Esta tese examina as reações sociais ao processo de invasão biológica conduzido pelo javali asselvajado europeu (Sus scrofa) e seus cruzamentos com porcos domésticos, ou “javaporcos”, no Brasil Meridional desde um ponto de vista antropológico. Atualmente, esta espécie figura entre os cem piores organismos invasores do mundo conforme o painel sobre invasões biológicas da União Internacional para a Conservação da Natureza (IUCN, na sigla em inglês). Presente no Brasil desde o final da década de 1980, o javali tem provocado inúmeros danos ao meio ambiente e à produção agropecuária, o que levou o Ministério do Meio Ambiente a decretar sua nocividade e a autorizar sua captura e abate em todo território nacional, por tempo indeterminado. Na região onde a etnografia se concentrou, conhecida como Campanha gaúcha, os suínos asselvajados têm protagonizado ataques ao rebanho ovino, o que os alçou à condição de inimigos da pecuária local. Partindo deste conflito e das negociações estabelecidas entre agentes públicos, proprietários rurais e controladores voluntários, a tese rastreia as controvérsias hoje vigentes no país a respeito do Sus scrofa, bem como as escolhas técnicas efetuadas na região tendo em vista seu controle e manejo. Da mesma maneira, examina os impactos da presença do javali na Campanha gaúcha a partir das relações e analogias estabelecidas pelos agentes locais entre este e outros problemas que afetam o seu cotidiano, como: demais processos de invasão biológica que afetam o bioma Pampa, o declínio socioeconômico da pecuária sulina e o abigeato fronteiriço. Por fim, a tese também analisa os novos contextos de biossegurança produzidos no Brasil a partir da legalização do abate do animal, sob o prisma do conceito antropológico de sacrifício. No plano teórico, a tese se guia pelo conceito de feralidade, nela empregado para refletir sobre a resistência da espécie às tentativas humanas de domesticá-la. / This thesis examines the social reactions to the biological invasion process of European wild boar (Sus scrofa) and their breed with domestic pigs, known as "javaporcos", in southern Brazil from an anthropological perspective. Currently, this species is among the top one hundred worst invasive species in the world, according to the panel on biological invasions of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Present in Brazil since the late 1980s, the boar has caused countless damage to the environment and agricultural production, which led the Ministry of Environment to declare it a harmful animal and to allow its capture and slaughter throughout the country, indefinitely. In the region where the ethnography was focused, known as Campanha gaúcha, feral swine have attacked the sheep, which made them enemies of the local ranching community. From this conflict and the negotiations between government officials, landowners and volunteer controllers, the thesis traces the current controversy in the country regarding Sus scrofa, as well as the technical choices made in the region to control and manage it. Similarly, the thesis examines the impact of the presence of boars in the Campanha gaúcha region, based on the relationships and analogies established by local agents between this and other issues that affect their daily lives, such as other biological invasion process that affect the Pampa biome, the socio-economic decline of the southern livestock raising industry and livestock raiding at the borders. Finally, the thesis also analyzes new biosecurity contexts created in Brazil after the slaughter of the animal was authorized, from the perspective of the anthropological concept of sacrifice. Theoretically, the thesis is guided by the concept of ferality, thus used to reflect upon the resistance of the species to human attempts to domesticate it.

