Effectiveness of nine polymorphic microsatellite markers in parentage testing in Posavina, Croatian Coldblood and Lipizzaner horse breeds in Croatia

The global biodiversity crisis extends to autochthonous local breeds of livestock. There is an increasing danger that these rare breeds become extinct and with them their locally adapted gene pool. Modern molecular tools such as parentage testing using microsatellite genotyping are powerful in guiding management and conservation. We tested nine microsatellite markers in three Croatian horse breeds and obtained high exclusion probabilities (EPs) for the most common test scenario ‘one parent and offspring known and the other parent tested’ (99.9% in Posavina and Croatian Coldblood and 99.3% in Lipizzaner), despite that Lipizzaner has an overall lower genetic variability at microsatellite loci. To become a useful tool in breed management in countries with developing economies, genetic screening systems must be designed to be statistically powerful yet economically viable. Therefore, a suite of six markers that can be run in two multiplex systems and which still gives high exclusion probabilities (99.5% in Posavina and Croatian Coldblood and 98% in Lipizzaner) was chosen.     

Identifying cost-effective indicators to assess the conservation status of forested habitats in Natura 2000 sites

The Natura 2000 (N2000) network represents one of the most important actions for biodiversity conservation in Europe; its main aim is to assure the favourable conservation status of Europe's natural habitats and wild species. Monitoring of N2000 sites is required under the Habitats Directive, and Member States are required to report monitoring results to the European Commission. However, there is a widespread lack of understanding about precisely what should be monitored and which methods should be used. This research aimed to identify potential indicators and evaluate their suitability for evaluating the conservation status of forested habitats in N2000 sites. In addition, the cost-effectiveness of monitoring methods was assessed. Three monitoring methods were assessed in two N2000 sites, the Foresta del Cansiglio (IT) and the New Forest (UK): (i) sample plots, (ii) a point-transect method and (iii) a visual assessment method. Indicators were selected on the basis of a literature review, and related to forest structure and composition, dead wood volume, tree regeneration and ground flora composition. Results suggested that mean values of indicators did not differ between the plot and the point-transect-based methods (P > 0.05; paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed rank test). However, the survey method employed influenced the extent of variation within the indicators (as indicated by Z scores), a measure of their sensitivity. Correlations between indicators differed between the two sites. Of the three methods considered, the point-transect method was the most efficient in terms of set-up and total time required, but required the longest time per indicator and surveyed the smallest area (P < 0.001, Kruskal–Wallis test). The visual assessment method assessed the largest forest area; however, total scores of the reference values obtained from the plot-based and point-transect methods were poorly correlated with those obtained from this subjective approach. The contrasting results obtained between different methods and between different sites suggest that a general approach to monitoring N2000 sites may be difficult to develop; rather, a framework that can be adapted to the specific needs and characteristics of individual sites may be required.     

A method for comparing effectiveness of research techniques in conservation and applied ecology

In conservation science or applied ecology there is often a range of techniques available to study a given problem. It is clearly sensible to use the most effective, but the cost-effectiveness of different methods is rarely compared. Comparisons are not straightforward, as the selection of the best method will depend on the time, budget and equipment, and human resources available. The most efficient method in one case might not be that for another with different constraints. To overcome this problem we use a sub-sampling approach to make such comparisons among research techniques, comparing the results achievable with increasingly larger subsets of data, and using a cost-efficiency analysis. We illustrate this approach with a comparison of two common techniques, radio-telemetry and transects surveys, in the study of habitat selection by the lesser kestrels Falco naumanni. Habitat preferences were determined using compositional analysis with the two methods providing similar overall results. Telemetry resulted in a larger number of significant differences between the habitats, but the costs were higher; 312 EUR per statistically significant difference compared to 82.5 EUR for transect data. Transects were a cheaper technique but when surveying a large area they are limited by road availability. We suggest that the comparison of the effectiveness of techniques should be routinely applied to a range of conservation issues.     

基于SFA 中国蛋鸡养殖成本效率测度与分析

为分析我国基于成本最小化的蛋鸡养殖效率情况,选取2004—2014年大、中、小规模蛋鸡养殖投入产出面板数据,运用随机前沿方法(SFA)对我国蛋鸡养殖的成本效率情况进行实证分析。结果表明:全国小规模蛋鸡养殖不存在成本效率损失;各省份普遍存在大、中规模蛋鸡养殖成本无效率;随时间推移,小规模蛋鸡养殖实现了成本效率的提升,但大、中规模蛋鸡养殖成本效率持续下降;地区间大、中规模蛋鸡养殖成本效率差距较为明显;销售价格对成本效率存在负向影响。建议重视大、中规模的蛋鸡养殖情况,加强技术推广以及中规模的专业化养殖。