The find of six species new to Belgium highlights the role of the stone trade as a pathway for non-native land snails (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora)

peer reviewedSurveys in stone yards in Wallonia (southern Belgium) led to the find of six taxa of land snails being new to Belgium and one being new to Wallonia. The new taxa can be divided into two groups: living animals of the European species Charpentieria itala, Laciniaria plicata, Chilostoma cingulatum, and Theba pisana, and shells with remains of the dead animals in the case of the Asian taxa Cathaica fasciola, Acusta sp., and Bradybaena jourdyi. The latter are widespread in their respective Asian native range while Acusta sp. and B. jourdyi had never been reported from Europe. We discuss the role of stoneyards as hubs for the dispersion of land snails. The individuals of the newly observed taxa may have arrived in several waves (with successive arrivals of stones) and may not reproduce in the stone yard. We explore the risks of settling. In this study, we provide evidence that the doorsnails C. itala and L. plicata have already settled elsewhere in Wallonia. Theba pisana, C. fasciola and Acusta sp. have the potential to behave as invasive species

Is the semi-slug Vitrinobrachium breve (A. Férussac, 1821) (Gastropoda: Vitrinidae) really new for Belgium? A historical investigation

peer reviewedRecently, the first sightings of the semi-slug Vitrinobrachium breve have been reported in Belgium. However, this species was probably already present in the east of the country a century ago. We present a historical investigation starting from an illustration in a book by W. Adam on Belgian land molluscs published in 1960. The depicted shell was presented as that of the semi-slug Eucobresia diaphana (Draparnaud, 1805) and was collected in 1923 in Malmedy. We show it most certainly belongs to V. breve. We also discuss the halo-effect hypothesis of an authoritative work in long-term identification errors and the historical biogeographic implications for these two species

Is the black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) an indirect victim of the sylvatic rabies eradication by fox vaccination?

peer reviewedINTRODUCTION Since 2017, a reinforcement program was developed to save the last, endangered, Belgian population of black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix), in the High Fens Natural Park. To improve the success of this program, an analysis of past data of this population was undertaken to understand the causes of its past decline. Climate models, applied in previous studies to explain these population trends in the High Fens, failed to describe this major modification in this population’s dynamic and its recent decline. MATERIAL AND METHODS A time series analysis was applied on the core population to understand the causes of its past decline, using annual spring male census data recorded between 1967 and 2016. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In the period 1967–1993, there was a fluctuation around an equilibrium of a population of ca. 40–45 males. After 1993, the population dynamic changed drastically, decreasing continuously until finally reaching quasi-extinction. On average, the population lost 15.4% of its size each year. Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) populations in Western Europe experienced a significant decline and stabilized at lower densities than observed in the past due to an outbreak of sylvatic rabies. In early 1990s, a fox demographic explosion followed a massive vaccination campaign, and fox populations became larger than had been observed before the epizootic. The eradication of the rabies was not the direct cause of this demographic explosion, as rabies-free areas experienced it also (but earlier). The causes are more to be sought in environmental modifications induced by humans. CONCLUSIONS Around 1993, the remarkable synchronicity between the beginning of the Black Grouse population decline in High Fens and the fox demographic explosion suggests a significant increase in predation on this bird species. If the fox is singled out for this change in Black grouse dynamics, it should not be concluded that it is entirely responsible for this decline. It is quite possible that other factors have added up, such as the arrival or increase of other predators (the raccoon in particular, but also the wild boar, and better health of the populations of large raptors), deer overgrazing, and other subtle habitat changes and in climate

Post-release acclimation of translocated Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix): a multi-time scale analysis using telemetry

peer reviewedINTRODUCTION Translocation of living individuals is a conservation strategy used to reinforce declining populations. However, failures are not uncommon, notably due to factors such as high mortality or unexpected behaviors (e.g. absence of reproductive behavior, tendency to leave the release area, etc.). We translocated 88 Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) from Sweden to Belgium to reinforce the last population occurring in the country. We tracked 58% of them by GPS telemetry and analyzed their movements to see if an acclimation in the release area was noticeable, but also to gain insights on the pattern of activity of the Grouse (a) right after a translocation event and (b) over the course of the year. MATERIAL AND METHODS The translocated Black Grouse were captured in Kårböle (Sweden) in late April 2017, 2018 and 2019 and 2022. Trapping took place on the leks, using fall traps. Individuals were then ringed, measured and placed in individual boxes to be transported to the ‘Hautes Fagnes’ Nature Reserve (Belgium), in which they were released circa 30 hours after capture. Spatial data was collected via solar-powered GPS-GSM backpack transmitters deployed on 51 individuals. Analyses were conducted using QGIS and RStudio. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION We noticed a high inter-individual variability, probably related to different stress-coping mechanisms and personalities. However, it is noteworthy that the longest movements, including explorations out of the reserve, are performed during the first 3 weeks post-release. All grouse then returned to the reserve and only moved over short distances for 3-4 months, until a second peak of higher activity in October. Although some grouse died during their long-distance movements, it was not an inevitable fatality. CONCLUSIONS Except the 3 weeks post-release, the general activity pattern detected is in line with the behavior of non- translocated Black Grouse, suggesting that translocated individuals need a short (but critical) period of acclimation to their new environment, then behave normally and have therefore the potential to thrive

