Abstracts available here - Society for Conservation Biology

More documents

Recommendations

Info

25th International Congress for Conservation Biology • Auckland, New Zealand • 5-9 December 2011 progress are we making against what we expect to do in our most important projects and how do we know?” These lessons will be illustrated in the case studies that follow in this symposium. 2011-12-08 11:30 How to Make Conservation Planning More Effective: a case study of The Nature Conservancy, U.S.A. Groves, Craig R*, The Nature Conservancy; Game, Edward, The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy has a long history of taking a systematic approach to conservation through the setting of priorities (ecoregional assessments), strategic planning (known as CAP or Conservation Action Planning), and monitoring the effectiveness of conservation actions. Despite a considerable investment in conservation planning, the gap between identifying priority places and strategies and implementing conservation action based on these plans remains significant. We are recommending a number of actions to close this gap – three of which we will review in this symposium. First, planners and project directors need to have a greater understanding of the context in which a project will take place. Of particular importance are identifying what decisions a plan will influence, who the decision makers are, and constraints on the decisions and planning effort. Second, much greater attention needs to be devoted to developing a range of alternative interventions for any given project and understanding the costs and benefits of those alternatives as well as the theory of change concerning how the interventions are expected to have intended impact. Finally, project directors must take more leadership and ownership in both leading the planning process as well as better connecting the activities identified in the conservation plan to the annual operating plans of country and state programs. 2011-12-08 18:30 Next-generation sequencing in conservation genetics: rapid assessment of MHC diversity of wild populations. Grueber, C. E.*, Dept of Zoology; Dept of Anatomy and Structural Biology, University of Otago; Abdelkrim, J., Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris ; Zavodna, M, Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, University of Otago; Bryant, D, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Otago; Jamieson, I. G., Dept of Zoology, University of Otago; Gemmell, N. J., Centre for Reproduction and Genomics, Dept of Anatomy and Structural Biology, University of Otago; Assessing genetic diversity of wild populations provides crucial information for conservation management, such as informing management units or identifying suitable source populations for reintroductions. Next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies are opening up a wide diversity of exciting applications for studying wild populations of non-model species, but the costs of such techniques can be prohibitive in individual-based studies. Protocols that improve the cost efficiency of this approach would increase its accessibility in conservation management. Here we test a “pooled” sequencing method for rapid assessment of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) diversity in free-ranging bird populations. We compared diversity of the highly endangered takahe Porphyrio hochstetteri to its common congener, the pukeko P. porphyrio. Samples were assigned to conservation-informative population pools: source and translocated populations for takahe, and two geographically separated populations for pukeko. The population pools were barcoded to enable downstream identification after 454 sequencing, and allelic diversity and private alleles were estimated. Using these data we documented differences in MHC diversity among populations and species for which no prior knowledge existed, highlighting the potential of NGS as a rapid and effective tool for diversity assessment in conservation. The strengths and weaknesses of this approach, together with recommended guidelines will be presented. 2011-12-06 14:32 The role of scent and olfaction in the critically endangered Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) Gsell, A.C.*, Massey University, Auckland, NZ; Brunton, Dianne, Massey University, Auckland, NZ; Hagelin, Julie, Swarthmore College, USA; Goodwin, Tom, Hendrix College, USA; The Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) is a parrot unlike any other. Endemic to New Zealand, it is the largest and heaviest parrot worldwide; it is nocturnal and flightless, an obligate herbivore with a remarkably strong body-odour. Kakapo is the only parrot with a lek breeding system. Males perform flamboyant dances at close quarters and produce bizarre booming calls that can be heard over several kilometres. Females approach from far and choose one male to mate with, although it is not known what this choice is based on. The aim of this project was to ascertain what role scent plays in this charismatic parrot. Our methods include the anatomical and histological specification of the olfactory bulb as well as the visual system and a detailed analysis of the strong feather scent using gas chromatographic technologies. The visual system of kakapo seems not only to be reduced but Kakapo is literally blind at night with a retina of a diurnal bird. The olfactory bulb is comparatively large and the body-scent reveals strong individual as well as sexual differences. Kakapo became nocturnal 80 million years ago and we suggest that Kakapo developed more emphasis on other senses when it became nocturnal while neglecting its visual system. It is likely that it explores its environment using olfactory cues. 2011-12-09 17:45 An applied study of scale mismatches and social networks in biodiversity conservation Guerrero, A.M.