Evolution of the Family Equidae, Subfamily Equinae, in North, Central and South America, Eurasia and Africa during the Plio-Pleistocene

Studies of horse evolution arose during the middle of the 19th century, and several hypotheses have been proposed for their taxonomy, paleobiogeography, paleoecology and evolution. The present contribution represents a collaboration of 19 multinational experts with the goal of providing an updated summary of Pliocene and Pleistocene North, Central and South American, Eurasian and African horses. At the present time, we recognize 114 valid species across these continents, plus 4 North African species in need of further investigation. Our biochronology and biogeography sections integrate Equinae taxonomic records with their chronologic and geographic ranges recognizing regional biochronologic frameworks. The paleoecology section provides insights into paleobotany and diet utilizing both the mesowear and light microscopic methods, along with calculation of body masses. We provide a temporal sequence of maps that render paleoclimatic conditions across these continents integrated with Equinae occurrences. These records reveal a succession of extinctions of primitive lineages and the rise and diversification of more modern taxa. Two recent morphological-based cladistic analyses are presented here as competing hypotheses, with reference to molecular-based phylogenies. Our contribution represents a state-of-the art understanding of Plio-Pleistocene Equus evolution, their biochronologic and biogeographic background and paleoecological and paleoclimatic contexts

Evolution of the Family Equidae, Subfamily Equinae, in North, Central and South America, Eurasia and Africa during the Plio-Pleistocene

Studies of horse evolution arose during the middle of the 19th century, and several hypotheses have been proposed for their taxonomy, paleobiogeography, paleoecology and evolution. The present contribution represents a collaboration of 19 multinational experts with the goal of providing an updated summary of Pliocene and Pleistocene North, Central and South American, Eurasian and African horses. At the present time, we recognize 114 valid species across these continents, plus 4 North African species in need of further investigation. Our biochronology and biogeography sections integrate Equinae taxonomic records with their chronologic and geographic ranges recognizing regional biochronologic frameworks. The paleoecology section provides insights into paleobotany and diet utilizing both the mesowear and light microscopic methods, along with calculation of body masses. We provide a temporal sequence of maps that render paleoclimatic conditions across these continents integrated with Equinae occurrences. These records reveal a succession of extinctions of primitive lineages and the rise and diversification of more modern taxa. Two recent morphological-based cladistic analyses are presented here as competing hypotheses, with reference to molecular-based phylogenies. Our contribution represents a state-of-the art understanding of Plio-Pleistocene Equus evolution, their biochronologic and biogeographic background and paleoecological and paleoclimatic contexts

Effectiveness of a smartphone application for improving healthy lifestyles, a randomized clinical trial (EVIDENT II) : study protocol

Background: New technologies could facilitate changes in lifestyle and improve public health. However, no large randomized, controlled studies providing scientific evidence of the benefits of their use have been made. The aims of this study are to develop and validate a smartphone application, and to evaluate the effect of adding this tool to a standardized intervention designed to improve adherence to the Mediterranean diet and to physical activity. An evaluation is also made of the effect of modifying habits upon vascular structure and function, and therefore on arterial aging. Methods/Design: A randomized, double-blind, multicenter, parallel group clinical trial will be carried out. A total of 1215 subjects under 70 years of age from the EVIDENT trial will be included. Counseling common to both groups (control and intervention) will be provided on adaptation to the Mediterranean diet and on physical activity. The intervention group moreover will receive training on the use of a smartphone application designed to promote a healthy diet and increased physical activity, and will use the application for three months. The main study endpoints will be the changes in physical activity, assessed by accelerometer and the 7-day Physical Activity Recall (PAR) interview, and adaptation to the Mediterranean diet, as evaluated by an adherence questionnaire and a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Evaluation also will be made of vascular structure and function based on central arterial pressure, the radial augmentation index, pulse velocity, the cardio-ankle vascular index, and carotid intima-media thickness. Discussion: Confirmation that the new technologies are useful for promoting healthier lifestyles and that their effects are beneficial in terms of arterial aging will have important clinical implications, and may contribute to generalize their application in favor of improved population health. Trial registration: Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT0201601