CoFee-L: A Model of Animal Displacement in Large Groups Combining Cohesion Maintenance, Feeding Area Search and Transient Leadership

peer reviewe

When a Digital Learning System Cannot Replace Face-to-Face Teaching, as Demonstrated by Postpandemic Practical Work at the Postsecondary Level

peer reviewedCette étude mesure l’efficacité d’un dispositif de travaux pratiques sous forme de classe inversée, dans un contexte postpandémique. Elle fait ressortir, lorsqu’un dispositif numérique à distance de substitution est mis en place, l’importance du maintien d’un enseignement en présentiel : i) le présentiel permet de pallier les inégalités observées lors d’un travail numérique à distance; ii) il permet un encadrement rapproché; iii) il permet de développer davantage les acquis de type appliqué. De plus, elle démontre que la partie présentielle d’un apprentissage hybride permet bien plus que le simple maintien d’un contact humain.This study measures the effectiveness of practical work organized as a flipped-learning system in the postpandemic context. It highlights the importance of maintaining in-person learning when a distance learning is implemented, for the following reasons: i) in-person learning can compensate for the inequalities observed with distance learning; ii) it allows for close supervision; iii) it results in better development of applied skills. Moreover, it demonstrates that the face-to-face component of a hybrid learning system does much more than just maintain human contact

Addressing climate change with behavioral science:A global intervention tournament in 63 countries

Effectively reducing climate change requires marked, global behavior change. However, it is unclear which strategies are most likely to motivate people to change their climate beliefs and behaviors. Here, we tested 11 expert-crowdsourced interventions on four climate mitigation outcomes: beliefs, policy support, information sharing intention, and an effortful tree-planting behavioral task. Across 59,440 participants from 63 countries, the interventions' effectiveness was small, largely limited to nonclimate skeptics, and differed across outcomes: Beliefs were strengthened mostly by decreasing psychological distance (by 2.3%), policy support by writing a letter to a future-generation member (2.6%), information sharing by negative emotion induction (12.1%), and no intervention increased the more effortful behavior-several interventions even reduced tree planting. Last, the effects of each intervention differed depending on people's initial climate beliefs. These findings suggest that the impact of behavioral climate interventions varies across audiences and target behaviors.</p

Addressing climate change with behavioral science: a global intervention tournament in 63 countries

Effectively reducing climate change requires marked, global behavior change. However, it is unclear which strategies are most likely to motivate people to change their climate beliefs and behaviors. Here, we tested 11 expert-crowdsourced interventions on four climate mitigation outcomes: beliefs, policy support, information sharing intention, and an effortful tree-planting behavioral task. Across 59,440 participants from 63 countries, the interventions’ effectiveness was small, largely limited to nonclimate skeptics, and differed across outcomes: Beliefs were strengthened mostly by decreasing psychological distance (by 2.3%), policy support by writing a letter to a future-generation member (2.6%), information sharing by negative emotion induction (12.1%), and no intervention increased the more effortful behavior—several interventions even reduced tree planting. Last, the effects of each intervention differed depending on people’s initial climate beliefs. These findings suggest that the impact of behavioral climate interventions varies across audiences and target behaviors

Addressing climate change with behavioral science:A global intervention tournament in 63 countries

Effectively reducing climate change requires marked, global behavior change. However, it is unclear which strategies are most likely to motivate people to change their climate beliefs and behaviors. Here, we tested 11 expert-crowdsourced interventions on four climate mitigation outcomes: beliefs, policy support, information sharing intention, and an effortful tree-planting behavioral task. Across 59,440 participants from 63 countries, the interventions' effectiveness was small, largely limited to nonclimate skeptics, and differed across outcomes: Beliefs were strengthened mostly by decreasing psychological distance (by 2.3%), policy support by writing a letter to a future-generation member (2.6%), information sharing by negative emotion induction (12.1%), and no intervention increased the more effortful behavior-several interventions even reduced tree planting. Last, the effects of each intervention differed depending on people's initial climate beliefs. These findings suggest that the impact of behavioral climate interventions varies across audiences and target behaviors.</p