Core Network Projects

How can we conserve biodiversity? 

The African Pollinator Initiative (website)

The African Pollinator Initiative (API) is the African network of the International Pollinator Initiative (IPI) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (Decision V/5, 2000). It is working to monitor pollinators, assess their economic contributions and promote their conservation.

Pollination is an essential ecosystem service and a prerequisite to all the other essential services provided by higher plants in terrestrial ecosystems; oxygen production, carbon sequestration, prevention of soil erosion and nitrogen fixation. Pollination is a fundamental requisite for sexual reproduction in plants. Although many plants reproduce vegetatively, sexual reproduction is needed for adaptation to environmental change, fruit set and seed production. Fruits and seeds, apart from being a source of food for people and animal, are the dormancy and dispersal phases of plants.

Just as there is diversity in the plant world, which creates different foods for the variety of animals and diverse diets for people, there are many different pollinators. Some pollinators are general and visit many different plants (they contribute to ecosystem resilience), others are attracted to specific plant species and only pollinate these plants (they create the uniqueness of ecosystems). The diversity of pollinators must be maintained to preserve diversity of life.

Pollinators, as the providers of an essential ecosystem service, require special conservation consideration:

• Some pollinators are uniquely linked to the plants they pollinate, like bees that pollinate their food plants. This interdependence requires ecosystem conservation for the preservation of species.
• They may nest far from the plants they pollinate, and are therefore severely affected by habitat fragmentation.
• They must be sufficiently abundant and diverse to provide an adequate service, and conservation strategies should maintain population densities of naturally abundant species.
• Rehabilitation of ecosystems with plant and pollinator species that have evolved unique pollination mechanisms will be difficult.
• Many pollinators are very sensitive to toxic chemicals, and other form of environmental degradation.

These special conservation considerations for pollinators lead to concern over pollinator declines throughout the world and resulted in the IPI. During the development of IPI much thought has been given to pollinator conservation and how the conservation of pollination, as an essential ecosystem services, differs from the conservation of species. Just as threatened species are red-data lists, threatened pollination services should be red-data-listed.

The purpose of API is to:

• Monitor pollinator decline, its causes and its impact on pollination services.
• Address the lack of taxonomic information on pollinators.
• Assess the economic value of pollination and the economic impact of the decline of pollination services.
• Promote the conservation and the restoration and sustainable use of pollinator diversity in agriculture and related ecosystems.

Thus API has much in common with other global initiatives:

• The Alien Invasive Species Programme (GISP); through habitat destruction, invasive pests and disease displacement by alien pollinators.
• The Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI), as taxonomic capacity is needed.
• The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), as API is working with other regions to develop a global catalogue of bees.
• The Millennium Assessment (MA), as assessment of the economic value of pollination is part of IPI’s mandate.

API’s has achieved much already:

• A network of 76 people in 15 countries: South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Egypt, Tunisia and Mauritania; others are interested.
• A pan-African Steering Committee A Secretariat housed in Environment Liaison Centre International (ELCI) and operated by Dino Martins (barbarag@elci.org)
• A workshop to develop a “Plan of Action”, held in Nairobi, Kenya, during 18-22 February 2002.
• A plan of action.
• A brochure on the need to conserve pollinators, and a second is in press.
• A web site: www.elci.org/api/

During the remainder of 2002 API will:

• Produce a publication of case studies on African pollinators, to be published in Insect Science and its Application.
• Be part of an application to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for project development funds.
• Contribute to the “Catalogue of Life,” a GBIF project, in which bees will be a pilot activity. The first group of pollinators will be bees of the family Apidae.

African pollinator experts have contributed extensively to IPI.

--Connal Eardley

Conserving and Increasing Use of Neglected and Underutilized Crop Species (website)

The International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) supports the conservation and use of neglected and underutilized crop species. IPGRI assesses the diversity and conservation status of a wide range of neglected crops through participatory regional programmes, and implements activities to enhance both varieties and their marketing. Neglected and under-utilized crop species—also known as ’orphan’ crops—have been overlooked by scientific research and by development workers, despite the fact that they play a crucial role in food security, income generation and food culture for the rural poor. This lack of attention means that the potential value of these crops goes unrealized. It also places them in danger of continued genetic erosion and ultimately disappearance, further restricting development options for the poor.

