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Protected Areas (protected + area)
Selected AbstractsEffects of human,carnivore conflict on tiger (Panthera tigris) and prey populations in Lao PDRANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 4 2006A. Johnson Abstract Unique to South-east Asia, Lao People's Democratic Republic contains extensive habitat for tigers and their prey within a multiple-use protected area system covering 13% of the country. Although human population density is the lowest in the region, the impact of human occurrence in protected areas on tiger Panthera tigris and prey populations was unknown. We examined the effects of human,carnivore conflict on tiger and prey abundance and distribution in the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area on the Lao,Vietnam border. We conducted intensive camera-trap sampling of large carnivores and prey at varying levels of human population and monitored carnivore depredation of livestock across the protected area. The relative abundance of large ungulates was low throughout whereas that of small prey was significantly higher where human density was lower. The estimated tiger density for the sample area ranged from 0.2 to 0.7 per 100 km2. Tiger abundance was significantly lower where human population and disturbance were greater. Three factors, commercial poaching associated with livestock grazing followed by prey depletion and competition between large carnivores, are likely responsible for tiger abundance and distribution. Maintaining tigers in the country's protected areas will be dependent on the spatial separation of large carnivores and humans by modifying livestock husbandry practices and enforcing zoning. [source] Expanding the Global Network of Protected Areas to Save the Imperiled Mediterranean BiomeCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2009EMMA C. UNDERWOOD análisis de disparidad; áreas protegidas; biodiversidad; ecosistemas Mediterráneos; pérdida de hábitat Abstract:,Global goals established by the Convention on Biological Diversity stipulate that 10% of the world's ecological regions must be effectively conserved by 2010. To meet that goal for the mediterranean biome, at least 5% more land must be formally protected over the next few years. Although global assessments identify the mediterranean biome as a priority, without biologically meaningful analysis units, finer-resolution data, and corresponding prioritization analysis, future conservation investments could lead to more area being protected without increasing the representation of unique mediterranean ecosystems. We used standardized analysis units and six potential natural vegetation types stratified by 3 elevation zones in a global gap analysis that systematically explored conservation priorities across the mediterranean biome. The highest levels of protection were in Australia, South Africa, and California-Baja California (from 9,11%), and the lowest levels of protection were in Chile and the mediterranean Basin (<1%). Protection was skewed to montane elevations in three out of five regions. Across the biome only one of the six vegetation types,mediterranean shrubland,exceeded 10% protection. The remaining vegetation types,grassland, scrub, succulent dominated, woodland, and forest,each had <3% protection. To guard against biases in future protection efforts and ensure the protection of species characteristic of the mediterranean biome, we identified biodiversity assemblages with <10% protection and subject to >30% conversion and suggest that these assemblages be elevated to high-priority status in future conservation efforts. Resumen:,Las metas globales establecidas por la Convención sobre Diversidad Biológica estipulan que 10% de las regiones ecológicas del mundo deberán estar conservadas efectivamente en 2010. Para alcanzar esa meta en el bioma mediterráneo, por lo menos 5% más de superficie debe estar protegida formalmente en los próximos años. Aunque las evaluaciones globales identifican al bioma mediterráneo como una prioridad, sin unidades de análisis biológicamente significativas, datos de resolución más fina y los correspondientes análisis de priorización, las inversiones futuras en conservación pudieran conducir a la protección de más superficie sin incrementar la representación de los ecosistemas mediterráneos únicos. Utilizamos unidades de análisis estandarizadas y seis tipos potenciales de vegetación natural estratificados en tres zonas de elevación en un análisis global de disparidad que exploró sistemáticamente las prioridades de conservación en el bioma mediterráneo. Los niveles de protección más altos se localizaron en Australia, África del Sur y California-Baja California (de 9,11%) y los niveles de protección más bajos se localizaron en Chile y la Cuenca del mediterráneo (<1%). La protección estaba sesgada hacia elevaciones altas en tres de las cinco regiones. En todo el bioma, solo uno de los seis tipos de vegetación,matorral mediterráneo,excedió 10% de protección. Los tipos de vegetación restantes,pastizal, matorral, dominio de suculentas, y bosques,tenían <3% de protección cada uno. Para evitar sesgos en futuros esfuerzos de protección y asegurar la protección de especies características del bioma mediterráneo, identificamos ensambles de biodiversidad con <10% de protección y sujetos a >30% de conversión y sugerimos que estos ensambles sean elevados a un estatus de alta prioridad en esfuerzos de conservación en el futuro. [source] Protected Areas and the Regional Planning Imperative in North America: Integrating Nature, Conservation, and Sustainable DevelopmentTHE CANADIAN GEOGRAPHER/LE GEOGRAPHE CANADIEN, Issue 2 2006Kevin S. Hanna No abstract is available for this article. [source] Distance Decay of Tree Species Similarity in Protected Areas on Terra Firme Forests in Colombian AmazoniaBIOTROPICA, Issue 5 2009Álvaro Duque ABSTRACT In this study, we investigated the pattern of floristic similarity as a function of geographical distances and environmental variability in well-drained uplands (terra firme) in Colombian Amazonia. The study site comprised three National Natural Parks, Tinigua, Chiribiquete, and Amacayacu, located in different geological units that represent a soil fertility gradient linked to parental materials. Differences in species richness between sites were compared using rarefaction analysis. A clear floristic transition appeared in the east,west direction following a soil fertility gradient along the first PCoA axis. In multiple regression analyses based on distance matrices, both geographical distances and geology explained 64 percent of the total floristic variation. Geographical distances alone accounted for 12 percent of variation in floristic similarities among plots, while geology alone accounted for 1 percent, and the joint effect of both explained 51 percent of the floristic variation. The species richness trend supports the existence of a latitudinal corridor southward of the geographical Equator in the Amazon basin, where tree diversity reaches the maximum expected values. A coupled effect of stochastic dispersal limitation and habitat specialization would certainly appear to be an appropriate explanation for tree species