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Livestock predation constitutes the primary source of conflict between humans and large carnivores. Moreover, human factors, such as attitudes and emotions, can affect people's tolerance towards carnivores, exacerbating the conflict. Such conflicts often lead to retaliatory killing of carnivores, which not only poses significant threats to species conservation but also to ecosystem functioning and services. Therefore, mitigating human-carnivore conflicts is essential to promote both species conservation and human well-being. Here, we studied the conflict between extensive cattle ranching and the conservation of jaguars (Panthera onca) and pumas (Puma concolor) in 129 ranches located in the Amazon arc of deforestation. We interviewed ranchers about livestock management procedures, livestock mortality, approaches to reduce predation in the area, and attitudes regarding carnivores and conservation. Our results revealed that ranchers did not perceive carnivore attacks as the primary cause of cattle mortality. However, they exhibited a significant lack of tolerance towards these incidents, partially explained by economic reasons. They also showed negative attitudes towards big cats, which were mainly associated with social factors, such as low educational background. As a consequence, jaguar and puma were frequently killed in retaliation. Ranches showed different vulnerability to attacks depending on cattle management (cattle density, calves) and landscape (forest cover inside the ranch, distance to national parks). Our findings suggest that the conflict between cattle ranching and big cats conservation in the Amazon deforestation frontier is trigger by livestock predation, but perpetuated by limited knowledge about carnivores, the lack of support from the government to mitigate livestock losses, and the perception that conservation laws conditioned the viability of cattle ranching. Forthcoming mitigation strategies should focus on interventions designed to increase people's tolerance towards jaguars and pumas (e.g. improving knowledge about ecosystem services provided by large carnivores). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To effectively address common issues such as cattle being obscured by fences and images prone to colour shifts and high brightness in a ranch setting, this paper proposes an algorithm for counting cows based on multi‐scale perception and image correlation. The algorithm first adjusts the model output scale to enhance cattle detection under current conditions. It incor‐porates efficient Partial Convolution (PConv) to replace 3 × 3 convolutions in the Neck segment of the YOLOv7 network, boost‐ing computational speed and reducing complexity. To streamline feature fusion, Dynamic Head (DyHead) unifies multiple at‐tentional operations in the Neck segment, enhancing efficiency. Additionally, it introduces a novel bounding box similarity metric Minimum Point DioU (MPDIoU) based on minimum point distance, encompassing factors from existing loss functions, while simplifying computations. Experimental results demonstrate the algorithm significantly improves detection, achieving 98.8% accuracy, 99.0% recall, and a 92.1% mAP value. Compared with mainstream SOTA models, Precision increases by 0.4%, Recall by 2.0%, and mAP value by 2.2%. Model size decreases by 23.9%, parameter count by 23.0%, and computational load by 6.1%. the algorithm shows improvements across all indices, meeting the challenge of real‐time cattle counting in ranches under complex conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Neotropical cloud forests of northwest Argentina, cattle ranching has been historically the primary economic activity, with potential negative impacts on the ecosystem. Understanding factors influencing tree regeneration is crucial for reforestation efforts in grazed areas. Given the limited understanding of Parlatore's Podocarp (Podocarpus parlatorei Pilg.) regeneration ecology, a unique gymnosperm species in the Southern Yungas' Montane Forest, we evaluated the growth and survival of its saplings for 1 year after planting them both inside and outside an exclosure, and in association with or without unpalatable nurse plants. Inside the exclosure, sapling survival was 100%, regardless of nurse plants. However, outside the exclosure saplings associated with nurse plants had 19.5 times higher survival probability. Growth rates were higher inside the exclosure and for saplings associated with nurse plants. The positive effect of nurse plants on growth was similar inside and outside the exclosure. Cattle browsing and trampling on Parlatore's Podocarp were observed for the first time, highlighting a previously undocumented threat to the species. Our findings offer valuable insights for ecological restoration, potentially suggesting strategic sapling planting near unpalatable plants and considering cattle exclusion in key areas to enhance long-term restoration success in the Southern Yungas' Montane Forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contours of the collective action necessary to limit climate change remain difficult to discern. In this context, societal corporatist political processes, fueled by crisis narratives, have shown some promise as political devices for mobilizing people. Corporatist processes have, historically, brought political competitors like employers and labor unions together to negotiate