Abstracts available here - Society for Conservation Biology

25th International Congress for Conservation Biology • Auckland, New Zealand • 5-9 December 2011
2011-12-06 15:45 Incorporating Predation Risk into Nesting Decisions
by an Urban Adapter and an Urban Avoider
Kearns, LJ*, The Ohio State University; Rodewald, AD, The Ohio
State University;
Behavior can indicate the adaptability of a species to novel environments,
such as urban ecosystems with altered predator communities. In urban
forest fragments in central Ohio, USA, we studied the northern cardinal
(Cardinalis cardinalis), an urban adapter, and the Acadian flycatcher
(Empidonax virescens), an urban avoider, to compare how nest-site selection
behaviors might be influenced by predation risk, and if so, what types of
information about that risk might be most influential. We assessed how
changes in vegetation characteristics between subsequent nesting attempts
were influenced by public information about 1) the predator community
or 2) the risk of nest depredation at a site, or 3) private information based
on fate of previous nests built that season. We evaluated models with these
predictor variables and julian date of nest attempt using Akaike’s Information
Criterion (AIC). For changes in nest height, the top model included only
previous nest fate and julian date for cardinals, and julian date for flycatchers.
However, the top model for predicting change in nest concealment for
cardinals included predation risk and julian date, and nest concealment
increased between subsequent nests as the risk of nest depredation increased.
For flycatchers, however, the top model only included julian date. These
results suggest that the urban adapter may be more responsive to predation
risk than the urban avoider at the nest-site scale.
2011-12-08 18:30 Metapopulations, mitochondria and McMansions:
Conservation genetics of an endangered Australian frog in an urbanising
landscape.
Keely, Claire C*, The University of Melbourne; Parris, Kirsten M,
The University of Melbourne; Heard, Geoff W, The University of
Melbourne; Melville, Jane E, Museum Victoria; Hamer, AJ, Royal
Botanic Gardens Melbourne;
Urbanisation is a leading cause of species extinctions worldwide and is
considered a major threat to global biodiversity. Recently proposed urban
growth boundaries will increase the extent of Melbourne, Australia, by an
additional ~40,000 hectares. The endangered Growling Grass Frog (Litoria
raniformis) will be directly impacted by Melbourne’s urban expansion over
the next few decades. Remnant populations of this frog occur throughout
the proposed urban growth areas, and the species is known to be sensitive to
habitat fragmentation caused by urbanisation. I assessed the genetic structure
and diversity of remnant populations of L. raniformis across Melbourne’s
urban fringe, as part of broader research on the conservation requirements
of this species. Tissue samples were collected from 270 individuals, and
combined with a further 178 samples from an existing collection. Haplotype
composition and diversity were determined by sequencing a fragment of the
mitochondrial gene, COI. Preliminary analyses reveal similarities between
populations distributed across Melbourne’s north, with shared haplotypes
present. Information acquired during this project will be integrated into
models of metapopulation viability for L. raniformis around Melbourne,
and will inform specific management options such as reintroductions and
translocations.
2011-12-09 11:15 Protected Area Restoration: Investing in Ecological
Integrity and Resilience in a Changing World
KEENLEYSIDE, K.A.*, Parks Canada; Pellatt, M.G., Parks
Canada; McLennan, D, Parks Canada; Dumouchel, C, Parks
Canada; Woodley, S, Parks Canada;
Increasingly, individual countries, the scientific community, and conservation
organizations are recognizing that parks and other protected areas play a key
role in contributing natural solutions to the challenges posed by climate
change. This presentation focuses on how actions aimed at protecting,
connecting, and restoring ecosystems, and connecting people with nature,
enhance ecological, social and economic resilience to climate change. We use
examples from Parks Canada’s experience in restoring ecological integrity to
illustrate how protected areas policies that are well-aligned with conservation
science can contribute to meeting global biodiversity and climate change
goals. The presentation demonstrates how ecological restoration activities
in and around protected areas play a role in climate change adaptation and
mitigation at the same time that they re-establish or enhance biodiversity
and ecological connectivity, provide meaningful educational and visitor
experiences, and contribute to the well-being of local communities.
