DOCSLIB.ORG

United Nations Environment Programme

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

United Nations Environment Programme Terminal Evaluation of the Project “MITIGATING THE THREAT OF INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES IN THE INSULAR CARIBBEAN” UNEP IMIS #: GFL/-2328-2740-4995 // GEF ID #: 3183 Hugo Arnal UNEP Evaluation Office September 2014 Front Cover Photographs: Close up of two emblematic reptile species from the Caribbean. In the lower left, the Saint Lucia Whiptail (Cnemidophorus vanzoi), pictured in Maria Major Island, Saint Lucia, and on the upper right the Jamaican Iguana (Cyclura collie), at the Hope Zoo, Kingston. The Whiptail was originally from the main Saint Lucia Island from where it was extirpated, very small populations remain in adjacent Maria Major (10.1 ha) and Maria Minor (1.6 ha) and Rat and Preslin islands. The Jamaican Iguana was presumed already extinct in 1948 and a remaining population was discovered in the Hellshire Hills of Jamaica in 1990. In both cases, their near extinction is due in great part to the impact of invasive alien predators, particularly Indian Mongoose in the Iguana’s case. Both species are good examples of the threat that ‘Invasive Alien Species (IAS)’ represent to the survival of the Caribbean biodiversity and natural heritage. (Photographs © Hugo Arnal). Disclaimer: The perspectives and opinions expressed in this report do not represent official positions of the United Nations Environment Programme, its staff or The Global Environment Facility (GEF). Unless otherwise explicitly indicated, opinions and perspectives herein contained belong to the evaluator. Citation: Arnal, Hugo. 2014. Terminal Evaluation Report: “Mitigating the Threat of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean” (UNEP IMIS #: GFL/-2328-2740-4995; GEF ID #: 3183). Prepared for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Nairobi, Kenya. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost, the evaluator would like to thank the UN Environment Program (UNEP) for the opportunity to perform the ‘Terminal Evaluation’ (TE) of the GEF-financed ‘Mitigating the Threat of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean’ (MTIASIC) project and in particularly to Mrs. Elisa Calcaterra, from UNEP’s Evaluation Office, for her trust when assigning the evaluation task to the author of this report. Her comments and support were very enriching and pivotal for the completion of this evaluation. Similarly, my gratitude to Mrs. Kristin McLaughlin, UNEP’s project Task Manager and Liaison Officer with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), who fully embraced the evaluation, providing feedback, organizing information exchange mechanisms and bridging with National Coordinators (NC) and Project Directors, the National Executing Agencies (NEAs) and the Regional Project Director, Mr. Naitram (Bob) Ramnanan, CABI’s Regional Representative for Central America and the Caribbean. Equally important, I would like to thank Mrs. Mela Shah, from UNEP HQ in Kenya, who helped with the logistics and administrative aspects of the work. This ‘Terminal Evaluation (TE) Report’ was prepared after visiting the five countries participating in the MTIASIC Project and attending the regional Caribbean workshop “Policies, Strategies and Best Practices for Managing Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean’ which took place in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, from March 31st through April 4th, 2014. As stated in the previous ‘Inception report’, visits to the participant countries and interviews with local governmental officers, experts and stakeholders would have been very difficult or far less complete without the support from the National Coordinators (NCs) and National Executing Agencies (NEAs): Mr. Frederick Arnett II, from the Department of Marine Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Local Government, Bahamas; Mr. Carlos Rijo, from the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry, Dominican Republic; Mrs. Nelsa English-Johnson, from the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Jamaica; Mrs. Ulrike Krauss, consultant with the Forestry Department, Ministry of Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology, Saint Lucia; and Mrs. Velda Ferguson-Dewsbury, consultant with the Ministry of Food Production, Trinidad and Tobago. Similarly, both during the workshop as well as during country visits, ‘Project Directors’ (PDs) were very supportive of the evaluation and provided significant amounts of information and candid perspectives about the project’s achievements and limitations: Mr. Michael Braynen, Bahamas; Mr. José Mateo, Dominican Republic; Ms. Sheries Simpson, Jamaica; Mr. Michael Bobb, Saint Lucia; and Mrs. Audine Mootoo, from Trinidad and Tobago. The support from National Coordinators and Project Directors did not stop after the visits to their countries but continued for several weeks while this evaluation was being prepared. This evaluator is very grateful to all of them (ANNEX B provides complete institutional information on executing agencies, National Coordinators and Project Directors). My gratitude to Naitram (Bob) Ramnanan and Arne Witt, both