compacts that have advanced collective goods during times of crisis. In response to the climate crisis in the Global South, affluent donor groups, state officials, some farmers, and indigenous peoples have begun to assemble corporatist-like coalitions to pursue climate stabilization. A comparative case study of efforts to promote sustainable cattle ranching through the spread of silvopastoral landscapes in Colombia and Ecuador illustrates this political dynamic, its shortcomings, and its accomplishments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social-ecological approaches are necessary to understand complex systems in which humans are dependent on ecosystem services to support their livelihoods. We implemented structured interviews (n=89) to characterize the socialecological interactions between colonists and ecosystem services in four social-ecological systems located in two southern Amazonian provinces of Ecuador. This characterization allowed us to describe the subsistence activities, ecological knowledge, and local institutions present in the studied socialecological systems. Cattle ranching, agriculture, and hunting provide safety nets to generate moderate levels of cash for colonists to face unpredictable events. However, these subsistence activities, as well as ecological knowledge and local institutions are not adapted to the local dynamic of the Amazonian ecosystems. Through this characterization of the colonists' social-ecological interactions, we also identify the ecosystem services and disservices obtained. Thirteen ecosystem services were identified, six of which were generated within protected areas. Seven ecosystem disservices were also identified, none of them produced within protected areas. Our study shows the separation prevailing between humans and ecosystems in the social-ecological interactions of the colonists, and, at the same time, the key role of these maladapted interactions in their subsistence activities. This research contributes a qualitative strategy to assessing social-ecological interactions and illustrates the importance of the ecosystem services provided by the Amazon ecosystems to colonists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The use of inadequate cattle ranching practices (e.g., fire, agrochemical applications, long term extensive grazing, lack of paddock rotation in pastures) could have negative consequences on biodiversity and ecological functions. In this study, the influence of cattle ranching duration on the diversity of dung beetles and seed removal was evaluated in pastures having different times of establishment in a tropical dry forest landscape. Dung beetle species richness was similar along the gradient of grazing ages, but the diversity of common and dominant species declined with increasing grazing age. Seed removal was mainly carried out by an exotic species. Although native dung beetles persisted at low abundances along this gradient, the consequences of land use changes and inadequate practices in similar landscapes could lead to their disappearance. Cattle ranching is an economic activity responsible for the loss of large extensions of tropical dry forest around the world. Several studies have demonstrated that the use of inadequate practices of this activity in tropical forests (e.g., fire, agrochemicals, and lack of rotational grazing systems of cattle in pastures) have negative consequences on dung beetle diversity and their ecological functions. In the present study, the influence of the cattle ranching duration gradient on the diversity of dung beetles and seed removal was evaluated. This study was carried out in pastures with different times of establishment of cattle ranching (between 4 and 40 years) in a tropical dry forest of Mexico. Overall, the species richness of dung beetles was similar along the gradient of grazing ages. However, the diversity of common (q1) and dominant (q2) species decreased and was associated with an increasing abundance of exotic species and a decreasing abundance of native species. Seed removal was mainly carried out by four beetle species, among which the exotic species Digitonthophagus gazella was the most important. The results establish that the duration of cattle ranching primarily influences the composition of dung beetle communities, as reflected in changes in the structure and function of their assemblages in the pastures. Although native dung beetles persist at low abundances along this gradient, the consequences of land use changes are undeniable in other similar ecosystems where these species could definitively disappear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable livestock management plays a crucial role in food production, climate change mitigation, and cultural preservation. Our study aimed to identify and analyse the diversity of social–ecological conditions that characterize extensive livestock systems in southern Patagonia. We integrated data collected from interviews and secondary sources and analysed data using hierarchical cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling to identify distinct ranching types. A qualitative analysis of key informant interviews identified key social–ecological changes for each type. The results emphasize the impact of administration, production, and biophysical factors on shaping different livestock ranching schemes. Further, we identified three significant social–ecological changes driving the dynamics of these systems, including shifts from (1) sheep to cattle ranching, (2) domestic to feral cattle ranching, and (3) landowners to tenant land managers. These findings have implications for policymakers seeking to develop strategies tailored to diverse realities, ensuring the sustainability of livestock systems in Tierra del Fuego. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the productive Pampa cattle ranch, locally known as "estancia," underwent three developmental stages in the process of territorialization within the northwestern province of Buenos Aires. Each of these stages covers various dimensions—social, economic, political, cultural, and environmental—that collectively define the estancia's role as a territorial agent. The research employs a methodology that combines qualitative approaches through documentary analysis, along with bibliographical and cartographic review, complemented by fieldwork. This work examines into the changes and transformations within the territory, as well as housing adaptations, which are manifested in the construction of dwellings and their environs. These changes occur in a context where urban culture intertwined with the rural productive scene. Furthermore, it postulates that the inter-century territorial dynamics covering the 19th and 20th centuries serve as an enduring legacy of identity for the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire occurrence, intensity, and spread are highly influenced by climatic variables. This study investigates the correlation between burned area, precipitation, and temperature in Rondônia, an agricultural frontier in the southwestern Brazilian Legal Amazon, from 2001 to 2022. The analysis utilized climatological data from the Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS) and MODIS product MOD11A1.061 for temperature, along with MODIS product MCD64A1 for burned area. The study was conducted on a monthly scale, employing the cross-correlation function to determine the lagged effects of temperature and precipitation on burned areas. Trend analysis was performed using the Mann–Kendall test, with the magnitude of trends estimated by Sen's Slope. Results indicated a significant negative correlation between burned areas and precipitation, with a 2-month lag and an R2 of − 0.51. In contrast, temperature exhibited a significant positive correlation with burned areas, showing a 1-month lag and an R2 of 0.55. Trend analysis revealed a decrease in precipitation by − 0.0542 mm.month−1, temperature increased by 0.006 °C.month−1, while burned areas decreased by − 111.13 km2.month−1. These findings underscore the intricate relationship between climate variables and fire occurrences, highlighting the urgent need for policies addressing climate change and environmental degradation in the Amazon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnitude of the current environmental degradation requires an urgent restructuring of food production systems. In this sense, agroecology is considered a sustainable approach, because it provides tools to guide transition toward sustainable production systems and to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Nevertheless, it is imperative to possess evidence regarding the implementation of agroecology and current extent. The goals of this study are to compare two instruments for assessing agroecological transitions, to measure the agroecological performance of extensive livestock systems in slightly disturbed wetlands, identify agroecological elements that differentiate farm categories, and identify relationships among these elements. We evaluated 19 representative extensive livestock production ranches from central-western Argentina. We used the Characterization of Agroecological Transition (CAET) from the Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE). Moreover, CAET was modified through interaction with ranchers and technicians (Adapted CAET). The results obtained with both tools revealed that the agroecological performance of extensive livestock systems is currently in transition, with an overall average of 56.9%. This suggests that there is a group of farmers implementing agroecological strategies which have the potential to drive the transition to achieve the SDGs. This research provides valuable knowledge for applying agroecology principles in minimally impacted wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To estimate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in dual-purpose calves on cattle ranches in Veracruz, Mexico. Materials and methods. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out in five municipalities from the center of Veracruz. The animals included in the study were calves between 1 and 60 days old. Stool samples were taken directly from the rectum. The modified Faust centrifugation technique was used to concentrate oocysts and Direct Immunofluorescent Test for their detection. In each ranch surveys were applied to know the characteristics of the animals and their management. General and specific prevalence was estimated. Variables were analyzed using the univariate Chi-square test to determine possible epidemiological associations. Results. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. was 69.9%, and the municipality with the highest prevalence was Tlalixcoyan (96.6%). No significant difference was found between the age, sex, breed and consistency of the feces of the calves. The ranch (R9) was the only factor associated with Cryptosporidium spp. in the calves studied. Conclusions. There is a high prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in calves from dual purpose cattle ranches from the center of Veracruz, Mexico. Future studies are required to determine the predominant species and genotypes in the region for an integral understanding of the transmission dynamics and zoonotic potential of this protozoan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the challenges faced by Indigenous communities in the Bolivian Amazon as they strive for territorial autonomy and self-determination. The Multiethnic Indigenous Territory (TIM), home to five Indigenous peoples, was established in 1990 as a significant milestone in the recognition of Indigenous rights and ancestral lands. However, the process of achieving autonomy has been complex, with obstacles such as the interests of logging companies, cattle ranches, and the state. Despite these challenges, Indigenous communities persist in their fight for autonomy and the right to live on their ancestral lands. The article also discusses the process the TIM went through to attain autonomy, including navigating state bureaucracies and meeting various requirements. The TIM's journey serves as an example for other Indigenous territories and peoples worldwide, highlighting the ongoing debates surrounding Indigenous autonomy within the nation-state structure. [Extracted from the article]

This article reflects on the history of cattle ranching in Colombia and how it was impacted by the armed conflict in the country and its regions, and the transformation amongst decades of forms of violence and actors involved in this scenario. To conduct the analysis, a review of academic literature on the relationship between cattle ranching and armed conflict in Colombia and some African countries was carried out. Subsequently, a database of 206 violent events related to cattle ranching was constructed, covering three decades of armed conflict (1980-2010), based on primary sources from reports, police evidence, and testimonies of two previous databases. This database contributed to the analysis of the impact of violence on the cattle ranching industry. Thus, this article contributes to the understanding of the history of cattle ranching in Colombia and to the complex transitional process in Colombia today. It demonstrates that productivity and effciency have not always been the prevailing principles in the history of the cattle industry, but that land tenure and accumulation have operated as a way of securing power by the agrarian and political elites of the country. Such approaches are crucial for comprehending the historical connection between conflict and cattle ranching, especially if the aim for this sector is to adapt to a logic of productivity and innovation in the contemporary world. Also, the findings show that further research on these topics, i.e., related to current environmental and social problems such as climate change, food security, and new social and geopolitical challenges, is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Yucca Formation is a Lower Cretaceous sedimentary unit present in West Texas. Based on its relative stratigraphic position in the Cretaceous succession of West Texas, it is expected that the Yucca Formation is of Albian and/or Aptian age. It is also expected that the carbon isotope excursions associated with OAE 1a and OAE 1b should be identified in the Yucca Formation. The goals of this project are to 1. construct a carbon isotope chemostratigraphic record of the Yucca Formation, and 2. correlate the Yucca Formation with strata of similar age using chemostratigraphy. Methods: 163 samples were collected from Big Bend Ranch State Park (BBRSP) to determine the δ[sup 13]C value of bulk sedimentary organic matter. Results: C-isotope values range from -27.02‰ to -18.42‰. Discussion: Carbon isotope excursions (CIEs) that are associated with the Aptian-Albian Boundary are identified as well as CIEs associated with Oceanic Anoxic Events (1a and 1b). This allows us to conclude that the Aptian-Albian boundary is recorded within the Yucca Formation strata at about 71 m above the base of the section exposed in the Lower Shutup of the Solitario in Big Bend Ranch State Park. Regional correlation of the Yucca Formation to other chemostratigraphic records from other Cretaceous strata suggests that the Yucca Formation in BBRSP is time equivalent to the Sligo, Pine Island, James, Bexar, and a portion of the lower Glen Rose Formation on the Comanche Platform and to a portion of the lower Glen Rose Formation in Big Bend National Park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity conservation is at an inflection point. With the crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, novel strategies are needed to conserve ecosystems under a variety of property regimes. In southwestern Alberta, the Waldron Ranch Grazing Cooperative and the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) have collaborated to use conservation easements (CEs) to place over 30,000 acres (12,140 hectares) of endangered grassland under perpetual protection. Waldron Ranch provides a unique case study, not only due to the size of the total CE, but also the cooperative structure that requires 72 Albertan ranchers to agree on restricting their productivity for conservation protections. We interviewed four individuals from the Cooperative and NCC