystem service values per square kilometer than non-wilderness areas, except for food supply service. In addition, 72.26% of the wilderness areas are not protected, and 52.26% of these high-quality wilderness areas with high ecosystem service values still have conservation gaps. This study can provide data support and scientific reference for future wilderness conservation works in different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit size can act as a physical barrier providing refuge for larvae of pest Anastrepha species against parasitoid attack. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of fruit size in six fruit species infested by Anastrepha larvae on the parasitism of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata after its augmentative release. About 1500 parasitoids were weekly released in disturbed wild vegetation patches. Fruit sampling was performed at the Coastal Lowlands of the Soconusco Region, southeastern Mexico, between June 2021 and October 2022. Overall, 310 ripe fruits belonging to grapefruit, creole mamey (large-size fruits), sweet orange, creole mango, wild guava (medium-size fruits), and wild hog plum (small-size fruit) were collected. The length, frontal width, lateral width and pulp thickness of all sampled fruits were measured. Such physical characteristics are indicators of the fruit size. Fruit collection was performed 48 h after release. Results indicated an inverse correlation between fruit size and parasitism, with a significant r2 value higher than 75%. Host larvae in all fruits were parasitised only by D. longicaudata. The highest mean parasitism, which exceeded 90%, was recorded on hog plum and the lowest, below 20%, on Citrus spp. and mamey. Results corroborated the influence of host fruit size on parasitism levels by D. longicaudata regardless of its large-scale, open-field releases. Augmentative releases of D. longicaudata can be focused on wilderness areas with prevalence of medium-size to small-size Anastrepha host fruits. This would encourage long-term sustainable conservation of released parasitoid populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the evolving depictions of natural landscapes in Hollywood Western films, focusing on the portrayal of forests, rivers, and mountains. It discusses how these landscapes have been used to reflect and shape the frontier myth and associated ideologies in American culture. The analysis covers specific case-study films from different eras, highlighting the changing perspectives on nature and the human-nature relationship. The article also delves into the historical context of Euro-American perceptions of the wilderness and its significance in American national mythmaking. [Extracted from the article]

Because global anthropogenic activities cause vast biodiversity loss, human dimensions research is essential to forming management plans applicable to biodiversity conservation outside wilderness areas. Engaging public participation is crucial in this context to achieve social and environmental benefits. However, knowledge gaps remain in understanding how a balance between conservation and public demands can be reached and how complicated sociocultural contexts in the Anthropocene can be incorporated in conservation planning. We examined China's nationwide conflict between free‐ranging cats (owned cats that are allowed to go outdoors or homeless cats living outdoors) and wildlife to examine how a consensus between compassion and biodiversity conservation can help in decision‐making. We surveyed a random sample of people in China online. Over 9000 questionnaires were completed (44.2% response). In aggregate, respondents reported approximately 29 million free‐ranging owned cats and that over 5 million domestic cats per year become feral in mainland China. Respondents who were cat owners, female, and religious were more likely to deny the negative impacts of cats on wildlife and ongoing management strategies and more supportive of stray cat shelters, adoption, and community‐based fund raising than nonowners, male, and nonreligious respondents (p < 0.05). Free‐ranging cat ownership and abandonment occurred less with owners with more knowledge of biodiversity and invasive species than with respondents with less knowledge of these subjects (p < 0.05). We recommend that cat enthusiasts and wildlife conservationists participate in community‐based initiatives, such as campaigns to keep cats indoors. Our study provides a substantially useful framework for other regions where free‐ranging cats are undergoing rapid expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Expanding the network of connected and resilient protected areas (PAs) for climate change adaptation can help species track suitable climate conditions and safeguard biodiversity. This is often overlooked when expanding PAs and quantifying their benefits, resulting in an underestimate of the benefits of expanding PAs. We expanded PAs through terrestrial mammalian species distribution hotspots, Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), and wilderness areas. Then, we constructed climate connectivity networks using a resistance-based approach and further quantified the network resilience to propose resilient climate response strategies in China. The results showed that existing PAs suffered from location biases with important biodiversity areas. The existing PAs represented about half of the KBAs and wilderness areas, yet only 12.08% of terrestrial mammalian species distribution hotspots were located within existing PAs. Compared with the existing PA network, the network efficiency and resilience of the expanded PAs' climate connectivity increased to 1.80 times and 1.78 times, respectively. With 56% of the nodes remaining, the network efficiency of the expanded PAs was equivalent to that of the existing PAs with all nodes. The network resilience of preferentially protecting and restoring low human footprint patches was approximately 1.5–2 times that of the random