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25th International Congress for Conservation Biology • Auckland, New Zealand • 5-9 December 2011 models to investigate the factors that may influence the cost, effectiveness and efficiency of conservation programmes, using the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) as a case study. The UK BAP was launched in 1994 in response to dramatic biodiversity loss in the UK during the 20th century. We evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of individual Species Action Plans using Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, Cost-Utility Analysis and Threat Reduction Assessment. Then we use statistical models to investigate the factors, including both species characteristics and plan characteristics, that may influence the cost, effectiveness and efficiency of the Species Action Plans. We found that characteristics of the species had more influence on plan success than characteristics of the plan itself. Invertebrate plans tended to be less effective, whereas vertebrate plans were less efficient. Plans for widely distributed species with longer generation times also tended to be less efficient. Older and less concise plans were less efficient, whilst the involvement of multiple organisations in plan delivery appeared to reduce effectiveness. These results can be used to inform decisions on which species we should be investing in if we want to maximise the rate of return on our investment, and also how we can improve the species recovery plan process. However, conservation resource allocation decisions cannot be based exclusively on economic reasoning, since moral, social and cultural considerations are also inevitably involved. 2011-12-06 14:16 Habitat-Related Breeding Success and Abundance in Burrow-Nesting Seabirds: A Predictive Modelling Approach Whitehead, Amy*, Landcare Research, PO Box 40, Lincoln, New Zealand; Lyver, Phil, Landcare Research, PO Box 40, Lincoln, New Zealand; Jones, Chris, Landcare Research, PO Box 40, Lincoln, New Zealand; MacLeod, Catriona, Landcare Research, Private Bag 1930, Dunedin, New Zealand; Pairman, D, Landcare Research, PO Box 40, Lincoln, New Zealand; Ruamaahua Islands Trust, .; Te Tapatoru a Toi, .; Colonial burrow-nesting seabirds have significant cultural, economic and biological value in many countries. However, many seabird populations and ecosystems are at risk. High adult survivorship and low reproductive rates of seabirds makes them vulnerable to predation by introduced mammals, alterations in food-webs, fisheries by-catch, land development around breeding colonies and climate perturbations. Access to reliable information about burrow-nesting seabird population dynamics is crucial for restoration and management of such colonies and their associated ecosystems. However, such data are often poor or unavailable. We use predictive habitat models to estimate breeding success and abundance of grey-faced petrels (Pterodroma macroptera gouldi ) on three islands off northern NZ. Estimates of annual variation in egg and near-fledging chick burrow occupancies and burrow entrance densities are combined with habitat data in island-specific habitat predictive models to estimate breeding population size. Breeding success and burrow density is significantly influenced by habitat, with implications for ecosystem restoration projects focussing on burrow-nesting seabirds. 2011-12-08 18:30 Experimental habitat rehabilitation for the Philippine Cockatoo Cacatua haematuropygia in Palawan, Philippines Widmann, IDL*, Katala Foundation; Widmann, P, Katala Foundation; Extreme lowland forests are the core habitat of the critically endangered Philippine Cockatoo which has its last stronghold on the island of Palawan. Most of these forests have already been cleared for agriculture and settlements, and the remaining few patches are usually degraded. Experimental rehabilitation of two coastal forest patches was attempted employing assisted natural regeneration in heavily degraded areas and enrichment planting in residual stands. Tree species selection for trials was based on vegetation analyses, previous experience from reforestation projects and information on food-providing and nest trees of the cockatoo. Conservation education campaigns on forest rehabilitation and species conservation were conducted in settlements adjacent to the sites. In degraded grassland a closed canopy could be achieved within two years after planting. After four years some tree species started fruiting, and foraging cockatoos were observed in one site. At least four more globally threatened vertebrate species were recorded in the two plots and are likely benefiting from the rehabilitation project as well. Results of the experiment justify replication on a larger scale, particularly within and adjacent to existing cockatoo reserves and other key sites in Palawan. 2011-12-07 18:00 Invasive plants in conservation linkages: what have we been overlooking? Wilkerson, ML*, University of California, Davis; Conservationists continue to debate the potential downsides of enhancing landscape connectivity through the use of large-scale linkages. One oftendiscussed though virtually unstudied concern is that linkages will also aid non-native plant movement. As part of a broad study to address the potential problem of linkages facilitating invasive plants, I have focused on large-scale conservation linkages in Southern California. I am examining the patterns and potential mechanisms of plant invasion associated with these specific landscape features, emphasizing the role of edge effects and the impact of matrix types. I collected data from eight linkages dominated by chaparral and coastal sage scrub in two Southern California counties. Surveys confirm that plant invasion has a spatially explicit structure, with linkage interiors being more invaded than their edges. These spatially-explicit patterns varied among invasive species with different dispersal syndromes (wind vs. animal vs. bird). In turn, these patterns depend upon the types of matrix that surround the linkage. Therefore, what constitutes a landscape for a winddispersed invasive species is not the same as that of an animal-dispersed invasive species or a bird-dispersed species. These conclusions will help land managers/owners effectively prioritize invasive plant management within linkages and also will advance our conceptual understanding of invasive plant movement and connectivity at the landscape level. 