DOCSLIB.ORG

A Tool Kit for Media in the OECS

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Keeping Biodiversity Issues in the News A Tool Kit for Media in the OECS Keeping Biodiversity in the News: A Tool Kit for Media in the OECS Keeping Biodiversity Issues in the News A Tool Kit for Media in the OECS Keeping Biodiversity in the News: A Tool Kit for Media in the OECS Cover Photo Credits: Peter Espeut, Greg Pereira and Tecla Fontenard Copyright © 2011 Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Published by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Environment and Sustainable Development Unit (ESDU) The OECS Secretariat Morne Fortune P.O. Box 179 Castries Saint Lucia Telephone: (754) 452 2537 Fax: (754) 453 1628 Email: [email protected] Website: www.oecs.org All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Keeping Biodiversity in the News: A Tool Kit for Media in the OECS i FOREWARD By Keith Nichols Head of the Environmental Sustainable Development Unit (ESDU) Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) ` Few people in the Caribbean region are aware that we live in one of the world’s most important “biodiversity hot spots”. The entire Caribbean region is recognized as the world’s fifth most critical bio- diversity hot spot – which means that many of the unique plants and animals that exist only in our region – and no where else – are under serious threat of extinction unless strong action is taken to protect them now. In fact our region has already lost some critically important species, the majority of which have disappeared within the last few decades. The eyes of the world are watching what we do. In order to halt the extinction of our rare species, we all need to get involved. Indeed, as human beings, we are as intricately a part of biodiversity as are all other creatures. We definitely “Depend on nature to survive” and therefore need to ask “Can nature depend on us?” Since it was established in 1986 as the then Natural Resources Management Unit, the Environ- ment and Sustainable Development Unit (ESDU) of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) has been pivotal in supporting biodiversity protection through the provision of technical assistance in sustainable natural resource management to OECS Member States. In recent years, the focus has been on protected areas through the OECS’ Protected Areas and Associated Livelihoods (OPAAL) project and the Protecting the Eastern Caribbean Region’s Biodiversity (PERB) project – both of which have helped in building the capacity of regional governments, state agencies, and local communities to manage biodi- versity resources in ways that enhance and maintain critical livelihoods while also protecting endemic species that are clearly at risk. Until now however, one key missing faction has been the mainstream media. The OECS recog- nises that vibrant public awareness is vital to ensuring that all stakeholders are informed of the role they need to play in biodiversity protection and management. The media are needed in order to keep OECS governments accountable and to keep biodiversity issues in the forefront of public consciousness. With- out an aware, fully sensitized and committed professional media to aid in information broadcasting, the public will not have a clear understanding of what the real stakes are with our biodiversity, nor will they know what strides are being made nor their own role in the management of these important resources. At the same time, the OECS recognizes that the media in our region face many challenges and obstacles. ii Keeping Biodiversity in the News: A Tool Kit for Media in the OECS Our media face huge competition from foreign conglomerates that have far greater resources to cover environmental issues as part of their regular reporting. Biodiversity issues are often considered dry and not newsworthy enough to be given adequate and appropriate treatment, and Park specialists and civil servants whose job it is to promote biodiversity are not sufficiently media savvy to attract the atten- tion of mainstream media. There is often a lack of trust or misunderstanding of each others’ jobs on both sides. More often than not, the discussion landscape surrounding biodiversity issues is complex and overly scientific, making it difficult for journalists to navigate effectively through the technical maze. Getting ex- pert input from credible sources can also be very challenging. All of these factors present serious obstacles to accomplishing effective, newsworthy, accurate and timely coverage of biodiversity issues. The intent of this tool kit is to make it easier for media houses and personnel in the OECS to bring biodiversity stories to the forefront without necessarily using words such