scenario. These findings highlighted that confronted with the unoptimistic situation of global warming, nature conservation based on existing PAs was no longer optimal. It was critical to construct a connected and resilient conservation network relying on both important biodiversity areas and low human footprint patches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affect is a construct that has received substantial scholarly attention in non-representational theory and other fields. This study focuses on human-wilderness relations through a non-representational theoretical lens to reveal insights into the concept of affect. Research indicates that societal and cultural forces play an influential role in wilderness relationships. A focus is lacking on how wilderness may affectively influence, build, or sustain human – wilderness relations through emotional registers. Fifteen people participated in a study of how wilderness affect occurs in everyday life. For one week following a visit to a wilderness area, participants kept a diary and camera to take notes and photographs when certain feelings formed. The researcher augmented the diary-photograph, diary-interview method with exemplary and evocative anecdotes. The results show three ways the emergence of affect becomes perceptible. It offers an example of how affect-oriented inquiry is carried out and informs further affect-oriented outdoor recreation research. Conceptually, wilderness affect appreciates and responds to differences that emerge through relations with wild nature. The study furthers inquiry into emotional meaning making via human – wilderness relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Medium- and large-sized mammals play important roles in maintaining forest ecosystem functions, and these functions often diminish when mammal species are depleted by human activities. Understanding the sensitivity or tolerance of mammal species to human pressure and detecting species changes through monitoring programmes can inform appropriate management decisions. The objective of our study was to identify medium- and large-sized mammal species that can be included in a monitoring programme in the Southern Yungas of Argentina. We used occupancy modelling to estimate the probability of habitat use (ψ) of 13 of 25 mammal species detected by 165 camera traps placed in forests across a range of human footprint index (HFI) values. As defined by the HFI, 54% of the study area is wilderness. The probabilities of habitat use of two mammal species were significantly associated with the HFI: the lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris ; ψ = 0.33, range = 0.22–0.50) was inversely associated with HFI values, whereas the grey brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira ; ψ = 0.79, range = 0.67–0.87) was positively associated with the HFI. Monitoring the probability of habitat use of the sensitive species (lowland tapir) could help us to detect changes in areas experiencing anthropogenic impacts before they cause extirpation, whereas the high probability of the habitat use values of the tolerant species (grey brocket deer) might indicate that anthropogenic impacts are strongly influencing habitat, signalling that mitigation strategies might be warranted. The Southern Yungas retains an intact mammal fauna, and we showed that the HFI is useful for monitoring anthropogenic impacts on these mammals. There are still opportunities to develop conservation strategies to minimize threats to mammal species in the region by implementing a monitoring programme with the proposed species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Protected areas worldwide are impacted by human activities within their boundaries. Despite having the highest level of protection in the US, wilderness areas are still vulnerable to ecological impacts. We compiled population, population growth rate, median travel time, wilderness size, wilderness proximity, relative accessibility, trail density and an amenity index to generate a Day-Use Vulnerability Index (DUVI) for 722 wilderness areas in the continuous US (CONUS). Using DUVI, we found that the Mount Timpanogos wilderness area in Utah, the Glacier View wilderness area in Washington, the J.N. Ding Darling wilderness area in Florida, the Philip Burton wilderness area in California and the Birkhead Mountains wilderness area in North Carolina were most likely to have ecological impacts from high day-use. Our findings provide a system for evaluating daily use of wilderness areas that could be paired with visitor counts in the future to improve predictions. Growing human populations and recreation are worldwide issues, suggesting that this framework could also be of interest to stakeholders outside the CONUS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The new species Moraea saxatilis is described. • Local endemic of the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area. • Illustrated by colour photographs. • Distinguished from other species in ser. Galaxia by terete leaves with translucent dorsal line and pale mauve perianth. The new species Moraea saxatilis Goldblatt & J.C.Manning (Iridaceae: Iridoideae) is a narrow endemic of the Kliphuisvlakte above Porterville in Western Cape, South Africa. First recorded in September 2019, M. saxatilis is restricted to shallow, seasonally waterlogged soils on sandstone sheets. This diminutive species has unusual terete leaves with a median dorsal translucent line, and distinctive pale lilac flowers irregularly speckled or streaked with dark blue towards the centre, with the filaments ±free or connate only in the basal third. The acaulescent habit and ±campanulate flowers with subequal tepals connate below in a solid perianth tube and reduced style crests place the species in subg. Galaxia (Thunb.) Goldblatt & J.C.Manning. Within the subgenus, the fringed style branches of M. saxatilis place it in ser. Galaxia , which currently includes nine species, all with white or yellow flowers. Among