66 research outputs found
Tools for co-existence: fladry corrals efficiently repel wild wolves (Canis lupus) from experimental baiting sites
No full textSupersymmetric Born-Infeld actions and new Fayet-Iliopoulos terms
No full text© 2019, The Author(s). We consider N = 1 supersymmetric Born-Infeld actions that have a second non-linear supersymmetry. We focus on the model proposed by Bagger and Galperin and show that the breaking of the second supersymmetry is sourced by the new Fayet-Iliopoulos D-term. Interpreting such an action as the effective theory of a space-filling (anti) D3-brane leads to an expression for the new Fayet-Iliopoulos parameter in terms of the brane tension and α′.sponsorship: We thank Stefanos Katmadas, Alex Kehagias, Antoine Van Proeyen and Timm Wrase for discussions. The work of N.C. is supported by an FWF grant with the number P 30265. The work of F.F. is supported from the KU Leuven C1 grant ZKD1118 C16/16/005. The work of M.T. is supported by the FWO Odysseus Grant No. G.0.E52.14N. (FWF grant|P 30265, KU Leuven C1 grant|ZKD1118 C16/16/005, FWO Odysseus Grant|G.0.E52.14N)status: Publishe
The EU’s 2030 Climate and Energy Policy Framework: How net metering slips through its net
No full textNet metering is a support scheme for the promotion of renewable energy sources (RES) that is linked with state-of-the-art trends, especially in the field of electricity, such as distributed generation, self-consumption and energy communities. Whilst the European Union (EU) Clean Energy Package has established a more coherent and comprehensive regime for RES support schemes in general, it makes no explicit reference to net metering schemes. This raises questions as to how and under which terms net metering schemes are compatible with EU law. Against this background, this article aims to analyse the relevant EU law provisions and conduct a comparative analysis of net metering regimes in four Member States to demonstrate that the national schemes enacted and applied have significantly different design features. The article argues that a more coordinated and specific approach on net metering at the EU level should emerge.Iliopoulos, TG (corresponding author), Hasselt Univ, Rergy & Environm Law, Hasselt, Belgium
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Wolf pack (Canis lupus) territory selection in Central Greece: Habitat selection, daily movements and effect on livestock
No full textWolves occupy a large part of Continental Greece. Although wolf population is not critically endangered , high trophic dependence from human related food sources, relatively low population density, high conflict levels with livestock production, large territory sizes that impose the need of unhampered movement and dispersal of individuals, make wolves especially vulnerable on large scale reductions of food availability and ongoing habitat fragmentation from large infrastructures like closed highways. Basic aims of the dissertation was to enlighten and evaluate: factors related to territory core area selection, habitat selection inside territories, the degree and importance of those parameters which define severity and frequency of attacks to livestock, effects of human disturbance on habitat selection and also circadian or seasonal patterns of wolf movements. Wolf pack territory core area selection was studied in an area of 6500 km2 with the simulated howling survey method. Core areas (rendezvous sites) of wolf packs studied (n=35) were most frequently located in the middle altitude class. At this alt. class presence of adequate food sources was combined with annually stable average food availability. Wolves selected core areas that were furthest from forest roads, closest to permanent water sources and with the least possible forest fragmentation, thus reducing mortality levels of their young from humans and shepherd dogs. Habitat selection of individual wolves was studied inside territories with the use of satellite telemetry. Wolves occupied large territories of several hundred km2 (300-750km2), and selected areas inside territories according to food availability, safety of resting areas and ease of travel. Wolves tolerated high levels of human disturbance like highway construction areas when availability and distribution of food resources was stable close to disturbance zones. Different wolves responded differently on some habitat variables according to sex, wolf pack history, learning and biological season. Average distance traveled