as “biodiversity” or “environment” in headlines. It is meant to serve as a first stop for journalists in the region and to provide a solid starting point for understanding and covering issues from a wide variety of angles, while also pointing the media to credible research, sources of data, and regional experts. Most importantly, the tool kit is meant to forge a new way for the media and biodiversity experts and protected area managers to work together as partners. Without the media, biodiversity protection may be far from effective. If this is the result, then not only will our flora and fauna be at risk, so too will our livelihoods and quality of life of our people in the OECS region. This tool kit is not meant to be a static document, but a dynamic and evolving handbook. We at the OECS hope that, through this instrument and the media seminars that contributed to its development, a mutually supportive biodiversity partnership will continue to evolve and strengthen overtime. Keith Nichols Head of Unit, OECS-ESDU Keeping Biodiversity in the News: A Tool Kit for Media in the OECS iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The finalisation of this tool kit has been an evolving process. Several people have contributed to the tool kit in its present form and the OECS wishes to acknowledge them. The OECS thanks Dr. Maria Protz, Lead Consultant for the Media Awareness Initiative. The primary responsibility for the compilation and design of the tool kit was hers. She was also responsible for leading a series of six seminars with journalists and persons who work in the field of biodiversity in the OECS Mem- ber States of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Additionally, the OECS thanks Ms Tecla Fontenard, OPAAL Communication Specialist, whose de- tailed eye was vital to both the tool kit’s development and the success of the media awareness seminars that provided essential input to its final content. As the intended audience and users of the tool kit, all of the participants in the media seminars that took place in January and February of 2011, also provided demand-driven feedback and input to this hand- book. The complete list of participants is too numerous to mention here, but all were very instrumental in shaping the final output. Additional critical input was also obtained from the media experts that served as resource persons for the media awareness seminars. These included: Jerry George – Journalist – Saint Lucia Indi Mclymont Lafayette - Panos Caribbean Wesley Gibbings – Association of Caribbean Media Workers Peter I Richards – Association of Caribbean Media Workers Finally, invaluable input for the tool kit was also provided by technical staff of the OECS-ESDU through their review of earlier drafts. These include: Keith Nichols - Head of Unit, OECS-ESDU Peter A Murray - Programme Officer, Education, Training and Awareness David Popo - Programme Officer, Disaster Management and Sustainable Development Susanna Scott - Project Coordinator, OPAAL Joan Norville - Programme Officer, Disaster Management Cornelius Isaac – Project Co-ordinator, Mainstreaming Disaster Management Risk Project Melissa Mc Lawrence – Administrative Assistant, OPAAL Without the help of all of these individuals, this handbook would not have been possible. iv Keeping Biodiversity in the News: A Tool Kit for Media in the OECS This Tool Kit is a compilation of material from several sources. A list of all sources cited is included as Appendix F for easy reference. Keeping Biodiversity in the News: A Tool Kit for Media in the OECS v ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ACM Association of Caribbean Media Workers AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency ANB Antigua and Barbuda BBC British Broadcasting Corporation CANARI Caribbean Natural Resources Institute CBD Convention on Biodiversity CCCCC Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre CEP Caribbean Environment Program of UNEP CERMES Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies CI Conservation International CITES Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species COP Conference of Parties DOM Commonwealth of Dominica EA Environmental Awareness EBA Endemic Bird Area ENGO Environmental Nongovernmental Organisation EPC Environment Policy Committee ESDU Environment and Sustainable Development Unit (OECS) EU European Union FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FFEM Fond Français pour l’Envioronnement Mondial GEF Global Environment Facility GEF Global Environmental Facility GMOs Genetically Modified Organisms GND Grenada HIV Human Immune Deficiency IBA Important Bird Area IBI Index of Biological Integrity IPR Intellectual Property Rights IUCN
Recommended publications
  • Aiphanes Grandis Borchs

