A Program for Monitoring Biological Diversity in the Amazon: An Alternative Perspective to Threat‐based Monitoring

Magnusson, William E.; Costa, Flávia; Lima, Albertina P.; Baccaro, Fabrício Beggiato; Braga-Neto, Ricardo; Romero, Ricardo Laerte; Menin, Marcelo; Penha, Jerry; Hero, Jean‐Marc; Lawson, Ben E.

doi:10.1111/j.1744-7429.2008.00427.x

Cited by 29 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…We collected data in 18 RAPELD sampling modules [29] distributed across a geographical transect of approximately 1000 km transect (15 modules in the PMIR and three modules in the EBMR; Fig 1). Each sampling module (hereafter abbreviated as M, followed by the number of each sampling unit) contained two parallel trails of 5 km each, spaced 1 km apart.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

High Species Richness of Scinax Treefrogs (Hylidae) in a Threatened Amazonian Landscape Revealed by an Integrative Approach

et al. 2016

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Rising habitat loss is one of the main drivers of the global amphibian decline. Nevertheless, knowledge of amphibian diversity needed for effective habitat protection is still highly inadequate in remote tropical regions, the greater part of the Amazonia. In this study we integrated molecular, morphological and bioacoustic evidence to evaluate the species richness of the treefrogs genus Scinax over a 1000 km transect across rainforest of the Purus-Madeira interfluve, and along the east bank of the upper Madeira river, Brazilian Amazonia. Analysis revealed that 82% of the regional species richness of Scinax is still undescribed; two nominal species, seven confirmed candidate species, two unconfirmed candidate species, and one deep conspecific lineage were detected in the study area. DNA barcoding based analysis of the 16s rRNA gene indicates possible existence of three discrete species groups within the genus Scinax, in addition to the already-known S. rostratus species Group. Quantifying and characterizing the number of undescribed Scinax taxa on a regional scale, we provide a framework for future taxonomic study in Amazonia. These findings indicate that the level to which Amazonian anura species richness has been underestimated is far greater than expected. Consequently, special attention should be paid both to taxonomic studies and protection of the still-neglected Amazonian Scinax treefrogs.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

High Species Richness of Scinax Treefrogs (Hylidae) in a Threatened Amazonian Landscape Revealed by an Integrative Approach

et al. 2016

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“…Finally, until further research provides a better understanding of the relationship between sighting rates and population sizes, the autecology of the species being monitored, and the causes behind increases and declines, the appropriate management response to a given trend in sighting rates may not be obvious. It is worth noting, however, that most of these criticisms apply to other monitoring programs in the Amazon (e.g., Ferraz et al 2007;Magnusson et al 2008). It is also the case, in our opinion, that many of these problems reflect a general lack of basic biodiversity data for Amazonian protected areas-a shortcoming that itself may be partly overcome by tracking trends in wildlife populations via monitoring like that described here.…”

Section: Advantages Disadvantages Biases and Usefulness Of River-bmentioning

confidence: 80%

Four years of vertebrate monitoring on an upper Amazonian river

Pitman

Norris

Gonzalez³

et al. 2011

Biodivers Conserv

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Long-term monitoring of tropical forest animals lags far behind long-term monitoring of tropical forest plants, compromising ecologists' ability to identify parallel trends. On 257 occasions over 4 years, park guards in a newly protected lowland Amazonian forest in southeastern Peru tallied individuals of 31 reptile, bird, and mammal species sighted along a 47-km stretch of river. Each survey entailed *3 h of observation from a motorized boat; total survey effort was 892 h and *12,048 km. Our primary goals were descriptive: to establish baseline sighting rates for these species and to document trends over time and the influence of environmental and sampling factors on sightings. Our secondary goals were to identify the advantages and disadvantages of river-based monitoring and to assess how useful these data are for ecologists and protected areas managers. Over the 4 years of monitoring we observed 1.8 animals/km. More than 90% of recorded individuals belonged to seven common taxa: two reptiles, four birds, and one mammal. Season was the most frequent correlate of sighting frequency; sightings increased in dry season. For the majority of taxa common enough to analyze, sightings increased over the 4 years of monitoring; this is possibly a result of reduced hunting since the establishment of the protected area. Compared to forest-based surveys, river-based surveys were inefficient at recording most mammals. Results to date suggest that river-based surveys can be a valuable, inexpensive tool for monitoring some ecologically important Amazonian animals, and especially those in protected areas.

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“…This standardization makes it more amenable to scaling up information, which has the potential to advise large-scale policy. In Brazil, large-scale systems are implemented that are focused more on ecological conservation research, with locals only involved to reduce costs and increase efficiency (Magnusson et al 2008). Although the institutionalization process with empowerment outcomes occurring in Namibia may be context specific, Latin American conservationists should be aware of the EBS mechanisms for scaling up information.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Empowering Local People through Community-based Resource Monitoring: a Comparison of Brazil and Namibia

Constantino¹,

Carlos²,

Ramalho³

et al. 2012

E&S

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ABSTRACT. Biological resource monitoring systems are implemented in many countries and often depend on the participation of local people. It has been suggested that these systems empower local participants while promoting conservation. We reviewed three wildlife monitoring systems in indigenous lands and sustainable development reserves in Brazilian Amazonia and one in Namibian Caprivi conservancies, analyzing the strategies adopted and conditions that facilitated local empowerment, as well as potential impacts on conservation. This provided insights into potential avenues to strengthen empowerment outcomes of monitoring systems in Latin America and Africa. We assessed four dimensions of empowerment at individual and community scales: psychological, social, economic, and political. The conditions that facilitated local empowerment included the value of natural resources, rights to trade and manage resources, political organization of communities, and collaboration by stakeholders. The wide range of strategies to empower local people included intensifying local participation, linking them to local education, feeding information back to communities, purposefully selecting participants, paying for monitoring services, marketing monitored resources, and inserting local people into broader politics. Although communities were socially and politically empowered, the monitoring systems more often promoted individual empowerment. Marketing of natural resources promoted higher economic empowerment in conservancies in Namibia, whereas information dissemination was better in Brazil because of integrated education programs. We suggest that practitioners take advantage of local facilitating conditions to enhance the empowerment of communities, bearing in mind that increasing autonomy to make management decisions may not agree with international conservation goals. Our comparative analysis of cases in Latin America and Africa allows for a greater understanding of the relationships between resource monitoring systems, local empowerment, and conservation.

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A Program for Monitoring Biological Diversity in the Amazon: An Alternative Perspective to Threat‐based Monitoring

Cited by 29 publications

References 6 publications

High Species Richness of Scinax Treefrogs (Hylidae) in a Threatened Amazonian Landscape Revealed by an Integrative Approach

High Species Richness of Scinax Treefrogs (Hylidae) in a Threatened Amazonian Landscape Revealed by an Integrative Approach

Four years of vertebrate monitoring on an upper Amazonian river

Empowering Local People through Community-based Resource Monitoring: a Comparison of Brazil and Namibia

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