turnover in terra firme forests in Colombian Amazonia, strongly emphasizing that competition and neutrality must be supplementary rather than mutually exclusive processes. This result pinpoints the effect of dispersal on floral mixing as an ongoing active process for structuring tree communities in NW Amazonia, and the size of the reserves as a relevant issue to protect rare species from extinction by chance. [source] Climate-based models of spatial patterns of species richness in Egypt's butterfly and mammal faunaJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 11 2009Tim Newbold Abstract Aim, Identifying areas of high species richness is an important goal of conservation biogeography. In this study we compared alternative methods for generating climate-based estimates of spatial patterns of butterfly and mammal species richness. Location, Egypt. Methods, Data on the occurrence of butterflies and mammals in Egypt were taken from an electronic database compiled from museum records and the literature. Using Maxent, species distribution models were built with these data and with variables describing climate and habitat. Species richness predictions were made by summing distribution models for individual species and by modelling observed species richness directly using the same environmental variables. Results, Estimates of species richness from both methods correlated positively with each other and with observed species richness. Protected areas had higher species richness (both predicted and actual) than unprotected areas. Main conclusions, Our results suggest that climate-based models of species richness could provide a rapid method for selecting potential areas for protection and thus have important implications for biodiversity conservation. [source] Protected areas: the challenge of maintaining a strong backbone for conservation strategies worldwideANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 4 2010N. Pettorelli No abstract is available for this article. [source] Bioeconomic analysis of protected area use in fisheries management,AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL & RESOURCE ECONOMICS, Issue 4 2007Jared Greenville Protected areas in fishery management have been suggested to hedge management failures and variation in harvests. In this paper, a stochastic bioeconomic model of a two-species fishery in the Manning Bioregion is used to test the performance of protected areas as a management tool in a fishery. The establishment of a protected area is analysed under the assumption of heterogenous environments that are linked via density-dependent or sink-source stock dispersal relationships. The sensitivity of the results to different degrees of management is also explored. The model is applied to the Ocean Prawn Trawl, and Ocean Trap and Line fisheries within Manning Bioregion in New South Wales, Australia. The focus of the study is placed on the biological and institutional characteristics that yield benefits to the fishery. It was found that protected area use in the Manning Bioregion is likely to have differing effects on the two fisheries examined, benefiting Ocean Trap and Line fishers but adversely affecting Ocean Prawn Trawl fishers. Overall, it is unlikely that protected area use will lead to an increase resource rent in the fishery. [source] Assessing the Effectiveness of Reserve Acquisition Programs in Protecting Rare and Threatened SpeciesCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2006WILL R. TURNER Lake Wales Ridge (Florida); especies en peligro; índice de protección; Lista Roja IUCN; matorral Abstract:,Measuring the effectiveness of reserve networks is essential to ensure that conservation objectives such as species persistence are being met. We devised a new approach for measuring the effectiveness of land conservation in protecting rare and threatened species and applied it to an ecosystem of global significance. We compiled detailed global distributional data for 36 rare and threatened plants and animals found in the Lake Wales Ridge ecosystem in central Florida (U.S.A.). For each species, we developed a set of protection indices based in part on criteria used to categorize species for the World Conservation Union's Red List. We calculated protection indexes under three different conservation scenarios: a past scenario, which assumed recent, major land-acquisition efforts never occurred; a current scenario, which assumed no additional areas are saved beyond what is currently protected; and a targeted scenario, which assumed all of the remaining areas targeted for protection are eventually acquired. This approach enabled us to quantify the progress, in terms of reduced risk of extinction, that conservationists have made in protecting target species. It also revealed the limited success these land-acquisition efforts have had in reducing those extinction risks associated with loss of habitat or small geographic ranges. Many species of the Lake Wales Ridge will remain at high risk of extinction even if planned land-acquisition efforts are completely successful. By calculating protection indexes with and without each site for all imperiled species, we also quantified the contribution of each protected area to the conservation of each species, enabling local conservation decisions to be made in the context of a larger (global) perspective. The protection index approach can be adapted readily to other ecosystems with multiple rare and threatened species. Resumen:,La cuantificación de la efectividad de las redes de reservas es esencial para asegurar que objetivos, como la persistencia de especies, se cumplan. Diseñamos un nuevo método para medir la efectividad de la conservación de tierras en la protección de especies raras y amenazadas y lo aplicamos a un ecosistema de importancia global. Compilamos datos detallados de la distribución global de 36 especies raras y amenazadas de plantas y animales que se encuentran en el ecosistema de la Lake Wales Ridge en el centro de Florida (E.U.A.). Para cada especie desarrollamos un conjunto de índices de protección basado parcialmente en criterios utilizados para clasificar especies para la Lista Roja de la Unión Mundial para la Naturaleza. Calculamos los índices de protección bajo tres escenarios de conservación distintos: un escenario pasado, que asumía que los esfuerzos recientes de adquisición de tierras nunca ocurrieron; un escenario actual, que asumía que no se protegen áreas adicionales a las ya conservadas; y un escenario deseado, que asumía que todas las áreas consideradas para ser protegidas son adquiridas eventualmente. Este método nos permitió cuantificar el progreso, en términos de la reducción del riesgo de extinción, en la protección de las especies obtenido por conservacionistas. También reveló el éxito limitado de los esfuerzos de adquisición de tierras en la disminución de los riesgos de extinción asociados con la pérdida de hábitat o con rangos geográficos pequeños. Se pronosticó que muchas especies de la Lake Wales Ridge permanecerán en alto riesgo aun si los esfuerzos de adquisición de tierra planificados son completamente exitosos. Al calcular los índices de protección con y sin cada sitio para todas las especies en