Coastal development, logging, agriculture, and climate change are proving to be the nemesis of mangrove forests. The first ever assessment of mangrove species by the IUCN Red List found 11 out of 70 mangrove species threatened with extinction. Two of them Sonneratia griffithii and Bruguiera hainesii find a place in critically endangered list. In the past 60 years Southeast Asia has lost 80 percent of its mangrove ecosystems,
In the pursuit of development many countries forget that mangrove forests provide vital ecosystem functions. They conveniently overlook the fact in terms of monetary value, ecosystem services provided by mangroves works out to a staggering 1.6 billion US dollars annually.
Mangroves act as nurseries for a variety of fish and other marine species and act as buffers against erosion. They also provide carbon sequestration. During the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia the regions with mangroves suffered less damage than those without.
The study is a timely reminder of the imminent catastrophe. Details of the study appear in the latest issue of journal PLoS ONE.
Research is a primary component in conservation. Here is yet another example of constant research helping conservation. Researchers from McGill University have rediscovered a species of lemur, Sibree's Dwarf Lemur, more than a century after it was last spotted.
Sibree's Dwarf Lemur was first described in 1896, but no follow up measures were taken to study the species. Meanwhile lot of deforestation took place in the area and the species was not seen at all. The belief was that the species has gone extinct.
One dwarf lemurs at Tsinjoarivo, in Eastern Madagascar intrigued Dr Mitchell Irwin of McGill University who was doing explorative research in the area. He had an ankling that it was a new species. Genetic analysis of the species by Linn Groeneveld of the German Primate Center found the lemur to be the Sibree's Dwarf Lemur. Conservationists around the world are elated.
Scientists say without this genetic study, this species probably would have gone extinct in the near future.
Details of the discovery appear in the current issue of the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
A study on eel study published in the online edition of the Journal of Heredity authored by Joshua Reece a graduate student in biology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis and co-authored by Bowen, Allan Larson, PhD, professor of biology at Washington University and Reece’s advisor, and two biology undergraduate students at Washington University: Kavita Joshi, and Vadim Goz, makes very interesting reading. It is akin to a mystery novel.
Joshua Reece was startled to find seven species eels eating the same thing and, quite literally, living under the same rock. He asks “how cans this happen? Species don’t do that; if they exploit the same niche they don’t diversify, and if they diversify they don’t exploit the same niche.”
Reece and his colleagues collected two species of eels, the undulated moray (Gymnothorax undulatus) and the yellow-edged moray (G. flavimarginatus) from different locations across the Indo-Pacific Ocean, covering two-thirds of Earth’s surface. They were interested in finding out the genetic differences that might indicate interruptions in gene flow among populations of the eels now or in the past. They found both species to be genetically homogeneous across the entire ocean basin.
The mystery now takes a twist. How did these two species and the other 150 species of moray eel in the Indo-Pacific formed separate species?
The mechanism for speciation is geographic isolation. If one group gets separated from the other, by say a mountain range, natural selection and genetic drift gradually remodel the two similar groups into two dissimilar ones. Now we have to see whether there are barriers in the ocean that play the same role in speciation as the mountain ranges do on land. Eastern Pacific Barrier and the Sunda Shelf might be doing this but needs deeper probe.
The scientist looked at selected mitochondrial and nuclear genes and asked whether there were unique alleles of these genes and whether the degree of variance was correlated to geographic separation. They found lots of variation among the eel genes but virtually none of it had any geographic structure. The same alleles are found in South Africa as you do in Panama.
The scientists are keen to crack the mystery. If both species of eel are able to maintain genetic connectivity across the entire ocean basin, how did the species arise in the first place? When and how did they form separate species if their larvae make them nearly impervious to geographic isolation? Many of eel species share habitat, share distributions and share prey items. When that happens as per rule of thumb one species outcompetes the other and the loser fade in to oblivion. The rules don’t seem to apply to the morays and nobody has a clue to this mystery right now.
Forest plantations have acquired a bad reputation over the years. They are branded as 'Biological Desserts’. Latest research indicates that this need not be true in all cases. Well-planned biologically diverse plantations can actually alleviate some of the social, economic and ecological burden currently being placed on natural forests. They can also mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon, off-setting deforestation and reducing ecological strain on natural forests according to Alain Paquette from the Université du Québec à Montréal, who co-authored the study with colleague Christian Messier.
The researchers looked at the types of plantations currently in practice, their pros and cons and tried to arrive at the best methods for creating the greatest social, economic and environmental return.The researchers found that plantations were capable of ameliorating the ecological stressors placed on natural forests when used within an integrated forest zoning approach. This is to say is, any increase in plantations has to be matched by protected areas within the same landscape.
