362 research outputs found
Ghost crab burrow density at Watamu Marine National Park: an indicator of the impact of urbanisation and associated disturbance?
Ghost crab (Ocypode species) burrow densities have previously been used as an indicator of anthropogenic impact. This study aimed to assess the burrow density of Ocypode species (O. ryderi and O. cordimanus) at four sites across Watamu Marine National Park, Kenya. Two sites were in front of hotel complexes (denoting a high degree of urbanisation), and two were in front of residential housing among coastal scrub (denoting a low degree of urbanisation). The findings reveal significantly higher burrow densities at sites in front of residential housing, which was the less developed area. This provides further evidence that Ocypode burrow densities can be used, where other methods would be impractical, to estimate the impact of some human activities along beach fronts, such as at Watamu Marine National Park
Rangelands Atlas
Rangelands can be described as land on which the vegetation
is predominantly grasses, grass-like plants, forbs or shrubs,
and often with trees that are grazed or have the potential to be
grazed by livestock and wildlife. They are diverse in their vegetation
driven by highly fluctuating rainfall, temperature and other climate
phenomena, and habitat for a wide range of wildlife, many species
of which are found nowhere else. Rangelands store vast amounts of
carbon and either originate or serve as freshwater catchment areas for
most of the world’s largest rivers and wetlands. Rangelands are home
to millions of people, from pastoralists to hunter-gatherers to ranchers
to conservationists. Rangelands feed millions of people worldwide.
Rangelands have significant cultural and aesthetic value too, and for
many, are places of inspiration and beauty.
This Rangelands Atlas has been developed to document and raise
awareness on the enormous environmental, economic and social value
of rangelands as well as their different ecosystems. It highlights many of
the changes taking place in rangelands due to climate change, land use
and conversion trends, investments and other changes: of most concern
is the predicted trends of climate change and biodiversity loss, which
will have significant impacts on some rangeland ecosystems.
The spatial mapping of rangelands was produced by focusing on
seven of the 14 global biomes categorised by WWF in their mapping of
terrestrial ecoregions around the world. These seven biomes include
different types of mainly dryland grasslands, savannas, shrublands and
forests, together with wetter and colder biomes such as tundra. Though
this mapping does not take into account actual land use and other
changes that have taken place on the ground, it is a useful starting
point for identifying, documenting and raising awareness on the overall
characteristics of rangelands, their contribution to livestock and other
food production, ecosystem services, conservation and the broader
trends of change taking place.
The Atlas also highlights significant data gaps in rangelands, which
have seen proportionately less investment in this regard than other
land uses and ecosystems. The spatial map of rangelands is combined
with other existing global datasets on different themes, to produce a
mapping of that data ‘for rangelands.’
Each entry is presented with a short explanation of the map, some key figures produced from the big data that produced the map, a story from
the field adding a taste of a local experience and/or perspective, and some explanation of terminologies used in the map as required. We are
reliant on the accuracy of the datasets we have accessed: the data have not been verified at regional, country or local level, and therefore is only an indicator of broad and estimated figures and trends
Squaring the circle: Balancing the economic benefits of unconventional hydrocarbon extraction with the inimitable cultural significance of environments
Hydrocarbon extraction will continue for the foreseeable future, and undoubtedly impact upon regions and environments which this industry or indeed modern infrastructure had not done so previously. In light of this the paper considers how decisions with regard to the permitting or licensing of such projects might include the cultural significance of such environments more effectively. Focusing on the extraction of oil sands in Alberta, Canada as a model, the paper will establish the failings of established methods of assessing such values and whether human rights law, more accomplished in dealing with such subjective considerations, offers an alternative. Finally the paper will suggest a framework which, whilst incapable of solving all of the inherent issues in the inclusion of such subjective considerations in an industry so focused on quantification, might better balance them with the overbearing economic arguments for extraction
Influence of life-history traits on the occurrence of carnivores within exotic Eucalyptus plantations
Aim
The world's forested area has been declining, especially in developing countries. In contrast, forest plantations are increasing, particularly exotic Eucalyptus plantations, which cover nowadays over 20 million ha worldwide. This global landscape change affects native communities, especially those at higher trophic levels that are affected by bottom–up cascading effects, such as carnivores. We seek to identify the general life‐history traits of mammalian carnivore species that use exotic Eucalyptus plantations.
