In Vietnam's Mekong Delta, for example, a sixteenth-century Khmer pagoda in the city of Soc Trang called Wat Matahup, or Chua Doi – the Bat Pagoda – is home to a mixed colony of thousands of flying foxes (Pteropus vampyrus and Pteropus lylei). , which are listed by the IUCN as Near Threatened and Vulnerable, respectively. He then described four new species, supported by a combination of acoustic, morphometric and molecular data. 2013), who revised the Micronesian species Pteropus insularis and recognized two subspecies, P. The authors examined a series of specimens and evaluated morphological characters and conducted a thorough literature search for past names before revising the taxonomy of this species.
Taxonomy as a Conservation Planning Tool
- A Basic Question: What is a Species?
- Listing Species for Protection
- Downsides of Species Listing
- Inventory and Monitoring Programs
- Defining Protected Areas
- Estimating Extinction Risk and Extinction Rate
The phylogenetic uniqueness of a species is an important factor in conservation assessments (IUCN 1980; McNeely et al. 1990; Tisdell 1990). Bat predation on insects may also reflect arthropod abundance and species diversity (Kalka et al. 2008).
Impediments to Taxonomic Research
However, taxonomists are critically needed for research on understudied groups, such as bats, especially in developing countries. The reduction in the number of taxonomists in institutions in developed countries and the first increase in developing countries is complicated by a great deal of historical baggage.
Conservation in the Era of Molecular Phylogenetics
In contrast, Goodman et al. 2009) used a combined molecular and morphological dataset to resolve cryptic species in Miniopterus manavi. Simulation data suggest that more complete taxonomic sampling improves phylogenetic accuracy (Pollock et al. 2002).
The Problem of “Taxonomic Inflation”
Currently, the field of molecular phylogenetics is undergoing a major shift from locus-by-locus data collection to next-generation sequencing methods (also called high-throughput sequencing), which will enable the collection of huge data sets in a relatively short time. time (Faircloth et al. 2012; Lemmon et al. 2012; Lemmon and Lemmon 2012). For example, Zachos et al. 2013) identified several legitimate examples of cryptic species in African elephants, giraffes and European badgers.
Conclusion
It is important for taxonomists to state the methods used to delimit species so that new evaluations of candidates can be easily made in the future. Clearly written species descriptions based on multiple lines of evidence help preserve species identity over time, reducing long-term confusion about the species and its associated name.
Douangboubpha B, Sanamxay D, Xayaphet V et al (2012) Umuna a rekord ti Sphaerias blanfordi (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) manipud iti Lao PDR. Fenton MB, Acharya L, Audet D et al (1992) Dagiti Phyllostomid a bat (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) a kas dagiti mangipakita ti panagbingbingay ti pagnanaedan idiay Neotropiko. Goodman SM, Maminirina CP, Weyeneth N et al (2009) Panagusar kadagiti molekular ken morpolohiko a karakter tapno marisut ti taksonomiko a kinasiasino dagiti kriptiko a sebbangan: ti kaso ti Miniopterus manavi (Chiroptera, Miniopteridae).
Larson S, Jameson R, Etnier M et al (2002) Loss of genetic diversity in sea otters (Enhydra lutris) associated with the 18th and 19th century fur trade.
Networking Networks for Global Bat Conservation
Introduction
First, conservation networks can be particularly effective in dealing with issues that operate at multiple spatial and temporal scales, thereby preventing a mismatch between the scale at which conservation actions are carried out and that of the problem (Guerrero et al. 2013). Epstein et al. 2009; Breed et al. 2010), while the continuous north-south latitudinal orientation of the Americas has promoted seasonal migration across boundaries in several lineages (Popa-Lisseanu and Voigt 2009). Stable taxonomy is essential for conservation (Tsang et al. 2015) and may accordingly require international collaboration to solve taxonomic puzzles and test systematic hypotheses about taxa distributed across multiple countries (e.g. Ith et al. 2011).
