Issues

The populations of Maritsa barbel fish (Barbus cyclolepis Heckel, 1848) are under increasing
anthropogenic pressure, necessitating constant monitoring and assessment of the demographic
indicators of this endemic and protected species. The study empirically proves the utility of a hitherto
theoretically-defined method of Marinov (1964) for determining the population sex structure.
It uses the difference in the height of the anal fin between male and female the Maritsa barbels in
order to determine the sex of a fish specimen. The empirical investigation, undertaken in order to
test the method, utilized a large sample of 518 fish specimens, caught in the Chepinska River, outside
of the spawning seasons, during the time period 2006–2010. The results are then compared
with those, obtained from a smaller sample, caught in the same river in the years 2010–2011,
during a period in which all mature individuals will have formed gonads. The comparative analysis
of the results from the two samples proves the accuracy of the method for determining juvenile
fish sex and thus provides a comprehensive representation of the sex structure of Maritsa barbel
populations. Empirically proving the utility of the theoretical model entails two important conclusions
for assessing the reproductive potential and estimating the stock size of the fish. First, this
morphological peculiarity of the Maritsa barbel permits the accurate determination of its population
sex structure throughout the year, not only during the spawning season. Consequently, no
killing of fish from this endemic species would be necessary in order to monitor the populations.

Sumatran elephants are one of the endangered species that are protected, and some of them
have been tamed (and trained) to support tourism activities. The purpose of this study was to determine
the carrying capacity of elephants in supporting tourism activities at the Elephant Training
Centre, Way Kambas National Park. Data obtained through interviews and observations, followed
with analysis on the carrying capacity of elephants for various tourist activities, including Elephant
Riding, Tracking, Safari, Night Safari, and Full Day. The results showed that the elephant carrying
capacity was still maintained, with up to 390 people per day that could be entertained by 23
elephants. The balance between the purpose of protection and elephant tourism can be achieved
if the elephant carrying capacity is not exceeded. Intensive promotion and provision of adequate
tourism facilities and infrastructure need to be carried out by managers of Elephant Training Centre
to increase the number of tourists, moreover on special interest tours; where this will have a
significant impact on increasing non-tax state revenues following the elephant carrying capacity.

Some global markets’ demand towards sustainable forest management is contributing to the
displacement of national governments as the central source of environmental rule-making authority.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a particularly innovative example of a voluntary nonstate
market-driven governance mechanism. Hosting the largest proportion of the global forest
resources the Russian Federation is particularly important arena for forest certification. A new
Russian forest management FSC standard based on International Generic Indicators is planned
for approval at the beginning of 2019. It is thus crucial to understand what this voluntary mechanism
identifies as barriers to different aspects of sustainable forest management. We assessed
the overall state of FSC forest management certification in Russia by analysing quantitative and
qualitative variables of non-conformities exhibited regarding (1) regional specifics, (2) size of forest
management units of certificate holders, (3) certification bodies and (4) type of evaluation. The
current state of FSC forest management certification in Russia is characterized by the dominance
of the certified area in the European part of the country, where its density is 3–4 times higher. The
geographic location of various certification bodies has been established; in particular, LLC ‘Forest
certification’ dominate in Siberia, ‘SGS Qualifor’ in Far East, and the rest are operating mainly
in the European part. As a result of the analysis, no differences were revealed in the number of
non-conformities exposed due to the size of forest management units and their geographical location.
In most cases, there is no significant difference between the certification bodies. However,
we reliably found a greater number of non-conformities exhibited by LLC ‘Forest certification’ in
comparison with ‘NEPCon’. In addition, a significant difference is found between the number of
non-conformities and the type of evaluation. Principles 6, 8, and 9 are more problematic, with a
higher frequency of non-conformities.

Himalayan moist temperate forests have the highest contributing values in the forest resources
of Pakistan. These forests provide timber for commercial and domestic use, non-wood forest
products that are abundantly available for local farmers and the international market. These forests
are also source of fresh water to the lowlands. Locals and nomads are highly dependent
on these forests for their livestock production. Silvicultural systems and tending operations are
important management tools for the optimization and utilization of forest resources. Edaphic and
biotic factors are also influenced by these systems for biomass production. There are two different
silvicultural systems applied in the management: protection and conservation, i.e. selection system
(also including group selection) and clear felling system. The group selection and clear felling
system were applied for experimental purpose in the 1980s. At present, only selection system
with 3D’s (dead, dying and diseased), and damaged trees logging is accepted in different parts of
the Himalayan moist temperate forest. Before 1992, 1.9 % and 88.6 % of activities were found for
clear felling and selection system, respectively. Tending operations are also inactive in different
parts of the forests. Tending activities i.e. weeding 21.1 %, cleaning 88.6 %, thinning 16.1 % and
improvement felling 1.43 % average, were recorded to examine the active status in the study
area. Studies must be conducted for the protection, conservation and management optimisation
of these valuable forest resources.

The aim of the study is to establish the breeding success of Rock partridge (Alectoris graeca
graeca Meisner, 1804), rearing in semi natural conditions. In 2014, in the western part of Stara
Planina Mountain, we built light demountable aviary for raising Rock partridge. The location of the
cage falls within the natural range of the Rock partridge. They were placed in typical of the species
habitats. In each aviary with an area as about 300 square meters 4 males and 4–5 females
were settled. Of a total of 73 nests surveyed for the entire study period in 22 (30.1 %) of cases
nesting was unsuccessful. In 54 cases, the bird chose artificial nests or built nests around the
facilities of the aviary. In 19 cases they chose natural places to build nests. The average clutch
size during the experimental period 2014–2017 was 8.4±2.9 (2–13) (mean ± sd. min–max). The
hatchability was 74.3 % ± 10.3 % (60–88.9 %) (n=11). The survival rate of fledglings to 90 days
was 64.4 %. The breeding success was similar for wild Rock partridges. The average hatchability
was higher than that recorded in captivity, but lower than in the wild.