Location
We reviewed 55 studies reporting carnivore presence in Eucalyptus plantations worldwide.
Methods
We consider seven species life‐history traits (generation length, social behaviour, body mass, energetic trophic level, diet diversity, habitat generalist/specialist and locomotion mode) as candidate drivers. We used generalized linear mixed models, with life‐history traits as fixed factors, and study as well as carnivore species as random factors. We obtained the carnivore occurrence data from the literature (detection of 42 different species, from seven families). We considered non‐detected species those with an IUCN Red List of Threatened Species estimated distribution range overlapping with the study areas, but not recorded by the studies.
Results
While we found no evidence of an effect of any of the other life‐history traits tested, our modelling procedure indicated that habitat generalist species are more likely to use Eucalyptus forests than specialist species.
Main conclusions
Our results, therefore, confirm an impoverishment of predator communities in disturbed environments, with the exclusion of the most specialist predators, leading to fragmentation of their populations and, ultimately contributing to their local extinction. The local extinction of specialist carnivores may lead to “functional homogenization” of communities within plantations, modifying ecosystem functioning with a negative impact on plantations’ productivity, profitability and services.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Comparative parasitological examination on sympatric equids in the Great Gobi “B” Strictly Protected Area, Mongolia
Benthic habitat modelling and mapping as a conservation tool for marine protected areas: A seamount in the western Mediterranean
1. An ecologically representative, well‐connected, and effectively managed system of
marine protected areas (MPAs) has positive ecological and environmental effects
as well as social and economic benefits. Although progress in expanding the coverage of MPAs has been made, the application of management tools has not yet
been implemented in most of these areas.
2. In this work, distribution models were applied to nine benthic habitats on a Mediterranean seamount within an MPA for conservation purposes. Benthic habitat
occurrences were identified from 55 remotely operated vehicle (ROV) transects,
at depths from 76 to 700 m, and data derived from multibeam bathymetry. Generalized additive models (GAMs) were applied to link the presence of each benthic
habitat to local environmental proxies (depth, slope, backscatter, aspect, and
bathymetric position index, BPI).
3. The main environmental drivers of habitat distribution were depth, slope, and BPI.
Based on this result, five different geomorphological areas were distinguished. A
full coverage map indicating the potential benthic habitat distribution on the seamount was obtained to inform spatial management.
4. The distribution of those habitats identified as vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs)
was used to make recommendations on zonation for developing the management
plan of the MPA. This process reveals itself as an appropriate methodological
approach that can be developed in other areas of the Natura 2000 marine networkEn prensa1,92
Social Value of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas in England and Wales.
The U.K. government is committed to establishing a coherent network of marine protected
areas by 2012 and the recentMarine and Coastal Access Act, 2009 will designate
marine conservation zones and provide wider access rights to the coast. To fulfill these
goals, this article argues the need for a clearer, shared understanding of the social
value of protected areas in creating new designations and managing existing ones. Although
marine and coastal environments attract many people and are vitally important
in terms of realized and potential social value, the majority of the public in the United
Kingdom lacks understanding and awareness regarding them. Combined with this, the
social value of marine and coastal protected areas (MCPAs) have been largely ignored
relative to conservation and economics, with the latter invariably taking precedence
in environmental policymaking. Social value reflects the complex, individual responses
that people experience in a given place. Many reasons determine why one area is valued
above another, and this research investigates the social value of MCPAs from a
practitioner’s perspective through a series of interviews. Understanding why we “socially”
value MCPAs will ultimately equip managers with an informed understanding
of these spaces, influence management decisions, and, potentially, policymaking. This
article defines social value in the context of MCPAs in England and Wales from a
practitioner perspective, explores key concepts, and suggests possible improvements in
decision-making
Leadership and management influences the outcome of wildlife reintroduction programs: findings from the Sea Eagle Recovery Project
Promises and realities of community-based pasture management approaches: Observations from Kyrgyzstan
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