Social-ecological-systems approach to badger management in the UK

英国是世界上自然资源最枯竭的国家之一，每4只本土哺乳动物中就有1只面临灭绝。由于缺乏政府拥有的保护区，英国的保护主要集中在私人农田，其实施取决于农民的参与意愿。在野生动物保护和农业的交叉点上，最有争议的问题可能是牛结核病（TB）的管理2。英国现存最大的陆生食肉动物--欧洲獾，可以将结核病传染给牛，因此政府积极鼓励农民捕杀獾。扑杀极具争议，引发了主流野生动物团体的大力运动和其他团体的积极干预。除了对农场生态系统的直接影响外，獾扑杀还可能通过人类社会产生间接影响。认为野生动物部门是反扑杀的农民可能不愿意参与旨在保护农田野生动物的计划。当地居民和社区可能会在农业和野生动物部门的观点之间左右为难。扑杀可能会鼓励一种将生产置于保护之上的耕作方式，这与社会和政策趋势形成鲜明对比，这些趋势与减少结核病风险有关。政府计划用獾疫苗接种2取代扑杀，但社会因素可能会推迟这一转变。本项目将采取社会生态系统方法，了解獾管理的差异如何影响生物多样性，农业成果以及利益相关者（农民，野生动物部门，当地社区）之间的关系。在康沃尔，德比郡和苏塞克斯的研究地点提供了比较和对比管理制度的机会。方法将包括生物多样性监测扑杀和接种疫苗的农场，使用相机陷阱和声学监测，半结构化访谈，Q-方法，焦点小组，和关键的线人访谈，使用叙事和内容分析，以解决五个目标：（1）制定一个社会生态系统框架獾管理在英国农场。(2)探讨在獾管理方面参与农场保护活动的障碍。(3)了解农民对替代獾管理方案的偏好，包括农场生物多样性和结核病感染状况对表达偏好的影响。(4)调查系统内不同利益相关者对替代獾管理结果的反应差异，并揭示不同社区之间的冲突和可能达成的协议。(5)制定措施，鼓励农民参与獾疫苗接种，并参与野生动物友好型农业。1https：//www.mammal.org.uk/science-research/red-list/2https：//assets.tubshing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/870414/bovine-tb-strategy-review-government-response.pdf，2020）3 Mathews（2006）Biol Lett 2，271-274

The UK is one of the world's most nature-depleted countries, with 1 in 4 native mammals facing extinction1. Lacking Government-owned protected areas, UK conservation focuses heavily on private farmland, where its implementation depends on farmers' willingness to participate.Perhaps the most contentious issue at the intersection of wildlife conservation and farming is the management of bovine tuberculosis (TB)2. England's largest remaining terrestrial carnivore, the European badger, can transmit TB to cattle, and so the government actively encourages farmers to cull badgers. Culling is highly controversial, prompting vigorous campaigning by mainstream wildlife groups, and active interference by others.As well as its direct impact on farm ecosystems, badger culling may have indirect effects via human societies. Farmers who perceive the wildlife sector as anti-cull may be unwilling to engage with schemes aimed at conserving farmland wildlife. Local residents and communities may be torn between the views of the farming and wildlife sectors. Culling may encourage a farming style which strongly prioritises production over conservation, in contrast with social and policy trends towards more nature-friendly farming, which have been linked to reduced TB risk3. The government plans to replace culling with badger vaccination2, but social factors are likely to delay this transition.This project will take a social-ecological systems approach to understanding how differences in badger management influence biodiversity, farming outcomes, and the relationships between stakeholders (farmers, wildlife sector, local communities). Study sites in Cornwall, Derbyshire, and Sussex provide opportunities to compare and contrast management regimes. Methods will include biodiversity monitoring on culled and vaccinated farms using camera traps and acoustic monitoring, semi-structured interviews, q-methodology, focus groups, and key informant interviews using narrative and content analysis, to address five objectives:(1) Develop a social-ecological-systems framework for badger management on UK farms.(2) Explore barriers to participation in on-farm conservation activities with respect to badger management.(3) Understand farmer preferences for alternative badger management options, including the impact of on-farm biodiversity and TB infection status on expressed preferences.(4) Investigate differences in response to alternative badger management outcomes between different stakeholders within the system and reveal areas of conflict and possible agreement between different communities.(5) Develop measures that encourage farmers to engage with badger vaccination and to participate wildlife-friendly farming.1https://www.mammal.org.uk/science-research/red-list/2https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/870414/bovine-tb-strategy-review-government-response.pdf, 2020)3Mathews (2006) Biol Lett 2, 271-274