The importance of neglected and underutilized species
Global food security increasingly depends on a handful of crops. Just three crops—maize, wheat and rice—meet over 50% of the global requirement for proteins and calories; only 150 crops are commercialised on a significant global scale. Yet ethnobotanic surveys indicate that, around the world, 7000 plant species are currently cultivated or harvested from the wild for food. These species:

• represent an enormous wealth of agrobiodiversity with potential to contribute to improved incomes, food security and nutrition, combating the ’hidden hunger’ caused by micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) deficiencies;
• occupy important niches, adapted to the risky and fragile conditions of rural communities, since they:
  • have been selected to withstand stress conditions and contribute to sustainable production with low cost;
  • contribute to the diversity and hence the stability of agroecosystems, especially fragile ecosystems such as arid and semi-arid lands, mountains, steppes and tropical forests;
• provide a broad portfolio of crops to meet new environmental conditions, new markets and improve global food security.

The neglect of orphan species by science and development means that there are major gaps in our knowledge about these crops and thus our capacity to conserve and improve them. We do not know enough about their ecology or how to improve their yield and quality. Little has been done to identify the most effective commercialisation, marketing and policy frameworks to promote their use and maximise their economic value. All of these factors represent impediments to the successful promotion and conservation of the species.

IPGRI’s research on orphan crops
IPGRI’s research to increase the use and conservation of orphan crops focuses on priority species that:

• have local or regional importance for food security, nutrition and income generation;
• have potential for increased use;
• are under serious threat of genetic erosion.

During 2001 and 2002, local networks of farmers and scientists around the world will work to secure the genetic base of a range of orphan crops, will undertake to improve the quality and availability of planting materials, and will strengthen marketing and income generation activities. This global project will include: national workshops; genetic diversity, ethnobotanical, ecogeographical and agronomic surveys; community-led characterization of species; participatory variety selection and plant breeding programmes to improve varieties and enhance their competitiveness; programmes to improve local seed production, seed availability and crop processing and marketing; and integrated conservation of selected crop genetic resources.

Some of the activities carried out through IPGRI’s global project are described below.

Survey of pomegranate diversity in Central and West Asia and North Africa
Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a valuable fruit tree species, adapted to the fragile ecosystem of this region. Nevertheless, it is under threat due to lack of research and financial resources.

In 2001, the characterization of the largest ex situ collection of pomegranate (more than 1000 accessions held in Turkmenistan) will be completed, revealing for the first time a complete picture of pomegranate genetic diversity. In Syria, ecogeographic surveys and morphological and molecular characterization will be completed in 2002, yielding information on the diversity of pomegranate in cultivation and patterns of use. This should identify constraints limiting pomegranate deployment.

Pistachio genetic diversity in Syria and Asia
Pistachio is an economically important crop in Central and West Asia and North Africa. Its wild relatives play a fundamental role in the conservation of ecosystems due to their ability to withstand drought and poor soil conditions. They are also a source of genetic material for enhancing pest and disease resistance for cultivated varieties. But the resource base of Pistacia species is under threat from severe genetic erosion; local varieties are being replaced by a few commercial types and wild species are being destroyed by human activities. Thus, although pistachio is a main source of income for many countries in the region, including Iran, Turkey and Syria, it is a neglected species. Being destroyed does not make it neglected - scientists ignoring it does.

The IPGRI project will:

• assess and document the distribution of the genetic diversity of the Pistacia gene pool, and the degree of genetic erosion
• safeguard the genetic resources and associated knowledge through ex situ and in situ conservation across the CWANA region in areas where highest is their genetic diversity (e.g. Turkmenistan, Syria and Tunisia)
• improving the understanding of agromorphological and market-driven traits and exchange of materials and experiences across countries which will strengthen countries’ capacities in commercializing and promoting the multiple uses of this crop.

