2008 Conference - Talk abstracts
Download the entire 2008 Book of Abstracts here.
Innovative human-wildlife conflict mitigation solutions as a basis for sustainable natural resources management.
Andama Edward
Gulu University, Faculty of Science Education, P. O. Box 166, Gulu, Uganda
Email: andamaedward@yahoo.co.uk
This study investigated effectiveness of several human-wildlife conflict mitigation strategies used around protected areas. Stone wall hedge deterred buffaloes and porcupines. Trapping was effective for crop loss to root rats but not baboons. Crop guarding was effective deterrent against baboons. Red chilly smoke effectively repelled elephants. Fencing with Caesalpinia decapetala hedge was effective against wide range of wildlife species. Cultivating non-attractive crops (tea, wheat, and artemisia) mitigated crop raids by primate species. Locating vulnerable crops away from frontline areas and regular clearing bushes around gardens reduced raiding incidence. Scaling up successful interventions can provide long-term solution to human-wildlife conflict.
Area and edge effects on understory birds: how it happens in patches of Atlantic Forest, Brazil
Cristina Banks
Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College, SL5 7PY, Ascot, UK
Email: c.banks07@imperial.ac.uk
This study aimed to understand whether patches of secondary Atlantic forest exhibit edge effects in vegetation structure and on the bird community, and how edge effects might vary with patch area and the amount of forest cover in the surrounding landscape. Results show that although vegetation structure and bird species richness does not differ from edge to interior, abundance and community composition is significantly altered. The difference in species composition between edges and interior sites is more pronounced in large patches in which the edge area presents a bird community typical of small patches or areas of low forest cover.
Global habitat loss and species’ extinction risk: Re-thinking the Species-Area Relationship for conservation
Tiffany Bogich
University of Cambridge, Department of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ
Email: tlb24@cam.ac.uk
Methods have been developed to predict the number of extinctions from reduced habitat area. One accepted method is the Species-Area Relationship (SAR), however, there is little empirical support for this relationship. A global-scale test of the SAR for extinction was conducted for amphibians, birds, and mammals. Habitat conversion was calculated for each species and the effect of habitat loss on threat status was determined. The best fit is not the traditional SAR. Despite lack of empirical support, the SAR is used to make important conservation decisions; our finding emphasises the need to re-think the classic SAR for predicting extinction.
Who benefits from protected areas? Visitor numbers, demographics and knowledge.
Josephine Booth
BIOME, Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield,
S10 2TN Email: jo.booth@sheffield.ac.uk
Public support for protected areas depends upon demonstrating the importance of the ecosystem services that they provide. We assess how recreational benefit is distributed across society, how much visitors know about sites and the site characteristics that predict usage. Fieldwork was undertaken in Yorkshire on Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Our results show that a biased subset of the population enjoys recreational benefit on protected areas, suggesting a worrying disconnect between much of society and conservation efforts. Conservation goals will only be met if broad public support for the natural environment is engaged and maintained, for example through nature recreation.
Landscape associations and home range selection of a multi-species bat assemblage
Katherine Boughey
School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ
Email: k.boughey@uea.ac.uk
Bat conservation in Europe is hampered by a lack of large-scale, multi-species studies. Here, we use data from the National Bat Monitoring Programme to provide the first nationwide analysis of associations between roost location, home range and landscape structure and composition for six British bat species. Bats exhibited a consistent preference for wooded and pastoral landscapes. Distance from the roost to the nearest broadleaved patch was as important as extent of broadleaved cover, whilst the size of the nearest patch was unimportant. Broadleaved planting, even in small patches, is likely to provide the greatest landscape improvements for bats.
The impact of pesticides on pollinator biodiversity and the provision of pollinator services.
Claire Brittain
Centre for Agri-Environmental Research (CAER), School of Agriculture, University of Reading, PO Box 237, Reading RG6 6AR, UK Email: c.a.brittain@reading.ac.uk
The impact of pesticides on pollinator biodiversity and pollination is being investigated through this PhD. Field work was carried out in an Italian model agricultural system with a fine-scale spatially explicit pesticide pressure map. Pollinator sampling was conducted and pollination levels measured using experimental plants. The data will allow the relationship between pesticides, pollinators and pollination to be explored. This will help identify any groups most at risk from pesticide exposure and quantify the impact on associated pollination services. Such information is important for the formation of policy on pesticide use and guiding measures for pollinator conservation in agri-environment schemes.