Evolution of the Family Equidae, Subfamily Equinae, in North, Central and South America, Eurasia and Africa during the Plio-Pleistocene

Studies of horse evolution arose during the middle of the 19th century, and several hypotheses have been proposed for their taxonomy, paleobiogeography, paleoecology and evolution. The present contribution represents a collaboration of 19 multinational experts with the goal of providing an updated summary of Pliocene and Pleistocene North, Central and South American, Eurasian and African horses. At the present time, we recognize 114 valid species across these continents, plus 4 North African species in need of further investigation. Our biochronology and biogeography sections integrate Equinae taxonomic records with their chronologic and geographic ranges recognizing regional biochronologic frameworks. The paleoecology section provides insights into paleobotany and diet utilizing both the mesowear and light microscopic methods, along with calculation of body masses. We provide a temporal sequence of maps that render paleoclimatic conditions across these continents integrated with Equinae occurrences. These records reveal a succession of extinctions of primitive lineages and the rise and diversification of more modern taxa. Two recent morphological-based cladistic analyses are presented here as competing hypotheses, with reference to molecular-based phylogenies. Our contribution represents a state-of-the art understanding of Plio-Pleistocene Equus evolution, their biochronologic and biogeographic background and paleoecological and paleoclimatic contexts. © 2022 by the authors.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Subcortical volumes across the lifespan: data from 18,605 healthy individuals aged 3-90 years

