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This article traces the transnational history of Indian Multi-Purpose Food (Indian MPF, or simply MPF) to make two contributions to the historiography of development in post-War South Asia. Firstly, it illuminates the involvement of supporters of Indian nationalism in North America, who backed the use of food supplements in India, in the process of mobilising US resources to promote Indian national development in general, and family planning in particular. Secondly, the article sheds new light on the production of development knowledge on food and nutrition in early post-colonial India and the role that food science and technology assumed in national food planning in the first decades after Independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on female foeticide in India frames India's reproductive subjects as incapable of exercising mastery over their bodies. This framing often questions Indian women's exercise of reproductive agency within Indian patriarchy and views women as preferring sons. Such framing is problematic as it pays very little attention to India's population control measures, which are steeped in India's colonial history, and sets women up for tutelage, instead. In response, this essay using Foucault historicises influential theoretical approaches to population control based on three texts, originating in different historical and geographical locations, written by Thomas Malthus, Margaret Sanger and Amartya Sen. This analysis demonstrates how colonial contexts and history framed research in the past and continues doing so in the present. This study addresses the epistemological conditions of knowing female foeticide. Drawing on Butler's notion of framing this essay argues that Indian women's autonomy is framed both as passive − a masculinist position − and as 'other' − an Orientalist position. This essay also argues that this causal location of women then deflects attention from state policies which may be exacerbating such a practice and is not helping the Indian reproductive subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of techniques of sex selection that rely on assisted reproduction led to a questioning of whether sex selection should be deemed always and everywhere unethical. While China and India are normally associated with condemned practices, they are also implicated in processes that constitute globally stratified sex selection inclusive of its more valued form, often referred to as family balancing. Through an application of Ong and Collier's concept of global assemblage, I demonstrate how family balancing, which has taken on a "global form," is tied to an "assemblage" of factors related to the anti-natal, population control contexts that have been pervasive in Asia. Three simultaneously occurring processes since the mid-1990s constituted stratified sex selection: the surfacing of China and India as figurative counter examples in deliberations of ethics on new techniques; active (inter)national surveillance of sex ratios as well as denunciation and criminalization of sex selective abortion in China and India; and the role of China and India in neoliberalizing population control and developing globalized markets in reproduction. Accounting for globally stratified sex selection requires a more robust interpretation of ethics that rethinks disciplinary approaches just as much as relativist ones in which respect for individual autonomy tends to overtake all other concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common carp Cyprinus carpio is one of the top global invasive vertebrates and can cause significant ecological damage. The Australian Government's National Carp Control Program (NCCP) proposes to release Koi herpesvirus (KHV) to eradicate feral carp in one of the largest ecological interventions ever attempted. Ecological and human health risks have been highlighted regarding the release of a highly pathogenic viral biocontrol for an aquatic species. The efficacy of KHV has also been questioned, and it has not been demonstrated to produce lasting population reductions.We developed an individual‐based model (IBM) to examine the ecological and evolutionary response of a carp population after KHV release. This simulated the interaction between fish life history, viral epidemiology, host genetic resistance and population demography to critically evaluate the impact of KHV release under optimal conditions and a 'best‐case scenario' for disease transmission.KHV will rarely result in prolonged reductions or population extinctions. Crucially, realistic scenarios result in a rapidly rebounding population of resistant individuals. Additional measures aimed to reduce carp population recovery rate (e.g. with genetic engineering) require rapid efficacy to significantly reduce carp numbers alongside KHV.Fish fecundity has an overwhelming influence on viral efficacy as a biocontrol agent when combined with genetic resistance within a population. A high probability of population extinction is only met when carp fecundity is reduced to 1% of biological observations.Synthesis and applications. We use an individual‐based model to evaluate the efficacy of Koi herpesvirus biocontrol in Common Carp, and find that high host fecundity combined with genetic resistance results in rapid population rebound after initial large fish kills. Biocontrol approaches relying on natural selection lose efficacy over successive generations as resistance genes increase in frequency. Given the intense logistical effort and risks to ecosystems and human health associated with large fish kills after viral release, we suggest that sustained manual removal, alongside ecological restoration to favour recovery of native species, provides a risk‐free approach to reducing populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Back Paddock of Woodlands Historic Park has formed a critical component of the recovery program for endangered Eastern Barred Bandicoots Perameles gunnii (Bandicooots). Two attempts have been made to reintroduce Bandicoots to this site. The first was in the 1990s: over 100 Bandicoots were released and a robust population became established. However, intense grazing pressure by Eastern Grey Kangaroos Macropus giganteus (Kangaroos) and European Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus, exacerbated by dry conditions, degraded the grassy woodlands that provide secure nesting and foraging habitat for Bandicoots. Kangaroos were eventually culled, but this intervention could not prevent a precipitous decline of Bandicoots to undetectable levels. Another attempt to reintroduce Bandicoots occurred 20 years later. Rabbit control was far more effective this time and a new Bandicoot population became established. However, the Kangaroo population also increased rapidly, grass cover became severely reduced, and the Bandicoot population collapsed for the second time. All Kangaroos were eventually removed by the end of 2019, despite protests by animal activists, and the Bandicoot population is now recovering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harvest regulations are used to manage game species. Across their