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UNIVERSITY BROCHURE 2017 www.opwall.com Operation Wallacea (Opwall) is an organisation that runs a series of biological and conservation management research expeditions in remote locations across the world. Designed with specific wildlife conservation aims in mind – from identifying areas needing protection, through to implementing and assessing conservation management programmes. What is different about Operation Wallacea is that large teams of ecologists, scientists, academics and postgraduate researchers who are specialists in various aspects of biodiversity or social and economic studies are concentrated at the target study sites. This gives volunteers the opportunity to work on a range of projects. Most of our students are not able to pay for the expedition fully. We do recommend a mixture of looking to personal finance and savings, working in your holiday time and fundraising effort. With planning and assistance from Opwall’s fundraising team you should be able to raise a large portion of funds needed to join. Please contact our office to find out details of a fundraising meeting at your university or how to catch up if you have missed one. We are able to give you full support and advice for many fundraising events, activities and projects including: Academics 2 million being levered from funding agencies to set up best practice management examples at the study sites. In terms of research outputs, Opwall teams have published over 260 papers, discovered over 30 species new to science, 8 of which are vertebrates and re-discovered 4 ‘extinct’ species. These large survey teams of scientists and volunteers are funded independently of normal academic sources. This enables large temporal and spatial biodiversity and socio-economic datasets to be produced and provide information to help with organising effective conservation management programmes. In 2017, the expeditions are operating in 15 countries and 10 are available for university students to join. The surveys produce a large number of publications in peerreviewed journals each year and have resulted in over US$ Fundraising support What is Operation Wallacea What is Operation Wallacea? Who can become part of the programme? Undergraduates currently at university Undergraduates completing a dissertation Postgraduates – Masters and PhD ■Assistance with accessing hundreds of charities and applying for grant funding ■How to run sponsored activities ■Details of tried and tested fundraising events and how to make the most from them ■Raffle; each year we also host a raffle enabling you to buy tickets to sell at a profit – 1st prize is a brand new car Medics – doctors, nurses & paramedics Molly Boyer from Sheffield University went on a game show (Who Dares Wins) and won £5000 for her trip to Mexico Schools – specialist 2 week expeditions www.opwall.com + Fee paying students to assist with data collection Contents How to become part of the programme: Undergraduates currently at university 4 Undergraduates wanting to complete a dissertation 5 Postgraduates - Masters 4 Academics / PhD 6-7 Medics - Doctors, Nurses and Paramedics; please email [email protected] for further details Medical elective & Pre-Med places 4 & 20 Country specific information Croatia Research assistant expeditions Cuba Research assistant expeditions Guyana Research assistant expeditions Honduras Research assistant expeditions Dissertation topics – forest Dissertation topics – marine Indonesia Research assistant expeditions Dissertation topics – forest Dissertation topics – marine 2 8-11 10-11 12-15 14-15 16-19 18-19 20-29 22-23 24-26 27-29 30-37 32-33 34 35-37 Madagascar Research assistant expeditions Dissertation topics Mexico Research assistant expeditions Dissertation topics – forest Dissertation topics – marine Peru Research assistant expeditions Dissertation topics South Africa Research assistant expeditions Dissertation topics Transylvania Research assistant expeditions Dissertation topics 38-43 40-41 42-43 44-51 46-47 48-49 50-51 52-57 54-55 56-57 58-63 60-61 62-63 64-67 65 66-67 Dissertation summary table Every available topic linked with broad subject area 68-69 Dates, fees and how to book70-71 Scientists to conduct biodiversity assessment Global research and conservation management strategy The vast majority of science programmes that deliver key research outcomes are characterised by short-term funding with restricted aims and biogeographical ranges. Longterm projects covering large biogeographical scales that incorporate more than one ecosystem are rare. The Operation Wallacea programme provides the opportunity to consider science and conservation of key ecosystems from a global perspective. Opwall is able to draw upon researchers from a wide range of different disciplines and academic institutions to address major issues related to the sustainable management and conservation of some of the world’s most diverse but threatened environments. = Justification for funding = Successful conservation with a sustainable model Ellen Miller from Cambridge University received three grants totalling £2650 - Solihull and Shirley Lions, previous school’s travel grant, university college grant which helped fund her trip to Honduras = Credible research = Income education, training for communities and protection for irreplaceable habitats + Successful application to funding body 3 Joining to Complete a Dissertation / Final Year Project You can join an expedition to collect data for your own project, using this towards your degree or in some cases masters theses or even to allow you the opportunity to work in a particular field or study area. Choose from one of the following**: 6 Operation Wallacea provide an extensive range of reading materials to help you plan and prepare for your field experience. The information below should give you a clear idea of what is expected of you before, during and after your expedition: 8 marine weeks 6 8 terrestrial weeks 6 bush weeks How to choose your project 1 Decide your ideal topics. Select at least 2-3 2 View videos on the website 3 Joining for Research Experience Expedition medicine experiential course * 3 weeks terrestrial projects * 1 weeks marine projects 6 marine weeks 8 2 4 6 8 terrestrial weeks 2 4 6 bush weeks To help you decide which expedition is right for you: 1 Look through the brochure 2 Visit the Opwall website 3 Watch the videos 4 Speak to Opwall staff 5 Check for spaces 6 Pay a 10% deposit 7 Submit a booking form 8 Start fundraising 6 Consult your university tutor Before Expedition➜ During Expedition➜ After Expedition The course is delivered as a series of lectures and practical exercises including: n pre-expedition planning n medical emergencies and trauma in the field n tropical infections n snake bite and envenomation procedures Choose from a combination or any of the following*: 4 5 Start fundraising Expedition Medicine The Operation Wallacea expedition allows you the chance to participate in active field research. By working with a range of academic teams and scientists you are afforded the opportunity to enhance your career potential, to see if field work is something you wish to pursue and to try something completely different, all while being part of a legacy-leaving project. 2 Contact us to speak to dissertation support staff 4 Book your dissertation space*** US & Canadian students wanting to gain Course Credits External course credit University of St Andrews in Scotland run a long distance learning module BL3400 Tropical Research and Field Study. If you are joining for a 4 week expedition (excluding dive training) you can apply for this module. For more information about gaining credit please email [email protected] Prepare a project title and broad research area within the topic Initial meeting with field supervisor and senior scientist Review current literature and draft a project rationale and methods Finalise research questions and methods and agree itinerary Submit a draft research proposal to your Opwall supervisor Collect data, analyse results, draft introduction and methods sections Send Opwall a digital copy of your completed project Incorporate Opwall’s feedback into a final research proposal Regular progress meeting with on site supervisors Let us know your awarded grade Finish writing up early to focus on coursework and exams Presentation of initial findings to group Internal course credit By visiting your Study Abroad office and/or college academics you will be able to determine if an Opwall expedition could be classed as independent study or an internship program. The amount of credit offered depends on your own university. Primary supervision taken over by university Dissertations must be at least 6 weeks ** If your university does not allow you to complete a dissertation with Opwall, a full refund of your deposit is given, upon receipt of confirmation from your tutor. *** Masters Research For those completing a masters level independent research project, many of our dissertation topics offer suitably complex research questions for a high quality masters grade. Please email [email protected] for more information on which topics may be suitable for your masters course. Up to a maximum expedition