Age has a major effect on brain volume. However, the normative studies available are constrained by small sample sizes, restricted age coverage and significant methodological variability. These limitations introduce inconsistencies and may obscure or distort the lifespan trajectories of brain morphometry. In response, we capitalized on the resources of the Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium to examine age-related trajectories inferred from cross-sectional measures of the ventricles, the basal ganglia (caudate, putamen, pallidum, and nucleus accumbens), the thalamus, hippocampus and amygdala using magnetic resonance imaging data obtained from 18,605 individuals aged 3?90?years. All subcortical structure volumes were at their maximum value early in life. The volume of the basal ganglia showed a monotonic negative association with age thereafter; there was no significant association between age and the volumes of the thalamus, amygdala and the hippocampus (with some degree of decline in thalamus) until the sixth decade of life after which they also showed a steep negative association with age. The lateral ventricles showed continuous enlargement throughout the lifespan. Age was positively associated with inter-individual variability in the hippocampus and amygdala and the lateral ventricles. These results were robust to potential confounders and could be used to examine the functional significance of deviations from typical age-related morphometric patterns.This study presents independent research funded by multiple agen-cies. The funding sources had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data. The views expressed inthe manuscript are those of the authors and do not necessarily repre-sent those of any of the funding agencies. Dr. Dima received fundingfrom the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS FoundationTrust and King's College London, the Psychiatry Research Trust and2014 NARSAD Young Investigator Award. Dr. Frangou received sup-port from the National Institutes of Health (R01 MH104284,R01MH113619, R01 MH116147), the European Community's Sev-enth Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) (grant agreementn 602450). This work was supported in part through the computa-tional resources and staff expertise provided by Scientific Computingat the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, USA. Dr. Agartz wassupported by the Swedish Research Council (grant numbers:521-2014-3487 and 2017-00949). Dr. Alnæs was supported by theSouth Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority (grant number:2019107). Dr. O Andreasen was supported by the Research Councilof Norway (grant number: 223273) and South-Eastern Norway HealthAuthority (grant number: 2017-112). Dr. Cervenka was supported bythe Swedish Research Council (grant number 523-2014-3467).Dr. Crespo-Facorro was supported by the IDIVAL Neuroimaging Unitfor imaging acquisition; Instituto de Salud Carlos III (grant numbers:PI020499, PI050427, PI060507, PI14/00639 and PI14/00918) andthe Fundación Instituto de Investigación Marqués de Valdecilla (grantnumbers: NCT0235832, NCT02534363, and API07/011). Dr. Gurwas supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (grant num-bers: R01MH042191 and R01MH117014). Dr. James was supportedby the Medical Research Council (grant no G0500092). Dr. Saykinreceived support from U.S. National Institutes of Health grants R01AG19771, P30 AG10133 and R01 CA101318. Dr. Thompson,Dr. Jahanshad, Dr. Wright, Dr. Medland, Dr. O Andreasen, Dr. Rinker,Dr. Schmaal, Dr. Veltam, Dr. van Erp, and D.P.H. were supported inpart by a Consortium grant (U54 EB020403 to P.M.T.) from the NIHInstitutes contributing to the Big Data to Knowledge (BD2K) Initiative.FBIRN sample: Data collection and analysis was supported by the National Center for Research Resources at the National Institutes ofHealth (grant numbers: NIH 1 U24 RR021992 (Function BiomedicalInformatics Research Network) and NIH 1 U24 RR025736-01(Biomedical Informatics Research Network Coordinating Center;http://www.birncommunity.org). FBIRN data was processed by theUCI High Performance Computing cluster supported by the NationalCenter for Research Resources and the National Center for AdvancingTranslational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through GrantUL1 TR000153. Brainscale: This work was supported by NederlandseOrganisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO 51.02.061 toH.H., NWO 51.02.062 to D.B., NWO- NIHC Programs of excellence433-09-220 to H.H., NWO-MagW 480-04-004 to D.B., andNWO/SPI 56-464-14192 to D.B.); FP7 Ideas: European ResearchCouncil (ERC-230374 to D.B.); and Universiteit Utrecht (High Poten-tial Grant to H.H.). UMCU-1.5T: This study is partially funded throughthe Geestkracht Programme of the Dutch Health Research Council(Zon-Mw, grant No 10-000-1001), and matching funds from partici-pating pharmaceutical companies (Lundbeck, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly,Janssen Cilag) and universities and mental health care organizations(Amsterdam: Academic Psychiatric Centre of the Academic MedicalCenter and the mental health institutions: GGZ Ingeest, Arkin, Dijk enDuin, GGZ Rivierduinen, Erasmus Medical Centre, GGZ Noord Hol-land Noord. Groningen: University Medical Center Groningen and themental health institutions: Lentis, GGZ Friesland, GGZ Drenthe, Dim-ence, Mediant, GGNet Warnsveld, Yulius Dordrecht and Parnassiapsycho-medical center The Hague. Maastricht: Maastricht UniversityMedical Centre and the mental health institutions: GGzE, GGZBreburg, GGZ Oost-Brabant, Vincent van Gogh voor GeestelijkeGezondheid, Mondriaan, Virenze riagg, Zuyderland GGZ, MET ggz,Universitair Centrum Sint-Jozef Kortenberg, CAPRI University of Ant-werp, PC Ziekeren Sint-Truiden, PZ Sancta Maria Sint-Truiden, GGZOverpelt, OPZ Rekem. Utrecht: University Medical Center Utrechtand the mental health institutions Altrecht, GGZ Centraal and Delta.).UMCU-3T: This study was supported by NIMH grant number: R01MH090553 (to RAO). The NIMH had no further role in study design,in the collection, analysis and interpretation of the data, in the writingof the report, and in the decision to submit the paper for publication.Netherlands Twin