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This paper deals with one of the dire needs of wildlife conservation: effective decision-making frameworks. Growing global connectivity and economic development result in growing demand for certain wildlife products, causing enormous ecological damage and losses in biodiversity. This three-dimensional model includes evaluation based on power, resources, and interest for finding the best partners for conservation projects using the Critic-Topsis model combined with optimization algorithms. The model is then applied using a case study of the United States' terrestrial and inland water reserves. Data used in the study were sourced from 21 countries and organizations identifying key stakeholders like governments, specifically that of the US. The research showed that successful conservation would only be reached by cooperation between governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders that need to collaborate on the same platform. The findings show that strategic and data-driven approaches can make a huge difference in enhancing the impact of wildlife protection initiatives. Conclude that further research into and adaptation of these models must be continued to respond to the ever-changing challenges that surround wildlife conversation, sustainable development, and ecological balance. This forms a very strong foundation for future planning and implementation of the conservation plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zagros forests in Iran are currently experiencing an exacerbation of climate-induced mortality, placing the Persian squirrel, a keystone species reliant on these ecosystems, in jeopardy. Addressing this imminent threat, our research employed a spatial prioritization methodology, integrating assessments of habitat suitability and mortality risk. Utilizing a weighted ensemble approach, incorporating the strengths of diverse models and expert rules, we discerned that approximately 62% of surveyed forests are at risk, with 7% classified as high risk and 17% as very high risk. Notably, 83% of the forests exhibited varying degrees of habitat suitability, with 11% and 12% demonstrating high and very high suitability, respectively. Employing a conservation prioritization framework, we systematically categorized habitats into priority classes, with 8%, 17%, 29%, and 46% assigned to very high, high, moderate, and low conservation priority classes, respectively. Significantly, areas classified as very high priority demand immediate restoration efforts due to ongoing mortality, while other priority classes underscore the importance of protection and prevention in unaffected habitats. Acknowledging the irreversible nature of current climatic conditions in the Zagros forests, our strategic emphasis aligns with conservation triage principles, prioritizing the preservation of intact habitats yet to succumb to irreversible mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper intends to provide a building assessment methodology for the conservation planning of concrete buildings, presenting the demonstrative case-study of the Ocean Swimming Pool (design 1960–1966; conservation 2018–2021) conceived by the Pritzker Prize Álvaro Siza, in Portugal. The building is a landmark of 20th century architecture in the national and international context, being listed as National Monument and included in the World Heritage Tentative List. The article will focus particularly on the building assessment methodology, supported by the cross-analysis of the 'documentary evidence' and 'physical evidence', allowing for an integrated approach for conservation planning. The paper includes documentation on the building chronology and construction, as well as on the inspection and diagnosis using both non-destructive and minor destructive testing. Moreover, the article presents a pilot demonstration of concrete repair supported on the building knowledge and diagnosis. This real case study shows the advantages of integrating conservation criteria and methods used for traditional buildings to modern heritage in concrete (going beyond the common visible patch repair), in which there are still few case-studies illustrating good practices. This holistic approach has also contributed to the development of detailed policies for risk assessment, concrete conservation and maintenance in the framework of the Conservation Plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1.We are witnessing a rapid decline in global biodiversity. International protocols and local conservation laws have been installed to counter such an unprecedent rate of decline.2.However, quantitatively evaluating how much biodiversity has been lost due to climatic and anthropogenic effects and how much biodiversity has been restored due to conservation efforts remains challenging.3.We applied a comparative conservation genomic approach to statistically and quantitatively address these questions using three geographical taxa from a stag beetle species complex.4.We found that the three sky‐island taxa formed three independently evolving units without detectable post‐divergence gene flow; furthermore, the three taxa, which have been divergent from each other since the mid‐Pleistocene, have experienced episodes of demographic decline in the past.5.More importantly, even though idiosyncratic anthropogenic exploitations have been hypothesised to impact the recent demographic history (<100 years) differently, we found a shared pattern of continuous decline in effective population size among the three geographical taxa.6.We argue that future empirical studies should include more taxa, in addition to the focal species, that may or may not be affected by the focal historical events to avoid making biased conservation plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of DEPARCH Journal of Design Planning & Aesthetics Research is the property of DEPARCH Journal of Design Planning & Aesthetics Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Amphibians are severely affected by climate change, particularly in regions where droughts prevail and water availability is scarce. The extirpation of amphibians triggers cascading effects that disrupt the trophic structure of food webs and ecosystems. Dedicated assessments of the spatial adaptive potential of amphibian species under climate change are, therefore, essential to provide guidelines for their effective conservation. I used predictions about the location of suitable climates for 27 amphibian species in the Iberian Peninsula from a baseline period to 2080 to typify shifting species' ranges. The time at which these range types are expected to be functionally important for the adaptation of a species was used to identify full or partial refugia; areas most likely to be the home of populations moving into new climatically suitable grounds; areas most likely to receive populations after climate adaptive dispersal; and climatically unsuitable