Monitoring Research:


"Monitoring and Indicators" - through birds

-some of the goals of monitoring are following the population trends (positive or negative), watching how much certain threats (as well as defining threats) affect the populations, and seeing how well our action against threats help/hurt the populations being monitored
-why birds?
    +the idea of "saving birds" can motivate the public . . . public sees, admires certain species, and so there is more support/financing to support them
    +birds of all kinds live in ecosystems around the world (people are more familiar with them, then -- let's say -- a clam)
    +birds are very sensitive to change (side note from me: so are frogs because they live their lives in water/on land and eggs are vulnerable because they are suspended in water (chemical levels affect frog development), and on another side note from me:  birds are sensitive to fumes, gases, chemical pollutants : for example: miner's used to bring parakeets down in mine shafts because if the parakeet died, then the level of carbon monoxide were dangerously high)

-Example where birds were used to monitor changes:  DDT levels in the 1950s and 1960s killed many Peregrine Falcons (just one of the species that suffered) because it built up in concentration as it climbed up the food chain; according to the article, "as a result, in the 1970's some countries restricted or banned the use of DDT, and consequently experienced a rebound in  raptor numbers and a strong decrease in human contamination." ("Monitoring and Indicators", 2004)

Source:
Birdlife International (2004) "Monitoring and Indicators." <
http://www.birdlife.net/action/science/indicators/index.html>
 



"Birds as biodiversity indicator for sustainablility: a pan-European strategy"

an email I sent to Dr. Ian Burfield:

Dear Dr. Burfield,

My name is Allison Brown, and I am a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  I am currently involved in a class which seeks to develop new strategies for the preservation of the Galapagos.  One of our objectives is to identify indicators that allow us to monitor biodiversity.  As I was researching, I found a number of articles through Birdlife International's website, and began to understand the value of studying birds to watch for (and possibly prevent) severe changes in the environment and its natural resources.

Part of our goal is also to create or enhance monitoring techniques  To begin to do this, we need to understand what kind of methods are already in place to record population sizes and trends.  How exactly are the birds counted, and trends established?  What methods seem to be most accurate?  most time-consuming?  And what birds seem to be most valuable as indicators -- water or land birds, common or endangered (if there is a preference)?  Are there any counting systems which you would like to see improved or made more efficient?

On behalf of Team 5 of Las Tortugas, thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,
Allison Brown
(tor5@mit.edu)

In reference to this Source:
RSPB (a partner of Birdlife International in the UK) April 2003. "Birds as biodiversity indicator for sustainablility: a pan-European strategy." <http://www.birdlife.net/action/science/indicators/eur_biodiversity_indicators.pdf>



"Species Are Becoming More Threatened"

-(much information in article is based on onformation from the Red List Index for Critically Endangered birds)
-suggestions are being made to monitor the ecosystem through birds because they easier (for a number of reason) to monitor then other animals in the ecosystem such as fish or insects
-birds are also "fragile" enough so that they are strongly effected by changes in the environement -- they live around water, mountains, tundras, deserts . . . many ecosystems around the world
-"For the period 2000–2004, nearly half of threatened species (45% of 859) were judged by species experts to have deteriorated in terms of population or range size (box 2)."
-birds are a good way to monitor the environment worldwide -- but what about the Galapagos?  
-below numbered data is taken quoted directly from (2)
 

1. The world's birds are getting more threatened
Red List index based on numbers in categories from 1988–2004

2. Most threatened birds are deteriorating in status
Percentages in categories whose status is better/same/worse from expert assessment

3. Birds have deteriorated in status faster in some regions than others
Red List Indices for birds in different regions

4. Birds have deteriorated in status across all major habitat types
Red List Indices for birds in different habitats

5. Seabirds have deteriorated dramatically compared to other groups
Seabirds have deteriorated severely since the first global assessment of all birds in 1998


-Threats (many of them dealing with people): destruction of habitat, depletion of natural resources (over-fishing, over-farming), pollution (air, water, land, chemicals/diseases carried through other species), invasive species, parasites/new strains of diseases
-also problems with concentration of resources around the globe; wealthy versus poor, and commercial versus subsistance use of resources -- what about people who endanger species, but depend upon that way of life for survival?

-as Birdlife points out, resources are limited, so it is essential that people monitor species/changes that give the most information or simply put: the best indicators.
-politics also must be considered when forming any possible solution/plan for conservation
-inform public, and get the world involved (that is ideal -- but we can do the best we can)


This organization (Birdlife International) deals birds world-wide, but I believe some of their ideas can be used in how we look at the Galapagos.  They mention how hard it is to monitor the environment, and ideally we would want to monitor everything, but since that isn't possible, we have to settle for the next best: monitor species indicators, or species that will show us when something goes wrong.

