Linking local people's perception of wildlife and conservation to livelihood and poaching alleviation : a case study of the Dja biosphere reserve, Cameroon

This Paper examines how people's livelihoods and perceptions of wildlife are related to self-reported poaching (here defined as commercial bushmeat hunting) in 25 villages at the northern buffer zone of the Dja Biosphere Reserve, East Cameroon. Using a six-point Likert scale questionnaire among 263 households interviewed form March to June 2017, the following hypothesis were tested: (1) Households with positive perceptions of wildlife are less involved in poaching; (2) Positive perceptions of wildlife are linked to sustainable livelihood improvement of households; and (3) Sustainable livelihood improvement of households leads to poaching alleviation. The study area has been the site since 2010 for a community-centered conservation Program that aims to improve local peoples livelihoods (through the creation of income sources based on cocoa-based agroforestry and Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) Valorization) and their perceptions of wildlife (mainly through awareness raising and wildlife education) and therefore divert them from poaching. The main findings of the study indicates that positive perceptions of wildlife are linked to lower levels of poaching. Similarly, positive perception of wildlife was positively related to Livelihood improvement of the respondents. However, livelihood improvement alone did not predict poaching alleviation though we reported a significant difference in poaching frequencies of cocoa and non-cocoa producers with the firsts less involved in poaching. The findings of this study recommend more holistic approaches of biodiversity conservation that integrate simultaneously perception and livelihood improvement

Nadaní a škola ve výsledcích výzkumu PISA-2000

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Vzdělávání mimořádně nadaných dětí v Evropě - a v České republice?

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Czechoslovakia in the Context of Nestor Makhno’s Exile (1922-1924)

The article introduces two handwritten letters of Nestor Makhno to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Czechoslovakia and to President Tomáš G. Masaryk. It also publishes hitherto unknown documents from the Archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic that partly charted Makhno’s fate in the years 1922-1924. The article expands and completes the source base of research on Makhno’s exile. For the first time, it puts these sources in the context of the Russian Aid Operation and activities of Makhno in Poland. An analysis of the two letters reveals how Makhno perceived Czechoslovakia; what he expected from it and how he presented himself to T.G. Masaryk. On the basis of archival documents, the attitude of the Czechoslovak authorities towards Makhno can be partially explained. Based on his historical experience, Makhno compared the Czech nation to that of the Ukrainians, and he also believed that «Czechoslovak Slavonicity» could indicate potential solidarity with the Ukrainian nation. Initially, in Czechoslovakia, Makhno intended to launch his resistance against Bolshevism. Nevertheless, although the sources are ambiguous, owing to the miserable living conditions experienced in Polish exile, it is likely that he also dreamed of repatriation from Czechoslovakia. Moreover, Makhno was purposely vague in describing his role and the situation in Poland to Masaryk to curry favour. Due to Czechoslovakia’s geopolitical goals, any tendencies towards an uprising against Bolshevism with the goal of Ukrainian independence were perceived rather negatively. The Czechoslovak authorities viewed Makhno unfavourably because of the Polish press. He was described as a «bogeyman» of the landowners, and was seen as a distrustful bandit rather than a principled anarchist

