Abstracts available here - Society for Conservation Biology

25th International Congress for Conservation Biology • Auckland, New Zealand • 5-9 December 2011
in coastal erosion; and denitrification. We find that reef restoration produces
substantial economic values and impacts, some of which are captured by
the marginalized Vietnamese-American community that dominates local
oyster fishing. We use key informant interviews and focus groups to assess
the extent to which this community is interested in engaging in large-scale
coastal restoration efforts envisioned for the northern Gulf of Mexico, and
identify key obstacles that need to be overcome to increase the community’s
capacity to fully participate in and benefit from restoration efforts.
2011-12-08 18:30 Conserving Tallgrass Prairie in the USA with Prairie-
Based Farming
Kronberg, SL*, EcoSun Prairie Farms, Inc.; Johnson, WC, EcoSun
Prairie Farms, Inc.; Boe, A, EcoSun Prairie Farms, Inc.; Schumacher,
TE, EcoSun Prairie Farms, Inc.; Erickson, LM, USDA-NRCS;
Very little of the tallgrass prairie remains in the United States because most
has been converted to grow annual crops because farmers believe they can
make more money producing maize and soya beans than from prairie-based
products. As part of a process of proving that prairie-based agriculture can
be a viable alternative to row crop production, about 200 ha of high quality
farmland in eastern South Dakota, which had been used to grow maize
(Zea mays) and soya beans (Glycine max), was converted to tallgrass prairie
during the summers of 2008 to 2010. The farm now provides relatively
large blocks of grassland habitat needed for many obligate grassland birds
that avoid small, fragmented patches for nesting. Number of breeding pairs
of grassland birds such as bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), grasshopper
sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), and upland sandpiper (Bartramia
longicauda) increased on the farm within 1 to 2 years when the cropland
that had been used to grow maize and soya beans for a century was restored
to native grassland. Restoring the grassland required considerable work,
but was only the first phase in the process of providing evidence to farmers
and absentee landowners that grass-based agriculture is an economically
viable alternative to row cropping. The second phase of the project is in
progress and includes evaluation of the profitability of seed production from
native plants, grass production for hay and cellulosic biofuel, and livestock
production.
2011-12-06 10:30 It’s a vine life: Conservation and pest control through
translocation of threatened falcons
Kross, SM*, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury;
Tylianakis, JM, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury;
Nelson, XM, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury;
The New Zealand falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae) is a nationally threatened
species, and is the country’s only remaining endemic bird of prey. The
“Falcons For Grapes” (FFG) project has recently been relocating wild
falcon chicks into artificial nest sites within vineyards in Marlborough. The
innovation of FFG is that by relocating falcon chicks to vineyards, it aims to
create self-sustaining conservation, whereby an increase in falcon numbers
concomitantly creates a form of integrated pest management to decrease the
detrimental effects of pest birds in vineyards. To assess the conservation value
of FFG we used remote videography to compare the breeding behaviour of
wild- and relocated- falcons. Results suggest that prior to the age at which
chicks are able to thermoregulate falcons living in vineyards spent a greater
proportion of each day in the nest compared to their wild counterparts, but
that feeding rates did not differ. To assess the pest management potential
of FFG we compared pest bird abundance and grape damage in vineyards
containing resident falcons with control vineyards. Falcon presence in
vineyards significantly decreased the number of grape-removing introduced
pest birds, leading to a concomitant 95% reduction in the incidence of grape
removal compared to vineyards without falcons. This research suggests that
the goals of agriculture and predator conservation can converge.