to understand the motivations, values, and impacts that influenced the CE placement. Key themes include historic sustainable management and minimal impacts to livelihoods, with economic benefits being crucial for CE enrollment, which contrasts with findings from existing literature. Considering these, we expand on the critical role of landowner values and fears when using CEs as a tool for private land conservation. We argue that environmental nongovernmental organizations (eNGOs) need to deeply understand the social complexities that exist on private landscapes if voluntary collaborations are pursued for conservation benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social category of family cattle ranching represents a significant reality in family farming and an important ally to sustainability in the Brazilian rural sector. This study proposed to evaluate the main sustainability indices of family cattle ranching in the Cerrado and Pampa biomes. A total of 60 interviews were conducted in three municipalities belonging to the respective biomes, and IDRS scores of 7.23 and 7.32 were found for the Cerrado and Pampa, respectively. Under these conditions, it can be stated that family cattle ranching is an activity with the potential to contribute to the sustainability of the rural landscape of the municipalities of Pedra Preta, Quaraí, and Santana do Livramento, in terms of the environmental regulations of each territory and, to some extent, the production and reproduction of families, in a context of category representation for Mato Grosso and Rio Grande do Sul. The research results revealed realities of difficulties, potentialities, differences, and similarities in the different biomes with respect to cattle ranching. Future studies are suggested using MADERUS in other different Brazilian rural social categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first step towards understanding the conservation situation and informing conservation decision‐making is to identify the habitat loss drivers. However, for nearly all tropical biota, there is a glaring lack of information on the spatiotemporal patterns of anthropogenic drivers.Our objective was to analyse the spatial and temporal distribution of the main anthropogenic drivers of habitat loss for Bradypus torquatus and Bradypus crinitus, two endangered and endemic species to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.We used land‐use information associated with seven major IUCN‐based threats to sloths, covering a three‐generation time window (1988–2020), to quantify the current area occupied, temporal changes, heterogeneity, and intensity of drivers across species distributions.We found that cattle farming and ranching dominate the range of both species (from 49% to 56%) and cover an area larger than the remaining native forest. Other drivers also represent important spatial and temporal features of land conversion across species distributions.Driven mainly by livestock expansion, both sloth species have experienced a significant loss of forest cover (Bradypus torquatus – 659098.70 ha; Bradypus crinitus – 139013.20 ha) in the Brazilian Atlantic forest. Overall, Bradypus torquatus showed a higher rate of deforestation than forest regeneration, whereas forest gains outweighed habitat loss for Bradypus crinitus.Our results show that a substantial area of native forest – essential for strictly arboreal species – is being continuously replaced by cattle ranching and agricultural activities, which may lead to population isolation and decline, threatening the long‐term population viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the work was to typify dual-purpose production units and characterize the resources for fodder production and the issues affecting livestock production in Sinaloa, Mexico. Through non-probabilistic sampling, 61 ranches were selected from eight municipalities in the state of Sinaloa, and four groups of producers were identified through factor analysis and cluster analysis: E1, E2, E3, and E4. Producers have diverse land uses for fodder production: planting of annual crops, pastures, grazing on fallow land, and use of pasture lands. Drought is the main issue for 52.5 % of the producers. Producers with larger herd sizes (E3 and E4) have more agricultural and grazing land; however, their production systems are more vulnerable and, therefore, they have to resort to the purchase of forage. 86.7 % of the producers pointed out that the herd has decreased due to the problem of drought, which requires the development of technological strategies and policies to improve forage production within the context of climate change, and thus reduce the pressure and potential deterioration of agricultural and pasture land in the study region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Paraguayan Chaco is increasingly known for the extreme rates of forest loss caused by the rapid expansion of cattle ranching and crop farming over the last few decades. Knowledge of its twentieth-century land-use history, however, remains limited. In this article, I address that gap by discussing land-use dynamics since the 1900s in the Pilcomayo River basin, a part of the Chaco that borders Argentina and Bolivia, and hosts a great diversity of actors and land uses. Using the concept of land-use regimes, I show that the area, once characterized by what can be called an Indigenous mixed-use regime, transitioned to a land-use regime