Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) consolidate information from varied biodiversity observation sources. Here we demonstrate the links between data sources, EBVs and indicators and discuss how ...different sources of biodiversity observations can be harnessed to inform EBVs. We classify sources of primary observations into four types: extensive and intensive monitoring schemes, ecological field studies and satellite remote sensing. We characterize their geographic, taxonomic and temporal coverage. Ecological field studies and intensive monitoring schemes inform a wide range of EBVs, but the former tend to deliver short-term data, while the geographic coverage of the latter is limited. In contrast, extensive monitoring schemes mostly inform the population abundance EBV, but deliver long-term data across an extensive network of sites. Satellite remote sensing is particularly suited to providing information on ecosystem function and structure EBVs. Biases behind data sources may affect the representativeness of global biodiversity datasets. To improve them, researchers must assess data sources and then develop strategies to compensate for identified gaps. We draw on the population abundance dataset informing the Living Planet Index (LPI) to illustrate the effects of data sources on EBV representativeness. We find that long-term monitoring schemes informing the LPI are still scarce outside of Europe and North America and that ecological field studies play a key role in covering that gap. Achieving representative EBV datasets will depend both on the ability to integrate available data, through data harmonization and modeling efforts, and on the establishment of new monitoring programs to address critical data gaps.
•Terrestrial biodiversity observations can be organized into four types.•These types differ in taxonomic, geographic, and temporal coverage.•The representativeness of EBV datasets is affected by the underlying types of data.•Global datasets of population abundance are affected by the lack of long-term data.•New monitoring programs must address critical data gaps.
Citizen science is gaining increasing prominence as a tool for science and engagement. However, despite being a potentially valuable tool for sustainable development, citizen science has little ...visibility in many developing countries.
We undertook a collaborative prioritisation process with experts in conservation and the environment to assess the potential of environmental citizen science in East Africa, including its opportunities, benefits and barriers. This provided principles that are applicable across developing countries, particularly for large‐scale citizen science.
We found that there was great potential for citizen science to add to our scientific knowledge of natural resources and biodiversity trends. Many of the important benefits of citizen science were for people, as well as the environment directly. Major barriers to citizen science were mostly social and institutional, although projects should also consider access to suitable technology and language barriers.
Policy implications. Citizen science can provide data to support decision‐making and reporting against international targets. Participation can also provide societal benefits, informing and empowering people, thus supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. In developing countries, innovation is needed to further develop culturally relevant citizen science that benefits participants and end users. This should be supported through regional networks of stakeholders for sharing best practice.
Foreign Language Swahili
Sayansi ya wananchi inaendelea kuongezeka kwa umaarufu kama chombo cha sayansi na ushiriki. Hata hivyo, licha ya kuwa chombo cha thamani cha maendeleo endelevu, sayansi ya wananchi haionekani sana katika nchi nyingi zinazoendelea.
Tulifanya mchakato wa ushirikiano wa kutoa vipaumbele pamoja na wataalamu wa uhifadhi na mazingira ili kuchunguza uwezekano wa sayansi ya wananchi ya mazingira katika Afrika ya Mashariki, ikijumuisha fursa, faida na vikwazo. Hii ilitoa kanuni zinazoweza kutumika katika nchi zinazoendelea, hasa kwa sayansi ya wananchi kwa kiwango kikubwa.
Tuligundua kuwa kuna uwezo mkubwa wa sayansi ya wananchi ili kuongeza ujuzi wetu wa kisayansi kuhusu nyenzo za asili na mielekeo ya bioanuwai. Faida muhimu nyingi za sayansi ya wananchi zilikuwa kwa watu, lakini moja kwa moja kwa mazingira pia. Vikwazo vikuu kwa sayansi ya wananchi vilikuwa kijamii na kitaasisi hasa, ingawa miradi inapaswa pia kufikiria upatikanaji wa teknolojia zinazofaa na vikwazo vya lugha.
Athari za sera ni kama ifuatavyo. Sayansi ya wananchi inaweza kutoa data kusaidia kuunda maamuzi na kuandika ripoti ili kufikia malengo ya kimataifa. Ushiriki unaweza pia kutoa faida za jamii, kuwajulisha na kuwawezesha watu na kwa hiyo kuunga mkono Malengo ya Maendeleo ya Umoja wa Mataifa. Katika nchi zinazoendelea kunahitaji kuwa na ubunifu ili kuendeleza sayansi ya wananchi inayofaa utamaduni inayopata washiriki na watumiaji wa mwisho. Hii inapaswa kuungwa mkono kupitia mitandao ya kikanda ya washikadau kwa kugawana taratibu bora.
