Less transformed and managed grassland habitats in Asia serve as a good frame of reference for st... more Less transformed and managed grassland habitats in Asia serve as a good frame of reference for studies on demographics and ecological situations of grassland species in Europe. In this study, using AFLPs (transposon insertion display), we compared the genetic structures of populations of the endangered and highly specialised scarce large blue (Phengaris teleius, Bergsträsser, 1779) butterfly from Europe (Germany, Poland, and Ukraine) and Asia (Siberia and Mongolia). There are no differences in levels of intra‐population genetic variability between European and Asian P. teleius populations. Nevertheless, we found significantly higher genetic differentiation (wider scattering) among European populations than among Asian populations. All examined Eurasian populations were admixed, except for those from the Bavarian region (Germany) where an atypical genetic structure was observed for P. teleius. Individual membership probabilities to a population were higher and more variable among Eur...
A journal devoted to publications on the distribution, systematics, taxonomy, ecology, and conser... more A journal devoted to publications on the distribution, systematics, taxonomy, ecology, and conservation of butterflies and moths.
Das vorliegende Grunbuch fur eine Citizen Science Strategie 2020 stellt die Ziele, Potenziale und... more Das vorliegende Grunbuch fur eine Citizen Science Strategie 2020 stellt die Ziele, Potenziale und Herausforderungen von Citizen Science in Deutschland dar und zeigt Handlungsoptionen fur die Entwicklung einer nationalen Strategie zur Einbindung von Burgerinnen und Burgern in die Wissenschaft auf. Dabei wird der Fokus auf drei Handlungsfelder gelegt: Die Starkung etablierter Strukturen, die Neuschaffung von Rahmenbedingungen und die weitere Integration von Cititzen Science in bestehende Konzepte durch verschiedene Masnahmen. Auserdem werden im Grunbuch vor allem auch die Ziele und Moglichkeiten ebenso wie eine Vision fur die Rolle von Citizen Science im Jahr 2020, unter anderem in Form von zehn Leitbildern, definiert. Im Vordergrund stehen auch hier die breite Etablierung, Anerkennung und Einbeziehung von Citizen Science in gesellschaftsrelevante Kontexte.
Increasing evidence—synthesized in this paper—shows that economic growth contributes to biodivers... more Increasing evidence—synthesized in this paper—shows that economic growth contributes to biodiversity loss via greater resource consumption and higher emissions. Nonetheless, a review of international biodiversity and sustainability policies shows that the majority advocate economic growth. Since improvements in resource use efficiency have so far not allowed for absolute global reductions in resource use and pollution, we question the support for economic growth in these policies, where inadequate attention is paid to the question of how growth can be decoupled from biodiversity loss. Drawing on the literature about alternatives to economic growth, we explore this contradiction and suggest ways forward to halt global biodiversity decline. These include policy proposals to move beyond the growth paradigm while enhancing overall prosperity, which can be implemented by combining top‐down and bottom‐up governance across scales. Finally, we call the attention of researchers and policy ma...
The occurrence of the Dusky Large Blue Butterfly (Maculinea nausithous) critically depends on the... more The occurrence of the Dusky Large Blue Butterfly (Maculinea nausithous) critically depends on the availability of two key resources: the Great Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) as primary nectar source for adults, for egg laying and early larval development, and the host ant Myrmica rubra as the food of late instar larvae. Thus, their distributions are key parameters shaping habitat suitability, and we expected that overlapping of both resources would have a strong impact on the size of local M. nausithous populations. Their egg density may be affected (a) by the fraction of host plants per site located within My. rubra activity ranges at the patch scale, or (b) by the availability of host plants with host ants in close range at the local scale, due to the potential ability of butterfly females to detect their host ants. To test the above hypothesis, we recorded spatial distribution patterns of host plants and host ants on 29 study sites in south-western Germany and related them to egg density data of M. nausithous. We found a positive relationship between co-occurence of host plant and host ant and M. nausithous egg density at the patch scale, whereas no correlation was found at the local scale. Thus, focal populations are strongly limited by the abundance of host plants, covered with My. rubra activity, as ant-mediated oviposition could not be proved. Our results underline the importance of resource distribution; the understanding of its impacts may provide useful insights into how M. nausithous habitats can be managed in order increase their carrying capacity.
DI-fusion, le Dépôt institutionnel numérique de l'ULB, est l'outil de référencementde l... more DI-fusion, le Dépôt institutionnel numérique de l'ULB, est l'outil de référencementde la production scientifique de l'ULB.L'interface de recherche DI-fusion permet de consulter les publications des chercheurs de l'ULB et les thèses qui y ont été défendues.
Less transformed and managed grassland habitats in Asia serve as a good frame of reference for st... more Less transformed and managed grassland habitats in Asia serve as a good frame of reference for studies on demographics and ecological situations of grassland species in Europe. In this study, using AFLPs (transposon insertion display), we compared the genetic structures of populations of the endangered and highly specialised scarce large blue (Phengaris teleius, Bergsträsser, 1779) butterfly from Europe (Germany, Poland, and Ukraine) and Asia (Siberia and Mongolia). There are no differences in levels of intra‐population genetic variability between European and Asian P. teleius populations. Nevertheless, we found significantly higher genetic differentiation (wider scattering) among European populations than among Asian populations. All examined Eurasian populations were admixed, except for those from the Bavarian region (Germany) where an atypical genetic structure was observed for P. teleius. Individual membership probabilities to a population were higher and more variable among Eur...