From a temporal standpoint, because bats are long-lived (Wilkinson and South 2002), decades of observations/monitoring may be required to detect population numbers responding to disturbance or management (Meyer et al. 2010).
Existing Bat Conservation Networks
- Commonalities of Existing Networks
- Origins and Activities
- Structure and Membership
- Challenges to Network Sustainability
Communications Electronic newsletter, web presence, annual meeting of the Advisory Committee (AC), quadrennial meeting of the Parties to the Agreement. To promote the conservation of all wild bat species and their habitats across Europe, for the benefit of the public. Primary activities Member of the European Habitats Forum that tries to influence European environmental policy, active within the Eurobats agreement.
Key objectives that guided the work undertaken: Discovery Establish the capacity of the landscape to support viable bat populations.
What We Can Learn from Theories of Network Structure and Function
- Network Structure and Function
- Structural Characteristics of Effective Conservation Networks: Within Subgroup Cohesion, Across
Centralized networks in which a few individuals are highly connected (Fig. 17.3b) also have benefits and costs. Moreover, high network centrality can make the network vulnerable to the removal or dysfunction of some central actors, and to asymmetries of influence and power (Ernstson et al. 2008). Recent reviews (Vance-Borland and Holley 2011; Mills et al. 2014) suggest that polycentric networks in which multiple, heterogeneous subgroups are connected by bridging ties retain the greatest diversity of response options.
Moreover, during periods of stability, actors must be provided with opportunities to develop new relational ties with others, which can then be used in times of change (Olsson et al. 2006).
- Strengthening Existing Networks
- Filling Regional Gaps—Establishing New Networks
- Networking Networks for Global Coverage
A coordinated global network initiative to develop this program worldwide could reap similar benefits for bat diversity, especially if the network develops mechanisms to support and monitor the protection of sites after designation. As described above (Section 17.2.1), most bat conservation networks are already modular and comprise subgroups defined geographically or thematically. Thematic groups promote the functional diversity of the network as a whole, but it can take time to develop trust and strong ties within them.
Given that most actors in bat conservation networks are volunteers, networks will be more sustainable if actors are not only committed to the network's overall goals, but also see.
Recommendations
The challenges of establishing and maintaining a global network of networks are essentially the regional networks' great limitations of time, resources, communication and trust. Equally important to communication and expectations is the diversity of the networks themselves; establishing bridging links between networks mainly made up of researchers and conservation practitioners (RELCOM, SEABCRU) and those made up of NGOs (BatLife Europe), for example, requires forethought and the active promotion of trust among actors. Acknowledgments We thank the following sponsors of the networks: Bat Conservation International, Beneficia Family Foundation, British American Tobacco Biodiversity Partnership, The Brown Foundation Inc.
World Wind Energy Association (WWEA Half-year Report http://www.wwindea.or g/webimages/WWEA_half_year_report_2014.pdf.
Cute, Creepy, or Crispy—How Values, Attitudes, and Norms Shape Human
Introduction
As human populations grow and encroach on remaining bat habitat, human-bat interactions increase, often with negative consequences for both parties due to disease relationships (Schneeberger and Voigt 2016), occupation of human habitats (Voigt et al. 2016), and frugivorous conflicts. crops (Abdul Aziz et al. 2015). Bat conservation in this respect is no different from any other aspect of biodiversity conservation; attempts to reduce many threats to bats ultimately depend on changing human behavior (Stern 2000; Ehrlich and Kennedy 2005; Schultz 2011; St John et al. 2013; Veríssimo 2013; Clayton and Myers 2015). Unfortunately, only imparting environmental knowledge to people is rarely sufficient to encourage nature conservation, so there is a huge amount of research in the social sciences, especially social psychology (St John et al. 2010;.
These constructs have provided frameworks for empirical assessments of environmental and wildlife attitudes and behaviors, and more recently new disciplines have emerged such as the human dimensions of wildlife (Manfredo 2008; Decker et al. 2012) and conservation psychology (Clayton and Myers). 2015). years, as more and more social scientists specialize in environmental or biodiversity conservation.
