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Public surveys can be valuable tools to collect information on wildlife distribution. Our objective was to improve the knowledge on the distribution and expanding areas of the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) in central Spain by using an on‐line questionnaire to hunters. We assessed the reliability of information that hunters provided by comparing it with reports from wildlife professionals. Our results show a high overall congruence but significantly different information provided by hunters and professionals on the distribution of the Egyptian mongoose, suggesting that both sources provide unique data for the management of non‐game species. For example, hunters reported greater mongoose presence than professionals in areas to the east of Toledo and Ciudad Real provinces, for the whole distribution and core area of the species, suggesting that hunters could help to detect other areas where the species exists. Overall, our findings stress the importance of engaging hunters in wildlife conservation, as they can share valuable information on wildlife species, including those that are not hunted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant pest and disease outbreaks, which occur with increasing frequency and intensity, cause catastrophic losses and threaten food security in many areas around the world. These impacts are expected to be exacerbated by climate change. Tackling this challenge requires mechanisms that ensure the financial security of farmers while incentivizing private biosecurity efforts to prevent future outbreaks. This study explored crop producers' preferences for a subsidized insurance scheme as an instrument to manage novel biotic risks. Specifically, we developed a choice experiment to evaluate Spanish growers' willingness to pay for a crop insurance product that promotes compliance with best biosecurity management practices. Our results show that while growers are willing to pay more for high coverage products that increase the resilience of crops to potential catastrophic outbreaks, there is neither a strong demand nor widespread availability of such tools. Farmers required reductions in premiums before undertaking risk prevention measures; they are more willing to pay for schemes that link their eligibility to access to ad hoc funds in the eventuality of a catastrophic outbreak than they are to purchase insurance. Our findings also suggest that Spanish growers prefer expanding the eligible risks covered by insurance and envisage a role for insurance in offering biosecurity protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Prestige oil spill had numerous negative effects on marine ecosystems, but it also caused a positive effect, as it contributed to the generation of new scientific information that guided to the large marine protected area "Bank of Galicia" lies becoming part of the European Natura 2000 Network. This protected area represents the 10 % of the total marine area of Galicia (NW Spain). Nevertheless, the Convention on Biological Diversity establishes the objective of increasing the total protected area up to 30 %. A discrete choice experiment was conducted to elicit the social preferences for a conservation program of marine biodiversity in Galicia. Among other characteristics such as the expansion of the protected area to the surroundings of Natura 2000 sites, the establishment of new restrictions in the marine protected areas, or the implementation of payments to affected fishermen, the experiment allows to estimate the change in social welfare associated with the surface of large marine protected areas in the NW Spain. Results show that reaching the objective of the Convention on Biological Diversity would imply an increase in well-being, in monetary terms, of 16.4 million of euros. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since ancient times, Mediterranean pine forests have been habitat for human activity, providing a wide range of goods such as timber, seeds, resin and derived products. Among them, tar and resin have played an historical role on the interaction between human activity and forests. In Spain, the resin played an important role in the economic and social development in rural areas during 20th century. But after 1980, resin production plummeted and the virtual disappearance of resin tapping caused the abandonment of traditional forest activities and the subsequently losses of ecosystem forest services (provision, regulation and cultural). This paper deals with some of the ecosystem services provided by resin tapped pine forests and shows how the abandonment of this traditional forestry activity would lead to a loss of social welfare beyond the economic activity. Among these ecosystem services, special attention is paid to the biodiversity of the pine forests. For that purpose, a stratified vegetation sampling was conducted in the leading resin-tapping Spanish region. Ecological analysis was therefore compared with the social preferences for several attributes associated to resin-tapped pine forests in Spain, including the biodiversity of flora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This article analyses the willingness to pay for a program that promotes the production of electricity from forest biomass, instead of that based on fossil fuels. The program decreases greenhouse gas emissions, reduces the pressure on non-renewable resources, lowers the risk of summer forest fires, creates employment in rural areas. Results from a choice experiment show that consumers are willing to pay a higher price for electricity in order to obtain the external benefits of the substitution. Respondents attach a higher value to programs that decrease the pressure of non-renewable resources and the risk of forest fires. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Gorse species (Ulex sp.) are ubiquitous in the shrublands of NW Spain and have the potential to become key players in an integral biofuel/biochar program in NW Spain. Here we present molecular characterization (using pyrolysis–GC/MS) of a biochar “thermosequence” obtained by laboratory heating of Ulex europaeus wood in a muffle furnace between 200 and 600°C (T CHAR). Low temperature chars (T CHAR ≤350°C) produced significant amounts of pyrolysis products of which the precursor biopolymer could be recognized, while high-temperature chars (T CHAR ≥400°C) produced mainly phenols and monocyclic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are not specific for any biopolymer. Carbohydrate could hardly be recognized at T CHAR ≥350°C. The thermal rearrangement of polyphenols, mainly lignin, was reflected in more detail (1) C3-side chain shortening and probably depolymerization (T CHAR 200–350°C), (2) demethoxylation of syringyl and probably also some guaiacyl lignin (T CHAR 300–400°C), (3) elimination of virtually all remaining methoxyl groups (T CHAR 350–400°C), through dehydroxylation and demethoxylation, (4) almost complete dehydroxylation of lignin and other biopolymers (T CHAR 400–500°C), (5) progressive condensation into polyaromatic structures (T CHAR 300–500°C) and (6) partial elimination of alkyl bridges between (poly)aromatic moieties (T CHAR 450–500°C). These results were supported by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of the same samples. We conclude that pyrolysis–GC/MS can be used as a rapid molecular screening method of gorse-derived biochar. Molecular properties elucidation is an essential part of predicting the stability and agronomical behavior of gorse-derived biochar after future implementation in soils. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Human-wildlife conflicts (HWC) are increasing and are potentially harmful to both people and wildlife. Understanding the current and potential distribution of wildlife species involved in HWC, such as carnivores, is essential for implementing management and conservation measures for such species. In this study, we assessed both the current distribution and potential distribution (forecast) of the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) in the central part of the Iberian Peninsula. We acquired data concerning mongoose occurrences through an online questionnaire sent to environmental rangers. We used the municipality level as the sampling unit because all municipalities within the study area were covered at least by one ranger. Using the information provided by rangers (i.e. occurrences in their municipalities), we constructed environmental favourability distribution models to assess current and potential mongoose distribution through current distribution models (CDM) and ecological models (EM), respectively. >300 rangers participated in the survey and mongooses were reported in a total of 181 of 921 municipalities studied. The CDM model showed a current distribution mainly concentrated on the western part of the study area, where intermediate-high favourability values predominated. The EM model revealed a wider potential distribution, including the south-east part of the study area, which was also characterised by intermediate-high favourability values. Our predictions were verified using independent data, including confirmation of mongoose reproduction by rangers, reports by other experts, and field sampling in some areas. Our innovative approach based on an online survey to rangers coupled with environmental favourability models is shown to be a useful methodology for assessing the current distribution of cryptic but expanding wildlife species, while also enabling estimations of future steps in their expansion. The approach proposed may help policy decision-makers seeking to ensure the conservation of expanding wildlife species, for example, by designing awareness campaigns in areas where the target species is expected to arrive., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no relevant interests to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Personality plays a role in human behavior, and thus can influence consumer decisions on environmental goods and services. This paper analyses the influence of the big five personality dimensions (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness) in a discrete choice experiment dealing with preferences for the development of an environmental program for forest management in Spain. For this purpose, a reduced version of the Big Five Inventory survey (the BFI-10) is implemented. Results show a positive effect of openness and extraversion and a negative effect of agreeableness and neuroticism in consumers' preferences for this environmental program. Moreover, results from a latent class model show that personal traits help to explain preference heterogeneity.