SCB 24th Annual Meeting P1.122 Abeli, T; Parolo, G*; Bonomi, C; Zubani, L; Varotto, C; Lega, M; Dipartimento di P1.19 ABI-SAID, MOUNIR R.*; Abi-Said Marrouche, Diana M.; Leader-Williams, Nigel; Ecologia del Territorio - University of Pavia, Trento Natural History Museum, Dipartimento American university of Beirut, University of Cambridge; [email protected] di Ecologia del Territorio - University of Pavia, Trento Natural History Museum, Edmund Effect of Zoo-based Educational Programme on Biodiversity Conservation Mach Foundation; [email protected] Slowing the rate of species' extinction is vital for the future wellbeing of humankind. Absence of differences in fluctuating asymmetry (FA) between small populations of the Conservation education programmes (CEPs) can help bring this about especially if young narrow endemic Aquilegia thalictrifolia (South-Eastern Alps, Italy). people are targeted. CEPs running outside classrooms have a greater impact than traditional Increased FA of morphological traits occurs under environmental and genomic stress, being classroom programmes. Nevertheless, evaluations that compare passive, with more active linked with heterozigosity, population size and performance, and environmental factors. The zoo education approaches are uncommon. In this study, we compare the impact of passive aim of this work was to analyse such relationships in Aquilegia thalictrifolia, a narrow self-guided tours with active seminars on the attitudes of zoo visitors using the much reviled endemic plant species, occurring in 15 small populations in the Garda Lake area. We studied striped hyaena Hyaena hyaena syriaca as a case study. We administered questionnaire differences in FA between all the populations, measuring 1830 leaves and petals of 150 interviews to students, both before entering the Animal Encounter "Educational Center for flowers. Relationships between FA and performance, population size, density and degree of Wildlife Conservation", Lebanon, and after they had experienced either a self-guided tour or isolation were analysed. According to other studies, leaf and flower asymmetry were only a 45-minute awareness raising seminar after their tour. Most students (>80%) held negative slightly correlated. FA did not differ between populations, and also between the core area of attitudes towards hyaenas, and these attitudes were particularly influenced by information distribution and two very far disjunctions. We found no significant relationships between FA provided by their parents, However, many (~65%) concurrently accepted that hyaenas and performance of the populations, and between FA and population size and density. The played a positive role in the environment, and showed some support for their conservation. lack of significant results concerning FA variation differs from most of the known literature. The overall zoo-education programme was very effective at changing attitudes, in the This could be explained by considering that environmental conditions and genetic diversity immediate short-term at least. Furthermore, the active approach was much more effective are affecting homogeneously the FA through the whole species range. A further step of our overall than the passive approach, a message that has important for implications for other work will be the analysis of the heterozigosity on the same individuals measured for the FA, zoo-based conservation programmes. with the aim of understanding if, despite the lack of significant FA, genetic diversity varies among populations of A. thalictrifolia. This information may provide further insights into the evolutionary history and conservation status of this recent endemism. P2.28 Abilhoa, VA*; Vitule, JRS; Bornatowski, H; Freitas. MO; Grupo Pesquisas P1.61 Abolaji Mayowa Akinyele*; Adekunle Segun Oke; University Of Ibadan,Nigeria/ Ictiofauna, Museu Historia Natural Capao da Imbuia, Prefeitura de Curitiba; Guildhall College London,London., Osun-state College of Education, Nigeria; [email protected] [email protected] Conservation of threatened freshwater fishes of the Atlantic Rainforest in Southern TOPIC: An Investigation of Environmental Education Knowledge for Sustainable Brazil: check list, protection priorities and impacts of human activities Development in High School Sectors. The water demands and human negative impacts on ecological integrity are huge threats to There has been an increasingly growing concern in the last decade about the quality of our the freshwater fish of the Atlantic Rainforest biome. We studied the most threatened fish environment and sustainable development; its relationship with development and our lack of (based in IUCN criteria and our experience in the specific local) present in freshwater care for the