    Aiphanes Grandis Borchs

    Palm Conservation – Palm Specialist Group Aiphanes grandis Borchs. & Balslev Status: Endangered (EN) Common name None recorded Natural range Aiphanes grandis is endemic to the western slopes of the Andes mountains in Ecuador, at elevations between 1000 and 2000 m. It occurs in cloud forest in the central and southern parts of the country. Recognition characteristics It is a large, solitary palm tree, with a stem up to 20 m tall and 10–20 cm in diameter. The stem and leaves are fiercely armed with long, black spines. The leaf blade is 200–250 cm long with up to 50 leaflets on each side, briefly jagged at apex, inserted in groups and pointing in different directions. The inflorescence is 1–1.5 m long, with up to 200 spreading branches. Flowers are white to pale yellow and fruits 2–3 cm in diameter, dull green and covered with brown, loosely attached bristles. The combination of jagged leaflets and large size distinguishes the species from all other South American palms. Natural history Little is known about the natural history of the species. The palm heart is edible, and its seeds are sometimes pureed and cooked with crude cane sugar to form a nougat-like paste. Threats to survival The estimated loss of potential habitat for A. grandis, based on habitat modeling, is 62%, most of which has occurred over the last 30–40 years. The west Andean mountain forest in southern and central Ecudor, where A. grandis occurs, harbors a high number of endemic plant species. It is also the home to remnant populations of such conspicuous palm species as Ceroxylon ventricosum and C.
  • BIRDCONSERVATION the Magazine of American Bird Conservancy Fall 2016 BIRD’S EYE VIEW a Life Shaped by Migration

    BIRDCONSERVATION the Magazine of American Bird Conservancy Fall 2016 BIRD’S EYE VIEW a Life Shaped by Migration

    BIRDCONSERVATION The Magazine of American Bird Conservancy Fall 2016 BIRD’S EYE VIEW A Life Shaped By Migration The years have rolled by, leaving me with many memories touched by migrating birds. Migrations tell the chronicle of my life, made more poignant by their steady lessening through the years. still remember my first glimmer haunting calls of the cranes and Will the historic development of of understanding of the bird swans together, just out of sight. improved relations between the Imigration phenomenon. I was U.S. and Cuba nonetheless result in nine or ten years old and had The years have rolled by, leaving me the loss of habitats so important to spotted a male Yellow Warbler in with many memories touched by species such as the Black-throated spring plumage. Although I had migrating birds. Tracking a Golden Blue Warbler (page 18)? And will passing familiarity with the year- Eagle with a radio on its back Congress strengthen or weaken the round and wintertime birds at through downtown Milwaukee. Migratory Bird Treaty Act (page home, this springtime beauty was Walking down the Cape May beach 27), America’s most important law new to me. I went to my father for each afternoon to watch the Least protecting migratory birds? an explanation of how I had missed Tern colony. The thrill of seeing this bird before. Dad explained bird “our” migrants leave Colombia to We must address each of these migration, a talk that lit a small pour back north. And, on a recent concerns and a thousand more, fire in me that has never been summer evening, standing outside but we cannot be daunted by their extinguished.
  • Cuba Trip Report Jan 4Th to 14Th

    Cuba Trip Report Jan 4Th to 14Th

    Field Checklist to the Birds of Cuba Cuba Trip Report Jan 4th to 14th 1 Field Checklist to the Birds of Cuba Cuba Bird List Species Scientific Name Seen Heard Order ANSERIFORMES Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans 1. West Indian Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna arborea • 2. Fulvous Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna bicolor 3. American Wigeon Anas americanas 4. Wood Duck Aix sponsa 5.Blue-winged Teal Anas discors • 6. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata • 7. White-cheeked Pintail Anas bahamensis 8. Northern Pintail Anas acutas 9. Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis 10. Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris 11.Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis 12. Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus 13. Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator 14. Masked Duck Nomonyx dominicus 15. Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Order GALLIFORMES Family Phasianidae Pheasant, Guineafowl 16. Helmeted Guineafowl (I) • Family Odontophoridae New World Quail 17. Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus cubanensis Order PODICIPEDIFORMES Grebes 18. Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus • 19. Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps • Order CICONNIIFORMES Family Ciconiidae Storks 20. Wood Stork Mycteria americana 2 Field Checklist to the Birds of Cuba Cuba Bird List Species Scientific Name Seen Heard Order SULIFORMES Family Fregatidae Frigatebirds 21. Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens • Family Sulidae Boobies, Gannets 22. Brown Booby Sula leucogaster Family Phalacrocoracidae Cormorants 23. Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasiliannus • 24. Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus • Family Anhingidae Darters 25. Anhinga Anhinga anhinga • Order PELECANIFORMES Family Pelecanidae Pelicans 26. American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos 27. Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis • Family Ardeidae Herons, Bitterns, Allies 28. Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis • 29. Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias • 30. Great Egret Ardea alba • 31. Snowy Egret Egretta thula • 32.
  • Monocotyledons and Gymnosperms of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