these, only M. luteoalba has ±free filaments but it differs considerably from M. saxatilis in having plane, ovate to elliptic leaves and larger yellow flowers sometimes creamy white distally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to discuss accessing oral history in building an inclusive archives from communities that once dwelled in the Kruger National Park. In March 2022, in the Daily Maverick, the South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy stated that there is a need for a shift to an Africanised conservation approach that embraces the diverse cultures, traditions and knowledge systems in South Africa. It is, thus, important for wilderness areas in South Africa to undertake projects to collect and share indigenous knowledge that can be captured and used to conserve wilderness areas. Design/methodology/approach: The research methodology that was applied for the purpose of this study is a multimethod approach but is dominated by a qualitative approach. Findings: During three interviews, three focus groups of five persons and three onsite visits, several concerns were identified as requiring more investigations and efforts to ensure archives can be publicly accessible. Originality/value: History on Africa has largely been written by the global north and kept behind expensive paywalls (Fengu, 2022). The oral history projects being undertaken in South Africa are to be commended in for filling gaps in the historical discourse neglected by the colonial and apartheid dispensations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sub‐Antarctic forests in Tierra del Fuego mountains are considered one of the few remaining wilderness areas on the planet; however, human disturbances like wildfires, exotic species, and so forth exacerbate their degradation. In 2012, a human‐caused wildfire started in a remote forest‐mountain area, and 2 years after that, a reforestation project began to restore the natural canopy layer. Saplings of the native Nothofagus trees were obtained through the bare root method from undisturbed areas. In this study, we evaluated the influence of (1) macro‐ (considering natural topography and vegetation physiognomy) and micro‐environments (topography, canopy cover, substrate, and understory cover) affected by fire; and (2) the extraction size of the saplings (initial size), on survival and growth of planted saplings, over 5 years. Total sapling survival was 41.4% with a mean growth rate of 8.46 cm year−1. Survival and growth were influenced by the studied variables. At a macro‐environment level, tree saplings showed higher success in well‐drained zones, meanwhile at the micro‐environment level saplings performed better in those that contribute to retain soil moisture and avoiding evapotranspiration. We conclude that environmental features influence differentially depending on the scale of analysis. To restore burnt temperate forests applying the bare root method, we recommended using Nothofagus saplings <40 cm tall for better results. In this sense, we demonstrated the effectiveness of the method since comparable results were obtained in other restoration experiences. This method can also be applied in areas without nursery material, when the biology of tagged plants was appropriated, for example shallow growth of root systems, formation of natural tree seedling banks. This work represents one of the few medium‐term restoration experiences reported for the southernmost forests of the planet: our findings could be applied in other reforestation experiences, making noticeable improvements in the recovery process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epiphytic lichen Letharia vulpina has been commonly sampled in-situ for nitrogen (N) deposition biomonitoring studies but has never before been transplanted for this purpose. In the high-elevation wilderness areas of southern California Letharia vulpina is generally uncommon, making in-situ sampling difficult. In this study, we compared thallus N accumulation between in-situ Letharia vulpina reference samples from the relatively low N deposition environment of the northern Sierra Nevada mountains and Letharia vulpina transplants that were deployed at nine plots of varying climatic and N deposition regimes in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains for 12 months. Survival of transplants was low (33%) and only occurred at the plots within the current range of Letharia vulpina. Transplant N concentrations became higher than those of the reference samples, while transplants that died had a net loss of N. Transplants that survived had strong relationships of N concentrations to N deposition and approached N concentrations of in-situ Letharia vulpina at the same plots. At the same time, reference plot N concentrations in a relatively clean environment increased substantially from early summer 2020 to 2021, presumably in response to extended exposure to smoke from huge wildfires in summer and fall of 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The colonization of suitable yet unoccupied habitat due to natural dispersal or human introduction can benefit recovery of threatened species. Predicting habitat suitability and conflict potential of colonization areas can facilitate conservation planning.Planning for reintroduction of gray wolves (Canis lupus) to the US state of Colorado is underway. Assessing which occupancy sites minimize the likelihood of human–wolf conflict during dispersal events and seasonal movements is critical to the success of this initiative.We used a spatial absorbing Markov chain (SAMC) framework, which extends random walk theory and probabilistically accounts for both movement behaviour and mortality risk, to compare the viability of potential occupancy sites (public lands >500 km2 to minimally meet wolf pack range area). The SAMC framework produced spatially explicit predictions of wolf dispersal, philopatry and conflict risk ahead of recolonization prior to reintroduction efforts. Our SAMC model included: (1) movement resistance based on terrain, roads and housing density; (2) mortality risk and potential conflict (absorption) based on livestock presence, social tolerance, land ownership and state boundaries; and (3) site fidelity based on habitat quality. Using this model, we compared 21 public land units by deriving predictions of: (A) relative survival time outside each site, (B) intensity of use and retention time within each site and (C) the probability of use on adjacent public lands. We also predicted and mapped potential conflict hotspots associated with each site.Among the units assessed, a complex of USFS Wilderness areas near Aspen, chiefly the Hunter‐Fryingpan and Collegiate Peaks Wilderness areas, had the best overall rankings when comparing predictions of each metric. The area balances high‐quality, well‐connected habitat with relatively low livestock density and high social tolerance.Synthesis and applications. Our findings highlight the utility of the SAMC framework for assessing colonization areas and the capacity to identify locations for effective proactive management, especially of conflict prone species. The flexibility of the SAMC framework enables predicting likely areas of philopatry and human–wildlife conflict using spatially explicit metrics which can improve the success of conservation translocations and management of species with changing geographic extents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activities have placed significant pressure on the terrestrial biosphere, leading to ecosystem degradation and carbon losses. However, the full impact of these activities on terrestrial biomass carbon remains unexplored. In this study, we examined changes in global human footprint (HFP) and human‐induced aboveground biomass carbon (AGBC) losses from 2000 to 2018. Our findings show an increasing trend in HFP globally, resulting in the conversion of wilderness areas to highly modified regions. These changes have altered global biomes' habitats, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. We also found accelerated AGBC loss driven by HFP expansion, with a total loss of 19.99 ± 0.196 PgC from 2000 to 2018, especially in tropical regions. Additionally, AGBC is more vulnerable in the Global South than in the Global North. Human activities threaten natural habitats, resulting in increasing AGBC loss even in strictly protected areas. Therefore, scientifically guided planning of future human activities is crucial to protect half of Earth through mitigation and adaptation under future risks of climate change and global urbanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: How much stronger would the effects of herbivorous mammals be in natural ecosystems if human‐linked extinctions and extirpations had not occurred? Many mammal species have experienced range contractions, and numerous species have gone extinct in the late Quaternary, completely or in large part linked to human pressures. Therefore, herbivore consumption rates in seemingly natural ecosystems will deviate from their pre‐anthropogenic state. Here, we estimate the size of this deviation. Location: Terrestrial systems, globally. Time period: Current. Major taxa studied: All late‐Quaternary terrestrial mammals. Methods: We estimated and mapped vegetation consumption rate by all late‐Quaternary terrestrial mammals. We did this through the estimation of natural densities and dietary needs. We mapped their consumption rate in both current ranges and present‐natural ranges, that is estimated ranges in the absence of human‐linked range contractions and extinctions. We compared these estimated consumption rates to current net primary productivity (NPP). We summarized the results across ecosystem types everywhere as well as for only the last remaining wilderness areas. Results: We estimate that wild mammals consume a median of 11% of NPP (at the scale of 96.5 km × 96.5 km grid cells) in current natural areas and that this would have been much higher in the absence of extinctions and extirpations, namely 21%. Looking at the change per grid cell, the mammal losses result in a median 42% reduction in consumption rate. Importantly, we estimate very similar declines in herbivory in what are considered the last remaining wilderness areas. Main conclusions: Our results suggest that the natural interaction of mammalian herbivores with vegetation in ecosystems across the world is strongly reduced by prehistoric and historic to recent species losses, even in the last remaining wilderness areas, likely with major effects on ecosystem structure and functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epiphytic lichen Letharia vulpina has been commonly sampled in-situ for nitrogen (N) deposition biomonitoring studies but has never before been transplanted for this purpose. In the high-elevation wilderness areas of southern California Letharia vulpina is generally uncommon, making in-situ sampling difficult. In this study, we compared thallus N accumulation between in-situ Letharia vulpina reference samples from the relatively low N deposition environment of the northern Sierra Nevada mountains and Letharia vulpina transplants that were deployed at nine plots of varying climatic and N deposition regimes in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains for 12 months. Survival of transplants was low (33%) and only occurred at the plots within the current range of Letharia vulpina. Transplant N concentrations became higher than those of the reference samples, while transplants that died had a net loss of N. Transplants that survived had strong relationships of N concentrations to N deposition and approached N concentrations of in-situ Letharia vulpina at the same plots. At the same time, reference plot N concentrations in a relatively clean environment increased substantially from early summer 2020 to 2021, presumably in response to extended exposure to smoke from huge wildfires in summer and fall of 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One