Accounting for costs in conservation priority setting: what if we are wrong?
Josie Carwardine
The Ecology Centre, School of Integrative Biology, The University of Queensland, QLD 4067
Australia Email: j.carwardine@uq.edu.au
Predictions of conservation costs are essential for cost-effective decision making, but cost is often ignored due to uncertainties in land availability and the actual cost the conservation action. We test the robustness of relative conservation priority (irreplaceability) to uncertainty in the predicted cost of land acquisition for reserves in Australia. We used Marxan to allocate relative conservation priorities (irreplaceability) to sites based on their likelihood of inclusion in a cost-effective network to represent a set of biodiversity targets. We suggest the robustness of conservation priorities can be improved by (i) accounting for uncertainty in cost, and (ii) using simple rules of thumb to estimate how a more accurate cost estimate of a site (e.g. actual price of land for sale) might change the priority of a site for conservation.
An assessment of the functional structure of South African avian communities
Matthew Child
Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Department of Zoology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa Email: matt.child@uct.ac.za
Determining the patterns and causes of functional richness across landscapes will aid broad scale conservation efforts. For the South African avifauna, although taxonomic richness is an adequate qualitative predictor of functional richness, the former is not a good local predictor for the latter. Indeed, plots of residual variation show that preserving species rich ‘hotspots’ may not necessarily ensure the functional integrity of a landscape. Process-oriented conservation plans and assessments would benefit from considering local variations in the relationship between taxonomic and functional diversity when areas are prioritised for conservation.
Advancing Asian elephant conservation through enhanced knowledge on biology and habitat constraints in Manas National Park, India
Jyoti Das
Aaranyak, Samonway Path, Survey, Beltola, Guwahati-781028, Assam, India
Email: jyoti@aaranyak.org
Asian Elephant is facing challenges in terms of habitat loss, degradation, poaching and of late conflict with human crafting its position endangered across its range. This paper focuses on biological attributes of elephants in Manas landscape and also distresses of habitat change. Initial findings revealed a density of 1.19 (±0.32)/sq. km., while their habitat usage pattern differs considerably among four major vegetation types in the Park. The sex ratio of the population is 1: 3.7 (male-female) providing some hints of male poaching during unrest period. Mean herd size shows a year round stable 6.85 (±1.23). I recommend restoration policies of key habitats and managing grasslands through enhanced knowledge on habitats and impact factors including grassland burning and extraction activities.
Tackling wild meat consumption in Vietnam
Rebecca Drury
Anthropology, University College, 14 Taviton Street, London, WC1H 0BW
Email: beccadrury@gmail.com
Vietnam is a major thoroughfare for illegal wildlife trade and rapidly growing urban prosperity is believed to be increasing domestic demand for wild meat. With enforcement failing to restrain trade, conservation interventions - such as education campaigns and producing farmed substitutes - are increasingly targeting consumers. A greater understanding of wild meat consumers and consumption behaviour will help inform the design of effective interventions. I will describe wild meat consumers, the context of consumption and the values associated with wild meat, and the implications these findings may have for interventions aiming to reduce consumer demand.
Recent land cover change on Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in East Africa
George Eshiamwata
BirdLife Africa Partnership Secretariat, ICIPE Complex, Kasarani Road, P.O Box 3502-00100 Nairobi Kenya Email: george.eshiamwata@birdlife.or.ke
Habitat loss is a major threat to biodiversity and monitoring of land cover change allows problems to be identified and priorities to be set. Changes in land cover on a subset of Important Bird Areas were assessed using interpretation of time-series remote sensing data from 1970s to present. This was complimented with ground-truthing fieldwork to verify and calibrate features observed on satellite data. Spatially explicit, quantified estimates of land cover change, especially through agricultural expansion, are described for the IBAs. Additionally, the potential of using simple methods for the interpretation of higher resolution remote sensing for future monitoring is highlighted.
