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  • The use of herpetofauna and cultural values to identify priority conservation forests on Malaita, Solomon Islands

    Author(s)
    Pollard, E
    Brodie, G
    Thaman, R
    Morrison, C
    Griffith University Author(s)
    Morrison, Clare C.
    Year published
    2014
    Metadata
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    Abstract
    Due to limited financial and technical resources, there is a pressing need to identify priority areas and strategies for conservation globally. This study aims to prioritize important forest areas for conservation on the island of Malaita, Solomon Islands. Five different forest types were sampled to quantify biodiversity using the species richness of frogs and lizards (herpetofauna) as a biological indicator of conservation status. Unlogged coastal, unlogged lowland and unlogged upland forests have minimal disturbance whereas logged lowland forests and plantation teak forests are heavily disturbed. Subsequently, the effects ...
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    Due to limited financial and technical resources, there is a pressing need to identify priority areas and strategies for conservation globally. This study aims to prioritize important forest areas for conservation on the island of Malaita, Solomon Islands. Five different forest types were sampled to quantify biodiversity using the species richness of frogs and lizards (herpetofauna) as a biological indicator of conservation status. Unlogged coastal, unlogged lowland and unlogged upland forests have minimal disturbance whereas logged lowland forests and plantation teak forests are heavily disturbed. Subsequently, the effects of human modification on forest systems are also quantified based on anthropogenic disturbance. Interviews with local community members were conducted to gather associated local traditional knowledge on the cultural importance of frogs, lizards and forest habitats. Prioritization methods based on species richness, species uniqueness, cultural importance and threatened status are used to identify key forest areas. The four main results found are: 1) unlogged lowland forests have the greatest biodiversity value, 2) unlogged lowland forests also have the highest cultural value based on local uses, 3) logged lowland forests are biologically important, and 4) unlogged coastal forests and unlogged lowland forests are under the greatest threat from anthropogenic activities. Based on these results, the conservation of unlogged lowland forests on Malaita should be prioritized. These results also highlight the importance of combining biological sampling with cultural information to improve the efficiency and long-term success of conservation actions.
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    Journal Title
    Pacific Conservation Biology
    Volume
    20
    Issue
    4
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.1071/PC140354
    Subject
    Environmental sciences
    Biological sciences
    Agricultural, veterinary and food sciences
    Conservation prioritization
    Solomon Islands
    Herpetofauna
    Traditional cultural values
    Publication URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10072/154533
    Collection
    • Journal articles

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