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Society for Conservation Biology: 2002 Annual Meeting

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Society for Conservation Biology: 2002 Annual Meeting

Society for Conservation Biology 16th Annual Meeting July 14-July 19 2002
co-hosted by DICE and the British Ecological Society


Abstracts for Poster Session Two

Boards 34 - 42

Reception 17.45 - 19.30, Wednesday 17th July
Viewing 09.00 - 17.30, Wednesday 17th July and Thursday 18th July



Conference Home Page | Session timetable

Boards 1 - 11 | Boards 12 - 22 | Boards 23 - 33

(BLOCK CAPITALS indicate the presenting author)


CRADDOCK, CHERYL, Robert Robichaux. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA (ccraddoc@email.arizona.edu).

THEY CAN BE TAUGHT: TRAINING UNDERGRADUATES TO BE CONSERVATION BIOLOGISTS

The University of Arizona (UA) hosts a five-year NSF-funded program supporting undergraduate research in conservation biology. This program provides training to undergraduates in conservation biology through a model whereby two mentors, one from UA and the other from a local conservation organization or government agency, guide undergraduate student interns over two calendar years. During the two summers, students conduct both independent and collaborative research in conservation biology with an organization or agency. Student research activities are complemented by academic year courses in conservation biology and scientific methodology. We describe the program structure, paying particular attention to the curriculum development process for these courses as a model for an experiential-based program in conservation biology for beginning undergraduate students. We take as our basic premise that conservation biology is a mixture of basic and applied research, and that the next generation of conservation biologists must be trained to bridge the gap between academics and real world application. By exploring different ways to integrate research and academic learning, we hope to contribute to the dialog on training in conservation and to share a novel approach to promote student success in pursuit of advanced education and careers in conservation biology.

DUNN, MARIANNE, Katherine Gotto. BP Conservation Programme, BirdLife International/FFI, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge. CB3 0NA. UK. DunnM22@bp.com .

PRACTICAL CHALLENGES: TRAINING THE FUTURE CONSERVATIONIST.

The training of future conservationists with appropriate skills and experience is increasingly flagged as an issue of concern. Problem areas highlighted include lack of multi-disciplinary courses, field experience, communications and team skills. These abilities are seen as essential if students are to step effectively from the academic environment into "real world" conservation challenges. Multi-disciplinary training and practical experience are seen as vital steps to build the necessary skills. Using the BP Conservation Programme as a case study, we demonstrate the training and conservation value of student led practical projects. There are three key elements to this Programme, which, when drawn together, make this initiative a highly effective training opportunity: 1. The students, not academic supervisors, have responsibility for the entire project life cycle; 2. The projects focus on achieving long-term conservation benefits; 3. These projects are real, not a simulated teaching exercise.



THOMAS, SHELLY L., Steven P. Campbell, Anne W. Simpson, Christopher R. Lage, and Stephen C. Kingsbury. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maine, Orono 04469, USA, <shelly_thomas@umit.maine.edu> (SLT, CRL), Department of Wildlife Ecology, University of Maine, Orono 04469, USA (SPC), Darling Marine Center, University of Maine, Walpole, ME 04573 USA (AWS), Dr. Lewis S. Libby School, Milford, Maine 04461 (SCK).

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN SCIENTISTS & EDUCATORS: SCIENTISTS IN K-12 EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE

Our landscapes and seascapes are increasingly and irreversibly changing due to human activities. This makes it imperative that the public has an understanding of the conservation issues involved with such changes. In order to inform the public of why ecological concerns should be incorporated into decisions affecting natural resource use, conservation biologists must become more active communicators and educators. The National Science Foundation’s Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education Program at the University of Maine helps to realize this goal. The program underwrites fellowships for 12 students (eleven graduates and one undergraduate) to demonstrate science in local classrooms. A major goal is to enhance science education of K-12 students by providing expertise, equipment, activities, and role models that would not otherwise be available to teachers and students. In the second year of the program, 24 teachers from 14 public schools and four districts participated. The units demonstrated include diversity and classification of life, food chains and food webs, effects of fishing and forest management practices on biodiversity, and exotic species. Activities include vegetation sampling in various forest management plots, examination of live marine invertebrates, investigation of mutualists in termite guts, and sampling the intertidal zone for native and exotic species.



SCHILLING, JONATHAN S., David Ploch and Tim Stewart. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA, <jonathan.schilling@umit.maine.edu> (JSS), Old Town High School, 240 Stillwater Ave., Old Town, ME 04468-1665, USA (DP) and Department of Natural Sciences, Longwood College, Farmville, VA 23909, USA (TS).

HABITAT STRUCTURE EFFECTS ON BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES: AN EXAMPLE FOR ADAPTING EXPERIMENTS TO GK-12

Quantifying population and community responses to changes in habitat structure is critical for understanding the impacts of habitat modification and is a fundamental concept of conservation biology. Teaching this concept at the K-12 level introduces an advancing area of research to the existing science curriculum. Using aquatic macroinvertebrates to illustrate the concept, methods from a published habitat structure study were adapted for a high school science activity. The activity was created by an NSF GK-12 Graduate Teaching Fellow from the University of Maine in coordination with the science teacher and the original study's principal investigator. To create habitats, stones of a single size class were glued to paving bricks in low, medium, and high densities. Replicated treatments and controls were submerged for three weeks in a local river. Students retrieved the bricks, following an established protocol, and tallied macroinvertebrates under dissecting microscopes. Community structure significantly depended on treatment in most cases, and diversity was positively correlated with habitat density. The experiment provides a tangible example of a control/variable experiment with distinct treatments and replicates. In addition, the activity utilizes equipment and expertise made available through the NSF GK-12 Graduate Teaching Fellows' Program to demonstrate principles of ecology and conservation biology.