In Syria, an ecogeographic, socioeconomic and genetic diversity survey is nearing completion and a map of the genetic distribution of cultivated varieties of pistachio (Pistacia vera) in Syria and their agrobotanical traits will be published in 2001. In Central Asia (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan and Kazakhstan), surveys and collections are being conducted to study and rescue indigenous remnant populations of the progenitor of pistachio.

Conservation and use of native tropical fruit biodiversity in Asia
Over 400 edible tropical fruit species are found in Asia, both cultivated and wild (e.g. jack fruit, mangosteen, rambutan) and they are enormously important as:

• good sources of dietary vitamins, minerals and energy;
• sources of income and employment, especially for women;
• components of stable ecosystems including multi-crop agricultural systems;
• food and shelter to other species of plants and animals in forests;
• sources of medicines, timber, fuel wood and livestock feed.

Despite their importance, the diversity present in these species is eroding at a rapid rate.

In 2000, IPGRI in partnership with ten Asian countries (Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam) initiated a programme to refine techniques for fruit germplasm conservation and increase access to these technologies for researchers and gene bank managers. The programme will ultimately widen the genetic base available for improving the yield and shelf-life of the fruits, to make them more profitable for farmers to cultivate.

In 2001 and 2002, the project will:

• conduct ecogeographic studies to determine the extent and distribution of genetic diversity ;
• document, characterize, and evaluate genetic resources, including identifying elite material;
• collect and document indigenous knowledge;
• develop shared databases of accession information;
• develop ex situ conservation facilities for the collected germplasm;
• launch community-based conservation efforts;
• exchange information, technologies and germplasm among participating countries, i.e. Egypt and Yemen (CWANA Region), India and Nepal (Asia Region), Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru (Latin America Region)

Improving the nutritional resource base in Africa by enhancing the use of indigenous vegetables
Leafy vegetables, including subsistence crops and wild species, are important in the diet of many African people. The largest part of this resource is however neglected by researchers who paid little attention to their characterization, improvement and conservation. In spite of the low research attention, IPGRI research has shown that farmers do however actively cultivate leafy vegetables in different agro-ecosystems across Africa., where they are crucial for maximizing the productivity of small parcels of forest land where commodity crops may not provide as successful yields. The farmers use traits in the diverse wild populations to meet market demand for specific characteristics in produce. For example, bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) genotypes differ in their degree of bitterness and farmers select grow varieties that match the preferences of their customers. Maintaining leafy vegetables such as Solanum nigrum, Corchorus spp., Brassica carinata, etc. will be vital for protecting the livelihoods of low-income farmers in West Africa.

In 2001 and 2002, IPGRI’s research on leafy vegetables will continue to:

• assess consumption patterns across communities;
• use community participatory programmes to select the best genotypes;
• assess the role the species play in the health of local women.

Orphan species in Lebanon
In Lebanon many indigenous species, particularly medicinal and aromatic plants, are harvested from the wild and much appreciated by local populations, but this is increasingly threatening their survival. IPGRI is organizing the world’s first research, conservation and marketing work on these wild species, which include sage (Salvia spp.), oregano (Origanum spp.), chicory (Chicorium spp.) and Gundelia spp.

Research during 2001 and 2002 includes:

• assessments of the species’ ecogeographic distribution, use, constraints to improving their value and threats to their future exploitation;
• investigation of the agrobotanical traits that would enhance marketing of the species, in conjunction with socioeconomic surveys;
• development of priorities for a country-wide strategy to promote underutilized species;
• identification of sites for in situ/on-farm conservation;
• identification of breeding strategies to improve selected species, and development of programmes to produce seeds and disseminate germplasm from the improved varieties to farmers to enhance use of cultivated varieties, thus reducing pressures on wild populations;
• maintaining the material from extensive collecting missions in ex situ collections in local institutions.

Fig genetic resources in Syria
IPGRI is assessing the diversity, use and conservation of fig (Ficus carica) genetic resources in Syria and developing a methodology for sustainable management, using a complementary conservation approach that will assess:

• distribution, conservation and use of fig landraces in Syria using geo-referenced data;
• main agromorphological traits;
• cultivation and processing practices;
• indigenous information and socioeconomics related to figs;
• genetic erosion threats and potential sites for on-farm and in situ conservation.