range, Canada geese Branta canadensis have recovered from near extirpation and are now perceived as overabundant and even a nuisance or a threat to human safety in many regions. Like many states, Nebraska has liberalized harvest regulations to increase recreation opportunities for consumptive users and to control increasing numbers of Canada geese. However, the efficacy of harvest regulations to control goose abundance is unclear. We used a live capture–recapture and dead recovery data set of more than 19,000 Canada geese banded in Nebraska 2006–2017 to determine the effect of liberalized harvest regulations on goose survival and overall growth rate. Our goals were to 1) estimate demographic parameters for Canada geese in five different regions in Nebraska; 2) estimate the effect of increasing daily bag limits during the early September season and regular season on survival of hatch-year, juvenile, and adult Canada geese; and 3) relate the effect of estimated changes in survival to regional growth rates. We found that survival (0.54–0.87), fidelity (0.14–0.99), and productivity (number of young per adult, 0.17–2.08) varied substantially among regions within Nebraska. We found that increasing early-season bag limits, but not regular-season bag limits, reduced survival in Canada geese. However, this effect was greatest when comparing years without an early season to years with the highest daily bag limits used in Nebraska (eight). Survival of juvenile geese (2–3 y posthatch) were unaffected by changes in daily bag limits during any season, though the probability of reporting was greatest for this age class. The observed reductions in survival probability of hatch-year and adult geese due to increased daily bag limits during the early season (< 10%) led to a decrease in regional growth rates of ∼5% between years with the most liberal early-season daily bag limits and years without an early season. Our results suggest that increased bag limits during the early season may reduce Canada goose survival, but not enough to affect regional growth rates in Nebraska. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Control strategies for established populations of invasive alien species can be costly and complex endeavours, which are frequently unsuccessful. Therefore, rapid-reaction techniques that are capable of maximising efficacy whilst minimising environmental damage are urgently required. The Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea Müller, 1774), and the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha Pallas, 1771), are invaders capable of adversely affecting the functioning and biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems. Despite efforts to implement substantial population-control measures, both species continue to spread and persist within freshwater environments. As bivalve beds often become exposed during low-water conditions, this study examined the efficacy of steam-spray (≥100 °C, 350 kPa) and open-flame burn treatments (~1000 °C) to kill exposed individuals. Direct steam exposure lasting for 5 min caused 100% mortality of C. fluminea buried at a depth of 3 cm. Further, combined rake and thermal shock treatments, whereby the substrate is disturbed between each application of either a steam or open flame, caused 100% mortality of C. fluminea specimens residing within a 4-cm deep substrate patch, following three consecutive treatment applications. However, deeper 8-cm patches and water-saturated substrate reduced maximum bivalve species mortality rates to 77% and 70%, respectively. Finally, 100% of D. polymorpha specimens were killed following exposure to steam and open-flame treatments lasting for 30 s and 5 s, respectively. Overall, our results confirm the efficacy of thermal shock treatments as a potential tool for substantial control of low-water-exposed bivalves. Although promising, our results require validation through upscaling to field application, with consideration of other substrate types, increased substrate depth, greater bivalve densities, non-target and long-term treatment effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the analysis of covariance matrix self-adaptive Evolution Strategies (CMSA-ES) on a subclass of quadratic functions subject to additive Gaussian noise: the noisy ellipsoid model. To this end, it is demonstrated that the dynamical systems approach from the context of isotropic mutations can be transferred to ES that also control the covariance matrix. Theoretical findings such as the component-wise quadratic progress rate or the self-adaptation response function can thus be reused for the CMSA-ES analysis. By deriving the steady state quantities approached on the noisy ellipsoid model for constant population size, a detailed description of the asymptotic CMSA-ES behavior is obtained. By providing self-adaptive ES with a population control mechanism, despite noise disturbances, the algorithm is able to realize continuing progress towards the optimum. Regarding the population control CMSA-ES (pcCMSA-ES), the analytical findings allow to specify its asymptotic long-term behavior and to identify influencing parameters. The finally obtained convergence rate matches the theoretical lower bound of all comparison-based direct search algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus), considered a species of "least concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), are widely maintained at primate sanctuaries in South Africa. Permanent surgical contraception is a necessary method for the management of this species in captivity. In this study, a new vasectomy technique was evaluated and involves a prescrotal approach with only one surgical incision, aiming to excise a piece of vas deferens, leaving open the testicular side, and creating a loop on the prostatic side to avoid future recanalization. The birth rate was studied to assess the success of the technique. This technique significantly reduced breeding in the study population from 33 births in the first year to four births during the last year of the study. These results show that this type of vasectomy is a fast, simple, and safe technique for controlling monkey populations in sanctuaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: Corvids; Target species' social structure; Population densities; Population control; Environmental management strategies; Culling; Breeding strategies; Vermin; Adaptation; TRNC EN Corvids Target species' social structure Population densities Population control Environmental management strategies Culling Breeding strategies Vermin Adaptation TRNC 245 249 5 06/03/20 20200401 NES 200401 Murder: Collective noun for a group of crows. Our study explores the efficacy of corvid culling in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and how corvid social structure can nullify its effectiveness as a form of population control. Specifically, where the observed number of male corvids culled (64.7%) differs significantly from the expected proportion (50%) when corvid sex ratios are considered in line with the Fisher 1:1 sex ratio principle (Fisher [8]). Conclusion The culling of corvids in Northern Cyprus is inefficient because it disproportionately targets males, as well as disrupting corvid social structure thus triggering higher reproductive strategies that serve to maintain corvid population densities. [Extracted from the article]

