Management models applied to the human-wolf conflict in agro-forestry-pastoral territories of two italian protected areas and one spanish game area

Our work shows that, despite the persistence of persecutory actions, conservation activity has proved successful for the return of numerous wild mammals to different habitats, including the wolf. The human-wolf conflict is still described in all countries where the wolf is present. This is evidenced by the high number of damages on livestock, and the corpses of wolves found both in protected areas and in those where hunting is permitted. The diagnosis of road accidents, together with poisoning and poaching, are major causes of mortality. Although hunting records the highest percentage of kills in Spain, the demographic stability reported by the censuses suggests that this activity does not have a consistent influence on the Iberian wolf population’s survival. In Italy, where wolf hunting is prohibited, wolf populations are to be increasing. In some Italian situations, wolf attacks on horses seem to cause unwanted damage to foals, but they represent a very precious source of information about the habits of carnivores. A simple management plan would be sufficient to help the coexistence between the productive parts and the ecosystem services ensured by the presence of the wolf. The presence of hybrids is a negative factor

Genomic Insights into the Mobilome and Resistome of Sentinel Microorganisms Originating from Farms of Two Different Swine Production Systems

[EN] Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a threat to public health due to long-term antimicrobial use (AMU), which promotes the bacterial acquisition of antimicrobial resistance determinants (ARDs). Within food-producing animals, organic and extensive Iberian swine production is based on sustainable and eco-friendly management systems, providing an excellent opportunity to evaluate how sustained differences in AMU impact the development and spread of AMR. Here, through a whole-genome sequencing approach, we provide an in-depth characterization of the resistome and mobilome and their interaction in 466 sentinel bacteria, namely, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., Campylobacter coli, and Staphylococcus spp., recovered from 37 intensive and organic-extensive pig farms. Both ARDs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were primarily taxon-associated, with higher similarities among bacteria which were closely phylogenetically related. E. coli exhibited the most diverse resistome and mobilome, with 85.4% mobilizable ARDs, 50.3% of which were plasmid-associated. Staphylococcus spp. exhibited a broad repertoire of ARDs and MGEs, with 52.3% of its resistome being mobilizable. Although Enterococcus spp. carried the highest number of ARDs per isolate and its plasmidome was similar in size to that of E. coli, 43.7% of its resistome was mobilizable. A narrow spectrum of ARDs constituted the C. coli resistome, with point mutations as its main AMR driver. A constrained AMU, as observed in organic-extensive herds, determined a reduction in the quantitative composition of the resistome and the complexity of the resistome-mobilome interaction. These results demonstrate taxon-associated AMR-MGE interactions and evidence that responsible AMU can contribute to reducing AMR pressure in the food chainSIWe acknowledge the excellent technical assistance provided by Diana Molina, Lucía Pérez, and Clara Vega, the help with data management provided by Laura Uelze, and the help by Katharina Thomas and Beatrice Baumann in sequencing library preparation. We also thank the veterinary practitioners and farmers for their willingness to collaborate and, in particular, Álvaro Fernández-Blanco for his support in contacting the farms. O.M.-A. received a grant from the Spanish Government (Ministerio de Universidades), no. EST 19/00806, for a short stay at the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. O.M.-A. also holds a grant from the Spanish Government (Ministerio de Educación y Formación Profesional), no. FPU 16/03485. H.A. is financially supported by the “Beatriz Galindo” Program from the Spanish Government (Ministerio de Educación y Formación Profesional), no. BEAGAL-18-106. Study design was performed by A.C., H.A. and A.A.-O. Samples were prepared by O.M.-A. M.B. performed the whole-genome sequencing. C.D. performed the computational analyses, with contribution from J.F.C.-D. Statistical analyses were performed by O.M.-A. with contributions from C.D. and J.F.C.-D. B.M., H.A. and A.A.-O. provided technical and scientific support on the analysis. O.M.-A., H.A., A.C., A.A.-O., B.M., M.B. and C.D. participated in writing the manuscript or contributed to its revision. All authors revised the manuscript and approved the final versio

Management Models Applied to the Human-Wolf Conflict in Agro-Forestry-Pastoral Territories of Two Italian Protected Areas and One Spanish Game Area

Our work shows that, despite the persistence of persecutory actions, conservation activity has proved successful for the return of numerous wild mammals to different habitats, including the wolf. The human-wolf conflict is still described in all countries where the wolf is present. This is evidenced by the high number of damages on livestock, and the corpses of wolves found both in protected areas and in those where hunting is permitted. The diagnosis of road accidents, together with poisoning and poaching, are major causes of mortality. Although hunting records the highest percentage of kills in Spain, the demographic stability reported by the censuses suggests that this activity does not have a consistent influence on the Iberian wolf population’s survival. In Italy, where wolf hunting is prohibited, wolf populations are to be increasing. In some Italian situations, wolf attacks on horses seem to cause unwanted damage to foals, but they represent a very precious source of information about the habits of carnivores. A simple management plan would be sufficient to help the coexistence between the productive parts and the ecosystem services ensured by the presence of the wolf. The presence of hybrids is a negative factor