LAVENDER, MARIA, ISABEL SALAZAR, LOUISE WEBER. Warren Wilson College. <lweber@warren-wilson.edu>

CLOSE TIES TO THE LAND 2001

In light of recent revision to green policy for Warren Wilson College, a refined wildlife management plan was necessary. The college’s Conservation and Wildlife Biology class was responsible for completing a qualitative habitat assessment of all forest and farm areas of the 1100 acre campus. The campus was divided into five distinct areas. Each area was assessed for current and potential wildlife use. The plan especially emphasized improvement of bobwhite quail habitat, improved educational and recreational use, restoration of disturbed areas and an increase in biodiversity. The assessment and land management suggestions were the basis for a narrative and a step-down outline which culminated in an implementation schedule for the revised plan. This more clear and concise management plan is already being implemented in land use strategies at Warren Wilson College.



Arcangeli, Antonella, C.Cassandro, E.Mitrovic, LEA Roma, Dip.2 Servizio5, Via Tiburtina, 691 – 00159 Roma <antoarca@libero.it>

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS AND PUBLIC CO-ORDINATION: A NEW STRATEGY TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABILITY IN ROME DISTRICT

Environmental Education (EE), intended as education for sustainability, plays a key role in creating new generation of people who support policies which are environmental conservation oriented. The beginning of the EE movement was promoted and carried out mainly by non-governmental organisations, without a common strategy. Only recently there has been a better understanding of the public administration role in promoting co-ordinated long-run programs. The function of these programs is to enhance knowledge in the short-run and, most importantly, to promote attitude change in the long-run. The Italian Environment Ministry, to encourage and co-ordinate in a common strategy all the EE initiatives, promoted a net of Environmental Education’s Territorial Laboratories (EETL). In 1999, the Rome's district administration established five EETL run by non-governmental organisations co-ordinated by public administration. This paper presents the first initiatives, and their outcomes, carried out by Rome's EETL and discusses the role of this policy in promoting sustainable attitudes and beliefs in the local population. In particular, we evaluated the outcomes of a formation course promoted by Rome's EETL for teachers and operators of EE which compared collaborations between schools and operators and the numbers of students involved in the years before and after the course.



Davies, A. Glyn and NOELLE F. KUMPEL. Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY. <noelle.kumpel@ic.ac.uk>

THE BUSHMEAT TRADE: PERSPECTIVES FROM SIERRA LEONE

A comparison of bushmeat off-take caught and consumed by hunters in a village with that supplied to market questions many previous assumptions of consumer preference for bushmeat. Hunters’ total off-take in the study village was compared with the proportion supplied to the nearest major market town over a 12-month period, and prices of different species were compared with that of beef. Amount, proportion and type of bushmeat available in the market have varied historically with changes in prey abundance (associated with change in forest cover and type), cultural preference (such as religious taboos to eating monkey and pig), transport cost and availability of domestic meat.



PARKER, GUY and Ferrel V. Osborn., Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent at Canterbury, gep2@ukc.ac.uk, Mid-Zambezi Elephant Project, 37 Lewisam Avenue Chisipite Harare Zimbabwe

CAN COMMUNITIES PROTECT THEIR OWN CROPS? HUMAN-ELEPHANT CONFLICT IN ZIMBABWE

Human-elephant conflict is a major conservation and management issue across Africa. With 80% of elephant range existing outside protected areas, and agriculture raoidly expanding, the potential for conflict increases. Rural farmers in many areas are severely affected by conflict with wildlife.

Crop damage is a direct form of conflict, which impacts the livelihoods of rural farmers. Current measures of crop protection are ineffective: both disturbance shooting and electric fencing suffer from logistical and financial problems. Farmers often resort to their own methods of chasing elephants, but they appear to habituate to all deterrent methods in a short period of time.

The crops currently grown by farmers in the mid-Zambezi valley are vulnerable to damage by wildlife. The Mid-Zambezi Elephant Project has been developing a variety of crops that are resistant to wildlife, the most successful of these being hot chilli peppers. A comparative assessment of wildlife crop damage to a range of crops and chillies has been undertaken, and the market value of these crops has been compared.

This poster will explore current deterrent methods employed in the Mid-Zambezi Valley of Zimbabwe, and will present the results of research to assess the effectiveness of different approaches. In addition the potential for alternative wildlife resistant crops will be discussed.




BIERWAGEN, BRITTA G., Bren School of Environmental Science & Management,
University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA (britta@bren.ucsb.edu)

THE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT URBAN GROWTH PATTERNS ON BUTTERFLY DISPERSAL

Urban sprawl and land-use conversion are pervasive issues. An impressive body of research has documented the negative impacts of fragmentation; however, the functional effects on ecological processes such as dispersal are less clear. This research begins to develop a theoretical understanding of how land-use changes, specifically urban growth, impact butterfly dispersal over time. In particular, I evaluated the impacts of land-use change on butterflies with different dispersal abilities across a range of initial habitat configurations. I addressed the problem by applying a cellular automata-based land-use change model to simulate different urban growth patterns, varying relative emphasis on road-mediated, edge-mediated, or spontaneously generated growth. The initial landscapes represent four common habitat distributions: continuous (e.g., grassland habitats), patchy (e.g., sage scrub), isolated (e.g., serpentine habitats), and dendritic (e.g., riparian). Image analysis techniques were used to calculate landscape metrics with a variable window size corresponding to different butterfly dispersal distances. This approach effectively scaled the view of each urbanizing landscape according to dispersal capabilities of different butterfly classes. Results suggest that continuous habitat shows the largest decline in connectivity. This work underscores the importance of understanding land-use changes as dynamic drivers of ecological systems and potential evolutionary changes at the population level.

Last updated: 08.07.02