Congruence of local ecological knowledge (LEK)-based methods and line-transect surveys in estimating wildlife abundance in tropical forests

Effective estimation of wildlife population abundance is an important component of population monitoring, and ultimately essential for the development of conservation actions. Diurnal line-transect surveys are one of the most applied methods for abundance estimations. Local ecological knowledge (LEK) is empirically acquired through the observation of ecological processes by local people. LEK-based methods have only been recognized as valid scientific methods for surveying fauna abundance in the last three decades. However, the agreement between both methods has not been extensively analysed. We compared concomitant abundance data for 91 wild species (mammals, birds and tortoises) from diurnal line transects (9,221 km of trails) and a LEK-based method (291 structured interviews) at 18 sites in Central and Western Amazonia. We used biological and socioecological factors to assess the agreements and divergences between abundance indices obtained from both methods. We found a significant agreement of population abundance indices for diurnal and game species. This relationship was also positive regardless of species sociality (solitary or social), body size and locomotion mode (terrestrial and arboreal); and of sampled forest type (upland and flooded forests). Conversely, we did not find significant abundance covariances for nocturnal and non-game species. Despite the general agreement between methods, line transects were not effective at surveying many species occurring in the area, with 40.2% and 39.8% of all species being rarely and never detected in at least one of the survey sites. On the other hand, these species were widely reported by local informants to occur at intermediate to high abundances. Although LEK-based methods have been long neglected by ecologists, our comparative study demonstrated their effectiveness for estimating vertebrate abundance of a wide diversity of taxa and forest environments. This can be used simultaneously with line-transect surveys to calibrate abundance estimates and record species that are rarely sighted during surveys on foot, but that are often observed by local people during their daily extractive activities. Thus, the combination of local and scientific knowledge is a potential tool to improve our knowledge of tropical forest species and foster the development of effective strategies to meet biodiversity conservation goals

Predicting animal abundance through local ecological knowledge: An internal validation using consensus analysis

Given the ongoing environmental degradation from local to global scales, it is fundamental to develop more efficient means of gathering data on species and ecosystems. Local ecological knowledge, in which local communities can consistently provide information on the status of animal species over time, has been shown to be effective. Several studies demonstrate that data gathered using local ecological knowledge (LEK)-based methods are comparable with data obtained from conventional methods (such as line transects and camera traps). Here, we employ a consensus analysis to validate and evaluate the accuracy of interview data on LEK. Additionally, we investigate the influence of social and bioecological variables on enhancing data quality. We interviewed 323 persons in 19 villages in the Western and Central Amazon to determine the level of consensus on the abundance of hunted and non-hunted forest species. These villages varied in size, socio-economic characteristics and in the experience with wildlife of their dwellers. Interviewees estimated the relative abundance of 101 species with a broad spectrum of bioecological characteristics using a four-point Likert scale. High consensus was found for species population abundance in all sampled villages and for 79.6% of interviewees. The village consensus of all species abundance pooled was negatively correlated with village population size. The consensus level was high regardless of the interviewees' hunting experience. Species that are more frequently hunted or are more apparent had greater consensus values; only two species presented a low consensus level, which are rare and solitary species. We show in our study in the Amazon that information gathered by local peoples, Indigenous as well as non-Indigenous, can be useful in understanding the status of animal species found within their environment. The high level of cultural consensus we describe likely arises from knowledge sharing and the strong connection between the persons interviewed and the forest. We suggest that consensus analysis can be used to validate LEK-generated data instead of comparing these types of data with information obtained by conventional methods

Predicting animal abundance through local ecological knowledge: An internal validation using consensus analysis

Given the ongoing environmental degradation from local to global scales, it is fundamental to develop more efficient means of gathering data on species and ecosystems. Local ecological knowledge, in which local communities can consistently provide information on the status of animal species over time, has been shown to be effective. Several studies demonstrate that data gathered using local ecological knowledge (LEK)‐based methods are comparable with data obtained from conventional methods (such as line transects and camera traps). Here, we employ a consensus analysis to validate and evaluate the accuracy of interview data on LEK. Additionally, we investigate the influence of social and bioecological variables on enhancing data quality. We interviewed 323 persons in 19 villages in the Western and Central Amazon to determine the level of consensus on the abundance of hunted and non‐hunted forest species. These villages varied in size, socio‐economic characteristics and in the experience with wildlife of their dwellers. Interviewees estimated the relative abundance of 101 species with a broad spectrum of bioecological characteristics using a four‐point Likert scale. High consensus was found for species population abundance in all sampled villages and for 79.6% of interviewees. The village consensus of all species abundance pooled was negatively correlated with village population size. The consensus level was high regardless of the interviewees' hunting experience. Species that are more frequently hunted or are more apparent had greater consensus values; only two species presented a low consensus level, which are rare and solitary species. We show in our study in the Amazon that information gathered by local peoples, Indigenous as well as non‐Indigenous, can be useful in understanding the status of animal species found within their environment. The high level of cultural consensus we describe likely arises from knowledge sharing and the strong connection between the persons interviewed and the forest. We suggest that consensus analysis can be used to validate LEK‐generated data instead of comparing these types of data with information obtained by conventional methods. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog

ESTADO DE LAS POBLACIONES DE MAMÍFEROS EN LA RESERVA NACIONAL MATSÉS, AL NORESTE DE LA AMAZONÍA PERUANA

Este estudio se realizó entre junio a octubre del 2015, en la Reserva Nacional Matsés, con el objetivo de conocer el estado de las poblaciones de mamíferos de caza en tres sectores de muestreo: Alemán, Loboyacu y Alto Gálvez. Los datos fueron colectados en cuatro transectos lineales, cada uno tuvo 5 km de longitud. En los tres sectores de muestreo, los primates tuvieron las mayores densidades poblacionales. En el sector Alto 2 Gálvez, las especies con mayor densidad fueron Saimiri macrodon (26.75 ind/km ) y Sapajus macrocephalus 2 (18.93 ind/km ); mientras que en los sectores Alemán y Loboyacu, fue Lagothrix lagotricha (23.54 y 13.84 2 2 ind/km , respectivamente) y Saguinus mystax (20.58 y 17.87 ind/km , respectivamente). En general, la variabilidad de mamíferos de caza puede ser explicado al 67.52%. Las comunidades de mamíferos de los sectores Alemán y Loboyacu fueron similares, en donde la caza fue frecuente. La comparación independiente de ambos sectores versus el sector del Alto Gálvez, mostró que el último sector tuvo mayor densidades poblacional. Es decir, la cuenca alta del río Gálvez mantiene las poblaciones más saludables de mamíferos.This study was conducted between June and October 2015, in the Matsés National Reserve, with the objective of knowing the status of hunting mammal populations in three sampling sectors: Alemán, Loboyacu and Alto Gálvez. The data were collected in four linear transects, each one had 5 km. In the three sampling sectors, the primates had the highest population densities. In the Alto Gálvez sector, 2 the species with the highest density were Saimiri macrodon (26.75 ind / km ) and Sapajus macrocephalus 2 (18.93 ind / km ); while in the Aleman and Loboyacu sectors, it was Lagothrix lagotricha (23.54 and 13.84 2 2 ind / km , respectively) and Saguinus mystax (20.58 and 17.87 ind / km , respectively). In general, the variability of game mammals can be explained to 67.52%. Mammal communities of the Aleman and Loboyacu sectors were similar, where hunting was frequent. The independent comparison of both sectors versus the Alto Gálvez sector showed that the last sector had higher population densities. That is, the upper basin of the Gálvez River maintains the healthiest populations of mammals

PRESIÓN DE CAZA EN MAMÍFEROS DE LA RESERVA NACIONAL MATSÉS, AL NORESTE DE LA AMAZONÍA PERUANA

De junio a octubre del 2015, se realizó el estudio en la Reserva Nacional Matsés (RNM), con la finalidad de evaluar la presión de caza de mamíferos. Los datos se obtuvieron de los sectores Alemán y Loboyacu, donde se usaron registros de aprovechamiento de animales de caza, mapas participativos, entrevistas semiestructuradas y diálogos interactivos. El majas  Cuniculus paca, fue la especie más cazada en ambos sectores. El área de caza estimada para el sector Alemán fue de 452 km2 y de Loboyacu fue 497 km2. La estrategia de caza más frecuente en ambos sectores fue la búsqueda en canoa y trocha usando escopeta. El conocimiento de la presión de caza ayuda a entender el desarrollo de la cacería, y ayuda a reaccionar anticipadamente a posibles amenazas que podrían estar afectando a las poblaciones de fauna silvestre

Biodiversidad en la cuenca baja del Putumayo, Perú

La cuenca baja del río Putumayo, en la Amazonía peruana, ha sido un área históricamente afectada por actividades ilegales, pero destaca por su excepcional biodiversidad y comunidades indígenas murui-muinani de Remanso y Tres Esquinas. Este estudio se enfocó en la cuenca baja del Putumayo para proporcionar información valiosa. El libro presenta resultados de estudios sobre vegetación, flora, anfibios, reptiles, aves, mamíferos, uso de la biodiversidad y actividades económicas. Se utilizaron diversos métodos, incluyendo parcelas para plantas, transectos para anfibios y reptiles, y avistamientos para aves. También se realizaron entrevistas en las comunidades locales. El análisis de la biodiversidad incluyó la evaluación de la riqueza, dominancia y abundancia de especies, así como la similitud entre hábitats. Se identificaron diferentes unidades de vegetación con al menos 372 especies de plantas, incluyendo posibles especies nuevas y vulnerables. En el estudio herpetológico, se observó que la riqueza esperada de especies en terraza media y alta fue similar. Se registraron especies de ranas terrestres dominantes, y se identificó una posible especie nueva. La evaluación ornitológica reveló 261 especies de aves, algunas sensibles y registros de especies no reportadas previamente. En el estudio de mamíferos se registraron 35 especies, con diferencias en la abundancia y biomasa en bosque inundable y tierra firme. Las principales actividades en las comunidades de Remanso y Tres Esquinas fueron pesca, agricultura, caza y tala selectiva. La caza de animales se realizó intensivamente. En resumen, la cuenca baja del Putumayo es rica en biodiversidad, pero las actividades humanas plantean desafíos para su conservación. Se requieren acciones inmediatas para garantizar la sostenibilidad de estos recursos y los beneficios para las comunidades locales.Revisión por pares

