Sustainable livestock management under anthropogenic pressure: Bridging traditional herding and contemporary conservation in Eurasia's oldest protected area

In some regions of the world, long traditions of herding practices have coevolved with the natural ecosystems, sustaining livelihoods and biodiversity. However, in emerging economies, the populations that have long relied on livestock as their main income are now driving a dramatic increase in livestock numbers on the landscape. This study investigates the impacts of livestock (cattle and horses) and human activities on wild ungulates, Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus), wapiti (Cervus canadensis), and wild boar (Sus scrofa), in Bogd Khan Mountain, Mongolia. Protected since the 12th century, this mountain is experiencing escalating anthropogenic pressures. Using camera traps in a random habitat stratified design, we analyzed temporal and spatial overlap between wild ungulates, livestock, and human activity. Livestock and human activities showed varying degrees of temporal overlap with wild ungulates, indicating potential competition and behavioral adaptations. Higher cattle relative abundance was associated with reduced wapiti abundance, suggesting potential competition for resources, whereas higher horse abundance corresponded to increased abundance of both wapiti and roe deer. Human abundance negatively impacted Siberian roe deer, likely due to disturbance, whereas wild boar exhibited resilience to these pressures. Our findings underscore the need for sustainable livestock management to mitigate competition and maintain ecological integrity. Integrating traditional herding practices with modern conservation strategies can enhance wildlife and livelihood resilience. This research highlights the utility of evidence-based approaches to balance biodiversity conservation and resource use in similar socio-ecological systems globally, where traditional livelihoods are increasingly at risk from modern disturbances.

Quantitative assessment of the risk of human activities on landscape fragmentation: A case study of Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park

Risk assessment of human activities on landscape fragmentation in nature reserves can effectively balance the conflict between wildlife conservation and human development. However, previous studies had been unable to quantitatively assess the risk of human activities on landscape fragmentation. Thus, we constructed a risk assessment methodology to quantitatively assess the risk of different human activities on the Landscape Fragmentation Composite Index (LFCI) in the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park (NCTLNP). First, we fitted the relationship curve between LFCI and different human activity factors based on the Generalized Additive Model (GAM) to determine the impact patterns of each factor on LFCI. Secondly, we identified impact risk areas of each human activity factor on LFCI by the location of threshold points in the curve and analyzed their spatiotemporal variation characteristics from 2015 to 2020. The results show that the relationship between LFCI and Land Use Intensity (LUI) showed an inverted "U" shape, the relationship with Population Density (POPD) showed a "rising-flat-rising" trend, and the relationship with Traffic Accessibility (TA) and Industrial and Mining Activity (IMA) showed a positive correlation after a flat interval. In addition, we found that the LUI and IMA impact risk areas were widely distributed and remained stable for five years. But the POPD impact risk area was mainly distributed around settlements and expanded by 6.6 % from 2015 to 2020. The TA impact risk area was distributed in strips and expanded by 16.38 % from 2015 to 2017 due to the construction of the G331 national road. And the joint impact risk area of these four factors expanded by 1.55 times in five years. Our research can provide a reference for ecological risk assessment under the impact of human activities on other nature reserves in the world.

Challenges and Opportunities in Aligning Conservation with Development in China's National Parks: A Narrative Literature Review

As part of its effort to balance economic development with environmental objectives, China has established a new national park system, with the first five locations formally established in 2021. However, as the new parks all host or are proximate to human populations, aligning the socioeconomic needs and aspirations of local communities with conservation aims is critical for the long-term success of the parks. In this narrative review, the authors identify the ecological priorities and socioeconomic stakeholders of each of the five national parks; explore the tensions and synergies between these priorities and stakeholders; and synthesize the policy recommendations most frequently cited in the literature. A total of 119 studies were reviewed. Aligning traditional livelihoods with conservation, limiting road construction, promoting education and environmental awareness, and supporting the development of a sustainable tourism industry are identified as important steps to balance conservation with economic development in the new national parks.