The external dispersal ("epizoochory") of vascular plant diaspores (seeds and fruits) by roe deer and wild boar, i.e. the most common wild large mammals with a large home range in central Europe, was investigated in a 6.5-km² forest area in NE Germany dominated by mesic deciduous forests. The study involved brushing out the diaspores from the coats and hooves of 25 shot roe deer and nine wild boar. The results were compared with the forest vegetation of the study area. Whilst wild boar transported large amounts of various diaspores in the coat, the significance of roe deer for epizoochory was low due to their sleek fur and different behaviour compared to wild boar. Altogether, 55 vascular plant species were transported externally. Since only a limited number of seeds came from woodland habitats, the open landscape was at least as important as a source of attached seeds as the forest vegetation. Thus, most plant species occurring in the studied forest area, especially characteristic woodland herbs, showed no adaptations to epizoochorous dispersal, although being very abundant in the herb layer. We conclude that hoofed game play a particular role concerning the dispersal of ruderal and grassland species in the agricultural landscape of central Europe. However, the actual spread of some herb species in forests of northern Germany, e.g. <i>Agrostis capillaris</i>, <i>Brachypodium sylvaticum</i>, <i>Deschampsia flexuosa</i>, <i>Galium aparine</i> and <i>Urtica dioica</i>, may be mainly facilitated by wild ungulates. Though dispersal by large mammals is an important mechanism for long-distance dispersal of plants in general, our results suggest that most of the characteristic herb species of mesic deciduous forests have only low epizoochorous dispersal potentials. The implications for nature conservation and silviculture are discussed. / Die Ausbreitung von Gefäßpflanzen-Diasporen (Samen und Früchte) durch äußerliche Anhaftung ("Epizoochorie") an Rehen und Wildschweinen, den beiden häufigsten Schalenwild-Arten in Mitteleuropa, wurde im 6,5 km² großen Forst Brieselang bei Berlin (Bundesland Brandenburg) untersucht, in dem mesophile Laubwälder vorherrschen. Dazu wurden die Felle und Hufe von 25 geschossenen Rehen und neun Wildschweinen ausgekämmt und die Diasporen anschließend bestimmt. Die Ergebnisse wurden mit der Waldvegetation verglichen. Während Wildschweine große Mengen verschiedener Diasporentypen transportierten, war die Bedeutung von Rehen für die Ausbreitung von Pflanzen auf Grund des glatten Fells und der im Vergleich zum Wildschwein unterschiedlichen Verhaltensweisen wesentlich geringer. Insgesamt wurden 55 Phanerogamenarten epizoochor transportiert. Da nur ein kleiner Teil der ausgebreiteten Pflanzen Waldhabitate bevorzugt, war das Offenland eine mindestens ebenso wichtige Quelle anhaftender Diasporen wie die Waldvegetation. Die meisten Waldpflanzenarten wurden nicht ausgebreitet; insbesondere solche Arten, die ausschließlich in Wäldern wachsen, wurden nicht nachgewiesen. Viele Pflanzenarten sind – vermutlich auf Grund ihrer Diasporenmorphologie – weitgehend vom Transport ausgeschlossen, obwohl sie sehr häufig in der Krautschicht des untersuchten Waldes vorkommen. Daher ist Schalenwild in der Agrarlandschaft Mitteleuropas vermutlich vor allem für die Ausbreitung von Ruderal-, Segetal- und Grünlandpflanzen von Bedeutung. Die Ausbreitung einiger Pflanzenarten der Krautschicht in norddeutschen Wäldern z.B. <i>Agrostis capillaris</i>, <i>Brachypodium sylvaticum</i>, <i>Deschampsia flexuosa</i>, <i>Galium aparine</i> und <i>Urtica dioica</i>, könnte jedoch wesentlich auf Schalenwild zurückgehen. Obwohl Großsäuger insgesamt ein wichtiger Vektor für die Fernausbreitung von Pflanzen sind, zeigt unsere Studie, dass die meisten charakteristischen Waldbodenpflanzen mesophiler Laubwälder kaum ausgebreitet werden, also nur ein geringes epizoochores Ausbreitungspotenzial aufweisen. Die Bedeutung der Ergebnisse für den Waldnaturschutz und den Waldbau wird diskutiert.

These days, wild pig, or wild boar, causes considerable damage in the Czech Republic, but also in other countries of almost the whole of Europe. The thesis describes the issues of damage done by the wild pig and the protective measures against this damage. The basis of the thesis was to measure the areas of damaged vegetation of unbearded and bearded varieties of wheat. Damaged areas on individual fields of both varieties were then compared with each other and evaluated. The choice of a variety, as an agro-technological measure against damage done by wild pigs, showed to be very effective. The damages that the wild pig did in unbearded varieties were not done in bearded ones.