Patterns of conservation investment in the United States
Isla Fishburn
University of Sheffield, BIOME, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Western Bank, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 2TN Email: isla.fishburn@sheffield.ac.uk
Habitat loss is the main driver of biodiversity decline and current levels of protection are inadequate. To help conservation effort both public and non profit sectors must allocate resources as efficiently as possible. Using data from the largest land trust in operation, The Nature Conservancy, I examine the spatial distribution of conservation investment across the US. I explore what explains where resources have been directed and examine how conservation investments have been structured, in terms of both the area protected and the upfront financial costs. The results inform strategic conservation planning and highlight where there is need of greatest improvement in conservation design.
Of Pigs and Palms: Exploring the biodiversity, oil palm paradox
Emily Fitzherbert
School of Environmental Science, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR47TJ
Email: emily.fitzherbert@zsl.org
Much of the responsibility for the destruction of the high biodiversity forests of south has been apportioned to the growth and expansion of oil palm plantations. In this paper we review both quantitatively and qualitatively the issues associated with the oil palm and biodiversity debate. Using a case study in Sumatra we explore the potential for mammals within the oil palm landscape and consider methods by which the management practices employed by a plantation can influence the scale of the impact and increase the biodiversity value of the concession.
Spatial variation in correlates of global mammalian extinction risk
Susanne Fritz
Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot, SL5 7PY Email: susan.fritz@imperial.ac.uk
Because many species today are threatened with global extinction, researchers need to understand how species differ in their vulnerability to different threats. Using mammalian species trait data and the global IUCN Red List, I investigated correlations between global extinction risk and species traits such as geographic range size and body mass within each WWF terrestrial ecoregion. My results show that the ecological and life-history correlates of extinction risk vary considerably across the globe. Spatial analyses reveal that environmental factors and intrinsic species traits interact to determine species extinction risk on a regional scale.
Should we protect the strong or weak? An analysis of risk and resilience in marine protected areas
Eddie Game
The Ecology Centre, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
Email: e.game@uq.edu.au
Marine reserves have often been touted as way of ensuring recovery from uncontrollable disturbance at a faster rate than unprotected habitats; but should we protect those areas at greatest risk, or those at least risk? We formally define this problem and explore the conditions under which each of these strategies is optimal. Illustrating these strategies with an example of cyclone disturbance to coral reefs, we find that the optimal conservation strategy with regard to the risk of uncontrollable disturbances can differ dramatically depending on your conservation objective and the level of success expected within reserves. Counter intuitively, this may mean it is best to protect sites at highest risk of uncontrollable disturbance. A proper treatment or risk is fundamental to all conservation actions and can indicate surprising routes to conservation success.
Tourist use and non-use economic values for marine protected area. a case study from Belize.
Venetia Hargreaves-Allen
Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, SW7 2AZ, London, United Kingdom Email: vhargreavesallen@gmail.com
Contingent valuation is used to explore distinct tourist values for a Belizean reserve (a) use values, (b) use values for whale shark (Rhincodon typus) interactions, (c) existence/ bequest values for reserve visitors and (d) non-use values for non-visitors. Econometric analysis explains values in terms of socio-economic, attitudinal and behavioural variables. Mean willingness to pay for visitors was estimated as US$25 for one day visitation, with a $15 premium for the chance of a whale shark interaction and $70 for non-use values. Non-visitors have a US$14 non-use value. Although significant, pooled use values are small compared to existence/ bequest values.
Integrating development with conservation in Central Africa- linking benefits to behaviour
Chloe Hodgkinson
Department of Anthropology, University College, 14 Taviton Street, London, WC1 HOBW
Email: c.hodgkinson@ucl.ac.uk
Recognising the need to enable local support for conservation efforts, integrated conservation and development projects (ICDP’s) attempt to provide benefits to mitigate or compensate conservation-related costs. This evaluation of a Central African ICDP adopted an economic valuation approach to compare conservation-related costs and benefits at the local level. Local appreciation of these impacts, and their links to pro-conservation attitudes, were investigated using participant observation, semi-structured interviews and formal questionnaires. Links to conservation related behaviour- in terms of both wild-food extraction and wild-food consumption- were investigated using a 12-month market survey and a household consumption and income survey.