    Monocotyledons and Gymnosperms of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

    SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Contributions from the United States National Herbarium Volume 52: 1-415 Monocotyledons and Gymnosperms of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands Editors Pedro Acevedo-Rodríguez and Mark T. Strong Department of Botany National Museum of Natural History Washington, DC 2005 ABSTRACT Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro and Mark T. Strong. Monocots and Gymnosperms of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium, volume 52: 415 pages (including 65 figures). The present treatment constitutes an updated revision for the monocotyledon and gymnosperm flora (excluding Orchidaceae and Poaceae) for the biogeographical region of Puerto Rico (including all islets and islands) and the Virgin Islands. With this contribution, we fill the last major gap in the flora of this region, since the dicotyledons have been previously revised. This volume recognizes 33 families, 118 genera, and 349 species of Monocots (excluding the Orchidaceae and Poaceae) and three families, three genera, and six species of gymnosperms. The Poaceae with an estimated 89 genera and 265 species, will be published in a separate volume at a later date. When Ackerman’s (1995) treatment of orchids (65 genera and 145 species) and the Poaceae are added to our account of monocots, the new total rises to 35 families, 272 genera and 759 species. The differences in number from Britton’s and Wilson’s (1926) treatment is attributed to changes in families, generic and species concepts, recent introductions, naturalization of introduced species and cultivars, exclusion of cultivated plants, misdeterminations, and discoveries of new taxa or new distributional records during the last seven decades.
  • Ornamental Garden Plants of the Guianas, Part 3

    Ornamental Garden Plants of the Guianas, Part 3

    ; Fig. 170. Solandra longiflora (Solanaceae). 7. Solanum Linnaeus Annual or perennial, armed or unarmed herbs, shrubs, vines or trees. Leaves alternate, simple or compound, sessile or petiolate. Inflorescence an axillary, extra-axillary or terminal raceme, cyme, corymb or panicle. Flowers regular, or sometimes irregular; calyx (4-) 5 (-10)- toothed; corolla rotate, 5 (-6)-lobed. Stamens 5, exserted; anthers united over the style, dehiscing by 2 apical pores. Fruit a 2-celled berry; seeds numerous, reniform. Key to Species 1. Trees or shrubs; stems armed with spines; leaves simple or lobed, not pinnately compound; inflorescence a raceme 1. S. macranthum 1. Vines; stems unarmed; leaves pinnately compound; inflorescence a panicle 2. S. seaforthianum 1. Solanum macranthum Dunal, Solanorum Generumque Affinium Synopsis 43 (1816). AARDAPPELBOOM (Surinam); POTATO TREE. Shrub or tree to 9 m; stems and leaves spiny, pubescent. Leaves simple, toothed or up to 10-lobed, to 40 cm. Inflorescence a 7- to 12-flowered raceme. Corolla 5- or 6-lobed, bluish-purple, to 6.3 cm wide. Range: Brazil. Grown as an ornamental in Surinam (Ostendorf, 1962). 2. Solanum seaforthianum Andrews, Botanists Repository 8(104): t.504 (1808). POTATO CREEPER. Vine to 6 m, with petiole-tendrils; stems and leaves unarmed, glabrous. Leaves pinnately compound with 3-9 leaflets, to 20 cm. Inflorescence a many- flowered panicle. Corolla 5-lobed, blue, purple or pinkish, to 5 cm wide. Range:South America. Grown as an ornamental in Surinam (Ostendorf, 1962). Sterculiaceae Monoecious, dioecious or polygamous trees and shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple to palmately compound, petiolate. Inflorescence an axillary panicle, raceme, cyme or thyrse.
  • A Review of Animal-Mediated Seed Dispersal of Palms