free-ranging adult male Indian gaur (Bos gaurus gaurus) entered into a tea garden in Tarfat village, near Farkating of Jorhat district of Assam, India in May, 2020. Two villagers were injured during theirattempt to drive away the animal into the nearby wilderness areas. When this failed, the gaur necessitated chemical immobilization and translocation to a safer habitat.A combination of narcotic (etorphine HCl 9.8mg/ml) and neurleptic(butyrophenone) (azaparone 40mg/ml) wereselected as chemical anaesthetics. The immobilization cocktail of 6.86 (0.013 mg/Kg) of etorphine HCl + 80 (0.16 mg/kg) mg azaparone was taken in an air-pressurized 3 ml plastic dart. A single dart usingthe syringe projector Dan inject (CO2 powered) pressurized at 7 psi was fired at thegluteus maximus muscle from 15 metres distance. Induction was observed after five minutes of dartingand the down time was at 8 min 36 seconds showing effective narcolepsies. Though the animal was approachable in 10 minutes, it had to be physically restrained. Data for various physiological parameters were obtained at 15th, 35th and 50th minute of induction. The gaur was carried on a makeshift stretcher prepared with bamboo and wood and loaded in a transport vehicle. Antidote diprenorphine HCl (1.5 ml) was administered intramuscularly, whichrevived the animal in 5 minutes. It was then transported from the site of capture (N 260 29' 58.2" E 94001' 24.2") to the site of release (N 26030' 13.0" E 93056'28.0"), a distance of 15 km by road of the choice of theanaesthetics and reversalandthedose administered, appeared to be apt as no untowardafter-affect was noticed during the procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Land use is the most pervasive driver of biodiversity loss. Predicting its impact on species richness (SR) is often based on indicators of habitat loss. However, the degradation of habitats, especially through land‐use intensification, also affects species. Here, we evaluate whether an integrative metric of land‐use intensity, the human appropriation of net primary production, is correlated with the decline of SR in used landscapes across the globe. Location: Global. Time period: Present. Major taxa studied: Birds, mammals and amphibians. Methods: Based on species range maps (spatial resolution: 20 km × 20 km) and an area‐of‐habitat approach, we calibrated a "species–energy model" by correlating the SR of three groups of vertebrates with net primary production and biogeographical covariables in "wilderness" areas (i.e., those where available energy is assumed to be still at pristine levels). We used this model to project the difference between pristine SR and the SR corresponding to the energy remaining in used landscapes (i.e., SR loss expected owing to human energy extraction outside wilderness areas). We validated the projected species loss by comparison with the realized and impending loss reconstructed from habitat conversion and documented by national Red Lists. Results: Species–energy models largely explained landscape‐scale variation of mapped SR in wilderness areas (adjusted R2‐values: 0.79–0.93). Model‐based projections of SR loss were lower, on average, than reconstructed and documented ones, but the spatial patterns were correlated significantly, with stronger correlation in mammals (Pearson's r = 0.68) than in amphibians (r = 0.60) and birds (r = 0.57). Main conclusions: Our results suggest that the human appropriation of net primary production is a useful indicator of heterotrophic species loss in used landscapes, hence we recommend its inclusion in models based on species–area relationships to improve predictions of land‐use‐driven biodiversity loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, communication between objects, machines, objects to machines and to humans is possible due to the Internet of Things (IoT). However, their applicability is restricted mostly to areas that are inhabited by humans. Monitoring and tracking in wilderness areas is still a challenging task to date, if not impossible. To bridge this gap, IoT networks are instrumented with Wireless Sensor Networks that are capable of providing remote services through multi-hop communication paradigm. Since these networks are deployed in deserted places, it becomes very crucial to protect the privacy of the location information of critical events or sources that these networks are monitoring. To this end, we propose a new random-walk based routing protocol namely BLS (Backward walk, L-walk, Shortest path walk) to protect the location of critical sources/events. The aim is to break the correlations between the network traffic and render the traffic-analysis efforts of the attacker, in locating the source of information, useless. In addition, we also evaluate the performance of the proposed technique by comparing it with the existing techniques using different privacy metrics such as safety period, entropy and capture ratio. Through this research work, we observed that the performance of source location privacy (SLP) preservation techniques is giving differing results for different privacy metrics. Although the proposed solution outperforms in terms of entropy metric by 104.59-folds improvements compared to Forward Random Walk technique, its performance in terms of safety period and capture ratio metrics are very poor with an improvement of just 0.65-folds and 0.1-fold respectively. Therefore, there is a dire need to come up with a right choice of metric for SLP preservation techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The jaguar is listed as endangered in Mexico. However, population estimates and conservation initiatives have relied on data obtained from Protected Areas (PA) covered by humid tropical forests of southern Mexico. In this context, the objectives were: 1) to estimate jaguar density for the last wilderness ecoregion of central-western Mexico, 2) quantify the capture rate of potential prey of jaguar, 3) evaluate the percentage of native vegetation cover in the