dominated by livestock herding by Argentine Criollo settlers after the Chaco War (1932–35), and then again to one of large cattle ranches managed by absentee owners toward the end of the twentieth century. No land-use regime ever completely dominated the area, however, and I use this fact as a starting point to then discuss how using the concept of land regimes can help direct attention to the coexistence of regimes in space and to their relationships in a way that helps refine our understanding of land-use transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of wildlife ranching has been broadly linked to conservation benefits, job creation, and economic contributions. However, a more nuanced understanding of the socioeconomic contributions of wildlife ranching accounting for the enterprise diversity in the sector remains a major limitation to assessing its potential to contribute to sustainable development. We assessed several important socioeconomic contributions of diverse wildlife‐based business models, defined by their main revenue‐generating activities, within the South African wildlife ranching industry, and the financial viability of these models. Owners and managers of privately‐owned wildlife ranches and conventional agricultural farms (for comparative purposes) were interviewed in the Eastern Cape (112 ranches; 24 farms) and Limpopo provinces (152 ranches; 4 farms). We used a hierarchical clustering analysis to delineate six wildlife ranching business models. These included three more specialized models: ecotourism, trophy hunting, and wildlife breeding, and three more mixed models: mixed hunting (i.e., both meat and trophy hunting), mixed wildlife‐agriculture, and trophy hunting‐game meat. In general, ecotourism‐focused ranches employed more people in total and per hectare (median = 23 jobs; 0.008/ha), and a higher proportion of women and skilled employees (41% and 45% of employees, respectively) than the other ranching models (median = 7–21 jobs; 0.002–0.005/ha) and conventional agriculture (median = 12 jobs; 0.004/ha). Trophy hunting‐focused ranches employed the second highest number of people per hectare (0.006) although on average, a third of these jobs were seasonal. Trophy hunting ranches tended to be more profitable (median profit margin = 33%) than ecotourism (−10%), wildlife breeding (0%) and mixed‐hunting (12%) ranches, though ecotourism ranches showed very high variability (interquartile range = −32% to 14%). These findings advance our understanding of the distinct socioeconomic contributions of diverse wildlife ranches, which benefits policy discourse and implementation surrounding the industry, promoting improved industry sustainability and inclusive growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected areas (PAs) in the Brazilian Amazon have proven to be critical in preserving the rainforest but face increasing threats. Since 2019, illegal activities and land conflicts involving PAs have escalated due to the weakening of environmental institutions. Therefore, up-to-date research is needed to evaluate agricultural pressures on PAs—including Sustainable Use Areas, Indigenous Territories, and Strictly Protected Areas—given its importance in driving deforestation in the Amazon, and to identify hotspots of concern. We analyzed property registration, deforestation, pasture expansion, and cattle transaction records within 158 PAs in the Brazilian state of Pará, which holds most of the remaining forest and the highest rates of deforestation. Our findings show that nearly a quarter of Pará's 2019–2022 deforestation occurred within PAs, undermining their effectiveness as conservation tools. Despite prohibitions, we found illegally registered private properties in most PA categories including indigenous territories and over a 100% increase in deforestation within PAs from 2015–2018. Over 90% of PAs contained pasturelands in 2022, but only half of them had registered cattle transactions within their borders, which suggests the presence of clandestine cattle activities in these areas as well. Indirect sales to slaughterhouses coming from PAs increased during the study period, potentially due to efforts by ranchers to obscure such cattle origins from companies that are increasingly monitoring their direct suppliers. Finally, we identified 17 high-risk PAs concentrating most threats. Focusing monitoring efforts on property registries and cattle transactions in these areas could significantly reduce illegal deforestation and illegal cattle ranching. While PAs are considered to be cornerstones of forest conservation efforts, our findings show that current policies fail to prevent cycles of land grabbing, illegal ranching, and deforestation that can eventually lead to the downgrading, downsizing, and degazetting of PAs. Given this context, validating property claims, tracing cattle sales, and penalizing deforestation are urgently needed to halt these cycles that threaten PAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on examining the items purchased from George Washington Eayrs by missions and private ranchos in Alta and Baja California between 1807 and 1812, shedding light on their daily activities and relationships. It also discusses the economic aspects of Alta and Baja California during this period of significant change in the Spanish Empire due to events like Napoleon's imprisonment of Carlos IV and the emergence of insurgents in New Spain and South America.

