Ethno-conservation of New Guinea Singing Dog among Tribes in Pegunungan Tengah, Papua, Indonesia

Interactions between humans and carnivores have been range from positive to negative, occasionally leading to human-wildlife conflict in many parts of the world. While dogs have roles to support humans, wild dogs such as wolf, dingoes, and singing dogs have both potential positive and negative roles for humans. We gathered knowledge among tribes in Pegunungan Tengah of Papua, Indonesia on their interactions with the New Guinea Singing Dog (NGSD) using an ethno-conservation approach. We conducted in-depth interviews using both emit and etic approaches with informants from the Amungme, Damal, Moni and Dani (Lani) tribes, who live in the habitat of the dog. Data were analyzed using phenomenological, content analysis, and analytical induction processes. The four tribes have traditional knowledge about the dog and its habitat, thus forming behavioral patterns, belief systems and cultural values toward NGSD. The ethno-conservation of these tribes is reflected in their culture as results from their ability to identify the dog’s sensitivity to the change of environment including human disturbances, water quality and food availability. The tribes also limit themselves to share information about NGSD to outsiders and respect the dogs as their ancestors. Residents of the four Indigenous tribes of Pegunungan Tengah believe that NGSD is the reincarnation and avatar of the dwelling spirits of their ancestors. We discuss the implications of these findings for the conservation of this non-protected species by the Indonesian government, but endemic to Papua

Mangrove Estuary Crabs "Of The Mimika Region - Papua Indonesia

ix, 154 hlm , ; 21c

Mangrove Estuary Crabs of the Mimika Region -Papua indonesia

viii, 154hlm ; 21c

FISHES OF THE ESTUARIES OF MIMIKA DISTRICT, PAPUA PROVINCE

Study on estuarine fishes in Mimika district, Papua was carried out at six estuaries from 2000 to 2006, as a part of monitoring program conducted by PT Freeport-Indonesia. This study mainly aimed to document the fish diversity, dominance, abundance and weight. Samples were collected from six estuaries, namely Ajkwa (tailing affected estuary), Tipoeka (disturbed estuary), Minajerwi, Kamora, Mawati and Otakwa (tailings unaffected estuaries). The total fish catches from the study sites during the study were 133 species belonging to 50 families, with the total abundance and wet weight were 85,523 individuals and 1,834 kg, respectively. The indices of diversity and evenness ranged 1.1-2.1 and 0.4-0.8, respectively. Based on the sample abundance, the dominant families consisted of pony fishes (Leiognathidae), drum fishes (Sciaenidae) and anchovies (Engraulidae), catfish (Ariidae) and glassfish (Ambassidae), whereas based on the samples weight, the dominant families comprised of Sciaenidae, Ariidae, Leiognathidae, Engraulidae and Clupeidae. The results show that there were no significantly differences in diver-sities and abundances among the six estuaries of Mimika district

Sediment Accretion and Total Organic Carbon Accumulation Among Different Mangrove Vegetation Communities in the Kamora Estuary of Mimika Regency, Papua, Indonesia

A sediment accretion and carbon accumulation study was carried out in Kamora Estuary, Mimika Regency, Papua Province, Indonesia, to determine the accretion rate and total organic carbon loading in the area as well their correlation with geographical setting and mangrove aerial root type. The sediment stake method was used to measure the elevation changes, whereas the sediment trap method was used to determine sediment accretion and total organic carbon accumulation. Three locations were selected, namely at upstream, middle and downstream the mangrove communities, with each location installed up to 500 m perpendicular to the riverbank. The elevation changes based on sediment stakes were $8.4–12.3 mm$ $year^{-1}$. Sediment accretion based on sediment traps was $18.5–25.4 mm$ $year^{-1}$ or $1.88–2.98 g$ $cm^{-2}$ $year^{-1}$, while the mean total organic carbon accumulation was $736.8 ±169 g$ $m^{-2}$ $year^{-1}$. The results are higher than those of similar studies in other regions, but they are consistent with other studies in Papua New Guinea. This study found that higher sediment accretion occurred at the riverbank compared with the interior area, while the elevation changes were greater in the upstream area. Higher relative density and higher basal area had a negative correlation with sediment accretion, but the number of roots had a positive correlation with sedimentation. The high sedimentation in the Kamora Estuary is resulting in the expansion of the mangrove forest at a rate of $3$ $year^{-1}$. Assisted mangrove colonization can be applied to expand the mangrove forest, especially considering the use of Rhizophora species, which this study found to be more effective at trapping sediment