Effective Sampling Area (ESA), and 4) review the density estimates of jaguars in Mexico. Jaguar density was evaluated in an ESA of 156 km2, using 'Capture–Recapture' (C-R) and 'Spatially Explicit Capture–Recapture' (SECR) models. We obtained 28 photographic captures of two females, in which models averaged a density of 1.01 ± 0.41 ind/100 km2. The mid and large size-mammal community included 14 species with forested landscape and vegetation measured at 90%. The scientific literature includes 30 jaguar density estimates in Mexico, with 22 (85%) inside Protected Areas. Average density among all estimates in México is 2.85 ± 1.82 STD. For the first time, our density estimates provide reliable population-level data for one key region for jaguar conservation efforts in the northern hemisphere. As low-density estimates were obtained, this population is highly vulnerable, deserving priority attention by conservation strategies at a national level. RESUMEN El jaguar está en peligro de extinción en México. Sin embargo, las estimaciones de sus poblaciones y las iniciativas de conservación se han basado en datos obtenidos en Áreas Protegidas (AP) cubiertas por bosques tropicales húmedos del sur de México. En este contexto, los objetivos fueron: 1) estimar la densidad de jaguares para la última ecorregión silvestre del centro-oeste de México, 2) cuantificar la tasa de captura de presas potenciales del jaguar, 3) evaluar el porcentaje de cobertura de vegetación nativa en el Área Efectiva de Muestreo (ESA en ingles) y 4) revisar las estimaciones de densidad de jaguares en México. La densidad del jaguar se evaluó en una ESA de 156 km2, utilizando modelos de "Captura-Recaptura" (C-R) y "Captura-Recaptura Espacialmente Explícitos" (SECR en ingles). Obtuvimos 28 capturas fotográfícas de dos hembras, en las cuales los modelos promediaron una densidad de 1.01 ± 0.41 ind/100 km2. La comunidad de mamíferos de tamaño mediano y grande incluyó 14 especies con un paisaje boscoso y una cobertura vegetal de 90%. La literatura científica incluye 30 estimaciones de densidad de jaguares en México, 22 (85%) dentro de Áreas Protegidas. La densidad promedio entre todas las estimaciones en México es de 2.85 ± 1.82 ETS. Por primera vez, nuestras estimaciones de densidad proporcionan datos confiables a nivel de población para una región clave en los esfuerzos de conservación del jaguar en el hemisferio norte. Debido a la baja densidad reportada en este estudio, esta población es altamente vulnerable y merece una atención prioritaria por parte de las estrategias de conservación a nivel nacional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air tour management plans for U.S. national park units are developed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Park Service (NPS). The FAA recommends pilots fly higher than 2,000 feet above ground level (AGL) over parks, wildlife refuges, and areas with wilderness characteristics. Management of air tours is important for mitigating visual and noise impacts. Understanding air tour travel patterns has been problematic because objective location data have been difficult to obtain. A newer technology, Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS–B), can be used to accurately track overflights. Prior ADS–B studies of air tours conducted limited analysis with respect to altitude characteristics. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine how overflights spatially vary across altitudes and determine altitude trends for primary flight corridors. Results suggest overflights trend along the east side of the park and 74.59 percent of waypoints within a 0.5-mile buffer around the park boundary had altitudes less than 2,000 feet above ground level (AGL). Results revealed that as altitude increased, overflight density decreased. Using hot spot clustering analysis, overflight lateral pattern differences were determined for altitudes lower than 2,000 feet AGL compared to altitudes higher than 2,000 feet AGL. This study also identified one primary flight corridor with average altitudes mostly below 2,000 feet AGL. Managers can use these results to inform the development of air tour management plans and monitor compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural heritage and ecological processes of protected wilderness areas (ASP) are constantly threatened by a variety of factors, including wildfires. This study seeks to evaluate the impacts of large wildfires (IFM, = 200 ha) in the ASPs of central Chile over the last 20 years (2000 - 2020), by identifying and characterizing the affected areas as well as the damages caused. To identify the affected sectors, burned areas were mapped using historical records along with remote sensing tools. The maps of burned areas allowed for the identification of 35 large wildfires that have impacted the ASPs of central Chile, including 17 SNASPE units and Nature Sanctuaries. The origin of most wildfires was located outside of the administrative limits of the ASPs and began in native forests and plantations. Regarding the main damages caused, 16 ecosystem types were affected by IFMs, 12 of which were under a significant level of risk. Additionally, considering the effects on water quality, an average of 21.2 ha of affected riparian vegetation was recorded per year, while 15 units recorded damage to soil conservation. Regarding CO2 emissions, an average of 10,389 tCO2 per year were released into the atmosphere. Finally, the results led to four different guideline recommendations for managing and preserving these areas, which focused on reducing occurrences, preventing large wildfires, and post-fire management in the ASPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The creation account of Gen 1:1–2:3 is only one of several accounts featured in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. The one account that most closely matches its cosmic orientation is the poetic description of creation given in Job 38–41. Nevertheless, both accounts are worlds apart regarding how they describe creation and what they find most important about creation. Their theological and literary differences make for a lively intertextual conversation, as entertained in the interpreter's imagination. Let the dialogue begin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on understanding of "trans" through the photography of Gohar Dashti, who was born in Iran on the border with Iraq and who grew up during the Iran-Iraq War. It mentions Dashti challenges the idea of national borders and the very concept of borders and photographs combine staged theatricality with the seeming simplicity of family snapshots. It also mentions series of imposing panels covered in images of American wilderness.