In this themed section, we identify three forms of populationism and bring them into conversation, which allows us to mount feminist challenges to present day forms of population control. These interventions are timely and necessary because of the continued prevalence of population control ideology and population alarmism in sustainable development and climate change policy and programs. We issue a direct challenge to scholarship that links population reduction with climate change adaptation and mitigation and the survival of the planet. The introduction provides an overview of our key argument, that seemingly disparate phenomena—technocratic approaches to fertility control, climate change securitization, Zika assemblages, neo-Malthusian articulations of the Anthropocene, and 'climate-smart' agriculture—are entangled with and expressions of demo, geo and biopopulationisms. We employ feminist critiques to contest these manifestations of population control that restrict bodies, reinforce boundaries, and create spaces of exclusion and violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994 in Cairo, which prompted a discursive shift from population control to reproductive health and rights in international development, policy experts and scholars have relegated population control to the realm of history. This presents a unique challenge to feminist critics who seek to identify manifestations of population control in the present. In this article, we consider the potential of 'populationism' as terminology that may assist in clarifying varied new manifestations of population control. We explicate three interrelated populationist strategies that focus on optimizing numbers (demo), spaces (geo), and life itself (bio). Through our elaboration of these three populationisms and their interaction, we seek to inspire feminist, intersectional responses to the pernicious social, economic and environmental problems that technocratic populationist interventions obscure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the discursive functioning of education policies, bringing into consideration community perspectives regarding policy enactment in contemporary China. With the intention of building upon ongoing discussions surrounding both the conceptions and purposes of policy sociology, we critically analyse policies directly related to the education of migrant children living in and around China's largest urban centres, with a specific focus on those implemented in Beijing. We emphasize two important aspects that previous studies of China's education policies have tended to underplay given their focus on social-economic perspectives. The first argument is that education policies have an underlying agenda that extends beyond that of simply addressing the educational needs of migrant children – evidenced through the discursive functions of policy texts. The second argument is related and seeks to raise questions about who is best served by these policies and for whom these policies are intended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive species are threatening biodiversity and ecosystem stability globally. The introduction of the California kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae) on Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain represents an emerging invasion that is already threatening endemic island species. Dead neonatal mice treated with 80-mg acetaminophen tablets are approved as a registered pesticide for control of invasive brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) in Guam and could potentially be used as an oral toxicant to control invasive California kingsnake populations. We sought to evaluate oral toxicity of acetaminophen and to determine the dosage necessary for lethal control of invasive California kingsnake populations. Dead mice inserted with a known acetaminophen dose (0 mg, 40 mg, 60 mg, and 80 mg) were fed to California kingsnakes from Gran Canaria. Each dose was tested in 20 male and 20 female snakes representing the size range found in Gran Canaria. After snakes ate their dead mouse, they were monitored for mortality, regurgitation, and time of death and regurgitation. Treatments of 60 mg and 80 mg had 100% mortality, while 40 mg had 87.5% mortality. No control snakes died. Time to death occurred on average 38.6 hours after consuming the dead mouse. The top two time to death models accounted for 97% of model weights and included variables dosage (mg/kg), sex, and dosage * sex or those terms plus body condition index. Out of the 116 snakes that died, 97 regurgitated the mouse that contained the acetaminophen capsule, and time to regurgitation was highly correlated with time to death. Acetaminophen is a highly effective oral toxicant for California kingsnakes. Dead mouse baits treated with acetaminophen have potential as a control method on Gran Canaria but should not solely be expected to protect native species or eradicate California kingsnakes on Gran Canaria. Future efforts should focus on preventing California kingsnakes from invading other Canary Islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sunflower producers in the northern Great Plains are annually plagued by feeding flocks of blackbirds, especially red-winged blackbirds (RWBL). Past techniques aimed at reducing blackbird damage have had varying degrees of success, but the estimated annual loss of sunflower remains at ≥$10 million. Thus, there is a need for new innovative approaches to managing blackbird damage. One approach is to find non-lethal species-specific methods of lowering reproduction by discovering vulnerable behavioral tendencies in the reproductive cycle of RWBL. Male RWBL are a good candidate for reproductive control because of their territorial and polygynous reproductive behavior. We have designed a study to assess the male RWBL response to a model placed in pre-copulatory position under different treatment scenarios. Our objective is to discover the conditions under which we can attract the largest numbers of males to the model, keeping in mind that these models could potentially be used as a delivery system for a reproductive inhibitor. While we had nearly no response from territorial males, we found that floater males (those that do not hold territories) readily copulate with conspecific models. Floater intrusion and copulation occurs more often in the early part of the breeding season and while females were most fertile. Of the floater males that attempted to copulate with a model, 96% were SY (second-year) males; SY males are considered “non-breeding”. Preliminary results show that reproductive management would be most successful in the floater male population. Since the majority of floaters are SY males, it is likely that they will attain territories in future breeding seasons. This would require the use of a long-term sterilant. This method has the potential to target specific breeding populations, but more research is needed on movement patterns of floater males.