I think that using birds as a way to the ecosystem is particularly relevant to the Galapagos Islands.  They are "islands" after all, habitats surrounded by water.  Seabirds and shorebirds come and go, following migratory paths or just feeding a few miles away from their permanent island residence.  The Galapagos also has an amazing variety of terrestrial birds -- finches, warblers, owls, and doves(to name a few).  Darwin's finches, for example, occupy an incredible range of environments.  Monitoring the finches themselves could help us understand/protect the ecosystem.  The This organization (Birdlife International) deals birds world-wide, but I believe some of their ideas can be used in how we look at the Galapagos.  They mention how hard it is to monitor the environment, and ideally we would want to monitor everything, but since that isn't possible, we have to settle for the next best: monitor species indicators, or species that will show us when something goes wrong. finches are already well-known in the general public through Charles Darwin, and could easily draw attention (possibly funding, too) if they were being threatened with the possibility of extinction. Already, the Waved Albatross (an endemic species on Espanola) is relatively well-known on the islands themselves and recognized also by many eager birdwatchers who come to the islands.  Frigatebirds, flamingos, penguins, and similar birds also draw attention (unique, colorful, strange birds), and people tend to want to protect these "unique" and "strange" species -- at least they seem more inclined to protect them versus let's say an endangered shrub.  Getting the public "behind" the project is important for success and almost essential as far as funding goes.

-Side Note:  I also sent an e-mail to "who is may concern" to Birdlife International's Contact E-mail address -- birdlife@birdlife.org (in the United Kingdom) and birdlife@birdlife.org.ec  (in Ecuador)

Sources:
(1)Birdlife International.(2004) Species Are Becoming More Threatened <http://www.birdlife.org/action/science/sowb/state/16.html>
           -- box: 2 -- <http://www.birdlife.org/action/science/sowb/case_studies/p16-17.pdf>  
                                              Pressure: What Birds Tell Us About Problems <http://www.birdlife.org/action/science/sowb/pressure/index.html>
                                              Response: What Birds Tell Us About Solutions <http://www.birdlife.org/action/science/sowb/response/index.html>
(2)Birdlife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK; Lynx Edicions and Birdlife International


"Conservación del Zamarrito Pechinegro, Ecuador"
-Note:  This article was in Spanish, and my ability to comprehend Spanish is limited, however, from what I did understand, it appears that Ecuador already has a branch of Birdlife International working on the mainland
-they are working on saving the "Zamarrito Pechinegro" which is a bird of some sort (Black-Breasted Puffleg)
-Anyway, I found it particularly interesting that Ecuador already has made some steps in conserving this particular bird, and so there might be a very real possibility that this organization would consider doing some research/promoting conservation on the Galapagos!  That would be exciting!

-I e-mailed the Ecuadorian connection to Birdlife International
- Robert Williams is a man working down there who I might try to e-mail (bsf@birdlife.org.ec)

Source:
Birdlife International. (2004) Conservacion del Zamarrito Pechinegro, Ecuador. <http://www.birdlife.org/action/ground/zamarrito_pechinegro/index.html>


"Save the Albatross"(this information can also be found in "Continuing Research" on my homepage)
According to the article, "longlining is the single greatest threat to the world's seabirds."  Many seabirds, such as the Albatross (including Espanola's Waved Albatross) are effected by long-line fishing.  The birds often fly just behind the longlining boats and try and snag the bait on the hooks as it is "released."  Longlining is very popular now-a-days because it costs less than regular fishing methods (nets, crates).  Among other problems dealing with long- problem is that they try and eat the bait, but get caught on the hooks which then drag them underwater until they drown.  Once the lines are "set," they sink, and the birds can't get to them. 

Possible Solutions presented by the article (low cost, too!) on how to minimize seabird deaths:

-"Towing bird-scaring (or tori) lines behind the vessel. These have plastic streamers tied to them that flap in the wind and scare birds away from the baited fishing line."
-"Using an underwater setting tube. These set the fishing line underwater out of reach of the birds."
-"Tying enough weights to the fishing line so that it sinks more quickly out of reach of the birds"
-"Using thawed not frozen bait as it sinks more quickly."
-"Dying the bait blue. This puts birds off eating it."
-"Setting lines at night. Most albatrosses feed mainly by day."
(all above solutions are directly from Birdlife International (2004))

The above measures are low-cost as well as favorable to the fishermen; the less bait that gets eaten by the birds, the greater chance of catching more fish.