peligro, también cuantificamos la contribución de cada área protegida a la conservación de cada especie, lo que permite que las decisiones de conservación se tomen en el contexto de una perspectiva mayor (global). El método del índice de protección se puede adaptar fácilmente a otros ecosistemas con múltiples especies raras y amenazadas. [source] Satellite sleuthing: does remotely sensed land-cover change signal ecological degradation in a protected area?DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 2 2009T. A. Waite ABSTRACT Aim, We evaluate whether remotely sensed land-cover change within a newly protected area signalled human-driven ecological degradation. Vegetation density changed in a quarter of pixels during the first 13 years (1986,1999) following the sanctuary's formal enclosure, with many patches showing a decrease in density. We use on-the-ground data collected in 2006 in 132 random plots to explore whether these changes in vegetation density reliably signalled latent shifts in local diversity of woody plants and whether they could be attributed to illicit activities including fuel wood collection and livestock grazing. Location, Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan, India. Results, Species richness, species sharing, species assemblages, and incidence of invasive and useful species were statistically similar among plots in which vegetation density had decreased, increased or remained similar. Likewise, intensity of disturbance associated with human activities was similar across these plot types. Main conclusions, Our data provide no clear evidence that local changes in vegetation density signalled latent shifts in local diversity of woody plants. They also fail to reveal any clear association between local changes in vegetation density and human-related activities. Finding no evidence that land-cover change led to biotic erosion, we reflect on the utility of resource-use bans in protected areas, particularly those embedded within historically coupled human-nature systems. [source] Diversity, distinctiveness and conservation status of the Mediterranean coastal dung beetle assemblage in the Regional Natural Park of the Camargue (France)DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 6 2001Jorge Miguel Lobo Abstract. The Mediterranean region as a whole has the highest dung beetle species richness within Europe. Natural coastal habitats in this region are among those which have suffered severe human disturbance. We studied dung beetle diversity and distinctiveness within one of the most important coastal protected areas in the west Euro-Mediterranean region (the regional Park of Camargue, southern France) and made comparisons of dung beetle assemblages with other nearby Mediterranean localities, as well as with other coastal protected area (Doñana National Park, Spain). Our finding showed that: (1) The species richness of coastal habitats in the Camargue is low and only grasslands showed a similar level of species richness and abundance to inland habitats of other Mediterranean localities. The unique habitats of the coastal area (beaches, dunes and marshes) are largely colonized by species widely distributed in the hinterland. (2) In spite of their low general distinctiveness, dune and marsh edges are characterized by the occurrence of two rare, vulnerable, specialized and large roller dung beetle species of the genus Scarabaeus. As with other Mediterranean localities, current findings suggest a recent decline of Scarabaeus populations and the general loss of coastal dung beetle communities in Camargue. (3) The comparison of dung beetle assemblages between the Camargue and Doñana shows that, in spite of the low local dung beetle species richness in the Camargue, the regional dung beetle diversity is similar between both protected areas. Unique historical and geographical factors can explain the convergence in regional diversity as well as the striking divergence in the composition of dung beetle assemblages between both territories. [source] Management challenges of small-scale fishing communities in a protected reef system of Veracruz, Gulf of MexicoFISHERIES MANAGEMENT & ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2008L. JIMÉNEZ-BADILLO Abstract, Socioeconomic characterisation of fishing activities in the Veracruz Reef System National Park was used to develop a management system which balances the community's livelihood, and the conservation needs of the protected area. A survey was applied to four sectors of the fishing community: the fishers, fishers' wives, retailers and local population. The survey determined their perceptions about: (1) fishing as a lifestyle; (2) economic alternatives; (3) perspectives about the future; (4) environment; and (5) knowledge of the National Park as a protected area. Fishers devoted an average of 27 years fishing, investing an average of 12 h per day giving a regular income of 15,20 US$. Most interviewed (60%) were full-time fishers, with fishing the only family income source. Fishers are predominately educated to primary school level (64%). The main problem faced by fishers and the communities were economic opportunities but 89% believed that mariculture could be an alternative income source. There was strong ecological awareness, with 75% aware of the decline in fisheries resource and 62% knowing about the role of protected areas. There was divided opinion about future perspectives. Inefficient organisation and communication between authorities and fishers were identified as obstacles to co-management. Discussion on alternative incomes and a proposal involve fishers in co-management initiatives are presented. [source] Management options for river conservation planning: condition and conservation re-visitedFRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2007SIMON LINKE Summary 1. Systematic conservation planning is a process widely used in terrestrial and marine environments. A principal goal is to establish a network of protected areas representing the full variety of species or ecosystems. We suggest considering three key attributes of a catchment when planning for aquatic conservation: irreplaceability, condition and vulnerability. 2. Based on observed and modelled distributions of 367 invertebrates in the Australian state of Victoria, conservation value was measured by calculating an irreplaceability coefficient for 1854 subcatchments. Irreplaceability indicates the likelihood of any subcatchment being needed to achieve conservation targets. We estimated it with a bootstrapped heuristic reserve design algorithm, which included upstream,downstream connectivity rules. The selection metric within the algorithm was total summed rarity, corrected for protected area. 3. Condition was estimated using a stressor gradient approach in which two classes of geographical information system Layers were summarised using principal components analysis. The first class was disturbance measures such as nutrient and sediment budgets, salinisation and weed cover. The second class was land use layers, including classes of forestry, agricultural and urban use. The main gradient, explaining 56% of the variation, could be characterised as agricultural disturbance. Seventy-five per cent of the study area was classified as disturbed. 