of 8 weeks * Andrew O’Neill from Queen Mary University of London raised £900 from a sponsored walk and nearly £185 from selling raffle tickets for his trip to Romania 4 5 Getting Involved & Benefits to Academics Please email [email protected] to discuss: n Research Opportunities n PhD Studentships Participating Academics Operation Wallacea works with specialists in numerous fields from a range of universities and institutions around the world. In total there are more than 200 academics involved in the research programme. A sample of the academics are listed below that have been involved in recent years in the field research programmes, contributing to publications, supervising PhD students who form part of the programme or are involved in data analysis or conservation management outputs from the research. Conservation Management Scientists •Dr Julian Clifton - University of Western Australia •Tom Avent - Wetlands and Wildfowl Trust, UK •Dr Angela Benson - University of Brighton, UK •Dr Richard Bodmer - University of Kent, UK •Dr Keri Brondo - University of Memphis, USA •Dr Alice Eldridge - University of Sussex, UK •Barry Ferguson - University of East Anglia, UK •Dr Jeri Fox - University of New England, USA •Chris Majors - Operation Wallacea, Indonesia •Dr Ruth Malleson - Social and Economic Consultant, UK •Professor Aubrey Manning - University of Edinburgh, UK •Dr Wanda McCormick - Moulton College, UK •Dr Bob Payne - Lakehead University, Canada •Dr Mika Peck - University of Sussex, UK •Dr Richard Phillips - University of Liverpool, UK •Dr Sarah Pilgrim - University of Essex, UK •Dr Edi Purwanto - Tropenbos, Indonesia •Dr Ali Reza - Delta State University, USA •Dr Selina Stead - Newcastle University, UK •Prof Ian Swingland - Operation Wallacea Trust, UK •Dr Chui Ling Tam - Calgary University, Canada •Dr Raquel Thomas - Iwokrama Rainforest Research Centre, Guyana •Helen Tedds - Moulton College, UK •Dr Katharine Vincent - University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa •Roger Wardle - Consultant on agri-environmental schemes, UK •Dr Atiek Widayati - Northumbria University, UK •Dr Tony Whitten - Flora and Fauna International, UK •Dr Olivia Norfolk - Anglia Ruskin University, UK •Dr Kathy Velander - Napier University, UK •Dr Graham Wragg - Nambu Conservation Trusts, Fiji Genetics, Oceanography and Geology Scientists •Dr Danielle Gilroy - Operation Wallacea, UK •Sylvie Bardin - University of Ontario institute of Technology, Canada •Dr Stephen Burrows - Clark University, USA •Dr Giulia Casasole - University of Antwerp, Belgium •Dr Greg Cowie - University of Edinburgh, UK •Dr Alan Dykes - Kingston University, UK •Dr Leanne Hepburn - University of Essex, UK •Dr Tom Horton - SUNY ESF, USA •Dr Ben Horton - Upenn, USA •Dr Richard Hunter - Salisbury University, USA •Dr John Milsom - University College London, UK •Dr Claire Raisin - University of Kent, UK •Professor George Turner, Bangor - University, UK •Dr Cathy Walton - University of Manchester, UK •Dr Moyra Wilson - Curtin University, Australia •Dr Gerd Winterleitner - Royal Holloway, University of London, UK Invertebrate (terrestrial and freshwater) Specialists •Professor Martin Speight - University of Oxford, UK •Dr Jan-Robert Barr - University College Dublin, Ireland •Dr George Beccaloni - Natural History Museum London, UK •Dr Sarah Beynon - University of Oxford, UK •Professor Mark Brown - Royal Holloway, UK •Dr Moya Burns - University of Oxford, UK •Dr Patricia Chow-Fraser - McMaster University, Canada •Professor James Cook - University of Reading, UK •Michael Geiser - Natural History Museum London, UK •Dr Francis Gilbert - University of Nottingham, UK •Andy Godfrey - Consultant Entomologist, UK •Dr Sammy de Grave - Oxford Natural History Museum, UK •Dr Neal Haddaway - Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences •Dr Ian Hardy - University of Nottingham, UK •Dr Merlijn Jocque - University of Leuven, Belgium 6 •Dr Mary Kelly-Quinn - University College Dublin, Ireland •Dr Stuart Longhorn - NUI Maynooth, Ireland •Dr Erica McAlister - Natural History Museum, UK •Dr Kenneth McCravy - Western Illinois University, USA •Dr José Nuñez-Mino - Bat Conservation Trust, UK •Dr Paul O’Callaghan - University College Dublin, Ireland •Dr Graham Rotheray - National Museum of Scotland, UK •Dr Simon Segar - University of Reading, UK •Dr Jo-Anne Sewlal - University of the West Indies •Dr Sergiu Torok - Babes-Bolyai University, Romania •Dr Roy Wiles - University of Glamorgan, UK •Dr Keith Willmott - Florida Museum of Natural History, USA Ornithologists •Dr Tom Martin -Operation Wallacea, UK •Dr Jake Bicknell - DICE, University of Kent, UK •Dr Alan Blackburn - University of Lancaster, UK •Dr Robin Brace - University of Nottingham, UK •Dr Simon Butler - University of Reading, UK •Dr Bruce Byers - Umass Amherst, USA •Dr Hannah Clarke - University of Dundee, UK •Dr Nicola Goodship - Wetlands and Wildfowl Trust, UK •Dr Claus Holzapfel - Rutgers, Newark College of Arts and Sciences, USA •Dr Martin Jones - Manchester Metropolitan University, UK •Dr Dave Kelly - Trinity College Dublin, Ireland •Dr Sean Kelly - Trinity College Dublin, Ireland •Paul Leafe - Montgomeryshire County Recorder, UK •Dr Nicola Marples - Trinity College Dublin, Ireland •Martin Meads - Sparsholt College, UK •Dr Mark Miller - James Cook University, Australia •Dr Brian O’Shea - North Carolina Natural History •Museum, USA •Dr Joel Prashant Jack - Environmental Protection Institute, India •Sam Jones - University College London, UK •Fabiola Rodriguez - Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras •Dr Eimear Rooney - Queens University Belfast, UK •Cindy Stacier - Dalhousie University, Canada •Matthew White - RSPB, UK •Dr Nurul Winarni - World Conservation Society, Indonesia •Dr Rueven Yosef - Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, Israel Herpetologists •Dr Steve Green - Cornwall College, UK •Dr Scott Boback - Dickinson College, USA •Dr Jeff Burkhart - University of La Verne, USA •Tim Colston - University of Mississippi, USA •Dr Jacqualyn Eales - University of Bangor, UK •Julius Frazier - California Polytechnic State University, USA •Dr Graeme Gillespie - University of Melbourne, Australia •Monique Holting - Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt, Germany •Jon Kolby - James Cook University, Australia •Dr Mike Logan - Harvard, USA •Dr Chad Montgomery - Truman State University, USA •Professor Randall Morrison - McDaniel University, USA •Dr Eridani Mulder - Central Queensland University, Australia •Jose Nobrega - Universidad de Aveiro, Portugal •Dr Silviu Petrovan - University of Hull, UK •Dr Bob Reed - USGS, Guam •Stephen Roussos - Texas Tech University, USA •Mariano Suarez - Centro Ecologico Akumal, Mexico •Dr Katy Upton - Chester Zoo, UK Botany, Plant Sciences and Forestry Specialists •Dr Bruce Carlisle - Northumbria University, UK •Dr Harison Andriambelo - Antananarivo University, Madagascar •Dr Sven Batke - Trinity College Dublin, Ireland •Dr Gareth Bruce - Glamorgan University, UK •Dr Jon Cocking - JCA Ltd, UK •Dr Anke Dietzsche - Trinity College Dublin, Ireland •Dr Daniel Kelly - Trinity College Dublin, Ireland •Dr Grace O’Donovan - Independent ecology consultant, UK •Dr Pascale Poussart - Princeton University, USA •Dr Andrew Powling - University of Portsmouth, UK •Dr Andrew Smith - University of Oxford, UK •Dr Sarah Taylor - University of Keele, UK •Dr Peter Thomas - University of Keele, UK •Caroline Whitefoord - Natural History Museum, UK •Dr Samy Zalat - Nature and Science Foundation for Egypt, Egypt Marine Scientists •Professor Dave Smith - University of Essex, UK •Dr Dan Exton - Operation Wallacea, UK •Dr Gabby Ahmadia - World Wildlife Fund, USA •Prof Jorge Angulo Valdes - University of Havana, Cuba •Dr Arthur Anker - Muséum National, Paris, France •Dr Dan Bailey – University of Cambridge, UK •Dr Richard Barnes - University of Cambridge, UK •Professor James Bell - Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand •Dr Wayne Bennett - University of West Florida, USA •Dr Paul Bologna - Montclair State University, USA •Dr Heidi Burdett - St Andrews University, UK •Dr Isabelle Cote - Simon Fraser University, Canada •Professor James Crabbe - University of Bedfordshire, UK •Dr Simon Cragg - Portsmouth University, UK •Dr Leanne Cullen - Cardiff University, UK •Dr Jocelyn Curtis-Quick - Independent consultant, UK •Dr Caine Delacy - University of Western Australia, Australia •Dr John Eme - University of North Texas, USA •Dr Teresa Fernandes - Heriot Watt University UK •Dr Andy Gill - Cranfield Institute, UK •Dr Helen Graham - Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, UK •Dr Ben Green - Environment Agency, UK •Dr Emma Hayhurst - University of Glamorgan, UK •Dr Ian Hendy - University of Portsmouth, UK •Dr Sebastian Hennige - Heriot Watt University, UK •Dr Jess Jaxion Harm - University of Vienna, Austria •Dr Magnus Johnson - University of Hull, UK •Dr Tim Johnson - University of Glamorgan, UK •Dr Jamal Jompa - COREMAP, Indonesia •Dr Nick Kamenos - University of Glasgow, UK •Dr Tina Kutti - Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, UK •Dr James McDonald - Rutgers University, USA •Dr Steve McMellor - University of Aberdeen, UK •Dr Ed Morgan - University of