Abstracts available here - Society for Conservation Biology

More documents

Recommendations

Info

25th International Congress for Conservation Biology • Auckland, New Zealand • 5-9 December 2011 2011-12-07 14:36 General rules for managing and surveying networks of pests, diseases, and endangered species Chades, I*, CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences; Martin, TG, CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences; Nicol, S, University of Alaska; Burgman, MA, University of Melbourne; Possingham, HP, University of Queensland; Buckley, YM, University of Queensland and CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences; The efficient management of diseases, pests, or endangered species is an important global issue faced by agencies constrained by limited resources. The challenge is even greater when organisms are difficult to detect. We show how to prioritize management and survey effort across time and space for networks of susceptible–infected–susceptible subpopulations. We present simple and robust rules for protecting desirable, or eradicating undesirable, subpopulations connected in typical network patterns (motifs). We further demonstrate that these rules can be generalized to larger networks when motifs are combined in more complex formations. Results show that the best location to manage or survey a pest or a disease on a network is also the best location to protect or survey an endangered species. The optimal starting point in a network is the fastest motif to manage, where line, star, island, and cluster motifs range from fast to slow. Managing the most connected node at the right time and maintaining the same management direction provide advantages over previously recommended outside–in strategies. When a species is not detected and our belief in persistence decreases, our results recommend shifting resources toward management or surveillance of the most connected nodes. Our rules account for management success, dispersal, cost, and imperfect detection and offer managers a practical basis for managing networks relevant to many significant environmental and biosecurity issues. 2011-12-08 13:30 POMDPs: a solution for modelling adaptive management problems in conservation biology Chades, I.*, CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences; Jalladeau, L., CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences; Carwardine, J., CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences; Martin, T.G., CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences; Nicol, S., University of Alaska; Buffet, O., INRIA, France; Adaptive management is the principle tool for conserving endangered species under global change, yet adaptive management problems suffer from a poor suite of solution methods. The common approach used to solve an adaptive management problem is to assume the system state is known and the system dynamics can be one of a set of pre-defined models. The solution method used is unsatisfactory, employing value iteration on a discretized belief MDP which restricts the study to very small problems. We show how to overcome this limitation by modelling an adaptive management problem as a special case of Partially Observable Markov Decision Process (POMDP) called a Mixed Observability MDP (MOMDP). We illustrate the use of our adaptive MOMDP to manage a population of the threatened Gouldian finch, a bird species endemic to Northern Australia. 2011-12-08 14:45 Monitoring marine fauna in a changing climate: working with citizen scientists Chambers, LE*, Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research; Climatic variation and change influence marine fauna, for example, changes in range, success and timing of breeding. However, many species and regions have limited information on their responses to environmental change making generalisations about climatic impacts and adaptive capacity difficult. Assessment of climate change impacts requires good quality historical information (e.g. breeding records, distributional data), which can come from variety of sources, including government databases, universities, the literature or private records. Australian experiences highlight that long-term biological data is often difficult to locate or access and can have irregular coverage, both in time and space. Given the size of the problem, it is critical that past monitoring programs are reinvigorated and new ones initiated. Engaging the community is one way of achieving this and is the focus of this paper. The Birds Australia atlas and the Penguin Study Group of Phillip Island are two Australian examples that engage citizens in long-term data collection to achieve conservation goals. Recent initiatives that engage society and support the work of biologists, natural resource managers and policy makers are RedMap (http://www.redmap.org.au) and ClimateWatch (http://www.climatewatch.org.au). ClimateWatch is unique, using citizen scientists