A wide array of wildlife species, including many animals, are used in traditional medicines across many medicinal systems, including in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Due to over-exploitation and habitat loss, the populations of many animals commonly used in TCM have declined and are unable to meet market demand. A number of measures have been taken to try to reduce the impact that this large and growing market for TCM may have on wild animal species. Consumer preferences and behavior are known to play an important role in the consumption and protection of wild animals used in traditional medicine, and thus are likely to be an important factor in the success of many of these mechanisms—particularly given the significant percentage of TCMs that are over-the-counter products (access to which is not mediated by practitioners). In this study we conducted questionnaires and designed stated preference experiments embodying different simulation scenarios using a random sample of the population in Beijing to elicit individuals’ knowledge, perceptions and preferences toward wild or farmed animal materials and their substitutes used in traditional Chinese medicine. We found that respondents had a stated preference for wild materials over farm-raised and other alternatives because they believe that the effectiveness of wild-sourced materials is more credible than that of other sources. However, we also found that, although respondents used TCM products, they had a poor understanding of the function or composition of either traditional Chinese medicines or proprietary Chinese medicines (PCM), and paid little attention to the composition of products when making purchasing decisions. Furthermore, awareness of the need for species protection, or “conservation consciousness” was found to play an important role in willingness to accept substitutions for wild animal materials, while traditional animal medicinal materials (TAMs) derived from well-known endangered species, such as bear bile and tiger bone, show relatively higher substitutability. These results suggest that there is still hope for conservation measures which seek to promote a transition to farmed animal, plant and synthetic ingredients and provide clear directions for future social marketing, education and engagement efforts.

Low-cost activated carbons were prepared from waste polyurethane foam by physical activation with CO 2 for the first time and chemical activation with Ca(OH) 2 , NaOH, or KOH. The activation conditions were optimized to produce microporous carbons with high CO 2 adsorption capacity and CO 2 /N 2 selectivity. The sample prepared by physical activation showed CO 2 /N 2 selectivity of up to 24, much higher than that of chemical activation. This is mainly due to the narrower microporosity and the rich N content produced during the physical activation process. However, physical activation samples showed inferior textural properties compared to chemical activation samples and led to a lower CO 2 uptake of 3.37 mmol·g −1 at 273 K. Porous carbons obtained by chemical activation showed a high CO 2 uptake of 5.85 mmol·g −1 at 273 K, comparable to the optimum activated carbon materials prepared from other wastes. This is mainly attributed to large volumes of ultra-micropores (<1 nm) up to 0.212 cm 3 ·g −1 and a high surface area of 1360 m 2 ·g −1 . Furthermore, in consideration of the presence of fewer contaminants, lower weight losses of physical activation samples, and the excellent recyclability of both physical-and chemical-activated samples, the waste polyurethane foam-based carbon materials exhibited potential application prospects in CO 2 capture.Processes 2019, 7, 592 2 of 15 (Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage) technologies are intended to reduce CO 2 emission, reaching the Paris Agreement targets is still a serious challenge. Nevertheless, in these techniques, adsorption is considered to be the approach with the most potential, since it involves simple operation and has low-cost and energy-saving benefits [8].Many adsorbents have been intensively studied for CO 2 capture, including zeolites [9], metal-organic frameworks [10], metallic oxide [11], graphene-based adsorbents [12], and porous carbon materials [13]. For future commercialization application, the selection of adsorbents is strongly dependent not only on CO 2 capture capacity but also the cost, including the availability of the raw materials, the preparation of the adsorbent, and the operating costs. Porous carbons (PCs) are considered to be the most competitive candidates due to their controlled pore structure, low cost, stable physicochemical properties, ease of chemical modification, and regeneration [14]. Micropore sizes smaller than 1 nm are beneficial to high-density CO 2 filling at ambient conditions [15,16]. In addition, a high surface area (>1000 m 2 ·g −1 ) and a rich nitrogen environment can improve the CO 2 adsorption capacity.The route of preparation, especially activation, will significantly affect the performance of CO 2 absorption. The porous carbons can be activated either by physical or chemical methods. Physical activation is usually achieved by carbonization in an inert atmosphere followed by oxidizing in CO 2 [17], steam [18], or air. In this way, activated carbons with a narrower pore size distribution can be obtained [19]. Gene...