4. Our definition of vulnerability was the likelihood of a catchment being exposed to a land use that degrades its condition. This was estimated by comparing land capability and current land use. If land was capable of supporting a land use that would have a more degrading effect on a river than its current tenure, it was classified vulnerable (66% of the study area). 79% of catchments contained more then 50% vulnerable land. 5. When integrating the three measures, two major groups of catchments requiring urgent conservation measures were identified. Seven per cent of catchments were highly irreplaceable, highly vulnerable but in degraded condition. These catchments were flagged for restoration. While most highly irreplaceable catchments in good condition were already protected, 2.5% of catchments in this category are on vulnerable land. These are priority areas for assigning river reserves. [source] Managing Environmental Impacts of Recreation and Tourism in Rainforests of the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage AreaGEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2005Stephen M. Turton Abstract This paper describes environmental impacts of tourism and recreation activities in the world heritage listed rainforests of northeast Australia and presents management strategies for sustainable visitor use of the protected area. Tropical rainforests are characterised by their low resistance and moderate to high resilience to impacts associated with human visitation. Visitor use in the World Heritage Area is mostly associated with walking tracks, camping areas, day use areas and off-road vehicle use of old forestry roads and tracks. Adverse environmental impacts range from vegetation trampling, soil compaction, water contamination and soil erosion at the local scale through to spread of weeds, feral animals and soil pathogens along extensive networks of old forestry roads and tracks at the regional scale. Concentration of visitor use is the most desirable management strategy for controlling adverse impacts at most World Heritage Area visitor nodes and sites, and includes methods such as site hardening and shielding to contain impacts. For dispersed visitor activities, such as off-road vehicle driving and long-distance walking, application of best practice methods by the tourist industry and recreational users such as removal of mud and soils from vehicle tyres and hiking boots before entering pathogen-free catchments, together with seasonal closure of roads and tracks, are the preferred management strategies. Retention of canopy cover at camping areas and day use areas, as well as along walking tracks and forestry roads is a simple, yet effective, management strategy for reduction of a range of adverse impacts, including dispersal of weeds and feral animals, edge effects, soil erosion and nutrient loss, road kill and linear barrier effects on rainforest fauna. [source] Nest-site fidelity and cavity reoccupation by Blue-fronted Parrots Amazona aestiva in the dry Chaco of ArgentinaIBIS, Issue 1 2009IGOR BERKUNSKY The frequency of cavity reoccupation in secondary cavity nesters depends on several factors including quality of cavities, degree of nest-site fidelity, competition with other cavity nesters and availability of new cavities. Blue-fronted Parrots Amazona aestiva are secondary cavity nesters that live in subtropical forests and savannas of central South America. We examined the characteristics of the trees and cavities used by this species in a protected area of the dry Chaco of Argentina and estimated nest-site fidelity and cavity reoccupation. We also assessed whether the probability of cavity reoccupation was associated with cavity characteristics and nesting success during the previous year. Nest-site fidelity of banded females was 68% and cavity reoccupation by banded and unbanded individuals 62%. Probability of reoccupation was associated with wall thickness and depth of the cavity, and was lower if the nest failed the previous year than if it was successful. The high rate of cavity reoccupation in Blue-fronted Parrots is largely attributable to strong nest-site fidelity and may reflect preferences for cavities whose characteristics are associated with higher nesting success. [source] Using economic instruments to overcome obstacles to in situ conservation of biodiversityINTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY (ELECTRONIC), Issue 1 2006Jeffrey A. McNEELY Abstract The leading direct cause of the loss of biodiversity is habitat alteration and disruption. If we are to address this cause directly, we need to find ways of changing the behavior of rural people. Experience has shown that this is done most effectively through the use of economic instruments, ranging from taxes that discourage over-exploitation, to direct payments for conservation activities carried out by rural land-owners or those occupying the land. In many parts of the world, governments provide incentives such as tax breaks to private land-owners. Other countries recognize specific use rights on particular parts of the land, enabling the land-owners to earn appropriate benefits. Since many protected areas have resident human populations, it is especially important that they be encouraged to contribute to the objectives of the protected area, and economic incentives offer an important way of doing so; they might, for example, be given employment in the protected area or in associated tourism activities. Direct payments to farmers for conserving watersheds is becoming increasingly popular, in both developed and developing countries. Improved conservation will require both removing perverse subsidies and developing a wide range of approaches for rewarding land-owners for biodiversity conservation activities. [source] Book Review: Ecology, culture and conservation of a protected area: Fathom Five National Marine Park, Canada.INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF HYDROBIOLOGY, Issue 3-4 2003By S. Parker, M. Munawar No abstract is available for this article. [source] Biogeography and conservation of the genus Ficus (Moraceae) in MexicoJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2004Alejandra Serrato Abstract Aim, The main objective of this study is to document the biogeographical patterns, endemism and degree of conservation of the species of Ficus (Moraceae) in Mexico. There are over 750 species of the genus Ficus distributed worldwide, and Mexico practically represents its northernmost limit in the American continent. Detailed studies at regional scales may help to understand the biogeography of large genera such as Ficus. Location, Mexico. Methods, The biogeographical patterns of Mexican Ficus were obtained from information of fig specimens available in two of the main herbaria of Mexico (2140 vouchers), collecting figs throughout this country, and revising the specialized literature. The presence of each species of Ficus was recorded for every one of Mexico's states and several tropical countries of America. Besides, the Mexican territory was divided into cells of 1° × 1° and the presence or absence of all species of the genus was recorded. Rarity