from CABI, with whom I spent several hours reviewing achievements and lessons learned through the MTIASIC Project as well as technical issues related to invasive species in the Caribbean and worldwide, and particularly Mr. Ramnanan as per his continued support providing additional documents for the TE. Special mention is also ought to Boris Fabres, Caribbean regional Director for Island Conservation, who provided significant support during my visits to Nassau and Trinidad. This evaluator is deeply indebted to all those who contributed their expertise, perspectives and time during the elevated number of interviews conducted in country or through Skype and telephone. They are all listed in this Report’s ANNEX C. Page | ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT II PROJECT IDENTIFICATION TABLE 6 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 8 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 10 I. INTRODUCTION 14 EVALUATION AND PROJECT NAMES 14 PROJECT DURATION 14 PROJECT COST 14 IMPLEMENTING AND EXECUTING PARTNERS 15 II. THE EVALUATION 17 OBJECTIVES 17 APPROACH 17 LIMITATIONS 19 III. THE PROJECT 20 A. CONTEXT 20 INTERNATIONAL POLICIES AND AGREEMENTS ON IAS IN THE CARIBBEAN 20 COUNTRIES PARTICIPATING IN THE MTIASIC PROJECT 22 B. OBJECTIVES AND COMPONENTS 26 C. CHANGES IN DESIGN DURING IMPLEMENTATION 27 D. TARGET AREAS AND GROUPS 33 COMPONENT 4, OUTCOME 1, SAINT LUCIA PILOT PROJECT 34 COMPONENT 4, OUTCOME 1, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO PILOT PROJECT 1: 34 COMPONENT 4, OUTCOME 1, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO PILOT PROJECT 2: 34 COMPONENT 5, OUTCOME 1, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC PILOT PROJECT: 34 COMPONENT 5, OUTCOME 1, JAMAICA PILOT PROJECT: 34 COMPONENT 5, OUTCOME 2, PILOT PROJECT SAINT LUCIA: 35 COMPONENT 5, OUTCOME 3, PILOT PROJECT BAHAMAS: 35 COMPONENT 5, OUTCOME 3, PILOT PROJECT JAMAICA: 35 COMPONENT 5, OUTCOME 3, PILOT PROJECT TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: 35 COMPONENT 5, OUTCOME 4, PILOT PROJECT JAMAICA: 35 COMPONENT 5, OUTCOME 4, PILOT PROJECT TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: 35 E. MILESTONE AND KEY DATES IN PROJECT DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION 35 F. IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENT 37 G- PROJECT FINANCING 38 H. PROJECT PARTNERS 40 I- RECONSTRUCTED THEORY OF CHANGE 41 Page | iii IV. EVALUATION FINDINGS 44 A. STRATEGIC RELEVANCE 44 B. ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUTPUTS 46 C. EFFECTIVENESS: ATTAINMENT OF PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND RESULTS 63 ACHIEVEMENT OF DIRECT OUTCOMES 63 LIKELIHOOD OF IMPACT 64 ACHIEVEMENT OF PROJECT OBJECTIVE AND GOAL 64 D. SUSTAINABILITY AND REPLICATION 65 SOCIO-POLITICAL SUSTAINABILITY 65 FINANCIAL RESOURCES 66 INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK 67 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY 68 CATALYTIC ROLE AND REPLICATION 68 E. EFFICIENCY 69 F. FACTORS AFFECTING PROJECT PERFORMANCE 70 PREPARATION AND READINESS 70 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT 72 STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION AND PUBLIC AWARENESS 73 COUNTRY OWNERSHIP AND DRIVEN-NESS 73 FINANCIAL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT 74 UNEP SUPERVISION AND BACKSTOPPING 76 MONITORING AND EVALUATION 77 G. COMPLEMENTARITY WITH OTHER UNEP STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMS 78 V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 78 A. CONCLUSIONS 78 B. LESSONS LEARNED AND RECOMMENDATIONS 84 ANNEX A – TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE TERMINAL EVALUATION 91 PROJECT BACKGROUND 91 TERMS OF REFERENCE 99 ANNEX B – TASK MANAGER AND EXECUTING PROJECT OFFICERS 112 ANNEX C – INTERVIEWEES 114 ANNEX D – PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS 119 ANNEX E – MTIASIC PROJECT “INITIAL” LOGFRAME (AS A REFERENCE ONLY) 122 ANNEX F – EVALUATION FRAMEWORK 131 ANNEX G – REVIEW OF OUTCOMES TOWARD IMPACTS METHODOLOGY 142 ANNEX H – MTIASIC FINAL/UPDATED PROJECT LOGFRAME 145 ANNEX I – MEMBERS OF PROJECT NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEES 154 ANNEX J – INITIAL REGIONAL AND GLOBAL PROJECT PARTNERS 157 Page | iv ANNEX K – REFERENCES AND LITERATURE 160 ANNEX L – CONSULTANT RESUME 163 Page | v PROJECT IDENTIFICATION TABLE GEF project ID: 3183 UNEP IMIS number: GFL/-2328-2740-4995 Biodiversity Focal Area(s): Strategic Program 7: GEF OP #: Invasive Species UNEP’s Strategic Ecosystem Management GEF approval date: 16 July 2009 Priority/Objective: UNEP approval date: 14 September 2009 First Disbursement: 22 September 2009 Actual start date: 23 September 2009 Planned duration: 48 months Intended completion 22 September 2013 Actual completion date: 30 April 2014 date: Project Type: Full Size Project (FSP) GEF Allocation: US$ 3,034,027 PDF GEF cost: US$ 225,000 PDF co-financing: US$ 748,2221 US$ 3,379,367 Expected MSP/FSP Co- (US$1,894,183 cash + Total Cost: US$7,116,616 financing: US$1,485,184 in-kind) Mid-term review/eval. Terminal Evaluation Start August 15, 2011 14 March 2014 (planned date): Date: 1 September 2011 Mid-term review/eval. (completion
Recommended publications
  • 1471-2164-15-164.Pdf