MACROBENTHIC COMMUNITY STRUCTURES OF THE OFFSHORE AREA OF MIMIKA DISTRICT, PAPUA

The study on macrobenthic community structures was carried out in the offshore area of Mimika district, Papua in 2005. Steep mountain slopes and some of the highest rainfall rates in the world, have generated tremendous sediment loads that have settled in the alluvial plain and been carried out into the estuaries and the Arafura Sea, creating a massive area of deposited natural sediments. The objective of this study was to determine how the benthic community structures of the offshore area (Arafura Sea) changes as a result of environmental conditions. To accomplish the objective, samples were collected from 40 stations which were divided into 4 contours (layers) of water depth, i.e. 5, 10, 20 and 40 m. Stations of each contour depth were established perpendicular to the river mouths of Mimika district. The results showed the bottom sediments were mostly silt-clay fractions except the deeper area (40 m depth) which was dominated by very fine sand fraction. Diversity indices, Shannon index (H') and Pielou's evenness (e) index ranged from 1.00-3.50 and 0.20-0.92 respectively. These indices tended to increase in the deeper areas. In total 266 species of macro-benthos were collected from the study area. Contrary to this, the densities tended to decrease in deeper areas with the range of 195.00 — 4110.00 individualsm-2. Polychaetes was the the dominant group, 50.80 — 71.80 % of the total family of macrobenthos. Among the macrobenthos, there were some families and group of taxa which had high densities such as Sipuncula, Nemertea and crustaceans including Ampeliscidae, Gammaridae and Israeidae. Among the polychaete group were the families Spionidae, Owenidae, Sternaspidae, Cossuridae, Capitellidae, Nephtyidae, Magelonidae and Pilargidae. Based on density, macrobenthos of the study area shows relatively high production. High rates of sedimentation of Ajkwa estuary does not influence the structure of macrobenthic communities in the offshore area

Disappearance of the last tropical glaciers in the Western Pacific Warm Pool (Papua, Indonesia) appears imminent

The glaciers near Puncak Jaya in Papua, Indonesia, the highest peak between the Himalayas and the Andes, are the last remaining tropical glaciers in the West Pacific Warm Pool (WPWP). Here, we report the recent, rapid retreat of the glaciers near Puncak Jaya by quantifying the loss of ice coverage and reduction of ice thickness over the last 8 y. Photographs and measurements of a 30-m accumulation stake anchored to bedrock on the summit of one of these glaciers document a rapid pace in the loss of ice cover and a ∼5.4-fold increase in the thinning rate, which was augmented by the strong 2015–2016 El Niño. At the current rate of ice loss, these glaciers will likely disappear within the next decade. To further understand the mechanisms driving the observed retreat of these glaciers, 2 ∼32-m-long ice cores to bedrock recovered in mid-2010 are used to reconstruct the tropical Pacific climate variability over approximately the past half-century on a quasi-interannual timescale. The ice core oxygen isotopic ratios show a significant positive linear trend since 1964 CE (0.018 ± 0.008‰ per year; P < 0.03) and also suggest that the glaciers’ retreat is augmented by El Niño–Southern Oscillation processes, such as convection and warming of the atmosphere and sea surface. These Papua glaciers provide the only tropical records of ice core-derived climate variability for the WPWP

Disappearance of the last tropical glaciers in the Western Pacific Warm Pool (Papua, Indonesia) appears imminent

The glaciers near Puncak Jaya in Papua, Indonesia, the highest peak between the Himalayas and the Andes, are the last remaining tropical glaciers in the West Pacific Warm Pool (WPWP). Here, we report the recent, rapid retreat of the glaciers near Puncak Jaya by quantifying the loss of ice coverage and reduction of ice thickness over the last 8 y. Photographs and measurements of a 30-m accumulation stake anchored to bedrock on the summit of one of these glaciers document a rapid pace in the loss of ice cover and a ∼5.4-fold increase in the thinning rate, which was augmented by the strong 2015–2016 El Niño. At the current rate of ice loss, these glaciers will likely disappear within the next decade. To further understand the mechanisms driving the observed retreat of these glaciers, 2 ∼32-m-long ice cores to bedrock recovered in mid-2010 are used to reconstruct the tropical Pacific climate variability over approximately the past half-century on a quasi-interannual timescale. The ice core oxygen isotopic ratios show a significant positive linear trend since 1964 CE (0.018 ± 0.008‰ per year; P < 0.03) and also suggest that the glaciers’ retreat is augmented by El Niño–Southern Oscillation processes, such as convection and warming of the atmosphere and sea surface. These Papua glaciers provide the only tropical records of ice core-derived climate variability for the WPWP