areas near suitable areas. I implemented an area prioritization protocol for each species to obtain a cohesive set of areas that would provide maximum adaptability and where management interventions should be prioritized. A connectivity assessment pinpointed where facilitative strategies would be most effective. Each of the 27 species had distinct spatial requirements but, common to all species, a bottleneck effect was predicted by 2050 because source areas for subsequent dispersal were small in extent. Three species emerged as difficult to maintain up to 2080. The Iberian northwest was predicted to capture adaptive range for most species. My study offers analytical guidelines for managers and decision makers to undertake systematic assessments on where and when to intervene to maximize the persistence of amphibian species and the functionality of the ecosystems that depend on them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beetles are one of the most diverse and often highly specialized groups among saproxylic organisms and play a key role in forest dynamics. To develop conservation plans in forests threatened by human activities, such as construction sites, it is crucial to identify key parameters characterizing forest structure in turn influencing saproxylic beetle diversity and abundance. Here, we investigate the difference in forest structure parameters and their cascading effect on saproxylic beetle communities between a forest site affected by the construction site expansion of the Turin–Lyon High-Speed Railway Line and a nearby second forest site. Our study showed differences in forest structure parameters between the two sites, in particular in the overall volume and diameter of coarse woody debris and in standing dead tree abundance. Even saproxylic beetle community structure was different between the two sites and this difference was linked to the different abundance and species richness of standing dead trees. Our findings provide information for the development of a local conservation plan for the saproxylic beetle community within forest habitats. Increasing the volume of deadwood and enriching tree diversity can locally sustain abundant and diverse communities and, eventually, support those species that are threatened by the building site expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Using traditional methods for surveying and monitoring Siamese bat catfish (Oreoglanis siamensis Smith, 1933), an endangered and endemic species in Thailand, is difficult. In this study, the eDNA-based method was used to confirm the O. siamensis habitat and its presence in the Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Water samples were collected, and eDNA was analyzed by real-time PCR with species-specific primers. The eDNA of O. siamensis was detected in 12 samples out of 15 samples, inferring its distribution in the rivers of the Doi Inthanon National Park. The results showed that the eDNA-based approach can successfully detect O. siamensis in 300 mL turbid water samples. This information may be beneficial for the species management plan. The success of the eDNA-based method in O. siamensis detection indicates the usefulness of this method for rare species surveys in unfavorable environments. Siamese bat catfish (Oreoglanis siamensis Smith, 1993) has been listed as an endangered species, and its abundance has been severely declining due to habitat degradation and overfishing. To establish an appropriate management strategy, it is crucial to gain information about the distribution of this endangered species. As O. siamensis live under rocks in streams, detecting their presence is difficult. Recently, environmental DNA (eDNA)–based detection has been demonstrated to be a valid tool for monitoring rare species, such as O. siamensis. Therefore, this study developed an eDNA assay targeting a 160 bp fragment of the COI region to detect the presence of this species in its natural habitat. An amount of 300 mL of water samples (0.7 μm filtered) were collected from 15 sites in the Mae Klang sub-basin, where this fish species was visually detected at two locations. O. siamensis eDNA was detected at 12 of the 15 sites sampled with varying concentrations (0.71–20.27 copies/mL), including at the sites where this species was visually detected previously. The developed O. siamensis eDNA assay was shown to be effective for detecting the presence of this endangered species in the Klang Phat and Klang Rivers within the Doi Inthanon National Park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protection of urban heritage is not an abstract intellectual theory, as it resembles any planning process subject to a set of factors. Those factors are determined in a progressive and continuous way by the actors of this field. If the political decision was considered the main motor of its dimensions and objectives, the technical factor is not less important, it is embodied these dimensions and objectives. In this context this study came to approximate between the Points of View the first and the second the area of conservation the World archaeological site Al Qal’a Bani Hammed in Algeria (PPMVSA). Although their theoretical reference is the same, but technical evaluation has different in determining the protection perimeter, using the geographic information system (GIS) and multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to systematically and precisely analyse the factors controlling the determination of the archaeological protection area, we are reducing the percentage of biased points of view and we propose an alternative to protection plan based on precise scientific principles and standards.

Abstract Cultural heritage building information models (HBIMs) incorporate specific geometric and semantic data that are mandatory for supporting the workflows and decision making during a heritage study. The Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) open data exchange standard can be used to migrate these data between different software solutions as an openBIM approach, and has the potential to mitigate data loss. Specific data-exchange scenarios can be supported by firstly developing an Information Delivery Manual (IDM) and subsequently filtering portions of the IFC schema and producing a specialized Model View Definition (MVD). This paper showcases the creation of a specialized IDM for the heritage domain in consultation with experts in the restoration and preservation of built heritage. The IDM was then translated into a pilot MVD for heritage. We tested our developments on an HBIM case study, where a historic building was semantically enriched with information about the case study’s conservation plan and then checked against the specified IDM requirements using the developed MVD. We concluded that the creation of an IDM and then the MVD for the heritage domain are achievable and will bring us one step closer to BIM standardisation in the field of digitised cultural buildings.

