Participatory game prototyping – balancing domain content and playability in a serious game design for the energy transition

Game design mostly engages future players as users and testers, whereas in the field of serious game design, approaches involving players more substantially are slowly emerging. This paper documents the participatory prototyping process of Energy Safari, a serious game for the energy transition in the Province of Groningen, and reports on the differences of the contributions made to the game development by separate groups of stakeholders. Each group contributed the most to the game elements that are most relevant to their interests. Overall, this study points to the potential of participatory game prototyping as a method to develop serious games that are balanced both in terms of domain content and playability, are meaningful for future players, and well embedded in the local context

Modelling the impact of toxic and disturbance stress on white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) populations

Several studies have related breeding success and survival of sea eagles to toxic or non-toxic stress separately. In the present investigation, we analysed single and combined impacts of both toxic and disturbance stress on populations of white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), using an analytical single-species model. Chemical and eco(toxico)logical data reported from laboratory and field studies were used to parameterise and validate the model. The model was applied to assess the impact of ∑PCB, DDE and disturbance stress on the white-tailed eagle population in The Netherlands. Disturbance stress was incorporated through a 1.6% reduction in survival and a 10–50% reduction in reproduction. ∑PCB contamination from 1950 up to 1987 was found to be too high to allow the return of white-tailed eagle as a breeding species in that period. ∑PCB and population trends simulated for 2006–2050 suggest that future population growth is still reduced. Disturbance stress resulted in a reduced population development. The combination of both toxic and disturbance stress varied from a slower population development to a catastrophical reduction in population size, where the main cause was attributed to the reduction in reproduction of 50%. Application of the model was restricted by the current lack of quantitative dose–response relationships between non-toxic stress and survival and reproduction. Nevertheless, the model provides a first step towards integrating and quantifying the impacts of multiple stressors on white-tailed eagle populations

Protein electrophoresis in Andean condors (Vultur gryphus): Reference values and differences between wild and rehabilitating individuals

The study of wildlife health greatly contributes to understanding population dynamics and detecting conservation threats. The determination of the different fractions of plasma proteins (proteinogram) is an important laboratory tool to study wildlife health. The aim of this study was to characterize protein electrophoresis in wild Andean condors (Vultur gryphus) from north-western Patagonia and to evaluate differences according to age and sex classes. Once reference values of wild, apparently healthy individuals, were established, we compared these values to those of individuals received at the Buenos Aires Zoo in Argentina for rehabilitation due to various health problems. Reference proteinograms from wild Andean condors differed only in the α 1 and β 2-fractions between sex categories. Males showed higher concentrations of these protein fractions than females. We found clear differences between wild birds and rehabilitating individuals. Total proteins, globulins, α 1-globulins, total α-globulins, β 2-globulins, total β-globulins, and γ-globulins were significantly higher in rehabilitating than in wild individuals, whereas albumin, α 2, and β1-globulins were similar between these groups. The albumin/globulin ratio, as a general indicator of health, was significantly lower in rehabilitating than in wild individuals. The results indicate the effects on different protein fractions of pathologic processes occurring in individuals undergoing rehabilitation. Our results provide useful insights, contributing to improving diagnoses and prognoses in this species. This information may also be useful to assess the health status of Andean condors in studies of wild populations and for comparisons with other bird species.We thank the Buenos Aires Zoo staff and the Fundación Bioandina Argentina for caring for rehabilitating birds, and the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCYT–FONCYT, PICT (BID) 0725‐2014, Argentina), The Peregrine Fund, and Universidad Nacional del Comahue project 04/B227 for financial support