    1471-2164-15-164.Pdf

    Meinhardt et al. BMC Genomics 2014, 15:164 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/15/164 RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Genome and secretome analysis of the hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen, Moniliophthora roreri, which causes frosty pod rot disease of cacao: mechanisms of the biotrophic and necrotrophic phases Lyndel W Meinhardt1*, Gustavo Gilson Lacerda Costa2, Daniela PT Thomazella3, Paulo José PL Teixeira3, Marcelo Falsarella Carazzolle2, Stephan C Schuster4, John E Carlson5, Mark J Guiltinan6, Piotr Mieczkowski7, Andrew Farmer8, Thiruvarangan Ramaraj8, Jayne Crozier9, Robert E Davis10, Jonathan Shao10, Rachel L Melnick1, Gonçalo AG Pereira3 and Bryan A Bailey1 Abstract Background: The basidiomycete Moniliophthora roreri is the causal agent of Frosty pod rot (FPR) disease of cacao (Theobroma cacao), the source of chocolate, and FPR is one of the most destructive diseases of this important perennial crop in the Americas. This hemibiotroph infects only cacao pods and has an extended biotrophic phase lasting up to sixty days, culminating in plant necrosis and sporulation of the fungus without the formation of a basidiocarp. Results: We sequenced and assembled 52.3 Mb into 3,298 contigs that represent the M. roreri genome. Of the 17,920 predicted open reading frames (OFRs), 13,760 were validated by RNA-Seq. Using read count data from RNA sequencing of cacao pods at 30 and 60 days post infection, differential gene expression was estimated for the biotrophic and necrotrophic phases of this plant-pathogen interaction. The sequencing data were used to develop a genome based secretome for the infected pods. Of the 1,535 genes encoding putative secreted proteins, 1,355 were expressed in the biotrophic and necrotrophic phases.
  • In Review14 Contents