Alain Paquette adds “We have to look beyond the rows of uniform trees and evaluate plantations over larger temporal and spatial scales,". "Well-planned, multi-purposed plantations can help preserve high diversity, old-growth forests that would be cut otherwise.” "We can do better locally by using biologically diverse, multi-purposed plantations," "Theory and experimental works suggest that even more services could be produced with carefully chosen mixtures of species to promote the optimal use of resources."
By improving plantation design through less intensive soil preparation, mixed-species vegetation and greater tolerance of other species in long-term maintenance, the researchers believe that plantations can deliver social, economic and environmental services similar to that of natural forests.
"Our goal is to use low intensity forestry practices and increase the proportion of protected land in the area," Paquette says. The researchers hope that their model will support the practical applications of well-planned, biologically-diverse plantations worldwide.
Reference
Alain Paquette, Christian Messier (2010), The role of plantations in managing the world's forests in the Anthropocene. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment: Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 27-34.
The latest issue of Journal of Zoology has a very interesting paper on the ability of Common toads to sense an impending earthquake. This discovery has great portents in our pursuit of credible early warning system for earthquake. Nature itself is showing us a way. It also shows yet another reason to protect our biodiversity.
The clear cut evidence comes from the study of a population of toads which left their breeding colony three days before an earthquake that struck L'Aquila in Italy in 2009. Five days before the earthquake, the number of male common toads in the breeding colony fell by 96%. Usually once they have bred, the male toads remain active in large numbers at breeding sites until spawning has finished.
The quake was a 6.3-magnitude event. The colony was 74km from the quake's epicenter yet the toads reacted with great alacrity. The study was spearheaded by Dr Grant
This visible change in the toads' behaviour coincided with disruptions in the ionosphere, which researchers detected around the time of the L'Aquila quake using a technique known as very low frequency (VLF) radio sounding. This kind of changes in the atmosphere has been linked by some scientists to the release of radon gas, or gravity waves, prior to an earthquake. In the case of the L'Aquila quake, Dr Grant could not determine what exactly caused the disruptions in the ionosphere. However, her findings point to the fact that the toads can detect something that points to an impending earthquake.
Even though in the past fish, rodents and snakes have been shown to react shortly before earthquakes strikes, this is the first time that an animal has been shown to react to earthquake days in advance.
K.V Uthaman has sent a guest blog post requesting your help in protecting a tree that is used every year by a pair of endangered WHITE BELLIED SEA EAGLE to build nest and lay eggs. Unfortunately this tree stands on private property and the owner wants to sell off his land after hacking the tree. Read on what Uthaman has to say and chip in with your help. Uthman can be contacted at kvuthaman@gmail.com
WHITE BELLIED SEA EAGLE
Protect this tree to conserve most endangered bird of prey
White bellied sea eagle is an endangered bird of prey and its distribution in southern India is very sparse. The southernmost population is known up to Mahe.
White bellied sea eagle at Mahe
Near Mahe, there is a place called Puthalam. There is a huge mango tree near Puthalam Temple, which is about 35- 40 meters in height. Every year one pair of white bellied sea eagle comes here, build nest and lay eggs on this tree. One or two chicks are reared and they fly off when the young ones are mature enough to fly. The local people have never disturbed the bird all these years. On the contrary they watch the avian guests with fascination. It could very well be the same pair of birds that are coming here for the last many years.
White Bellied Sea Eagle guarding nestIn previous years, when there is more than one chick, one of them used to fall down from the nest. The fallen chick was carefully reared by one Mr. Venu, who is a tailor by profession and fond of birds. It becomes his head ache to protect the bird and feed them fish even to the tune of Rs. 150/- per day. When the chicks are grown up and ready to fly, Venu allows them to fly off. This year also one chick fell down and it was cared for and reared by Venu
A
White Bellied Sea Eagle Chic that has fallen from the nest at
Puthalath and reared by Mr. Venu
The land in which the tree stands is under private ownership and now the owner wants to sell the land after cutting the tree. The agitated local people approached the owner and requested him not to fell the tree. He agreed not to fell the tree till the chicks are grown up and fly off. Now the birds have flown off after breeding. This tree may be cut any time now. The poor white bellied sea eagle will come here next year also looking for the tree for nesting. The local people vouch that the birds have been coming here, at least for the last 10 to 15 years.