Esta tese examina as reações sociais ao processo de invasão biológica conduzido pelo javali asselvajado europeu (Sus scrofa) e seus cruzamentos com porcos domésticos, ou “javaporcos”, no Brasil Meridional desde um ponto de vista antropológico. Atualmente, esta espécie figura entre os cem piores organismos invasores do mundo conforme o painel sobre invasões biológicas da União Internacional para a Conservação da Natureza (IUCN, na sigla em inglês). Presente no Brasil desde o final da década de 1980, o javali tem provocado inúmeros danos ao meio ambiente e à produção agropecuária, o que levou o Ministério do Meio Ambiente a decretar sua nocividade e a autorizar sua captura e abate em todo território nacional, por tempo indeterminado. Na região onde a etnografia se concentrou, conhecida como Campanha gaúcha, os suínos asselvajados têm protagonizado ataques ao rebanho ovino, o que os alçou à condição de inimigos da pecuária local. Partindo deste conflito e das negociações estabelecidas entre agentes públicos, proprietários rurais e controladores voluntários, a tese rastreia as controvérsias hoje vigentes no país a respeito do Sus scrofa, bem como as escolhas técnicas efetuadas na região tendo em vista seu controle e manejo. Da mesma maneira, examina os impactos da presença do javali na Campanha gaúcha a partir das relações e analogias estabelecidas pelos agentes locais entre este e outros problemas que afetam o seu cotidiano, como: demais processos de invasão biológica que afetam o bioma Pampa, o declínio socioeconômico da pecuária sulina e o abigeato fronteiriço. Por fim, a tese também analisa os novos contextos de biossegurança produzidos no Brasil a partir da legalização do abate do animal, sob o prisma do conceito antropológico de sacrifício. No plano teórico, a tese se guia pelo conceito de feralidade, nela empregado para refletir sobre a resistência da espécie às tentativas humanas de domesticá-la. / This thesis examines the social reactions to the biological invasion process of European wild boar (Sus scrofa) and their breed with domestic pigs, known as "javaporcos", in southern Brazil from an anthropological perspective. Currently, this species is among the top one hundred worst invasive species in the world, according to the panel on biological invasions of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Present in Brazil since the late 1980s, the boar has caused countless damage to the environment and agricultural production, which led the Ministry of Environment to declare it a harmful animal and to allow its capture and slaughter throughout the country, indefinitely. In the region where the ethnography was focused, known as Campanha gaúcha, feral swine have attacked the sheep, which made them enemies of the local ranching community. From this conflict and the negotiations between government officials, landowners and volunteer controllers, the thesis traces the current controversy in the country regarding Sus scrofa, as well as the technical choices made in the region to control and manage it. Similarly, the thesis examines the impact of the presence of boars in the Campanha gaúcha region, based on the relationships and analogies established by local agents between this and other issues that affect their daily lives, such as other biological invasion process that affect the Pampa biome, the socio-economic decline of the southern livestock raising industry and livestock raiding at the borders. Finally, the thesis also analyzes new biosecurity contexts created in Brazil after the slaughter of the animal was authorized, from the perspective of the anthropological concept of sacrifice. Theoretically, the thesis is guided by the concept of ferality, thus used to reflect upon the resistance of the species to human attempts to domesticate it.

A introdução de espécies cresceu nos últimos séculos e muitas delas têm se tornado problema devido à alta capacidade de invasão, modificando ecossistemas naturais e ameaçando espécies nativas. O javali (Sus scrofa) tem demonstrado grande capacidade de invasão e de produção de danos à biodiversidade e agropecuária. No Brasil, a combinação de ambientes com grãos cultivados e remanescentes de vegetação silvestre parece oferecer aos javalis condições alimentares adequadas. Neste trabalho analisamos o conteúdo estomacal de javalis abatidos por controladores para caracterizar a composição de alimentos explorados em três ecorregiões brasileiras – os Campos Sulinos, as Florestas de Araucária e o Pantanal - e avaliar os possíveis riscos que a espécie pode representar para a produção agropecuária e a conservação da biodiversidade. Examinamos a existência de padrões de dieta em cada ecorregião e sua relação com atributos dos indivíduos, do ambiente e da caça através de métodos de ordenação. Visualizamos a distribuição