The Ulz River in north-eastern Mongolia is an important breeding habitat for the western population of White-naped Crane Antigone vipio. The destruction and degradation of wetlands, the main breeding habitat of White-naped Cranes, are the main factors affecting the population. The breeding population census of 2019–2021 in the Ulz River basin was analysed and compared with previous surveys conducted in 2001 and 2011. The surveys showed that along the Ulz River, crane pairs declined from 42 territorial pairs in 2001 around the start of the drought period to 17 territorial pairs in 2011 when the drought was still on-going and then increased to 30 territorial pairs in 2021 after the end of the drought period. Along the Ulz River, six successful breeding pairs of White-naped Crane in 2019, 11 successful breeding pairs in 2020, and 18 successful breeding pairs in 2021 were recorded. This indicated that changes in the breeding pairs and territorial pairs of the White-naped Crane along the Ulz River were influenced by rainfall, that the western population of White-naped Cranes has increased in the last three years and, in addition, will likely decrease during future dry periods. Proper management of the Ulz River wetlands is more important during the dry periods, and in this study, we aimed to estimate the breeding population of White-naped Cranes along the Ulz River, determine the factors influencing distribution and population changes, and suggest what is needed for future conservation of this species.

Food production is one of the most significant achievements in Andean history. The domestication of plants and animals presented an enormous challenge, relating to changing technologies, settlement patterns, and social organization. This paper aims to assess Atacama Desert population dynamics and their relationship to the domestication of plants and animals through chronological modeling using kernel density estimation on radiocarbon (14C) dates, assuming that a higher 14C probability density is related to more intense human occupation. The analysis is based on a 14C dataset comprising 1003 14C dates (between 11,000 and 150 BP) from 243 archaeological sites in the Arica and Tarapacá regions of northern Chile, collected from published data. We observed two population-dynamics inflection points for these regions. First, starting at ca. 3000 BP, constant population growth occurred, which was related to horticulture in the Arica region and to agriculture in the Tarapacá region. Second, between ca. 1000 and 400 BP, a general population rise occurred due to the consolidation of intensive agriculture in the lowlands and precordillera altitudinal belts in both regions and the integration of the coast and the altiplano into macro-regional population dynamics.

A study of small rodents was conducted in a small lake-shore forest (Lunyo) in southern Uganda between April 1970 and December 1972 Using capture recapture methods, data on population changes and breeding of six murid species were obtained At the beginning of the study, populations of Lophuromys flavopunctatus and Praomys jacksoni were higher during the mid-annual dry season (June-September), but later fluctuated with rainfall Breeding coincided with rainfall in all species but in Praomys jacksoni and Oenomys hypoxanthus breeding occurred in both wet and dry months The growth rate of laboratory reared Praomys jacksoni and Lemniscomys striatus was comparable to that in the forest within the 20–60 g weight ranges The growth rate of Lophuromys flavopunctatus in the laboratory was lower than in the forest Nonsignificant differences in growth rates were observed between individuals of different litters of the same species Except in L striatus, testicular descent in males occurred at an earlier age than vaginal opening in females The average litter size ranged from a high of 4 5 for L striatus to a low of 2 7 for O hypoxanthus