Evaluating effects of contrasting conservation interventions on attitudes towards Saiga antelope conservation
Caroline Howe
Imperial College London, Centre for Environmental Policy, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ Email: caroline.howe04@imperial.ac.uk
Does the type of conservation intervention employed; social engagement, low-level propaganda; and traditional ‘fences-and-fines’ conservation, influence ecological knowledge and attitudes towards conservation? 250 randomly chosen individuals, exposed to one of three conservation interventions, were questioned on their knowledge of and attitudes to saiga populations. Results were analysed using linear mixed effects models. Conservation strategy doesn’t influence ecological knowledge but affects willingness-to-pay (WTP) for conservation (as an attitudinal measure). Low-level propaganda increases WTP whilst, social engagement encourages protest bids relating to others paying. This study demonstrates that effects of different conservation interventions vary culturally and may be counter-productive in some cases.
Assessment of Land Cover Dynamics and its Conservation Implications in Tropical Forests of Western Ghats, India
Shijo Joseph
School of Environmental Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Priyadarsini Hills, Kottyam,
Kerala, India 686560 Email: shijonrsa@gmail.com
The proximate and underlying causes of forest cover change were studied in the Anamalai Hills of Western Ghats, India. A thresholding technique was applied on NDVI images of IRS-P6-LISS-III data of 2006 and Landsat-MSS data of 1973 to generate positive and negative change areas. Two major and divergent trends were observed. A dominant degradational trend attributed to livelihood dependence and infrastructure development while a positive successional trend correlated to protection of the area. The underlying causes involve a complex set of social, political, economic and cultural variables. The delineation of vulnerable areas helps the managers to implement suitable conservation strategies.
The relationship between HIV/AIDS and harvesting of biodiversity for household food security.
Sarah Kaschula
p.o Box 94, Dept of Environmental Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140 South Africa Email: s.kaschula@ru.ac.za
The incorporation of wild plant and animal-source foods into household diets is explored through quantitative household and individual surveys in three rural sites in South Africa. Surveys make use of household AIDS proxies (mortality, morbidity and demographic variables) and household socio-economic data to explore the association between AIDS, household socio-economics and wild food use. The dietary intake of three hundred households were monitored using 3-monthly repeat assessments over a year. The results indicate that use of bushmeat, and wild leafy vegetables is more prevalent in household with a lower socio-economic status, higher incidence of chronic illness and paternal orphan fostering.
Ecotourism finances biodiversity protection in the Peruvian Amazon
Chris Kirkby
School of Biological Science, University of East Anglia (UEA), Norwich NR4 7TJ
Email: c.kirkby@uea.ac.uk
It has often been suggested that ecotourism can protect natural habitats and biodiversity directly by financing conservation. However, little evidence shows that ecotourism is profitable and contributes to large-scale biodiversity conservation in developing countries. I report here how an ecotourism destination in south-eastern, Amazonian Peru, attracted US$11.6 million in spending in 2005, and how high levels of profitability coupled with international conservation funding and new land-use legislation have allowed ecotourism businesses to protect 35,000 ha of rainforest, and to begin shielding key protected areas from the deforestation that will result from the paving of the Interoceanica highway.
The impact of large mammal herbivores on woody vegetation in the Sand Forest of Phinda Game Reserve, South Africa
Georgette Lagendijk
University of KwaZulu Natal, School for Biological and Conservation Sciences, Howard College Campus, 301 George Campbell Building, Durban, 4041 South Africa
Email: georgette.lagendijk@gmail.com
The Sand Forest, harbouring endemic species, is limited to the Maputaland Centre of Endemism. The structure within Sand Forest has changed markedly the past decade. Sand forest has a low resilience to disturbance and poor recruitment rates. Elephants and nyala may have substantial impact on Sand Forest dynamics. To test this, exclosures have been erected and vegetation has been monitored. Results indicate that characteristic Sand Forest species are recolonising and that damage to the Sand Forest is declining. Results derived from this system can provide a framework for other reserves on the effects large herbivores can have on woody vegetation.
