AIMS Platycladus orientalis (Cupressaceae) is an old-growth tree species which distributed in the imperial parks and ancient temples in Beijing, China. We aim to (1) examine the genetic diversity and reproductive traits of old-growth and young populations of P. orientalis to ascertain whether the older populations contain a higher genetic diversity, more private alleles and a higher reproductiv...

The present essay illustrates the methodological and theoretical premises of an emerging 8 research area carrying out both ethological and (bio)ethical implications: the ethology of the freed 9 animal (EFA). Unlike existing ethological fields, EFA focuses neither on non human (NH) animals 10 in natural conditions of freedom in their own environment, nor on NH animals kept in conditions 11 of “c...

Experimental evidence on the role of the built environment for promoting physical activity is important for informing how to create cities that promote active living. Parks provide opportunities for physical activity; however, there is little robust evidence on the impact of park refurbishment. Government agencies often modify parks, providing opportunities for natural experiment studies of the...

The science parks have important role in development of technology and are able to make economic growth of the countries. The purpose of this paper is the presentation of a Fuzzy Expert System (FIS) as Intelligent Systems to evaluate the science and technology parks. One of the problems for evaluating Science and Technology parks is to have the high number of criteria and science parks which AH...

containing protected areas (i.e., national parks, national monuments, wildlife refuges, and wilderness areas) are growing more rapidly than counties without such areas (Rasker et al. 2004). Undeveloped private lands adjacent to these protected areas are especially vulnerable to economic growth, particularly rural residential development. Between 1970 and 2000, rural residential development in t...

This paper is an overview for non-scientists. It critically reviews social science research on the effects of natural sound and mechanical noise on visitor experiences in national parks. Strengths and weaknesses of different ways to study noise, natural sound, and their impacts on visitor experiences are discussed. In addition, research findings are examined, and major gaps in social science kn...

The preservation of land as national parks has been arguably the most successful feature of a nationwide increase in environmental awareness, referred to as the “greening” of America. The many and varied units in the national park system provide collective reassurance that, despite environmental excesses in other areas, the people of the nation understand the value of nature in its purportedly ...

In contrast to the large mammals, the bird faunas of East Africa's National Parks are rather poorly known. Williams (1967) provides a species list for most National Parks and several other reserves and the local National Parks organisations have also compiled a list for some. However, neither of these gives details of specific records nor, with a few exceptions any indication of the abundance o...

Sub-Saharan Africa has been the location of intense conservation planning since the colonial era. Under the auspices of wilderness protection, colonial authorities established national parks largely for the purpose of hunting and tourism while forcibly evicting indigenous populations. Concerns about the ethical and economic impacts of protected areas have generated interest in community conserv...