2011-12-07 10:30 Assessing the impact of climate and land use change
on Midwestern United States river systems
Krueger, DM*, Michigan State University; Wang, L, Institute for
Fisheries Research; Infante, D, Michigan State University; Whelan,
G, Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Tsang, Y, Michigan
State University; Wieferich, D, Michigan State University; Cooper,
A, Michigan State University ;
Decisions to conserve or restore important stream habitat may be influenced
by predictions of future climate and land use. Fish habitats in Midwestern
streams (USA) are not equally vulnerable to changing environmental
conditions. Hence, we modeled the response of fish habitat to projected
climate and land use changes. River temperature and flow regimes are
fundamental components of fish habitat and were linked to individual
stream reaches along with fish data, land use, geological, and downscaled
climate data. We used artificial neural networks to model mean daily stream
temperature and flow for all reaches in the study region. Indicator analysis
was used to identify ecologically significant temperature and flow metrics
(calculated from predictive models) as well as fish metrics “sensitive” to
climate and land use. Temperature and flow metrics were then linked to fish
assemblage measures and incorporated into Boosted regression trees to score
fish habitat under current and projected scenarios for all stream reaches.
We found the greatest magnitude of change between current and future
habitat (i.e., vulnerability) occurred in cold water streams due to thermal
stress and increased urbanization, thereby impacting several native and
sport fishes. Habitat maps resulting from our modeling approach provide
managers with tools to prioritize management scenarios at multiple spatial
scales and improve their ability to identify and conserve critical fish habitat
in the region.
2011-12-07 16:45 Biodiversity impacts of feral pigs in a temperate
rainforest ecosystem
Krull, CR*, University of Auckland; Burns, BR, University of
Auckland; Choquenot, D, Landcare Research; Stanley, MC,
University of Auckland;
Feral pigs (Sus scrofa) are globally widespread invasive species, inhabiting
a diverse range of environments. Concerns have been raised about their
impact on native plants and animals, broader influence on ecological
processes, and the transmission of pathogens, especially the newly discovered
Kauri root rot disease (Phytophthora taxon Agathis). This study evaluated
the biodiversity impact associated with ground disturbance by pigs in a
temperate rainforest ecosystem, located in the North Island of New Zealand.
Ground disturbance effects vegetation through direct removal, but also
indirectly through modification of the below ground subsystem and soil
characteristics. This paper describes the spatial extent of ground disturbance
by pigs within the ecosystem, and uses exclosure plots established in recently
disturbed areas to show the rates of rooting and recovery. The direct and
indirect effect of ground disturbance on vegetation diversity and a number
of key soil characteristics are also presented. These results are helpful in
predicting the response of ground disturbance to pig control in order to
assist managers in identifying control regimes that protect key biodiversity
traits. This study demonstrates that invasive species such as the feral pig can
be extremely damaging to native ecosystems, directly and indirectly through
the modification of ecosystem processes.
2011-12-09 17:15 Villagers and REDD+: better understanding the
issues for local people will improve the success of forest conversation
projects in Papua New Guinea
Kuange, John*, Wildlife Conservation Society, Papua New Guinea
Programme; Arihafa, Arison , Wildlife Conservation Society, Papua
New Guinea Programme; Samson, Mellie, Wildlife Conservation
Society, Papua New Guinea Programme; Zeriga-Alone, Tanya
, Wildlife Conservation Society, Papua New Guinea Programme;
Sinclair, J Ross , Wildlife Conservation Society, Papua New Guinea
Programme;
The REDD+ mechanism is seen as a way to conserve the vast but threatened
lowland rainforests of Papua New Guinea (PNG), while also bringing much
needed development to the rural poor. Many projects have failed in PNG
because they do not respond to local conditions or expectations. In order
to develop a concept for REDD+, we surveyed rural people to understand
issues that might impact on project success. Low-impact development
activities were most highly ranked by local people. They prioritised noncash
benefits, such as schools and healthcare for their social group (e.g.
‘clan’), and water and housing for their families. Most peopled wanted
benefits distributed directly to themselves, their family or social group, and
did not choose community leaders or groups because of a perceived lack
of trust, skills or cooperation. Disputes over land and benefit sharing were
seen as the major risks to REDD+, with lesser risks from poor capacity to
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