by wolves was related to sex, biological season, food availability & distribution. Overall, wolves achieved 70% of their movement during the night, but managed to shift activity patterns seasonally, thus foraging effort was not affected by day length.Wolf effect on livestock was studied by direct examination on wolf attacks. Wolves caused farmers a 1-5% annual loss per capita. Farmers with larger flocks experienced more damage, while environmental characteristics of grazing areas affected distribution and frequency of wolf attacks. Husbandry methods (flock surveillance and livestock guarding dogs) reduced losses per attack, although spatial distribution and seasonality of attacks seem to be more related with wolf pack energetic needs and seasonal changes of livestock grazing patterns.Ο λύκος παρουσιάζει ευρεία κατανομή στην Ηπειρωτική Ελλάδα. Η εξάρτησή του είδους από ανθρωπογενείς πηγές τροφής, η χαμηλή πληθυσμιακή του πυκνότητα, ο υψηλός βαθμός σύγκρουσης με την κτηνοτροφία και η οριοθέτηση πολύ μεγάλων σε έκταση χωροκρατειών που απαιτούν την ανεμπόδιστη μετακίνηση των ατόμων του είδους, το καθιστούν ευάλωτο σε αλλαγές μεγάλης κλίμακας, όπως η μείωση της διαθεσιμότητας τροφής και ο κατακερματισμός της κατανομής από τεχνικά έργα (κλειστοί αυτοκινητόδρομοι). Βασικοί στόχοι της Δ.Δ αποτελούσαν: η διερεύνηση των παραγόντων που σχετίζονται με την επιλογή των θέσεων συνάντησης (περιοχές πυρήνες), των περιοχών ενδιαίτησης εντός των επικρατειών, ο βαθμός και οι παράμετροι που καθορίζουν την σοβαρότητα και συχνότητα των επιθέσεων στο κτηνοτροφικό κεφάλαιο, η επίδραση της όχλησης στην επιλογή βιοτόπου καθώς και τα 24ωρα και εποχιακά πρότυπα μετακίνησης. Η επιλογή των θέσεων πυρήνων μελετήθηκε, σε έκταση 6500 τετ.χιλ με τη μέθοδο simulated howling surveys. Η χωροθέτηση τους εντοπίσθηκε κυρίως στη μέση υψομετρική ζώνη που εμφάνιζε σταθερή διαθεσιμότητα τροφής αν και όχι την μέγιστη. Οι αγέλες των λύκων επέλεξαν για την φύλαξη των μικρών τους θέσεις(ν=35), όσο το δυνατό μακρύτερα από το δασικό δίκτυο, πλησιέστερα σε μόνιμη παροχή νερού και όπου η βλάστηση ήταν λιγότερο κατατμημένη, περιορίζοντας την πιθανότητα θανάτωσής των απογόνων από ανθρώπους και ποιμενικούς σκύλους. Η επιλογή βιοτόπου εντός των επικρατειών τους μελετήθηκε με τη μέθοδο της δορυφορικής τηλεμετρίας. Οι λύκοι διατηρούσαν επικράτειες της τάξης των εκατοντάδων τετ. χιλ (300-750 τετ.χιλ), ενώ επέλεξαν περιοχές ενδιαίτησης με βάση την διαθεσιμότητα τροφής, την ασφάλεια των θέσεων ανάπαυσης και την ευκολία μετακίνησης, ενώ επέδειξαν ανοχή σε ιδιαίτερα οχλήζουσες δραστηριότητες, όπως η κατασκευή αυτοκινητοδρόμων, εφόσον η διαθεσιμότητα και η κατανομή της τροφής τους ήταν σταθερές στο χρόνο κοντά στα τεχνικά έργα. Διαφορές στις αποκρίσεις των μεταβλητών περιγραφής βιοτόπου εντοπίσθηκαν μεταξύ διαφορετικών ατόμων με βάση το φύλο, τη μάθηση και τη φάση του βιολογικού τους κύκλου. Οι μέσες ημερήσιες διανυόμενες αποστάσεις από τους λύκους εξαρτήθηκαν από το φύλο, την διαθεσιμότητα και κατανομή των τροφικών διαθέσιμων και τη περίοδο του βιολογικού τους κύκλου. Οι λύκοι διένυσαν το 70% της συνολικά διανυθείσας απόστασης την νύκτα, αλλά τροποποιούσαν τον 24ώρο κύκλο τους εποχιακά ώστε ο χρόνος ψαξίματος για τροφή να μην επηρεάζεται από την διάρκεια της ημέρας. Η επίδραση των λύκων στο κτηνοτροφικό κεφάλαιο μελετήθηκε με αυτοψίες σε επιθέσεις λύκων. Οι ετήσιες απώλειες κυμάνθηκαν κυρίως μεταξύ 1-5%. Μεγαλύτερα κοπάδια είχαν περισσότερες απώλειες ενώ τα περιβαλλοντικά χαρακτηριστικά των περιοχών βόσκησης επέδρασαν στην κατανομή και τη συχνότητα των επιθέσεων. Οι μέθοδοι πρόληψης μείωσαν τις απώλειες ανά επίθεση, ενώ η κατανομή των επιθέσεων στο χώρο και η εποχικότητα τους, φαίνεται να εξαρτώνται περισσότερο από τις ενεργειακές ανάγκες των αγελών και τις εποχιακές αλλαγές στη χρήση των βοσκοτόπων από τα κτηνοτροφικά ζώα
Dogs, not wolves, most likely to have caused the death of a British tourist in northern Greece