Protected areas are needed to conserve nature and biodiversity worldwide. The province of Québec (Canada) recently established a large wilderness area affording significant habitat protection for boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), a wide‐ranging species at risk. We describe a decision support framework combining ecological modeling with socioeconomic constraints that ultimately led to the creation of this protected area. Multiple criteria were used to identify candidate protected areas for boreal caribou. These had to be large in size (>10,000 km2) and located in regions where available high‐quality habitat was threatened by development pressures. Candidate areas also had to contribute substantively to the maintenance of functional habitat connectivity, be exempt from major industrial developments and recent fires, and required evidence of recent use by caribou. Five candidate protected areas emerged from this exercise. Key regional stakeholders were consulted, thereby strengthening advocacy for land designation, and boundaries were refined through their input, which helped further reduce socioeconomic conflicts. This process involved difficult compromises, but eventually led to the legal designation on March 4, 2021 of a new protected area for boreal caribou known as the Caribous‐Forestiers‐de‐Manouane‐Manicouagan. We show how our science‐informed decision support framework was instrumental in the success of this endeavor, and describe the obstacles overcame in the process, so that other jurisdictions may draw from this experience in their efforts to achieve similar conservation goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article questions the traditional interpretations of how the Wilderness, a forest some sixty miles south of Washington, D.C., affected strategy and combat during the Battle of the Wilderness, 4–6 May 1864. It argues that other factors besides the Wilderness determined the Federal and Confederate commanders’ strategies. It also undermines the contentions that the Confederates held a tactical edge in the Wilderness and that the Wilderness was a unique landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Western Regional Air Partnership (WRAP) has developed a modeling platform to simulate the formation of haze-causing particles that impact federally-protected lands in the western United States. To assist state air quality planners in determining which emission sources are likely candidates for future mitigation, several source apportionment scenarios were evaluated, and two sets of results for the year 2028 are presented here: 1) a "high-level important regional sources" version, with broad emission categories (i.e. U.S. anthropogenic, international anthropogenic, natural, and fires), and 2) a "low-level anthropogenic emission sources within individual states" version, which refines the U.S. anthropogenic contribution to specific emission sectors within individual WRAP region states. Eight examples are discussed, which reflect the variation in source apportionment results at national parks, wilderness areas, and wildlife refuges in the western U.S. and suggest which emission sectors are candidates for mitigation to improve future visibility. In 2028, the contribution of domestic anthropogenic emissions at the eight sites ranges from 17% to 58%, with significant impacts from oil and gas production, fossil fuel electric generation, and federally-regulated mobile sources. The contribution from international anthropogenic sources can also be considerable, and ranges from 17% to 43%. Most sectors that are emitting sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), which are the two most likely particle precursors to be curtailed in the states' Regional Haze plans, are declining. For example, in the 13 contiguous WRAP region states, NOx emissions from on-road mobile sources and electric generating units (EGUs) declined by 738 kton/yr (29% decrease) and 65 kton/yr (31% decrease), respectively, in 2028 as compared to current emission estimates, and SO2 emissions from EGUs declined by 42 kton/yr (29% decrease). NOx emissions from oil and gas development also declined by 25 kton/yr (9% decrease) but rose for SO2 emissions by 12 kton/yr (20% increase). Implications: The goal of the Regional Haze Rule (RHR) is to improve visibility at federally-protected areas, and to eventually arrive at natural conditions by the year 2064. Source apportionment tools within regional air quality models are useful for identifying which emission regions and sectors are contributing to haze-causing particles and can indicate to air quality planners where additional emission controls may be warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many measures of international policies and support have dictated developing countries to upscale land areas of intact forestry, special biodiversity conservation site, and other wild reserves to half the land territory of the nation by 2050 for resulting environmental, and other benefits to global societies. The international initiations and work urged scholars to assess the potential impacts of the aggressive policy on forest-based communities and especially those living in institutionally and geo ecologically vulnerable areas. This study compiled the impacts of such international