Central American Biodiversity: Conservation, Ecology, and a Sustainable Future

✍ Scribed by Falk Huettmann (eds.)

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag New York
• Year: 2015
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 811
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This book highlights key results and lessons learnt from two field sites, La Suerte in Costa Rica and Ometepe Nicaragua. It provides long term data on species abundance and distribution. Primates receive specific attention in this book, as they are flagship species and good indicators for the “health” of an ecosystem, but as well a money maker. Many primate species are sensitive to habitat alteration, and are often hunted out first. But they play an important role as seed dispersal agents for the regeneration of the forest. The book then compares results from the two field sites with regional trends, and explores potential solutions such as REDD+. This book strongly calls for new approaches in conservation, it makes the case for looking beyond the pure species biology and classic conservation angle and to take into account the economic and political realities.

✦ Table of Contents

Front Matter....Pages i-xxviii
A Short Introduction to Tropical Land- and Seascapes and Their Wildlife Conservation Management....Pages 1-23
If Leaders Like Alexander Von Humboldt, Ronald Reagan, and Xi Jinping Would Have Been Environmental Justice Radicals Using Public Internet and Drones: A Short Political Ecology of Central America with Regard to Global Agenda Setting in 2014....Pages 25-76
Bird Conservation Status and Meaningful Socioeconomic Correlates in Central America: Results from an Open Access Data-Mining Approach for Parrots Using Machine Learning Indicate Serious Economic Problems....Pages 77-104
Reversed Kuznets Curves in the Caribbean: Linking Marine Biodiversity Endangerment with the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Assessed with Human Metrics (Life Expectancy, Infant Mortality, Population Growth Rate)....Pages 105-134
An Oceanography Conservation View of Central America: Caribbean Wealth, Pacific Wilderness, Plunder and Mismanagement Meets Seafloor Mining, Deep-Sea Drilling, Climate Change, and Human Population Explosion in the EEZs and Beyond....Pages 135-158
Coral Reefs of Central America, Dimethylsulphide Seascapes, Open Access Data, GIS, and Machine Learning Predictions: Another Application of the New Megascience for Global Sustainability....Pages 159-173
Field Schools and Research Stations in a Global Context: La Suerte (Costa Rica) and Ometepe (Nicaragua) in a Wider Perspective....Pages 175-198
A Brief History of the Molina Family, and the Birth of Maderas Rainforest Conservancy at the La Suerte and Ometepe Field Stations—A Narrative....Pages 199-213
Teaching (Tropical) Biodiversity with International Field Schools: A Flexible Success Model in a Time of “Wireless” Globalization....Pages 215-245
A Documented Plant and Tree Species Narrative of La Suerte (Costa Rica) and Ometepe (Nicaragua): Overcoming Ancient Taxonomy Demons for a More Relevant and Valid Conservation Research Effort in the Tropics....Pages 247-260
The Incredible World of Insects in Central America: A Virtual Interview with Prof. Dr. Bugs at La Suerte (Costa Rica) and Ometepe (Nicaragua)....Pages 261-272
Amphibians and Reptiles at the Ometepe and La Suerte Field Sites: Toward an Overview of the Evolution, Diversity, and Natural History of Central America’s Herpetofauna....Pages 273-313
Exciting Findings and Insights from the Caiman Study at La Suerte: First Lessons from the Scientific Frontline....Pages 315-322
Conservation of a Neotropical Herpetofauna: An Introduction to the Crisis of Amphibians and Reptiles in Central America and Beyond....Pages 323-349
Mammalian Biodiversity Conservation at Two Biological Stations in Nicaragua and Costa Rica....Pages 351-389
On the Relevance and Moral Impediment of Digital Data Management, Data Sharing, and Public Open Access and Open Source Code in (Tropical) Research: The Rio Convention Revisited Towards Mega Science and Best Professional Research Practices....Pages 391-417
Conservation Research in the Cloud Forest of Central America with Lessons from Maderas Volcano, Ometepe, Nicaragua: A First-Person Narrative About Very Tough Fieldwork, Unfinished Data, and Climate Justice While Running Out of Time....Pages 419-433
GRID Sampling for a Global Rapid Biodiversity Assessment: Methods, Applications, Results, and Lessons Learned....Pages 435-459
Birds of Ometepe (Nicaragua) and La Suerte (Costa Rica): From a Narrative and Species Lists Over Species Richness and Bird Photo Documentations to a Central American Conservation Ornithology....Pages 461-486
Acoustic Determinants to Group-Specific Vocalizations and Dialect: The Effects of Environment on Infant Vocalizations of Cebus capucinus, and Utilizing Two Field Sites with a Shared Taxon for a Comparative Ecological Study....Pages 487-493
Factors Involved in Variation in Tree and Species Use by Mantled Howler Monkeys: A Case Study of Resource Use in Sector Santa Rosa, Área de Conservación, Costa Rica....Pages 495-523
Living in Islands of Forests: Nutritional Ecology of the Howler Monkey (Alouatta palliata) at La Suerte Biological Field Station, North-Eastern Costa Rica....Pages 525-538
A First Rare Species Action List for La Suerte and Ometepe: Correlates with Extinction, Invasion, Declines, the Allee Effect, and no Good Recovery in Island Habitats....Pages 539-556
Lost Species at La Suerte (Costa Rica) and Ometepe (Nicaragua): Facts from Over 10 Years of Research, Some Speculations, Liabilities, and a Very Grim Future Outlook to Resolve....Pages 557-572
Genetics as a Tool for Biodiversity Conservation: Examples from Central America....Pages 573-602
A Systematic Framework for Spatial Conservation Planning and Ecological Priority Design: An Example from St. Lucia, Eastern Caribbean....Pages 603-623
Global Change in Central America, and Global Transitions Towards a Carbon-Free Society Achieved Through International Field Schools? Carbon Dioxide Remains the Most Toxic Gas for Mankind to Be Resolved....Pages 625-644
Human Aspects and Population Structures in Central America and Its So-Called Free Trade Zones: Imperialism, Immigration, Remittance Payments, Leakage, Brain Drain, Global Citizenship, and Unlimited Inequalities During War and Globalization....Pages 645-661
A Short Presentation and Discussion of Digital Research Data Sets in Central America, and for the Field Schools of La Suerte (Costa Rica) and Ometepe (Nicaragua)....Pages 663-676
Assessments of Carbon Stock Hotspots in Nicaragua and Costa Rica....Pages 677-701
Selected Undergraduate Student Projects at La Suerte and Ometepe Island: Tryouts, Results, First Publications, and More Ideas to Progress Research and Conservation....Pages 703-721
The Good Future of La Suerte and Ometepe Between Heaven and Decay: An Informed Outlook for Central America Leaves Us with Dramatic Environmental Obstacles for Conservation Management....Pages 723-749
Back Matter....Pages 751-805

✦ Subjects

Biodiversity; Conservation Biology/Ecology; Theoretical Ecology/Statistics; Landscape Ecology