to detect change in both phenology and distribution; the first Southern Hemisphere network of its type. 2011-12-09 11:45 Cultural Ecosystem Services Require Special Treatment, and Most Ecosystem Services are Cultural Chan, KMA*, University of British Columbia; Satterfield, T, University of British Columbia; Goldstein, J, Colorado State University; Ecosystem service approaches have become a prominent basis for conservation planning and management. Cultural and non-use (intangible) services are included in all major typologies and present some of the most compelling reasons for conserving ecosystems, though many barriers exist to considering them in decision-making. The values that conform least well to economic assumptions—variously lumped together with/as cultural services—have proven elusive in part because valuation is complicated by the properties of intangibility and incommensurability, which has in turn led to their exclusion from economic valuation. In order to integrate these heretofore underrepresented but crucial perspectives into the ecosystem services framework, researchers must account for the full suite of values pertaining to ecosystems. We address this challenge here by (1) distinguishing eight dimensions of values, which have implications for appropriate valuation; (2) identifying major categories of benefits and of cultural services; (3) discussing the implications of these propositions for ecosystem-services research theory and methods; and (4) outlining briefly a research agenda to enable decision-making that is ecologically appropriate and socially just. One critical conclusion of (1) and (2) is that many ecosystem services are associated with benefits that might be considered ‘cultural’, such that the complexities of the valuation of non-material benefits applies broadly. 2011-12-09 14:45 The effect of senescence on population dynamic of Griffon Vulture Chantepie,S*, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CERSP (UMR 7204) ; Robert, A, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CERSP (UMR 7204) ; Teplitsky, C, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CERSP (UMR 7204) ; Sarrazin, F, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CERSP (UMR 7204) ; Senescence corresponds to the age-related decrease of survival and/or reproduction due to a progressive deterioration of the physiological state of individuals. Although an increasing number of studies have recently demonstrated the existence of such process in wild populations, the effect of senescence on population dynamics has never been demonstrated. Based on a 29 year capture-recapture monitoring of a reintroduced population of Griffon vulture, a long-lived raptor, we propose to (i) quantify the reduction in survival with age; (ii) link this pattern of senescence with population density and food availability; (iii) integrate these results on a population dynamics model to assess the effect of senescence on short and middle term extinction risk of the Griffon vulture; and (iv) generalize our findings to species with other life history strategies. We showed that senescence on survival does occur in our study population, in interaction with intraspecific competition. Using our generic population dynamic model we further showed that the effect of senescence on extinction risk depends on (i) the species’ life cycle considered, (ii) whether senescence is “soft” (i.e., is mediated through intraspecific competition), or “hard” (i.e.,results in absolute reductions of vital rates, independently of competition). The senescence of demographic parameters should no longer be neglected in viability analysis assessments. 2011-12-07 17:15 Genetic changes in captive breeding: adaptation versus drift in a supportive breeding of Houbara Bustard Charge, R.*, MNHN; Sorci, G., CNRS; Saint Jalme, M., MNHN; Loic Lesobre, ECWP; Teplitsky, C., CNRS; Captive breeding is sometimes the last resort to prevent extinction of threatened species. Such programs aim to maintain genetic diversity by equalizing the representation of founders and minimise inbreeding. However relaxation of selection in captivity may generate undesirable effects such as an increased genetic drift and/or an adaptation to captivity. It is therefore essential to assess genetic changes over years and generations in captive programs to prevent any genetic burden in both captive and wild populations when the last is reinforced with captive-bred individuals. This is particularly true during the early stage of any breeding program in which demographic aspects prevail over genetic stakes. We assessed prevalence of unintentional selection on traits that are potentially linked to fitness in a captive breeding of Houbara Bustard, an endangered bird species. Data about male display rate, 26
