Abstracts available here - Society for Conservation Biology

25th International Congress for Conservation Biology • Auckland, New Zealand • 5-9 December 2011
Council, Plant Protection Research Institute, South Africa/Department
of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, South Africa;
In African savannas heavy grazing of tussock/bunch grassland results
in a compositional shift of grass species to form grazing lawns. Grazing
lawns have been thought to be an undesirable outcome of over grazing.
However, they could be their own stable state grassland community
and thus important and significant contributors to savanna biodiversity.
To investigate the effects of grazing on spiders we used pitfall traps and
sweep netting to sample spiders along 1) a grazing intensity gradient,
and 2) grazing lawns versus tall bunch grasses. Higher species richness
was observed in moderately and intensely grazed sites in comparison to
ungrazed sites. Intensely grazed sites consistently illustrated low diversity
and species richness for pitfall trap data. No significant differences were
observed between moderately grazed and intensely grazed sites and this may
be a consequence of structural heterogeneity. A distinct spider assemblage
pattern on grazing lawns was observed, indicating that grazing lawns are
not just depauperate tall-grass systems. On the contrary, higher abundance,
diversity and species richness of spiders was observed on grazing lawns than
in tall, bunch grassland. A loss of grazing lawns may have cascading effects,
at least in some taxa.
2011-12-09 11:00 Genomic information reveals threatened species
isolated before European settlement: implications for reintroduction
efforts.
Michael K. Schwartz*, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain
Research Station; Brian Knaus, USDA Forest Service Pacific
Northwest Research Station; Aaron Liston, Department of Botany
& Plant Pathology, Oregon State University; Kristy Pilgrim , USDA
Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station; Richard Cronn,
USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station;
Conservation decisions increasingly rely upon molecular information to
define population connectivity, identify units for conservation, and date
population divergence events. Central to these studies is mitochondrial
DNA (mtDNA) genotyping, as most mammalian mtDNA studies examine
hypervariable sites within the displacement loop (D-loop). However, in
some situations the D-loop can show minimal divergence. Conversely,
hypervariable positions can evolve so rapidly that multiple, superimposed
substitutions can obscure evolutionary histories providing misleading results.
Multiplexed massively parallel sequencing enables genome comparisons at
a reasonable expense. The increased information from complete genomes
strengthens inferences of relationships and narrows divergence time
estimates. In this talk we report on complete mtDNA genome sequences
from fisher (Martes pennanti), a threatened North American carnivore
that exhibits low D-loop diversity. In California, fishers are found in the
northern portion of the state and in the Sierra Nevada in the South, with a
430 km “gap” between populations. Earlier D-loop data suggested that the
common haplotype was shared among the populations, information which
has been used to justify reintroduction into this gap. Here we show with
complete mitochondrial genome sequences that this common haplotype
is actually two distinct haplotypes. Furthermore, the time of divergence
from genome sequences suggest that these populations have been isolated
prior to European colonization. These results reveal the dangers of making
conservation decisions with less-than-genomic information.
2011-12-09 11:45 Bryophyte contribution to ecosystem services in
New Zealand indigenous tussock grasslands
Michel, P*, Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research; Lee, WG,
Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research;
In New Zealand montane tussock grasslands, bryophytes are an
important component of the vegetation, contributing ca 3.1 % of the
total vegetative biomass and 71% of the ground cover. The bryophytic
biomass is predominantly mosses, Hypnum cupressiforme and Leptotheca
gaudichaudii (ca. 79.5%). Bryophyte composition and accumulation in
indigenous grasslands can influence catchment-scale hydrological processes
by intercepting rainfall, dew and fog, and absorbing up to 14 times
their dry mass in water. The inter-tussock bryophyte carpet contributes
to a mean additional water storage capacity of 0.2mm. Anthropogenic
disturbances (e.g. fire) modify the bryophytic communities favouring the
establishment of species adapted to survive in dry and exposed environment
(e.g. Polytrichum and Campylopus species). The reduced bryophytic
biomass and cover of modified communities result in a mean loss of 90%
in the potential water storage. Bryophytes also play a great role in the
decomposition processes of native tussock grasses (e.g. Chionochloa rigida),
with decomposition rate under dense cushion of moss species improving by
up to 73%. Mosses appear to alter microbial biomass and these interactions
are species dependent. Alterations in the bryophytic landscape thus can
have critical consequences on the ecological processes of indigenous tussock
grasslands and potentially on associated global ecosystems functions and
dynamics.
2011-12-07 15:30 Trading off short-term and long-term risk:
minimizing the threat of island extinctions from catastrophes and sealevel
rise
MICHELLE REYNOLDS*, Pacific Island Ecosystem Rearch Center,
US Geological Survey; Brady Mattsson, USGS; Conor McGowan,
USGS; Andrew McClung, USGS; Sarah Converse, USGS;
Designated as Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, the
remote atolls of the Hawaii provide crucial habitat for endangered endemic
birds and millions of seabirds. Despite their protected status, many species
are faced with the threat of extinction due to random catastrophes such as
diseases, and tsunamis. To reduce the risk that a catastrophe would lead to
extinction, managers propose to restore multiple “insurance” populations
on appropriate islands, currently unoccupied to increase their ranges. A
longer term threat to low island species is sea level rise associated with
global climate change. Unfortunately, establishment of populations on
multiple low-lying islands is unlikely to provide long-term species viability
since, climate change scenarios predict islands may be inundated by rising
sea levels. To maintain viable populations of endemic endangered island
species, managers must design and implement a strategy that considers both
the longer-term sea level rise as well as the immediate stochastic threats
while integrating uncertainty, budget limitations, complex logistics, and
public opinion of management actions needed to establish species on higher
elevation islands. We examine endangered Laysan teal (Anas laysanensis) as
a case study and apply state-dependent decision-making to explore optimal
adaptive management actions to protect species facing climate change.
2011-12-07 11:10 Which religion has most potential to save
biodiversity?
Mikusinski, G.*, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences,
Department of Ecology, Grimsö Wildlife Research Station; Blicharska,
M., Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, School for Forest
Management;
Numerous solutions have been proposed lately to face the accelerating
global decline of biodiversity. However, what seems to be missing is a
greater effort to incorporate biodiversity-oriented thinking in everyday
actions of individuals and nations. We need a complementary strategy that
shapes ethical attitudes and strive for a more pro-environmental thinking
and lifestyles of individuals and nations. Religions that are carriers of basic
beliefs, ethics and worldviews may specifically influence people’s behaviour
should therefore be seriously considered in biodiversity conservationoriented
discourse. We conducted analysis of spatial overlap between
major global religions (Christianity with Roman Catholic Church, Islam,
Hinduism and Buddhism) and several biodiversity templates indicating
the most important areas from the global conservation perspective. Our
analysis clearly indicated that the majority of these areas are situated in
countries dominated by Christianity, and more specifically Catholicism.
We concluded that the greatest potential to influence biodiversity discourse
seems to rest on the Roman Catholic Church, which not only “rules” over
millions of believers in countries important for global biodiversity, but also
has a centralised structure enabling spreading pro-environmental preaching
world-wide.
2011-12-08 14:45 From co-existence to exclusion: mechanisms behind
the generalist replacement of specialists in the face of disturbance.
MILDENSTEIN, TAMMY L.*, Wildlife Biology Program, College
of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT
59812, USA;
Ecological specialists are disappearing globally relative to generalists across
a wide range of taxa. Anthropogenic disturbance is hypothesized to be the
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