Results from the ecogeographic, agromorphological and nutritional surveys will be available by the end of 2001.

International significance
Some activities coordinated by IPGRI are part of an international programme recently approved by the United Nations agency, IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development). The programme, currently focusing in seven countries (Egypt, Yemen, India, Nepal, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru), will endeavour to secure and exploit the full potential of the genetic diversity of key neglected crops and thereby increase incomes and strengthen the food security of small farmers and rural communities around the world. This international effort will mobilize scientists and communities to work closely together to promote more sustainable use of locally important crops such as Andean grains (quinoa), minor millets (finger millet) and medicinal and aromatic species.

The products of the international programme will include:

• information and publications on specific crops, their properties and nutritional value, knowledge of effective procedures to integrate orphan crops into development actions;
• a secure genetic resource base for the crops to be used in global development initiatives, especially those in marginal areas.

Meetings and other activities in 2001 and 2002 include:

October 2001:

• Meetings in El Arish (Egypt) established a detailed work plan for the enhancement use of medicinal and aromatic plants
• Workshops in La Paz (Bolivia), Ibarra (Ecuador) and Lima (Peru) finalized plans for research activities on Andean cerals such as quinoa and amaranth

November 2001:

• Meetings in Chennai (India) and Kathmandu (Nepal) reviewed the framework of activities on minor millets
• International Conference in Bamako (Mali) was held with the participation of six west African countries and representatives from donor agencies to promote conservation of fonio

Early 2002:

• Meeting in San’a (Yemen) to enhance use of medicinal and aromatic plants

Listen to Dr. Stefano Padulosi describe the work to conserve NUS on American National Public Radio’s program Living on Earth, "Turkmenistan Treasures".

-- Stefano Padulosi

The threat of extinction for many species, both known and as yet undiscovered, grows ever greater as whole ecosystems vanish, human populations proliferate, and human-mediated interference increases. A laudable effort is being made to organize seed-banks for plants, but for many species of both vertebrate and invertebrate animals, there are no organized attempts to store genetic material.

This project will coordinate a world wide attempt to store, for every endangered animal species, samples of DNA, DNA libraries, or frozen cells or tissues that could readily yield DNA for captive breeding programs. In other words, DNA banks for endangered species.

Captive breeding provides an insurance policy against extinction and for some species may be the only hope of survival. It requires input from population genetics to preserve high levels of genetic diversity, and from reproductive physiologists to promote the establishment of pregnancies, for example by artificial insemination. Cryopreservation of gametes and embryos has a role to play, while in the future, nuclear replacement cloning from established cell lines might prove of value. Such strategies may succeed in saving a small fraction of endangered species, at least for a time. These tools will be particularly powerful when used in conjunction with efforts to conserve the habitats in which populations restored by DNA techniques can live.

In 2001 and 2002, the first steps towards developing this DNA Bank for Endangered Species will take place. The location and types of DNA of endangered species stored in scattered facilities around the world will be identified and catalogued. The information will be maintained and published on a website to register these 'DNA' banks, listing who is responsible for them and which species they include. This systematic compilation will reveal which DNA resources exist already and reveal the gaps. Importantly, it will also help structure the conservation communities thinking about approaches for the enormous task of organizing DNA such that it may readily be used in species conservation efforts.

February 15, 2002 - The progress and preliminary results from this project will be presented by Project Co-Chair Dr. Oliver Ryder at a special IBOY symposium “Biodiversity Science and Global Research: The International Biodiversity Observation Year” at the American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting and Science Innovation Exposition, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Recommended Reading:

• Ryder, O. A., A. McLaren, Y. P. Zhang, S. Brenner, and K. Benirschke. 2000. Preservation of DNA from endangered species - Response. Science 289: 726-727.
• Morin, P. A. 2000. Preservation of DNA from endangered species - Letter. Science 289: 725-726.
• Poinar, H. N., and G. Eglinton. 2000. Preservation of DNA from endangered species - Letter. Science 289: 726.
• Ryder, O. A., A. McLaren, S. Brenner, Y. P. Zhang, and K. Benirschke. 2000. DNA banks for endangered animal species. Science 288: 275,277.

