Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, Aug 10, 2022
Ecological connectivity should be an important consideration in environmental assessment (EA). Ho... more Ecological connectivity should be an important consideration in environmental assessment (EA). How often and how thoroughly the analysis of ecological connectivity is integrated in the EA process is, however, unknown. We surveyed EA actors and stakeholders regarding their perceptions of, and experiences with, connectivity analysis in the context of EA. 134 practitioners, regulators, consultants, researchers, and interest groups from all inhabited continents participated. Over 72% of respondents stated that ecological connectivity should always be considered; however, it is often considered too late in the EA process, at a scale of analysis often unsuitable for capturing landscape-scale effects, and relying on overly simplistic metrics or qualitative approaches. This disparity between the availability of a range of quantitative tools and the poor consideration of connectivity in EA raises major concerns about current practice and the feasibility of connectivity analysis in project-based EA. Connectivity consideration will need to be required explicitly and supported by best-practice guidance to address the conditions that should trigger a connectivity analysis, the required types of approaches, and the kind of information required to inform decision-making.
Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, Dec 1, 2006
Agricultural expansion is a major driver for loss of biodiversity; changes in land use or intensi... more Agricultural expansion is a major driver for loss of biodiversity; changes in land use or intensity associated with trade liberalisation can therefore have major consequences. Assessments of the impacts of agricultural trade have tended to neglect biodiversity, despite its crucial role in maintaining productive agro-ecosystems. Advice on assessment of biodiversity impacts is required to support trade negotiations and reduce risks of unforeseen consequences for important biodiversity and those who depend on it for their livelihoods. This paper explores linkages between biodiversity and trade and draws on examples from the agriculture sector to reinforce the need to build a biodiversity-inclusive process for assessing impacts of trade policies and agreements.
Population declines and extirpations of large mammalian carnivores are major concerns for global ... more Population declines and extirpations of large mammalian carnivores are major concerns for global biodiversity conservation. Many large carnivores are vulnerable to conflict with humans and attract conservation attention for their flagship appeal and ecological importance. Coexisting with carnivores requires an understanding of carnivore distribution and abundance relative to human activities and disturbances. Such knowledge is often hindered by the rare and elusive nature of carnivores and the lack of systematic ecological surveys in biodiverse regions facing high levels of threat. The Caucasus Ecoregion is one such biodiversity hotspot harboring several threatened mammal species for which there is a paucity of reliable data, including brown bears (Ursus arctos). Caucasus brown bear populations have declined significantly from historical times and may be isolated and vulnerable to disturbance from development activities such as mining, as well as increasing hunting pressure. To inform land-use planning and bear conservation in the Caucasus Ecoregion, we conducted systematic surveys in May-October 2015 in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains within the Vayots Dzor region of Armenia. We used noninvasive genetic sampling, camera trapping, and statistical models that account for imperfect detection to estimate density and distribution of the bear population in the 1,000-km 2 study area. Across 34 sampling sites, we obtained 3,163 camera-trap photos of brown bears and genotyped 28 individual bears (7 males and 21 females). Spatially explicit capture-recapture models revealed an unexpectedly high density of bears (59.4/1,000 km 2 ; females = 44.6, 95% confidence interval, CI = 25.4-78.4; males = 14.8, 95% CI = 6.6-34.0), and multi-method occupancy models indicated that bears were distributed across most of the study area (ψ = 0.85; SE = 0.07). These results provide robust evidence that a significant population of brown bears persists in Armenia's Vayots Dzor region, despite a history of hunting and habitat loss that have driven declines in brown bear populations throughout much of the Caucasus Ecoregion. Continued persistence of this flagship species may be threatened by mining, poaching, and other anthropogenic pressures in the region, underscoring the urgent need for strategic conservation planning, impact mitigation, and expanded ecological monitoring within this biodiversity hotspot.
