Conservation genetics of enclosed black rhinoceros populations in Kenya

Population size is a major determinant of extinction risk with small populations experiencing an inherently higher risk of extinction due to genetic threats and stochastic fluctuations in survival, fecundity and environmental conditions. For many species, natural populations are experiencing a dramatic decline in numbers and distribution as a direct result of human activities. The severity of the threats facing some species necessitates the movement of remaining individuals into protected areas or captive breeding programs where resources can be concentrated to promote recovery. Moreover, increasing levels of population fragmentation has led to metapopulation management being regarded as an integral part of many conservation strategies, particularly for large vertebrates. The translocation of individuals between populations across an inhospitable matrix is often needed to offset the detrimental effects of small population size and to maintain natural evolutionary processes. Whilst the benefits of active conservation management involving the mixing of individuals from hitherto isolated populations has been demonstrated in a number of cases, the impact on historic population structure and the potential for outbreeding depression is often poorly understood. Moreover an increasing body of theoretical and empirical work is demonstrating that mate selective choices are mediated not only by additive effects but by non-additive effects, most specifically the amount of genetic similarity between individuals. Recent studies on natural populations have demonstrated that there is a fitness cost associated with choosing maximally dissimilar mates and that even for intrapopulation breeding, individuals exercise a preference for mates of intermediate similarity. Populations subject to active conservation management are typically small admixed populations where individuals are presented with a limited number of potential mates, representing a greater spectrum of genetic divergence than would typically be present in non-managed populations. With many in situ and ex situ conservation programs reporting poor population growth rates linked to low or declining reproduction understanding the genetic influences on mate choice in these populations is potentially of great importance. This thesis examines (1) the effects of active conservation management on levels of genetic diversity and (2) historic population structure in the eastern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis michaeli). It also examines the relative influences of additive and non-additive effects on female mate choice in this actively managed conservation priority species. The eastern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis michaeli) has been subject to one viii of the severest human induced declines of any mammalian species. The subspecies formally ranged across East Africa from northern Tanzania to Somalia, with its largest populations in Kenya. A significant increase in poaching of rhinoceros for their horn during the 1970s and 1980s eliminated D. b. michaeli from Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda and Rwanda. Extensive populations in Tanzania were reduced to just two small populations and the subspecies was reduced from an estimated Kenyan population of 20,000 in 1970 to just 380 by 1987. In the face of the imminent extinction of the Kenyan population, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) implemented a policy of moving all animals outside protected areas into fenced sanctuaries where resources could be concentrated to counter the poaching threat. The sanctuary system proved successful and as of 2006 Kenya had approximately 540 black rhinoceros protected within 14 separate populations. With the sanctuary system largely successful in countering the continued threat of poaching, emphasis has shifted to metapopulation management to ensure the viability of the small isolated populations within the sanctuary system. To assist in the effective metapopulation management of these isolated populations, data is presented here both on the current levels of genetic diversity and the range of historic genetic diversity captured within five enclosed sanctuary populations. A total of 166 individually identified black rhinoceros were genotyped for 9 microsatellite loci and a 507 bp segment of the mtDNA control region, with the majority of the genotyping conducted on DNA extracted from faeces. To assist in the identification of faecal samples from mixed sex pairings a simple, accurate, single-stage 5′-exonuclease assay for gender determination in the black rhinoceros from low-copy template DNA is presented. Genetic analysis and the examination of translocation records shows that the five sanctuaries are comprised of historic populations from three geographic regions within the country and that significant admixture has occurred between these historically divergent populations. These historically divergent populations are shown by molecular dating to have originated from the south of the country following an expansion which is putatively linked to the contraction of the Pleistocene forests approximately 300 KYA. Examination of mutation bias in the species reveals low levels of mutagenesis in concordance with other studies and evidence of ectopic gene conversion between eutherian sex chromosomes. The current metapopulation retains significant levels of genetic diversity for both nucleic (A = 5.0, HE = 0.689) and organellar (π = 0.007) genomes, with levels of diversity in individual populations related to ix the amount of admixture of former populations. Parentage analysis was undertaken for 107 individuals from three sanctuary populations representing approximately 16 years of successful reproductive activity in these populations. It is demonstrated that in the black rhinoceros male genetic diversity is a significant predictor of reproductive success and that females balance male genetic quality with intermediate levels of genetic similarity in admixed populations. This is the first time these effects have been investigated in a conservation priority species subject to active management and it is anticipated these results will have a profound impact on future management strategies for the species. In particular the overall results of this thesis provide a framework whereby the management of the Kenyan black rhinoceros metapopulation can be guided by the way rhinoceros are shown to manage their own reproductive success

