Biosphere Region Research Articles

THE IMPACT OF RESIDENTS ATTITUDE TOWARD SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT USING SUS-TAS: MEDIATING ROLE OF TOURISM INVOLVEMENT

Currently, the concept of sustainable tourism development is critical, especially how local communities participate. This research aims to investigate the elements that influence the development of sustainable tourism in the biosphere reserve area of Alas Purwo National Park, Banyuwangi, namely environmental factors, social cost participation, and long-term planning mediated through tourism involvement. Using a survey method, the approach was empirically tested on a sample of 170 locals living close to the Alas Purwo National Park reserve. The questions are divided into two sections: the first includes socio-demographic and economic data on the respondents, and the second includes research tools made up of 25 questions utilizing a Likert scale with a maximum score of five. A questionnaire was administered to 170 respondents, who were subsequently evaluated using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS. All variables were found to have a substantial effect on sustainable tourism development, as mediated by the variable tourist involvement. The community has great potential to assist the growth of ecotourism that is sustainable. To manage tourism in a more sustainable manner, particularly in the biosphere region that needs to be conserved, the government, particularly local governments, local communities, and tourists are required.

Climate Change, Air Pollution, and Human Health in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region, South Africa, and Amazonas, Brazil: A Narrative Review

Climate Change, Air Pollution, and Human Health in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region, South Africa, and Amazonas, Brazil: A Narrative Review

Bergbambos tessellata (Poaceae) endemic to southern Africa: new record from the Limpopo Province, South Africa

Bergbambos is a temperate C3 bamboo grass genus, consisting of one species found mainly along southern African mountain ranges (Temperate Afromontane Region). We document here a new record of Bergbambos tessellata found in the Thabazimbi area along Hamerkop Street near the fence of an old nursery (non-functional). The specimen was identified at the National Herbarium (PRE) using a light microscope and compared with other herbarium specimens or materials, collected from other South African provinces. This discovery is accompanied by diagnostic features for precise species differentiation, as well as illustrations facilitating visual distinction. Notably, Bergbambos tessellata exhibits an unusual geographical range in the Waterberg Biosphere region within the valley. This discovery not only enriches our comprehension of bamboo dispersion dynamics but also engenders a heightened impetus for in-depth investigation into the various factors that underlie its restricted presence within this specific ecological niche. The documentation of this species therefore holds considerable importance in formulating effective conservation strategies and promoting sustainable management practices.

CONCEPT OF DESHA IN AYURVEDIC CLASSICAL TEXTS: AN EFFORTS TO GEOGRAPHICAL MAPPING USING MODERN TECHNIQUES AND DATA

Objectives: This study aims to map each census district of India using the concept and classification of Desha available in classical Ayurvedic text using modern techniques and tools. Method: Rainfall, as well as Potential Evapotranspiration data obtained from WRIS (IMD Grid), was mapped using GIS software, and the district wise average was calculated for the value of the Raster layer obtained by IWD Interpolation and Moisture Index with the formulae of Thornthwaite and Mather and simplified by Venkat Raman & Krishnan was calculated. Every district was assigned to a particular class based upon the analogy of Aridity they had using a classification proposed by Reddy & Reddy in 1973. Result & Conclusions: The overall average Moisture Index for India is -3.43, which placed the country into the class of Anupa Sadharan Desha. At the same time, it has been observed that approximately 59% of the total geographic areas fall under the class of Jangal and Jangal Sadharan Desha. The western coastal area, north-eastern states, Suderban and Kaveri Delta, as well as the Himalayan Biosphere region, form part of Anupa Desha, while Rajasthan to Kutchh falls under the category of Jangal Desha.

Malacofaunal diversity (Gastropods and Bivalves) along the mangrove forest area of the Gulf of Mannar marine biosphere region, South India