Globally, conversion of natural habitats to farmland poses the greatest extinction risk to birds, its consequences being especially pervasive in the case of large predators and scavengers, whose ...declines may trigger extensive cascading effects. Human population growth in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to drive a vast expansion in agricultural land by 2050, largely at the expense of pastoral land and savanna. The greatest expanse of suitable land yet to be converted to agriculture lies in East and Central Africa, including South Sudan, DRC and Tanzania. To gauge the effects of land conversion on raptor populations in this region we used road survey data from neighbouring Uganda, from which we determined linear encounter rates (birds seen 100 km−1; n = 33 species), and species richness (from 53 species). Encounter rates were much lower in pastoral land than in protected savanna (median difference: −41%; 23 species), and lower still in agricultural land (−90%; 24 species). These disparities were influenced by diet and body mass. For large eagles and vultures, encounter rates in agricultural land were 97% lower than in protected savanna (median of 12 species), whereas for smaller raptors they were 30% lower (12 species). Large, apex consumers were thus more vulnerable to farmland expansion, and this was reflected in the mean body mass of species encountered in savanna (1740 g), pastoral (995 g) and agricultural land (856 g). Body mass differences remained significant when vultures were excluded. Since threat status is linked to body mass, encounter rates for globally threatened and near-threatened species likewise showed a more pronounced deficit in farmland than those of least concern. Accordingly, pastoral and agricultural transects were less species-rich (10.6 and 6.7 raptor species 100 km−1, respectively) than savanna transects (13.2 species). Our findings suggest that the expansion of agricultural land in sub-Saharan Africa will reduce raptor populations in pastoral land and savanna by c. 50% and 90%, respectively. We propose that conservation efforts focus on identifying the causes of raptor population deficits in farmland, and on safeguarding tracts of unprotected, intact savanna, together with existing protected areas.
Projected increases in Africa's human population over the next 40 years point to further, large-scale conversion of natural habitats into farmland, with far-reaching consequences for raptor species, ...some of which are now largely restricted to protected areas (PAs). To assess the importance of PAs for raptors in Uganda, we conducted an annual road survey through savanna, pastoral and agricultural land during 2008-2015. Here, we present density estimates for 34 diurnal raptor species, 17 of which were encountered largely or entirely within PAs. These included seven out of eight globally threatened or near-threatened species surveyed. Based mainly on published demographic values, we converted density estimates (birds 100 km−2) to numbers of adult pairs, for 10 resident, savanna-dependent species. We then estimated adult population sizes within conservation areas (individual PAs and clusters of contiguous PAs), based on the area of savanna in each site. This suggested that two threatened residents, Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus and Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotos, have national breeding populations of just 53-75 and 74-105 pairs, respectively. A third species, White-headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis, may have a breeding population of just 22-32 pairs. In each case, at least 90% of pairs are thought to reside within Uganda's five largest conservation areas. In three cases our estimates of pair density were markedly lower than in other studies, while in six cases they were broadly consistent with published findings, often derived using more intensive survey methods. Further work is required to determine the accuracy of our estimates for individual conservation areas, and to assess the long-term viability of Uganda's threatened raptor populations.
Global biodiversity monitoring Pereira, Henrique M; Belnap, Jayne; Brummitt, Neil ...
Frontiers in ecology and the environment,
November 2010, Letnik:
8, Številka:
9
Journal Article
The distribution of the Karamoja Apalis Apalis karamojae, an East African endemic, has been sparsely documented in Uganda. In October 2011, a survey of the species was carried out near Iriiri in ...north-eastern Uganda. The main aim was to find out if there is a viable population of the species and to highlight the threats to its population. Sixteen 1-km transects in four sites were surveyed. The survey recorded nine individuals including a pair at an occupied nest, which is not conclusive for determining the viability of the population. The main threats to the species were cutting of the dominant shrub Vachellia drepanolobium (Acacia drepanolobium) in the area, farming and grazing. When we attempted luring the birds using the recorded song of the Karamoja Apalis from Tanzania, these individuals did not respond. We therefore recommend (1) to undertake a more detailed GIS survey to discover the extent of the suitable habitat, (2) to repeat the survey with improved effort to better estimate the viability of this population, (3) to conduct a study to ascertain the successful breeding of the species in the area, (4) to conduct a DNA analysis to compare the Iriiri population with the Tanzanian population, and (5) to record the song of the Ugandan birds for song analysis and to determine the response of Tanzanian birds.
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