A new perspective on personas and customer journey maps:Proposing systemic UX

© 2021 This article explores user experience research within a consequentialist philosophical framework, where an optimal design depends on users’ resultant levels of satisfaction and pleasure. Personas and customer journey maps can be pragmatic in indicating the requirements of a system by aggregating the overall pleasure of the majority of users. However, a revised approach, focused on minimising displeasures at the expense of reducing the pleasures of others, may level out individuals’ satisfactory experiences with a view toward more holistic, systemic satisfaction for all users. We explore our philosophical thinking and illustrate these premises with a project set out to develop technological innovation for the rail industry. We conclude with recommendations of how designers could think about user experience to incorporate systemic views of pleasure when proposing innovations

Activity Budget and Sociality of the Northern Lesser Galago, Galago senegalensis

Complex sociality in primates often is argued to have evolved after the appearance of diurnal activity. Studying the behaviour of nocturnal primates is fundamental to understanding the evolutionary origins of primate behaviour and ecology, yet much less is known about the nature of sociality in nocturnal primate species than their diurnal counterparts. We investigated group size, communication, and social interactions in free-ranging, Northern lesser galagos (Galago senegalensis) and present an activity budget and assessment of temporal variation in their behaviour. We collected continuous behavioural data using focal follows at three different stages of the night from individuals at Kwakuchinja, Northern Tanzania. We also collected group size data from Northern lesser galagos at Fongoli, Southeastern Senegal, and Lolldaiga Hills Ranch, Central Kenya. We categorised behaviours and, where sample sizes permitted, used Kruskal–Wallis tests to compare the durations of observed behaviours between the morning (pre-dawn), evening (from dusk), and later in the night. We analysed 140 focal follows (31.4 h of continuous behavioural data) and found that the proportion of time spent foraging, inactive, in locomotion, in self-maintenance, and vigilant, varied across the three stages of the night; galagos spent a great deal of their time inactive in the morning and foraging was more prevalent in the evening. Group size at Kwakuchinja was significantly larger than at Fongoli or LHR. Galagos were in groups of two or more in the majority of encounters at Kwakuchinja (55%; N = 76), rather than alone, but spent most of their nighttime activity alone at Fongoli (79%; N = 185) and LHR (80%; N = 142). Overall vocalisation rates were higher in the morning than other times throughout the night, although contact calls were relatively more frequent in the evening than other times. We recorded both affiliative and agonistic social interactions, but these contributed almost nothing to the overall activity budget. Our preliminary investigation into the social structure of Northern lesser galagos suggests that there are population differences in sociality and that overall, they connect more through vocalisations than through direct social interactions, thereby avoiding some of the potential costs associated with group-living. This variation in social organization suggests that we have more to learn about the drivers of sociality in nocturnal primates and the nature of their social structure