Cowane's Hospital with its garden is a very rare survival, the embodiment of a continuing civic institution adapting to changing requirements, and it epitomises the thriving nature of Scots Burghs in the early 17th century. By the start of the 21st century it was in a poor condition, seldom visited and without a sustainable use. With a detailed measured survey, a condition survey and surveys of the founder's statue and memorial plaques, furniture and the structure, the conservation plan was commissioned. Documentary research into the building and its context was included. Draft assessments of cultural significance, a draft Statement of Cultural Significance, conservation issues and policies and a draft business plan were commented on by stakeholders, leading to a revised and approved conservation plan. On the basis of this, a programme of repairs and alterations was made. The external works included re-slating with some dendrochronological research, re-harling and limewashing, sensitive window and door repairs. The conservation of the founder's statue was based on wide research and included the repair of extensive Civil War damage. The repair and strengthening of the fragile bowling green balustrade included removing metal cramps and other inappropriate repairs, keeping maximum original material and patina. Fine cast-iron entrance lamps by the Shotts foundry were repaired and reinstated. The internal works included renewing mechanical and electrical services, a new catering kitchen, decoration, picture hanging and lighting. New offices were provided, with good insulation and heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term monitoring of structural movements in historic buildings and heritage sites allows assessing their stability and recognizing damages that require intervention. The Punta Begoña Galleries, built in the earlier part of the twentieth century, present pioneering techniques in the use of reinforced concrete in building construction. They stand directly over a coastal cliff, and their recovery requires first to guarantee their stability, while maintaining their historic and patrimonial values. Thus, with the goal of analyzing their global stability, as well as the extent of the observed damages, we implemented a motion monitoring network that includes three boreholes for extensometric control, an inclinometer, and five crack gauges (crackmeters). This monitoring was complemented with the recording of hydrometeorological variables at the surface and in four piezometers. The spectral analysis of the signals of movements was performed by introducing the use of the Lomb-Scargle (LS) periodogram, which is particularly well-suited for the analysis of unevenly spaced time series. This analysis allowed us to differentiate the reversible seasonal elastic components of the records and to recognize the irreversible long-term plastic displacements, which highlight the sectors with active instability. In our case, the identified damages are related to two local problems of building support. Even though the irreversible component of the displacement after seasonal sinusoidal detrending is small (with maximums up to 0.12 mm/year), it does imply a dynamic plastic deformation, which calls for the need to adopt structural stabilization measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the inscription of the Historic City of Yazd on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2017, the number of tourists visiting increased. The area is formed of several neighborhoods. This study aims to propose a conservation plan for the oldest, the Shah Abul-Ghasem Neighborhood, using the urban design qualities suggested by Golkar. The study based on a field survey in the neighborhood was carried out in such a way that items related to urban design qualities were photographed and categorized into environmental, functional and aesthetic-experimental components. Proposed measures and recommendations for the development of tourism in the area are presented based on the field survey results.

In the planning system, conservation plans are produced without establishing a relationship with the upper scale plans, for this reason, their position and place in the planning hierarchy become questioned. In the study; this inquiry is realized by the case of Kayseri-Germir. In the context of case, the relation of the conservation plan in the planning hierarchy is evaluated. Research questions of study are; is the hierarchy of plans could be implemented as defined by the legislation; what is the position of conservation plans in the planning hierarchy? The result presented on the basis of case study area is that the Germir Conservation Implementation Plan is made without setting necessary relationship with the upper scale plans other than those protection-related strategies declared by the regional plan and at the same time, urban conservation area was considered independently and in its autonomy where its compatibility with the environment was ignored.

Beetles are one of the most diverse and often highly specialized groups among saproxylic organisms and play a key role in forest dynamics. To develop conservation plans in forests threatened by human activities, such as construction sites, it is crucial to identify key parameters characterizing forest structure in turn influencing saproxylic beetle diversity and abundance. Here, we investigate the difference in forest structure parameters and their cascading effect on saproxylic beetle communities between a forest site affected by the construction site expansion of the Turin–Lyon High-Speed Railway Line and a nearby second forest site. Our study showed differences in forest structure parameters between the two sites, in particular in the overall volume and diameter of coarse woody debris and in standing dead tree abundance. Even saproxylic beetle community structure was different between the two sites and this difference was linked to the different abundance and species richness of standing dead trees. Our findings provide information for the development of a local conservation plan for the saproxylic beetle community within forest habitats. Increasing the volume of deadwood and enriching tree diversity can locally sustain abundant and diverse communities and, eventually, support those species that are threatened by the building site expansion.