    In Review14 Contents

    CABI in review14 contents Foreword from the Chair 3 Foreword from the CEO 4 CABI’s mission 6 Putting know-how into people’s hands 8 Supporting Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition 9 Improving lives with mobile information 11 Educating the next generation of crop experts 14 Helping farmers to trade more of what they sow 16 Protecting commodities, safeguarding livelihoods 17 Increasing African trade with plant biosecurity 20 Bringing science from the lab to the field 22 Plantwise goes from strength to strength 23 Fostering innovation in soil health to change lives 28 Tackling poverty with AIV seed innovation 31 Combating threats to agriculture and the environment 34 Invasive species, the threat to livelihoods 35 Coffee and climate change: the future has arrived 40 Thank you 44 Financials 46 CABI staff 49 Staff publications 50 www VIDEO LINK (WILL TAKE YOU TO AN EXTERNAL WEB PAGE) WEB LINK (WILL TAKE YOU TO AN EXTERNAL WEB PAGE) BOOK CHAPTER LINK (WILL TAKE YOU TO SEPERATE PDF) 2 | CABI IN REVIEW 2014 Foreword from the Chair I am delighted to report another year of strong performance, both financially and operationally, and am proud to be leaving an even healthier organization than the one I joined in 2009. Over that five year period, CABI has achieved significant growth of close to 50% in revenue and increased operating surplus by £1.5m, despite difficult economic conditions. We have continued strong profit performance from Publishing with a second year of small surplus from International Development. Furthermore, our donors, members and stakeholders increasingly recognize the value delivered by the organization; staff morale and motivation is high; and the Board is working positively and collaboratively with management.
  • Plant Section Introduction

    Plant Section Introduction

    Re-introduction Practitioners Directory - 1998 RE-INTRODUCTION PRACTITIONERS DIRECTORY 1998 Compiled and Edited by Pritpal S. Soorae and Philip J. Seddon Re-introduction Practitioners Directory - 1998 © National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development, 1998 Printing and Publication details Legal Deposit no. 2218/9 ISBN: 9960-614-08-5 Re-introduction Practitioners Directory - 1998 Copies of this directory are available from: The Secretary General National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development Post Box 61681, Riyadh 11575 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Phone: +966-1-441-8700 Fax: +966-1-441-0797 Bibliographic Citation: Soorae, P. S. and Seddon, P. J. (Eds). 1998. Re-introduction Practitioners Directory. Published jointly by the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Re-introduction Specialist Group, Nairobi, Kenya, and the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 97pp. Cover Photo: Arabian Oryx Oryx leucoryx (NWRC Photo Library) Re-introduction Practitioners Directory - 1998 CONTENTS FOREWORD Professor Abdulaziz Abuzinadai PREFACE INTRODUCTION Dr Mark Stanley Price USING THE DIRECTORY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PART A. ANIMALS I MOLLUSCS 1. GASTROPODS 1.1 Cittarium pica Top Shell 1.2 Placostylus ambagiosus Flax Snail 1.3 Placostylus ambagiosus Land Snail 1.4 Partula suturalis 1.5 Partula taeniata 1.6 Partula tahieana 1.7 Partula tohiveana 2. BIVALVES 2.1 Freshwater Mussels 2.2 Tridacna gigas Giant Clam II ARTHROPODS 3. ORTHOPTERA 3.1 Deinacrida sp. Weta 3.2 Deinacrida rugosa/parva Cook’s Strait Giant Weta Re-introduction Practitioners Directory - 1998 3.3 Gryllus campestris Field Cricket 4. LEPIDOPTERA 4.1 Carterocephalus palaemon Chequered Skipper 4.2 Lycaena dispar batavus Large Copper 4.3 Lycaena helle 4.4 Lycaeides melissa 4.5 Papilio aristodemus ponoceanus Schaus Swallowtail 5.
  • Chocolate Under Threat from Old and New Cacao Diseases

