Ten ways remote sensing can contribute to conservation.

In an effort to increase conservation effectiveness through the use of Earth observation technologies, a group of remote sensing scientists affiliated with government and academic institutions and conservation organizations identified 10 questions in conservation for which the potential to be answered would be greatly increased by use of remotely sensed data and analyses of those data. Our goals were to increase conservation practitioners' use of remote sensing to support their work, increase collaboration between the conservation science and remote sensing communities, identify and develop new and innovative uses of remote sensing for advancing conservation science, provide guidance to space agencies on how future satellite missions can support conservation science, and generate support from the public and private sector in the use of remote sensing data to address the 10 conservation questions. We identified a broad initial list of questions on the basis of an email chain-referral survey. We then used a workshop-based iterative and collaborative approach to whittle the list down to these final questions (which represent 10 major themes in conservation): How can global Earth observation data be used to model species distributions and abundances? How can remote sensing improve the understanding of animal movements? How can remotely sensed ecosystem variables be used to understand, monitor, and predict ecosystem response and resilience to multiple stressors? How can remote sensing be used to monitor the effects of climate on ecosystems? How can near real-time ecosystem monitoring catalyze threat reduction, governance and regulation compliance, and resource management decisions? How can remote sensing inform configuration of protected area networks at spatial extents relevant to populations of target species and ecosystem services? How can remote sensing-derived products be used to value and monitor changes in ecosystem services? How can remote sensing be used to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of conservation efforts? How does the expansion and intensification of agriculture and aquaculture alter ecosystems and the services they provide? How can remote sensing be used to determine the degree to which ecosystems are being disturbed or degraded and the effects of these changes on species and ecosystem functions?

Enhancing the engagement of U.S. private foundations with conservation science.

Funding for conservation is limited, and its investment for maximum conservation gain can likely be enhanced through the application of relevant science. Many donor institutions support and use science to pursue conservation goals, but their activities remain relatively unfamiliar to the conservation-science community. We examined the priorities and practices of U.S.-based private foundations that support biodiversity conservation. We surveyed 50 donor members of the Consultative Group on Biological Diversity (CGBD) to address three questions: (1) What support do CGBD members provide for conservation science? (2) How do CGBD members use conservation science in their grant making and strategic thinking? (3) How do CGBD members obtain information about conservation science? The 38 donor institutions that responded to the survey made $340 million in grants for conservation in 2005, including $62 million for conservation science. Individual foundations varied substantially in the proportion of conservation funds allocated to science. Foundations also varied in the ways and degree to which they used conservation science to guide their grant making. Respondents found it "somewhat difficult" to stay informed about conservation science relevant to their work, reporting that they accessed conservation science information mainly through their grantees. Many funders reported concerns about the strategic utility of funding conservation science to achieve conservation gains. To increase investment by private foundations in conservation science, funders, researchers, and conservation practitioners need to jointly identify when and how new scientific knowledge will lower barriers to conservation gains. We envision an evolving relationship between funders and conservation scientists that emphasizes primary research and synthesis motivated by (1) applicability, (2) human-ecosystem interactions, (3) active engagement among scientists and decision makers, and (4) broader communication of relevant scientific information.

The Effect of Space-Use Patterns of Reintroduced Asiatic Wild Ass on Effective Population Size.

Empirical data on behavior, such as space-use patterns, are important to the success of animal reintroductions. We studied space-use patterns in a growing population of Asiatic wild ass ( Equus hemionus) reintroduced into the Ramon erosion cirque in the Negev desert, Israel. Between 1988 and 1995 we used direct observation to determine the location and association of males and females. All adult females and dominant males were individually recognized. Home ranges of dominant males overlapped little, suggesting that in this population males are territorial. After the first release of males and females into the wild, only one territory was established, and it covered most of the 20,000 ha of the cirque. After 6 years the number of male territories increased as the number of males in the population increased, and average territory size decreased. Male territories were near permanent and ephemeral water sources, but the water sources were at the peripheries of the territories and were not centers of activity. When there was only one territorial male, female home ranges were almost entirely within the territory. As male territory size decreased, so did the spatial association of females with a single male. During the breeding season, males spent more time in close association with female groups, adopting what may temporarily appear to be a harem breeding strategy. Although demographic and environmental factors pose a greater threat to small populations, our data support the hypothesis that in small, reintroduced populations of territorial, polygynous species, effective population size ( Ne  ) may be dangerously small. Our data suggest that this situation may last for several years until new males are recruited into the population. Thereafter, rapid male turnover and female use of several male territories may ameliorate this problem. We found no relationship between male turnover rate and female reproductive success. The establishment of more male territories is key to increasing Ne and should be the basis for planning reserves for territorial, polygynous species.

RESUMEN: Datos empíricos de conductas, tales como los patrones de uso del espacio, son importantes en el éxito de las reintroducciones de animales. Estudiamos los patrones de uso del espacio en una población en crecimiento de asnos asiáticos silvestres ( Equus hemionus) reintroducidos en la depresión por erosión Ramon en el desierto de Negev, Israel. Utilizamos observaciones directas entre 1988 y 1995 para determinar la ubicación y asociación de hembras y machos. Las hembras adultas y los machos dominantes fueron reconocidos a nivel individual. Los rangos de hogar de los machos dominantes se sobrepusieron poco, sugiriendo que en esta población los machos son territoriales. Después de la primera liberación de machos y hembras en el ambiente silvestre, solo un territorio fue establecido, y cubrió la mayoría de las 20,000 Ha de la depresión. Después de seis años, el número de territorios de los machos se incrementó al incrementarse el número de machos en la población y el promedio del tamaño territorial disminuyó. Los territorios de los machos estuvieron cercanos a fuentes de agua permanentes y efímeras; sin embargo, las fuentes de agua estuvieron en las periferias de los territorios y no fueron los centros de actividad. Cuando solo hubo un macho territorial, los rangos de hogar de las hembras estuvieron casi en su totalidad dentro del territorio. Cuando el tamaño del territorio de los machos disminuyó, el tamaño de la asociación espacial de las hembras con un solo macho disminuyó también. Durante la temporada de reproducción los machos pasaron más tiempo en cercana asociación con los grupos de hembras, adoptando lo que temporalmente aparenta ser una estrategia reproductiva de harén. A pesar de que los factores demográficos y ambientales representan una amenaza mayor para las poblaciones pequeñas, nuestros datos sustentan la hipótesis de que, en poblaciones reintroducidas pequeñas, de especies polígamas territoriales, el tamaño poblacional efectivo ( Ne  ) puede ser peligrosamente pequeño. Nuestros datos sugieren que esta situación podría durar por muchos años hasta que nuevos machos sean reclutados hacia la población. Es por ello que una tasa de incorporación rápida de machos y el uso de varios territorios de machos por hembras podría aminorar este problema. No encontramos una relación entre la tasa de incorporación de machos y el éxito reproductivo de las hembras. El establecimiento de más territorios de machos es clave para el incremento de Ne y debería ser la base de la planeación de reservas para especies polígamas territoriales.