A journal devoted to publications on the distribution, systematics, taxonomy, ecology, and conser... more A journal devoted to publications on the distribution, systematics, taxonomy, ecology, and conservation of butterflies and moths.
Das vorliegende Grunbuch fur eine Citizen Science Strategie 2020 stellt die Ziele, Potenziale und... more Das vorliegende Grunbuch fur eine Citizen Science Strategie 2020 stellt die Ziele, Potenziale und Herausforderungen von Citizen Science in Deutschland dar und zeigt Handlungsoptionen fur die Entwicklung einer nationalen Strategie zur Einbindung von Burgerinnen und Burgern in die Wissenschaft auf. Dabei wird der Fokus auf drei Handlungsfelder gelegt: Die Starkung etablierter Strukturen, die Neuschaffung von Rahmenbedingungen und die weitere Integration von Cititzen Science in bestehende Konzepte durch verschiedene Masnahmen. Auserdem werden im Grunbuch vor allem auch die Ziele und Moglichkeiten ebenso wie eine Vision fur die Rolle von Citizen Science im Jahr 2020, unter anderem in Form von zehn Leitbildern, definiert. Im Vordergrund stehen auch hier die breite Etablierung, Anerkennung und Einbeziehung von Citizen Science in gesellschaftsrelevante Kontexte.
Increasing evidence—synthesized in this paper—shows that economic growth contributes to biodivers... more Increasing evidence—synthesized in this paper—shows that economic growth contributes to biodiversity loss via greater resource consumption and higher emissions. Nonetheless, a review of international biodiversity and sustainability policies shows that the majority advocate economic growth. Since improvements in resource use efficiency have so far not allowed for absolute global reductions in resource use and pollution, we question the support for economic growth in these policies, where inadequate attention is paid to the question of how growth can be decoupled from biodiversity loss. Drawing on the literature about alternatives to economic growth, we explore this contradiction and suggest ways forward to halt global biodiversity decline. These include policy proposals to move beyond the growth paradigm while enhancing overall prosperity, which can be implemented by combining top‐down and bottom‐up governance across scales. Finally, we call the attention of researchers and policy ma...
The occurrence of the Dusky Large Blue Butterfly (Maculinea nausithous) critically depends on the... more The occurrence of the Dusky Large Blue Butterfly (Maculinea nausithous) critically depends on the availability of two key resources: the Great Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) as primary nectar source for adults, for egg laying and early larval development, and the host ant Myrmica rubra as the food of late instar larvae. Thus, their distributions are key parameters shaping habitat suitability, and we expected that overlapping of both resources would have a strong impact on the size of local M. nausithous populations. Their egg density may be affected (a) by the fraction of host plants per site located within My. rubra activity ranges at the patch scale, or (b) by the availability of host plants with host ants in close range at the local scale, due to the potential ability of butterfly females to detect their host ants. To test the above hypothesis, we recorded spatial distribution patterns of host plants and host ants on 29 study sites in south-western Germany and related them to egg density data of M. nausithous. We found a positive relationship between co-occurence of host plant and host ant and M. nausithous egg density at the patch scale, whereas no correlation was found at the local scale. Thus, focal populations are strongly limited by the abundance of host plants, covered with My. rubra activity, as ant-mediated oviposition could not be proved. Our results underline the importance of resource distribution; the understanding of its impacts may provide useful insights into how M. nausithous habitats can be managed in order increase their carrying capacity.
DI-fusion, le Dépôt institutionnel numérique de l'ULB, est l'outil de référencementde l... more DI-fusion, le Dépôt institutionnel numérique de l'ULB, est l'outil de référencementde la production scientifique de l'ULB.L'interface de recherche DI-fusion permet de consulter les publications des chercheurs de l'ULB et les thèses qui y ont été défendues.
Ebrima S. Dem, Beatriz Rodríguez‑Labajos, Martin Wiemers, Jürgen Ott, Norbert Hirneisen, Jesus V... more Ebrima S. Dem, Beatriz Rodríguez‑Labajos, Martin Wiemers, Jürgen Ott, Norbert Hirneisen, Jesus Victor Bustamante, Marlynne Bustamante, Josef Settele. 2018. Understanding the relationship between volunteers’ motivations and learning outcomes of Citizen Science in rice ecosystems in the Northern Philippines. Paddy and Water Environment Paddy and Water Environment, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10333-018-0664-9
This study relies on the Flying Beauties Citizen Science project conducted in the Philippines to assess personal motivations and learning outcomes of volunteers who were involved in documenting butterflies and dragonflies in rice ecosystems. While evaluation of motivations of volunteers in Citizen Science is not new, at least in affluent western countries, little is done in investigating volunteers' motivations and learning outcomes of Citizen Science projects in low-income countries. Using surveys, we collected data from volunteers that were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. We adopted a two stages evaluation format—before and after volunteers finished the project exercise. We compared pre-motivations to motivations attained and changes in level of knowledge before and after the project ended. We use Spearman's Rho, Kendall's Tau— nonparametric tests to draw correlations between variables. The results showed that key determinants that drove people to volunteer in the project were (a) learning about species and (b) being part of scientific research and the principal learning outcome was improved awareness about ecosystem functions of the species.