Nestor Ivanovych Makhno and bolshevism

The bachelor thesis analyses the relations between N. I. Makhno - makhnovshchina - and the Bolsheviks in the years 1918-1922. These relationships are characterised as dynamic due to frequent conflicts and divisions. The thesis asks what factors influenced these relations and what role the makhnovshchina played in them during the civil war in Russia. It also examines the formation of Makhno's political views and explores his attitude towards Bolshevism. The author assumes that Makhno's relationship with the Bolsheviks was primarily shaped by his optimistic vision of building an anarchist society. This vision indirectly transformed makhnovshchina into an ‚extended arm of Bolshevism'. Methodologically, the work is based on political history. The biographical method is used to understand the political actions of the protagonist. The relationship between Makhno - makhnovshchina - and the Bolsheviks can be characterized as ambivalent. They were based on the same interests, consisting in the defeat of the White Army, but with different objectives, which gradually led to confrontation. In spite of this, makhnovshchina to some extent helped to consolidate the power of the Bolsheviks in Russia more quickly.Bakalářská práce analyzuje vztahy mezi N. I. Machnem - machnovštinou - a bolševiky v letech 1918-1922. Tyto vztahy jsou vzhledem k častým konfliktům a roztržkám charakterizovány jako dynamické. Práce si klade otázky, jaké faktory ovlivňovaly tyto vztahy a jakou roli v nich hrála machnovština během občanské války v Rusku. Zabývá se také formováním politických názorů Machna a zkoumá jeho postoj k bolševismu. Autor vychází z předpokladu, že vztah Machna k bolševikům byl primárně formován na základě optimistické vize vybudování anarchistické společnosti. Tato vize nepřímo transformovala machnovštinu na "prodlouženou ruku bolševismu". Metodologicky se práce opírá o politické dějiny. K pochopení politického jednání protagonisty je použita biografická metoda. Vztahy mezi Machnem - machnovštinou - a bolševiky lze charakterizovat jako ambivalentní. Byly založeny na stejných zájmech, spočívajících v porážce Bílé armády, ale v odlišných cílech, které postupně směřovaly ke konfrontaci. I přes to machnovština do jisté míry pomohla rychleji upevnit moc bolševiků v Rusku.Institute of General HistoryÚstav světových dějinFilozofická fakultaFaculty of Art

Genetic variability of Mesalina watsonana (Reptilia: Lacertidae) on the Iranian plateau and its phylogenetic and biogeographic affinities as inferred from mtDNA sequences

The lacertid lizard Mesalina watsonana is widely distributed on the Iranian plateau where it is one of the most common lizards. However, the intraspecific variability and the phylogenetic position of this species within the genus still remain unknown. We sequenced a 715bp long fragment of the mtDNA cytochrome b gene from lizards sampled in 10 localities covering the Iranian distribution range of the species. We identified four distinct and geographically isolated clades with an average genetic divergence between them ranging from 9.8 to 13.1% (p-distance) which is comparable to the values of genetic distance commonly reported between Lacertidae species. Analyses combining data from recently published phylogeny of the genus Mesalina with our dataset confirmed the monophyly of M. watsonana. The isolation of this species from the rest of the genus points out the important role of the Zagros Mountains uplift during the Miocene. It is possible that this geological event participated on the isolation of the ancestor of M. watsonana from the rest of the Mesalina lizards and together with the upheaval of the whole Iranian plateau provided suitable environmental conditions for rapid diversification of this species

Fluorescent non-toxic bait as a new method for black rat (Rattus rattus) monitoring

The detection of synathropic rodents may be difficult since they are animals with nocturnal activity. Methods of their detection and monitoring rely mostly on indirect signs of their activity such as the presence of faeces, urine, consumed foods and damaged materials. Our experimental hypothesis was that the production of fluorescent faeces - following consumption of fluorescent bait - may be used for rodent monitoring. For this purpose we studied the production of fluorescent faeces, temporal dynamics and detectability in wild black rat (Rattus rattus). Wild black rats were individually housed in experimental cages with the wire-mesh grid floor and faeces were collected in short-time intervals. The peak of fluorescent activity in faeces was detected 10-20 hours after bait ingestion. We found that there is only relatively short delay between bait consumption and defecation and fluorescent faeces are easily detectable at distance using an ultraviolet hand lamp. Thus, this method can contribute to effective monitoring of rodent pests.Keywords: Rattus rattus, Fluorescent bait, Monitoring, Rodent contro

Evolution of mitochondrial relationships and biogeography of Palearctic green toads (Bufo viridis subgroup) with insights in their genomic plasticity.