Horns of Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) have always been an ingredient of “Lingyangjiao”, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Persistent hunting for Saiga antelope has already threatened the survival of critical endangered populations in wild. To control the growing pressure, CITES and Chinese government have legislated for monitoring the trade of Saiga horns. However, similar ungulate horns are difficult to identify by their morphological characteristics, which has impeded the law enforcement. Besides Saiga antelope, other seven ungulate species which have similar horns are also sold and marked as “Lingyangjiao” in TCM markets to offset shortage of Saiga antelope horns. Such species are Gazella subgutturosa, Pantholops hodgsonii, Procapra picticaudata, Procapra gutturosa, Procapra przewalskii, Capra hircus, and Ovis aries. Our study aimed at implementing DNA barcoding technology to diagnose Saiga horns and the substitutes. We successfully extracted genomic DNA from horn samples. We recovered COI sequences of 644 bp with specific primers and 349 bp with nested PCR primers designed for degraded horn samples. The mean interspecific genetic distance of data set of the 644-bp full barcodes and the 349-bp mini-barcodes was 14.96% and 15.38%, respectively, and the mean intraspecific distance was 0.24% and 0.20%, respectively. Each species formed independent clades in neighbor-joining (NJ) phylogenetic tree of the two data sets with >99% supporting values, except P. gutturosa and P. przewalskii. The deep genetic distances gap and clear species clades in NJ tree of either full barcodes or mini-barcodes suggest that barcoding technology is an effective tool to diagnose Saiga horns and their substitutes. Barcoding diagnosis protocol developed here will simplify diagnosis of “Lingyangjiao” species and will facilitate conservation of endangered ungulates involved in TCM “Lingyangjiao” markets, especially the Saiga antelope.

An assessment of historical distribution patterns and potential reintroduction sites is important for reducing the risk of reintroduction failure of endangered species. The saiga antelope, Saiga tatarica, was extirpated in the mid-20th century in China. A captive population was established in the Wuwei Endangered Wildlife Breeding Centre (WEWBC) in the 1980s. Reintroduction is planned, but so far, no action has been taken. In this study, we delineated the historical distribution and potential reintroduction areas of saigas in China, using a literature review, interviews and predictive modelling. Results suggest that most of the seasonally suitable areas are non-overlapping, and China may have been a peripheral part of the main saiga range. WEWBC is not an ideal reintroduction site due to its low habitat suitability. Furthermore, we infer that two different movement patterns existed historically (regular migration and nomadic wandering). Our results demonstrate the challenges of restoring a free-ranging, self-sustaining saiga population in China. We recommend the setting up of additional breeding centres in protected areas within the potential saiga range in Xinjiang, and the development of a national action plan to provide a framework for the future recovery of the species.

Species distribution is critical for developing effective conservation measures. The potential geographic distribution of the white-lipped deer (Przewalskium albirostris), which is endemic to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, was delineated using the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model with 97 occurrence records and 7 environmental variables. The species occurrences were collected from literature and field investigations. Our results showed that the potential range of the white-lipped deer included the eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and the potential habitat spread from one core region to neighboring regions among Tibet, Qinghai, and Sichuan provinces. The Jackknife test indicated that the topographic variable, temperature seasonality, and annual precipitation were the most important predictive factors for the model, while the human activity variable made a relatively small contribution. The current distribution and status of the white-lipped deer on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is unclear and we suggest further research is needed on the species.

We conducted surveys on the distribution, population, and conservation status of Przewalski's gazelle, Procapra przewalskii, using the total count method in 2014 and 2015. Przewalski's gazelle was found in 12 separate locations around Qinghai Lake. Compared with results from the First National Wildlife Survey, several new locations were found, and both the distribution range and area were enlarged. At least 1,238 individuals were found around Qinghai Lake. Compared with survey results collected after 2010, the population size of Przewalski's gazelle reached a relatively stable level. Although four locations of Przewalski's gazelle were under the protection of the Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve, and special conservation areas and protection stations for the gazelle were also established, overall conservation efforts are still insufficient. A nature reserve that is specifically focused on the conservation of Przewalski's gazelle should be established in the Upper Buha River of the Shengge-Kuaierma region in Tianjun County. Moreover, proper ecological compensation mechanisms should be developed to resolve the contradiction between conservation and economic development. Considering the fast growth of the captive-bred population, future reintroductions

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As a consequence of habitat loss and degradation, the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in China has become endangered and in need of urgent protection. In situ conservation of leopard cats must be based on understanding of their habitat selection patterns and ecological characteristics of their preferred habitats. From July 10-August 31, 2019, we studied the summer habitat of leopard cats using line transect surveys and point-centered plots in the northern Taihang Mountain region surrounding Beijing, China. We compared used plots with non-used plots in elevation, tree canopy and 20 other ecological variables, and used Vanderploeg＆Scavia's resource selection index (VSI) to analyze habitat preferences in terms of biological factors, abiotic factors and anthropogenic disturbance factors. Results show that tree canopy (25.0±5.3%), tree height (6.2±1.6 m), tree density (8.2±2.2 /plot) and stump quantity (0.2±0.1 /plot) of used plots were significantly lower than non-used plots in summer, and that leopard cats preferred habitats located on northern, flat slopes with lower slope (54.17%), shrub-dominated (80.77%), dry soil (50.00%) and less fallen-wood. Leopard cats had a strong tendency to use habitats near human disturbance areas with moderate levels of disturbance intensity. The results suggest that future conservation efforts should emphasize: (1) strengthening the protection and management of forest fringe shrub habitats to improve summer habitat suitability, and (2) environmental education and animal protection campaigns to promote community biodiversity conservation.