Glamorgan, UK •Dr Clare Peddie - University of St Andrews, UK •Dr Alan Pinder - Dalhousie University, Canada •Dr Johanna Polsenberg - US House of Representatives, USA •Dr Niamh Quinn - University of Galway, Ireland •Dr Sam Rastrick - Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, UK •Dr Dai Roberts - Queens University Belfast, UK •Professor Alex Rogers - University of Oxford, UK •Dr Pelayo Salinas de Leon - Charles Darwin Foundation, Galapagos, Ecuador •Dr James Saunders - St Andrews University, UK •Dr Patric Scaps - University of Perpignon, France •Dr Jon Shrives - Jersey State Fisheries Department, UK •Dr Edd Stockdale - University of Western Australia, Australia •Dr Dave Suggett - University of Technology, Sydney, Australia •Prof Chris Todd - University of St Andrews, UK •Dr Richard Unsworth - Swansea University, UK •Dr Nerida Wilson - Western Australia Museum, Australia •Dr Kyle Young - Universidad de los Lagos, Chile Mammal Specialists •Dr Kathy Slater - Operation Wallacea, Mexico •Dr Heather Gilbert - Operation Wallacea, UK •Dr Kirsten Bohn - Florida International University, USA •Dr Mark Bowler - St Andrews University, USA •Dr Jedediah Brodie - University of British Columbia, Canada •Professor Mike Bruford - University of Cardiff, USA •Dr Anthony Caravaggi - Queens University Belfast, UK •Dr Ruth Cox - University of Prince Edward Island, Canada •Dr Christian Dietz - University of Tuebingen, Germany •Dr Nigel Dunstone - Natural History New Zealand •Dr Jonathan Flanders – University of Bristol •Dr Ivar Fleur - Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México •Matthew Hallett - University of Mississipi, USA •Dr Abdul Haris Mustari - IPB, Bogor, Indonesia •Dr Justin Hines - Operation Wallacea, Canada •Andrew Jennings - IUCN/SSC Small Carnivore Specialist Group, UK •Dr Marine Joly - University of Portsmouth, UK •Dr Tigga Kingston - Texas Tech University, USA •Juliet Leadbeater - University of Chester, UK •Dr Burton Lim - Royal Ontario Museum, Canada •Professor Aubrey Manning - University of Edinburgh, UK •Professor Suzanne MacDonald - York University, Canada •Dr Niall McCann - University of Cardiff, UK •Dr Nkabeng Mzileni - WEI, South Africa •Dr Sarah Papworth - Royal Holloway, UK •Huma Pearce - Independent Bat Consultant, UK •Dr Abigail Phillips - University of Birmingham, UK •Dr Rob Pickles - Panthera, USA •Rob Pitman - Panthera, South Africa •Dr Nancy Priston - Oxford Brookes University, UK •Professor Ute Radespiel - Hannover Unversity, Germany •Dr Felix Rakotondraparany - Antananarivo University, Madagascar •Dr Osvaldo Eric Ramires-Bravo - Universidad de America, Puebla, Mexico •Dr Neil Reid - Queens University Belfast, UK •Dario Rivera - University of Queensland, Australia •Dr Steve Rossiter - Queen Mary University of London, UK •Dr Adrian Seymour - Independent wildlife film maker, UK •Dr Myron Shekelle - National University of Singapore, Singapore •Dr Andrew Smith - Anglia Ruskin University, UK •Dr Kym Snarr - University of Toronto, Canada •Dr Peter Taylor - University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa •Dr Pamela Thompson - UCLA, USA •Professor Stewart Thompson - Oxford Brookes University, UK •Dr David Tosh - Queens University Belfast, UK •Ivar Vleut - UNAM, Mexico •Dr Kevina Vulinec - Delaware State University, USA •Dr Phil Wheeler - University of Hull, UK •Dr C.B Wood - Providence College, USA •Dr Anne Zeller - University of Waterloo, Canada •Heike Zitzer - Pongola Elephant Reserve, South Africa Fisheries Scientists •Dr Tim Coles OBE, Operation Wallacea, UK •Dr Dave Bird - University of Western England, UK •Irven Forbes - Environment Agency, UK •Dr Emmanuel Frimpong - Virginia Polytechnic, USA •Professor Tim Gray - Newcastle University, UK •Dr Peter Henderson - University of Oxford, UK •Piotr Kalinowski - Fisheries consultant, UK •Dr Duncan May - Fisheries consultant, UK •Joel Rice - Fisheries consultant, USA •Dr Rodney Rountree - University of Connecticut, USA •Paul Simonin - Cornell University, USA •Professor Michael Stewart - Troy University, USA •Dr Mike Walkey - University of Kent, UK •Paul Simonin - Cornell University, USA n PhD Student Field Research Grants n Co-funded PhD Placements n Class Visits & Field Courses Academic journals in which Opwall teams have published General Science Nature PLoS ONE Caribbean Journal of Science General Conservation Biology Biological Conservation Conservation Biology Biodiversity and Conservation Animal Conservation Oryx Global Ecology and Conservation Conservation Genetics Resources Environmental Conservation Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems Conservation and Society General Ecology and Zoology Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences Ecological Applications Global Change Biology Ecography Functional Ecology Journal of Zoology Biodiversity and Ecology Animal Behaviour Integrative and Comparative Biology Diseases of Aquatic Organisms Ecological Indicators Integrative Zoology Bioscience Horizons Journal of Tropical Ecology Biotropica Aerobiologia Hydrobiologia Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society Biological Journal of the Linnean Society Aquatic Biology ISRN Zoology Australian Journal of Zoology Egyptian Journal of Biology Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington Micronesica Applied and Theoretical Biology Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution Environmental Microbiology Journal of Thermal Biology Environmental Science and Technology Computational Biology and Chemistry Environmental Modelling and Software Faunistics and Taxonomy The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology European Journal of Taxonomy Zootaxa Zoologica Scripta Checklist Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien Acta Society Zoological Bohemia Comptes Rendus Biologies General Marine Biology Marine Biology Marine Biodiversity Marine Ecology Progress Series Coral Reefs Frontiers in Marine Science Journal of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology Bulletin of Marine Science The Open Marine Biology Journal Marine and Freshwater Research Gulf and Caribbean Research Ocean Challenge Atoll Research Bulletin Revisita Investigaciones Marinas Diving Hyperbaric Medicine Icthyology Journal of Fish Biology Copeia Mammalogy American Journal of Primatology International Journal of Primatology Small Carnivore Conservation Acta Chiropterologica Herpetology Journal of Herpetology Herpetological Review Herpetological Conservation and Biology Herpetologica Salamandra Herpetozoa Ornithology Bird Conservation International Ostrich Cotinga Sandgrouse Forktail Ornitologia Neotropical BirdingASIA The Ring Botany Journal of Phycology PhytoKeys American Fern Journal Palms New Phytologist International Journal of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Reinwardtia Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Assiut University Journal of Botany Entomology and other Invertebrates Journal of Insect Science Journal of Insect Conservation Ecological Entomology Journal of Crustacean Biology Crustacean Research Crustaceana Nematology Social Science, Policy and Environmental Management Forest Ecology and Management International Journal of Pest Management Sustainability Marine Policy Human Ecology Society and Natural Resources Ocean and Coastal Management Fishery Management The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge SPC Traditional Marine Resource Management and Knowledge Information Bulletin Madagascar Conservation and Development Education and Tourism Journal of Biological Education Journal of Ecotourism Physical Geography and Geology Journal of Quaternary Sciences Limnology and Oceanography Proceedings of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science Cave and Karst Science AAPG Bulletin GIS and Statistical Analysis •Dr Peter Long - University of Oxford, UK •Joe Bailey - University of Nottingham, UK •Jesse Blits - University of Amsterdam, Netherlands •Oliver Burdekin - BurdGIS, London, UK •Dr Natalie Cooper - Harvard University, USA •Dr Bella Davies - Oxford Brookes University, UK •Dr Richard Field - University of Nottingham, UK •Dr Fiona Hemsley Flint - University of Edinburgh, UK •Dr Alan Jones - University of Sheffield, UK •Dr Marco Lusquinos - Imperial College London, UK •Cristi Malos - Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj, Romania •Dr Gareth Mann - Rhodes University, South Africa •Dr Lisa Manne - CUNY, USA •Dr Peter Randerson - Cardiff University, UK •Dr Allister Smith - Oxford Brookes University, UK •Dr Emily Woollen - University of Edinburgh, UK •Professor Kathy Willis - University of Oxford, UK 7 Krka National Park Mljet National Park Students will stay in tents in a newly established camp site. There is a separate lecture room, open air auditorium and restaurant on site all with spectacular views over the river gorge. During the second week students will be based in Mljet National Park research centre in shared rooms. There are showers and toilets on site. The site is also equipped for diving including a small research boat. Croatia Facilities CROATIA KRKA NATIONAL PARK MUSEUM AND RESEARCH CENTRE SIBENIK SPLIT Croatiaoverview Diving ✔ Forest ✔ Expedition length 2 weeks Research Assistant options 2 