● A workflow to support the Slovenian conservation-restoration process through HBIM ● The integration of information from the conservation plan into the HBIM project ● Improved understanding of the complexity of protected cultural heritage by HBIM ● HBIM enables conservation experts to become holistically involved in the renovation or restoration. The preservation of cultural heritage and the renovation, restoration and remodelling processes could benefit greatly from Building Information Modelling (BIM) workflows being established. Currently, experts are involved with fractionated workflows, where a lot of data are missing, become lost or are duplicated by different stakeholders. All the resulting confusion severely impacts on the preservation of heritage as well as the efficiency of its restoring/remodelling/revitalizing from the point of view of current needs. Heritage information is usually conveyed through conservation-restoration plans and guidelines In this research, a new methodology for managing the information holistically integrated into the BIM is proposed. The workflow is showcased on a demo-case building that is protected as cultural heritage. Consequently, the conservation plan becomes more accessible, not only for stakeholders in heritage, but also stakeholders responsible for the renovation, such as architects and contractors. This can result in an improved understanding of the heritage and a better revitalization. Graphical abstract [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation of ancient paintings sited in humid environments is an actual challenge for restorers, because it needs the knowledge of the materials the paintings are made up and of their interaction with a peculiar surrounding environment; thus, tailored procedures and strategies aimed at restoring and preserving paintings are necessary. Santa Margherita's cave in Castellammare del Golfo (Trapani, Italy) is a natural cave, containing the remains of paintings, in a poor state of conservation, belonging to an ancient church dated back to the Middle Age. The present manuscript reports the monitoring of environmental conditions (i.e., temperature and humidity) in a full year, as well as a study on the materials constituting the stone support and the paintings together with a survey of the microbial community. The findings allow us to define the causes that mainly involve the degradation of the paintings. In detail, the degradation of the east and the west walls occurred differently because of the exposure to the sea aerosol, which influenced the salt composition, also contributing to diversifying the bacterial community. Some specific actions to plan the conservation and restoration of paintings and to preserve the site are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural heritage building information models (HBIMs) incorporate specific geometric and semantic data that are mandatory for supporting the workflows and decision making during a heritage study. The Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) open data exchange standard can be used to migrate these data between different software solutions as an openBIM approach, and has the potential to mitigate data loss. Specific data-exchange scenarios can be supported by firstly developing an Information Delivery Manual (IDM) and subsequently filtering portions of the IFC schema and producing a specialized Model View Definition (MVD). This paper showcases the creation of a specialized IDM for the heritage domain in consultation with experts in the restoration and preservation of built heritage. The IDM was then translated into a pilot MVD for heritage. We tested our developments on an HBIM case study, where a historic building was semantically enriched with information about the case study's conservation plan and then checked against the specified IDM requirements using the developed MVD. We concluded that the creation of an IDM and then the MVD for the heritage domain are achievable and will bring us one step closer to BIM standardisation in the field of digitised cultural buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Siamese bat catfish (Oreoglanis siamensis Smith, 1993) has been listed as an endangered species, and its abundance has been severely declining due to habitat degradation and overfishing. To establish an appropriate management strategy, it is crucial to gain information about the distribution of this endangered species. As O. siamensis live under rocks in streams, detecting their presence is difficult. Recently, environmental DNA (eDNA)–based detection has been demonstrated to be a valid tool for monitoring rare species, such as O. siamensis. Therefore, this study developed an eDNA assay targeting a 160 bp fragment of the COI region to detect the presence of this species in its natural habitat. An amount of 300 mL of water samples (0.7 μm filtered) were collected from 15 sites in the Mae Klang sub-basin, where this fish species was visually detected at two locations. O. siamensis eDNA was detected at 12 of the 15 sites sampled with varying concentrations (0.71–20.27 copies/mL), including at the sites where this species was visually detected previously. The developed O. siamensis eDNA assay was shown to be effective for detecting the presence of this endangered species in the Klang Phat and Klang Rivers within the Doi Inthanon National Park.

Son yillarda endemik turlerin nesillerinin devamliliklari ile ilgili endiseler giderek artmaktadir. Endemizm, biyocesitlilik mirasinin devaminda temel yapi taslarindan biridir. Ancak ulkemiz icsularinda yer alan bircok endemik tatlisu baligi turunun temel biyo-ekolojik ozellikleri ve habitat gereksinimleri uzerine bilgilerimiz oldukca kisitlidir. Bu baglamda, Dalaman (Mugla)’in Tersakan Deresi’nde bulunan Capoeta aydinensis (Turan, Kucuk, Kaya, Guclu & Bektas, 2017) populasyonu uzerine bir yillik bir calisma yapilmistir. Bu calismanin amaci turun buyume ve ureme gibi bazi biyolojik ozellikleri ile habitat kullanimini ortaya koymaktir. Yapilan analizler sonucunda C. aydinensis’in hayat dongusunun 8 yil oldugu saptanmistir ve diger Capoeta turlerine gore yavas bir buyume gosterdigi belirlenmistir. Disi bireylerin 5 yasinda ve 234 mm total boyda, erkek bireylerin ise 4 yasinda ve 194 mm total boyda cinsi olgunluga eristigi tespit edilmistir. Ureme donemi olarak turun bahar aylarini tercih ettigi ve 3 aylik bir donem boyunca ureme faaliyetinin devam ettigi tespit edilmistir. Olgun bir disi bireyin ortalama olarak 7833 adet yumurta urettigi belirlenmistir. Ilkbaharda golgelik alanlar, yazin suyun genellikle bulanik oldugu bolgeleri, sonbaharda orten bitki oraninin yuksek ayni zamanda suyun bulanik oldugu yerler ve kisin orten bitki oraninin sIk goruldugu yerler turun habitat tercihlerini olusturmustur. Bu calisma ile, endemik Capoeta aydinensis turunun yonetimi ve korunmasi ile ilgili bazi onemli temel biyo-ekolojik bilgiler elde edilmis olup bu bilgilerin ileriki calismalara isIk tutmasi beklenmektedir.