de macronutrientes através da ferramenta gráfica Triângulo-Retângulo de Mistura. Partes aéreas de plantas frescas e raízes formaram a base da dieta nas três ecorregiões. Quando disponíveis, grãos cultivados nos Campos Sulinos e Florestas de Araucária e frutos e sementes silvestres no Pantanal parecem ser preferidos à forragem, o que pode ser explicado por possuírem alto valor energético. Raízes e invertebrados são importantes alimentos no Pantanal, principalmente no período de vazante. Além do registro do consumo de fauna nativa houve o consumo de ovinos. Nas três ecorregiões estudadas há grande variação na proporção em que itens são encontrados em cada estômago. Estes achados sugerem que as necessidades nutricionais são menos importantes ou de difícil ajuste nas condições limitantes dos ambientes silvestres. Nos Campos Sulinos o consumo de proteínas alcançou níveis ideais para crescimento e lactação quando comparado ao porco doméstico o que sugere melhores condições de expansão e abundância nessa região. De forma geral, a dieta de javalis nas ecorregiões estudadas sugere que os principais danos à biodiversidade estejam mais relacionados com a competição difusa por exploração de recursos e alterações nos hábitats e processos ecossistêmicos pela busca por recursos do que pela predação de espécies de interesse especial de conservação. / Introduction of species has grown in recent centuries and many have become a problem due to high invasiveness, modifying natural ecosystems and threatening native species. Wild boar (Sus scrofa) has demonstrated great capacity for invasion and production of damages to biodiversity and agriculture. In Brazil, the combination of environments with cultivated grains and remnants of wild vegetation seems to offer the wild boars adequate food conditions. In this study, we analyzed the stomach contents of wild boars slaughtered by controllers to characterize the composition of foods exploited in three Brazilian ecoregions characterized by mosaics of fields and forests – the South Brazilian Campos, the Araucaria Forests and Pantanal - and to evaluate the possible risks that the species can represent for agricultural production and conservation of biodiversity. We examined the existence of dietary patterns in each ecoregion and its relation with individuals' attributes, the environment and hunting through ordering methods. We visualize the macronutrient distribution through the right-angle misture triangle (RMT) tool. Aerial parts of fresh plants and roots formed the basis of diet in the three ecoregions. When available, grains grown in the South Brazilian Campos and Araucaria Forests and wild fruits and seeds in the Pantanal seem to be preferred to the forage, which can be explained by their high energy value. Roots and invertebrates are important food in the Pantanal, especially in the period of ebb. In addition to the consumption of native fauna, there was consumption of sheep. In the three ecoregions studied there is great variation in the proportion in which items are found in each stomach. These findings suggest that nutritional needs are less important or difficult to adjust under conditions that limit wild environments. In the Shouth Brazilian Campos the protein consumption reached optimal levels for growth and lactation when compared to the domestic pig, which suggests better conditions of expansion and abundance in this region. In general, the wild boar diet in the ecoregions studied suggests that the main damages to biodiversity are more related to the diffuse competition for resource exploitation and changes in habitats and ecosystem processes due to the search for resources than for the predation of species of special interest to conservation.

Esta tese examina as reações sociais ao processo de invasão biológica conduzido pelo javali asselvajado europeu (Sus scrofa) e seus cruzamentos com porcos domésticos, ou “javaporcos”, no Brasil Meridional desde um ponto de vista antropológico. Atualmente, esta espécie figura entre os cem piores organismos invasores do mundo conforme o painel sobre invasões biológicas da União Internacional para a Conservação da Natureza (IUCN, na sigla em inglês). Presente no Brasil desde o final da década de 1980, o javali tem provocado inúmeros danos ao meio ambiente e à produção agropecuária, o que levou o Ministério do Meio Ambiente a decretar sua nocividade e a autorizar sua captura e abate em todo território nacional, por tempo indeterminado. Na região onde a etnografia se concentrou, conhecida como Campanha gaúcha, os suínos asselvajados têm protagonizado ataques ao rebanho ovino, o que os alçou à condição de inimigos da pecuária local. Partindo deste conflito e das negociações estabelecidas entre agentes públicos, proprietários rurais e controladores voluntários, a tese rastreia as