of species was classified based on the width of geographic distribution, habitat specificity and population size. Results, A total of 21 species of Ficus occur in Mexico, including six species (28.6%) that are endemic to this country. Five species are included in subgenus Pharmacosycea and 16 species are documented under subgenus Urostigma. Affinities of Ficus flora with other tropical countries in America generally decreased as geographical distances from Mexico increased. Mexican states and cells with highest values of Ficus species richness (both total and endemic species) were located. Ten species, including three endemics, presented a wide distribution. Five species, including two endemics, possess the three attributes of rarity (narrow geographical distribution, high habitat specificity and scarce local populations). Three species of Ficus, including the endemic and very rare Ficuslapathifolia (Liebm.) Miq., are not recorded in any protected area existing in Mexico. Main conclusions, Most of the Mexican Ficus show a great morphological variation and occupy different habitats along their geographic distribution. The biogeographical patterns described here establish a fundamental scenario for ongoing studies on Ficus,pollinator interactions. However, many local populations are considered to be at risk, as there have been significant reductions in the number and size of local populations. Further studies are needed to understand the process of colonization, maintenance and persistence of fig,pollinator mutualism in species with different patterns of geographic distribution. Mexican Ficus require special policies for conservation due to their complex degree of rarity, particularly their geographic distribution in different types of vegetation, ranging from dry scrublands to tropical rain forests. [source] The influence of tree canopies and elephants on sub-canopy vegetation in a savannahAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Robert Guldemond Abstract The apparent influence of elephants on the structure of savannahs in Africa may be enhanced by management activities, fire and other herbivores. We separated the effect elephants have on grasses, woody seedlings (<0.5 m) and saplings (0.5,2 m) from the effect of tree canopies (canopy effect), and herbivory (park effect). We defined the canopy effect as the differences between plant abundances and diversity indices under tree canopies and 20 m away from these. Our testing of the park effect relied on the differences in the sub-canopy plant indices inside and outside a protected area that supported a range of herbivores. We based our assessment of the elephant effect on sub-canopy vegetation indices associated with elephant induced reductions in tree canopies. The park and canopy effects were more pronounced than the elephant effect. The park effect suppressed the development of woody seedlings into saplings. Conditions associated with tree canopies benefited woody plants, but not the grasses, as their indices were lower under trees. Elephants reducing canopies facilitated grass species tolerant of direct solar radiation. We concluded that management should consider other agents operating in the system when deciding on reducing the impact that elephants may have on vegetation. Résumé L'influence apparente des éléphants sur la structure des savanes africaines pourrait bien être accentuée par les activités de gestion, les feux et les autres herbivores. Nous avons séparé l'effet que les éléphants ont sur les herbes, les jeunes plants ligneux (<0,5 m) et les arbustes (0,5,2 m) de ceux de la canopée des arbres (effet canopée) et de la présence d'herbivores (effet parc). Nous avons défini l'effet canopée comme la différence entre les indices d'abondance et de diversité des plantes sous la canopée des arbres et à 20 m de ceux-ci. Notre expérimentation de l'effet parc se basait sur la différence des indices de végétation sous canopée à l'intérieur et à l'extérieur d'une aire protégée qui accueille toute une gamme d'herbivores. Nous avons fondé notre évaluation de l'effet éléphants sur les indices de végétation sous canopée, associés aux réductions induites par les éléphants dans la canopée des arbres. Les effets parc et canopée étaient plus prononcés que l'effet éléphants. L'effet parc supprimait le développement des jeunes plants ligneux en arbustes. Les conditions liées à la canopée des arbres bénéficiaient aux plantes ligneuses mais pas aux herbes, car leurs indices étaient inférieurs sous les arbres. Les canopées réduites par les éléphants favorisaient les espèces d'herbes tolérantes à la lumière directe du soleil. Nous en avons conclu que toute gestion devrait considérer l'impact d'autres agents dans le système lorsqu'il s'agit de réduire l'impact que les éléphants peuvent avoir sur la végétation. [source] Hunting differentially affects mixed-sex and bachelor-herds in a gregarious ungulate, the impala (Aepyceros melampus: Bovidae)AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Christiane Averbeck Abstract We investigated herd-sizes and herd-compositions of Impala (Aepyceros melampus) inside a protected area [Lake Mburo National Park (LMNP) in western Uganda] and the unprotected adjacent ranchland [the Ankole Ranching Scheme (ARS)]. Impala experience intense hunting and poaching in the study area, and poaching is especially strong on the ARS. We found evidence for changes in overall group-sizes in both mixed-sex and pure bachelor herds between areas in and outside LMNP. Mixed-sex herds strongly decreased in size outside the National Park, but bachelor herds even slightly increased in size. While the group-composition of mixed-sex herds was very similar in areas in and outside LMNP, bachelor herds comprised more yearlings and subadult males on the ARS. Our study suggests that effects of hunting and other human nuisance may differ between herd types: mixed herds probably decrease in size because females are more strongly hunted. Around LMNP, impala are usually hunted using nets and spears, thereby increasing the hunters' chance of being injured. Poachers therefore prefer hornless females (and their calves), as it is less dangerous to handle net-caught females than males. As a result, males are less hunted, but increased vigilance and, therefore, reduced aggression among the members of a bachelor herd, may account for the observed increase in herd sizes and changes in group-compositions. Résumé Nous avons étudié la taille et la composition des hardes d'impalas (Aepyceros melampus) dans une aire protégée, le Parc National du Lac Mburo (LMNP) dans l'ouest de l'Ouganda, et dans le ranch adjacent non protégé, le Ankole Ranching Scheme (ARS). Les impalas subissent une chasse et un braconnage intenses dans la région étudiée et le braconnage est particulièrement grave dans l'ARS. Nous avons découvert des preuves de changement de la taille moyenne des groupes, aussi bien dans les hardes mixtes que dans celles composées uniquement de mâles, entre les aires situées dans et en dehors du LMNP. La taille des hardes mixtes diminuait fortement hors du parc national alors que les hardes composées de mâles augmentaient légèrement. Alors que la composition des groupes mixtes était très semblable dans