--Oliver Ryder and Anne McLaren

Indigenous Honeybees in the Himalayas: A community based approach to conserving biodiversity and increasing farm productivity (website)

Scientists and communities across five countries in the Hindu Kush region of the Himalayas are collaborating to better understand the role of native honeybee species in sustaining native ecosystems and farm productivity and to conserve these species.

Poverty and ecosystem fragility are two major constraints to development in the Hindu Kush Himalayas (HKH). Indigenous honeybees can play a very important role in addressing both issues; they pollinate important mountain crops and at the same time produce high value bee products. The indigenous honeybees include Apis dorsata, Apis florea and Apis laboriosa whose products are collected but these bees cannot be kept in hives, and Apis cerana which can be kept in hives. Traditionally bees in the HKH have been kept for the production of honey and other bee products, but as farmers turn increasingly towards cash-crops, their important role in pollination is increasingly recognized.

Survival of the native species is threatened by numerous factors:

• beekeepers are switching to the non-native, high honey-yielding species Apis mellifera, although Apis cerana offers benefits that are not often recognized by development workers and farmers, such as an ability to tolerate large temperature fluctuations that occur in the HKH and pollinate early flowering crops
• global change, including habitat loss and climate change, which is reducing mountain flora and nesting sites
• pesticides, which are increasingly used in apple and pear orchards
• ecotoursim and resulting natural resource extraction and pollution of previously pristine watersheds

In order to maximize the benefits from the native HKH honeybee species and therefore promote their conservation, their important role in conserving native ecosystems and increasing farm productivity must be better understood. The International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and partners have embarked on a program to better understand these issues through participatory research that links scientists and local communities, and integrates information on native bees, ecosystems and people.

The main activities of the project are:

• Apis cerana selection and management – 113 beekeepers are generating selection data for selecting better bee colonies in their regions, and 14 apiaries are being maintained to generate structured information on Apis cerana selection.
• Integration of pollination in farming systems – experiments are conducted to examine the impact of native honeybee pollination on vegetable and fruit crops, and networking. Education programs are raising awareness among farming communities of the role of honeybees in pollination.
• Promotion of indigenous honeybees and honey hunting communities – ICIMOD is helping traditional honey-hunting communities organize to increase their income from honey. Partnerships with local institutions are working to promote honey-hunting responsible ecotourism in Nepal.
• Training, extension, networking and capacity building – beekeepers, farmers, and honey-hunting communities are being trained to understand and build capacity to maximize the economic and ecological benefits of native honeybees for their communities.
• Marketing and micro-enterprise development – programs with local partner institutions are helping expand markets for honey and other bee products (wax and salves) from local scales to regional and national scales.

The project hopes to yield:

• increased number of farmers raising Apis cerana as an income-generating activity
• increased income for communities involved in native beekeeping and honey-hunting
• increased farm income through pollination services of local bee species
• strengthened institutional capacity of bee related organizations in the HKH

Information resulting from this project is being made available to multiple sectors of societies:

• academic papers from ICIMOD researchers and partners are being published throughout 2001 and 2002
• 4 books and manuals have been published
• posters and a project brochure have been produced
• in August 2001 a film on pollination issues was released as a video for policy-makers in the region
• the project’s work is featured periodically in newspapers of India, Pakistan and Nepal

Recent and Upcoming Activities:

• 2001-2002 - Field expeditions to remote sites including sites in Bhutan and Nepal
• 2002 - Planning workshop for the next phase of the project was held and a detailed plan of activities for the next two years was made

-- Farooq Ahmad

Integrated Conservation Biology Curriculum Materials for Tropical Countries (website)

A community-wide initiative has been launched to design and foster the implementation of an integrated set of conservation biology training modules and teaching resources within university programs in tropical countries, led by Eleanor Sterling, Director of the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation at the American Museum of Natural History, and James Gibbs, Assistant Professor at the State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