Predicting animal abundance through local ecological knowledge : An internal validation using consensus analysis

Given the ongoing environmental degradation from local to global scales, it is fundamental to develop more efficient means of gathering data on species and ecosystems. Local ecological knowledge, in which local communities can consistently provide information on the status of animal species over time, has been shown to be effective. Several studies demonstrate that data gathered using local ecological knowledge (LEK)-based methods are comparable with data obtained from conventional methods (such as line transects and camera traps). Here, we employ a consensus analysis to validate and evaluate the accuracy of interview data on LEK. Additionally, we investigate the influence of social and bioecological variables on enhancing data quality. We interviewed 323 persons in 19 villages in the Western and Central Amazon to determine the level of consensus on the abundance of hunted and non-hunted forest species. These villages varied in size, socio-economic characteristics and in the experience with wildlife of their dwellers. Interviewees estimated the relative abundance of 101 species with a broad spectrum of bioecological characteristics using a four-point Likert scale. High consensus was found for species population abundance in all sampled villages and for 79.6% of interviewees. The village consensus of all species abundance pooled was negatively correlated with village population size. The consensus level was high regardless of the interviewees' hunting experience. Species that are more frequently hunted or are more apparent had greater consensus values; only two species presented a low consensus level, which are rare and solitary species. We show in our study in the Amazon that information gathered by local peoples, Indigenous as well as non-Indigenous, can be useful in understanding the status of animal species found within their environment. The high level of cultural consensus we describe likely arises from knowledge sharing and the strong connection between the persons interviewed and the forest. We suggest that consensus analysis can be used to validate LEK-generated data instead of comparing these types of data with information obtained by conventional methods. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog

Biodiversidad en las cuencas del Napo y Curaray, Perú

Las cuencas altas del Curaray y Napo presentan poblaciones saludables de flora y fauna en comparación al resto de la Amazonía peruana. La cuenca del Nashiño tiene peculiaridades que la convierten en una zona de enorme importancia de conservación y puede ser complementaria a la Reserva Comunal Airo Pai. La cuenca del Nashiño alberga las poblaciones más grandes de Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii y es el único refugio de Leontocebus tripartus. Además tiene meandros abandonados con gran biodiversidad de peces de valor comercial para los pobladores locales. Por esta razón, para evitar la degradación gradual de la cuenca del Nashiño como producto de la tragedia de los bienes comunes, es necesario crear una estrategia de conservación acorde a los potenciales de biodiversidad y al uso actual de las comunidades indígenas kichwa, de tal forma que se garantice la conservación de biodiversidad y supervivencia de los pueblos indígenas quienes usualmente están olvidados en las políticas de desarrollo. Es urgente la creación o ampliación de un área reservada para proteger esta posible fuente de muchas especies de fauna silvestre del departamento de Loreto. La conservación de la cuenca del Nashiño tiene jusficación biológica, social, económica y cultural.Revisión por pares

Biodiversidad en las cuencas del Napo y Curaray, Perú

Las cuencas altas del Curaray y Napo presentan poblaciones saludables de flora y fauna en comparación al resto de la Amazonía peruana. La cuenca del Nashiño tiene peculiaridades que la convierten en una zona de enorme importancia de conservación y puede ser complementaria a la Reserva Comunal Airo Pai. La cuenca del Nashiño alberga las poblaciones más grandes de Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii y es el único refugio de Leontocebus tripartus. Además tiene meandros abandonados con gran biodiversidad de peces de valor comercial para los pobladores locales. Por esta razón, para evitar la degradación gradual de la cuenca del Nashiño como producto de la tragedia de los bienes comunes, es necesario crear una estrategia de conservación acorde a los potenciales de biodiversidad y al uso actual de las comunidades indígenas kichwa, de tal forma que se garantice la conservación de biodiversidad y supervivencia de los pueblos indígenas quienes usualmente están olvidados en las políticas de desarrollo. Es urgente la creación o ampliación de un área reservada para proteger esta posible fuente de muchas especies de fauna silvestre del departamento de Loreto. La conservación de la cuenca del Nashiño tiene jusficación biológica, social, económica y cultural.Revisión por pares