Food spectrum was based on 62,314 prey specimens belonging to 367 taxa collected between
1994 and 2013. The diet included 40.9 % new taxa for the Eagle owl food in Bulgaria.
Mammals and birds were most hunted, while reptiles, amphibians, fishes and arthropods were
negligible with total 7.8 % by number and 0.8 % by biomass. Voles (Microtus spp.) 18.2 %, true
mice (Mus spp.) 8.2 % and Northern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus roumanicus) 5.9 %
were the most numerous prey. The staple prey for food biomass were Northern white-breasted
hedgehogs 22.9 %, European hares (Lepus europaeus) 8.9 %, Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus)
6.5 % and Common moorhens (Gallinula chloropus) 5.5 %. The individual diets of successful
pairs were dominated most often by the same taxa. The present study reports increasing shares
of small prey in total diet and first records of dominance in individual diets by a number of passerines,
amphibians and arthropods. Hunting on predatory birds and mammals accounted for
11.4 % by biomass. Dominance by a carnivorous mammal, Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) – only young
individuals, of the biomass of three individual diets is first reported for the country. The large share
of small unusual prey and more predators in the diets were most likely the Eagle owl adaptation
to local unfavourable food supply.

The study was carried out in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests in Gorodotske and
Manevytske Forest Enterprises, which are situated in the Manevytsko-Volodymyretsky physiographic
region of the Volyn Polissya zone in Ukraine. The aim of the study was to investigate the
characteristics and health condition of Scots pine stands, infected by annosum root rot (Heterobasidion
annosum (Fr.) Bref.), in the disease centres and in the part of the stands outside the centres
(the control areas), as well as of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) stands in Volyn Polissya.
We have found that the density of planted 43–75-year-old stands of Scots pine, established on
formerly arable lands, was 32–66 % lower in the centres of the root rot disease than in the control
areas. The growing stock volume was 20–62 % lower, respectively. The health index of the stands
varied from 1.7 (weakened trees) to 3.2 (severely weakened trees) in the disease centres and
from 1.3 (healthy trees) to 1.6 (weakened trees) outside them. We revealed that birch stands established
on formerly arable lands were more resistant to annosum root rot and had better health
status compared to pine stands. A set of factors was found to cause the root rot of Scots pine
stands on abandoned agricultural lands, some of which were growing overstocked pure stands
and their untimely (late) thinning.

This article is based on long-standing data (2013–2017), which takes into account the number
of birds during the winter route census (WRC) in the Amur region, where 5 hunting types of
Galliformes occur (the black-billed capercaillie, black grouse, hazel grouse, willow ptarmigan,
and the common pheasant). The collected data about their numbers and density were visualized
using the ArcGIS 9.3.1 (2009) software with Spatial Analyst special analysis tools. The spatial
distribution of birds in biotopes in places of our research is taken into account. The main limiting
factors that cause fluctuations in the abundance of these bird species are identified. Such results
of censuses of hunting birds and their analysis should be used by specialized hunting and nature
protection organizations, which are obliged to regulate annually hunting of trade birds and
animals in the region. In addition, data on the population and hunting ceiling for the hunting birds
are the basis for the rational planning and opening of the hunting season, as well as establishing
the maximum percentage of game production with no harm to the population. The study of
ecological and biological features of bird species is of great importance for more successful and
rational organization of hunting farms: biodiversity conservation, population monitoring, organization
of reproduction, biotechnical and conservation measures, forecast of the number of hunting
resources for long-term planning of the economy. Thus, such a generalized analysis of the state
of populations of hunting’s Tetraonidae birds in the Amur region will help ornithologists and any
specialists in the field of protection and use of wild animal resources to assess the current state
and adaptive features of local populations of Tetraonidae. Such research is a prerequisite for
predicting the number of these birds and provides a solid foundation for the development of conservation
measures.

Contribution of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to rural livelihoods is vital but often ignored
when drafting resource management policies. Information on the value of NTFPs for subsistence
use and trade is often inadequate due to market failure. This potrays a wrong message that
non-marketed products lack economic value and are not worth protecting. The study estimated
the value of NTFPs from Mabira Central Forest Reserve used for subsistence and trade by adjacent
communities. Data were collected through key informant interviews, questionnaire survey of
342 resource users and spot market analysis to establish the market value of used NTFPs. Mainly
poor women and men aged below 61 years and with low education levels extracted NTFPs. The
annual value of identified NTFPs was $ 860,470 of which $ 58,688 was attributed to subsistence
use and $ 801,782 to cash income. NTFPs value varied significantly between products (F=1.67,
df 16 p=0.05) and between villages (F=0.000, df 13, p

It was found that a regular growth in the above-ground phytomass occurs during autogenic
succession, which is approximated by logarithmic dependence with high reliability indices. External,
including anthropogenic, effects on the process of succession lead to a decrease in the rate
of phytomass growth. Besides, the rate of phytomass changes is influenced by endo-ecogenesis
caused by various plant species, entering the ecosystem at certain stages of succession. The
above-ground phytomass portioning behaviour makes it possible to use it to create a unified indicator
of dynamics. Each plant species can be only within certain indicators of the phytomass of
their plant communities. At the same time, there is a normal distribution of the projective cover value.
This allows us to work out synphytoindication methods for determining the dynamics indicator.