environment. This had devastated the quality of life of living organisms and habitats of the Atlantic Rainforest coastal region into Paraná State, Southern Brazil (~ which eventually led to the worldwide environmental crisis in the last decade. This is 25ºS and 48ºW). This region has an extensive process of the expansion of urbanization, heightened by failure to employ effective means of creating and developing in the student's which includes littoral cities like Paranaguá and Pontal do Paraná, both near to Curitiba environmental awareness and positive attitude towards the natural environment. Also, there (one of the biggest cities of Brazil). Data on species distribution and microhabitat were has been growing international concern about issues such as how the earth's resources are recorded. We checked primary threats for each species: habitat loss due to water demands, being depleted, the consequences of global warming, social inequality, poverty and illegal deforestation and urbanization, introduction of non-native species and pollution. Most starvation and growth in the world's population. These environmental problems brought threatened species are Mimagoniates lateralis - (VU), Rachoviscus crassiceps - (EN), about a number of seminars and conferences at national and international level to create a Scleromystax macropterus - (VU), Spintherobolus ankoseion, all included in the Brazilian global awareness of the current campaign for the propagation of environmental protection Red lists, but unfortunately none appears into IUCN list, a fact that needs to be corrected. and conservation for sustainable development. Among the seminars and conferences Impacts as alien species introduction and pollution might have synergetic effects with organised specifically to address this issue of environment and sustainable development are climate changes phenomena, an important fact that needs to be considered in management the stckholm conference on human environment held in 1972; the finish National strategies for tropical freshwater fish conservation. commission for UNESCO at Jaimini in 1974; the Tbilisi conference of 1977, the United Nations Conferences on environmental issues, popularly known as the Earth summit, which was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992 and the most recent world conference on global warming held at Istanbul, Turkey in July,2009. 3-7 July 2010, Edmonton, Alberta 1 SCB 24th Annual Meeting SY67 Abrams, R.W.*; Anwana, E.D.; Ormsby, A.; Dovie, D.B.K.; Ajagbe, A.; Abrams, A.; P2.80 Abril-Pulido, E*; Pachón-Matute, C; Barragán-Barrera, D; Asociación Akuaippa; Long Island University, University of Greenwich, Eckerd College, University of Ghana, [email protected] Nigerian Conservation Foundation, University of Cape Town; [email protected] Bird monitoring to conservation el Salitre wetland in Bogota: strengthening local Integrating Top-Down with Bottom-Up Conservation Policy in Africa conservation efforts Developed nations intervened in conservation policy across in Africa during the 20th Bogota Savannah was greatest Lake Humboldt 20000 years ago. Early XX century, there Century to address perceived needs to protect species and biodiversity. By the 21st Century, were 50000 ha of wetlands in Bogota, but at time this area has reduced to around 800 ha, due conservationists in Africa have revised that perception and begun the process of identifying principally human activities like industry, city-planning expansion, and agriculture. Actually, conservation priorities from an African perspective, and in consideration of Africans' there are 13 wetlands and 2 associated lakes in Bogota. El Salitre wetland is aquatic area that priorities. While foreign conservation interveners struggled to identify mechanisms to which contains migratory and resident bird's species. Around this wetland, there are some local people would respond, African conservationists are now demonstrating how to urbanization and recreational areas that affect this natural habitat. Due city-planning integrate the continent's unique socio-economic circumstances into efforts to protect expansion District Administration wanted to build a greatest area to realize massive events biodiversity. In Africa, effective conservation policy must include the generation of wealth, on El Salitre. At date, we have realized bird monitoring and we have registered this region is reduction of disease and hunger and support of traditional land use practices. very important for birds like core habitat, since this site offer them food and protection. Migratory species like Vermivora peregrina, Porzana carolina, Porphyrio Martinica, Actitis macularia, Piranga rubra, Contopus coopei inhabit this area. Birds in El Salitre wetland use primarily the area