Plasma carotenoids and immunity in a despotic avian scavenger

36 Páginas.-- 3 Figuras.-- 3 TablasCarotenoids are pigmented compounds acquired through diet that have important functions as antioxidants and immune modulators. We studied the association between immunity and circulating carotenoids in Andean condors (Vultur gryphus ). We evaluated the relationship between α‐, β‐, and γ‐globulin blood concentrations and different circulating carotenoids in two groups of Andean condors that differ in their mean health status, rehabilitating (suffering different pathologies), and wild individuals (trapped when displaying their physiological behavior). In rehabilitating individuals, α‐, β‐, and γ‐globulin concentrations were higher than in wild individuals. This shows that rehabilitating individuals were developing an immune response associated with the pathologies that they were suffering at the time of sampling. In addition, circulating carotenoids were lower in rehabilitating than in wild individuals. We found negative correlations between α‐, β‐, and γ‐globulins and different circulating carotenoids in rehabilitating individuals, but not in wild condors. Xanthophylls were strongly related to α‐, β‐, and γ‐globulin blood concentrations in rehabilitating, but not in wild condors. Our results suggest that there is a potential relationship between circulating carotenoids and immunity in the Andean condor. Given that this species may display a carotenoid‐based pigmentation, our results could suggest that a trade‐off between the immune system and external coloration could operate in this species, which may have implications in their access to food resources and mate selection and, thus, in their conservation.We thank the Buenos Aires Zoo staff and Fundación Bioandina Argentina for taking care of condor individuals. We thank P. Alarcón for their comments and suggestions that improved previous versions of this manuscript. We also thank Toni Sanchez‐Zapata, O. Mastrantuoni, M. de la Riva, and the GrInBiC (https://grinbic.com/) team for their help in the field. This study was supported by Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica, PICT (BID) 0725‐2014, Fundación BBVA (BIOC‐08‐126), and Universidad Nacional del Comahue project 04/B227. Dámaso Hornero‐Méndez is a member of the Spanish Carotenoid Network (CaRed), funded by MINECO (Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness) projects BIO2015‐71703‐REDT and BIO2017‐90877‐REDT, and the European Carotenoid Network (Euro Caroten; https://www.eurocaroten.eu/), funded by the European Commission COST action CA15136.Peer reviewe

Natural hazards and wildlife health: The effects of a volcanic eruption on the Andean Condor

Volcanic eruptions produce health changes in animals that may be associated with emitted gases and deposited ashes. We evaluated whether the Puyehue–Cordón Caulle volcanic eruption in 2011 produced health changes in the threatened Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) living in the area most affected by the eruption, northwestern Patagonia. We studied clinical and biochemical parameters of condors examined before and after the eruption. We also examined concentrations of different metals and metalloids in the blood of individuals sampled after the eruption. The most common clinical abnormality associated with the eruptive process was irritating pharyngitis. In condors sampled after the eruption, blood concentrations of albumin, calcium, carotenoids, and total proteins decreased to levels under the reference values reported for this species. We found different chemical elements in the blood of these condors after the eruption, such as arsenic and cadmium, with the potential to produce health impacts. Thus, the health of Andean Condors was affected in different ways by the eruption; remaining in the affected area appears to have been costly. However, in comparison to other animal species, the health impacts were not as strong and were mainly related to food shortages due to the decrease in availability of livestock carcasses linked to the eruption. This suggests that condors dealt relatively well with this massive event. Future research is needed to evaluate if the health changes we found reduce the survival of this species, and if the cost of inhabiting volcanic areas has any ecological or evolutionary influence on the condor’s life history.Las erupciones volcánicas producen alteraciones en la salud de los animales asociadas con los gases emitidos y las cenizas eyectadas. En este trabajo, evaluamos si la erupción del volcán Puyehue–Cordón Caulle ocurrida en 2011 produjo alteraciones en la salud de los Vultur gryphus que habitan el noroeste de la Patagonia, el área más afectada por la erupción. En particular, estudiamos parámetros clínicos y bioquímicos en cóndores capturados antes y después de la erupción. Además, examinamos las concentraciones de diferentes metales y metaloides en la sangre de individuos capturados después de la erupción. La anormalidad clínica más frecuente asociada con el proceso eruptivo fue la faringitis irritativa. Los cóndores muestreados después de la erupción mostraron concentraciones sanguíneas de albúmina, calcio, carotenoides y proteínas totales por debajo de los valores de referencia informados para esta especie. En la sangre de los cóndores muestreados después de la erupción también encontramos diferentes elementos químicos, como arsénico y cadmio, potencialmente dañinos para su salud. Por lo tanto, nuestros resultados sugieren que la permanencia de estos individuos en la zona afectada tuvo costos para su salud. Sin embargo, en comparación con otras especies animales, los impactos no fueron graves y estuvieron relacionados principalmente con la escasez de alimentos debido a la disminución en la disponibilidad de carroñas de ganado vinculada al proceso eruptivo. Futuras investigaciones son necesarias para evaluar si los cambios en la salud encontrados pueden reducir la supervivencia de esta especie, y si el costo de habitar áreas volcánicas tiene alguna influencia ecológica o evolutiva en la historia de vida del Vultur gryphus.Peer reviewe