Taxa involving three bisexually reproducing ploidy levels make green toads a unique amphibian system. We put a cytogenetic dataset from Central Asia in a molecular framework and apply phylogenetic and demographic methods to data from the entire Palearctic range. We study the mitochondrial relationships of diploids to infer their phylogeography and the maternal ancestry of polyploids. Control regions (and tRNAs between ND1 and ND2 in representatives) characterize a deeply branched assemblage of twelve haplotype groups, diverged since the Lower Miocene. Polyploidy has evolved several times: Central Asian tetraploids (B. oblongus, B. pewzowi) have at least two maternal origins. Intriguingly, the mitochondrial ancestor of morphologically distinctive, sexually reproducing triploid taxa (B. pseudoraddei) from Karakoram and Hindukush represents a different lineage. We report another potential case of bisexual triploid toads (B. zugmayeri). Identical d-loops in diploids and tetraploids from Iran and Turkmenistan, which differ in morphology, karyotypes and calls, suggest multiple origins and retained polymorphism and/or hybridization. A similar system involves diploids, triploids and tetraploids from Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan where green toads exemplify vertebrate genomic plasticity. A new form from Sicily and its African sister species (B. boulengeri) allow internal calibration and divergence time estimates for major clades. The subgroup may have originated in Eurasia rather than Africa since the earliest diverged lineages (B. latastii, B. surdus) and earliest fossils occur in Asia. We delineate ranges, contact and hybrid zones. Phylogeography, including one of the first non-avian datasets from Central Asian high mountains, reflects Quaternary climate and glaciation

Contribution of non-timber forest product valorisation to the livelihood assets of local people in the northern periphery of the Dja Faunal Reserve, East Cameroon

A large community of scientists has demonstrated that millions of people located in tropical zones derive a significant proportion of their livelihoods from the extraction of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). Despite these results, questions remain as to whether the valorisation of NTFPs can sustainably contribute to the improvement of the livelihood assets of the extractors. This study therefore evaluated the contribution of NTFP valorisation to the livelihood assets of local people around the northern periphery of the Dja Faunal Reserve (DFR), East Cameroon. To achieve this objective, data collected from 215 households in 32 villages were analyzed using factor analysis, Mann-Whitney U tests, and structural equation modelling. The results suggest that NTFP valorisation significantly contributes to the livelihood assets of local people at the periphery of the DFR. However, NTFP revenue was not significant in predicting their livelihood assets. Moreover, the local conservation management practices were not significant in predicting the livelihood assets in the long run. The results also revealed that individuals who received training and capacity building on good practices such as efficient collection techniques, effective drying techniques, and good conservation techniques earned better revenues and the impact on their livelihood was more significant than for those who did not. These results therefore recommend that the way forward for NTFP valorisation lies at the level of improving its quality and the market

Snakes Represent Emotionally Salient Stimuli That May Evoke Both Fear and Disgust

Humans perceive snakes as threatening stimuli, resulting in fast emotional and behavioral responses. However, snake species differ in their true level of danger and are highly variable in appearance despite the uniform legless form. Different snakes may evoke fear or disgust in humans, or even both emotions simultaneously. We designed three-step-selection experiments to identify prototypical snake species evoking exclusively fear or disgust. First, two independent groups of respondents evaluated 45 images covering most of the natural variability of snakes and rated responses to either perceived fear (n = 175) or disgust (n = 167). Snakes rated as the most fear-evoking were from the family Viperidae (Crotalinae, Viperinae, and Azemiopinae), while the ones rated as the most disgusting were from the group of blind snakes called Typhlopoidea (Xenotyphlopinae, Typhlopinae, and Anomalepidinae). We then identified the specific traits contributing to the perception of fear (large body size, expressive scales with contrasting patterns, and bright coloration) and disgust (thin body, smooth texture, small eyes, and dull coloration). Second, to create stimuli evoking a discrete emotional response, we developed a picture set consisting of 40 snakes with exclusively fear-eliciting and 40 snakes with disgust-eliciting features. Another set of respondents (n = 172) sorted the set, once according to perceived fear and the second time according to perceived disgust. The results showed that the fear-evoking and disgust-evoking snakes fit mainly into their respective groups. Third, we randomly selected 20 species (10 fear-evoking and 10 disgust-evoking) out of the previous set and had them professionally illustrated. A new set of subjects (n = 104) sorted these snakes and confirmed that the illustrated snakes evoked the same discrete emotions as their photographic counterparts. These illustrations are included in the study and may be freely used as a standardized assessment tool when investigating the role of fear and disgust in human emotional response to snakes