No full textWolf (Canis lupus) populations have recovered and expanded across many parts of the world thanks to conservation efforts, including improved legal status and restoration of their prey. Concurrently, public concerns regarding the risk of wolf attacks on humans and livestock are increasing as wolves occupy human-dominated landscapes. We examined a unique case in Europe allegedly involving wolves in the death of a female British tourist, aged 64, in northern Greece in September 2017. This incident received extensive international media attention and yet many fundamental details of the case area are lacking, including whether local livestock guarding dogs played a role. To assist in resolving the case, we conducted an extensive literature review which documented 13 criteria linked to the risk of either a wolf and/or a dog attacking a human. We also conducted a camera trap survey (October to December 2017) soon after the fatal attack to calculate the activity overlap among humans, dogs and wolves. Sufficient data were available for assessing 11 of the 13 criteria. For the remaining two, the required data were either not analysed (i.e. canid DNA collected from the attack site), not appropriately collected (i.e. DNA from the mouths of suspected dogs) or were collected, but misinterpreted (i.e. the post-consumption patterns of the victim's corpse). Via this combination of evidence, we conclude that this case involved a fatal dog attack. This assertion is supported by evidence such as the: a) high dog-human activity overlap at the attack site which peaked during the attack time as opposed to near zero wolf-human activity overlap at the same time, b) presence of a large pack of unsupervised dogs, c) high ratio of male dogs in the dog pack, d) close vicinity of the attack site to dog owner's property and e) previous documented aggression of these dogs towards humans. The consumption patterns, time scale and location of the victim's remains indicate a posthumous consumption of the corpse possibly by the same dogs and/or by wild scavengers including wolves. A multidisciplinary approach, such as this one, in the assessment of putative wildlife attacks on humans can reduce misidentifications of the responsible species by forensic authorities and, therefore, prevent unfounded decrease in public tolerance for large carnivores
Cold War Museum in Hembrug: Transforming Building 429 to a Cold War Museum
No full textThis thesis investigates a Reconstruction Era industrial building (Building 429) in Hembrug, Zaandam, reflects on Heritage & Architecture and proposes its transformation to a Cold War Museum.Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences | Heritage & Architectur
Wolf–Hunting Dog Interactions in a Biodiversity Hot Spot Area in Northern Greece: Preliminary Assessment and Implications for Conservation in the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park and Adjacent Areas
No full textHunting dog depredation by wolves triggers retaliatory killing, with negative impacts on wildlife conservation. In the wider area of the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park, reports on such incidents have increased lately. To investigate this conflict, we interviewed 56 affected hunters, conducted wolf trophic analysis, analyzed trends for 2010–2020, applied MAXENT models for risk-map creation, and GLMs to explore factors related to depredation levels. Losses averaged approximately one dog per decade and hunter showing a positive trend, while livestock depredations showed a negative trend. Wolves preyed mainly on wild prey, with dogs consisting of 5.1% of the winter diet. Low altitude areas, with low to medium livestock availability favoring wolf prey and game species, were the riskiest. Dogs were more vulnerable during hare hunting and attacks more frequent during wolf post-weaning season or in wolf territories with reproduction. Hunter experience and group hunting reduced losses. Wolves avoided larger breeds or older dogs. Making noise or closely keeping dogs reduced attack severity. Protective dog vests, risk maps, and enhancing wolf natural prey availability are further measures to be considered, along with a proper verification system to confirm and effectively separate wolf attacks from wild boar attacks, which were also common
Towards a semantic framework for wildlife modeling
No full textIn this paper we present work in progress for developing a semantic modeling system for wildlife
monitoring, management and conservation. Based on a Greek NGO experience in large carnivores
conservation in the mountain ecosystems of northern Greece, we present a generic architecture for
wildlife information fusion, sharing and reuse. Our framework employs ontologies for representing
the key domain concepts and their relationships, and applies them for integrating sensory
information from GPS/GSM animal tracking devices, along with other field data and habitat
suitability models.http://enviroinfo.eu/sites/default/files/pdfs/vol8514/0287.pd
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