policy interventions on diverse affairs of the local community and national economies in Nepal and drew some conclusions on the well-being future of such forest-based communities. It explained that the international interventions in managing community-based resources induced serious disturbances in many local systems and resulted in vicious circles of emigration, income losses, social problems, psychological stresses, and food insecurities. The interventions have placed some communities and especially indigenous ethnic groups in the position either to be displaced from their ancestors' homelands or suffer for generations. This study also explained some reinforcing phenomena that emerged from the external interventions which have placed situations of the resource impacting local communities adversely for years. It also investigated whether support of international agencies in policy formation and implementation for resource management safeguards the well-being of the resource-based communities. The agencies resulted in the best environmental and other benefits to foreign societies which have aggravated the misery of local communities, particularly the poor people, women, and indigenous ethnic communities. The adverse impacts on the local societies are not repercussions (accidentally or unknowingly happened). All these findings infer that the international policies of upscaling forests and wilderness areas or making conservation areas in half of their land territory, especially in developing societies for the global benefit, may place the lives of the forest-based communities in peril of suffering for generations or extirpating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crocodiles are cultured in large numbers in Asia and other places in order to protect wild resources and meet the needs of human life. In this study, crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) meat proteins were extracted and hydrolyzed into peptides, their antioxidant peptides were isolated and purified by silica gel chromatography and identified by LC/MS. Crocodile meat proteins were optimally extracted with water and hydrolyzed by papain based on the degree of hydrolysis and antioxidant activity. The hydrolysates were fractionated by ultrafiltration into 3 kDa, 3–30 kDa, and ≥ 30 kDa fractions. The 3 kDa fraction showed most antioxidant activity of the hydrolysates. Its active peptides were separated by silica gel column chromatography and purified by silica gel TLC, based on TLC bio-autographic assays of the activity. Four highly active peptides were identified by LC/MS as SSLTIQFVEGQFVDSYDPTIENTFTK, VPPHIY, VAPEEHPVLLTEAPLNPK, and RNGLPGPIGPAG. The identified peptides were synthesized and showed 50% free radical scavenging activities at 1.0 mg/mL, equal or higher to ascorbic acid at 0.5 mg/mL, in both DPPH and ABTS assays. The results indicated that the 3 kDa hydrolyzed peptides of crocodile meat had high antioxidant activity and the active peptides can be effectively separated and purified by silica gel column chromatography and TLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While advances in modelling are crucial to adapting ecosystem-based management in response to ongoing GHG threats, there is no doubt that existing science is already sufficient for the Antarctic Treaty System to appeal to the global community for action to mitigate GHG threats in order to save this important Southern Polar Region. 7 Constable, A. J., Melbourne-Thomas, J., Trebilco, R., Press, A. J., & Haward, M. (2017). The Southern Polar Region (Antarctica and the Southern Ocean) is threatened by climate change, and ocean warming and acidification. [Extracted from the article]

The Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area with its 226,445 acres is the third largest Wilderness Area in Colorado. It spans areas of the northern Sangre de Cristo Range in the southern Rocky Mountains, with elevations extending from 8,000 to 14,000 feet and vegetation ranging from piñon/juniper woodlands to alpine tundra. Over 7,000 vouchered specimens largely housed at the Rocky Mountain Herbarium in Laramie, Wyoming (RM) [4,322], and the University of Colorado Herbarium in Boulder, Colorado (COLO) [2,133] were consulted for report. Seven hundred twenty (720) taxa are reported from the study area, with 75 families and 310 genera represented. Predominantly a Western North American flora 40.6% with 292 spp., it is followed by 13.1% of the taxa being native to North America with 94 spp. The Southern Rockies contribute an additional 13.1% with 94 spp. (10 of these taxa being restricted to Colorado). Fifteen species fully tracked by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP 2011) were documented from the study area with four of these considered globally imperiled (G1 or G2) with the majority of these having an alpine distribution. Non-native species accounted for 4.0% of the flora (29 spp.), a reflection of the high elevation environment and wilderness qualities of the region. There are no species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wilderness is an important concept in the discourses and policies concerning contemporary European protected areas, inherently challenging in terms of sustainability. Since its designation in 1992, the Val Grande National Park, located in northwest Italy, has been portrayed and promoted as a wilderness area, thereby enhancing tourism, whilst disregarding the historical signs of human activity. In this paper we explore the wilderness concept, focusing on the narratives developed in the area, that changed from a strict conservationist approach to a more utilitarian one, influencing the National Park's policy-making. The research is based mainly on the content analysis of several literary texts. We conclude that wildernessneeds to be reconceptualized so that contemporary European protection policies might become more effective, and we may use our knowledge of nature to promote sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]