The mangrove ecosystem is one of the most distinctive biospheres, and it is under threat from habitat loss, aquaculture expansion, overharvesting, and pollution, all of which impact the malacofaunal diversity. This study aimed to investigate the malacofaunal diversity along the mangrove region of the Gulf of Mannar (GoM) and Physico-chemical properties of the sediments were measured to correlate the malacofaunal diversity. The diversity of the molluscs along the Thoothukudi coast was investigated from December 2020 to September 2021, documenting 84 mollusc species, represented by 45 gastropods and 39 bivalves. The class Gastropoda represented 7 orders, 15 families, and 30 genera, with Caenogastropoda having the highest species (19), followed by Neogastropoda with 7 species, while in bivalves, Venerida had the most species (14 species), followed by Cardiida (9 species). Palayakayal had the greatest number of species (68), followed by Punnakayal (63), Karapad Bay (32), and Machoda Bridge (33). Palayakayal has the highest Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H’) and Margalef species richness (d) at 4.11 and 10.81, followed by Punnakayal at 4.05 and 10.16; Karapad at 3.39 and 5.65; and Machoda Bridge at 3.55 and 3.55 respectively. The BC (Bray–Curtis)​ similarity index identified the most similarity (86.91%) between Palayakayal and Punnakayal. Palayakayal has the greatest (H’) and (d) values due to its pristine mangrove habitat and low anthropogenic activity. The Physico-chemical results showed that salinity and diversity were positively correlated, while hydrogen sulfide, organic matter, and molluscan diversity were negatively correlated. The malacofaunal diversity has been documented to provide useful baseline data for conservation management. Additionally, the findings showed that salinity is a crucial factor in favoring diversity. The anthropogenic activities in the ecosystem first alter the salinity of the soil, directly impacting malacofaunal diversity. Such studies might increase knowledge among the public and policy-makers, enabling them to develop legislation adequately.

Orchids of the Redberry Lake Biosphere Region: Diversity, Distribution, Habitats and Conservation

Orchids of the Redberry Lake Biosphere Region: Diversity, Distribution, Habitats and Conservation

Opportunities and Barriers to Monitoring and Evaluating Management Effectiveness in Protected Areas within the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region, South Africa

Protected areas (PAs) that are not effectively managed will not contribute meaningfully to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Target 3, which aims to ensure that a minimum of 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland water, coastal and marine areas are effectively conserved and managed. Our study examined the monitoring and evaluation of protected area management effectiveness (PAME) as part of an adaptive management process in the Kruger to Canyons (K2C) Biosphere Region in South Africa. Our mixed methods approach, using online questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups, revealed that most PA managers in the network were familiar with the concept of adaptive management. The most widely used PAME evaluation tool used in the region was the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT). Some PAs did not use a formal tool but gathered scientific data using methods such as game counts and vegetation surveys to judge management effectiveness. Additionally, several managers that did not use a formal tool mentioned that they were constrained by time, staff capacity or budget. The introduction of a simpler tool for managers that are time- or resource-constrained or who are working in a newly declared or in-process PA may improve PAME evaluation within the network. We suggest that there is a need for improved communication, co-learning, and information sharing regarding PAME evaluation tools.

Assessing the effectiveness of existing early warning systems and emergency preparedness towards reducing cyclone-induced losses in the Sundarban Biosphere Region, India

The Sundarban Biosphere Reserve (SBR) in India is highly vulnerable to cyclones and tidal surges due to its geographical location and low-lying coastal morphology. This deltaic tract experiences frequent cyclones that incur loss of life and property. Despite this, the SBR lacks a systematic and effective disaster warning/management plan that benefits all residents/stakeholders. Hence, it is imperative to assess the mitigation measures currently in place to effectively counter the risks arising from an increasing frequency of tropical cyclones therein. This paper examines the efficiency of the existing early warning systems (EWS) and emergency preparedness in the SBR. Data was collected at the household level on EWS, community preparedness and the economic losses occurring due to cyclones in the last ten years through field surveys. The Poisson distribution model was used to understand the relation of losses with the EWS. Our results reveal that a lack of early warning awareness and delays in emergency preparedness have made coastal communities more vulnerable. The SBR lacks an adequate disaster management plan for minimizing such losses and policy interventions are urgently required to safeguard coastal communities during and in the aftermath of cyclones. Possible improvements in existing strategies for reducing cyclone vulnerability are suggested.

Does scale or method matter for conservation? Application of directional and omnidirectional connectivity models in spatial prioritizations

IntroductionThe maintenance of habitat connections between fragmented habitat patches is vital for the conservation of wildlife populations and ecosystem functioning. The awareness of connectivity issues for species conservation has resulted in a growth of connectivity modeling and the application of these results in conservation planning. Such connectivity modeling efforts can include several decisions or data limitations, which could influence the connectivity results and ultimately a systematic conservation plan (SCP). However, there has been little investigation of how these different decisions on species, scale, and extent influence the ultimate conservation planning outcomes.MethodsWe modeled the connectivity of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), North American river otter (Lontra canadensis), and black bear (Ursus americanus), three species with varying ecological requirements, through the Congaree Biosphere Region, South Carolina, USA. We modeled habitat suitability for each species using boosted regression trees and converted these results into resistance layers for the connectivity analyses. We compared models for each species at multistate regional and local extents using directional and omnidirectional circuit theory approaches. We then used the results from each modeling combination as conservation goals for three different SCPs to determine how connectivity modeling decisions may influence geographic conservation decisions.ResultsThere was substantial positive spatial correlation between the three connectivity models of each species, and there appeared to be general agreement among mammals as to most important primary corridors. Across all species, the greatest agreement was between the omnidirectional and local directional models as compared with the regional directional plan, which highlighted a unique corridor. The omnidirectional conservation plan required the least amount of planning units to achieve its conservation goals, followed by the local and then regional directional plans that required over 200 km2more land area to be conserved.DiscussionOur results indicate that overall variations in connectivity modeling decisions may have only a moderate impact on the identification of important movement corridors for conservation at the local scale. Practitioners should base modeling decisions on the ecology of the study region, conservation question, and available computing resource.