Resident populations of two exotic deer species, fallow deer and axis deer, are having adverse impacts on their habitat and on native plant and animal communities at Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS) in California. These non-native cervids were released intentionally for recreational hunting on the property now known as PRNS during the period 1942-1954. Approximately 860 fallow deer and 250 axis deer now inhabit PRNS. Under an approved non-native deer management plan, fallow and axis deer populations will be removed from PRNS by 2021 via culling of animals by sharpshooting and by treatment of some of the female fallow deer with GonaCon™ Immunocontraceptive Vaccine. During July-August 2007, 69 fallow does were captured, equipped with numbered ear tags and radiotelemetry collars, and injected with GonaCon™ vaccine before being released. Control animals include 10 does that were captured, marked, and given “sham” injections during July-August 2007, and 19 does that were captured and marked (but not injected) during 2005. Reproductive activity, as indicated by lactation and fecal concentrations of progesterone among the GonaCon™-treated and control does, will be monitored and compared for two years, and will be used to determine the efficacy of GonaCon™ as a cervid contraceptive agent. Traditional methods of population control, such as regulated harvest by licensed hunters, often are impractical or illegal in settings such as national and state parks, and the use of firearms may be prohibited in some urban and suburban environments. The development of safe and effective wildlife contraceptives such as GonaCon™ is needed to control locally overabundant populations in situations where traditional management tools cannot be employed.

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park acquired the 115,000-acre Kahuku Ranch Unit in 2003. The Kahuku Unit contains numerous exceptional natural resources including endemic plants and birds, many of which are federally listed threatened and endangered species. Eleven European mouflon sheep were introduced to Kahuku from 1968-1974 for private trophy hunting. Because Hawaiian plants did not evolve with mammalian herbivores, managers began to control the large mouflon population with a closely directed volunteer program. Since 2004, more than 1,900 mouflon have been removed through this program. We estimated that there were 2,586 ± 705 (90% CI) mouflon at Kahuku in November 2004, but by December 2006 the population decreased 30%. Although the ram:ewe ratio did not change significantly after this population decrease, the mean (±95% CI) overall ratio in 2004 was 1:2.4 (1:2.1-1:2.7) and 1:2.7 (1:2.4-1:3.1) in 2006. We found that 82.6% of adult ewes (n = 26) were pregnant with a single fetus in early 2007, and there was a significant increase in the number of lambs per ewe from 2005 to 2007 consistent with a density-dependent response. The maximum (±95% CI) number of lambs per ewe was 0.484 (0.412-0.558) in 2005 and 0.667 (0.587-0.750) in 2007. The directed volunteer program has been more successful in reducing mouflon abundance at Kahuku than species such as feral pigs elsewhere on Hawai`i Island, but some population-level responses such as increased reproduction could result from density decreases.

The environment is currently under aggravated threats because of climate change, mainly due to increasing resource requirements to maintain the always growing human population. While multiple causes are generally pointed at, and responsibilities bounced back and forth, a clear first step to remedy to the problem would be being responsible about the number humans of Earth. The difficulty inherent to curbing population growth is the cross-culture and world-unifying taboo on any kind of population control. Clear international recommendation will alleviate population growth and enable environmental conservation. In addition, ameliorations in family planning and abortion rights, along with providing resources for education, would significantly curb population expansion and lessen the threats from climate change and resources depletion.

Locally overabundant deer herds, particularly those inhabiting fenced or other enclosed areas in urban or suburban settings, are presenting serious problems for wildlife managers, landowners, and the general public. Traditional methods of population control, such as regulated harvest by licensed hunters, often are impractical or illegal in such settings. The development of safe and effective wildlife contraceptives is needed to control locally overabundant populations in situations where traditional management tools cannot be employed. During July 2004, we initiated a field study of GonaCon™ Immunocontraceptive Vaccine, developed by research scientists at the National Wildlife Research Center in Fort Collins, Colorado. This vaccine had previously been tested successfully as a contraceptive in captive animals including white-tailed deer, feral and domestic swine, and wild horses. The two-year field study was prompted by the need to manage an enclosed, overabundant population of white-tailed deer that had caused considerable ecological damage to a 662-acre, federally-owned, forested site in Silver Spring, Maryland. The U.S. General Services Administration, which manages the property, conducted an environmental assessment, which concluded that sharpshooting followed by immunocontraception would be the most appropriate deer management strategy. After 214 deer were removed from the site by sharpshooters, we set up and tested an automated radio telemetry system for tracking deer and monitoring their mortality. Twenty-eight does were then captured, equipped with ear tags and radio telemetry collars, and injected with GonaCon™ vaccine. Fifteen additional does were captured, marked, and released without vaccination as untreated control animals. Reproductive behavior and fawn production by the vaccinated and unvaccinated does will be monitored and compared for two years, and will be used to determine the efficacy of GonaCon™ as a wildlife contraceptive agent. Data from this study will be used to support EPA registration of GonaCon™ as a wildlife contraceptive agent.

