I know a lot of marine mammal scientists from my time at St Andrews University, where my fish behaviour group shared a building with the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU). Hopefully they will be happy to know that their enthusiasm for cetaceans left an impression on me, and has even led me to write up a short note which was published in 2014, and has recently been made available online... Rather than the cutting-edge science that my colleagues in SMRU are engaged with, this paper, published in the local peer-reviewed journal 'Living World: Journal of the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists' Club', simply highlights an unexpected encounter with a large school of dolphins in Tobago. However, in doing so I hope to highlight the importance of recording and sharing such seemingly 'ordinary' sightings. |
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Last week I was interviewed by local journalist Shereen Ali about our work on recreational disturbance of T&T's rivers. I think she did a great job at getting the central messages of the research across and raising awareness of the potential impact we can have on aquatic biodiversity (see bottom of post for downloadable pdf of article).
This post originally appeared on my research group's website.
Every year, the El Socorro Centre for Wildlife Conservation design and present an outreach exhibit at a science fair in Point Fortin, near the south-westerly tip of Trinidad. This year the theme was to be the wildlife of Matura, with an emphasis on the freshwater fish, so the Centre’s founder, Ricardo Meade, asked me to assist. I was more than happy to get involved, and while Ricardo and his team had the hard task of constructing tanks and catching fish, I set to work illustrating and researching the various species to compile a set of educational posters and labels to accompany the display. This wasn’t hard as most of the species were those that we commonly come across on our BioTIME surveys. Thursday 22nd May was the International Day for Biodiversity. As part of Trinidad’s celebrations, I was invited to take part in a panel discussion on biodiversity at an event at the local Green Market. This post originally appeared on my research group's website.
On Sunday 21st September, 166 countries around the world held ‘People’s Climate’ Marches to coincide with the international climate summit in New York City. I am based in Trinidad and Tobago, where I study patterns of biodiversity – including the effect that humans can have on this biodiversity. As one of the greatest threats facing biodiversity is climate change, it is an issue I feel passionately about. So, I was delighted to hear that T&T would also be hosting their very own People’s Climate March on the same day as the events in NYC, London and all over the world. This week Professor Anne Magurran attended the Euroscience Open Forum (ESOF) in Copenhagen, accompanied by a film that was produced by Steve Smart of the School of Biology to explain what the BioTIME project is all about. The video features some great presenting skills from Dr Iain Matthews, and some rather shaky amateur camera work from me! I think it gives a nice impression of what my fieldwork in Trinidad's Northern Range is really like, and what the project is all about... Below is a press release I have written to promote a paper that was recently published in the journal 'Ostrich': The lakes of Kenya’s Rift Valley boast spectacular pink aggregations of lesser and greater flamingos. Over the last 20 years these populations have suffered a series of unexplained mass mortality events, during which hundreds of thousands of birds die over a period of just a few months. Not only is this a distressing sight to witness, it is also a serious concern for conservationists. The Rift Valley lakes represent the largest of four populations of this species worldwide – consisting of around 1.5-2.5 million birds. Because only a handful of salt lakes support this huge population, these mysterious die-offs have the potential to threaten the global health of the species. Suggested causes for the die-offs range from infectious diseases such as avian tuberculosis and avian cholera, to poisoning by cyanobacterial toxins, insecticides or heavy metals. This variety of potential causes means that over the years studies have been undertaken by researchers from many different disciplines, each using different approaches. The result has been samples that cannot easily be compared with each other, and no consensus on the underlying cause. There is a real need for the standardisation of sample-taking and examination if we are to understand the causes of mortality in these birds. In a paper published this month in the journal ‘Ostrich’, Professor John Cooper, Dr Amy Deacon and Dr Thomas Nyariki present tried and tested protocols for the post-mortem examination of flamingos, so that we will be better prepared in the event of future die-offs. The strength of these easy-to-follow protocols lies in their flexibility, which allows them to be adjusted according to the available labour and number of dead birds. When there are many birds and/or few staff, the ‘super-fast track’ form ensures that the most essential data