The role of cation-dependent chloride transporters in neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Altered Cl^-homeostasis and GABAergic function are associated with nociceptive input hypersensitivity. This study investigated the role of two major intracellular Cl^-regulatory proteins, Na⁺-K⁺-Cl^-cotransporter 1 (NKCC1) and K⁺-Cl^-cotransporter 2 (KCC2), in neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury (SCI).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Sprague-Dawley rats underwent a contusive SCI at T9 using the MASCIS impactor. The rats developed hyperalgesia between days 21 and 42 post-SCI. Thermal hyperalgesia (TH) was determined by a decrease in hindpaw thermal withdrawal latency time (WLT) between days 21 and 42 post-SCI. Rats with TH were then treated with either vehicle (saline containing 0.25% NaOH) or NKCC1 inhibitor bumetanide (BU, 30 mg/kg, i.p.) in vehicle. TH was then re-measured at 1 h post-injection. Administration of BU significantly increased the mean WLT in rats (p < 0.05). The group administered with the vehicle alone showed no anti-hyperalgesic effects. Moreover, an increase in NKCC1 protein expression occurred in the lesion epicenter of the spinal cord during day 2–14 post-SCI and peaked on day 14 post-SCI (p < 0.05). Concurrently, a down-regulation of KCC2 protein was detected during day 2–14 post-SCI. The rats with TH exhibited a sustained loss of KCC2 protein during post-SCI days 21–42. No significant changes of these proteins were detected in the rostral region of the spinal cord.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Taken together, expression of NKCC1 and KCC2 proteins was differentially altered following SCI. The anti-hyperalgesic effect of NKCC1 inhibition suggests that normal or elevated NKCC1 function and loss of KCC2 function play a role in the development and maintenance of SCI-induced neuropathic pain.</p

Children's reading profiles on exiting the Reading Recovery programme: do they predict sustained progress?

© UKLA. The aim of this study was to identify reading profiles, which predict the literacy progress of Reading Recovery graduates. Reading Recovery is an intensive remediation for children after the first year of school. Children were assessed at exit from the programme and at 3-month, 6-month and 12-month follow-up points. Text Reading Level made unique contributions to word reading, spelling and writing at all time points and was consistently the best predictor of word reading. Phonological processing also made unique contributions to word reading and spelling. Reading comprehension was found to be the best predictor of National Curriculum sublevels for reading and writing, 12months later. These findings indicate that levelled texts, as employed in Reading Recovery, provide a good indication of progress in word reading, spelling and writing after the programme has been discontinued, but also present a case for assessing other reading skills (e.g., phonological processing and reading comprehension) in order to help predict sustained progress in literacy

After the Ice Age: The Impact of Post-Glacial Dispersal on the Phylogeography of a Small Mammal, Muscardinus avellanarius

We used genetic tools to assess phylogeographic structure of the common dormouse (Muscardinus avellenarius) since the end of the last glacial maximum, to identify post-glacial dispersal routes and to describe population units for conservation. Comparative analysis of mitochondrial genes (Cytochrome b, 704 bp, D-loop, 506 bp) and one nuclear gene (Beta-Fibrinogen, 550 bp) was conducted to reconstruct the recent demographic history within and between UK and continental European populations. Our analysis indicated phylogeographic variation in the UK is similar in magnitude to that found in other regions of continental Europe and suggests a recent population expansion. We present evidence which supports a single post-glacial colonization into the UK. Dispersal time calculations, calibrated with geophysical events, are coincident with the start of the Holocene period, 7.5–11 kya, a time when geological evidence suggests temperatures were stable, woodland habitat was prevalent and a land bridge was present to allow the dispersal of small mammals into the UK. We discuss our findings in the context of the extant geographical genetic structure described here and in relation to conservation management of this threatened species

Population monitoring of a Critically Endangered antelope, the mountain bongo, using camera traps and a novel identification scheme

Conservation monitoring is paramount for the gathering of information on species and populations in need of conservation actions. However, monitoring of the mountain bongo Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci, a Critically Endangered antelope endemic to Kenya, has hitherto been limited to surveillance (i.e. focused on persistence of the species in particular areas), thus limiting the information that could be retrieved on the status and trends of these populations. Using a newly developed identification system, we implemented robust design mark–recapture using existing camera-trap records of four wild subpopulations of the bongo. We provide data on sex and age structure and the first estimates of population size in the wild. Males and calves seem to be suffering higher mortality than females, and only two of the four monitored populations include adults of both sexes and calves. The combined size of these two breeding populations is estimated to be 29–50. Our findings confirm the critical situation of the mountain bongo in the wild and highlight the need for conservation actions to reinforce the wild populations for the long-term conservation of this antelope