Populations of wildlife, such as California ground squirrels, can grow to the extent that they come in conflict with humans. Contraception is a method of population management under investigation that may be useful in situations where neither leaving the animals uncontrolled nor lethal control are apropos. In this study, we tested the use of a single-injection gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) immunocontraceptive vaccine in urban California ground squirrels. We monitored the effects of treatment for two breeding seasons. Immunization reduced the proportion of females lactating by 91% the first year and 96% in the second year. Testicular development was inhibited 35% the first year and 89% the second year. There is a delay of several months from the time of injection to inhibition of testes development. Reduction in the number of juveniles born per adult as determined by a visual count index was 9% the first year and 66% the second year. This study shows that the single-shot GnRH vaccine is over 90% effective for at least 1.5 years and requires several months after immunization for contraceptive effect. Because the immunization requires injection, it is labor intensive, but it is much more practical than treatments requiring multiple administrations to the same animal. GnRH immunocontraception may be a useful tool in rodent population management in certain circumstances.

Polymorphism studies major histocompatibility complex human (HLA-system) in the world, held from mid-60s, when serotyping methods revealed that in different populations are determined by different sets of options HLA-antigens. Genes of class II HLA-system determines a significant portion of the genetic predisposition to the development of the majority of diseases associated with the immune system. In the analysis of allelic polymorphism of the genes HLA-DQA1, HLA-DRB1, HLA-DRB1 found that among healthy donors Krasnodar in absolute terms more common alleles DQA1*0501, DQA1* 0201, DQB1* 0301, DQB1* 0601/8, DRB1 *01 DRB1* 15. Compare the population do not have significant differences and can be used as control groups in studies aimed at understanding the contribution of genes HLA II class for the development of diseases in the russian group. The results indicate the presence in the population of the Krasnodar territory is not only the «classical» alleles, but found only in Russia and in the region.

To reduce the (over) population of unwanted companion non human animals, namely dogs and cats. They are used to lower negative impacts on human societies and on the animals themselves, and opting for the neutering status is usually considered a demonstration of "responsible ownership." In Western countries, however, such provisions are not uniform and must increasingly be balanced with the recognition of animals as sentient beings with interests under the law. Furthermore, there is no consensus on whether routine neutering benefits both human and nonhuman parties, and the veterinary profession progressively claims the need for case-by-case management. Such premises make deciding how to manage companion animals' reproductive lives legally challenging. The current work examines the European legal framework for companion animal protection and animal legal status after providing a brief overview of the global problem of overpopulation. Subsequently, the author discusses the main legal approaches to controlling companion animal reproduction, in European countries. Remarks about the legally binding option and on alternative approaches are provided, while highlighting the persistent need for appropriate and coherent European legislation.

A growing interest in nonlethal methods for population control of nuisance or damaging species of wildlife has fostered research in reducing fertility of these overabundant wildlife species. Fertility may be reduced by interfering with the fertilization of the egg (contraception) or interfering with the implantation or development of the fertilized egg (contragestion). Research using injectable porcine zona pellucida (PZP) and gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) vaccines has demonstrated that several mammalian species can be contracepted, reducing fertility for several years without revaccination. However, because vaccines currently require delivery by syringe or bio-bullet, there is a need for infertility agents that can be delivered orally. Researchers are therefore considering materials that have resulted in reduced reproductive rates in the agricultural industry. Because of the cost of getting new technology approved by the FDA, materials already approved for other purposes that can be redirected for use in wildlife infertility may have a better chance of getting approved as wildlife infertility agents. Two compounds used in the broiler chicken industry have been found to reduce hatchability if given to the layer. Due to the rapid increase of Canada geese in our parks, research is ongoing with these two compounds to reduce hatchability in the Canada goose egg. Research is also underway to test a cholesterol mimic that competes with cholesterol as the parent compound for steroid synthesis. This compound could reduce fertility in both mammalian and avian species and is currently being tested in rodents. Natural plant materials such as phytoestrogens and ergot derivatives that result in reproductive losses in domestic animals should be also explored as reproductive inhibitors in overabundant species of wildlife.

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County culled 2,826 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), from 16 forest preserves in winters 1992-1998, including 1,786 from the 10 km2 Waterfall Glen Preserve. Methods of culling included sharpshooting or capture with a rocket-net followed by euthanasia via a penetrating captive bolt. Operational field costs were $119 to $310/deer. Population reconstructions indicated a decrease in deer population density at Waterfall Glen Preserve from 751 deer in 1992 to 55 deer in 1998. This reduction resulted in a significant decrease (r=0.9, P=0.001, n=7) in reported deer-vehicle collisions on adjacent roads from 30 in 1992 to 4 in 1998. Mean plant height, percent vegetative ground cover, and number of plant species increased (P< 0.0001) among years in six forest preserves experiencing deer population control. Culling was successful at reducing deer population density, decreasing deer-vehicle collisions, and assisting with the restoration of native ecosystems in DuPage County Forest Preserves.