    Chocolate Under Threat from Old and New Cacao Diseases

    Phytopathology • 2019 • 109:1331-1343 • https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-12-18-0477-RVW Chocolate Under Threat from Old and New Cacao Diseases Jean-Philippe Marelli,1,† David I. Guest,2,† Bryan A. Bailey,3 Harry C. Evans,4 Judith K. Brown,5 Muhammad Junaid,2,8 Robert W. Barreto,6 Daniela O. Lisboa,6 and Alina S. Puig7 1 Mars/USDA Cacao Laboratory, 13601 Old Cutler Road, Miami, FL 33158, U.S.A. 2 Sydney Institute of Agriculture, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, the University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia 3 USDA-ARS/Sustainable Perennial Crops Lab, Beltsville, MD 20705, U.S.A. 4 CAB International, Egham, Surrey, U.K. 5 School of Plant Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, U.S.A. 6 Universidade Federal de Vic¸osa, Vic¸osa, Minas Gerais, Brazil 7 USDA-ARS/Subtropical Horticultural Research Station, Miami, FL 33131, U.S.A. 8 Cocoa Research Group/Faculty of Agriculture, Hasanuddin University, 90245 Makassar, Indonesia Accepted for publication 20 May 2019. ABSTRACT Theobroma cacao, the source of chocolate, is affected by destructive diseases wherever it is grown. Some diseases are endemic; however, as cacao was disseminated from the Amazon rain forest to new cultivation sites it encountered new pathogens. Two well-established diseases cause the greatest losses: black pod rot, caused by several species of Phytophthora, and witches’ broom of cacao, caused by Moniliophthora perniciosa. Phytophthora megakarya causes the severest damage in the main cacao producing countries in West Africa, while P. palmivora causes significant losses globally. M. perniciosa is related to a sister basidiomycete species, M.
  • Cacao Diseases in the Americas: Myths and Misnomers Harry C

    Cacao Diseases in the Americas: Myths and Misnomers Harry C

    Cacao Diseases in the Americas: Myths and Misnomers Harry C. Evans CAB International, Egham, Surrey, UK he catalyst for this article was a centres of evolution of cacao arose– recent report in FUNGI relating now finally debunked thanks to DNA to a fungal foray in Amazonian fingerprinting (Motamayor et al., 2008)– TEcuador (Evans and Winkler, 2011). which even spawned the idea that an Passing mention was made of the endemic subspecies had evolved there; fungi attacking cacao pods: “The main depicted in Mayan reliefs as vine-like pathogen is Monilia, a powdery mildew plants (Thorold, 1975). fungus that is spread by insects.” Such After the conquest of Mexico, the a confusion of both mycological and Spanish were quick to appreciate the pathological facts only adds to the commercial and culinary value of continuing myths and misnomers cacao and introduced it into Europe surrounding this disease (frosty pod and, by the 17th century, fashionable rot), as well as to the more infamous chocolate houses–the forerunners of witches’ broom disease, and the causal gentleman’s clubs–were springing up agents. This warranted a response and in London. However, the product was a clarification of the status of two fungi not as we know chocolate today, and which have changed the history of cacao it was not until the 19th century that cultivation in the Americas, along with the process of extracting cacao butter the inevitable and incalculable socio- and adding milk was perfected and, as economic impacts. Indeed, they could they say, the rest is history (Grivetti play an even more pivotal role on the and Shapiro, 2009).
  • Conservation Report 2018