    A Review of Animal-Mediated Seed Dispersal of Palms

    Selbyana 11: 6-21 A REVIEW OF ANIMAL-MEDIATED SEED DISPERSAL OF PALMS SCOTT ZoNA Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, 1500 North College Avenue, Claremont, California 91711 ANDREW HENDERSON New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York 10458 ABSTRACT. Zoochory is a common mode of dispersal in the Arecaceae (palmae), although little is known about how dispersal has influenced the distributions of most palms. A survey of the literature reveals that many kinds of animals feed on palm fruits and disperse palm seeds. These animals include birds, bats, non-flying mammals, reptiles, insects, and fish. Many morphological features of palm infructescences and fruits (e.g., size, accessibility, bony endocarp) have an influence on the animals which exploit palms, although the nature of this influence is poorly understood. Both obligate and opportunistic frugivores are capable of dispersing seeds. There is little evidence for obligate plant-animaI mutualisms in palm seed dispersal ecology. In spite of a considerable body ofliterature on interactions, an overview is presented here ofthe seed dispersal (Guppy, 1906; Ridley, 1930; van diverse assemblages of animals which feed on der Pijl, 1982), the specifics ofzoochory (animal­ palm fruits along with a brief examination of the mediated seed dispersal) in regard to the palm role fruit and/or infructescence morphology may family have been largely ignored (Uhl & Drans­ play in dispersal and subsequent distributions. field, 1987). Only Beccari (1877) addressed palm seed dispersal specifically; he concluded that few METHODS animals eat palm fruits although the fruits appear adapted to seed dispersal by animals. Dransfield Data for fruit consumption and seed dispersal (198lb) has concluded that palms, in general, were taken from personal observations and the have a low dispersal ability, while Janzen and literature, much of it not primarily concerned Martin (1982) have considered some palms to with palm seed dispersal.
  • Aiphanes Acaulis, a New Species from Colombia

    Aiphanes Acaulis, a New Species from Colombia

    20 PRINCIPES (VOL. 29 Principe., 29(1), 1985, pp. 20-22 Aiphanes acaulis, a New Species from Colombia GLORIA GALEANO-GARCES l AND RODRIGO BERNAL-GONZALEZ2 Recent explorations for palms in north­ morsely toothed at apex, the upper mar­ western Colombia have revealed several gin produced into a cauda to 4 cm long, novelties, one of which, an interesting the apical pinnae narrowly cuneate, stemless species of Aiphanes, is described obliquely truncate at apex, 1-3 nerved, here as new to science. all pinnae glabrous above, the midnerve armed with 1-3 slender, bicolor, to 2 cm Aiphanes acaulis Galeano & Bernal sp. long bristles, glabrous below or with very nov. (Fig. 1) short, purplish-black bristles scattered on surface and veins; basal pinnae 7-24.5 Palma solitaria acaulis. Pinnae utrinque cm long along the upper margin, 0.7-2.1 18-30 regulariter in eadem planitie inser­ cm wide, central pinnae 10.8-27 cm long, tae, lineares vel angustissime cuneatae. 1.7-2.5 cm wide, apical pinnae 6.5-15.5 Spadix simplex. Antherae subquadraticae. cm long, to 5.6 cm wide at apex. Inflo­ Pistillodium inerme. rescence spicate: prophyll 16-26 cm long, Solitary, acaulescent. Leaves 8-10: 7-11 mm wide, linear, unarmed adaxi­ sheath 11-16 cm long, 1 cm wide, fibrous, ally, densely covered abaxially with irreg­ densely covered abaxially with irregular, ular brown scales and with very short, dark brown scales and with purplish-brown, appressed, purplish-brown bristles; pedun­ less than 0.5 mm long bristles, usually cular bract 37.5-94 cm long, unarmed, with a few
  • THE LESSER ANTILLES: Aboard the Sea Cloud