controvérsias hoje vigentes no país a respeito do Sus scrofa, bem como as escolhas técnicas efetuadas na região tendo em vista seu controle e manejo. Da mesma maneira, examina os impactos da presença do javali na Campanha gaúcha a partir das relações e analogias estabelecidas pelos agentes locais entre este e outros problemas que afetam o seu cotidiano, como: demais processos de invasão biológica que afetam o bioma Pampa, o declínio socioeconômico da pecuária sulina e o abigeato fronteiriço. Por fim, a tese também analisa os novos contextos de biossegurança produzidos no Brasil a partir da legalização do abate do animal, sob o prisma do conceito antropológico de sacrifício. No plano teórico, a tese se guia pelo conceito de feralidade, nela empregado para refletir sobre a resistência da espécie às tentativas humanas de domesticá-la. / This thesis examines the social reactions to the biological invasion process of European wild boar (Sus scrofa) and their breed with domestic pigs, known as "javaporcos", in southern Brazil from an anthropological perspective. Currently, this species is among the top one hundred worst invasive species in the world, according to the panel on biological invasions of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Present in Brazil since the late 1980s, the boar has caused countless damage to the environment and agricultural production, which led the Ministry of Environment to declare it a harmful animal and to allow its capture and slaughter throughout the country, indefinitely. In the region where the ethnography was focused, known as Campanha gaúcha, feral swine have attacked the sheep, which made them enemies of the local ranching community. From this conflict and the negotiations between government officials, landowners and volunteer controllers, the thesis traces the current controversy in the country regarding Sus scrofa, as well as the technical choices made in the region to control and manage it. Similarly, the thesis examines the impact of the presence of boars in the Campanha gaúcha region, based on the relationships and analogies established by local agents between this and other issues that affect their daily lives, such as other biological invasion process that affect the Pampa biome, the socio-economic decline of the southern livestock raising industry and livestock raiding at the borders. Finally, the thesis also analyzes new biosecurity contexts created in Brazil after the slaughter of the animal was authorized, from the perspective of the anthropological concept of sacrifice. Theoretically, the thesis is guided by the concept of ferality, thus used to reflect upon the resistance of the species to human attempts to domesticate it.

A introdução de espécies cresceu nos últimos séculos e muitas delas têm se tornado problema devido à alta capacidade de invasão, modificando ecossistemas naturais e ameaçando espécies nativas. O javali (Sus scrofa) tem demonstrado grande capacidade de invasão e de produção de danos à biodiversidade e agropecuária. No Brasil, a combinação de ambientes com grãos cultivados e remanescentes de vegetação silvestre parece oferecer aos javalis condições alimentares adequadas. Neste trabalho analisamos o conteúdo estomacal de javalis abatidos por controladores para caracterizar a composição de alimentos explorados em três ecorregiões brasileiras – os Campos Sulinos, as Florestas de Araucária e o Pantanal - e avaliar os possíveis riscos que a espécie pode representar para a produção agropecuária e a conservação da biodiversidade. Examinamos a existência de padrões de dieta em cada ecorregião e sua relação com atributos dos indivíduos, do ambiente e da caça através de métodos de ordenação. Visualizamos a distribuição de macronutrientes através da ferramenta gráfica Triângulo-Retângulo de Mistura. Partes aéreas de plantas frescas e raízes formaram a base da dieta nas três ecorregiões. Quando disponíveis, grãos cultivados nos Campos Sulinos e Florestas de Araucária e frutos e sementes silvestres no Pantanal parecem ser preferidos à forragem, o que pode ser explicado por possuírem alto valor energético. Raízes e invertebrados são importantes alimentos no Pantanal, principalmente no período de vazante. Além do registro do consumo de fauna nativa houve o consumo de ovinos. Nas três ecorregiões estudadas há grande variação na proporção em que itens são encontrados em cada estômago. Estes achados sugerem que as necessidades nutricionais são menos importantes ou de difícil ajuste nas condições limitantes dos ambientes silvestres. Nos Campos Sulinos o consumo de proteínas alcançou níveis ideais para crescimento e lactação quando comparado ao porco doméstico o que sugere melhores condições de expansão e abundância nessa região. De forma geral, a dieta de javalis nas ecorregiões estudadas sugere que os