Register: Funding was obtained from the Nether-lands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) and The NetherlandsOrganization for Health Research and Development (ZonMW) grants904-61-090, 985-10-002, 912-10-020, 904-61-193,480-04-004,463-06-001, 451-04-034, 400-05-717, 400-07-080, 31160008,016-115-035, 481-08-011, 056-32-010, 911-09-032, 024-001-003,480-15-001/674, Center for Medical Systems Biology (CSMB, NWOGenomics), Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infra-structure (BBMRI-NL, 184.021.007 and 184.033.111); Spinozapremie(NWO- 56-464-14192), and the Neuroscience Amsterdam researchinstitute (former NCA). The BIG database, established in Nijmegen in2007, is now part of Cognomics, a joint initiative by researchers of theDonders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, the Human Genetics andCognitive Neuroscience departments of the Radboud University Medi-cal Centre, and the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics. TheCognomics Initiative is supported by the participating departments and centers and by external grants, including grants from the Biobankingand Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure (Netherlands)(BBMRI-NL) and the Hersenstichting Nederland. The authors alsoacknowledge grants supporting their work from the Netherlands Orga-nization for Scientific Research (NWO), that is, the NWO Brain & Cog-nition Excellence Program (grant 433-09-229), the Vici InnovationProgram (grant 016-130-669 to BF) and #91619115. Additional sup-port is received from the European Community's Seventh FrameworkProgramme (FP7/2007–2013) under grant agreements n 602805(Aggressotype), n 603016 (MATRICS), n 602450 (IMAGEMEND), andn 278948 (TACTICS), and from the European Community's Horizon2020 Programme (H2020/2014–2020) under grant agreements n 643051 (MiND) and n 667302 (CoCA). Betula sample: Data collectionfor the BETULA sample was supported by a grant from Knut and AliceWallenberg Foundation (KAW); the Freesurfer segmentations wereperformed on resources provided by the Swedish National Infrastruc-ture for Computing (SNIC) at HPC2N in Umeå, Sweden. Indiana sample:This sample was supported in part by grants to BCM from SiemensMedical Solutions, from the members of the Partnership for PediatricEpilepsy Research, which includes the American Epilepsy Society, theEpilepsy Foundation, the Epilepsy Therapy Project, Fight Against Child-hood Epilepsy and Seizures (F.A.C.E.S.), and Parents Against ChildhoodEpilepsy (P.A.C.E.), from the Indiana State Department of Health SpinalCord and Brain Injury Fund Research Grant Program, and by a ProjectDevelopment Team within the ICTSI NIH/NCRR Grant NumberRR025761. MHRC study: It was supported in part by RFBR grant20-013-00748. PING study: Data collection and sharing for the Pediat-ric Imaging, Neurocognition and Genetics (PING) Study (National Insti-tutes of Health Grant RC2DA029475) were funded by the NationalInstitute on Drug Abuse and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Insti-tute of Child Health & Human Development. A full list of PING investi-gators is at http://pingstudy.ucsd.edu/investigators.html. QTIM sample:The authors are grateful to the twins for their generosity of time andwillingness to participate in our study and thank the many researchassistants, radiographers, and other staff at QIMR Berghofer MedicalResearch Institute and the Centre for Advanced Imaging, University ofQueensland. QTIM was funded by the Australian National Health andMedical Research Council (Project Grants No. 496682 and 1009064)and US National Institute of Child Health and Human Development(RO1HD050735). Lachlan Strike was supported by a University ofQueensland PhD scholarship. Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP): thisis part of the Community Medicine Research net (CMR) (http://www.medizin.uni-greifswald.de/icm) of the University Medicine Greifswald,which is supported by the German Federal State of Mecklenburg- WestPomerania. MRI scans in SHIP and SHIP-TREND have been supportedby a joint grant from Siemens Healthineers, Erlangen, Germany and theFederal State of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. This study was furthersupported by the DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research),the German Centre of Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and theEU-JPND Funding for BRIDGET (FKZ:01ED1615). TOP study: this wassupported by the European Community's Seventh Framework Pro-gramme (FP7/2007–2013), grant agreement n 602450. The Southernand Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority supported Lars T. Westlye (grant no. 2014-097) and STROKEMRI (grantno. 2013-054). HUBIN sample: HUBIN was supported by the SwedishResearch Council (K2007-62X-15077-04-1, K2008-62P-20597-01-3,K2010-62X-15078-07-2, K2012-61X-15078-09-3), the regional agree-ment on medical training and clinical research between StockholmCounty Council, and the Karolinska Institutet, and the Knut and AliceWallenberg Foundation. The BIG database: this was established in Nij-megen in 2007, is now part of Cognomics, a joint initiative byresearchers of the Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, theHuman Genetics and Cognitive Neuroscience departments of theRadboud university medical centre, and the Max Planck Institute forPsycholinguistics. The Cognomics Initiative is supported by the partici-pating departments and centres and by external grants, including grantsfrom the Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastruc-ture (Netherlands) (BBMRI-NL) and the Hersenstichting Nederland. Theauthors also acknowledge grants supporting their work from the Neth-erlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), that is, the NWOBrain & Cognition Excellence Program (grant 433-09-229), the ViciInnovation Program (grant 016-130-669 to BF) and #91619115. Addi-tional support is received from the European Community's SeventhFramework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under grant agreements n 602805 (Aggressotype), n 603016 (MATRICS), n 602450(IMAGEMEND), and n 278948 (TACTICS), and from the EuropeanCommunity's Horizon 2020 Programme (H2020/2014–2020) undergrant agreements n 643051 (MiND) and n 667302 (CoCA)

