Human practices promote presence and abundance of disease-transmitting mosquito species

Humans alter the environment at unprecedented rates through habitat destruction, nutrient pollution and the application of agrochemicals. This has recently been proposed to act as a potentially significant driver of pathogen-carrying mosquito species (disease vectors) that pose a health risk to humans and livestock. Here, we use a unique set of locations along a large geographical gradient to show that landscapes disturbed by a variety of anthropogenic stressors are consistently associated with vector-dominated mosquito communities for a wide range of human and livestock infections. This strongly suggests that human alterations to the environment promote the presence and abundance of disease vectors across large spatial extents. As such, it warrants further studies aimed at unravelling mechanisms underlying vector prevalence in mosquito communities, and opens up new opportunities for preventative action and predictive modelling of vector borne disease risks in relation to degradation of natural ecosystems

Identifying the geographical potential of rooftop systems : Space competition and synergy

Urban areas face severe challenges in mitigating and adapting to climate change within limited space. One solution is to develop multifunctional rooftop systems, which use underexploited urban rooftop spaces. Two main options have been to add greenery by installing extensive green roofs (EGRs) or to generate renewable energy by installing photovoltaic panels (PVs). Recently, combining the two systems on one rooftop (EGR-PV) to harvest both benefits has gained attention. Not every rooftop is suitable for such installations, which makes it difficult to estimate the scale of space a city can expect from rooftops to add greenery, renewable energy, or both. This study presents a geographical potential model using building parameters, a building stock layer, and LiDAR data to simultaneously identify the potential for installing EGRs, PVs, and EGR-PVs on rooftops, highlighting the competition and synergy between EGRs and PVs at the building level. As an empirical illustration to support future multifunctional urban rooftop space planning, Amsterdam was used as a case study. The results show that 47 % of rooftops are suitable for EGRs, which could expand the current greenery space by 6 %, and 55 % are suitable for PVs which could sufficiently provide electricity to households by 2030. Moreover, competition exists for 3.2 %, whereas synergy exists for 42 % of the existing rooftops

European badger habitat requirements in the Netherlands – combining ecological niche models with neighbourhood analysis

European badger populations in the Netherlands suffered strong declines in the 1900s, becoming endangered in the 1980s. Despite mitigation actions, recovery of the population has been slow. Here, we use ecological niche modelling, relating 1515 badger sett (burrow) localities to data on topographic, groundwater table, soil type and land-cover variables, to investigate the factors defining badger habitat suitability. Niche modelling of mobile animals such as badgers is challenging, as relevant features that determine habitat suitability surrounding animal sightings or burrow locations are often unaccounted for. In this study, habitat properties of the entire home range of individuals were incorporated via neighbourhood analysis on land-cover variables. The neighbourhood analysis was applied at different spatial scales, to assess maximum model fit at the scale most representative of badger home-range area in the Netherlands, which was approximately 3.6 km2. Our results showed that marine and river clay render highly unsuitable habitat for badgers. Grassland and maize crops presence, typically reported as driving factors, had little effect on badger distribution in the Netherlands. Instead, moderate vegetation cover, remoteness from urban infrastructures and low groundwater tables resulted in optimal conditions. We conclude that food availability is not a limiting factor for badgers in the Netherlands, but rather appropriate soil conditions for sett digging and non-urban landscapes with sufficient cover for hideout determine their distribution. Our predictions indicate suitable areas that are not currently colonized. The results presented have important implications for management and conservation strategies in the Netherlands. Furthermore, we provide a useful general approach for niche modelling of mobile animals

Human practices promote presence and abundance of disease-transmitting mosquito species

Humans alter the environment at unprecedented rates through habitat destruction, nutrient pollution and the application of agrochemicals. This has recently been proposed to act as a potentially significant driver of pathogen-carrying mosquito species (disease vectors) that pose a health risk to humans and livestock. Here, we use a unique set of locations along a large geographical gradient to show that landscapes disturbed by a variety of anthropogenic stressors are consistently associated with vector-dominated mosquito communities for a wide range of human and livestock infections. This strongly suggests that human alterations to the environment promote the presence and abundance of disease vectors across large spatial extents. As such, it warrants further studies aimed at unravelling mechanisms underlying vector prevalence in mosquito communities, and opens up new opportunities for preventative action and predictive modelling of vector borne disease risks in relation to degradation of natural ecosystems