set expeditions Key facts l Opportunity to work in the spectacular Krka river valley in an area with wolves, jackals and other keystone species lOnly European based expedition that provides the opportunity to combine marine and terrestrial research work Research objectives During glacial times the main biodiversity refuges of Europe were the Iberian, Apennine and Balkans peninsulas, which managed to conserve tropical elements of the flora and fauna. The most important biodiversity elements of the present day Balkan region are the short but very large river valleys through the karst limestone areas and the biogeography of the numerous Adriatic islands. This expedition combines both of these important areas working in the spectacular Krka National Park and on Mljet Island in southern Dalmatia off the coast of Dubrovnic. The high Dinaric Arc mountains that run along the border of Bosnia and Croatia separate much of the European continental fauna from the Mediterranean fauna of coastal Croatia. The Krka River, in a distance of only 60km, runs from the high Dinaric mountains down to the sea and contains an excellent example of a speciation gradient. The National Park is rich in freshwater biodiversity because of the long geographical isolation of the catchment and has around 20 unique species of fish to the river. Since much of the water in the karst region is found underground, the cave systems and this habitat provides the highest rate of new species discoveries from any habitat in Europe. One of the unique cave species is the blind Cave salamander featured in “The Natural World - Attenborough’s Ark”, in which David Attenborough chooses his ten favourite animals that he would most like to save from extinction. The salamander is the third most genetically distinct amphibian in the world. The Krka National Park authorities have established a research base station in the centre of the valley that they want to develop into a central biodiversity research hub for the eastern Adriatic region. Two museums have been built on the site to illustrate the unique ecology of the valley. The role of Operation Wallacea in this plan is to develop the most detailed biodiversity annual monitoring programme of key taxa yet undertaken in Croatia and from this programme, examine community structure and changes over time. In particular the research objectives are: nTo quantify the effect on jackal, fox and other mammal fauna of the recent return and increase in wolf populations in the region nTo determine how the height in the valley affects the bird and reptile communities nTo help quantify the biodiversity of the unique cave fauna nTo quantify the fish communities and habitat associations in the Krka River BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ADRIATIC SEA MIJET NATIONAL PARK RESEARCH CENTRE MLJET ISLAND DUBROVNIK The Mljet National Park is the oldest marine national park in the Mediterranean and was designated in 1960 to protect the largest Cladocera caespitosa reef within the Mediterranean. Mljet Island is one of the most beautiful of the Croatian Islands with large stands of Holm Oak and Aleppo Pine forest. The Mljet National Park has established a research centre at the north western tip of the island and Opwall is helping to build up the research outputs with initial concentration on: nMonitoring changes in fish communities using stereo-video within the proposed ‘No Take Zones’ and immediately adjacent to them nDetermining the distribution and quality of the Posidonia seagrass beds around the island nQuantifying the tortoise populations within the park Travel information Booking your international flights: Arrival Airport: Split Departure Airport: Dubrovnik When to arrive? Thursday (before 1500hrs) before your expedition When to leave? Wednesday (after 1400hrs) after your expedition Getting from the airport to the expedition start point can be organised by the Opwall travel team [email protected] Croatia 8 9 Croatia Croatia Research Assistant Options Below is a brief outline of all options available to students. For specific course and project information please contact us or visit www.opwall.com Expedition 1 Expedition 2 15 June - 28 June 2017 20 July - 2 August 2017 •• Set expedition length: 2 weeks This expedition offers a fantastic experience in the shortest time period possible. The first week is spent in the Krka National Park assisting the biodiversity surveys CR001. The following week there is then a boat trip to various Adriatic Islands before arriving on Mljet and spending the last week in the National Park. Here you can learn to dive (CR002) or complete the Adriatic ecology course (CR003/04). Marine training courses CR002 PADI Open Water - This course involves a combination of theory lessons, confined water dives and open water dives to gain an official scuba diving qualification. CR003 Adriatic ecology course & marine research - diving CR004 Adriatic ecology & marine research - snorkelling The course consists of lectures and in water practicals and teaches identification of common genera and species of coral and other macroinvertebrates, identification of the major reef-associated fish families and common species. Designed to introduce a variety of methods and practices used for scientific research in the marine environment. You will assist with the following: •Look at the effectiveness of ‘No Take Zones’ on fish populations from stereo video fish surveys •Map the seagrass beds and quantify their structure •Examine the recovery of large mollusc species in the ‘No Take Zones’ •Estimating populations of tortoises in the national park Details of Projects and Expeditions CR001 Krka National Park biodiversity surveys: students rotate between a range of projects led by staff from the Croatian Institute for Biodiversity. Fish surveys: These are boat and foot-based electrofishing and netting surveys of various habitats along the Krka River. There are a number of endemic species including two endemic trout species (Salmo visovacensis and Salmo obtusirostris krkensi) that are being investigated. All fish captured will be identified, measured and genetic samples taken. Reptile surveys: Surveys are performed by checking under previously placed cover boards and completing standard search times in different habitats and heights in the valley. The park authorities are keen to determine how the four lined snake (Elaphe quatuorlineata) which grows to 2.5m, the venomous nose horned viper (Vipera ammodytes) and the leopard rat snake (Zamenis situla) separate their niches. In addition the surveys will be recording the distribution of the giant glass lizard (Pseudopus apodus), which grows to a length of 1.2m and tortoises (Testudo hermanni). Night surveys are also done for the cat snake (Telescopus fallax) which is the only nocturnally active snake species in the region. Cave surveys: Students assisting with these surveys will be led by cave biology specialists, in caves which are not open to the public, and will involve completing transects and quadrats within the cave systems to estimate diversity of groups adapted to cave living. Soil samples will also be taken from different parts of the cave system and sorted in the lab to estimate soil biodiversity. Bird surveys: These surveys will involve setting mist nets early in the morning at different heights in the valley. Point count surveys will be completed either side of the mist net surveys each day. Target species for the birds include the Natura 2000 important bird species. Butterfly surveys: Students will complete Pollard counts of the butterflies. Mammal surveys: The large mammal species are surveyed using camera traps and searching areas for footprints and faecal samples. Within the Krka Valley and surrounding plateau there are two large wolf packs and these appear to be reducing the jackal and fox populations. In addition to downloading images from the camera traps and analyzing the footage these teams will also be setting and emptying small mammal traps and in particular looking for the endemic vole (Dinaromys bogdanovi) found in the Dinaric mountains. Croatia 10 11 Cuba Facilities This expedition made me see a different side of research… On this trip, I realized that the harder (but FUN) part of research is the data collection. Very unique experience! Andrea Llanes, University of Toronto Cubaoverview Diving ✔ Forest ✘ Expedition length 2 & 4 week options Research Assistant options 2 set expeditions Key facts l One of only 5 remaining communist states in the world lOpwall’s sole marine only expedition lOpportunity to live in a local Cuban community lOpportunity to work alongside scientists from the University of Havana lSome of the best underwater visibility and pristine reefs in the Caribbean Marine research objectives La Victoria Village Research assistants in Cuba will be based in houses in the small Cuban village of La Victoria on the Isle of Youth. Houses have air-conditioned dormitory style rooms with indoor and outdoor communal areas, running water and flushing toilets, as well as areas for lectures and data analysis. Meals will be provided by the local community and students will have the unique experience of living amongst the welcoming Cuban people. Research Ship Students may