... If EIA is to be developed as a tool of environmental management which can help to realise the... more ... If EIA is to be developed as a tool of environmental management which can help to realise the goals of sustainability and biodiversity conservation, it is important that ecologists hould have a much greater input, particularly in developing 191 ? 1996 British Ecological Society ...
Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, Jun 1, 2005
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a potentially powerful tool for mainstreaming biodive... more Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a potentially powerful tool for mainstreaming biodiversity in planning and development. This special issue explores experiences from around the World to identify examples of effective integration, potential barriers and essential ingredients of effective SEA for the benefit of biodiversity. Biodiversity merits special consideration because of its fundamental importance to people's livelihoods, its accelerating decline as a consequence of human activity and the long “lead-times” ...
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, Feb 1, 1993
Occasionally a circumstance arises in nature that, treated imaginatively by a talented scholar, a... more Occasionally a circumstance arises in nature that, treated imaginatively by a talented scholar, allows unusual insights into cause and effect. Yossi Loya, an Israeli ecologist, recognized such an opportunity in his studies of coral communities in the GulfofEilat and has used the chance to gather further insights into the patterns of diversity and dominance in natural communities under various types of stress. His observations not only reveal further details of the structure and function of these communities, but reconfirm the importance of long-continued studies of specific sites to determine changes under way in response to intensified human inAuence, details that would otherwise be lost as the biota moves inexorably through various stages of impoverishment in response to uncontrolled chronic disturbance. Loya offers a case history study of a coral reef exposed in different places to oil pollution and climatic anomalies. While the circumstances seem specialized, they are increasingly common, and the observations Loya makes are emergent generalities, broadly applicable to natural communities under stress.
The Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (ITE) is a component research organisation within the Natura... more The Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (ITE) is a component research organisation within the Natural Environment Research Council. The Institute is part of the Terrestrial and Freshwater Sciences Directorate, and was established in 1973 by the merger of the research stations of the Nature Conservancy with the Institute of Tree Biology. It has been at the forefront of ecological research ever since. The six research stations of the Institute provide a ready access to sites and to environmental and ecological problems in any part of Britain. In addition to the broad environmental knowledge and experience expected of the modem ecologist, each station has a range of special expertise and facilities. Thus, the Institute is able to provide unparallelled opportunities for long-term, multidisciplinary studies of complex environmental and ecological problems. ITE undertakes specialist ecological research on subjects ranging from microorganisms to trees and mammals, from coastal habitats to uplands, from derelict land to air pollution. Understanding the ecology of different species of natural and man-made communities plays an increasingly important role in areas such as monitoring ecological aspects of agriculture, improving productivity in forestry, controlling pests, managing and conserving wildlife, assessing the causes and effects of pollution, and rehabilitating disturbed sites. The Institutes research is financed by the UK Government through the science budget, and by private and public sector customers who commission or sponsor specific research programmes. ITE's expertise is also widely used by international organisations in overseas collaborative projects. The results of ITE research are available to those responsible for the protection, management and wise use of our natural resources, being published in a wide range of scientific journals, and in an ITE series of publications. The Annual Report contains more general information,
provides data-holding institutions around the world with common standards and open-source tools t... more provides data-holding institutions around the world with common standards and open-source tools that enable them to share information about where and when species have been recorded. For more information, visit https://www.gbif.org. About IAIA IAIA-the International Association for Impact Assessment-is the leading global network on best practice in the use of impact assessment for informed decision making regarding policies, programs, plans and projects. IAIA is committed to the promotion of sustainability, the freedom of access to information, and the right of citizens to have a voice in decisions that affect them. IAIA promotes the free flow of complete, unbiased and accurate information to decision-makers and affected parties. This includes biodiversity information. IAIA's Best Practice Principles on Biodiversity-Inclusive Impact Assessment promote transparent approaches and the sharing of biodiversity data. IAIA actively encourages its members to encourage their clients to share data using the GBIF facility. For more information, visit https://www.iaia.org. Cover image Whale shark (Rhincodon typus), Australia. Photo 2009 Erik Schlogl via iNaturalist research-grade observations, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, Aug 10, 2022
Ecological connectivity should be an important consideration in environmental assessment (EA). Ho... more Ecological connectivity should be an important consideration in environmental assessment (EA). How often and how thoroughly the analysis of ecological connectivity is integrated in the EA process is, however, unknown. We surveyed EA actors and stakeholders regarding their perceptions of, and experiences with, connectivity analysis in the context of EA. 134 practitioners, regulators, consultants, researchers, and interest groups from all inhabited continents participated. Over 72% of respondents stated that ecological connectivity should always be considered; however, it is often considered too late in the EA process, at a scale of analysis often unsuitable for capturing landscape-scale effects, and relying on overly simplistic metrics or qualitative approaches. This disparity between the availability of a range of quantitative tools and the poor consideration of connectivity in EA raises major concerns about current practice and the feasibility of connectivity analysis in project-based EA. Connectivity consideration will need to be required explicitly and supported by best-practice guidance to address the conditions that should trigger a connectivity analysis, the required types of approaches, and the kind of information required to inform decision-making.
Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, Dec 1, 2006
Agricultural expansion is a major driver for loss of biodiversity; changes in land use or intensi... more Agricultural expansion is a major driver for loss of biodiversity; changes in land use or intensity associated with trade liberalisation can therefore have major consequences. Assessments of the impacts of agricultural trade have tended to neglect biodiversity, despite its crucial role in maintaining productive agro-ecosystems. Advice on assessment of biodiversity impacts is required to support trade negotiations and reduce risks of unforeseen consequences for important biodiversity and those who depend on it for their livelihoods. This paper explores linkages between biodiversity and trade and draws on examples from the agriculture sector to reinforce the need to build a biodiversity-inclusive process for assessing impacts of trade policies and agreements.
Population declines and extirpations of large mammalian carnivores are major concerns for global ... more Population declines and extirpations of large mammalian carnivores are major concerns for global biodiversity conservation. Many large carnivores are vulnerable to conflict with humans and attract conservation attention for their flagship appeal and ecological importance. Coexisting with carnivores requires an understanding of carnivore distribution and abundance relative to human activities and disturbances. Such knowledge is often hindered by the rare and elusive nature of carnivores and the lack of systematic ecological surveys in biodiverse regions facing high levels of threat. The Caucasus Ecoregion is one such biodiversity hotspot harboring several threatened mammal species for which there is a paucity of reliable data, including brown bears (Ursus arctos). Caucasus brown bear populations have declined significantly from historical times and may be isolated and vulnerable to disturbance from development activities such as mining, as well as increasing hunting pressure. To inform land-use planning and bear conservation in the Caucasus Ecoregion, we conducted systematic surveys in May-October 2015 in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains within the Vayots Dzor region of Armenia. We used noninvasive genetic sampling, camera trapping, and statistical models that account for imperfect detection to estimate density and distribution of the bear population in the 1,000-km 2 study area. Across 34 sampling sites, we obtained 3,163 camera-trap photos of brown bears and genotyped 28 individual bears (7 males and 21 females). Spatially explicit capture-recapture models revealed an unexpectedly high density of bears (59.4/1,000 km 2 ; females = 44.6, 95% confidence interval, CI = 25.4-78.4; males = 14.8, 95% CI = 6.6-34.0), and multi-method occupancy models indicated that bears were distributed across most of the study area (ψ = 0.85; SE = 0.07). These results provide robust evidence that a significant population of brown bears persists in Armenia's Vayots Dzor region, despite a history of hunting and habitat loss that have driven declines in brown bear populations throughout much of the Caucasus Ecoregion. Continued persistence of this flagship species may be threatened by mining, poaching, and other anthropogenic pressures in the region, underscoring the urgent need for strategic conservation planning, impact mitigation, and expanded ecological monitoring within this biodiversity hotspot.