*, University of Queensland; Wilson, K.A., University of Queensland; McAllister, R.R.J, CSIRO; Corcoran, J., University of Queensland; It is increasingly recognized that an understanding of the social and institutional landscape in which conservation work is conceived, planned for and implemented is as important as the ecological if we want our conservation initiatives to be successful. However, little is understood about the complex interactions between social and ecological systems and their impact on the success of biodiversity conservation initiatives. The different institutions that interact in the process of planning and implementing for conservation influence how conservation problems are defined, the type of actions that are formulated, and how they are implemented on the ground. These decisions might not match the ecological patterns or processes relevant to the conservation problem, creating a scale mismatch. Our paper explores the role of social networks in minimizing such mismatches. Social network analysis is employed in a case study in Western Australia to determine how the pattern of relations that is formed around conservation efforts affect scale mismatches, and how these might be overcome. This study contributes towards understanding the relationship between social network structure and successful biodiversity conservation, and has implications for how conservation partnerships are developed on the ground to increase the likelihood of success of conservation investments. 2011-12-08 18:30 Designing studies to detect a decline in species occupancy: power analysis under imperfect detection Guillera-Arroita, G*, National Centre for Statistical Ecology, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science, Cornwallis Building, University of Kent, CT2 7NF, Canterbury (UK); Monitoring populations of threatened species is essential for informed decision-making within conservation management. In the last decade, species occupancy has become a widely used state variable in monitoring programs due to the relative ease of data collection and the availability of tools that allow modelling occupancy while accounting for species imperfect detection. As conservation initiatives often operate under tight financial constraints it is important to make monitoring meaningful and cost effective and thus it is essential to carefully address study design. Here I explain how to perform power analysis for site occupancy studies while accounting for imperfect detection. I provide an expression to determine the minimum sample size required to detect a decline in occupancy with a given statistical power, target effect size and significance level. I demonstrate the relevance of incorporating imperfect detection in the power analysis by showing how the required sample size is underestimated when detection probability is not taken into account. The ability to detect a decline in species occupancy is often vital for conservation managers and conducting power analysis helps designing informative surveys for this purpose. This not only involves statistical considerations but also requires making explicit decisions about the level of decline that will trigger management action, and the acceptable probabilities of missing a decline or wrongly detecting a non-existing one. 2011-12-06 17:15 People and Park Relations in and around Chobe National Park, Botswana Gupta, A.C. *, University of California, Berkeley; 62
25th International Congress for Conservation Biology • Auckland, New Zealand • 5-9 December 2011 Wildlife conservationists working in Africa now recognize that the cost of living near protected wildlife is high for human communities and that for conservation to succeed, local people must see direct benefits from these resources. This paper argues that moving from fortress style conservation to a more people-inclusive form of conservation governance is a step forward, but that the assumption of CBNRM that direct benefits from wildlife must be created to mitigate its costs is not always applicable. Using the case of northern Botswana’s Chobe Enclave villages, my research shows that the negative impacts of the nearby national park are alleviated less by the local CBNRM project and more by other unique socio-economic and political conditions that heavily structure people’s livelihood strategies. Specifically, the detrimental indirect effects of wildlife conservation policy on Chobe residents’ livelihoods—namely crop destruction and livestock predation by wildlife—have been mediated by governmental policies reflective of Botswana’s status as a welfare developmental state and remittances from family members working outside of the village. State transfers and strong rural-urban linkages have allowed people to “get by” in the face of decreasing livelihood options, and have arguably contributed to general acceptance of conservation policy amongst local communities. In this way, Chobe National Park may be more sustainable than other African protected areas less because CBNRM has provided effective solutions to human-wildlife conflict and more because other socio-economic and political conditions unique to Botswana help maintain a certain standard of living for local communities. 2011-12-09 16:30 The road to extinction is paved with the good intentions: the vanish of Formosa landlocked salmon (Oncorhynchus formosanus) genetic diversity Gwo, J.-C.*, Department of Aquaculture, Taiwan National Ocean University; The genetic structure of wild Formosa landlocked salmon in its main habitat of Chichiawan Stream was examined using 3 molecular markers (AFLP, microsatellite DNA and mtDNA) for 4 years (2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008). Genetic diversity of Formosa landlocked salmon was completely lost at these markers between 2004 and 2008. The carrying capacity of salmon in Chichiawan Stream is estimated about 4,800 fish and majority (>50-60%) of the fish is concentrated between Dams 1 and 3. About 1,648 fish was found at this area in July of 2004. Around 5,000 hatchery cultivated individuals, the descendants of 5 pairs of wild salmon, were accumulated during 2000 to 2004 according to the policy set by Forestry Bureau, Taiwan. At least 3,271 hatchery individuals escaped from hatchery near Dam 2, located at the midstream of the Chichiawan Stream, when Ariel Typhoon breached the hatchery in August 2004. I hypothesized that the large-scale escaped captive-bred fish decreased the survival rates of wild salmon in Chichiawan Stream in winter 2004, particularly given the period of low stream productivity the following year. Competitive displacement or density-dependent mortality may have been mechanisms underlying the decline in genetic diversity of wild Formosa landlocked salmon. 