also have the opportunity to spend some of their expedition on the University of Havana research ship (a converted fishing boat) the Felipe Poey. The boat is fitted with berths below deck (although most choose to sleep under the stars on deck), a flush toilet and basic freshwater shower. Students will be based primarily in La Victoria, but where available will spend some time on the Felipe Poey. Travel information Booking your international flights: Airport: Havana Airport (José Marti International) When to arrive? On the Wednesday before your expedition begins When to leave? On the Friday after your expedition ends Dive Facilities The Colony Marina offers scuba diving facilities including equipment rental, a compressor, and a selection of boats capable of accessing the Punta Frances National Park and nearby mangrove lagoons. Students will travel to the marina each day by private bus and spend the day in the field before returning to La Victoria each evening. Lunch will be provided on the boats each day. Getting from the airport to the expedition start point can be organised by the Opwall travel team [email protected] Opwall has given me invaluable experience as a research assistant and is a great way to start out in conservation. Sophie Johnson, Durham University Despite being the largest island in the Caribbean, Cuba’s political and economic isolation for over half a century means biodiversity research outputs have been severely limited. Cuba is home to extensive coral reef, mangrove and seagrass habitats, although anthropogenic and natural stressors threaten their future health and survival. With large scale growth in tourism expected in the coming decade, pressure on Cuba’s marine ecosystems will likely grow, and Operation Wallacea aims to address (1) the long-term resilience of coastal habitats in the face of a changing planet, and (2) the current status and conservation forecast of marine megafauna. Operation Wallacea and the Centre for Marine Research at the University of Havana (CIM-UH) have developed a long-term collaborative partnership to implement a biodiversity monitoring programme in the south of the Isle of Youth (Isla de la Juventud), the largest island off the coast of Cuba. With the western end already designated as the Punta Frances National Park, the entire area is now being proposed as a Sustainable Use and Protected Area (APRM) due to its significant importance to biodiversity. Research assistants will join a team of Cuban scientists to complete fish and benthic surveys of reefs along the southern Isla de la Juventud APRM, explore the ecology of invasive lionfish and assess the local manatee population in the nearby mangrove system. Data will be used to inform conservation management practices across the entire southern island APRM. Cuba 12 13 Below is a brief outline of all options available to students. For specific course and project information please contact us or visit www.opwall.com Expedition 1 16 June - 13 July 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks This expedition starts with dive training and reef ecology courses (CU001 & CU002/3). The remaining three weeks will be spent working with the marine research team completing each of the projects listed under ‘details of projects and expeditions’ (CU004). This expedition is designed to give you maximum opportunity and experience on all aspects of the research project including data collection, sample processing and analysis. Expedition 2 4 August - 17 August 2017 •• Set expedition length: 2 weeks This expedition is only for a short period, however you are still able to spend time assisting the research programme. After completing dive training and/or reef ecology (CU001 & CU002/03) your second week is spent rotating around the various projects (CU004). Marine training courses CU001 PADI Open Water - This course involves a combination of theory lessons, confined water dives and open water dives to gain an official scuba diving qualification. CU002 Caribbean coral reef ecology - diving CU003 Caribbean coral reef ecology - snorkelling The course consists of lectures and in water practicals and teaches identification of common genera and species of coral and other macroinvertebrates, identification of the major reef-associated fish families and common species. Designed to introduce a variety of methods and practices used for scientific research in the marine environment. Optional additional dive training - If you are already dive trained, you can sign up for additional dive training in your spare time. These courses include PADI Advanced Open Water (US$220) and PADI Rescue Diver with EFR (US$400). Details of Projects and Expeditions Cuba Cuba Research Assistant Options Students rotate between projects led by experts from the University of Havana. CU004 Reef fish, benthic communities and marine megafauna n Reef fish: Using stereo-video, you will be involved in the identification and measurement of fish species from analysis of the video data collected, to calculate biomass and species community composition. In addition you will be helping with video line intercept surveys on the reefs and analysing these videos to identify the benthic organisms intercepting the line so the total coral and macroalgal cover at each site can be calculated. n Coastal fish: Coastal fish communities and recruitment is studied from seine net surveys of the beach areas and light traps are also used to assess larval populations in coastal waters. You will also be helping with baited remote camera drops to assess densities of sharks and other large carnivores. n Sharks: The shark project forms part of the Global FinPrint project. When conditions allow, baited long lines will also be set from the research ship to tag and release sharks. n Lionfish: This project involves the dissection of speared lionfish to examine size class structure, stomach contents, and other morphological and physiological characteristics. n Manatee survey and capture project: The manatee surveys are conducted in the mangrove channels and lagoons using side scan sonar surveys and observational transects. The position of all sighted manatees are logged and environmental data collected. In addition, the movement of manatees is studied using marked animals. Occasionally we are able to assist with captures and students will be helping using nets. Any manatees captured will be measured, the sex determined, DNA and blood samples taken and the animal marked before release. Cuba 14 15 Guyana Facilities Expedition Structure: All volunteers spend the initial part of the expedition at the lodge. Those staying for 4 & 6 week expeditions will then move out to field camps where the teams will stay to complete surveys for 5 or 6 days before moving on to the next site. These camps are the ultimate experience in living and working in a remote forest location. Iwokrama Field Research Station At the Iwokrama river lodge accommodation is in dormitories with communal bathrooms. There is a well equipped research centre with a lecture room and restaurant overlooking the river. Field Camps Accommodation will be in hammocks with bashas and integral mosquito nets. There are temporary field toilets and washing will be done in the rivers. Meals are prepared by local cooks and the food is above what is the normal expedition standard. Travel information The Guiana Shield in South America is a massive granite dome that formed 2 billion years ago and now encompasses Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and parts of Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil. Throughout most of this area there is a low human population density, and as a result, 2.5 million km2 of tropical rainforests still remain largely untouched, along with extensive savannahs and wetlands. The Operation Wallacea expeditions are working in Guyana – an English speaking country with one of the lowest population densities and highest per capita forest areas on the planet, as well as incredible savannahs and wetlands. The expeditions involve trekking through undisturbed forests, where jaguar, tapirs, giant otters, harpy eagles and many other charismatic South American species are abundant. Operation Wallacea has formed a partnership with the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development (IIC) and the Amerindian community of Surama. The IIC manages one million acres (371,000ha) of lowland tropical rainforest in the centre of the country. The IIC represents an international partnership between Guyana and the Commonwealth to Iwokrama Research Centre Iwokrama Burro Burro River Lethem Rupununi river Surama Bina Hill Karanambo river Rewa Research objectives Protection of rainforests is a matter of ensuring that surrounding communities can have a financial benefit from conservation of those forests, and this is the basis of many of the REDD+ type data collection monitoring projects being run by Opwall, where funds are raised through preservation of the carbon content of the forests. However, an alternative approach is to sustainably exploit the timber in the forest using a reduced impact logging protocol developed by Iwokrama so that communities can have financial benefits, but the biodiversity of the forest can be maintained. Just