Cranial and extracranial large-vessel giant cell arteritis share a genetic pattern of interferon-gamma pathway

OBJECTIVES: Two main different clinical phenotypes of giant cell arteritis (GCA) have been described, the classic cranial pattern and the extracranial large-vessel (LV) pattern. Since interferon gamma (IFNG) has shown to be a pivotal cytokine in the pathophysiology of GCA, our aim was to evaluate for the first time the influence of IFNG and IFNG receptor 1 (IFNGR1) polymorphisms in the different clinical phenotypes of GCA. METHODS: Two IFNG polymorphisms (rs2069718 G/A and rs1861493 A/G) and one polymorphism in IFNGR1 (rs1327474 G/A) were genotyped in 191 patients with biopsy-proven cranial GCA, 109 with extracranial LV-GCA and 490 healthy controls. A comparative study was conducted between patients with cranial and extracranial LV-GCA. RESULTS: No significant differences in genotype, allele, and haplotype frequencies of IFNG polymorphisms were found between GCA patients with the classic cranial pattern and the extracranial LV-GCA pattern. Similar results were found for genotype and allele frequencies of IFNGR1 polymorphism. It was also the case when patients with extracranial LV-GCA were compared with healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that IFNG and IFNGR1 polymorphisms do not influence the clinical phenotype of expression of GCA. Classic cranial GCA and extracranial LV-GCA seem to share a genetic pattern of IFNG pathway

IFNγ Response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Risk of Infection and Disease in Household Contacts of Tuberculosis Patients in Colombia

OBJECTIVES: Household contacts (HHCs) of pulmonary tuberculosis patients are at high risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and early disease development. Identification of individuals at risk of tuberculosis disease is a desirable goal for tuberculosis control. Interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) using specific M. tuberculosis antigens provide an alternative to tuberculin skin testing (TST) for infection detection. Additionally, the levels of IFNgamma produced in response to these antigens may have prognostic value. We estimated the prevalence of M. tuberculosis infection by IGRA and TST in HHCs and their source population (SP), and assessed whether IFNgamma levels in HHCs correlate with tuberculosis development. METHODS: A cohort of 2060 HHCs was followed for 2-3 years after exposure to a tuberculosis case. Besides TST, IFNgamma responses to mycobacterial antigens: CFP, CFP-10, HspX and Ag85A were assessed in 7-days whole blood cultures and compared to 766 individuals from the SP in Medellín, Colombia. Isoniazid prophylaxis was not offered to child contacts because Colombian tuberculosis regulations consider it only in children under 5 years, TST positive without BCG vaccination. RESULTS: Using TST 65.9% of HHCs and 42.7% subjects from the SP were positive (OR 2.60, p<0.0001). IFNgamma response to CFP-10, a biomarker of M. tuberculosis infection, tested positive in 66.3% HHCs and 24.3% from the SP (OR = 6.07, p<0.0001). Tuberculosis incidence rate was 7.0/1000 person years. Children <5 years accounted for 21.6% of incident cases. No significant difference was found between positive and negative IFNgamma responders to CFP-10 (HR 1.82 95% CI 0.79-4.20 p = 0.16). However, a significant trend for tuberculosis development amongst high HHC IFNgamma producers was observed (trend Log rank p = 0.007). DISCUSSION: CFP-10-induced IFNgamma production is useful to establish tuberculosis infection prevalence amongst HHC and identify those at highest risk of disease. The high tuberculosis incidence amongst children supports administration of chemoprophylaxis to child contacts regardless of BCG vaccination