    THE LESSER ANTILLES: Aboard the Sea Cloud

    THE LESSER ANTILLES: Aboard the Sea Cloud FEBRUARY 10-18, 2016 Red-necked Parrot, Amazona arausiaca LEADERS: VICTOR EMANUEL, BARRY LYON, DAVID ASCANIO, PETER ZIKA & JOHN HARRISON COMPILED BY: DAVID ASCANIO VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM THE LESSER ANTILLES ABOARD THE SEA CLOUD FEBRUARY 10-18, 2016 By David Ascanio Once again, a sea with pastel blue or green colors, an incredible and rich history, outstanding cuisine, and the beautiful and breathtaking Sea Cloud, combined with exquisite birds resulted in a memorable journey across six of the Lesser Antilles to see all of the endemic parrots, tremblers, hummingbirds, orioles, and bullfinches that these islands offer. Our treasure wasn’t gold, nor sugar. It was every one of the endemic or the restricted distribution birds. It seemed as if every island offered a unique challenge to finding these treasures. Barbados was the easy task. In Dominica and Martinique we practiced patience. In Guadeloupe we built a successful group dynamic, while St. Lucia and St. Vincent challenged us with trails. Each day offered a unique experience, as if each of the Lesser Antilles had a distinctive personality. We started in British-flavored Barbados. A visit to the Graeme Hall Reserve allowed views of one of the few populations of Little Egret in the Americas. We also saw our first target species, the Barbados Bullfinch, one that’s so common that you can see it wandering around the swimming pool area of the hotel. After a full day sailing north, we made it to Dominica.
  • Alpha Codes for 2168 Bird Species (And 113 Non-Species Taxa) in Accordance with the 62Nd AOU Supplement (2021), Sorted Taxonomically

    Alpha Codes for 2168 Bird Species (And 113 Non-Species Taxa) in Accordance with the 62Nd AOU Supplement (2021), Sorted Taxonomically

    Four-letter (English Name) and Six-letter (Scientific Name) Alpha Codes for 2168 Bird Species (and 113 Non-Species Taxa) in accordance with the 62nd AOU Supplement (2021), sorted taxonomically Prepared by Peter Pyle and David F. DeSante The Institute for Bird Populations www.birdpop.org ENGLISH NAME 4-LETTER CODE SCIENTIFIC NAME 6-LETTER CODE Highland Tinamou HITI Nothocercus bonapartei NOTBON Great Tinamou GRTI Tinamus major TINMAJ Little Tinamou LITI Crypturellus soui CRYSOU Thicket Tinamou THTI Crypturellus cinnamomeus CRYCIN Slaty-breasted Tinamou SBTI Crypturellus boucardi CRYBOU Choco Tinamou CHTI Crypturellus kerriae CRYKER White-faced Whistling-Duck WFWD Dendrocygna viduata DENVID Black-bellied Whistling-Duck BBWD Dendrocygna autumnalis DENAUT West Indian Whistling-Duck WIWD Dendrocygna arborea DENARB Fulvous Whistling-Duck FUWD Dendrocygna bicolor DENBIC Emperor Goose EMGO Anser canagicus ANSCAN Snow Goose SNGO Anser caerulescens ANSCAE + Lesser Snow Goose White-morph LSGW Anser caerulescens caerulescens ANSCCA + Lesser Snow Goose Intermediate-morph LSGI Anser caerulescens caerulescens ANSCCA + Lesser Snow Goose Blue-morph LSGB Anser caerulescens caerulescens ANSCCA + Greater Snow Goose White-morph GSGW Anser caerulescens atlantica ANSCAT + Greater Snow Goose Intermediate-morph GSGI Anser caerulescens atlantica ANSCAT + Greater Snow Goose Blue-morph GSGB Anser caerulescens atlantica ANSCAT + Snow X Ross's Goose Hybrid SRGH Anser caerulescens x rossii ANSCAR + Snow/Ross's Goose SRGO Anser caerulescens/rossii ANSCRO Ross's Goose
  • Wetland Aliens Cause Bird Extinction

    Wetland Aliens Cause Bird Extinction

    PRESS RELEASE Embargoed until 00:01 GMT on 26 May 2010 Wetland aliens cause bird extinction Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK, 26 May, 2010 (IUCN/BirdLife) - BirdLife International announces today, in an update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ for birds, the extinction of Alaotra Grebe Tachybaptus rufolavatus. Restricted to a tiny area of east Madagascar, this species declined rapidly after carnivorous fish were introduced to the lakes in which it lived. This, along with the use of nylon gill-nets by fisherman which caught and drowned birds, has driven this species into the abyss. “No hope now remains for this species. It is another example of how human actions can have unforeseen consequences”, says Dr Leon Bennun, BirdLife International’s Director of Science, Policy and Information. “Invasive alien species have caused extinctions around the globe and remain one of the major threats to birds and other biodiversity.” Another wetland species suffering from the impacts of introduced aliens is Zapata Rail Cyanolimnas cerverai from Cuba. It has been uplisted to Critically Endangered and is under threat from introduced mongooses and exotic catfish. An extremely secretive marsh-dwelling species, the only nest ever found of this species was described by James Bond, a Caribbean ornithologist and the source for Ian Fleming’s famous spy’s name. And it’s not just aliens. Wetlands the world over, and the species found in them, are under increasing pressures. In Asia and Australia, numbers of once common wader species such as Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris and Far Eastern Curlew Numenius madagascariensis are dropping rapidly as a result of drainage and pollution of coastal wetlands.
  • Notes on the Pollination Ecology of the Palm Genus Johannesteijsmannia (A Recaceae )