Free‐roaming cats (FRCs) form nondomiciliary population groups that might lead to adverse environmental effects, as well as to welfare impairment of the cats themselves. Though criticized by ecologists, for the last two decades, the trap–neuter–return (TNR) programs were often employed aiming to manage these populations. At present, no accepted and accessible monitoring scheme exists to determine the effectiveness of those programs. In the current study, we present the reliability and validity of an applicable monitoring scheme, as an adjunct tool for a TNR program of FRC in an urban environment. The monitoring scheme is based on cat observation counts along randomly chosen transects. Fifty‐four transects were repeatedly walked for three years, between 2012‐2014, in 27 neighborhoods within an urban area of 19.3 Km2. Cat numbers counted in the 2014 observations were significantly higher than cat numbers found in the 2012 observations (prevalence ratio = 1.258, CI95%= 1.198–1.322, p < 0.001). The method revealed high reliability when different observers and different transects in the same neighborhood were compared (R2 = 0.548 and R2 = 0.391, respectively, for measuring cat counts per km, p < 0.001; and R2 = 0.5 and R2 = 0.74, respectively, for measuring neutering percentage, p < 0.001). This scheme was constructively validated by measurements of municipal data on the number of neutered cats and demonstrated high correlation (R2 = 0.59, p < 0.001). Conducting cat observations using friendly calling and feeding resulted in an increased number of FRC observed per km walk (by 79% and 22%–30%, respectively). However, these manipulations did not alter the recorded percentage of neutered cats. The proposed scheme provides spatio‐temporal data that can contribute to the management programs of such cat metapopulations in an urban environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interspecific competition is an essential element of the evolution of species and can strongly influence the abundance and distribution of species. Where competition interacts with anthropogenic habitat modification, this natural ecosystem process can become a threatening process. Understanding the mechanisms behind competition in such cases is essential for the formulation of cost‐effective management responses for biodiversity conservation. According to the resource availability hypothesis of competition, interference competition limits access to resources by species vulnerable to such aggression and wastes energy in evasive responses. Studying competition is notoriously difficult, however, empirical evidence of the resource availability theory is limited, and there are few published experimental studies showing such an effect at larger scales. We present the results of a controlled and replicated empirical study of interference competition at a landscape scale. We removed an aggressive, overabundant native bird, Manorina melanocephala (noisy miner), whose interference competition is a threatening process for small woodland birds in the highly modified agricultural landscapes of eastern Australia. We monitored foraging and harassment rates of small woodland birds before and after removal to indicate if levels of interference competition changed. Due to unexpected immediate recolonisation, abundance of M. melanocephala in treatment sites declined by only 34% relative to control sites. Twenty‐four bird species displayed aggressive behaviour towards other birds and 41 bird species were victims of aggression. Manorina melanocephala was responsible for 66% of all aggressive interactions. After removal, we recorded a doubling in foraging rate of small woodland birds in treatment compared to control sites. This appears to confirm the resource availability hypothesis of competition. Paradoxically, however, increased foraging was not accompanied by a decline in harassment. Low detection rates of harassment of small woodland birds, combined with the modest reduction in abundance of M. melanocephala, make it difficult to draw firm conclusions about the relationship between rates of harassment and rates of foraging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Gene drive is a naturally occurring phenomenon in which selfish genetic elements manipulate gametogenesis and reproduction to increase their own transmission to the next generation. Currently, there is great excitement about the potential of harnessing such systems to control major pest and vector populations. If synthetic gene drive systems can be constructed and applied to key species, they may be able to rapidly spread either modifying or eliminating the targeted populations. This approach has been lauded as a revolutionary and efficient mechanism to control insect-borne diseases and crop pests. Driving endosymbionts have already been deployed to combat the transmission of dengue and Zika virus in mosquitoes. However, there are a variety of barriers to successfully implementing gene drive techniques in wild populations. There is a risk that targeted organisms will rapidly evolve an ability to suppress the synthetic drive system, rendering it ineffective. There are also potential risks of synthetic gene drivers invading non-target species or populations. This Special Feature covers the current state of affairs regarding both natural and synthetic gene drive systems with the aim to identify knowledge gaps. By understanding how natural drive systems spread through populations, we may be able to better predict the outcomes of synthetic drive release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Federally protected wild horses on public lands are undergoing population growth that overwhelms the historical management strategy of removal and adoption. Porcine zona pellucida (PZP) has been used as an injectable immunocontraceptive vaccine to induce reversible infertility in free-roaming horses. PZP vaccination during February and March, which is the optimal time for administering current vaccines, is not possible for the herd on Jarita Mesa Wild Horse Territory (JM WHT), New Mexico, due to severe weather, terrain and subject wariness. Aims: The first goal was to assess bait trapping and remote darting as a minimally disruptive alternative to helicopter gathers for treatment. The second goal was to quantify the efficacy over 2 years following spring treatment with a single injection of PZP-22 (a combination of PZP-adjuvant emulsion and controlled-release pellets) by remote dart delivery. Methods: Bait trapping and dart delivery of PZP-22 was carried out on JM WHT from 4 April to 16 June 2012. The herd was observed in the summers of 2011, 2013 and 2014 to determine the foaling status of the study mares. Outcome (foal or no foal) as a function of treatment was analysed using Fisher's exact test. Key results: There were 157 