    Conservation Report 2018

    CONSERVATION REPORT 2018 Conservation Report 2018 1 CONSERVATION REPORT 2018 OUR MISSION is to conserve threatened species and ecosystems worldwide, choosing solutions that are sustainable, based on sound science, and which take into account human needs. 2 Kizilkaya. Zafer Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Credit: reef, and coral Turtle CONSERVATION REPORT 2018 Contents Highlights of 2018 4 Our Mission & Aims 6 How we work 7 Assessing the impact of our work 9 Aim 1: To conserve threatened habitats 10 and species Aim 2: To shape decisions within society to 16 benefit biodiversity Aim 3: To empower individuals and organisations 24 to lead innovative conservation action Aim 4: To invest in FFI’s own effectiveness 30 Research and dissemination 32 Lessons learned and looking forward 33 Annex 1. FFI’s priority species 2018 38 Annex 2. Quotes from project reports 40 Turtle and coral reef, Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Credit: Zafer Kizilkaya. Zafer Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Credit: reef, and coral Turtle Kizilkaya Zafer Island, Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Credit: island chain including Wayag limestone of View Cover: Stock. Front Tyakht/Adobe Victor Saiga. Credit: 3 CONSERVATION REPORT 2018 Highlights of 2018 8,645,173 ha 40 projects We conserved over 8.6 million helped to address the hectares of crucial wildlife habitat illegal trade in wildlife (that’s larger than Austria) We worked with priority 82 species We saw conservation gains for priority and at least 140 further species 105 sites 69species demonstrably benefited from our work We protected habitat at Landscapes
  • Council Letter

    Council Letter

    GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY INVESTING IN OUR PLANET Naoko Ishii CEO and Chairperson April 25, 2018 Dear Council Member: UNEP as the Implementing Agency for the project entitled: Regional (Antigua And Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts And Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines): Preventing COSTS of Invasive Alien Species (/AS) in Barbados and the OECS Countries,. has submitted the attached proposed project document for CEO endorsement prior to final approval of the project document in accordance with UNEP procedures. The Secretariat has reviewed the project document. It is consistent with the proposal approved by Council in June 2016 and the proposed project remains consistent with the Instrument and GEF policies and procedures. The attached explanation prepared by UNEP satisfactorily details how Council's comments and those of the STAP have been addressed. I am, therefore, endorsing the project document. We have today posted the proposed project document on the GEF website at www.TheGEF.org. If you do not have access to the Web, you may request the local field office of UNDP or the World Bank to download the document for you. Alternatively, you may request a copy of the document from the Secretariat. If you make such a request, please confirm for us your current mailing address. Sincerely, ~4 frl'Naoko Ishii Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson Attachment: GEFSEC Project Review Document Copy to: Country Operational Focal Point, GEF Agencies, ST AP, Trustee 18 I 8 H Street, NW • Washington, DC 20433 • USA Tel:+ I (202) 473 3202 - Fax:+ 1 (202) 522 3240 E-mail: [email protected] \ll\11\11 thPoPf nro GEF-6 REQUEST FOR PROJECT ENDORSEMENT/APPROVAL PROJECT TYPE: Full-sized Project TYPE OF TRUST FUND: GEF TRUST FUND For more information about GEF, visit TheGEF.org PART I: PROJECT INFORMATION Project Title: Preventing COSTS of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in Barbados and the OECS Countries Country(ies): Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, St.
  • Witch's Broom and Frosty Pods: Threats to World Cacao Production

    Witch's Broom and Frosty Pods: Threats to World Cacao Production

    Witches’Witches’ broomsbrooms andand frostyfrosty pods:pods: threatsthreats toto worldworld cacaocacao productionproduction Gareth W Griffith University of Aberystwyth, UK On several occasions, witches’ broom disease (WBD) has wrought havoc in the cacao industry of the New World. Frosty pod disease (FPD) is an equally devastating pathogen of cacao. It is not just our supply of chocolate that is at stake – people are losing their livelihoods. Cacao (Theobroma cacao L. [theo-broma = food of the gods]) The cultivation and consumption of cacao was wide- is a major cash crop in the moist tropics, grown mainly in spread in South and Central America in pre-Columbian West Africa, South America and South East Asia. With grow- times (including Amazonian cultures such as the ing demand for chocolate and cocoa-containing products, Yanomami), with the beans even used as currency by the cacao production has risen steadily.West Africa (Côte d’Ivoire, Aztecs. The Spanish adapted the original chocolatl drink by Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon) continues to be the main addition of sugar and spices, and its bitter taste and stimu- region for world cacao production with almost 70% of world lant effect (due to alkaloid theobromine) became popular supply. Indonesia is the main Asian producer having grown throughout Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. in production very rapidly in the 1980s and 1990s, masking After Cortes’ conquest of the Aztecs, cacao plantations had a decline in Brazilian production since WBD took hold there. spread to the Spanish colonies in the Caribbean (Jamaica), New plantings and rejuvenation of old farms are taking the Far East (Philippines) and South America (Ecuador).
  • Saint Lucia National Invasive Species Strategy