Spatial Patterns of Conservation Benefits, Priorities, and Barriers in the Congaree Biosphere Region

UNESCO biosphere reserves contain areas with widely varied environmental, ecological, and economic characteristics, human land uses, and management jurisdictions and goals. Effective conservation planning thus requires consideration of the spatial patterns of factors that may influence management activities across the landscape. In this study, we examined spatial variation in conservation benefits, priorities, and barriers in the Congaree Biosphere Region (CBR), near Columbia, SC. We first used GIS-based clustering to subdivide the CBR into subregions with comparatively homogeneous land cover and habitats. We then surveyed local stakeholders and conservation experts to identify their perceptions of: 1) existing environmental, economic, and social benefits provided by features within each subregion, and 2) future subregional priorities for and barriers to conservation opportunities. Our results identified both overarching themes that were common across the entire CBR (e.g., the need for enhancing collaborative partnerships; improving habitat quality and connectivity) and subregional differences that could be linked to variations in land cover, protected areas, and existing environmental, social, and cultural features. We conclude by exploring how the identification of CBR subregions and analysis and organization of survey results can facilitate the development of community-informed management strategies based on shared knowledge of conservation benefits and barriers.

Associating sense of place and nature relatedness in the British Columbia Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region: a case study

ABSTRACT This case study is part of a project examining the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region – a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. We aimed to understand the extent to which individuals in six communities experience psychological variables linked to pro-social and pro-environmental outcomes, such as sense of place – comprised of place attachment, place identity, and place dependence – and nature-relatedness. We also explored how these attitudes relate to residents’ perceived views of, and walkable access to, nature. Overall, sense of place was neutral; nature relatedness and perceptions of views and access to nature were significantly stronger than sense of place. Although these two variables, as well as sense of place and perceptions of views and walkable access to nature correlated in the region on aggregate, significant associations were not revealed per community. Over 60% of responses to an open-ended item about physical features that contribute to sense of place concerned the natural environment – rather than social or built amenities. Municipal planners may capitalize on restorative effects that arise when community members form connections with nature, and concentrate funding or public engagement on trails, parks, and other natural features to bolster sense of place in coastal and mountainous communities.

Golden Wildebeest Days: Fragmentation and Value in South Africa’s Wildlife Economy After Apartheid

There are renewed global efforts to make wildlife conservation the foundation for broad-based economic development. This article looks at these tendencies in the ‘Kruger to Canyons’ (K2C) biosphere region in South Africa, encompassing the Kruger National Park and adjacent settlement areas and reserves. Various forms of the wildlife economy have a long history in this region. However, it is increasingly posited as a preternatural means for creating jobs. We chronicle the growth of the wildlife economy from its apartheid heyday to the present, showing its fundamental dependence on the ecological and political fragmentation of space. More generally, these biopolitical divisions are part of a broad contestation of wildlife value, organised around changing regimes of protected area enclosure and the spacing of human and non-human life. Despite recent claims by the South African conservation industry that it is demolishing fences and increasing habitat connectivity, political territorialisation and ecological fragmentation continue to be important means of securing profit and reducing perceived risk. While the contradictions of this dynamic have now become acute through the emergence of the rhino-poaching crisis, the growth of that violent industry, we conclude, should not be seen as the negative inversion of a legal wildlife economy. Instead, both the legal and the illegal wildlife economies are manifestations of the same underlying problems: ill-conceived attempts at agrarian reform; the persistent influence of an older veterinary wildlife assemblage; the continued role of the rural poor as an enabling but unacknowledged buffer between development and wildlife.