Multifunctional landscapes that support economic activities and conservation of biological diversity (e.g., cattle ranches with native forest) are becoming increasingly important because small remnants of native forest may comprise the only habitat left for some wildlife species. Understanding the co‐occurrence between wildlife and disturbance factors, such as poaching activity and domesticated ungulates, is key to successful management of multifunctional landscapes. Tools to measure co‐occurrence between wildlife and disturbance factors include camera traps and autonomous acoustic recording units. We paired 52 camera‐trap stations with acoustic recorders to investigate the association between 2 measures of disturbance (poaching and cattle) and wild ungulates present in multifunctional landscapes of the Colombian Orinoquía. We used joint species distribution models to investigate species–habitat associations and species–disturbance correlations. One model was fitted using camera‐trap data to detect wild ungulates and disturbance factors, and a second model was fitted after replacing camera‐trap detections of disturbance factors with their corresponding acoustic detections. The direction, significance, and precision of the effect of covariates depended on the sampling method used for disturbance factors. Acoustic monitoring typically resulted in more precise estimates of the effects of covariates and of species–disturbance correlations. Association patterns between wildlife and disturbance factors were found only when disturbance was detected by acoustic recorders. Camera traps allowed us to detect nonvocalizing species, whereas audio recording devices increased detection of disturbance factors leading to more precise estimates of co‐occurrence patterns. The collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris), and white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) co‐occurred with disturbance factors and are conservation priorities due to the greater risk of poaching or disease transmission from cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article delves into the use of herbicides in U.S.-backed counterinsurgency efforts in Latin America and beyond. It specifically examines instances of herbicide experimentation and fumigation in Georgia and Colombia, noting the lack of documentation surrounding these events. The article emphasizes the connection between herbicides, war, and the control of nature, highlighting the transnational history and violent politics associated with counterinsurgency. It explores the concept of ecocide and its link to counterinsurgency campaigns in Latin America, discussing how the fear of rural revolution led to large-scale "pacification" efforts that resulted in the destruction of environments seen as supporting political opposition. The use of herbicides played a significant role in these campaigns, eradicating both human and nonhuman populations. The article also addresses the connection between environmental violence and state-led "dirty wars," as well as the challenges of documenting and uncovering evidence of these crimes. [Extracted from the article]

Deforestation is one of the most relevant transformations characterizing global environmental change in the tropics at present. There is wide consensus in pointing the context-dependent nature of tropical deforestation. In this sense, a better characterization of the phenomenon considering the social context could provide a more accurate picture of tropical deforestation. With this aim, a Q-methodology discourse analysis was conducted to characterise the different discourses that coexist in the particular region of the Paraguayan Chaco concerning the development of cattle ranching and derived deforestation. Four different discourses were identified as making sense the wide range of interests and values coexisting and clashing in the Paraguayan Chaco, namely: the Environmentalist discourse, the Business discourse, the Resigned discourse, and the Possibilist discourse. The results point that the fundamental differences between the discourses are largely explained by the different positions on three specific domains: (i) the socio-economic benefits the expansion of cattle ranching brings about; (ii) the environmental impacts the expansion of cattle ranching and the derived deforestation brings on; and, finally (iii) the degree to which an active intervention from the side of policy making to regulate the expansion of cattle ranching and to minimize possible detrimental effects is seen as necessary. The position of the different discourses in relation to these domains could help policy makers to make measures and regulations more widely accepted and followed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-based tourism offers several positive effects, including bringing tourists closer to nature and increasing environmental awareness among them, creating new sources of employment, diversifying local and regional economies, promoting the conservation of local ecosystems, and protecting biodiversity. A pilot exercise based on choice experiments is presented to estimate the monetary value per year of nature-based tourism (NbT). The exercise was applied in the Jamapa watershed in Mexico, and the results showed that NbT would amount to USD 7.7 million, with tourism activities linked to agroforestry and USD 5.5 million around regenerative cattle ranching. These results provide input for decision makers in developing public policies to benefit society, nature, and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a historical account of the OTO Ranch in Montana, one of the first dude ranches in the area. It explores the origins of dude ranching and its association with the American West and cowboy culture. The article discusses how the OTO Ranch, owned by Dick and Dora Randall, became a popular tourist destination through their promotional efforts, including talks, films, and brochures. It also highlights the involvement of railroad companies in promoting dude ranches. The article concludes by discussing the preservation and recent use of the OTO Ranch by the US Forest Service and the True Ranch Collection. [Extracted from the article]