    Saint Lucia National Invasive Species Strategy

    Box SAINT LUCIA NATIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES STRATEGY 2012 - 2021 Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry and Fisheries SAINT LUCIA NATIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES STRATEGY 2012-2021 PREPARED BY Vasantha Chase Marie-Louise Felix Guy Mathurin Lyndon John Gaspard Michael Andrew David Lewis Ulrike Krauss October 2011 Carried out under the Project Mitigating the Threats of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean Project No. GFL / 2328 – 2713-4A86, GF-1030-09-03 Lionfish throughout the Caribbean region. The destructive FORE FOREWORD biological, social and economic impact of IAS has prompted Invasive alien species (IAS) are species whose introduction many nations to develop and implement National Invasive and/or spread outside their natural habitats threaten Species Strategies (NISS), because in dealing with IAS the biological diversity (CBD 2009). IAS are recognised as one best defense is a good offense. Once an IAS becomes of the leading threats to biodiversity, considered only second established, the cost of eradication is financially prohibitive to habitat loss in terms of negative impact. They are and a strain on a small island fragile economy like Saint imposing enormous costs on agriculture, forestry, fisheries, Lucia which is heavily dependent on the health of its natural and other enterprises, on human and animal health as well resources. Therefore efforts at prohibiting entry in the first as ecosystem services. Rapidly accelerating human trade, instance are a prudent and cost effective approach to IAS tourism, transport, and travel – the infamous “four Ts” - management. over the past century have dramatically enhanced the spread of IAS, allowing them to surmount natural geographic The Government of Saint Lucia, through its Ministry of barriers.
  • Standard Common and Current Scientific Names for North American Amphibians, Turtles, Reptiles & Crocodilians

    Standard Common and Current Scientific Names for North American Amphibians, Turtles, Reptiles & Crocodilians

    STANDARD COMMON AND CURRENT SCIENTIFIC NAMES FOR NORTH AMERICAN AMPHIBIANS, TURTLES, REPTILES & CROCODILIANS Sixth Edition Joseph T. Collins TraVis W. TAGGart The Center for North American Herpetology THE CEN T ER FOR NOR T H AMERI ca N HERPE T OLOGY www.cnah.org Joseph T. Collins, Director The Center for North American Herpetology 1502 Medinah Circle Lawrence, Kansas 66047 (785) 393-4757 Single copies of this publication are available gratis from The Center for North American Herpetology, 1502 Medinah Circle, Lawrence, Kansas 66047 USA; within the United States and Canada, please send a self-addressed 7x10-inch manila envelope with sufficient U.S. first class postage affixed for four ounces. Individuals outside the United States and Canada should contact CNAH via email before requesting a copy. A list of previous editions of this title is printed on the inside back cover. THE CEN T ER FOR NOR T H AMERI ca N HERPE T OLOGY BO A RD OF DIRE ct ORS Joseph T. Collins Suzanne L. Collins Kansas Biological Survey The Center for The University of Kansas North American Herpetology 2021 Constant Avenue 1502 Medinah Circle Lawrence, Kansas 66047 Lawrence, Kansas 66047 Kelly J. Irwin James L. Knight Arkansas Game & Fish South Carolina Commission State Museum 915 East Sevier Street P. O. Box 100107 Benton, Arkansas 72015 Columbia, South Carolina 29202 Walter E. Meshaka, Jr. Robert Powell Section of Zoology Department of Biology State Museum of Pennsylvania Avila University 300 North Street 11901 Wornall Road Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 Kansas City, Missouri 64145 Travis W. Taggart Sternberg Museum of Natural History Fort Hays State University 3000 Sternberg Drive Hays, Kansas 67601 Front cover images of an Eastern Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) and Cajun Chorus Frog (Pseudacris fouquettei) by Suzanne L.
  • Molecular Characterization of Moniliophthora Roreri