Genome of the Avirulent Human-Infective Trypanosome—Trypanosoma rangeli

Background: Trypanosoma rangeli is a hemoflagellate protozoan parasite infecting humans and other wild and domestic mammals across Central and South America. It does not cause human disease, but it can be mistaken for the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi. We have sequenced the T. rangeli genome to provide new tools for elucidating the distinct and intriguing biology of this species and the key pathways related to interaction with its arthropod and mammalian hosts.  Methodology/Principal Findings: The T. rangeli haploid genome is ,24 Mb in length, and is the smallest and least repetitive trypanosomatid genome sequenced thus far. This parasite genome has shorter subtelomeric sequences compared to those of T. cruzi and T. brucei; displays intraspecific karyotype variability and lacks minichromosomes. Of the predicted 7,613 protein coding sequences, functional annotations could be determined for 2,415, while 5,043 are hypothetical proteins, some with evidence of protein expression. 7,101 genes (93%) are shared with other trypanosomatids that infect humans. An ortholog of the dcl2 gene involved in the T. brucei RNAi pathway was found in T. rangeli, but the RNAi machinery is non-functional since the other genes in this pathway are pseudogenized. T. rangeli is highly susceptible to oxidative stress, a phenotype that may be explained by a smaller number of anti-oxidant defense enzymes and heatshock proteins.  Conclusions/Significance: Phylogenetic comparison of nuclear and mitochondrial genes indicates that T. rangeli and T. cruzi are equidistant from T. brucei. In addition to revealing new aspects of trypanosome co-evolution within the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, comparative genomic analysis with pathogenic trypanosomatids provides valuable new information that can be further explored with the aim of developing better diagnostic tools and/or therapeutic targets

High relative abundance of firmicutes and increased TNF-α levels correlate with obesity in children

Objective. To investigate the correlation among pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines and the two main gut microbiota phyla in obese children. Materials and methods. Anthropometric data were obtained from 890 children under 14 years old to determine the degree of obesity. Serum cytokine concentration was measured by ELISA. Relative abundance of gut microbiota in feces was evaluated by quantitative RealTime PCR assays. Results. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were statistically higher in overweigth/ obese children (OW/O) than in lean (NW), Increased TNF-α levels were found in obese children that also have a high relative abundance of Firmicutes. Conclusions. Obese children have a high relative abundance of Firmicutes that correlates with increased levels of TNF-α. This is the first study that shows a relation between Firmicute abundance and TNF-α serum concentration in obese children

Can scenario-planning support community-based natural resource management? Experiences from three countries in latin america

Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) is a concept critical to managing socio-ecological systems, but whose implementation needs strengthening. Scenario-planning is one approach that may offer benefits relevant to CBNRM, but whose potential is not yet well understood. We therefore designed, trialled and evaluated a scenario-planning method intended to support CBNRM at three cases, located in Colombia, Mexico and Argentina. Implementing scenario-planning was judged as worthwhile in all three cases, although aspects of it could be challenging to facilitate. The benefits generated were relevant to strengthening CBNRM: encouraging the participation of local people and using their knowledge; enhanced consideration and adaption of future change; and supporting the development of systems thinking. Tracing exactly when and how these benefits arise is challenging, but two elements of the method seemed particularly useful. Firstly, using a systematic approach to discuss how drivers of change may affect local socio-ecological systems helped to foster systems thinking and identify connections between issues. Secondly, explicitly focusing on how to use and respond to scenarios helped identify specific practical activities ('response options') that would support CBNRM despite the pressures of future change. Discussions about response options also highlighted the need for support by other actors (e.g. policy groups): this raises the question of when and how other actors and other sources of knowledge should be involved in scenario-planning, so as to encourage their buy-in to actions identified by the process. We suggest other CBNRM initiatives may benefit from adapting and applying scenario-planning. However, these initiatives should be carefully monitored since further research is required to understand how and when scenario-planning methods may produce benefits, and their strengths and weaknesses versus other methods