Digital technologies are more and more needed to give access to Cultural Heritage (CH) and to allow for their curation and re-use. For this reason, it is necessary to increase the knowledge on the CH building stock to support sustainable maintenance, preservation and revitalization strategies through the development of user-friendly asset management tools to support the decision-making process towards an affordable and feasible conservation strategy. The Asset Management tool described in this paper is a software solution used for condition assessment on–site and management of assets with embedded Building Information Model (BIM) software. The main aim of the tool is to leverage the existing data in BIM to expedite and enhance the quality of building inspections. The solution provides the possibility to not only asses the condition in a professional way, but also to optimize the conservation maintenance planning according to different ambition levels and needs. A well elaborated and used standard for Condition Assessment is integrated and tailored on Cultural Heritage within the framework of H2020-INCEPTION project. In this context, the CH Asset Management (CH AM tool) is regarded mainly within the framework of decision-making for restoration, conservation and maintenance of historic buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The restoration or rejuvenation of freshwater ecosystem is being performed through formulation and implementation of conservation plans by the administrative authorities. However, it is essential to examine the performance of conservation plan for addressing the success of work done. The present study aims to develop a novel scoring methodology that could be widely used to assess the performance of a lake conservation plan. Scoring methodology is based on four major characteristics of conservation plan as: ecological lake characteristics, lake catchment characteristics, threat to the lake ecosystem, conservation and management policy. These characteristic terms are given a weightage and score values, which are used to evaluate an overall score of lake that represent the cumulative performance of conservation plan. This scoring methodology is used to assess the performance of conservation plan for four Indian lakes, namely Dal Lake, Nainital Lake, Anasagar Lake, and Rankala Lake. The results reveal that the conservation plans for Dal and Nainital lakes exhibit average performance with overall score values of 138, and 121, respectively. The water quality index of Anasagar Lake is evaluated as 25 that exhibit very poor water quality, while those of other lakes are obtained in poor quality range 50–70. The overall score < 89.5 is obtained for Anasagar and Rankala lakes, which represent poor performance of conservation plan. It is suggested that the scoring methodology could be useful for lake administrative authorities and researchers to assess the performance of implemented conservation plans, and to improvise the strategic interventions for conservation of lakes, worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microsatellites were utilized to determine the genetic diversity and estimate the relationship between 9 goose populations. A total of 58 unique alleles were found in all 9 populations, and the allele frequency ranged from 0.71% (Toulouse breed: TOU) to 18.33% (local Egyptian breed of grey colour: LB1). The effective number of alleles ranged from 2.04 (Wanxi breed: WX) to 5.36 (Emden breed: EMED), observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.37 (WX) to 0.62 (EMED), and expected heterozygosity was reported in the range of 0.43 (WX) to 0.7 (EMED). The results revealed highly polymorphic content of the tested loci, with three populations [WX, Sichuan breed (SC), Zhejiang breed (ZHE)] reported to be slightly polymorphous. Within the 9 populations, breeding coefficient (Fis) ranged from 0.03 (EMED) to 0.26 (WX). The phylogenetic tree showed two clades: the first clade contained LB1 and the three Chinese breeds (ZHE, WX, SC), while the second clade contained the local Egyptian breed of white colour (LB2) and Pilgrim breed (PIL) and the three western breeds [Roman tufted breed (ROT), TOU, EMED]. Only three populations showed distinct boundaries at clustering (SC, ZHE, WX), which was found by structure analysis. Principal coordinates analysis 2D and 3D scatter plots were constructed for distinct population structure distribution results, confirming the geographical distribution of the breeds. The deviation of the principal coordinates' analysis from the F1 axis was 54.01% and from F2 was 15.37%. Finally, self-organised map node arrangements represented the relationship and the interaction between different populations, providing an idea about the population structure of rare and indigenous goose breeds, especially the two Egyptian local breeds LB1 and LB2. The aim of this study was to determine genetic diversity and genetic correlation using 9 microsatellite markers in order to explore the breeding history of the investigated rare goose breeds, to provide data on changes in population structure, and to provide the basis for the development of appropriate plans to improve population growth for respective environmental needs with some emphasis on the conservation of genetic resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Methods in Ecology & Evolution is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Integrating intraseasonal grassland dynamics in cross-scale distribution modeling to support waterbird recovery plans Keywords: conservation plan; common snipe; ecosystem functional variables; hierarchical species distribution models; NDWI; normalized difference water index; Sentinel-2; Agachadiza común; índice de agua de diferencia normalizada; modelos jerárquicos de distribución de especies; plan de conservación; variables de funcionamiento ecosistémico; ; ; ; ; (NDWI); -2A For the Common Snipe, climate models calibrated at the European scale captured the species climate niche (AUC = 0.96) (Fig. a) and showed a steep decline in climate suitability for the species above a maximum temperature of 20 °C (Fig.). Remote sensing for conservation monitoring: assessing protected areas, habitat extent, habitat condition, species diversity, and threats. [Extracted from the article]

The contribution presents part of activities that have been carried out for the preparation of the Conservation Plan of the Giancarlo De Carlo’s University Colleges of Urbino, funded by the Getty Foundation within the “Keeping it Modern” program in 2015. Starting form a comprehensive evaluation and understanding of the values that are represented in the complex, the Conservation Plan aims at establishing a “sustainable” management strategy, which means finding a “point of balance” between conservation and change, between an important cultural value, which has led to an international recognition, and the demands of everyday management. Within the Conservation Plan, specific guidelines for the preservation of modern materials and architectural elements and a schedule of interventions, preventive activities and controls are being developed. This paper presents the first steps of the research, the results already achieved and the themes currently being discussed.