Engaging youth in food preservation: Examining knowledge and practice on Canada’s West Coast

Youth in remote communities of Canada, including those in the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Region (CSUBR), can benefit from building food preservation knowledge because of the additional challenges they experience accessing healthy food. Regrettably, youth in these areas are not adequately engaged in food practices within households that support knowledge building. Schools and community food programs that serve to fill such learning gaps lack food preservation content and are developed without input from youth. Consequently, youth in remote areas, including those in the CSUBR, lack food preservation learning opportunities. To address these gaps, we examine youth participation in food preservation in the CSUBR. We adopted a participatory approach to emphasize youth perspectives. This paper is based on interviews, food preservation workshops, and workshop evaluations with youth. The interviews provided multiple perspectives, including current youth engagement in food preservation activities and factors that hinder or motivate youth participation in food preservation. In addition, we organized food preservation workshops to support youth learning goals. These workshops were evaluated to highlight participants' experiences, including their efficacy in supporting food preservation knowledge building. Findings show that youth are not adequately participating in food preservation compared to other food provisioning activities. Factors such as the lack of teachers hinder youth from participating in food preservation. The workshops supported youth in building various food preservation techniques and learning about the cultural importance of food – important skills and knowledge to support youth food security and their community's food sovereignty.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND COVID-19 IN THE KRUGER TO CANYONS BIOSPHERE REGION, SOUTH AFRICA AND AMAZONAS, BRAZIL

Climate change is predicted to exert further stress on already exploited ecologies and healthcare systems, added to this, the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) has signified a stimulus to revolutionize existing models of sustainable development in broad, and sustainable supply chains in the healthcare sector in particular. The Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region in South Africa and the Amazonas state in Brazil serve as geographic case studies for this paper. The impact of economic globalization, natural catastrophes such as droughts, economic and geopolitical stresses, deforestation, economic and healthcare access inequalities in these two biomes converge with issues of climate change, and undercut coping mechanisms that are customarily used to oversee extreme events such as pandemics. The Covid-19 pandemic has deepened many of the economic and social difficulties which South Africa and Brazil are already facing. In comparison to Brazil, South Africa’s overall response to the pandemic can be regarded as a standout. By borrowing from best practices from prior public health responses to heath emergencies in South Africa, such as the tuberculosis and the HIV/AIDS crisis, South Africa has demonstrated its comparatively successful means of dealing with Covid-19.

Half a century of geographical research and monitoring in the Sikhote-Alin biosphere region (To the 50th anniversary of the Scientific Experimental Station “Smychka”)

Half a century of geographical research and monitoring in the Sikhote-Alin biosphere region (To the 50th anniversary of the Scientific Experimental Station “Smychka”)

Stronger together: understanding and protecting karst resources.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has recognized more than 350 karst areas of global importance through various designations (Biosphere Reserve, World Heritage Sites, Ramsar Sites, and Global Geoparks) with at least one UNESCO protected area with karst in 86 countries (Gunn 2020). In August 2020, Western Kentucky University, the George Wright Society, and the UNESCO Mammoth Cave Biosphere Region hosted Conservation of Fragile Karst Resources: A Virtual Workshop on Sustainability and Community in support of UNESCO science programs. The purpose of this meeting was to enhance communication and the sharing of ideas and resources between major conservation and science programs that protect, study, or manage cave and karst resources, with particular interest to those of international significance. This special issue is published in celebration and support of the UIS International Year of Caves and Karst and as a call-to-action to better explore, understand, and protect the value of cave and karst areas to humanity in both our everyday lives as well as our natural and cultural heritage.

Traditional Health Practitioners' and Other Community Members' Perceptions of Vultures in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region, South Africa

African vulture populations are currently in rapid decline, due to a range of anthropogenic factors. These include intentional and unintentional poisoning; degradation, fragmentation, and loss of habitat; and the killing of vultures to obtain body parts for use in traditional medicine. Consequently, people living in rural communities adjacent to protected areas may have a negative or positive impact on their local vulture populations, and so understanding their attitudes towards vultures is imperative. We surveyed Traditional Health Practitioners (those who may [unlawfully] acquire vulture parts for use in traditional medicine) and other community members (those who are not Traditional Health Practitioners but who might use traditional medicine containing vulture body parts) to understand how they perceive vultures and the cultural beliefs associated with vultures in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region, South Africa. We conducted 248 structured interviews with 197 community members and 51 Traditional Health Practitioners in nine villages in the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality, Mpumalanga Province, adjacent to protected areas. Our results showed that community members and Traditional Health Practitioners regarded vultures as beneficial to them for ecosystem services, as a cultural resource, and as a means of generating income. Community members and Traditional Health Practitioners generally had positive attitudes toward vultures, and community members were more inclined than Traditional Health Practitioners to like vultures. Both groups of respondents expressed a fear of vultures because of their aggressive feeding behavior and their physical appearance. Our results highlighted that vultures in our study area are traded and used in traditional medicines for various purposes. Contrary to what was previously thought, vultures are indeed used in traditional medicine close to the Kruger National Park. Our interviewees expressed a desire to learn more about vultures, and this could be a starting point to increase conservation education for these species. There is a need to raise awareness of vulture population declines among all community members in Bushbuckridge and to highlight the human health risks of using poison for pest control.

