Publications by authors named "N Sykes"
Species reintroductions are increasingly seen as important methods of biodiversity restoration. Reintroductions of red kites Milvus milvus and white-tailed eagles Halieaeetus albicilla to Britain, which were extirpated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, represent major conservation successes. Here, we measured stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) in feather keratin and bone collagen of museum specimens of red kites and white-tailed eagles, which were collected from across Scotland between the 1800s and 2010s.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWith reductions in the malaria burden stalling in the past years, gene drive holds promise as a novel way of reducing disease transmission. Governance and decision-making processes are pivotal aspects of the legitimate adoption of this technology. Here, the authors explore Target Malaria's journey in developing a community agreement model for the release of non-gene drive genetically modified mosquitoes.
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- Anthropogenic activities have significantly affected the diversity and evolution of species, with European fallow deer (Dama dama) as a prime example of this impact.
- Using time-calibrated mitochondrial DNA data, researchers analyzed the historical distribution changes and lineage structure of fallow deer across Europe, highlighting founder effects in northern regions compared to consistent populations in the south.
- The study suggests that human intervention has played a key role in deer recolonization and indicates that the lineage found in modern Italy is closely related to fallow deer from the Eemian interglacial period, providing insights into how anthropogenic and natural factors intertwine in species evolution.
The 10,000-year biocultural history of fallow deer and its implications for conservation policy.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
February 2024
Article Synopsis
- - Over the past 10,000 years, humans have actively influenced fallow deer populations, leading to various outcomes, including the endangered Persian fallow deer and the widespread European fallow deer, which holds unique statuses in different regions.
- - Genetic and archaeological studies reveal that European fallow deer have two main genetic groups in Anatolia and the Balkans, which served as their primary glacial refuges, and demonstrate how humans translocated these deer across regions, often sourcing them from distant populations.
- - The historical movement of fallow deer, influenced by myths and cultural practices, highlights the complexity between wild and domestic species, providing insights that could inform modern wildlife management strategies.
From 2012 to 2023, the Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), based out of the University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), was part of the Target Malaria research consortium working towards developing novel gene drive-based tools for controlling populations of malaria vector mosquitoes. As part of this work, Target Malaria Mali has undertaken a range of in-depth engagement activities with the communities where their research is conducted and with other stakeholders nationally. These activities were meant to ensure that the project's activities took place with the agreement of those communities, and that those communities were able to play a role in shaping the project's approach to ensure that its eventual outcomes were in line with their needs and concerns.
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