Conference Fund - Report
Christian Devenish
Brief report on conference
I attended the Spatial Ecology & Conservation 2 conference at Birmingham University, organized by Ecological Research & Training Ltd. ( I presented a poster, titled, ‘Variations in bird abundance in the Tumbesian region, Peru - implications for conservation’,giving preliminary results of one of the analysis chapters of my PhD (see attached pdf).
During the poster session, I talked to several people interested in my research, and had the opportunity to compare notes on species distribution modelling techniques, including aspects such as filtering occurrence records, selection of background or pseudo-absence points, modelling methods, and performance metrics. I also sought opinions on one of the central themes of my PhD on comparing field-based abundance and probability of occurrence from model outputs.
The conference themes of especial interest to me were: 1) Realising the full potential of remotely sensed data for conservation, 2) Understanding species’ distributions, 4) Advances in mapping & analysing terrestrial & marine systems, 5) Decision support tools for conservation. For example, the keynote presentation by Antoine Guisan on species distribution modelling, a central aspect of my PhD, as well as many of the talks on this area of research, presented new methods such as ensemble techniques and fine scale distribution models, among others.
I had the opportunity to talk to my external advisor, Graeme Buchanan, who gave a keynote presentation on remote sensing, as well as go to talks on recent advances in this area, including habitat mapping, and population monitoring. Using remote sensing for accessing habitat variables in models is also an important part of my PhD, I had the opportunity to talk to people with experience in using remotely sensed variables to include in species distribution models, such as canopy cover.
Finally, I attended a training session on Marxan, a site selection software for conservation areas, given by Jeff Ardron, one of the main proponents of this technique and programme.
In summary, the conference was very relevant to my research themes, provided the opportunity to get acquainted with recent advances in methods and meet people with similar research interests as mine with potential for collaboration.
Poster abstract
Variations in bird abundance in the Tumbesian region - implications for conservation
Christian Devenish1,2, Stuart Marsden1
1. Manchester Metropolitan University, United Kingdom; 2. Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad, Perú
The dry forests of the north Peruvian coast and their associated avifauna are a global priority for conservation. Information on bird abundance, its variation over species’ ranges, the factors that influence this variation and how these relationships can be modelled, is important for determining extinction risk, pinpointing conservation priorities at a site level and for implementing management decisions on the part of environmental authorities. We obtained field data on abundance, habitat association, and threats for 20 bird species at 26 sites on the north Peruvian coast, from the administrative region of Tumbes to Ancash, between June and October 2013. Of the study species, 16 are endemic to the Tumbesian region, two are globally threatened (Phytotomaraimondii, Myiarchussemirufus) and one is near threatened. Presence-only species distribution models were constructed for the same bird species, using museum and observation records, and environmental variables, including precipitation, temperature and NDVI. We present information on how bird abundances relate to position in geographic ranges, in niche space and to modelled probability of occurrence. We discuss whether relationships may be useful for determining population dynamics or vulnerabilities and, therefore, their implications for the conservation status of the species. Finally, we highlight recommendations and opportunities for their conservation.
See attached pdf for poster presented at conference.