The use of living labs to advance agro-ecological theory in the transition towards sustainable land use:A tale of two polders

Agricultural ecosystems worldwide are on life support. A key challenge is the translation of global sustainability goals to local contexts, particularly those related to sustainable land use, climate and biodiversity at the landscape scale. Living labs, place-based, focal areas as pilots of change, have the potential to be instrumental in driving the development of local solutions. When used to their full potential, they can both enable the advancement of agro-ecological theory and aid the transition to sustainable agricultural land use. In this viewpoint paper we present two conceptual advancements culminating in their high potential: (1) a methodological approach with replicated modes of transition and reference sites, while proposed agricultural modes are co-created through stakeholder encounters, (2) a framework that enables long-term monitoring of the relation between ecosystem functioning (expressed as leakiness) and biodiversity (expressed as ecological interaction networks), taking into account the full scale of ecological interactions within the agro-ecosystem. We illustrate how these conceptual advances can be implemented in a living lab in the Netherlands. Here, we discuss how these advances can generate impact and accelerate the transition to planetary-scale sustainability in agricultural ecosystems.</p

Effect of ecological and anthropogenic factors on grouping patterns in African lions across Kenya

Abstract: Social carnivores frequently live in fission-fusion societies, where individuals that share a common territory or home range may be found alone, in subgroups, or altogether. Absolute group size and subgroup size is expected to vary according to resource distribution, but for species that are susceptible to anthropogenic pressures, other factors may be important drivers. African lions (Panthera leo) are the only truly social felid and lion prides are characterized by fission-fusion dynamics with social groups frequently splitting and reforming, and subgroup membership can change continuously and frequently. The number of individuals in a group can be reflective of social, ecological, and anthropogenic conditions. This dynamic behavior makes understanding lion grouping patterns crucial for tailoring conservation measures. The evolution of group living in lions has been the topic of numerous studies, and we drew on these to formulate hypotheses relating to group size and subgroup size variation. Based on data collected from 199 lion groups across eight sites in Kenya, we found that group sizes were smaller when lions were closer to human settlements, suggesting that edge effects are impacting lions at a national scale. Smaller groups were also more likely when they were far from water, and were associated with very low and very high levels of non-tree vegetation. We found significant differences between the study sites, with the Maasai Mara having the largest groups (mean +/- SD = 7.7 +/- 4.7, range = 1-19), and Amboseli conservation area the smallest (4.3 +/- 3.5, range = 1-14). While long-term studies within a single site are well suited to thoroughly differentiate between absolute group size and subgroup size, our study provides unique insight into the correlates of grouping patterns in a vulnerable species at a national scale. Social carnivores, such as lions, commonly reside in fission-fusion societies, where individuals may be found alone, in subgroups, or together within a shared territory. While the impact of ecological and anthropogenic conditions on grouping patterns is known at broader scales, the effects of fine-scale variations remain less explored. Lions, as the only truly social felid, exhibit fission-fusion dynamics with frequent and continuous changes in subgroup membership. Through data collected from eight sites across Kenya, we looked at the intricate relationship between ecological and anthropogenic factors and the grouping patterns of lions and observed distinct variations in both group and subgroup sizes at local scales.imag

Mean number of attacks (±sd) by lions prior to and after installation of the LED flashlight technique based on 43 bomas with flashlights.

<p>Mean number of attacks (±sd) by lions prior to and after installation of the LED flashlight technique based on 43 bomas with flashlights.</p

Difference in the probability of lion attacks between the two categories of livestock bomas, (Yes = with Flashlight, No = without flashlight) between 2007 and 2016 based on GLMER model.

<p>Difference in the probability of lion attacks between the two categories of livestock bomas, (Yes = with Flashlight, No = without flashlight) between 2007 and 2016 based on GLMER model.</p

A map of the study area showing the proportion of boma attacks prior to and after installation of the flashlight technique.

<p>Empty circles (○) represent bomas where attacks had been reported before installation and none after installation. The partly filled circles (◔) represent bomas where attacks took place after flashlight installation. The stars (★) represent bomas of interview participants without flashlights.</p