principais danos à biodiversidade estejam mais relacionados com a competição difusa por exploração de recursos e alterações nos hábitats e processos ecossistêmicos pela busca por recursos do que pela predação de espécies de interesse especial de conservação. / Introduction of species has grown in recent centuries and many have become a problem due to high invasiveness, modifying natural ecosystems and threatening native species. Wild boar (Sus scrofa) has demonstrated great capacity for invasion and production of damages to biodiversity and agriculture. In Brazil, the combination of environments with cultivated grains and remnants of wild vegetation seems to offer the wild boars adequate food conditions. In this study, we analyzed the stomach contents of wild boars slaughtered by controllers to characterize the composition of foods exploited in three Brazilian ecoregions characterized by mosaics of fields and forests – the South Brazilian Campos, the Araucaria Forests and Pantanal - and to evaluate the possible risks that the species can represent for agricultural production and conservation of biodiversity. We examined the existence of dietary patterns in each ecoregion and its relation with individuals' attributes, the environment and hunting through ordering methods. We visualize the macronutrient distribution through the right-angle misture triangle (RMT) tool. Aerial parts of fresh plants and roots formed the basis of diet in the three ecoregions. When available, grains grown in the South Brazilian Campos and Araucaria Forests and wild fruits and seeds in the Pantanal seem to be preferred to the forage, which can be explained by their high energy value. Roots and invertebrates are important food in the Pantanal, especially in the period of ebb. In addition to the consumption of native fauna, there was consumption of sheep. In the three ecoregions studied there is great variation in the proportion in which items are found in each stomach. These findings suggest that nutritional needs are less important or difficult to adjust under conditions that limit wild environments. In the Shouth Brazilian Campos the protein consumption reached optimal levels for growth and lactation when compared to the domestic pig, which suggests better conditions of expansion and abundance in this region. In general, the wild boar diet in the ecoregions studied suggests that the main damages to biodiversity are more related to the diffuse competition for resource exploitation and changes in habitats and ecosystem processes due to the search for resources than for the predation of species of special interest to conservation.

Studies in zoo-archaeological Neolithic contexts is the study of early animal domestication in relation to humans transitioning into a more sedentary species. Research and documentation are vital for reconstructing the mechanisms behind the threshold event. In this thesis, teeth of Suidae have been documented, analysed and compared osteologically and interpreted cross-culturally. In addition, aDNA, isotope, coat colour and physical mammal size affecting factor studies are presented to contextualise this thesis. Primary osteological methods are Mandibular Wear Stage (MWS), Linear Enamel Hypoplasia (LEH) recordings and lower jaw third molar (M3) length measurement. These methods can detect biometric domestication markers. The analysed Suidae teeth are from the Middle Neolithic site of Ajvide, Gotland, Sweden. A collection of modern wild boar act as Control sample. These teeth are compared primarily with known domestic pig teeth sample statistics from the British Late Neolithic site of Durrington Walls, Wiltshire, United Kingdom. Results indicate that the Middle Neolithic Pitted Ware culture (PWC) on Gotland hunted during winter and kept limited numbers of captive wild boars as totemic animals (pets) possibly bound to land and ancestry. However, an exact reconstruction of the PWC pig pet keeping practices are uncertain due to human-pig relationships being highly dynamic. Intensified pig hunting, not pet keeping should be considered early domestication. Domestication carries with it detectable biometric markers, which seem to be rare in the Neolithic. The cross-cultural comparisons on traditional pig ‘low-intensity husbandry’ can attest to a human-pig relationship of hunter-gatherers keeping captive wild animals. The pig was not a staple food for the PWC and thus not intensively hunted, rather pigs were rare ritualistic commodities and likely highly praised. Perpetuating this human-pig relationship could have been maintained by PWC ‘big men’ that engaged in socio-political lavish giveaways at festivities and funerals, thus ‘hogging wealth’, but never domesticated the pig. / Studier i neolitiska zoo-arkeologiska sammanhang är undersökningar av tidig domesticering