The field of conservation biology—the application of science to maintain the Earth’s biological diversity—is growing rapidly around the world. Yet tropical countries lack access to resources to fully develop conservation biology programs. Furthermore only about 3% of scientists who are focused on biodiversity-related issues are practicing in the world’s most biodiverse countries. Universities in tropical countries are beginning to develop science curricula specifically targeted to biodiversity conservation rather than "straight science," mainly because of job opportunities now available in scientific and conservation-related disciplines. However, existing texts are rarely available in the local language, are expensive and tend to use examples applicable to people working in the United States or Europe. Instructors in tropical countries have limited support and are eager for up-to-date teaching materials relevant to the area and in appropriate languages.

In response, we are collaborating with conservation biologists and instructors from tropical countries around the world to create an integrated set of conservation biology teaching modules. The modules are designed to fit within existing university programs at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels in tropical countries. Faculty members and conservation leaders in tropical countries will be able to modify modules to fit their needs. Each module will include:

(1) An expert summary of a topic or an annotated bibliography of relevant summaries;
(2) A collection of the original scientific literature for each topic for an instructor’s personal use (with an emphasis on literature relevant to the region associated with a particular university);
(3) A set of easily modifiable visual presentations and discussion questions for use in lectures or seminars;
(4) And an extensive problem-solving exercise.

Categories of topics that will be addressed include the human context, principles of conservation biology, threats to biodiversity, conservation research, ecological monitoring and assessment, conservation planning, managing for conservation, habitat-specific management, sustainability, skills in communicating about conservation, conservation education, conservation organizations, and conservation politics. Ultimately, the goal is to produce 150+ multi-purpose, inquiry-based, conservation biology curriculum modules.

A great strength of the modules will be their relevance to local and regional conservation issues. To achieve this, conservation biologists from tropical countries are playing a lead role in developing the module materials. A needs assessment and request for materials has been widely distributed on electronic mailing lists and via the project’s Web site. Additionally a series of workshops are being held in tropical countries to test, modify, and contribute regionally based exercises to the modules. A complementary initiative (funded by the NSF) seeks to foster changes in course content, curricula, and educational practices in conservation biology programs in the US.

Materials will be translated into the language of instruction for a particular locale, starting with Spanish, French, Vietnamese, and English. All materials will be freely available via the Internet and will be distributed as needed in other formats for people without access to the Internet. New modules will be regularly uploaded to the project’s Web site and will be interactive to allow teachers to make comments or modifications based on their experiences in the classroom.

Activities in 2001–2002

2001

• August 2001 Workshops in La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz, Bolivia. More than 30 Bolivian instructors tested three modules, “Habitat Loss and Fragmentation,” “Monitoring and Adaptive Management,” and “The Value of Biodiversity.” They provided a series of exercises to integrate the modules into existing courses with a focus on issues of particular concern to Bolivia. They formed a national network to exchange experiences and materials related to conservation biology. The Bolivian pilot workshops are funded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service
  
• Throughout 2001 - ongoing solicitation of additional information and materials from collaborators through email and at meetings.
  

2002

• Beginning of 2002 - curriculum Web site launched, with first three modules available.
  
• Second series of workshops in Bolivia to test additional modules.
  
• Visits to Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Uruguay to meet with collaborators, conduct needs assessment, and prepare for future workshops. The piloting of the materials in Indochina is funded by the Christensen fund.
  
• Development, translation, and online launch of five new modules.
  
• Establish series of forums through the project Web site to facilitate collaboration within and between countries.
  

-- James Gibbs and Eleanor Sterling

The American Museum of Natural History's Center for Biodiversity and Conservation works to mitigate critical threats to global biodiversity by conducting research that increases scientific understanding of critical ecosystems around the world; applying rigorous scientific data to conservation strategies and policy; building professional and institutional capacity for conservation worldwide; and strengthening public understanding and stewardship of biodiversity.