et en dehors de l'aire protégée, les groupes de mâles comprenaient plus de jeunes de l'année et de subadultes dans l'ARS. Notre étude laisse penser que les effets de la chasse et des autres nuisances d'origine humaine pourraient différer selon le type de harde: la taille des hardes mixtes se réduit probablement parce que les femelles sont chassées davantage. Autour du LMNP, les impalas sont d'habitude chassés au moyen de filets et de flèches, ce qui augmente les risques que les chasseurs soient blessés. Les braconniers préfèrent donc les femelles, sans cornes, et leurs jeunes parce qu'il est plus facile de manipuler des femelles prises dans des filets que des mâles. Par conséquent, les mâles sont moins chassés, et une plus grande vigilance et donc une moins forte agression entre les membres d'une harde de mâles peuvent expliquer en partie pourquoi la taille des hardes augmente et la composition des groupes varie. [source] Disentangling the proximate factors of deforestation: The case of the Monarch butterfly Biosphere Reserve in MexicoLAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 1 2009J. Honey-Rosés Abstract Understanding the causes of environmental degradation can lead to more effective forest management. Often, the discussion about the causes of deforestation confuses issues across spatial and temporal scales. Such is the case in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR) in Mexico where various hypotheses compete to explain the deforestation observed there. This paper analyzes these hypotheses using the analytical approaches developed by the literature on environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. This paper first distinguishes between proximate factors and underlying socioeconomic forces. It then reviews recent deforestation studies to evaluate the relative impact of each proximate factor observed in the MBBR. Illegal logging stands out as the factor with the most empirical support. In contrast, agricultural clearing, while frequently cited as major driver of forest loss, has much less empirical backing. These conclusions update the deforestation diagnosis for this protected area and suggest that more attention should be directed at understanding the illicit timber trade. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] "The Other" and "The Enemy": Reflections on Fieldwork in UtahNORTH AMERICAN DIALOGUE (ELECTRONIC), Issue 1 2007Julie Brugger This paper is a reflection on doing anthropology in the United States, based on my research of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, a "protected area" in southern Utah. My research focuses on the meaning and practice of democracy in the United States by examining the impact of conservation policies on rural resource users. I question why social scientists who study conservation are able to see injustices in the protected area model when applied in "the Global South," but have not aimed critique at similar processes occurring in the U.S. Reflecting on the post fieldwork experiences of scholars Susan Harding, Faye Ginsburg, and James McCarthy, I suggest that, for American anthropologists, some "repugnant others" in the U.S. represent a threatening "enemy," while in other settings, they may not be perceived in this way. I conclude by suggesting we "write democratically" in order to overcome this limitation and realize the transformative potential of ethnography. [source] Domestic dogs as an edge effect in the Brasília National Park, Brazil: interactions with native mammalsANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 5 2009A. C. R. Lacerda Abstract Edge effects are a well-known result of habitat fragmentation. However, little has been published on fragmentation, isolation and the intrusive influence from the surrounding matrix at the landscape level. The objectives of the present study are to evaluate the presence of dogs in the Brasília National Park (BNP) in relation to habitat type and the influence from the surrounding matrix. In addition, this study examines the response of the native mammal fauna to the presence of dogs. Track stations were built along dirt roads in the BNP and subsequently examined for the presence or absence of tracks. We used a stepwise logistic regression to model the occurrence of five mammal species relative to habitat variables, with an ,=0.05 to determine whether to enter and retain a variable in the model. A simulation of each species occurrence probability was conducted using a combination of selected habitat variables in a resource selection probability function. Results indicate a negative relationship between distance from the BNP edge and the probability of dog occurrences. From an ecological perspective, the presence of dogs inside the BNP indicates an edge effect. The occurrence of the maned wolf was positively associated with distance from a garbage dump site and negatively associated with the presence of dog tracks. The maned wolf and giant anteater seem to avoid areas near the garbage dump as well as areas with dog tracks. There is no support for the possible existence of a feral dog population inside the BNP, but the effects of free-ranging dogs on the wildlife population in such an isolated protected area must not be neglected. Domestic dog Canis familiaris populations and disease control programs should be established in the urban, sub-urban and rural areas surrounding the BNP, along with the complete removal of the garbage dump from the BNP surroundings. [source] Oil industry, wild meat trade and roads: indirect effects of oil extraction activities in a protected area in north-eastern EcuadorANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 4 2009E. Suárez Abstract Starting in 1994, a wholesale wild meat market developed in north-eastern Ecuador, involving Waorani and Kichwa people in the area of influence of a road built to facilitate oil extraction within Yasuní National Park. Between 2005 and 2007, we recorded the trade of 11 717 kg of wild meat in this market, with pacas Cuniculus paca, white-lipped peccaries Tayassu pecari, collared peccaries Pecari tajacu and woolly monkeys Lagothrix poeppiggi accounting for 80% of the total biomass. Almost half of the wild meat brought to the market was transported by dealers for resale at restaurants in Tena, a medium-sized town 234 km west of the market. Prices of wild meat were 1.3,2 times higher than the price of meat of domestic animals, suggesting that it is a different commodity and not a supplementary protein source in the urban areas where it is consumed. The actual price of transportation between the local communities and the market was a significant predictor of the amount of meat sold in Pompeya. Based on this relationship the Waorani hunters sold exceptionally larger amounts of wild meat than would be expected if they would not have the transportation subsidies provided by the oil companies. Although the scale of this wild meat wholesale market is still relatively small, its dynamic reflects the complex interactions that emerge as the overriding influence of oil companies or other private industries modify the culture and subsistence patterns of marginalized indigenous groups, increasing their potential impacts on wildlife