Questions: Species distribution models (SDMs) based on habitat suitability and niche quantification are powerful tools in vegetation science. Recent findings suggest that they could be applied at the landscape scale as vegetation conservation tools, but that some environmental dimensions (e.g., climate) need to be considered at larger scales. What is the importance of applying hierarchical SDMs combining information from different scales to ensure consistent local vegetation management decisions? Study Site: Mainland Spain and Biosphere Reserve of Sierra del Rincón (central Spain). Methods: We generated SDMs for five tree species at the regional scale (mainland Spain) using climatic variables plus presence/absence data from the Spanish National Forest Inventory; and at the landscape scale (Sierra del Rincón Biosphere Reserve) using local environmental variables plus locally gathered vegetation presence/absence data. Predictions of both regional and landscape models were combined at the landscape scale following two different hierarchical approaches. The four resulting predictions were compared with correlation coefficients and independently evaluated with the AUC statistic and data collected in the study area. Results: The regional SDMs depict suitable climatic conditions for the tree species, while the landscape SDMs capture important local ecological drivers that influence habitat suitability at finer scales. Expectedly, the regional SDMs predict larger suitable areas than the landscape SDMs. The predictions from the hierarchical approaches are reliable and provide on average better results than non‐hierarchical ones. Conclusions: SDMs can be valuable tools for local plant conservation programs. We present examples of the applicability of a hierarchical modeling approach and conceptual and methodological solutions related to the use of these tools in local vegetation conservation programs. For example, we show that landscape SDMs could be used to determine the current distribution of endangered plant species, while a hierarchical approach would be better suited to define areas to re‐vegetate within a local restoration program. Species distribution models are powerful tools in vegetation science. Here, we highlight the importance of applying hierarchical SDMs combining information from different scales to ensure consistent local vegetation management decisions. We present examples of the applicability of a hierarchical modeling approach and conceptual and methodological solutions related to the use of these tools in local vegetation conservation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: ‘Mainstreaming biodiversity’ aims to integrate biodiversity priorities directly into the policies and practices of production sectors, including the mining sector. In South Africa, the need emerged for a biodiversity guideline specifically relevant to the mining sector that would interpret a wide range of available spatial biodiversity information and frame it in a user-friendly format. Objectives: The aim of this article was to document and review the development of the Mining and Biodiversity Guideline. This serves as a case study of a product developed to assist in bridging the gap between available biodiversity information and use of this information by a production sector. Methods: We examined the development of the Mining and Biodiversity Guideline with reference to three factors known to be beneficial to creating policy-relevant science: a sound scientific foundation (credibility), relevance to decision-making (salience) and involvement of stakeholders (legitimacy). Results: The Mining and Biodiversity Guideline was developed through collaboration between the mining and biodiversity sectors. It provides a tool that contributes to the sustainable development of South Africa’s mineral resources in a way that enables regulators, industry and practitioners to minimise the impact of mining on biodiversity and ecosystem services. It includes a single integrated map of biodiversity priority areas summarised into four sensitivity categories relevant for the mining industry, with detailed guidance on how these should inform the application of the mitigation hierarchy. Conclusion: The Mining and Biodiversity Guideline has received political endorsement from the relevant regulatory government departments. A focussed training programme has promoted awareness and understanding of the Guideline. Preliminary reports indicate that the Guideline has been effective in influencing decision-making.