LITUS - Interactions of biodiversity, productivity and tourism on sandy beaches (website)

Beaches are often adjacent to areas of dense human population and face severe natural and anthropogenic stresses. Although at first sight sandy beaches may appear barren, they support a diverse fauna and flora and are considered as very productive ecosystems. The production of biomass supports inputs of organic matter into terrestrial and marine ecosystems, nursery grounds for fisheries, and even economies such as shellfish and seaweed harvesting. The productivity of sandy beaches and other ecosystem processes are regulated by the beaches' fauna and flora and drive important ecological connections between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The impact of tourism on the biodiversity and productivity of sandy beaches is not generally known.

During 2001 and 2002, researchers from 16 countries are collaborating to assess the fauna, flora and productivity of sandy beaches. Using a field experiment approach, the scientists are surveying beaches from tropical and subtropical localities to the arctic, and across environmental, climate and tourism gradients. The impact of tourism is being evaluated through measurements of both biodiversity and productivity. Taxonomic groups considered include microphytobenthic algae, bacteria, ciliates, meio- and macrofauna. A key element of this project is to translate the new information on the biodiversity, ecosystem processes, and impacts of tourism on sandy beaches to clear protocols for management of sandy beaches under heavy impacts of tourism. Public outreach will also be an important component with a sandy beach ecology trip for school children and an educational TV movie scheduled.

Results will include:

• standardized sampling methods and sandy beach sampling kits as tools for beach monitoring
• increased taxonomic expertise in developing countries
• management guidelines for non-disruptive use of beaches
• user-friendly internet based database and identification keys for sandy beach organisms
• education webpage for the general public, explaining the biodiversity, ecosystem processes and impacts of tourism on sandy beaches
• popular scientific films on sandy beach ecology and management.
• articles in the scientific and popular press

Activities in 2001 and 2002:

Summer 2001

• A Polish Belgian collaborative team conducted a survey of Arctic sandy beaches at 79° N. They investigated and compared the faunal composition of beaches of similar and different physical characteristics in the region and controls on decomposition. Preliminary findings show that there is high differentiation in the meiofauna abundance and composition between even physically similar beaches.
  
• Summer 2001 – A Polish-Belgian-Italian team conducted a bi monthly survey of recreational beaches along a gradient f human use.

--M. Vincx and J.M. Weslawski

Sacred Gifts for a Living Planet (website)

On November 15, 2000, at a summit in Kathmandu, Nepal, the WorldWide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Alliance of Religion and Conservation (ARC) unveiled twenty-six 'Sacred Gifts for a Living Planet'. The Gifts are groundbreaking actions, pledged by the world's eleven leading faiths, to combat loss of biodiversity, forest and marine destruction, climate change and a wide range of other environmental issues.

The gifts with a particular emphasis on conserving biodiversity include:

• Reinstatement of a hunting and logging ban on Buddhist lands, that will protect the endangered snow leopard, saiga antelope and other endangered species in Mongolia.
  
• Call to stop using endangered species in traditional medicine products, from the Chinese Taoist Association, the umbrella organization for all 40 million Taoists in China.
  
• Call to clean up the Columbia River Basin that is threatened by pollution, toxic chemicals and invasive species, by two catholic archbishops and six bishops representing 1.5 million Catholics.
  
• Designation of turtle nesting sites in Zanzibar as a 'hima' protected zone under Shari'ah, Islamic Law and collaboration of the Muslim fishing communities of Pemba and Misali Island to conserve the sites.
  
• Establishment of River of Life Environmental network to tackle pollution and conserve endangered species along the Danube River, announced by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, head of the Orthodox Church.
  
• Buddhist conservation and eco-tourism plan for threatened black necked geese, snow leopards, Asiatic Ibex and Lynx around sacred Tsomoriri Lake, India
  

This has been so successful that ARC and WWF are continuing the Sacred Gifs initiative for a further 3 years. The next collaboration of new gifts will be at an international launch of a program to put 80% of religiously owned forests in Europe and North America in Forest Stewardship Council by 2010, to be held at the Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino, Italy - 23rd to 25th October 2001.

Further Reading:

• Press Releases

--Martin Palmer