    Notes on the Pollination Ecology of the Palm Genus Johannesteijsmannia (A Recaceae )

    Journal of Pollination Ecology, 6(15), 2011, pp 108-117 — Short Communication — NOTES ON THE POLLINATION ECOLOGY OF THE PALM GENUS JOHANNESTEIJSMANNIA (A RECACEAE ) Y.M. Chan* and L.G. Saw Forest Biodiversity Division, Forest Research Institute Malaysia, 52109 Kepong, Selangor, Malaysia Abstract The floral biology and flower visitors of the tropical palms Johannesteijsmannia altifrons, J. magnifica and J. perakensis were investigated. We combined the data from this study with published data of J. lanceolata to give an overview of the reproductive biology and pollination system of the genus. Anthesis peaks from 0500–1100 hrs when the inflorescences are visited mainly by flies, beetles and stingless bees ( Trigona ), the last are potential pollinators. The breeding system is facultative selfing, indicating the ability of the species to reproduce in the absence of pollinators or in isolation. Keywords: reproductive biology, pollinator, breeding system, flower biology, Coryphoideae, Johannesteijsmannia INTRODUCTION The reproductive biology of J. lanceolata has been well- documented (Chan et al. 2011b): It is self-compatible, the Studies on reproductive biology and pollination ecology flowers are homogamous with diurnal anthesis and are can help to shed light on plant-pollinator relationships, visited by bees, flies and ants. For the remaining members of evolution, and also possible reasons for the persistence, the genus, such information is lacking. Thus, we extended rarity, genetic diversity or species richness of plants (e.g. the investigations into the floral biology and pollination of J. Bawa et al. 1985; Henderson 2002; Rymer et al. 2005; altifrons , J. magnifica and J. perakensis , to determine the Barfod et al. 2011).
  • Perennial Edible Fruits of the Tropics: an and Taxonomists Throughout the World Who Have Left Inventory

    Perennial Edible Fruits of the Tropics: an and Taxonomists Throughout the World Who Have Left Inventory

    United States Department of Agriculture Perennial Edible Fruits Agricultural Research Service of the Tropics Agriculture Handbook No. 642 An Inventory t Abstract Acknowledgments Martin, Franklin W., Carl W. Cannpbell, Ruth M. Puberté. We owe first thanks to the botanists, horticulturists 1987 Perennial Edible Fruits of the Tropics: An and taxonomists throughout the world who have left Inventory. U.S. Department of Agriculture, written records of the fruits they encountered. Agriculture Handbook No. 642, 252 p., illus. Second, we thank Richard A. Hamilton, who read and The edible fruits of the Tropics are nnany in number, criticized the major part of the manuscript. His help varied in form, and irregular in distribution. They can be was invaluable. categorized as major or minor. Only about 300 Tropical fruits can be considered great. These are outstanding We also thank the many individuals who read, criti- in one or more of the following: Size, beauty, flavor, and cized, or contributed to various parts of the book. In nutritional value. In contrast are the more than 3,000 alphabetical order, they are Susan Abraham (Indian fruits that can be considered minor, limited severely by fruits), Herbert Barrett (citrus fruits), Jose Calzada one or more defects, such as very small size, poor taste Benza (fruits of Peru), Clarkson (South African fruits), or appeal, limited adaptability, or limited distribution. William 0. Cooper (citrus fruits), Derek Cormack The major fruits are not all well known. Some excellent (arrangements for review in Africa), Milton de Albu- fruits which rival the commercialized greatest are still querque (Brazilian fruits), Enriquito D.