Structure and Dynamics of Sheep Systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The paper presents the analysis of dynamics and structure of the sheep systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina assuming that they suffered a decrease of animal and farms consistency in the last 6 decades. Since 1991 neither a general nor agricultural censuses were made to provide information about the present state of sheep farming in the country. An analysis of the available statistical records of agricultural trends related to the sheep sector was performed. In addition, a depth questionnaire by consulting national experts was performed in order to obtain relevant information on the spatial distribution, consistency, feeding management, production and environmental impact on the present structure of sheep production systems. A decrease in sheep number was observed over the last six decades, but less than in other species. Six main sheep systems in three biogeographical regions were identified. Differences in animal spatial distribution, production purpose and other characteristics of the systems indicate that the environmental and socio-economic factors throughout the country strongly influence the choice of breeding methods and management. All consulted experts indicated the lack of support for sheep systems in relation to agro environmental management, landscape conservation and biodiversity preservation

Deaf ACCESS: Adapting Consent through Community Engagement and State-of-the-art Simulation (poster)

One of the most severely underserved populations in the U.S. health system is the Deaf community - a sociolinguistic minority group that communicates using American Sign Language (ASL). A recent ASL health survey found startling disparities in obesity, domestic violence, and suicide compared to the general population. Further research on these disparities is lacking due, in part, to researchers\u27 use of recruitment, sampling, and data collection procedures that are inaccessible to Deaf ASL users. Another barrier to Deaf people\u27s research engagement is fear and mistrust of the biomedical community. Rather than recognizing Deaf people as a cultural group, doctors and biomedical researchers often follow the medical model of deafness, which aims to cure or fix hearing loss and, historically, has sought to eradicate deafness - an approach considered a form of eugenics among members of the Deaf community. To address these issues of inaccessibility and mistrust, our community-engaged research team is conducting a two-year R21 study funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorder (NIDCD) to: 1) Identify barriers and facilitators to Deaf community involvement in research and develop a training video for researchers to improve the research informed consent process with Deaf participants; and, 2) Test the training video regarding delivering culturally and linguistically appropriate informed consent with Deaf research participants using an ASL interpreter. During the poster session, we will summarize our formative findings from Deaf community forums and focus groups, as well as exhibit clips of the researcher training video that is currently under development

Large scale grazing systems for biodiversity conservation

Large Scale Grazing Systems (LSGS) are complex structures emerging from the interaction of pastoral activities and natural resources. Man-made and nature laws are intertwined in systems of grassland management to produce large-scale effects. LSGS actually harbour a significant part of European natural values, but also include a small part of the rural population striving to make a living under harsh environmental and social conditions. This paper provides a synthesis of lessons learned from a wider research conducted with Greek and Spanish partners (Caballero et al., 2009) aimed at responding to what is left behind under current trend of grasslands abandonment. We have dealt with identification, analysis and diagnosis, but not with prescription. Our main argument is that extensive grazing is congenial with natural values of grasslands, but is the former that gives way to the latter. This assumption was tested for the main Italian LSGS throughout the identification of Successional Trajectories and Target Vegetation types. We detected general patterns of shrubby overgrowth on grazing cessation, increasing species richness with extensive grazing and plant species adapted to grazing or post-grazing succession. The relationship between grazing and biodiversity was not univocal, and spatial and temporal management of grasslands play a major role. It must be stressed the importance of adequate knowledge of the specific impacts of grazing regimes (temporality and grazing intensity) on species and habitat. LSGS face some common threats from intensification in the lowlands to abandonment in the far-reaching and less favoured grassland surfaces. Harsh conditions, social fragility, lacks of assurance of family business turn over, and poor economic performance, are common drivers of change, under a global setting of economic development. However, differential diagnosis of these constraints and alternative management practices at the regional level are further required in devising and implementing desirable grassland management plans and policy frameworks