and natural ecosystems. [source] Pervasive threats within a protected area: conserving the endemic birds of São Tomé, West AfricaANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 3 2009M. Dallimer Abstract The importance of the rainforests on the island of São Tomé for biodiversity is well known. However, the area only recently received full legal protection as a National Park and currently few resources are available to enforce that legislation. With rapid economic development forecast for the island, active conservation efforts are essential. Here we study the distribution and density of the island's endemic bird species, including nine that are Globally Threatened, within the National Park. Sites, covering the full range of primary forest types, were surveyed using distance sampling methods. No introduced species were observed. The highest number of species, including eight Globally Threatened species, were found in lowland rainforest, although many were infrequently encountered. Higher altitude sites were less diverse, but supported some of the common endemic species at extremely high densities. The least diverse assemblage, with generally lower species population densities, occurred at the most accessible mid-altitude forest site. Distance from settlements was a key explanatory variable for the presence of all Globally Threatened species, indicating that human habitation has negative effects on the suitability of nearby forest habitats. This suggests that, as infrastructure improvements proceed, populations of endangered species will come under growing pressure. Integrating the needs of biodiversity conservation and development represents a major challenge for many biodiverse countries and on São Tomé, as elsewhere, may best be achieved by preserving the still intact functioning forest ecosystem. [source] Effects of human,carnivore conflict on tiger (Panthera tigris) and prey populations in Lao PDRANIMAL CONSERVATION, Issue 4 2006A. Johnson Abstract Unique to South-east Asia, Lao People's Democratic Republic contains extensive habitat for tigers and their prey within a multiple-use protected area system covering 13% of the country. Although human population density is the lowest in the region, the impact of human occurrence in protected areas on tiger Panthera tigris and prey populations was unknown. We examined the effects of human,carnivore conflict on tiger and prey abundance and distribution in the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area on the Lao,Vietnam border. We conducted intensive camera-trap sampling of large carnivores and prey at varying levels of human population and monitored carnivore depredation of livestock across the protected area. The relative abundance of large ungulates was low throughout whereas that of small prey was significantly higher where human density was lower. The estimated tiger density for the sample area ranged from 0.2 to 0.7 per 100 km2. Tiger abundance was significantly lower where human population and disturbance were greater. Three factors, commercial poaching associated with livestock grazing followed by prey depletion and competition between large carnivores, are likely responsible for tiger abundance and distribution. Maintaining tigers in the country's protected areas will be dependent on the spatial separation of large carnivores and humans by modifying livestock husbandry practices and enforcing zoning. [source] Distribution of benthic communities in the fjord-like Bathurst Channel ecosystem, south-western Tasmania, a globally anomalous estuarine protected areaAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 4 2010Neville S. Barrett Abstract 1.Benthic assemblages in the fjord-like Bathurst Channel estuarine system, south-western Tasmania, vary over horizontal scales of 1,5,km and vertical scales of 1,10,m. Multivariate analysis indicated a total of eight major assemblages that characterize different sections and depths of the channel. 2.Because tannins in the low-salinity surface water layer block light, foliose algae reach 5,m depth in the marine western region but do not penetrate below 1,m in the east. By contrast, sessile invertebrates are most abundant below 5,m depth in the west and below 2,m in the east. Deeper assemblages are unlikely to be continuous with assemblages in deeper waters off the Tasmanian coast as they are highly constrained by depth within particular sections of the estuary. 3.While the species composition of the Bathurst Channel biota is most similar to that found elsewhere in Tasmania, the structural character of the biota in terms of major taxonomic groups is more closely allied to that found in fjords of south-western Chile and south-western New Zealand. These three regions all possess wilderness settings, high rainfall that is channelled through estuaries as a low-salinity surface layer, deep-water emergence of fauna, rapid change in biotic communities over short horizontal and vertical distances, and high levels of local endemism. They also include some of the most threatened aquatic ecosystems on earth due to increasing human activity from a near pristine base, and the potentially catastrophic impacts of climate change. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Conservation of natural wilderness values in the Port Davey marine and estuarine protected area, south-western TasmaniaAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 3 2010Graham J. Edgar Abstract 1.Port Davey and associated Bathurst Harbour in south-western Tasmania represent one of the world's most anomalous estuarine systems owing to an unusual combination of environmental factors. These include: (i) large uninhabited catchment protected as a National Park; (ii) ria geomorphology but with fjord characteristics that include a shallow entrance and deep 12-km long channel connecting an almost land-locked harbour to the sea; (iii) high rainfall and riverine input that generate strongly-stratified estuarine conditions, with a low-salinity surface layer and marine bottom water; (iv) a deeply tannin-stained surface layer that blocks light penetration to depth; (v) very low levels of nutrients and low aquatic productivity; (vi) weak tidal influences; (vii) marine bottom water with stable temperature throughout the year; (viii) numerous endemic species; (ix) strongly depth-stratified benthic assemblages exhibiting high compositional variability over small spatial scales; (x) deepsea species present at anomalously shallow depths; (xi) no conspicuous introduced taxa; (xii) a predominance of fragile sessile invertebrates, including slow-growing fenestrate bryozoans; and (xii ) sponge spicule- and bryozoan-based sediments that are more characteristic of deep sea and polar environments than those inshore. 2.Although this region has historically been protected by its isolation, seven major anthropogenic stressors now threaten its natural integrity: boating, fishing, dive tourism, nutrient enrichment, introduced species, onshore development, and global climate change. These threats are not randomly distributed but disproportionately affect particular habitat types. 