2011-12-09 16:30 Better use of ecological information in modelling climate change impacts on the distribution of small mammal populations Haby, NA*, University of Adelaide; For many vertebrates of conservation concern already impacted by landscapescale, anthropogenic-driven processes, it is unknown which populations may persist, decline or disappear across a species’ range in a changing climate. Predicted changes to the distribution of small ground-dwelling mammals with different ecological traits may be substantially improved by including environmental information that represents core resources (i.e. directly relevant to the species’ fundamental niche). To investigate this, a hybrid modelling technique combining species distribution model (SDM) and population demographic information was used to track changes to metapopulation structure (RAMAS GIS). For species with more specialised habitat, diet or shelter requirements, high-resolution abiotic and biotic landscape- and quadrat-scale data improved SDMs. Low-resolution data appeared to adequately represent the distribution of more mobile, generalist species. However, low-resolution data inherently predicted fewer, larger and more isolated areas of suitable habitat, that when combined with population demographic information led to higher population abundances that were more resilient to a changing climate. These findings highlight the value of including appropriately scaled, abiotic and biotic environmental information that directly or indirectly represent resources required by small mammals to speculate more realistic range shifts, contractions or expansions in a changing climate. 2011-12-06 16:45 Acacia trees as a keystone resource for insectivorous desert-dwelling bats Hackett, TD*, University of Bristol; Korine, C, Ben Gurion University; Holderied, MW, Univsity of Bristol; Anthropogenic habitat modification places stress on the natural ecosystem. In Israeli desert, ephemeral rivers (wadis) are often characterised by stands of acacia trees, which are in decline, most likely due to human-induced water stress. We examine the importance of acacia stands of different quality to bats and arthropods in comparison to other available habitats, both natural and artificial. We assed bat activity at 30 sites with acoustic monitoring and collected arthropods using light and pit traps. Dense green acacia trees have significantly higher bat activity and arthropod abundance than any other natural habitat, including lower quality acacia stands. Town sites and date palms have high arthropod levels but only town sites rival dense green acacia trees in bat activity level. The 13 bat species recorded around acacia trees is the highest diversity in any natural desert habitat in Israel and while some species are able to utilise artificial sites others are found almost exclusively in natural habitats. Rare species (Barbastella leucomelas and Nycteris thebaica) were identified only at sites with acacia trees. Conservation efforts for these habitats should be improved and focus on the green densely packed stands of acacia trees to protect the vital habitat for protected bats. 2011-12-07 14:15 Using line transects and occupancy-based modelling to assess the status and monitor gibbons in Lao PDR: Results and implications for conservation Hallam, C. D.*, Wildlife Conservation Society, Lao PDR; Johnson, A. , Wildlife Conservation Society, Lao PDR; Seateun, S, National Univeristy of Laos; Lathamsathith, T, Wildlife Conservation Society, Lao PDR; Laos harbors globally significant populations of crested gibbons, including the critically endangered northern white-cheeked crested gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys). In Laos gibbons are primarily threatened by illegal hunting for trade and habitat loss. Management of gibbons relies on sound information on which to make management decisions and thus there is a need to assess and monitor the status of gibbons at sites where they are present. Despite their conservation significance no systematic sampling or monitoring of gibbons has been done to date and as a result wildlife managers still lack basic information on their status and distribution throughout Laos. To address this problem, we established the country’s first systematic line transect monitoring program for arboreal mammals in the Nam Kading National Protected Area (NKNPA) in central Lao PDR. For the baseline, we conducted intensive repeat sampling over 130 transects in 2008 and 2009. Transects were visited up to four times with a total survey effort of 431km. We detected gibbons 36 times on 18% of transects (n=130). Preliminary occupancy estimates for the gibbons indicate 26% (SE 0.06; p=0.3 (SE 0.08) in areas where gibbons were surveyed. The results were used to prioritize the NKNPA in a national gibbon action plan and guide management to increase enforcement efforts within the NKNPA where gibbons were detected. Although the results are reliable the method proved logistically and financially prohibitive and consideration of alternative methods are needed for future monitoring of the species in the NKNPA, and other comparable landscapes. 2011-12-09 13:00 Long-term monitoring of change in temperate grasslands- GLORIA network in the Andes Halloy, S*, , The Nature Conservancy and Universidad Nacional de Chilecito; Beck, S, Herbario Nacional, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés; Cuesta, F, Condesan; Yager, K, NASA; It has been shown that predicted warming and increased frequency of extreme weather events increases with altitude in the Andes. Combined with enormous topographic (and hence precipitation) heterogeneity, poverty and intensive use, this creates a situation of high vulnerability to global change. Since 2002 a network of Global Research Initiative in Alpine Environment (GLORIA) sites have been progressively installed in Andean countries to monitor changes, document the type and magnitude of impacts 63
Page 1 and 2:
ABSTRACTS 25th International Congre
Page 3 and 4:
25th International Congress for Con
Page 5 and 6:
Page 7 and 8:
Page 9 and 10:
Page 11 and 12:
Page 13 and 14: 25th International Congress for Con
Page 63: 25th International Congress for Con
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?