av djur i förhållande till mänsklighetens övergång till en mer stillasittande art. Forskning och dokumentation är avgörande för att rekonstruera mekanismerna bakom övergången. I denna uppsats har svintänder dokumenterats, analyserats och jämförts osteologiskt och tolkats tvärkulturellt. Studier i aDNA, isotop, pälsfärg och fysiska storleksfaktorer hos däggdjur presenteras också för att kontextualisera denna uppsats. Primära osteologiska metoder är tandslitage i underkäke (MWS), linjär emaljhypoplasi (LEH) och underkäkens tredje molar (M3) mätningar. Dessa metoder kan finna biometriska domesticeringsmarkörer. De analyserade svintänderna kommer ifrån den mellanneolitiska lokalen Ajvide, Eksta socken, Gotland. En samling moderna vildsvin agerar kontrollmaterial. Dessa tänder jämförs i första hand med kända domesticerade stenåldersvin från den Brittiska senneolitiska lokalen Durrington Walls, Wiltshire, Storbritannien. Resultaten indikerar på att den mellanneolitiska gropkeramiska kulturen (GRK), jagade på Gotland under vinterhalvåret och tog tillfånga ett begränsat antal svin som husdjur (totemdjur). Troligen togs svin tillfånga av olika ’hus’ till följd av att svinet var bundet till land och förfäder. En exakt rekonstruktion av GRKs svinhållningspraktik är dock osäkert på grund av att människo-svin relationer är dynamiska. Intensifierad svinjakt, inte tillfångatagandet av enstaka djur bör betraktas som tidig domesticering. Domesticering medför speciella biometriska markörer som är ovanligare i neolitisk tid. De tvärkulturella jämförelserna i traditionell "lågintensiv svinhållning" kan intyga på ett sådant förhållande mellan jägare-samlar grupper och vildsvin. Även om svinet inte var en basföda åt GRK, och därmed inte intensivt jagade, var svinen sällsynta ritualistiska handelsvaror och troligen högt värdesatta. Gropkeramiska "stormän" kan ha varit de drivande bakom denna praktik. Dessa ”stormän” engagerade sig i sociopolitiska aktiviteter, festligheter och begravningar, och därmed hade "hamstrat välstånd", men domesticerade aldrig svinet.

Various animal or vegetable origin bio-indicators are used for the assessment of the environmental contamination. The wild animals were chosen for monitoring of xenobiotic based organohalogen compounds. The district health facility staff collected the samples of wild boars in the territory of Central Bohemia. The controlled substances were isolated from the matrix by an extraction. The extraction was made by a petrolether and then it was purified by a column chromatography. A final cleansing of the extract was made by an acid hydrolysis. The determination of the selected analytes was finished by the method of gas chromatography with an electron capture detector. The results gave us basic information about the wild boar contamination of organohalogen pollutants.

Background: In recent years, several new ELISAs for the detection of antibodies against the porcine reproductive and respiratory disease virus (PRRSV) in pig serum have been developed. To interpret the results, specificity and sensitivity data as well as agreement to a reference ELISA must be available. In this study, three commercial ELISAs (INgezim PRRS 2.0 - ELISA II, Priocheck® PRRSV Ab porcine – ELISA III and CIVTEST suis PRRS E/S PLUS - ELISA IV, detecting PRRSV type 1 antibodies) were compared to a standard ELISA (IDEXX PRRS X3 Ab Test - ELISA I). The serum of three pigs vaccinated with an attenuated PRRSV live vaccine (genotype 2) was tested prior to and several times after the vaccination. Furthermore, serum samples of 245 pigs of PRRSV positive herds, 309 pigs of monitored PRRSV negative herds, 256 fatteners of assumed PRRSV negative herds with unknown herd history and 92 wild boars were tested with all four ELISAs. Results: ELISAs II and III were able to detect seroconversion of vaccinated pigs with a similar reliability. According to kappa coefficient, the results showed an almost perfect agreement between ELISA I as reference and ELISA II and III (kappa > 0.8), and substantial agreement between ELISA I and ELISA IV (kappa = 0.71). Sensitivity of ELISA II, III and IV was 96.0%, 100% and 91.5%, respectively. The specificity of the ELISAs determined in samples of monitored PRRSV negative herds was 99.0%, 95.1% and 96.4%, respectively. In assumed negative farms that were not continually monitored, more positive samples were found with ELISA II to IV. The reference ELISA I had a specificity of 100% in this study. Conclusions: All tested ELISAs were able to detect a PRRSV positive herd. The specificity and sensitivity of the tested commercial ELISAs, however, differed. ELISA II had the highest specificity an ELISA III had the highest sensitivity in comparison to the reference ELISA. ELISA IV had a lower sensitivity and specificity than the other ELISAs.