Predicting vulnerability of Philippine marine fishes using comparative phylogenetic analysis
Margarita Lavides
Room 260 Ridley Building, Sch of Marine Scie & Tech, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle NE1 7RU Email: Margarita.Lavides@ncl.ac.uk
This phylogenetic study linking life histories with catch per unit effort (CPUE) trends of reef associated and pelagic finfishes of the Philippines was based on CPUE trends in 14-32 intensively exploited marine finfish stocks from three major fishing grounds. Finfishes that have decreased over 22 years in CPUE compared with their nearest relatives attained a larger maximum body size and exhibited slower growth. Such trends were not evident in earlier and more traditional cross species analyses and suggests a simple way of predicting depletion.
Land tenure systems and protected sites in southwest Cameroon: effects on livelihoods and resources
Ivo Ngome
United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, UK
Email: Ivo.Ngome@unep-wcmc.org
Creating government managed protected areas is an old, worldwide strategy to conserve the environment. But does the strategy still work in all parts of the world, and can we improve park effectiveness for biodiversity and local livelihoods? My talk will examine this broad question using two case studies from Southwest Cameroon. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and through field observation. Immigration of non-locals for fertile land, the ease with which they can buy farmland within the reserve, and local farmers re-planting tree species outside the reserve and not within, due to insecurity in tenure, results in a higher level of deforestation inside these reserves than in adjacent private/community forestlands. For some areas, where government management is weak, and in certain tenure situations, top-down strict protection mechanisms might not work. There is a need to evaluate different forms of management and governance for different areas of the world, to find national and regional best practice.
An examination of shifting baseline syndrome in perceptions of bird populations
Sarah Papworth
Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL7 5PY
Email: emeraldmonkey@hotmail.com
Two forms of shifting baseline syndrome have been described. ‘Generational amnesia’ occurs when observers are not aware of changing populations; ‘classic shifting baseline syndrome’ occurs when observers are aware of change, but their knowledge is determined by their experience. Data were collected on observer perceptions of bird populations in Yorkshire, U.K. Analysis showed that both generational amnesia and classic shifting baseline syndrome can occur in one population, and provides the first evidence of both forms. These results suggest that the syndrome should be of real concern to all conservation practitioners, particularly those collecting social data or involved in decision-making.
Hunting for sustainability in secondary forest
Luke Parry
School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ
Email: l.parry@uea.ac.uk
Over-hunting of tropical forest mammals threatens both conservation and local livelihoods. We investigated the sustainability of hunting in primary and secondary forests in Brazilian Amazonia. Harvestable production, estimated in both forest types using line-transect surveys, was higher in primary forest due to the absence of several game species in secondary forest. However, comparing these production estimates with actual offtake as measured in three villages revealed that most species were hunted unsustainably in primary forest. Although the production of three species was threefold higher in secondary forest, hunting in second-growth is likely to supply only ~1% of required protein to Amazonian smallholders.
Conservation crisis in a biodiversity hotspot: is the Kerala part of Western Ghats (India) losing its endemic and threatened ornamental fish germplasm?
Pichirikkat Raghavan
Rajeev Raghavan, Conservation Research Group, Department of Aquaculture, St. Albert s College, Kochi, 682 018, Kerala, India Email: rajeevraghavanp@yahoo.com
Streams and rivers of Kerala, part of the Western Ghats (WG) are an exceptional hotspot of freshwater fish diversity with a high degree of endemism and the presence of many threatened species. Wild collection and exports of indigenous ornamental fish has increased rapidly in the last few years and the region is currently an important contributor to the global trade. At present, 114 species are exported- a ten fold increase from the year 2000. 30.7% (n=35) of the exported species are threatened and 38% (n=44) are strictly endemic to WG. Conservation implications of this unmanaged fishery and trade are discussed.
Characterization of the pathogen load in large cetaceans from Baja California, Mexico.
Agnes Rocha
Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, CICIMAR, Avenida Instituto Politécnico Nacional s/n. Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita. Apdo. Postal 592, La Paz, B.C.S. CP. 23096, Mexico Email: agnes_rocha@yahoo.com.mx
In order to characterize the respiratory and digestive pathogen load, we collected 64 blow samples from gray and blue whales and 54 faeces samples from blue, fin and sperm whales. Using PCR, 25 blow samples amplified the DNA products expected for Mycobacterium, Haemophilus, Aspergillus and/or Streptococcus. Also, two Streptococcus species were isolated from 2/6 gray whale cultures, while two Staphylococcus species grew from one blue whale culture. Using coproparasitoscopic techniques, we have found non-identified nematode eggs in 2/28 faeces samples analysed so far. The detected respiratory pathogens are potentially zoonotic and can cause chronic infection and death in inmunosupressed animals.