individuals, including 66 females >1 year old, documented in 2011. In 2012, 26 females (including three yearlings) identified by colour and markings were bait trapped and darted with PZP-22. The proportion of treated females foaling was lower than that of untreated females in 2013 and 2014, but the difference was only significant in 2013. Of the treated mares observed in 2013, the two that foaled were the last two treated in 2012. Untreated mares >4 years old were significantly more likely to foal than younger mares. Conclusions: Bait trapping at JM WHT permitted successful delivery of PZP-22 in a previously inaccessible herd. Dart administration of PZP-22 in April–June induced at least 1 year of measurable infertility. Implications: This is the first demonstration of the efficacy of an initial treatment of PZP-22 delivered by dart instead of hand injection. Considerations for PZP-22 treatment include seasonal timing of treatments and age of treated mares. Treatments need to take place early enough to allow antibody titers to build to contraceptive levels before the breeding season. Free-ranging horses, protected under the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act, pose a management challenge on public lands. This study presents a method for administering an effective and reversible fertility control vaccine to free-ranging horses on the Jarita Mesa Wild Horse Territory, NM, USA. Application of these methods could improve current management practices, resulting in more efficient population management. Photograph by Kayla Grams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To prove that the use of Mab-hZP3 in various doses and observation time does not influence connexin expression 43 in granulosa ovarian cell and luteinizing Hormone (LH) rate on blood serum of mice (Mus musculus). Materials and Methods: The type of research method that is used is true experiment post-test only control group design. This research uses 48 mice that are classified into 12. They are control (adjuvant) and treatment groups (Mab hZP3 20 µg, 40 µg, and 60 µg). The measurement of connexin 43 (Cx43) is conducted by applying immunohistochemistry method and LH rate with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data processing technique is using analysis of variance. Results: The giving of Mab hZP3 with a dose range 20 µg-60 µg to Cx43 expression and LH rate does not show significant difference. Conclusion: The administration of Mab-hZP3 various doses and observation time does not contribute any effect to Cx43 expression and LH concentration of serum mice (M. musculus). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collective behavior of biological oscillators has been recognized as an important problem for several decades, but its control has come into limelight only recently. Much of the focus for control has been on desynchronization of an oscillator population, motivated by the pathological neural synchrony present in essential and parkinsonian tremor. Other applications, such as the beating of the heart and insulin secretion, require synchronization, and recently there has been interest in forming clusters within an oscillator population as well. In this article, we use a formulation that allows us to devise control frameworks to achieve all of these distinct collective behaviors observed in biological oscillators. This is based on the Fourier decomposition of the partial differential equation governing the evolution of the phase distribution of a population of identical, uncoupled oscillators. Our first two control algorithms are Lyapunov-based, which work by decreasing a positive definite Lyapunov function towards zero. Our third control is an optimal control algorithm, which minimizes the control energy consumption while achieving the desired collective behavior of an oscillator population. Motivated by pathological neural synchrony, we apply our control to desynchronize an initially synchronized neural population. Given the proposed importance of enhancing spike time dependent plasticity to stabilize neural clusters and counteract pathological neural synchronization, we formulate the phase difference distribution in terms of the phase distribution, and prove some of its fundamental properties, and in turn apply our control to transform the neural phase distribution to form clusters. Finally, motivated by eliminating cardiac alternans, we apply our control to phase shift a synchronous cardiac pacemaker cell population. For the systems considered in this paper, the control algorithms can be applied to achieve any desired traveling-wave phase distribution, as long as the combination of the initial phase distribution and phase response curve is non-degenerate. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our control for each of these applications, we show that a population of 100 phase oscillators with the applied control mimics the desired phase distribution. • Developed a framework to control a population of oscillators. • Used Lyapunov-based and optimal control for the desired collective behavior. • Control can synchronize, desynchronize, cluster, and phase shift the population. • Pseudo-spectral method and modified Newton iteration for numerical implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The test of a linear effect of time since coyote arrival on deer populations assumes that any negative influence of coyotes on deer populations continues linearly through time. These issues are likely compounded by the mismatch in scale of the timing of coyote colonization and deer harvest records, as the authors reported changes in deer abundance from 1981-2014 in states colonized by coyotes during the 1910s-1970s. The deer harvest data Bragina et al. ([2]) used from Florida, Ohio, and South Carolina spanned time periods after the establishment of coyotes, allowing for the possibility that effects of coyotes on deer populations had already occurred. Because Bragina et al. ([2]) did not qualify or expound on their conclusions about the effects of coyotes on deer, readers are left to assume that because the authors did not detect a relationship between them, coyotes need not be considered in deer management at all. [Extracted from the article]