    Molecular Characterization of Moniliophthora Roreri

    MOL2NET, 2019, 5, ISSN: 2624-5078 1 http://sciforum.net/conference/mol2net-05 MOL2NET, International Conference Series on Multidisciplinary Sciences MDPI I International Biotechnology Congress, UDLA, Quito, Ecuador, 2019 Molecular characterization of Moniliophthora roreri, causative agent of moniliasis in cocoa in three provinces of Ecuador: Los Ríos, Manabí and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas Mollocana, D.a, Erazo, MP.a, Aguirre,X.a, Torres, ML.a a Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ. Laboratorio de Biotecnología Vegetal, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales. EC170157, Quito, Ecuador. Graphical Abstract Abstract. Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L) is one of the main agricultural products of Ecuador. However, it is susceptible to diseases and pests being those of fungal origin, the most common [1]. Black sheath Cacao cobs infected with moniliasis caused by Phytophthora sp., the witch's broom caused by Moniliophthora perniciosa, and moniliasis caused by Moniliophthora roreri are the most reported conditions. Moniliasis is M. roreri growth. in culture medium V8 and microscopic view considered the most destructive than all diseases of the culture (1000x magnification). that affect this crop [2]. M.roreri manifests itself on the cob of the plant and presents two phases of infection: the biotrophic where it can be seen malformations in the fruit, and the necrotic where rot and death of the fruit occur [3]. The spore masses break off the fungus pseudostroma and move by different mechanisms (wind, humans, animals, and water) [4]. The climatic conditions and the amount of free spores are determinants in the life cycle of this pathogen [5]. Nevertheless, the fungus is Phylogenetic Tree constructed from the M.
  • Studies of Neotropical Tree Pathogens in Moniliophthora: a New Species, M. Mayarum, and New Combinations for Crinipellis Ticoi and C

    Studies of Neotropical Tree Pathogens in Moniliophthora: a New Species, M. Mayarum, and New Combinations for Crinipellis Ticoi and C

    A peer-reviewed open-access journal MycoKeys 66: 39–54 (2020)Studies of Neotropical tree pathogens in Moniliophthora 39 doi: 10.3897/mycokeys.66.48711 RESEARCH ARTICLE MycoKeys http://mycokeys.pensoft.net Launched to accelerate biodiversity research Studies of Neotropical tree pathogens in Moniliophthora: a new species, M. mayarum, and new combinations for Crinipellis ticoi and C. brasiliensis Nicolás Niveiro1,2, Natalia A. Ramírez1,2, Andrea Michlig1,2, D. Jean Lodge3, M. Catherine Aime4 1 Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (IBONE), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET). Sargento Cabral 2131, CC 209 Corrientes Capital, CP 3400, Argentina 2 Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Av. Libertad 5470, Corrientes Capital, CP 3400, Argentina 3 Department of Plant Pathology, University of Geor- gia, Athens, GA 30606, USA 4 Department of Botany & Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907-2054, USA Corresponding author: Nicolás Niveiro ([email protected]); D. Jean Lodge ([email protected]); M. Catherine Aime ([email protected]) Academic editor: D. Schigel | Received 22 November 2019 | Accepted 24 February 2020 | Published 30 March 2020 Citation: Niveiro N, Ramírez NA, Michlig A, Lodge DJ, Aime MC (2020) Studies of Neotropical tree pathogens in Moniliophthora: a new species, M. mayarum, and new combinations for Crinipellis ticoi and C. brasiliensis. MycoKeys 66: 39–54. https://doi.org/10.3897/mycokeys.66.48711 Abstract The crinipelloid genera Crinipellis and Moniliophthora (Agaricales, Marasmiaceae) are characterized by basidiomes that produce long, dextrinoid, hair-like elements on the pileus surface. Historically, most species are believed to be saprotrophic or, rarely, parasitic on plant hosts.