Transdisciplinary research (TDR) aims at identifying implementable solutions to difficult sustain... more Transdisciplinary research (TDR) aims at identifying implementable solutions to difficult sustainability problems and at fostering social learning. It requires a well-managed collaboration among multidisciplinary scientists and multisectoral stakeholders. Performing TDR is challenging , particularly for foreign researchers working in countries with different institutional and socio-cultural conditions. There is a need to synthesize and share experience among researchers as well as practitioners regarding how TDR can be conducted under specific contexts. In this paper, we aim to evaluate and synthesize our unique experience in conducting TDR projects in Asia. We applied guiding principles of TDR to conduct a formative evaluation of four consortium projects on sustainable land and water management in China, the Philippines, and Vietnam. In all projects, local political conditions restricted the set of stakeholders that could be involved in the research processes. The set of involved stakeholders was also affected by the fact that stakeholders in most cases only participate if they belong to the personal network of the project leaders. Language barriers hampered effective communication between foreign researchers and stakeholders in all projects and thus knowledge integration. The TDR approach and its specific methods were adapted to respond to the specific cultural, social, and political conditions in the research areas, also with the aim to promote trust and interest of the stakeholders throughout the project. Additionally, various measures were implemented to promote collaboration among disciplinary scientists. Based on lessons learned, we provide specific recommendations for the design and implementation of TDR projects in particular in Asia.
Disentangling Values in the Interrelations between Cultural Ecosystem Services and Landscape Cons... more Disentangling Values in the Interrelations between Cultural Ecosystem Services and Landscape Conservation—A Case Study of the Ifugao Rice Terraces in the Philippines; Bianca Tilliger, Beatriz Rodríguez-Labajos, Jesus Victor Bustamante, and Josef Settele Land 2015, 4, 888-913; doi:10.3390/land4030888 http://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/4/3/888/html
In the past few years, there has been a growing amount of research on economic quantifications and valuations of ecosystem services (ES) in agricultural systems. However, little attention has been given to cultural ESs (CES) in general and their link to the landscape in particular. This paper tries to tackle this gap with a case study on the Ifugao Rice Terraces of the Philippines. The study aims to understand the interrelations between the different CESs and their relationships with the landscape. Besides contributing to knowledge about the degradation of the rice terraces, this study was conducted in order to discuss at a theoretical level how CESs and their relationship with the landscape must be addressed in ES management and policy decisions. The methodological approach includes a combination of semi-structured interviews (n = 60) and a perception survey (n = 66). The results reveal that CESs, apart from being interrelated, are also responsible for and affected by the degradation of the rice terraces, which is why they are important factors to consider in ecosystem conservation. This paper finally provides policy recommendations for the empirical case and demonstrates the importance of connecting CES analysis with landscape studies looking at agricultural systems.
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This study relies on the Flying Beauties Citizen Science project conducted in the Philippines to assess personal motivations and learning outcomes of volunteers who were involved in documenting butterflies and dragonflies in rice ecosystems. While evaluation of motivations of volunteers in Citizen Science is not new, at least in affluent western countries, little is done in investigating volunteers' motivations and learning outcomes of Citizen Science projects in low-income countries. Using surveys, we collected data from volunteers that were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. We adopted a two stages evaluation format—before and after volunteers finished the project exercise. We compared pre-motivations to motivations attained and changes in level of knowledge before and after the project ended. We use Spearman's Rho, Kendall's Tau— nonparametric tests to draw correlations between variables. The results showed that key determinants that drove people to volunteer in the project were (a) learning about species and (b) being part of scientific research and the principal learning outcome was improved awareness about ecosystem functions of the species.
Land 2015, 4, 888-913; doi:10.3390/land4030888
http://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/4/3/888/html
In the past few years, there has been a growing amount of research on economic quantifications and valuations of ecosystem services (ES) in agricultural systems. However, little attention has been given to cultural ESs (CES) in general and their link to the landscape in particular. This paper tries to tackle this gap with a case study on the Ifugao Rice Terraces of the Philippines. The study aims to understand the interrelations between the different CESs and their relationships with the landscape. Besides contributing to knowledge about the degradation of the rice terraces, this study was conducted in order to discuss at a theoretical level how CESs and their relationship with the landscape must be addressed in ES management and policy decisions. The methodological approach includes a combination of semi-structured interviews (n = 60) and a perception survey (n = 66). The results reveal that CESs, apart from being interrelated, are also responsible for and affected by the degradation of the rice terraces, which is why they are important factors to consider in ecosystem conservation. This paper finally provides policy recommendations for the empirical case and demonstrates the importance of connecting CES analysis with landscape studies looking at agricultural systems.