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Bonthoux S, Chollet S. Wilding cities for biodiversity and people: a transdisciplinary framework. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1458-1480. [PMID: 38514244 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Accelerating urbanisation and associated lifestyle changes result in loss of biodiversity and diminished wellbeing of people through fewer direct interactions and experiences with nature. In this review, we propose the notion of urban wilding (the promotion of autonomous ecological processes that are independent of historical land-use conditions, with minimal direct human maintenance and planting interventions) and investigate its propensity to improve biodiversity and people-nature connections in cities. Through a large interdisciplinary synthesis, we explore the ecological mechanisms through which urban wilding can promote biodiversity in cities, investigate the attitudes and relations of city dwellers towards urban wild spaces, and discuss the integration of urban wilding into the fabric of cities and its governance. We show that favouring assembly spontaneity by reducing planting interventions, and functional spontaneity by limiting maintenance practices, can promote plant diversity and provide ecological resources for numerous organisms at habitat and city scales. These processes could reverse biotic homogenisation, but further studies are needed to understand the effects of wilding on invasive species and their consequences. From a socio-ecological perspective, the attitudes of city dwellers towards spontaneous vegetation are modulated by successional stages, with grassland and woodland stages preferred, but dense shrubby vegetation stages disliked. Wild spaces can diversify physical interactions with nature, and enrich multi-sensory, affective and cognitive experiences of nature in cities. However, some aspects of wild spaces can cause anxiety, feeling unsafe, and the perception of abandonment. These negative attitudes could be mitigated by subtle design and maintenance interventions. While nature has long been thought of as ornamental and instrumental in cities, urban wilding could help to develop relational and intrinsic values of nature in the fabric of cities. Wildness and its singular aesthetics should be combined with cultural norms, resident uses and urban functions to plan and design urban spatial configurations promoting human-non-human cohabitation. For urban wilding to be socially just and adapted to the needs of residents, its implementation should be backed by inclusive governance opening up discussion forums to residents and urban workers. Scientists can support these changes by collaborating with urban actors to design and experiment with new wild spaces promoting biodiversity and wellbeing of people in cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Bonthoux
- Ecole de la Nature et du Paysage - INSA CVL, CNRS UMR 7324 CITERES, 3 rue de la Chocolaterie, CS, Blois, 23410 41034, France
- LTSER, Zone Atelier Loire, UMR 7324 - CITERES, BP 60449, 37204, TOURS, 03, France
| | - Simon Chollet
- Université de Rennes, CNRS UMR 6553 ECOBIO [Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, évolution], Campus de Beaulieu - Bat 14A, 263 Av Gal Leclerc, Rennes, 35700, France
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Gonkowski S, Tzatzarakis M, Vakonaki E, Meschini E, Könyves L, Rytel L. Concentration levels of phthalate metabolites in wild boar hair samples. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17228. [PMID: 39060311 PMCID: PMC11282317 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68131-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Phthalates used in the industry penetrate the environment and negatively affect humans and animals. Hair samples seem to be the best matrix for studies on long-term exposure to phthalates, but till now they were used only in investigations on humans. Moreover, the knowledge of the wild terrestrial animal exposure to phthalates is extremely limited. This study aimed to establish of concentration levels of selected phthalate metabolites (i.e. monomethyl phthalate-MMP, monoethyl phthalate-MEP, mono-isobutyl phthalate-MiBP, monobutyl phthalate-MBP, monobenzyl phthalate-MBzP, mono-cyclohexyl phthalate-MCHP, mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-MEHP and mono-n-octyl phthalate-MOP) in wild boar hair samples using liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. MEHP was noted in 90.7% of samples with mean 66.17 ± 58.69 pg/mg (median 49.35 pg/mg), MMP in 59.3% with mean 145.1 ± 310.6 pg/mg (median 64.45 pg/mg), MiBP in 37.0% with mean 56.96 ± 119.4 pg/mg (median < limit of detection-LOD), MBP in 35.2% with mean 19.97 ± 34.38 pg/mg (median < LOD) and MBzP in 1.9% with concentration below limit of quantification. MEP, MCHP, and MOP have not been found in wild boar hair samples during this study. The results have shown that wild boars are exposed to phthalates and hair samples may be used as a matrix during studies on levels of phthalate metabolites in wild animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Slawomir Gonkowski
- Department of Clinical Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 13, 10-957, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Manolis Tzatzarakis
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Elena Vakonaki
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Elena Meschini
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - László Könyves
- Department of Animal Hygiene, Herd Health and Mobile Clinic, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, 1078, Hungary
| | - Liliana Rytel
- Department and Clinic of Internal Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowski Str. 14, 10-718, Olsztyn, Poland.