25th International Congress for Conservation Biology • Auckland, New Zealand • 5-9 December 2011 male semen quality and female number of eggs were available from more than 5200 breeding individuals over a 10 years period which represents c.a. 4 generations. We show that despite a carefully designed breeding program, there was strong adaptation to captivity involving genetic changes in fitness traits higher than what could be expected by genetic drift alone. Finally, unintentional selection has decreased in intensity with time thanks to the use of the genetic management strategy, emphasising the need for assessing both dynamics and genetics issues when designing breeding programs. 2011-12-09 11:00 Connectivity conservation across landscape and across nations for life’s sake Chassot, O*, Tropical Science Center / World Commission on Protected Areas, International Union for Conservation of Nature; Howling, G, Office of Environment and Heritage, Department of Premier and Cabinet; Worboys, G, Jagumba Consulting Pty Ltd / World Commission on Protected Areas (Mountains Biome and Connectivity Conservation), International Union for Conservation of Nature; Connectivity conservation extends the concepts of biodiversity and biological corridors to the landscape scale. A revised conservation science consensus is beginning to emerge in response to the limitations of conservation efforts to date and the enormity of the challenge, especially in the face of the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and the fundamental services they provide to humanity. A connectivity conservation approach recognizes that conservation management is needed on the lands around formal protected areas to buffer them from threatening processes originating off-reserve and to care for biodiversity assets found on other land tenures. Case studies from the Great Eastern Range Corridor (Australia) and the El Castillo-San Juan-La Selva Biological Corridor (Nicaragua- Costa Rica) illustrate the conservation challenges that protected areas face in the landscape at different geographical scales. These and other relevant participatory connectivity conservation initiatives focus on geographically extensive areas that are at least supra-regional in scale, and can extend to continental and intercontinental scales. Achieving conservation outcomes across the landscape matrix involves active management, policy support and conservation outcomes in an integrated way across a range of land tenures. Carefully designed science-sound connectivity conservation initiatives that link significant protected areas network allowing species to move and interact as part of ecological processes are a natural solution to climate change recognized by the CBD targets and part of IUCN policy as they serve as critical and cost-effective actions in mitigating and adapting to climate change. 2011-12-08 18:30 Unintended consequences of conservation actions: managing disease in complex ecosystems CHAUVENET, ALIENOR*, Institute of Zoology, ZSL, London NW1 4RY, UK; Durant, Sarah, Institute of Zoology, ZSL, London NW1 4RY; Hilborn, Ray, , School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-5020, USA; Pettorelli, Nathalie, Institute of Zoology, ZSL, London NW1 4RY; Infectious diseases are increasingly recognised to be a major threat to livestock production and biodiversity. Disease management tools such as control of animal movements and vaccination can be used to mitigate the impact and spread of diseases in targeted species. They can reduce the risk of epidemics and in turn the risks of population decline and extinction. However, all species are embedded in communities and interactions between species can be complex, hence increasing the chance of survival of one species can have repercussions on the whole community structure. Here we use an example from the Serengeti ecosystem in Tanzania to show that a vaccination campaign against Canine Distemper Virus targeted at conserving the African lion (Panthera leo), could put the viability of a coexisting threatened species, the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), at risk. Simulations show that vaccination interventions could almost double the probability of extinction of the cheetah population over the next 60 years. Our results suggest that this vaccination programme risks destabilising the simple two-species system considered. This study illustrates the need to carefully consider linkages between human-intervention, species viability and community structure when planning species-based conservation actions. 