3.For management of environmental risk, the Port Davey,Bathurst Harbour region is subdivided into six biophysical zones, each with different ecological characteristics, values, and types and levels of potential threat. In response to the various threats, the Tasmanian Government has enacted an adaptive management regime that includes a multi-zoned marine protected area and the largest ,no-take' estuarine protected area in Australia. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effects of natural barriers on the spillover of a marine mollusc: implications for fisheries reservesAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 6 2003Alexander Tewfik Abstract 1.The movement of organisms and dispersal of propagules is fundamental to the maintenance of populations over time. However, the existence of barriers, created through the spatial configuration of habitats, may significantly affect dispersal patterns and thus influence community dynamics and resource sustainability. 2.Within marine environments unstructured or open habitats may form partial or complete ecological barriers due to elevated risk of predation or physical stresses associated with them. The existence and effects of such barriers may be of particular importance when considering the establishment of marine protected areas with a fisheries enhancement focus. 3.In this paper, the spillover of post-settlement queen conch (Strombus gigas) from a protected area in the Turks and Caicos Islands is investigated. It is hypothesized that the reserve boundaries overlap with a series of shallow, sand habitats that effectively enclose the protected population, reducing the spillover of conch into the adjacent fished areas. 4.To test this, density gradient maps for juvenile and adult conch populations were constructed using underwater visual survey data at 68 sites within and surrounding the protected area. These maps illustrate very low densities coinciding with poor, shallow sand habitats along the two marine boundaries of the reserve where spillover is expected to take place. 5.These sand habitats are thought to create ecological barriers to a slow, sedentary gastropod largely due to their shallowness (physical stresses of solar exposure or anoxia) and lack of food reducing the tendency of individuals to move across these areas, despite the 10-times higher density of adult queen conch observed in the protected area compared with outside. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Bioeconomic analysis of protected area use in fisheries management,AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL & RESOURCE ECONOMICS, Issue 4 2007Jared Greenville Protected areas in fishery management have been suggested to hedge management failures and variation in harvests. In this paper, a stochastic bioeconomic model of a two-species fishery in the Manning Bioregion is used to test the performance of protected areas as a management tool in a fishery. The establishment of a protected area is analysed under the assumption of heterogenous environments that are linked via density-dependent or sink-source stock dispersal relationships. The sensitivity of the results to different degrees of management is also explored. The model is applied to the Ocean Prawn Trawl, and Ocean Trap and Line fisheries within Manning Bioregion in New South Wales, Australia. The focus of the study is placed on the biological and institutional characteristics that yield benefits to the fishery. It was found that protected area use in the Manning Bioregion is likely to have differing effects on the two fisheries examined, benefiting Ocean Trap and Line fishers but adversely affecting Ocean Prawn Trawl fishers. Overall, it is unlikely that protected area use will lead to an increase resource rent in the fishery. [source] Tree Community Change across 700 km of Lowland Amazonian Forest from the Andean Foothills to BrazilBIOTROPICA, Issue 5 2008Nigel C. A. Pitman ABSTRACT We describe patterns of tree community change along a 700-km transect through terra firme forests of western Amazonia, running from the base of the Andes in Ecuador to the Peru,Brazil border. Our primary question is whether floristic variation at large scales arises from many gradual changes or a few abrupt ones. Data from 54 1-ha tree plots along the transect support the latter model, showing two sharp discontinuities in community structure at the genus level. One is located near the Ecuador,Peru border, where the suite of species that dominates large areas of Ecuadorean forest declines abruptly in importance to the east. This discontinuity is underlain by a subterranean paleoarch and congruent with a change in soil texture. A second discontinuity is associated with the shift from clay to white sand soils near Iquitos. We hypothesize that the first discontinuity is part of an edaphic boundary that runs along the Andean piedmont and causes a transition from tree communities preferring richer, younger soils near the base of the Andes to those preferring poorer, older soils farther east. Because the floristic changes observed at this discontinuity are conserved for large distances to the east and west of it, the discontinuity is potentially key for understanding floristic variation in western Amazonia. The significant floristic turnover at the Ecuador,Peru border suggests that the only large protected area in the region,Ecuador's Yasuní National Park,is not adequate protection for the very diverse tree communities that cover vast areas of northern Peru. RESUMEN Describimos cambios en la comunidad de árboles a lo largo de un transecto de 700 km que atraviesa los bosques de tierra firme de la Amazonía occidental, desde la base de los Andes en Ecuador hasta la frontera Perú-Brasil. Nuestra pregunta principal es si la variación florística a grandes escalas es generada a base de muchos cambios graduales o en unos pocos cambios abruptos. Datos de 54 parcelas de árboles de 1 ha a lo largo del transecto apoyan el segundo modelo, mostrando dos discontinuidades bien definidas en la estructura de la comunidad a nivel de género. Una discontinuidad está localizada cerca de la frontera Ecuador-Perú, donde el grupo de especies que domina grandes áreas de la Amazonía ecuatoriana declina abruptamente en importancia hacia el este. Esta discontinuidad está asociada con un paleoarco subterráneo y es congruente con cambios en la textura del suelo. Una segunda discontinuidad está asociada con un cambio de suelos arcillosos a suelos de arena blanca cerca de Iquitos. Sugerimos que la primera discontinuidad es parte de un limite edáfico que corre a lo largo del piedemonte andino y causa una transición de comunidades de árboles que prefieren suelos más fértiles y jóvenes cerca de los Andes, a aquellos que prefieren suelos más pobres y antiguos hacia el este. Ya que los cambios florísticos observados en esta discontinuidad se conservan por grandes distancias hacia el este y oeste, la discontinuidad es potencialmente clave para entender la variación florística en la Amazonía occidental. El importante recambio florístico en la frontera Ecuador-Perú sugiere que la única gran área protegida en la región,el Parque Nacional Yasuní en Ecuador,no presta protección adecuada a las muy diversas comunidades de árboles en el norte del Perú. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||