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Gonkowski S, Tzatzarakis M, Vakonaki E, Meschini E, Könyves L, Rytel L. Biomonitoring of parabens in wild boars through hair samples analysis. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297938. [PMID: 38381722 PMCID: PMC10880979 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Parabens are compounds widely utilized in the industry as preservative additives to personal care products, cosmetics and food. They pollute the environment and penetrate to the living organisms through the digestive tract, respiratory system and skin. Till now the knowledge about exposure of terrestrial wild mammals to parabens is extremely scarce. Therefore, this study for the first time assessed the concentration levels of five parabens commonly used in industry (methylparaben-MeP, ethylparaben-EtP propylparaben-PrP, benzylparaben -BeP and butylparaben-BuP). Substances have been analyzed in hair samples collected from wild boars using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method. The hair is a matrix, which allows to study long-term exposure of organisms to parabens. During this study MeP was noted in 96.3% of samples with mean 88.3±72.9 pg/mg, PrP in 87.0% of samples with mean 8.5±3.3 pg/mg, BeP in 44.4% of samples with mean 17.2±12.3 pg/mg and EtP in 11.1% of samples with mean 17.2±4.8 pg/mg. In turn BuP was noted only in 3.7% of samples with concentration levels below limit of quantification (2.6 pg/mg). Statistically significant intragender differences in parabens levels have not been noted. Only BeP concentration levels depended on industrialization and density of human population of area, where the animals lived. This study indicates that wild boars are exposed to parabens, especially to MeP and PrP, and analysis of the hair seems to be a useful tool of biomonitoring of parabens in wild mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sławomir Gonkowski
- Department of Clinical Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Manolis Tzatzarakis
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Elena Vakonaki
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Elena Meschini
- Laboratory of Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - László Könyves
- Department of Animal Hygiene, Herd Health and Mobile Clinic, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Liliana Rytel
- Department and Clinic of Internal Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland
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Attitude Index of Local Communities toward Wildlife and Their Management Methods in Malaysia. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15020202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Wildlife have an important role in the lives of local people and conservation practitioners in Malaysia because of their rare and elusive status, socioeconomic impacts, and management conflicts. However, few studies have evaluated the local attitudes toward wildlife and their management methods in Malaysia. In this study, we used indices to measure attitudes toward wildlife and their management methods in Malaysia. The iterative item reliability analysis was executed on online questionnaire data from a random sample of 585 local respondents using Cronbach’s alpha. The result yielded two indices of locals’ attitudes; (i) Wildlife Attitude Index (WAI); and (ii) Wildlife Management Method Attitude Index (WMMAI). The WAI had a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.71 and the WMMAI had a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.73. The following variables had significant determinants of WAI and WMMAI in Malaysia: (i) gender; (ii) age; (iii) level of education; (iv) residential area; (v) familiarity (experience); and (vi) nature engagement. These attitude indices could be significant in assisting conservation practitioners and decision-makers in understanding locals’ attitudes to prioritize wildlife management practices and showing the relationship between management and local demographics with the assumption that high-scoring individuals are more likely to favor wildlife conservation initiatives and activities.
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Lim VC, Sing KW, Chong KY, Jaturas N, Dong H, Lee PS, Tao NT, Le DT, Bonebrake TC, Tsang TPN, Chu L, Brandon-Mong GJ, Kong WL, Soga M, Wilson JJ. Familiarity with, perceptions of and attitudes toward butterflies of urban park users in megacities across East and Southeast Asia. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:220161. [PMID: 36405642 PMCID: PMC9653264 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Perceptions of, and attitudes toward, wildlife are influenced by exposure to, and direct experiences with, nature. Butterflies are a conspicuous and ubiquitous component of urban nature across megacities that are highly urbanized with little opportunity for human-nature interactions. We evaluated public familiarity with, perceptions of and attitudes toward butterflies across nine megacities in East and Southeast Asia through face-to-face interviews with 1774 urban park users. A total of 79% of respondents had seen butterflies in their cities mostly in urban parks, indicating widespread familiarity with butterflies. Those who had seen butterflies also had higher perceptions of butterflies, whereas greater than 50% of respondents had positive attitudes toward butterflies. Frequent visits to natural places in urban neighbourhoods was associated with (i) sightings of caterpillars, indicating increased familiarity with urban wildlife, and (ii) increased connectedness to nature. We found two significant positive relationships: (i) between connectedness to nature and attitudes toward butterflies and (ii) between connectedness to nature and perceptions of butterflies, firmly linking parks users' thoughts and feelings about butterflies with their view of nature. This suggests that butterflies in urban parks can play a key role in building connectedness to nature and consequently pro-environmental behaviours and support for wildlife conservation among urban residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Voon-Ching Lim
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, 10330 Bangkok, Thailand
- National Primate Research Center of Thailand, Chulalongkorn University, 18110, Saraburi, Thailand
| | - Kong-Wah Sing
- South China DNA Barcoding Center, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, People's Republic of China
| | - Kwek Yan Chong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117558, Republic of Singapore
- Singapore Botanic Gardens, National Parks Board, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore 259569, Republic of Singapore
| | - Narong Jaturas
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Hui Dong
- Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Shenzhen & Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
| | - Ping-Shin Lee
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 24100, People's Republic of China
| | - Nguyen Thien Tao
- Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Institute of Genome Research, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Graduate University of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Dzung Trung Le
- Ministry of Education and Training, 35 Dai Co Viet Road, Hai Ba Trung District, Vietnam
| | | | - Toby P. N. Tsang
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto-Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Leo Chu
- Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RH, UK
| | - Guo-Jie Brandon-Mong
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wye-Lup Kong
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Masashi Soga
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - John-James Wilson
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui 24100, People's Republic of China
- Vertebrate Zoology at World Museum, National Museums Liverpool, William Brown Street, Liverpool L3 8EN, UK
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