2011-12-06 12:00 Incorporating Connectivity in Endangered Species Reintroduction Site Selection Wilson, JW*, North Carolina State University; Fay, JP, Duke University; Haddad, NM, North Carolina State University; Despite being critical for ecosystem functioning and conservation management, habitat connectivity has been neglected in reintroduction biology. We propose a framework that incorporates connectivity in selecting reintroduction sites. Using a graph-theoretical approach in a GIS framework, we analyze regional patch dynamics of the St. Francis’ Satyr (SFS) (Neonympha mitchellii francisci), a federally endangered species globally restricted to early-successional wetlands on United States military grounds at Ft. Bragg, NC. Our top priority reintroduction site is the unoccupied habitat patch connected to the greatest number of other unoccupied habitat patches. Our model that considers only the spatial configuration of suitable patches suggests that SFS persists as one metapopulation, with the top priority reintroduction site directly connected to eight other habitat patches through 15% of the network’s dispersal routes. Models that also incorporate dispersal limitations suggest that SFS persists as five metapopulations, with the top priority reintroduction site directly connected to five other patches through 18% of that metapopulation’s dispersal routes. Reintroductions at highly connected sites reduce dispersal limitations, enabling reintroduced populations to better disperse to nearby unoccupied habitat as population sizes increase. Over the long term, highly connected populations should be better equipped to adapt their ranges to changing environments. 2011-12-09 14:45 Climate change conflicts and biodiversity conservation Wilson, KA*, The University of Queensland; The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has predicted that an increased scarcity of resources due to climate change will potentially lead to “a breakdown of established codes of conduct, and even outright conflict”. We evaluate the potential impact of climate change on the frequency and spatial distribution of conflicts in the future, focusing in particular on biodiversity hotspots. We find that only five biodiversity hotspots (of 34) comprise countries that are unstable and also at risk of climate change, due to impacts such as sea level rise, decreased crop viability, and/or water shortage. We assess the possible impact climate change related conflicts will have on biodiversity conservation, particularly given the potential impact that such conflicts might have on the allocation of conservation funding. We explore the following scenarios (1) a business as usual scenario (2) a risk averse scenario where areas of high conflict do not receive any investment (3) a scenario that explicitly accounts for the risk of conflict in evaluating the benefits of investment. 180
25th International Congress for Conservation Biology • Auckland, New Zealand • 5-9 December 2011 2011-12-08 18:30 The impact of alien fish species on feeding behavior and shelter use in Alpine newt Winandy, L*, University of Liège; Denoël, M, University of Liège; The introduction of alien fish species in the natural environment is a major and current conservation concern whose main consequence is biodiversity lost. Amphibians are particularly affected by these introductions and are declining worldwide. While previous studies have mainly highlighted population extirpation in presence of fish, the involved mechanisms are little known particularly at the behavioral level. For this purpose, we compared behavioral patterns (shelter use and feeding) of 100 adult Alpine newts (Mesotriton alpestris) in a replicated laboratory design (20 aquariums). Half of individuals were in indirect (visual and olfactory) contact with goldfish (Carassius auratus). In the presence of fish, significantly more newts were hidden under shelters and less were feeding in comparison with controls. However, food detection latency (i.e., the time from food delivery to the first feeding act) did not differ in the two treatments. These results show that the mere presence of fish, i.e. without direct contact, can alter newt behavior. By reducing their activity level outside shelters, newts have lower access to food in presence of fish. Looking at such behavioral patterns help in understanding of mechanisms of exclusion and coexistence patterns between fish and amphibians. This shows that non-predatory species, such as goldfish, have detrimental effects on newts. 2011-12-08 12:30 From prediction to action - the science of saving species under climate change. Wintle, B.A., University of Melbourne; Possingham, H.P.*, University of Queensland; Substantial investment in climate change research has led to dire predictions of the impacts and risks to biodiversity; the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report1 cites 28,586 studies demonstrating significant biological changes in terrestrial systems. Yet there is little advice or precedent in the literature to guide climate adaptation investment for conserving biodiversity. Given that there is an impending extinction crisis, we need to move urgently from predictive science to decision science in order to support difficult choices between climate adaptation options under severe uncertainty. Here we present the first systematic ecological and economic analysis of a climate adaptation problem in one of the world’s most species rich and threatened ecosystems; the South African Fynbos. We discover a counterintuitive optimal investment strategy that switches twice between options as the available adaptation budgets increases. We demonstrate that optimal investment is non‐linearly dependent on available resources, making the choice of how much to invest as important as determining what to invest in and where. Our study emphasises the importance of a sound analytical framework for adaptation investment that integrates information and tools from ecology, economics, social science and decision science. Our method for prioritising investment can be applied at any scale to minimise the loss of species under climate change. We anticipate that the approach illustrated here will form the basis of future climate adaptation investments. 