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The livelihoods of the majority of Uganda's population depend on declining environmental resources. The sustainability of the natural environment requires that the people who are interdependent with it, as well as the structures of governance and leadership around them, understand the implications of resource degradation and take deliberate steps towards restoration. The interdependency of human and environment conditions in Uganda requires multidisciplinary attention and this paper reflects a contribution to this end. Socio‐cultural perceptions and relations with a vulnerable environment are put into dialogue with the physical status of environmental resources in Alebtong District, Uganda. Southern epistemological perspectives are considered in relation to Western scientific paradigms. Culturally responsive socio‐cultural research data are related to MODIS NDVI data, using time series analyses and NDVI as a proxy for productivity. The research confirms the declining availability and condition of natural resources and the acknowledgement of local influence on this condition. Despite this, deliberate community and governance efforts towards conservation and restoration varied from non‐existent to insufficient. The causes for this inconsistency revolve around conflicting priorities. This paper demonstrates and discusses the difficult trade‐offs in decision‐making about natural resources that rural communities face, and supports new partnership models as a route to improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have reported the neurophysiological and behavioural mechanisms that enable fish to experience several types of affective states, such as fear, pain and joy. This is crucial for the welfare feelings‐based approach, as conditions that bring positive or negative valence to fish influence their affective state. A method to understand to what extent fish 'like' or 'dislike' their surrounding features is by evaluating their consistent choices (preferences) and propensity to reach environmental resources or traits (motivation). In this review, we propose how to assess preference and motivation tests in fish and discuss the limitations and potential biases that may affect such tests. Furthermore, we emphasize that understanding the avoidance responses of fish under a welfare context is a complementary method to improve the quality of life of fish in any type of rearing environment. Although there are other reviews about animal preference and motivation, this is the first one exclusively dedicated to the application of fish welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic growth, tourism dynamics, and territorial capital in European regions are analysed during a period comprising a first stage of economic growth, negative impacts of the crisis of 2008, and recovery. A spatial econometric model inspired by the endogenous growth approach shows positive spatial spillovers, convergence between regions, positive impacts on growth from innovation‐related characteristics, and gross value added by tourism, whereas no relevant impacts from tourism demand or employment and a negative correlation with the endowment in natural resources are found. The discussion is framed by an evolutionary economic geography conceptualization with a view on smart specialization strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the public/private funding debate and their social and physical presence in the community, the most visible touch-points for environmental responsibility (ER) are arguably seen among public assembly facilities. However, while cost savings and perceptual benefits are considered the most salient outcomes of 'going green', little attention has been paid to the resource-worthiness of ER. Applying facility manager perceptions to the Resource-based View of the Firm (RBV), various ER impacts and outcomes were assessed. The RBV dimensions were theorized to influence stakeholder and local impacts, the outcomes of which are image enhancement and economic reward. The structural model results confirm our assertions; however, not all paths were in the hypothesized directions. The results show that as a resource, ER is perceived as valuable and to a lesser extent, rare, by facility managers, but it may not necessarily substitute for other organizational resources. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supplementary feeding is a widespread game management practice in several red deer (Cervus elaphus) populations, with important potential consequences on the biology of this species. In Mediterranean ecosystems food supplementation occurs in the rutting period, when it may change mating system characteristics. We studied the role of food supplementation relative to natural resources in the spatial distribution, aggregation, and mean harem size of females in Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) during the rut. We studied 30 red deer populations of southwestern Spain, 63% of which experienced supplementary feeding. Using multivariate spatial analyses we found that food supplementation affected distribution of females in 95% of the populations in which it occurred. Green meadows present during the mating season acted as an important natural resource influencing female distribution. Additionally, the level of female aggregation and mean harem size were significantly higher in those populations in which food supplementation determined female distribution than in populations in which female distribution did not depend on supplementary feeding. Because female aggregation and mean harem size are key elements in sexual selection, supplementary feeding may constitute an important anthropogenic element with potential evolutionary implications for populations of Iberian red deer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supplementary feeding is a widespread game management practice in several red deer (Cervus elaphus) populations, with important potential consequences on the biology of this species. In Mediterranean ecosystems food supplementation occurs in the rutting period, when it may change mating system characteristics. We studied the role of food supplementation relative to natural resources in the spatial distribution, aggregation, and mean harem size of females in Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) during the rut. We studied 30 red deer populations of southwestern Spain, 63% of which experienced supplementary feeding. Using multivariate spatial analyses we found that food supplementation affected distribution of females in 95% of the populations in which it occurred. Green meadows present during the mating season acted as an important natural resource influencing female distribution. Additionally, the level of female aggregation and mean harem size were significantly higher in those populations in which food supplementation determined female distribution than in populations in which female distribution did not depend on supplementary feeding. Because female aggregation and mean harem size are key elements in sexual selection, supplementary feeding may constitute an important anthropogenic element with potential evolutionary implications for populations of Iberian red deer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]