under half of the Iwokrama Reserve has been designated as a sustainable use area (SUA). Within this area a 60 year rotation has been agreed where approximately 1% of the trees in the blocks to be logged are removed with detailed planning so that the cut and skid trails to remove the timber have minimal impact. This level of cutting for the most part allows the canopy structure and overall age structure of the trees to be maintained even in the harvested blocks, but since the trees removed are the high value commercial species, it generates substantial income for the local communities. This is a very impressive harvesting system and if it can be demonstrated to have minimal impacts on biodiversity whilst at the same time generating much of the income that would have been achieved from much less sensitive ways of harvesting, then this approach may have much wider applications worldwide. The Opwall teams are helping to provide detailed and verifiable datasets on target biodiversity taxa in the Iwokrama forests both to examine the impacts of selective logging but also to quantify long-term changes in the biodiversity of the forests. Getting to and from the expedition start point can be organised by the Opwall travel team [email protected] New Amsterdam Apoteri Rewa er uibo riv Esseq Key facts l Part of the Guiana Shield – a huge expanse of undisturbed tropical rainforest and one of the last frontier forests on earth l One of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet – with a very high abundance of Neotropical megafauna l Most remote of the forest expeditions l Opportunity to examine whether logging can be managed to have minimal impact on biodiversity l Run in partnership with Amerindian tribes eager to share traditional knowledge, tracking skills, bushskills, and medicine Georgetown Demera ra river Diving ✘ Forest ✔ Expedition length 2 & 4 week options Research Assistant options 2 set expeditions demonstrate how tropical forests can be sustainably used in the interest of global scale climate change, local communities and biodiversity conservation. Surama Village is a Makushi Amerindian community, which has a vision to develop, own and manage a community-based eco-tourism business by using the natural resources and their traditional culture practices. Booking your international flights: Airport: Georgetown Airport (Cheddi Jagan International) When to arrive? On the Monday before your expedition begins (before 2200hrs) When to leave? On the Tuesday that your expedition ends Essequibo river Guyanaoverview Guyana North Rupununi Wetlands Kanuku Mountains Rupununi Wetlands An annual monitoring programme providing equal coverage of the SUA and wilderness preserve (where no logging is allowed), as well as the forests surrounding Surama Village has been initiated, and is being completed by the Opwall survey teams. The purpose of this monitoring is to provide long-term data sets on the abundance and diversity of key biodiversity taxa so that the impacts of sustainable use within Iwokrama and the forest surrounding Surama can be identified in comparison with the non-utilised wilderness areas. Guyana 16 17 Below is a brief outline of all options available to students. For specific course and project information please contact us or visit www.opwall.com Expedition 1 20 June - 17 July 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks This expedition starts with 3 days based at the Iwokrama Research Centre completing the Guiana Shield forest ecology course GU001. You then move to different field camps for a week each time. In these camps you will be working with the biodiversity research teams GU002. For the final 3 days you will be completing the boat based surveys on the Burro Burro river GU003. Expedition 2 18 July - 31 July 2017 •• Set expedition length: 2 weeks Your expedition starts with 3 days based at the Iwokrama Research Centre completing the Guiana Shield forest ecology course GU001. You then move to a field camp for a week and will be working with the biodiversity research teams GU002. For the final 3 days you will be completing the boat based surveys on the Burro Burro river GU003. This expedition is ideal for those wanting to gain as much field experience as possible, you will be able to fully experience all aspects of surveys, data collection and living in remote sites. This is one of our most remote and pristine sites. Forest training courses GU001 Jungle training and Guiana Shield forest ecology course: The course is designed to prepare students for living and working in the forest and how to be of practical use in the surveys. Skills in learning how to live safely and healthily in the tropical forest in hammock based camps will be gained. There are also a series of lectures on the ecology of the forests in which you will be working, the survey techniques used and some of the main species you will encounter. Details of Projects and Expeditions GU002 Iwokrama forest biodiversity survey: These surveys will be completed at a series of camps across the Iwokrama and Surama forests and you will be able to rotate between the different projects available or to specialise in one or more of them. •Mist nets will be set to collect data on the understorey birds. All birds captured are measured and data taken on moult and breeding condition to determine breeding cycles. In addition point count surveys are completed at a series of sites and analysis completed on soundscape recordings from a series of digital sound recorders. •Standard search scan transects are completed for herpetofauna and in the evenings spotlighting and soundscape analysis used to determine the amphibian communities. •Baited pit fall traps are used to determine dung beetle communities. •Transects will be walked, distance sampling together with patch occupancy analysis is used to estimate large mammal community structure. Camera traps will also be set along the same transects and data analysed for additional species not recorded on transects and from catch effort analysis to determine whether populations are increasing or declining. •Data on forest structure and carbon levels are also gathered from a series of 20m x 20m plots at each of the sites. •Mist net surveys are run for standard periods of time in the evening and used to quantify the bat communities. In addition soundscape recordings are completed to assess the bat species flying too high for the mist nets. Guyana Guyana Research Assistant Options GU003 Burro Burro river surveys This 3 day survey is based on small boats with the entire team travelling around the Burro Burro river and staying at river camps. The purpose of this survey is to gather standardised data on the giant river otters, caiman, anaconda, water birds and other riverine indicator species. Guyana 18 19 Forest Cusuco An excellent insight into the realities of scientific research methods, and the variety of experiences possible. Leah McHugh, Trinity College Dublin Hondurasoverview Diving ✔ Forest ✔ Expedition length 2, 4, 6 & 8 week options Research Assistant options 14 set expeditions Forest Dissertation options12 Marine Dissertation options9 Key facts l Largest number of forest research scientists and most published research site in Honduras lIn the top 50 most irreplaceable forest sites in the world lData used to protect forests based on their carbon and biodiversity value lOpwall’s flagship Caribbean marine research site lHighest recorded percentage of live coral coverage anywhere in the Caribbean lHome to Opwall’s 3D modelling of coral reefs initiative Forest research objectives The forests of Central America are some of the most species diverse forests in the world partly because they are the meeting point of two great faunas – those from North America and those from South America which had evolved separately. Around 3 million years ago the land bridge that is now Central America began to form and the two faunas began to intermingle. Many of these forests have now been badly damaged but there is a proposal to join currently discontinuous areas of forest into a continuous Mesoamerican forest corridor running from the forests of the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico (where there are other Opwall teams) to the forests of Panama. Part of this corridor will be the cloud forests of Cusuco National Park in Honduras, but these forests have suffered some significant deforestation. The Opwall survey teams have been working in the Cusuco Park forests since 2004 and the data produced has resulted in the Cusuco Park being listed in the top 50 most irreplaceable forest sites in the world from a review of 173,000 protected areas worldwide (and in the top 25 most important sites for the protection of amphibians). The data collected by the Opwall teams is being used to make an application for funding through the Natural Forest Standards system. This will include credits being issued (on the basis of the information about the carbon and biodiversity within the park) which can be sold by the Honduras Forestry Department to multinational companies wishing to offset their carbon emissions and at the same time help protect biodiversity. Funding raised in this way is then used to manage and protect the park. The role of the