Gene drive is a natural process of biased inheritance that, in principle, could be used to control pest and vector populations. As with any form of pest control, attention should be paid to the possibility of resistance evolving. For nuclease-based gene drive aimed at suppressing a population, resistance could arise by changes in the target sequence that maintain function, and various strategies have been proposed to reduce the likelihood that such alleles arise. Even if these strategies are successful, it is almost inevitable that alleles will arise at the target site that are resistant to the drive but do not restore function, and the impact of such sequences on the dynamics of control has been little studied. We use population genetic modelling of a strategy targeting a female fertility gene to demonstrate that such alleles may be expected to accumulate, and thereby reduce the reproductive load on the population, if nuclease expression per se causes substantial heterozygote fitness effects or if parental (especially paternal) deposition of nuclease either reduces offspring fitness or affects the genotype of their germline. All these phenomena have been observed in synthetic drive constructs. It will, therefore, be important to allow for non-functional resistance alleles in predicting the dynamics of constructs in cage populations and the impacts of any field release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic gene drives may soon be used to suppress or eliminate populations of disease vectors, pathogens, invasive species, and agricultural pests. Recent proposals have focused on using Z-linked gene drives to control species with ZW sex determination, which include Lepidopteran pests, parasitic trematodes, and cane toads. These proposals include Z-linked 'W-shredders', which would suppress populations by cleaving the W chromosome and causing females to produce only sons, as well as Z-linked female-sterilizing gene drives. Here, I use eco-evolutionary simulations to evaluate the potential of some proposed Z-linked gene drives, and to produce recommendations regarding their design and use. The simulations show that W-shredders are likely to be highly effective at eradicating populations provided that resistance to W-shredding cannot evolve. However, W-shredder alleles can invade populations from very low frequencies, making it difficult to eliminate specific populations while leaving nearby populations untouched; this issue may restrict their possible uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the widespread notion that homosexuality is 'unAfrican' in relation to a historical contextual factor that has been widely neglected within efforts to situate and make sense of this widespread notion: the legacy of western population control interventions in Africa and the anxieties, fears and suspicions that they have provoked. The article discusses the relevance of population control history within efforts to understand emerging forms of intolerance towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) people across the continent. Western population control interventions initiated after the official demise of colonial governments have provided a historical basis for suspicions and rumours about how the West continues to manipulate and control African communities despite the formal termination of colonial rule. While positivist western epistemic frameworks have largely constructed such suspicions as 'irrational' and as barriers to its development agendas, critical approaches have argued that they can provide critical insights into social imaginaries, particularly in relation to dynamics of power and inequality. In interrogating the suspicion that homosexuality is 'unAfrican' from a critical perspective, analysis considers the rise of the international population movement and history of population control agendas in African countries in order to open up new ways of understanding the historical contextual factors that have engendered rumours that homosexualiy is a western imposition. Discussion specifically considers rumours and suspicions that homosexuality is a form of population control which have been iterated by African thought and political leaders. The article also relates these discourses to the increasing influence of the US pro-family movement in African sexual politics. Analysis draws on discursive data that was collected through online ethnography and fieldwork as well as a critical review of literature examining population control agendas and rumours in Africa. This article concludes that the history of the international population control movement is directly implicated within contemporary stigma and scapegoating of LGBTIQ+ people in Africa. The persistence of the suspicion that homosexuality is 'unAfrican' can therefore be explained, in part, through its genealogy within longer standing awareness of western efforts to contain population growth across the continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea stars are a key group of species in benthic marine ecosystems and represent the primary cause of mortality for cultured scallops. In the mariculture grounds of Japanese scallops (Mizuhopecten yessoensis) in north‐eastern Japan, two sea star species, Asterias amurensis (AA) and Distolasterias nipon (DN), are serious predators. However, the predatory impact of these sea stars on scallops remains unquantified, with limited information being available on the biological characteristics of DN. We compared the predatory impact of both sea star species by evaluating their predatory behaviour (i.e. probability of predation and number of captured scallops) on scallops in laboratory experiments. Both sea star species preferred smaller scallops over large ones, with the probability of predation and the number of scallops being preyed on increasing with increasing water temperature. However, DN had a greater predation impact than AA. For instance, the probability of predation by DN was higher, with more scallops being consumed. In particular, compared to AA, DN continuously captured small scallops and fed on larger scallops. Furthermore, the predatory impact of both sea star species (particularly DN) on small scallops peaked at high temperatures. In conclusion, our results present information that could help improve the survival rate of seeded scallops in mariculture systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus, has been introduced to all continents with suitable environments and most populations are now viable. This is also the case of the Korean Peninsula, where the invasive L. catesbeianus has a significant negative impact on the local fauna. Here, we review the introduction pathway and population establishment for the species in the Republic of Korea. We then review effective population control methods and make recommendations for the most efficient ways to manage L. catesbeianus populations based on the specific environment of the Republic of Korea. This is the first account of the multiple introductions of the species in the country, the past failures at population establishments, and also the first summary of population control methods that had an impact on population mitigation before their abortion. Our recommendations for population control are based on the local ecology and landscapes and highlight the need for multiple control methods to be used in synergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]