Preventive conservation plans must include the collaboration of all the different departments within an institution to be able to diagnose the situation, provide proper maintenance, and allocate a budget. Preventive conservation entails understanding the collection’s needs, organizational culture, institutional priorities, and risk factors. Beyond the intervention of objects, the conservator is the creator of guidelines and the implementer of solutions. In this paper, need-based approaches are provided showcasing how tailor-built preventive conservation plans became merged into the backbone of everyday activities. In the Louis C. Morton Auction House in Mexico City, diagnosis tools were adapted, redefining conservation terms within a business-oriented model to guarantee success. In the National Museum of Art in Mexico, the sustainable preservation plan categorized actions within their realization capability. Tasks were allocated to different departments and suppliers; outsourcing, not the responsibility, but the commitment of continuity with service providers via contracts. At the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, the complex conservation projects have focused on high standard continuity. Motivating people to participate in the steady innovation, an encyclopaedic museum must have not only to conserve its collections, but also to serve as an international example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The paper will present the case study of preventive and planned conservation applied to the Royal Villa and Park of Monza, which is one of the pilot projects within the general framework of Monza and Brianza Cultural District. Starting from an in-depth analysis of the Royal Villa, which represents a recent conservation and valorisation intervention developed by both public and private subjects, the purpose of this paper is to define an operative model for the management of complex properties, at communicating good practices for the maintenance of the built heritage and at identifying the priorities for the interventions.Design/methodology/approach The research project foresaw a first collection of data and information related to the previous conservation activities executed upon the case study, the design of a conservation plan in all its parts (technical handbook, conservation programme, economic budget, user handbook) through an information system dedicated to the conservation of built cultural heritage, and its fulfilment. In the meantime, a context analysis of the Royal Villa and Park of Monza was developed, with a specific attention to the diversified historical buildings located in the park.Findings The action research carried out has been evaluated in the framework of upstream perspective theories. This enabled to highlight the importance of an integrated approach; of the need of sharing the collection of data in order to set up evidence-based policies; and of the need to enhance the skills of involved professionals and decision makers.Originality/value A progress in protection measures, the understanding of conservation and valorisation as preventive activities, effectiveness of private business models for maintenance, dissemination of good practices, and creation of a network of local stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) has been the subject of multiple status reviews under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Wyoming accounts for approximately 38% of the range-wide population. Since 2000, 2 statewide and 8 local citizen working groups have been established in Wyoming to developed conservation plans and advise state policy. The first statewide plan for the conservation of sage-grouse was formally adopted in 2003. The statewide plan established local sage-grouse working groups charged with developing and facilitating implementation of local conservation plans. Those 8 plans were completed in 2007 and 2008, and updated in 2014. From 2005-2017, the local working groups allocated nearly $7 million in legislatively appropriated funds to support conservation projects. In 2007, then Wyoming governor Dave Freudenthal appointed a statewide Sage-grouse Implementation Team. The team was statutorily sanctioned by the Wyoming legislature in 2015 and advises the current governor on all matters related to the Wyoming Greater Sage-Grouse Core Area Protection Policy. The Core Area Policy was established by Executive Order and provides mechanisms for limiting human disturbance in the most important sage-grouse habitats. Federal land management agencies have incorporated most aspects of the Core Area Policy into their land use planning decisions. Effectiveness of local and state-wide collaborative conservation has been evaluated through assessments of local working group accomplishments, research on policy effectiveness, sage-grouse population monitoring, and ESA status reviews.

Since 1995, sage-grouse (Centrocercus spp.) conservation planning in the western United States has largely been based upon local working groups comprised of federal, state and local governments, environmental groups, landowners, interested citizens. In this article, we review the history and process of these local working groups in western Colorado. These groups are generally convened by one or more government agencies, operate on the general principle of consensus, and have little or no administrative or financial support. The local working groups were generally comprised of field biologist, rancher/landowners, members of local environmental groups and occasionally representatives from local governments. The plans they generated were based upon consensus, therefore difficult issues were often bypassed in order to keep the plan development process moving. The early success of a number of these local working groups resulted in sage-grouse conservation plans such as the Gunnison Sage-grouse Conservation Plan, which provides sage-grouse conservation guidance for the Gunnison Basin in South Central Colorado. However, there were problems such as an undefined membership, lack of administrative support, and achieving consensus. The Gunnison County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) created an entirely new approach to the local work group concept. The Gunnison Basin Sage-grouse Strategic Committee (GBSGSC) was created, with appointed (by the BoCC) representatives from the federal land management agencies, the state wildlife agency, the neighboring county, the ranching community, the environmental community, the development community, the recreation community, and the public at large. Formal operating guidelines were adopted by the BoCC. Specific membership criteria were identified. Administrative staff from Gunnison County was assigned to the Committee. Importantly, the BoCC determined that, though consensus was an admirable goal, this Committee would operate under majority rule. The GBSGSC has been meeting monthly since 2005.

The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) has been the subject of multiple status reviews under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Wyoming accounts for approximately 38% of the specie's rangewide population. Since 2000, 2 statewide and 8 local citizen working groups have been established in Wyoming to develop conservation plans and advise state policy. A statewide plan for the conservation of sage-grouse was formally adopted in 2003 that established local sage-grouse working groups (LWGs) charged with developing and facilitating implementation of local conservation plans. Those plans were completed in 2007. From 2005-2017, the local working groups allocated nearly $7 million in legislatively appropriated funds to support conservation projects. In 2007, a statewide Sage- Grouse Implementation Team (SGIT) was appointed to advise the governor of Wyoming on all matters related to the Wyoming Greater Sage-Grouse Core Area Protection Policy. The Core Area Policy was established by a governor's executive order and provided mechanisms for limiting human disturbance in the most important sage-grouse habitats. Federal land management agencies have incorporated most aspects of the Core Area Policy into their land use planning decisions. Effectiveness of local and statewide collaborative conservation has been evaluated independently through assessments of LWG