2011-12-06 11:15 Linking environmental policy and conservation of
ecosystem services – evaluating social and ecological controls in an
agricultural ecosystem
Kelly Garbach*, University of Calfornia Davis, Departments of
Envirnomental Science & Policy, Plant Sciences; Alejandra Martínez-
Salinas, CATIE Center for Tropical Agriculture Research and Higher
Education; Mark Lubell, University of Calfornia Davis, Department
of Envirnomental Science & Policy; Fabrice A.J. De Clerck, CATIE
Center for Tropical Agriculture Research and Higher Education;
Valerie T. Eviner, University of Calfornia Davis, Department of
Plant Sciences;
Agricultural lands are increasingly being called upon to provide biodiversity
habitat and multiple ecosystem services. Payment for Ecosystem Services
(PES) is emerging as a policy tool to promote conservation practices, such
as planting live fences (hedgerows) in pasture-dominated systems. However,
concerns about resource competition between trees and herbaceous species
have prevented their widespread adoption. This study investigated: 1) the
role of PES in driving live fence adoption and management; and 2) influence
of live fences on the availability and distribution of three ecosystem services:
bird diversity, pasture productivity, and microclimate regulation. Interviews
with 101 farmers revealed that participating in PES significantly increased
use of multistrata live fences (un-pruned trees, full canopy), compared
with non-participants; PES participation did not influence use of simple
live fences (pruned trees, sparse canopy). Un-pruned multistrata fences
had unique influence on ecosystem services: multistrata live fences hosted
twice as many bird species as surrounding pastures and simple live fences.
Multistrata fences resulted in a ≤5m tradeoff zone directly beneath the tree
canopy, in which midday air temperatures were mitigated by 10 °C and
pasture productivity was reduced by up to 60%. In contrast, simple live
fences did not reduce pasture productivity, but also did not have significant
benefits for bird diversity or microclimate regulation.
2011-12-09 13:15 Will global change alter mast seeding in tussock
grasslands?
Kelly, D*, Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury; Geldenhuis,
A, Mathematics and Statistics, University of Canterbury; Byrom, AE,
Landcare Research; James, A, Mathematics and Statistics, University
of Canterbury; Holland, EP, Landcare Research; Lee. WG, Landcare
Research; Plank, M, Mathematics and Statistics, University of
Canterbury; Cowan, PE, Landcare Research
Many plants worldwide show mast seeding (synchronous highly variable
seed crops among years), often triggered by temperature cues. There has
been much speculation about how global change might alter the magnitude,
frequency, and spacing of high-seed years in mast-seeding species, with
downstream effects on seed predation, plant regeneration, and the speed
of elevational shifts in species ranges. Whether, and how, climate change
alters reproduction depends on the exact mechanisms that plants use
to trigger high-seed years. Here we present a novel mechanism for how
masting plants respond to temperature cues, using New Zealand snow
tussocks (Chionochloa species) as an example. This mechanism both fits
the observational data better than previous models, and predicts that global
change will not cause long-term changes in mast seeding patterns.
2011-12-06 11:30 Experimental reintroduction of a macropod into an
environment with predators; comparing their habitat use during the
establishment phase to post establishment.
KEMP, LF*, The University of Adelaide; Carthew, S, The University
of Adelaide; Johnston, G, University of South Australia;
Forty-six tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii eugenii) were experimentally
reintroduced into Innes National Park in South Australia. Predators were
present, and animals were intensively radio-tracked over a 21 month period.
The establishment phase post reintroduction is a critical time as animals
may fail to survive if they cannot find resources and avoid predators in an
unfamiliar habitat. The experimental reintroduction tested whether release
group familiarity influenced anti-predator strategies, as indicated by habitat
use. Results showed that during the establishment phase (first month post
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