Based on the panel data of the province and municipality in 2010-2021, this paper measures the fishery eco-efficiency by using the SBM-DEA model and empirically analyses how China's marine ranch construction improves the fishery eco-efficiency by using the double-difference fixed-effect model. The results show that, firstly, China's marine ranch construction can improve the fishery eco-efficiency. Secondly, China's marine ranch construction promotes fisheries eco-efficiency by improving the input efficiency of labor, fish species, fishing vessel, fishery technology extension, aquaculture area and by reducing pollutant outputs. Thirdly, the fishery eco-efficiency of the marine ranch construction region has increased annually since 2015, and technological changes, scale efficiency changes and technical efficiency changes can all contribute to the fishery eco-efficiency improvement, and increase in order. Based on the results of the empirical analyses, this paper proposes policy recommendations to improve the fishery eco-efficiency in the conjunction with the construction of marine ranch in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between agricultural credit and agricultural production as well as the impacts on sustainable development (i.e., poverty alleviation, reduction of inequalities, food and nutrition security, and stimulation of economic growth) have been widely documented. The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of credit on cattle production and deforestation in Colombia through spatial panel data models. For this purpose, a departmental data panel for the period 2011–2020 was built, based on available information from public entities. The results suggest that in Colombia, the relationship between access to credit and cattle production is significant and can be either negative or positive. In addition, there is evidence of spatial dependence, meaning that cattle production in one department is being affected by cattle production in a neighboring department or by all the departments that make up the national territory. Regarding deforestation, results show that, although the number of cattle present in a department does affect its annual deforestation rate due to a poor coverage of sustainably intensified cattle ranching systems, there is no relationship between deforestation and the access to credit nor any spatial correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new estimate of the Epiclassic chronological interval (6th to 9th centuries) is proposed for the archaeological site of San José de Los Ranchos, located in Los Altos de Jalisco, near the city of Lagos de Moreno. This site is part of the cultural space of the western Mexico. The date was obtained through an archaeomagnetic analysis of ceramic materials from a cist-type tomb found at old hacienda located in the foothills of the Sierra Alta, next to the valley of the Lagos River. This archaeological site is a settlement of farmers, possibly linked to neighboring sites such as El Cerrito in the town of El Cuarenta; Los Cerritos in Lagos de Moreno and El Cóporo in the neighboring state of Guanajuato. The materials recovered in the tomb, consisting of pottery, shell beads and miniature zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figurines. The new periodization allows us to date the beginning of the Mesoamerican occupation of the Lagos River valley from the 6th century, in addition to dates obtained by previous investigations. In this way, it can be established that the villages in the valley date from the end of the Mesoamerican classic period, with its peak in the epiclassic era and possibly concluding at the beginning of the postclassic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the exploration of lime kilns in the Yucatan Peninsula has been a recurring part of archaeological work. During the archaeological rescue at Chaactun locality, a kiln was found that presented abundant concretion of a white material presumably the lime. During the excavations, archaeometric and archaeomagnetic samplings were carried out in order to corroborate the archaeological findings. The combined investigation allowed us to study this structure from different perspective and to define the moment of lime burning, the moment of abandonment and its impact during the reuse of the property as a cattle ranch. These results indicate the importance of carrying out systematic samplings in order to integrate the results into the theorical and methodological framework of the use of combustion structures in the Mayan area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses a folk saint and procession, arguing that they are, respectively, an object and medium of becoming. People realize this creative capacity with identification of the folk saint's iconicity that possesses a characteristic of duality, contradiction, and ambiguity—human and divine, living and dead. In one respect, this characteristic is unique to the folk saint and in another, signals a quality of secular life that shows in verbal expression and enactments, referencing Mexico's version of modernity experienced through work in regional industries and abroad. The procession simulates a walk through secular life, whereby people release themselves from this duality by transferring it to the folk saint. They achieve liberty to engage their bodies as they want, supportive and constitutive of one another. The argument responds to scholarship that addresses folk saints for their symbolism of parts of secular life and to an elite, Mexican discourse that defines folklife, inclusive of the rural peasantry who reside in villages called ranchos , as a national symbol, neglecting to explore people's expression of themselves and their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Species identification plays a significant role in biodiversity conservation. As many species remain unrecognized, particularly in neotropical hotspots like the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (AF), novel molecular techniques are being widely employed to bridge this gap. In this study, we used DNA barcoding and phylogenetic tools to identify a new population of Sphaenorynchus canga in the central region of the Brazilian AF. Our results extend the species' known distribution by approximately 200 km to the south, encompassing a different mountain range than its type locality (Serra do Espinhaço). This disjunct distribution, while not uncommon among amphibians, suggests a historical connection between these two mountain complexes as a biogeographic explanation. Despite the discovery of a new S. canga population, the species continues to face numerous anthropogenic threats such as mining, land use, and cattle ranching. Urgent conservation and research efforts are warranted to ensure the survival of S. canga populations across these habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]