Evaluating tiger (Panthera tigris) population and density estimation approaches in a mark-recapture framework in Kanha Tiger Reserve, India.
Rishi Sharma
Old Hostel, PO Bag# 18, Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, PIN 482001 Email: naturerishi@gmail.com
Conservation and management of wild tigers require accurate and precise estimates of population and density for monitoring and evaluating conservation programs. However estimates for low density, wide ranging and intelligent animals like tigers are likely to be biased and thus need to be tested for accuracy and biases. We used different approaches of population and density estimation in a mark-recapture framework and evaluated these against a known population of free ranging tigers. Our data suggests that grid based placement of cameras, near circular area coverage, population estimation using heterogeneity models and using likelihood based approach and home range radius for estimating density provides accurate population and unbiased density estimates. Tiger search can be a useful tool for monitoring tigers.
Gall Bladder in the State Of Uttarakhand, India
Rohit Singh
Wildlife SOS, D-210, Defence Colony, New Delhi-110024, India
Email: rohit@wildlifesos.org
The Himalayan Black Bear, Ursus thibetinus inhabits in the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal in India. A questionnaire survey was conducted in thirty villages of Uttarakhand. The extent of trade in bear gall bladder, community involved in the trade, poaching affected areas, trade routes and price of the products in Indian market were evaluated. The market price of gall bladder range from Rs 2500 to Rs 4000 per 10 gm. Bhutia tribes were identified as main poachers. 22 Bhutia settlements were reported out of which six were involved in the trade. The three major trade centers were Shimla, Chandigarh and Delhi from where traders tranported to China through Indo-Nepal Border or Indo-Tibet Border. We suggested education awareness targeting the tribes involve in trade and creation of Anti-Poaching Teams.
Sustainable Use in Papua New Guinea: conservation through private enterprise?
Rob Small
Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Downing Place, Cambridge, CB3 2EN
Email: rs427@cam.ac.uk
Papua New Guinea (PNG) harbours 5% of global biodiversity. It is a fractured and failing state, dependant on revenues from natural resources yet is under pressure to achieve conservation gains. Attempts to reconcile PNG's conservation and development needs have seen the long-term implementation of Sustainable Use (SU) projects. Ranching of CITES listed butterflies and crocodiles by private enterprise aims to satisfy the global collector and luxury markets, local livelihoods and conservation goals. Research into the implementation of SU in PNG using a combination of qualitative and quantitative analyses has yielded insights into the nature, impact and practicality of these initiatives.
When theory becomes applied: Using ecological criteria to evaluate ecosystem sensitivity to climate change in Panama
Laura Tremblay-Boyer
Fisheries Centre, Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory (AERL), 2202 Main Mall
The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4
Email: l.boyer@fisheries.ubc.ca
Climate change will affect biodiversity at all scales, from the species to the biosphere. Understanding how ecosystems, as intermediate units, may respond to global warming is important for conservation. Given current ecological knowledge, we identify features of ecosystems that would make them more sensitive to climate change and apply this set of ecological criteria to Panama as a case-study. Our method produces an index that compares individual ecosystems’ relative sensitivity to climate change. This index can be used in conservation prioritization schemes, is based on data that is freely available and is easily implementable.
Long-term impacts of coastal development on coral reefs in Bonaire: learning from experience
Maria C. Uyarra
School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, NR4 7TJ, Norwich - UK
Email: m.uyarra@uea.ac.uk
This study focuses on the long-term impacts of coastal development on coral reefs in Bonaire (Caribbean), and the implications for the diving industry. In order to do so, we surveyed 76 dive sites distributed around Bonaire and identified variables associated to development. We used statistical analysis to understand the relations between reef conditions and development variables. Coral reefs located within the proximity of hotels present worse health than those further away from the developed areas. Understanding the direct and indirect impacts of coastal development will provide coral reef managers with the tools to promote a more sustainable development.