It is hypothetical but by virtue of their using the tree for the past many years the birds have become more or less the owners of the tree. The question is whether anybody has got the right to cut the tree and destroy the maternal home of this endangered bird. But sadly it is going to happen. It is a big question how to protect this tree and the species which is using the tree during their breeding season. If such trees are felled you could very well imagine the plight of the species. The tree is presently under the threat of axe. It may not be possible to protect the tree with the local initiatives alone. Mahe being part of Pondicherry State, pressure has to be exerted on Government of Pondicherry to protect the tree. We may even haveto think of paying compensation to the landowner and acquire the land to protect the tree.
We seek your help in protecting this tree.
K V UTHAMAN
kvuthaman@gmail.com
White bellied sea eagle with pearl spot brought to feed its young
A White Bellied Sea Eagle Chic that has fallen from the nest
Our understanding of predator-prey relationship has undergone sea changes with the publication of latest research findings. As a wildlife manger I followed the findings with great interest.
Some of the the findings shake our present concepts about predator prey relationships and calls for changes of management strategies in some wildlife reserves. I have posted a piece on this fascinating research in my other blog. Click here to read it.
Butterflies are a sight to behold anytime. They are as source of inspiration even for the urban people with their miniscule gardens. Sadly butterflies are on the decline worldwide.
Butterfly experts from around the world are meeting in Reading, Berkshire, attending Butterfly Conservation's Sixth International Symposium against the backdrop of declining butterflies worldwide.
Sir David Attenborough who is President of Butterfly Conservation says "Butterflies are sensitive indicators. They decline when habitats are destroyed and when man harms the environment. We have known about butterfly losses in Britain for over 50 years. Now there is mounting evidence that it is a global problem. If butterflies are disappearing, other wildlife will be declining too. Some will be facing extinction. "
The conference is part of the attempt to assess the success of efforts around the world in meeting the United Nation's target of halting biodiversity declines by 2010. Sir David adds halting biodiversity loss is on a par with getting a man on the moon in the 1960s.
Tahrcountry wishes the very best for the conference and hopes that something concrete would emerge from the deliberations to halt the decline of the butterflies.
The Doha conference has clearly exposed the limits of environmental co-operation when it comes to CITES. CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) imposes restrictions of varying severity on the trade on 5,000 species of animals and 28,000 plants. Everything looks rosy on paper but ground realities are very grim.
CITES suffers from limited funding and no legal powers to enforce its rulings on member states. Smugglers and poachers have devised ways to overcome official restrictions. Internet has emerged as one of the chief threats.
The agreement between 175 member states of CITES is very tenuous. There are increasing attempts to breach the consensus. Look at what has happened to Blurfin Tuna. After intense lobbying, Japan succeeded in stonewalling attempts to impose a ban on Bluefin tuna fishing. Trade in red and pink coral also went the same way with pressure from Italy and China. The species is on its way to extinction. Short-term national interests ride roughshod over science and conservation.
CITES clearly needs a shot in the arm. Member countries will have to give preference to science and conservation over their parochial interests if the organization is to achieve what it is intended for.
The information from nature that we regularly cull never ceases to amaze me with its complexities. Sometimes it makes you feel humble. The latest issue of Journal ofExperimental Biology has some fascinating information about octopuses. Believe it or not the octopuses are far more excited by HDTV when compared to standard definition TV.
The research was headed by Ms Renata Pronk from Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia and colleagues. The team collected gloomy octopuses (Octopus tetricus) from Sydney Harbour, transferred them to a tank at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science and exposed the octopuses to three HDTV videos, recording the animals' response.
In experiments evaluating how the creatures react to moving images, the animals responded far more vigorously to HDTV than standard definition TV. HDTV has roughly five times as many pixels as standard definition TV (SDTV).
Scientists say Octopuses appear to be intelligent animals. They respond to their environment with brilliant colour changes. They have relatively high standard eyesight.
The scientist also demonstrated that gloomy octopuses have "episodic personalities", which means their personality varies over time. One day an octopus would react excitedly to the crab video, but it would show little interest on another day. Crab is a favorite food of octopuses.
I was fascinated to read in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciencesabout the forensic identification using skin bacterial communities. Scientists Noah Fierera and associates at the University of Colorado in Boulder have been able to identify individuals based on the bacteria they leave behind on their computers.
Every individual harbours a mix of microbe that’s different from their neighbors. This has been effectively used by Noah to identify specific individuals. There is a high degree of interindividual variability in the composition of bacterial communities.
Skin-associated bacteria can be readily recovered from surfaces, including computer keys and computer mice.
The signatures can be recovered for up to 2 weeks at room temperature. The scientist say the new discovery introduces a forensics approach that could eventually be used to independently evaluate results obtained using more traditional forensic practices.