The Agreement for Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (CAPA) is an agreement to reduce seabird deaths due to longline fishing.  "Five countries have both signed and ratified the Agreement (Australia, Ecuador, New Zealand, Spain and South Africa), guaranteeing its entry into force on 1 February 2004." This fact may be of particular importance to us because it means that Ecuador has shown its  willingness to compromise when important environmental issues are put forth to be solved.

The ideal goal for our group would be to find a feasible, cost-effective solution, and explore all the positive and negative aspects.  Translation: if we do all the research, then the plan has a greater chance of being taken seriously, and possibly address on the governmental level (or even international level).

Source:
Birdlife International.  (2004) Save the Albatross. <http://www.birdlife.org/action/campaigns/save_the_albatross/index.html> Downloaded October 2, 2004


"Measuring Global Trends in the Status of Biodiversity: Red List Indices for Birds"
-
Monitoring Techniques
Source:
Measuring Global Trends in the Status of Biodiversity: Red List Indices for Birds. Plos Biology: Volume 2. Issue 12. December 2004 <http://www.plosbiology.org/plosonline/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0020383> (follow link to full article)

List Interesting Organizations doing Conservation possibly related to what we're doing!
(many are partners with Birdlife International)
-Alliance for Zero Extinction <http://www.zeroextinction.org/>
-American Bird Conservancy <http://www.abcbirds.org/>,  2003 Annual Report (Conservation in the Americas) <http://www.abcbirds.org/anrep.pdf>
-Corporacion Ornitologica del Ecuador (CECIA) - <http://www.birdlife.org/worldwide/national/ecuador/index.html>
-Idea Wild - (where ideas can be suggested, and put into action) <http://www.ideawild.org/>

"Parasites Pose New Threat to Darwin's Finches"
-larvae of a (invasive species!) fly have been found in bird nesting sites -- infects chicks of Darwin's  finches
-List of Darwin's finches:
    Medium Ground-finch Geospiza fortis
    Small Ground-finch Geospiza fuliginosa
    Common Cactus-finch Geospiza scandens
    Large Tree-finch Camarhynchus psittacula
    Small Tree-finch Camarhynchus parvulus
    Woodpecker Finch Camarhynchus pallidus
    Warbler Finch Certhidia olivacea
    Mangrove Finch Camarhynchus heliobates
    Large-Ground-finch Geospiza magnirostris
    Sharp-beaked Ground-finch Geospiza difficilis
    Large Cactus-finch Geospiza conirostris
    Vegetarian Finch Camarhynchus crassirostris
    Medium Tree-finch Camarhynchus pauper

Source:
Birdlife International (2004).  Parasites Pose New Threat to Darwin's Finches.  
    -article can be found:<http://www.birdlife.org/news/pr/2002/11/709.html>

"Monitoring Sea birds"
-lava gull populations are decreasing (endangered/threatened species!)
-Galapagos penguins and flightless comorants are caught and tagged/marked with microchips (possibly used to put infotmation -- beak size, body weight, overall length -- info used later on)
-inhabitants (people) are allowed to fish within the Marine Reserve, however, there are certain areas where even they are not allowed to go -- "NO-TAKE-ZONES"
-a possible goal (of the Swiss Association for Friends of the Galapagos Islands) was to make the the habitats where these birds live "no take zones"  
Sources:  
Swiss Association of Friends of the Galapagos Islands. "Monitoring Sea Birds." (2001) <http://www.galapagos-ch.org/projects/monitoring/finalE.html>

"Distribution and Population dynamics of the Galapagos-albatross"

-endemic to Espanola, "population of "about twelve pairs" (1) -- "ring" birds to record numbers -- "since 1966, more than 8,000 albatross of Espanola have been ringed" (1), and "ringing" is continuing to help monitor species' success/improvement (we need to know whether or not the population trend is increasing/decreasing)
-threats -- impact of tourism, avian diseases, longline fishing
-Paste:  "The study also indicates a very low reproduction rate: a couple which lasts for 30 years, has only two chicks. During these years, the female lays about 25 eggs; with a survival of only 8%, the successful breeding rate is therefore extremely low. A population where the reproduction rate is so low and the survival rate of the chicks so unsure, increases very slowly, if it increases at all." (1)
-Galapagos tortoise populations are very similiar and they (albatross also) might take a very long time (a century, even!) to double in size

Source:
(1)Swiss Association of Friends of the Galapagos Islands.  "Distribution and Population dynamics of the Galapagos-albatross."  (2002)  <http://www.galapagos-ch.org/projects/albatrosse/albatrosEfinal.html>


Side note:  Tell Biopreserve to look at this site: < http://whc.unesco.org/archive/ecu-gal.pdf >  
                        -- "The National Congress; The Plenary Session of the Legislative Commissions"


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