Opwall teams is therefore to complete annual surveys of the key biodiversity taxa to check on changes. Accommodation at Base Camp is in tents and there are toilets and showers. There is a wireless networked computer system with an internet link at Base Camp (although access to the internet will be limited) and this is where all the data from the various survey teams are collated. In addition, there is a field DNA lab. From Base Camp, teams can access four core zone fly camps across the park, giving the experience of living deep in the forest, sleeping in hammocks or tents and with the river as your shower facility. Terrain in Cusuco is the toughest of all our expeditions. Honduras Facilities Marine Utila Tela Located outside of Utila town is the Coral View hotel, situated between some of the best reefs and the largest mangrove-lined lagoon system on the island. Accommodation is in shared rooms and is run by a local Utilan family who have built, in conjunction with Operation Wallacea, a well-equipped dive and environmental monitoring field lab. The home reef can be accessed from the jetty by snorkelling or diving and provides a site for more intensive experimental research. The Bay of Tela is situated between the national parks of Punta Sal and Punto Isopo. Honduras Shores Plantation is located on the beach in the Bay of Tela between the sea and a small lagoon which connects to some of the larger lagoons in the area. Accommodation is in fan cooled dormitory style rooms. There is a small dive centre with newly built lab facilities, a swimming pool and lecture facilities. All diving is by boat, with mangroves reached by a combination of kayaks and a small boat. Marine research objectives In the Caribbean there are a number of core issues that have been affecting the biodiversity of the reefs – including the mass mortality of keystone sea urchins that have allowed algal colonisation of reef areas, an invasive species originally from the Indo-Pacific (lionfish) that acts as a predator on reef fish which has been spreading across the Caribbean, and overfishing of reef fish by local communities. Opwall has a series of other monitoring sites around the Caribbean (Cuba, Dominica and Mexico) and two of those monitoring sites are in Honduras. One is on the island reefs of Utila and the second on the coastal barrier reef of Tela. The island of Utila is used to represent a typical modern Caribbean reef, whereas the mainland bay of Tela offers an alternative type of reef ecosystem, and they combine to help Opwall scientists explore the best ways to protect coral reefs throughout the region. At both sites, teams of Opwall scientists and students collect annual monitoring data to assess temporal patterns of ecosystem change, alongside novel research to address key management priorities and gaps in our current understanding of tropical marine coastal ecosystem function. Travel information Booking your international flights: Airport: at San Pedro Sula Airport (Ramon Villeda Morales International) When to arrive? On the Tuesday before your expedition begins When to leave? On the Tuesday (after 1600hrs) after your expedition ends Opwall is the best opportunity to not only study a great subject but to meet new people who also love science! I would recommend it for anyone planning to be a scientist. Brittany Bruce, Indian River State College Getting from the airport to the expedition start point can be organised by the Opwall travel team [email protected] Honduras 20 21 Expedition 5 Below is a brief outline of all options available to students. For specific course and project information please contact us or visit www.opwall.com Expedition 1 21 June - 18 July 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks Ideal for those wanting to gain as much terrestrial research experience as possible whilst combining science and adventure. The expedition starts with HO001, then moves between research camps with the opportunity to trek right across the park, whilst assisting with the biodiversity surveys HO003. 7 June - 4 July 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks This expedition is ideal for those wanting to gain experience at both marine and terrestrial research sites. The first two weeks are spent in Cusuco (HO001 & HO003) followed by two weeks at one of the marine sites completing HO004/05/06. It is ideal if you are already dive qualified or wanting to snorkel only as it will then allow you to join the research teams for option HO007 in your final week. Expedition 2 5 July - 1 August 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks This is an ideal choice for those with a higher level of fitness, who want to make the most of their time in the jungle and yet still wish to experience a marine research site. After completing HO001, you will then visit the more remote forest camps assisting with the research effort HO003 for the next two weeks. Your final week will be HO004/05/06. Expedition 3* 7 June - 4 July 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks This expedition is aimed at giving Pre-Med students the best experience in how to provide medical support to teams working on expeditions in some of the most remote areas. The expedition medicine experiential course provides formal teaching in the form of interactive lectures coupled with mentorship by doctors working out in the field to gain experience in clinical diagnosis and treatment. The mentors will provide individual assessments for each of the students at the end of the placement. The format of the expedition is HO001, HO002, HO003 with a final week completing either HO004/ HO005/HO006. * The course does not provide training in expedition medicine that can then be used as a qualification to practice expedition medicine. Expedition 4 14 June - 27 June 2017 •• Set expedition length: 2 weeks This expedition is designed to give you a brief overview of what a field research site is like. You will complete HO001 before moving to assist researchers in HO003. PADI Dive Instructor training course* •••••• Expedition 6 (8 weeks) Expedition 7 (6 weeks) Expedition 8 (6 weeks) 14 June - 8 August 2017 14 June - 25 July 2017 28 June - 8 August 2017 •••••• •• / Set expedition length: 6 or 8 weeks This expedition is the ideal way to achieve a high level of research experience at a marine base, giving you 6/8 weeks working alongside leading scientists. In your first week you can learn to dive (HO004) followed by HO005/06 (depending on if you are diving or snorkelling). The remaining weeks are spent assisting the research teams in HO007, allowing ample opportunity to visit both marine sites and assist with a wide array of projects. Expedition 9 Expedition 10 21 June - 18 July 2017 12 July - 8 August 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks This is the perfect option for those without the funds or time to complete a 6 or 8 week expedition. In your first week you can learn to dive (HO004) followed by HO005/06 (depending on if diving or snorkelling). The group will then spend their final weeks assisting the research teams in HO007. Expedition 11 Expedition 12 14 June - 27 June 2017 26 July - 8 August 2017 •• Set expedition length: 2 weeks This 2 week expedition provides a basic introduction into marine research. If you are not already dive trained and wanting to learn you will not join the research teams and your options will be HO004/05/06. If snorkelling or already dive trained your first week will be HO005/06 and HO007 your final week. Expedition 13 14 June - 11 July 2017 Divemaster Training •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks This 4 week expedition is based at the Utila Island Marine Research Centre and is to enable students already at Rescue Diver level and with 60 logged dives to complete their Divemaster qualification (HO008). 7 June - 18 July 2017 Expedition 14 Set expedition length: 6 weeks This limited space expedition begins with the PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC) and Emergency First Response Instructor Course (EFRI) concluding with a 2 day Instructor Examination (IE) hosted by PADI HQ. Followed by a custom designed training programme focusing on Opwall’s research programme. This includes 5 PADI Instructor Specialities that will prepare you to reach the Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT) rating. You will then join the Opwall staff team, where you will be teaching dive courses under the guidance of your PADI mentor. Giving you hands on teaching experience while building towards your certification target. The PADI IDC and EFRI course materials are included within the 6 week cost along with online study programmes which must be completed before the expedition begins. *You must already be a qualified PADI Divemaster before undertaking this course 22 Forest training courses HO001 Jungle training - Series of lectures and practicals designed to ensure your survey skills are accurate, well informed and that you can work safely within a field environment. HO002 Expedition medicine experiential course - This course in expedition medicine covers pre-expedition planning, medical emergencies and trauma in the field, tropical infections and snake bite and envenomation procedures. The course is delivered as a