and vital samples will be prioritised; when there are fewer birds and/or more people, instructions for a comprehensive examination can be followed. Professor Cooper has confidence that the new protocols will prove vital to conservation efforts: “We believe that collecting standardised samples and measurements will be the key to finally finding the cause of these highly concerning events, and ultimately being able to prevent future die-offs and protect this globally important population.” As well as being important primary consumers in the soda lake ecosystem, the promise of the once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing these stunning pink birds in their millions draws large numbers of international tourists to the Rift Valley. With 15,000 visitors each year to Lake Bogoria alone, the long-term protection of this species is of great economic, as well as ecological, importance to the region. Cooper, J. E., Deacon, A. E., & Nyariki, T. (2014). Post-mortem examination and sampling of African flamingos (Phoenicopteridae) under field conditions. Ostrich, 85(1), 75-83. I co-wrote this press release for the paper 'How reproductive ecology contributes to the spread of a globally invasive fish' published in the journal PLoS one: Think twice before setting free unwanted pet fish, say scientists. The release of a single female guppy into the wild can generate entire new populations, even with no males present, according to new research. New research by biologists at the University of St Andrews and the University of the West Indies on this popular ornamental species, reveals how its ability to keep on reproducing has earned the guppy its reputation as one of the world’s most invasive fish. The study, published today (Monday 19th September 2011), reports that the apparently harmless release of guppies into the wild has led to the fish being found in every continent with the exception of Antarctica. The guppy, whose native home is Trinidad and the north-eastern fringe of South America, is now present in over 70 countries worldwide. Since a single female guppy can establish a viable new population, the research demonstrates that even well-intentioned releases of discarded pets can contribute to the loss of biological diversity. St Andrews lead researcher Dr Amy Deacon commented, “Our findings show that the range of the guppy has expanded dramatically since the early 1900s”. The scientists began by surveying hundreds of fish biologists around the world. Responses confirmed that the two most important routes of guppies finding their way into the wild are the escapes of ornamental fish, and deliberate introductions designed to control the larvae of mosquitoes that spread malaria. In places such as Southern India, guppies are routinely released into water troughs, wells and small ponds for mosquito control. Although self-contained at first, heavy rains and flooding mean that the fish eventually find their way to streams and rivers where they come into contact with native fish. Dr Deacon continued, “Usually only one or a few fish are released. We know that the vast majority of species introduced to a new habitat in this way are unable to survive, let alone establish a population, which left us with a huge question mark.” To try to solve this mystery, the researchers conducted a simple experiment, in which single wild female guppies were placed into outdoor tanks. After two years, they discovered that almost all of the tanks contained populations of guppies, each founded by just one female. Dr Deacon explained how this finding might explain their success as an invasive species, “Sperm storage is an excellent adaptation for living in constantly changing habitats, and it might also explain the guppies’ global success. Female guppies can store sperm in their reproductive tracts for many months after mating, and this enables single fish to establish populations, even when no males are present. “We also found that these populations kept all of the important behaviours that wild guppies have, so they would be well-equipped for surviving in a new environment.” Dr Deacon continued, “Our study shows why we should be cautious when releasing exotic species. “Seemingly harmless activities such as a child freeing a few pet fish or a concerned householder using guppies to control mosquitoes, can ultimately contribute to the reduction of biodiversity in freshwater habitats across the world.” The research, published by the journal PLoS ONE, was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and the European Research Council. This press release led to several features in the print and online media, including: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-14972053 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2039857/A-brood-apart-Household-pet-fish-favourites-turn-tropical-terrors-released-wild.html http://news.stv.tv/tayside/270928-plenty-of-fish-effect-down-to-single-wild-females-say-scientists/ http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/a-solitary-female-guppy http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=4324 http://www.neatorama.com/2011/09/22/one-female-guppy-is-enough-to-invade-an-ecosystem/ |
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