Assessing African Vultures as Biomonitors and Umbrella Species

African vulture populations are rapidly declining, yet funding and other resources available for their conservation are limited. Improving our understanding of which African vulture species could best serve as an umbrella species for the entire suite of African vultures could help conservationists save time, money, and resources by focusing their efforts on a single vulture species. Furthermore, improving our understanding of the suitability of African vultures as biomonitors for detecting environmental toxins could help conservation authorities to detect changes in ecosystem health. We used a systematic approach based on criteria selected a priori to objectively evaluate the potential of each of the 10 resident African vulture species as (i) an umbrella species for all of the African vulture species, and (ii) an avian biomonitor. For each criterion, we scored the respective African vulture species and summed the scores to determine which species was best suited as an umbrella species and as an avian biomonitor. Our results showed that, overall, certain aspects of vulture ecology (large population sizes, large body sizes, long lifespans, and their ability to be monitored over numerous seasons) support their suitability as biomonitors, while other ecological traits, including their diets and the public's perceptions of vultures, could diminish their suitability. The White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) was the best fit of the 10 vulture species in our assessment as both an avian biomonitor and an umbrella species for all African vulture species. Meanwhile, significant knowledge gaps for other species inhibit their utility as biomonitors. Due to their large home-range sizes, African vultures may only be useful as biomonitors at a regional scale. However, there could be value in using the White-backed Vulture as an umbrella species, as an aid to conserve the entire suite of African vulture species.

Eciton Army Ants—Umbrella Species for Conservation in Neotropical Forests

Identification of priority areas for conservation is crucial for the maintenance and protection of biodiversity, particularly in tropical forests where biodiversity continues to be lost at alarming rates. Surveys and research on umbrella species can provide efficient and effective approaches to identify potential areas for conservation at small geographical scales. Army ants of the genus Eciton are keystone species in neotropical forests due to their major role as top predators and due to the numerous vertebrate- and invertebrate associated species that depend upon their colonies for survival. These associates range from the iconic army ant-following birds to a wide range of arthropod groups, some of which have evolved intricate morphological, behavioural and/or chemical strategies to conceal their presence and integrate into the colony life. Furthermore, Eciton colonies require large forested areas that support a diverse leaf litter prey community and several field-based and genetic studies have demonstrated the negative consequences of forest fragmentation for the long-term maintenance of these colonies. Therefore, Eciton species will not only act as umbrella for their associates but also for many other species in neotropical forests, in particular for those that require a large extent of forest. This review summarises past and recent accounts of the main taxonomic groups found associated with Eciton colonies, as well research assessing the impact of forest fragmentation on this army ant, to encourage the adoption of Eciton army ants as umbrella species for the identification of priority areas for conservation and assessments of the effect of disturbance in neotropical forests.

Prioritizing areas for conservation outside the existing protected area network in Bhutan: the use of multi-species, multi-scale habitat suitability models

Context Understanding the environmental and anthropogenic factors influencing habitat selection of multiple species is a foundation for quantifying human impacts on biodiversity and developing effective conservation measures. Objectives To determine the effect of multiple scales of environmental/topographic and anthropogenic variables and landscape patterns on habitat suitability of terrestrial mammals in Bhutan, assess the effectiveness of the current protected area network, identify areas of high species richness outside of the existing protected area, and evaluate the potential effectiveness of indicator and umbrella species for conservation planning. Methods We modelled multi-scale habitat selection of sixteen species of terrestrial mammals across Bhutan using data from a nation-wide camera trap survey. We used the predicted species distribution maps to assess the multi-species conservation effectiveness of the existing protected area network. We performed simulations to identify high priority areas for multiple species based on their habitat suitability, proximity to existing protected areas and overall connectivity within the predicted distribution of species. We used correlation analysis among predicted occurrence maps and multivariate cluster analysis to identify potential indicator species. We evaluated the potential utility of each species as umbrella species by assessing how well optimal protected areas for that species would protect suitable habitat for all 16 species simultaneously. Results Protected areas and forest cover were strongly associated with habitat use of most modelled species. Additionally, topographical features, like terrain roughness and slope position, contributed to habitat selection of multiple species, but often in different ways. Environmental and topographical variables were mostly selected at medium to broad scales. Anthropogenic variables (agriculture and built-up areas) were negatively associated with habitat suitability of most species at both fine and broad scales. Conservation effectiveness assessment of existing protected areas found protected areas in south-central Bhutan have high effectiveness in terms of both mean and total richness protected. Similarly, biological corridors in the south-central region offered high mean richness protection. Our simulation of optimal areas for additional protection found areas abutting protected areas in southern Bhutan offered high relative species richness protection. Our umbrella species analysis found muntjac, wild pig, serow, sambar and Asian golden cat are the most effective umbrella species for broader biodiversity protection. Our indicator species analysis found tiger, gaur, dhole, clouded leopard, Asian black bear and common leopard as effective indicator species. Conclusions This study highlights the need to protect optimally located species-rich areas outside the current protected areas. This kind of multi-species habitat assessment provides important information to optimize future conservation and development plans at national and regional scales.

Analisis Semiotika Foto Jurnalistik: Evakuasi Orang Utan Sekarat Karya Jessica Helena Wuysang

This study aims to determine the meaning contained in the journalistic photo by Jessica Helena Wuysang which is published on the AntaraFoto website. As is well known, photojournalism is an image taken by a photographer or journalist for press publishing needs. Independent photojournalism is not only for complementary text. A picture can tell a lot more than a story. This study used Charles Sanders Pierce's semiotic analysis method to examine photos of dying orangutans in Kalimantan. Pierce's semiotics is used to determine signs through the triadic model and its tricotonomic concepts, namely representament (sign), object and interpretant. The results of the study show that the object in the photo describes an orangutan who is in pain due to burns. Then, the interpretation is that orangutan is a rare animal, there is still someone who wants to help an orangutan who is in pain, namely a medical officer. In addition, the meaning that can be taken is to make a lesson for all audiences in Indonesia not to carelessly burn land that is occupied by rare wildlife. If the orang-utan as an umbrella species really ceases to exist, the ecosystem life and diversity that exists around it will be threatened.Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui makna yang terdapat didalam foto jurnalistik karya Jessica Helena Wuysang yang dimuat di website AntaraFoto. Seperti diketahui foto jurnalistik merupakan gambar yang diambil oleh juru foto ataupun jurnalis untuk kebutuhan penerbitan pers. Foto jurnalistik bersifat Independen bukan hanya untuk pelengkap teks. Sebuah gambar dapat bercerita lebih banyak dibandingkan sebuah tulisan berita. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode Analisis Semiotika Charles Sanders Pierce untuk meneliti foto orang utan sekarat yang ada di Kalimantan. Semiotika Pierce dipakai untuk mengetahui tanda-tanda melalui model triadic serta konsep trikotonominya, yaitu representament (sign), object dan intepretant. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa objek didalam foto tersebut menjelaskan orang utan yang sedang kesakitan akibat luka bakar, Lalu, interpretannya adalah orang utan termasuk hewan langka, masih ada seseorang yang ingin membantu orang utan yang sedang kesakitan yaitu petugas medis. Selain itu, Makna yang bisa di ambil adalah menjadikan sebuah pembelajaran oleh semua kalangan khalayak yang ada di Indonesia untuk tidak sembarangan untuk membakar lahan yang ditempati oleh satwa liar langka. Jika orang utan sebagai spesies payung benar-benar tidak ada lagi maka kehidupan ekosistem maupun keanekaragaman yang ada di sekitarnya akan terancam.