accomplishments, research on policy effectiveness, sage-grouse population monitoring, and ESA status reviews. Wyoming groups reported consistently higher results on a variety of success measures. Factors contributing to this success include targeted LWG member selection, trained neutral facilitators, the consensus decision-making process, providing training early in the process, LWG and agency support for science, the longevity of LWG membership, and substantial funding of both the LWG process and project implementation. Successes at the statewide scale are largely the product of sound science used to inform policy making and effective leadership. Challenges to LWG success include maintaining funding and member enthusiasm and commitment long-term, adequately determining project and policy effectiveness, truly implementing adaptive management as conditions change and new knowledge is gained and important decisions being made outside of group processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1995, sage-grouse (Centrocercus spp.) conservation planning in the western United States has largely been based upon local working groups (LWGs) comprised of federal, state and local governments; environmental groups; landowners and interested citizens. In this article, we review the history and process of LWGs in western Colorado that were formed to develop Gunnison sage-grouse (C. minimus) conservation plans. The LWGs were generally convened by ⩾1 government agency, operate on the general principle of consensus and had little or no administrative or financial support. The LWGs were generally comprised of field biologists, rancher/landowners, members of local environmental groups and occasionally representatives from local governments. The plans they generated were based upon consensus; therefore, difficult issues were often bypassed to keep the plan development process moving. The early successes of these LWGs resulted in sage-grouse conservation plans such as the Gunnison Sage-grouse Conservation Plan, which provided sage-grouse conservation guidance for the Gunnison Basin in southcentral Colorado. However, there were problems such as an undefined membership, lack of administrative support and achieving consensus. The Gunnison County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) created an entirely new approach to the LWG concept. The Gunnison Basin Sage-grouse Strategic Committee (GBSGSC) was created, with appointed (by the BoCC) representatives from the federal land management agencies, the state wildlife agency, the neighboring county, the ranching community, the environmental community, the development community, the recreation community, and the public at large. Formal operating guidelines were adopted by the BoCC. Specific membership criteria were identified and administrative staff from Gunnison County was assigned. Importantly, the BoCC determined that the committee would operate under majority rule. The GBSGSC has been meeting monthly since 2005. Here we describe the process and its advantages and disadvantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vast, pristine ecosystems and their biodiversity are vanishing globally at frightening speed, but many large tracts of wilderness have not yet been systematically inventoried and important natural populations of threatened species remain poorly characterized. The forest-savanna ecotone of the Eastern Central African Republic (CAR) is one such poorly studied area. Using camera traps, transect walks and collected fecal samples, we provide the first quantitative survey of chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ) in this region previously classified as a highly important chimpanzee conservation unit. In contrast to species distribution models and expert predictions, we did not find any evidence of chimpanzees in the large and remote forest blocks west of the Chinko River despite considerable search effort. Our study thus highlights the limitations of relying solely on remote sensing data to predict the presence or absence of endangered species and illustrates the necessity of extensive field surveys to accurately assess occurrence and density in remote areas. However, we did discover a sizeable and reproducing population of chimpanzees east of the Chinko River. Based on a density of 0.81 chimpanzees/km 2 in closed canopy forest that we inferred from nest count data, we estimate 910 weaned chimpanzees to inhabit the Chinko Nature Reserve (CNR) and further predict additional 2700 individuals in adjacent, unmanaged hunting zones and reserves. According to microsatellite data, these chimpanzees genetically cluster with P . t . schweinfurthii populations in East Africa. Conservation action and appropriate management plans are urgently needed to protect this important population and to prevent heavily-armed nomadic pastoralists from the Sahel, illegal miners, as well as elephant and meat poachers, from irretrievably destroying the natural vegetation and local biodiversity of the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative population objectives are necessary to successfully achieve conservation goals of secure or robust wildlife populations. However, existing methods for setting quantitative population objectives commonly require extensive speciesspecific population viability data, which are often unavailable, or are based on estimates of historical population sizes, which may no longer represent feasible objectives. Conservation practitioners require an alternative, science-based method for setting longterm quantitative population objectives. We reviewed conservation biology literature to develop a general conceptual framework that represents conservation biology principles and identifies key milestones a population would be expected to pass in the process of becoming a recovered or robust population. We then synthesized recent research to propose general hypotheses for the orders of magnitude at which most populations would be expected to reach each milestone. The framework is structured as a hierarchy of four population sizes, ranging from very small populations at increased risk of inbreeding depression and extirpation (< 1,000 adults) to large populations with minimized risk of extirpation (> 50,000 adults), along with additional modifiers describing steeply declining and resilient populations. We also discuss the temporal and geographic scales at which this framework should be applied. To illustrate the application of this framework to conservation planning, we outline our use of the framework to set long-term population objectives for a multi-species regional conservation plan, and discuss additional considerations in applying this framework to other systems. This general framework provides a transparent, science-based method by which conservation practitioners and stakeholders can agree on long-term population objectives of an appropriate magnitude, particularly when the alternative approaches are not feasible. With initial population objectives determined, long-term conservation planning and implementation can get underway, while further refinement of the objectives still remains possible as the population's response to conservation effort is monitored and new data become available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a comprehensive evaluation of the 1: 5000 Ankara Historic City Centre Restoration Site Conservation Master Development Plan and the 1: 1000 Conservation Implementation Plans, which have become a matter of litigation against the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality, filed by various non-governmental organizations, universities, the Union of Chambers of Turkish Architects and Engineers (TMMOB) and public institutions; in terms of the environment, transportation and traffic as regards the entirety of the planned location, and the integrity of the plan, based on conservation-reclamation planning essentials and public interest. Thus the Ulus Ankara Historic City Centre Restoration Site Conservation Master Development and Implementation Plan and Plan Notes as ratified by the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality and Conservation Board, are examined in this context in terms of restoration site, protected site, conservation site, interaction and transition sites and historic and cultural properties.