No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

The loss of biodiversity is accepted as a vital area of research and habitat destruction due to human activity is a major cause of such biodiversity loss. Agriculture has resulted in widespread modification of the natural landscape. In these highly modified landscapes, however, remnants of semi natural habitat remain, potentially providing key refugia for biodiversity. Riparian areas are potentially relatively species rich zones, due to the ecotone of habitats ranging from fully terrestrial to aquatic. The present research investigated response patterns of species diversity in riparian environments of agricultural areas. At rivers locations across Northern Ireland, situated in permanent grassland agriculture, were selected, surveys of species richness were carried out for mammals, both carnivores and bats, birds, fish and invertebrates with a focus on carabid beetles. The analysis of patterns of diversity and habitat associations within in each group was investigated and comparison made across taxa. An information thoretic approach is used to develop models of species habitat association and emerging community analysis approaches used to examine community patterens: Contrasting patterns of species richness were observed, both within and between taxa. The implications for conservating biodiveristy in riparain habitats is discussed.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Crop damage by wildlife is a significant threat to global conservation and human development. This interdisciplinary study compared the actual and perceived risk of primate crop raiding around Budongo Forest Reserve, northwest Uganda during 2004/2005. Weekly farm monitoring established that at least seven wild species damage crops, and primates (primarily baboons) are responsible for forty percent of all raids. The creation of risk maps using GIS technology and logistic regression revealed that those cultivating maize close to the forest edge are particularly vulnerable to loss. An elevated level of human presence was found to significantly reduce raids by wild species although it is not considered effective due to the high social cost. Overall the majority of farmers experience little damage by wildlife and many other factors limit agricultural production e.g. insects, weather and domestic livestock; goats raid more frequently than any other animal and their pruning of maize was proven to significantly reduce yield. Despite the low risk of actual loss, semi-structured interviews, focus groups and pm1icipant observation revealed that crop raiding by wild species is believed to be the most significant limitation to livelihoods in this area. Damage intensity, fluctuations in social condition and restrictions on traditional crop protection methods all inflate perceptions of risk. Crop damage by wildlife also symbolizes control by external forces; the forest is believed to be 'owned' by the same organizations that impose conservation legislation and restrict access to resources. Raiding species, and primates in particular, are judged alongside human moral values and local people are more tolerant of animals they believe they can control or that have associated benefits i.e. domestic and game species.

No description available.

No description available.