Uses of Vultures in Traditional Medicines in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region, South Africa

Vultures provide crucial ecological, economic, and cultural benefits, yet many Old World populations are declining. The illegal trade in vultures for traditional medicines (known as muthi in South Africa) is widely regarded as an important threat to the conservation of African vultures, but there are relatively few studies on the acquisition and trade in vultures for traditional medicine, which limits our understanding (and the effective mitigation) of this threat. We assessed the use of vultures in traditional medicine in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region, South Africa, by conducting questionnaires with 51 traditional healers from the Kukula Traditional Health Practitioners Association in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga Province. Traditional healers reported that vulture body parts were used alone, or in combination with plants or minerals, for various purposes, primarily to give clairvoyant abilities, but also to promote good dreams or increased intelligence, to treat illnesses, and to appease the ancestors. Vultures were acquired (for use in traditional medicine) by poisoning and trapping in communal rangelands and inside protected areas (the Kruger National Park, Manyeleti Game Reserve, Sabi Sands Game Reserve, and Bushbuckridge Nature Reserve). Vultures reportedly varied in price from ZAR300 to ZAR1500 (approximately US$17 to US$85) for a whole bird. We estimate that this association of traditional health practitioners uses 400–800 vultures a year. Our survey respondents expressed concern that acquiring vultures through poisoning is unsustainable, because birds are killed en masse, and this may reduce the sustainability of vulture populations for traditional use by future generations. Our respondents suggested the Greater Honeyguide (Indicator indicator) and honey badger (Mellivora capensis) as alternatives for vultures in traditional medicine. There is a need for better law enforcement in our study area to reduce the threat that illegal killing for traditional medicine poses to the region's vultures.

Accounting for multiple dimensions of biodiversity to assess surrogate performance in a freshwater conservation prioritization

Although freshwater ecosystems support a disproportionately large number of species, decision-support tools for prioritizing protected area efforts have mostly been implemented in marine and terrestrial environments. Systematic conservation planners rely on surrogate metrics to represent unsampled elements of biodiversity, yet few studies have considered the potential benefits associated with prioritizing multiple dimensions of freshwater biodiversity across multiple organism groups. In this study, we first evaluated relationships among patterns of taxonomic richness, functional diversity, functional redundancy, and biotic integrity for freshwater fish and benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the Congaree Biosphere Region, South Carolina, USA. We then used the decision-support tool Marxan to explore a potential trade-off between the number of organism groups sampled (i.e., taxonomic extent) and the multidimensional nature of biodiversity. Our central findings indicated that the processes driving patterns of taxonomic and functional diversity among organism groups were complementary, with direct implications for the evaluation of surrogate performance. Our results also suggest that within-taxa variation among measures of taxonomic and functional diversity may be more important to consider than the taxonomic representation of multiple organism groups. That is, we may be able to enhance the efficiency of conservation planning efforts by using available datasets in a more comprehensive way, as surrogate performance was largely mediated by the variation among metrics. Through the continued development of functional trait databases, we may be able to enhance the efficiency of data collection efforts and promote the timely and sustainable development of conservation strategies.

Identifying and monitoring of forage fish spawning beaches in British Columbia’s Salish Sea for conservation of forage fish

Pacific sand lance ( Ammodytes personatus) and surf smelt ( Hypomesus pretiosus) are ecologically important forage fish in the marine food webs within the Salish Sea, including British Columbia (BC). Although important, little information exists around the spatiotemporal distribution of these fishes’ beach spawning habitat in the BC Salish Sea. In 2017, the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute initiated spawning beach surveys within the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR). Surveys have geographically expanded along the eastern Vancouver Island coastline between Bowser and Cowichan Bay, BC, including Gabriola Island and Thetis Island. Pacific sand lance embryos have been detected at 17 beaches, with six beaches located within the MABR. Pacific sand lance spawning events have been detected between November and mid-February, with the bulk of embryos detected in November and December. To date, surf smelt embryos have not been detected at the 56 different beaches. These data begin to fill existing data gaps surrounding Pacific sand lance and surf smelt in BC. Furthermore, longer-term data submissions to the Strait of Georgia Data Centre, an open-access database, will provide the necessary data needed to advocate for improved regulatory protections for these ecologically important fish and their spawning habitat.