... If EIA is to be developed as a tool of environmental management which can help to realise the... more ... If EIA is to be developed as a tool of environmental management which can help to realise the goals of sustainability and biodiversity conservation, it is important that ecologists hould have a much greater input, particularly in developing 191 ? 1996 British Ecological Society ...
Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, Jun 1, 2005
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a potentially powerful tool for mainstreaming biodive... more Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is a potentially powerful tool for mainstreaming biodiversity in planning and development. This special issue explores experiences from around the World to identify examples of effective integration, potential barriers and essential ingredients of effective SEA for the benefit of biodiversity. Biodiversity merits special consideration because of its fundamental importance to people's livelihoods, its accelerating decline as a consequence of human activity and the long “lead-times” ...
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, Feb 1, 1993
Occasionally a circumstance arises in nature that, treated imaginatively by a talented scholar, a... more Occasionally a circumstance arises in nature that, treated imaginatively by a talented scholar, allows unusual insights into cause and effect. Yossi Loya, an Israeli ecologist, recognized such an opportunity in his studies of coral communities in the GulfofEilat and has used the chance to gather further insights into the patterns of diversity and dominance in natural communities under various types of stress. His observations not only reveal further details of the structure and function of these communities, but reconfirm the importance of long-continued studies of specific sites to determine changes under way in response to intensified human inAuence, details that would otherwise be lost as the biota moves inexorably through various stages of impoverishment in response to uncontrolled chronic disturbance. Loya offers a case history study of a coral reef exposed in different places to oil pollution and climatic anomalies. While the circumstances seem specialized, they are increasingly common, and the observations Loya makes are emergent generalities, broadly applicable to natural communities under stress.
The Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (ITE) is a component research organisation within the Natura... more The Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (ITE) is a component research organisation within the Natural Environment Research Council. The Institute is part of the Terrestrial and Freshwater Sciences Directorate, and was established in 1973 by the merger of the research stations of the Nature Conservancy with the Institute of Tree Biology. It has been at the forefront of ecological research ever since. The six research stations of the Institute provide a ready access to sites and to environmental and ecological problems in any part of Britain. In addition to the broad environmental knowledge and experience expected of the modem ecologist, each station has a range of special expertise and facilities. Thus, the Institute is able to provide unparallelled opportunities for long-term, multidisciplinary studies of complex environmental and ecological problems. ITE undertakes specialist ecological research on subjects ranging from microorganisms to trees and mammals, from coastal habitats to uplands, from derelict land to air pollution. Understanding the ecology of different species of natural and man-made communities plays an increasingly important role in areas such as monitoring ecological aspects of agriculture, improving productivity in forestry, controlling pests, managing and conserving wildlife, assessing the causes and effects of pollution, and rehabilitating disturbed sites. The Institutes research is financed by the UK Government through the science budget, and by private and public sector customers who commission or sponsor specific research programmes. ITE's expertise is also widely used by international organisations in overseas collaborative projects. The results of ITE research are available to those responsible for the protection, management and wise use of our natural resources, being published in a wide range of scientific journals, and in an ITE series of publications. The Annual Report contains more general information,
provides data-holding institutions around the world with common standards and open-source tools t... more provides data-holding institutions around the world with common standards and open-source tools that enable them to share information about where and when species have been recorded. For more information, visit https://www.gbif.org. About IAIA IAIA-the International Association for Impact Assessment-is the leading global network on best practice in the use of impact assessment for informed decision making regarding policies, programs, plans and projects. IAIA is committed to the promotion of sustainability, the freedom of access to information, and the right of citizens to have a voice in decisions that affect them. IAIA promotes the free flow of complete, unbiased and accurate information to decision-makers and affected parties. This includes biodiversity information. IAIA's Best Practice Principles on Biodiversity-Inclusive Impact Assessment promote transparent approaches and the sharing of biodiversity data. IAIA actively encourages its members to encourage their clients to share data using the GBIF facility. For more information, visit https://www.iaia.org. Cover image Whale shark (Rhincodon typus), Australia. Photo 2009 Erik Schlogl via iNaturalist research-grade observations, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
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