2011-12-08 15:45 Inter-population variation and sociality of the North Island rifleman (Acanthisitta chloris granti): Implications for conservation management Withers, Sarah Jane*, The University of Auckland; Parsons, Stuart, The University of Auckland; Hauber, Mark, Hunter College, City University of New York; Lavery, Shane, The University of Auckland; Species management strategies are often formulated and carried out after a species has become endangered or threatened. This inevitably leads to strategies which are limited in their scope to collect explorative information related to the ecology and variation present within the species’ distribution. Unfortunately this often results in a lack of fundamental knowledge related to that species, particularly in relation to aspects of their biology which may influence the success or failure of particular management strategies. Translocation is a management strategy that is being increasingly utilized as a tool for expanding the range of a declining or fragmented species. However individuals from threatened species are often translocated between populations or into new areas with little knowledge of the variation inherent between meta-populations. Using DNA analysis, bioacoustic techniques and morphological comparisons, my research focuses on collecting both ecological and genetic data to identify variation between separated populations of the New Zealand North Island rifleman (Acanthisitta chloris granti), a sub-species which is not yet endangered, but is declining and becoming increasingly fragmented. The results of this research have important implications for the definition of appropriate management strategies for the sub-species, particularly with regard to the use of translocation as a tool for future management. 2011-12-06 17:00 Conservation on private lands: the need for a science-based framework Wittmer, HU*, School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand; Marshall, AJ, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Private lands are playing an increasing role in the conservation of endangered species. Recently, conservation efforts on private lands have expanded in scope and scale, including ambitious initiatives such as the creation of entire National Parks. Private conservation efforts at large spatial scales, however, are more likely to be accompanied by drastic changes in management. Despite the best intentions of managers, such changes can be risky and, at least in the short term, lead to unanticipated negative outcomes. Here we report on the unintended consequences of removing >30,000 domestic sheep for the viability of endangered huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) deer during the establishment of the future Patagonia National Park, Chile, on a privately owned Estancia. Following the removal of sheep, predation of huemul fawns and adults from native predators increased dramatically, threatening the viability of one of the endangered species that the Park was intended to protect. Based on these results, we highlight the need for a science-based framework for conservation efforts on private lands to ensure that such initiatives will meaningfully contribute to conservation efforts. Key components of a science-based framework are transparency, accountability, independent assessment, incorporation of sound management practices, and consideration of all relevant ecological processes and interactions. 2011-12-06 12:15 Taxonomy, population genetics and conservation of the Critically Endangered Southern Bent-wing Bat (Miniopterus schreibersii bassanii) Wood, RE*, Genetics Department, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Appleton, BA, Genetics Department, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; It is integral to the effective long-term management and conservation of populations that taxonomic relationships are understood and resolved. This research aims to clarify the taxonomy and population structure of the Australian complex of the Large Bent-wing Bat (Miniopterus schreibersii) with a particular focus on the Critically Endangered Southern Bent-wing Bat (M. s. bassanii). Using mitochondrial, microsatellite and nuclear genetic markers, investigation into historical and contemporary population structure has provided insight into the interactions and evolutionary relationships within and between populations of the two southern forms, M. s. bassanii and M. s. oceanensis. Despite the overlapping ranges of these two taxa, the genetic, morphological and ecological differences observed indicate that they may in fact be reproductively isolated, thereby warranting recognition as distinct species. A major concern for M. s. bassanii is not only their declining populations but also the low genetic variation observed. As this is likely to have a long-lasting impact on their viability in the longterm, efforts should focus on promoting habitat quality and demographic stability, at least in the short-term. The importance of this research in establishing the taxonomic status and population structure of M. s. bassanii is emphasized by the continued decline of populations and the imminent need for their effective management and conservation. 2011-12-09 17:15 Science Narratives: Inspiring participation in large landscape conservation Wyborn, C*, Fenner School of Environment and Society, ANU; Large landscape ‘connectivity conservation’ initiatives are rapidly gaining prominence across the world. They are motivated by a desire to halt biodiversity decline and preserve ecosystem processes in the face of climate change and habitat fragmentation. At the heart of these initiatives is the motivation and ability of individuals, agencies and institutions to collaborate across multiple scales, land tenures and land uses. Drawing on the concept of ecological connectivity, proponents claim to be ‘connecting 181
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Page 181: 25th International Congress for Con
Page 189 and 190: Index Benini, Rubens 42 Beniston, M
Page 191 and 192: Index DeWan, Amielle 14 Dianne Brun
Page 193 and 194: Index Hilborn, Ray 27 Hill, CM 176
Page 195 and 196: Index Loutit, R. 116 Louwe Kooijman
Page 197 and 198: Index Ottewell, K 81 Overton, J 61,
Page 199 and 200: Index Sequeira, Ana 151 Serebryakov
Page 201 and 202: Index Winandy, L 181 Winner, J. 112
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