2011-12-09 14:00 Does supplemental feeding affect the viability of translocated populations? The example of the hihi (Notiomystis cincta) CHAUVENET, ALIENOR*, Institute of Zoology, ZSL, London NW1 4RY, UK; Ewen, John G., Institute of Zoology, ZSL, London NW1 4RY, UK; Armstrong, Doug P., Wildlife Ecology Group, Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand; Coulson, Tim, Division of Biology, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UK; Blackburn, Tim M., Institute of Zoology, ZSL, London NW1 4RY, UK; Pettorelli, Nathalie, Institute of Zoology, ZSL, London NW1 4RY, UK; Translocations are commonly-used conservation actions that aim at establishing new self-sustainable populations of threatened species. However, many translocated populations are not self-sustainable and managed through supplemental feeding from the onset. Often the decision to start managing is ad hoc but managers will eventually have to make future management decisions, e.g., stop intervening, continue as is or change the quantity of food provided. Such a decision requires managers to quantify the importance of supplemental feeding in determining the performance and population dynamics of translocated populations, information which is rarely available in the published literature. Using the hihi as a case study, we examined the importance of supplemental feeding for the viability of a translocated population in New Zealand. We found that supplemental feeding significantly affected survival and abundance of translocated hihi. We could not detect any significant relationship between management and the yearly average number of recruits but found evidence of densitydependence on recruitment. By taking into account the positive effect of supplemental feeding on survival, the observed bias in sex ratio and the negative relationship between the yearly average number of recruits and abundance, we were able to explain 88.9% of the variability in population size. Our results illustrate how important long-term targeted monitoring is for robust decision-making about adaptive management. 2011-12-07 17:45 Avian responses to reduced-impact logging in the Southwestern Brazilian Amazon CHAVES, W*, University of Florida; Sieving, KE, University of Florida; Reduced-impact logging (RIL) has been proposed as a sustainable form of timber extraction. In Acre State, Southwestern Brazilian Amazon, RIL is being implemented and deliberately assessed for its effectiveness (ecological and economic). Because of its commitment to evaluating RIL, forest policy of Acre State has become a reference within the region and, thus, has broader implications for forest management in Amazonia. We assessed the effects of RIL on both habitat structure and several avian indicator species in a comparative study of logged and unlogged areas in Acre. We performed 456 point-count surveys of bird species and estimated occupancy of avian species using a removal model that accounts for probability of detection. We found that RIL affected occupancy of seven of the nine avian species that we could evaluate statistically, but logging effects depended on the percentage of bamboo present. Bird occupancy increased with bamboo, and logging effects on birds were also more detectable where percent of bamboo was higher. Bamboo dominance did not differ between logged and unlogged areas, despite the general expectation that bamboo should benefit from disturbance. This suggests that logging activities may selectively avoid high bamboo areas which, in turn, may be serving as a refuge for species negatively affected by logging. Future studies should investigate the role of bamboo when evaluating the effects of logging on wildlife and forest structure. 2011-12-08 18:30 ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION OF AN ANDEAN SALAMANDER (Bolitoglossa aff. pandi) IN THE EASTERN ANDES OF COLOMBIA. Chaves-Portilla G. *, Fundación Ecodiversidad Colombia; According to the Global Amphibian Assessment, Colombia is the secondhighest country in amphibian diversity, in which there are reports of 22 species of salamanders, three of which are scheduled with some degree of threat. The knowledge about diverse aspects that involving the ecology and natural history of these amphibians is still insufficient, it has not 27
Page 1 and 2: ABSTRACTS 25th International Congre
Page 3 and 4: 25th International Congress for Con
Page 27: 25th International Congress for Con
Page 79 and 80:
25th International Congress for Con
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
Page 87 and 88:
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
Page 101 and 102:
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
Page 115 and 116:
Page 117 and 118:
Page 119 and 120:
Page 121 and 122:
Page 123 and 124:
Page 125 and 126:
Page 127 and 128:
Page 129 and 130:
Page 131 and 132:
Page 133 and 134:
Page 135 and 136:
Page 137 and 138:
Page 139 and 140:
Page 141 and 142:
Page 143 and 144:
Page 145 and 146:
Page 147 and 148:
Page 149 and 150:
Page 151 and 152:
Page 153 and 154:
Page 155 and 156:
Page 157 and 158:
Page 159 and 160:
Page 161 and 162:
Page 163 and 164:
Page 165 and 166:
Page 167 and 168:
Page 169 and 170:
Page 171 and 172:
Page 173 and 174:
Page 175 and 176:
Page 177 and 178:
Page 179 and 180:
Page 181 and 182:
Page 183 and 184:
Page 185 and 186:
Page 187 and 188:
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
show all

Abstracts available here - Society for Conservation Biology

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?