Theories of Behavior and Behavioral Change
But communication across disciplines requires some mutual understanding of the theory and practice of each discipline. Although the TPB has been a mainstay of attitude-behavioral theory and research since its introduction and has received considerable empirical support (Armitage and Conner 2001), the application of the TPB to conservation is more recent (St John et al. The strength of the components (attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control) and the beliefs that underlie them can be measured through interviews or questionnaires that ask the respondents their level of agreement with the example statements.
This not only provides the overall probability of a behavior, but also identifies the different influence of the components and thus targets for intervention (adapted from St John et al.
Values .1 Theory
- Empirical Values
The influence of this seminal work is still present, with value orientations influencing attitudes and behavior more specifically towards wildlife being variably described as mutuality/harmony/protection versus materialism/dominance/mastery/use orientation (e.g. Fulton et al. 1996; Manfredo and Teel 2008). Pro-environmental behavior is usually positively correlated with self-transcendence values (Stern et al. 1998; Stern 2000). Although values are difficult to influence and change, there has been recent interest in their use in communication strategies designed to motivate behavior maintenance (Clayton et al.
The "Common Cause for Nature" publications consist of a detailed report and a practitioner's guide (Blackmore et al. 2013a, b) commissioned by 13 UK conservation organisations, including the Bat Conservation Trust.
Attitudes .1 Theory
- Empirical Attitudes Toward Animals and Factors Affecting Them
- Prior Attitudes and Values of Wildlife and Nature
- Previous Experience and Knowledge
- Relationship Between Species and Humans—Cultural Significance and Utility Value
- Human Perceptions of Individual Species
Many people report that bats scare them (e.g. Kahn et al. 2008); they have a negative affective response that can lead to negative attitudes. Attitudes may be based on a utilitarian object appraisal function in communities that view the bats as a source of bushmeat or income to feed their families (e.g. Kamins et al. 2014). Kamins et al. 2014) asked Ghanaian bat hunters and sellers what value bats have for people.
18.3.2) to develop a value-based theory of environmental attitudes, which they describe as egoistic (reflecting concern about environmental problems for the self), altruistic (concern about the effects on others, such as friends, family, community and future generations ) ), and biospheric (concern with living things, regardless of their value to humans) (Stern and Dietz 1994; Stern et al. 1993).
Social Norms
Educational materials that both target behavior and emphasize bat ecosystem services are a start (see Appendix 3 of Kamins et al. 2014), but it is unclear how effective these approaches are, and further research on such "mixed messages" is greatly needed. This division is important because appeals involving these conflicts may not change behavioral intention (Cialdini 2003, McDonald et al. 2014). In short, descriptive and prescriptive normative messages should be aligned and, whenever possible, used together (Cialdini 2003; Kinzig et al. 2013).
Sacred caves and rocks provide similar protection elsewhere with known examples from Ghana (Hens 2006) and Kenya (Metcalfe et al. 2009).
Assessing Attitudes, Values, and Norms
This is crucial if the prevalence of a particular behavior (such as bat-hunting) is the endpoint of the study, and is even more important if the aim of the study is to assess whether attitudes are good predictors of behavior (e.g. St John et al. 2011). Recent uses of sensitive tools for human health research questions (eg, condom use in HIV research) to “break the rules” of conservation result in much higher reporting of illegal activities than conventional approaches (St John et al. 2013; Nuno and St John 2015). ). If non-sensitive characteristics (attitudes or demographics) can predict sensitive behaviour, then identification of target audiences for intervention is greatly facilitated (St John et al. 2013).
As emphasized in the introduction, we need to work directly with social scientists (Mascia et al.
Recommendations
In: Voigt CC, Kingston T (eds) Bats in the Anthropocene: bat conservation in a changing world. US Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Kellert SR, Westervelt MO (1983) Children's attitudes, knowledge, and behavior toward animals. In: Voigt CC, Kingston T (eds) Bats in the Anthropocene: bat conservation in a changing world.
In: Voigt CC, Kingston T (eds) Bats in the Anthropocene: bat conservation in a changing world.