series of lectures and practical exercises. Honduras Honduras Research Assistant Options Canopy Access - The course can be done as part of the jungle training and will show you how to ascend 40m+ into the canopy along with a qualified instructor. This optional half day course costs US$170. Marine training courses HO004 PADI Open Water - This course involves a combination of theory lessons, confined water dives and open water dives to gain an official scuba diving qualification. HO005 Caribbean reef ecology & survey techniques - diving HO006 Caribbean reef ecology & survey techniques - snorkelling The course consists of lectures and in water practicals and teaches identification of common genera and species of coral and other macroinvertebrates, identification of the major reef-associated fish families and common species. Designed to introduce a variety of methods and practices used for scientific research in the marine environment. HO008 Divemaster training – Utila If you are already qualified as a PADI Rescue Diver and have at least 60 logged dives you can complete the PADI Divemaster training. Divemaster training has to be done as a full time commitment so you won’t have the chance to join the research projects on this option, although you will be learning to supervise students completing diving for research. An advantage of completing the course with Opwall is the opportunity it gives you of joining the programme as a Divemaster staff member at any of the Opwall sites worldwide in future years. Optional additional dive training If you are already dive trained, you can sign up for additional dive training in your spare time. These courses include PADI Advanced Open Water (US$220) and PADI Rescue Diver with EFR (US$400). Details of Projects and Expeditions: HO003 Monitoring biodiversity change - Operation Wallacea has established an annual monitoring programme for Cusuco National Park. This involves standardised monitoring of a number of taxa from standard sites and transects across the park to assess changes in the structure of the forest and how these changes are impacting the target taxa. Cusuco National Park is now the most published and best studied park in Honduras, so joining these teams will give you the opportunity to work with a large range of scientists across a series of camps and habitats. Students assist all research projects including: •Helping to set up and empty invertebrate pitfall traps to assess dung beetle communities, light traps for moths and jewel scarab beetles •Performing timed searches for herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) •Point counts and mist netting for birds, recording data and taking biometric measurements •Habitat monitoring by completing forest structure plots •Setting and emptying small mammal traps •Patch occupancy and camera trap surveys for large mammals •Mist netting and sound recording for bats Additional studies include projects such as: •Surveying epiphytic lichen diversity across different forest habitats in the park •Determining territory size and bird behaviour using call back •Examining invertebrate communities in bromeliads and looking at infection rates of chytrid fungus (a disease that has decimated amphibian populations elsewhere) in these tiny mountain top amphibian communities to determine the best strategy for their conservation HO007 Marine research assistant pool - Our team of scientists conduct a wide range of research projects at our sites on Utila and Tela, ranging from those involving in-water surveys to laboratory based studies. These projects require help with data collection and analysis, students in the research assistant pool will have the opportunity to experience multiple research projects. Projects include: •Stereo-video: Ecosystem monitoring using stereo-video fish surveys and benthic video transects •Sea urchin population dynamics •Invasive lionfish ecology •In-situ behavioural studies of cleaning symbioses •Laboratory behaviour studies of urchins and invasive lionfish •Mangrove system ecology At a weekly research assistant meeting, the science team present their research and what assistance they require that week, and research assistants sign up to one or more projects accordingly. Honduras 23 Honduras terrestrial dissertations and research topics HO100 Epiphytic lichen community survey in Cusuco National Park (start dates 07 June, 14 June or 21 June; need to complete HO001) One of the characteristic features of moist tropical forests is the abundance of epiphytes or arboreal plants. Epiphytic lichens are incredible composite organisms, both a fungus and photosynthetic. This makes them strongly correlated with environmental variables and useful bioindicators to assess environmental quality and disturbance. Furthermore, over the last decade they have received particular attention due to the possibility of using them as early warning alarms for climatic changes. This project would support a first ever survey of the lichen diversity in Cusuco in addition to existing epiphyte data from the park, which could provide exciting information about environmental quality as well as the lichen species and families composition in the park. Students could develop a range of questions, for example examining the variation in lichen composition within and between trees, between differing altitudes, and differing disturbance levels. Additionally, students could use species distribution modelling (SDM) and GIS to predict species variation in ecological niches when presented with future climate scenarios and emissions. HO101 Dung beetle ecology in the Honduran cloud forest (start dates 07 June, 14 June or 21 June; need to complete HO001) This topic allows students to work on one of the longest-running large-scale invertebrate ecology research projects in the Neotropics, studying the fantastically diverse dung beetles of Cusuco. The project could focus on how diversity and community structure changes over a complex matrix of elevational and habitat gradients, by adapting our existing sampling programme to set up experimental plots. There may also be the opportunity to investigate aspects of ecological genetics, or to utilise GIS in analysing local biogeography of dung beetles. Projects could involve analysing community data from the sampling programme in relation to the habitat structure measurements, or working with data from multiple teams to assess the role that dung beetles play as an indicator for forest quality or the occurrence of other species. Dung beetles also play a vital role in decomposition in the forest and in seed dispersal and the impact and effectiveness of these roles could be tested using various experimental designs. Alternatively, a project could focus on finding out more about some of the beetle species to assess how far they travel to their food source, via mark and recapture methods, or to study aspects of dung beetle ecology such as diet activity or feeding preferences. HO102 Ecology of moths in the tropical cloud forest of Honduras (start dates 07 June, 14 June or 21 June; need to complete HO001) The moths of Cusuco are among the strangest and most beautiful in the world. This project would take advantage of the network of new high-intensity mercury vapour collecting lamps installed throughout Cusuco National Park to study the incredible diversity of moths attracted to light. Currently, two families (Sphingidae and Saturniidae) are well-studied and identifiable to species in Cusuco, but many others are also attracted to light and their diversity is poorly known. Projects could focus on establishing the diversity of the lesser known families (based on morphology or using DNA barcoding) or on increasing our understanding of the better studied species of Saturniid and Sphingid using mark recapture (for example to assess population size and dispersal, or morphological variation within and between species). There would also be scope to improve our knowledge about the process of light trapping, by studying little-known aspects such as the effects of surrounding habitat structure and the attractive radius of traps. Alternatively, studies could take advantage of collaboration with canopy access experts to undertake light trapping above the forest floor, to assess possible variation in captures and moth diversity over a vertical gradient. HO103 Aquatic invertebrate communities in tank bromeliads (start dates 07 June, 14 June or 21 June; need to complete HO001) Several hundred species of aquatic organisms can be found living in the unique habitats of bromeliad pools. This project aims to gain insight into some of the deep ecological mechanisms driving diversity patterns. Building on a detailed study of the aquatic invertebrates in bromeliads carried out over the last seven years, a series of experimental setups will be used to look into metacommunity dynamics and how dispersal affects alpha, beta and gamma diversity of invertebrates. Cusuco National Park has the highest diversity of passive dispersers (invertebrates that need a vector to move between bromeliads) recorded, and the presence of both these and active dispersers allows projects to be developed that study how dispersal strategies affect community assemblages and diversity patterns. In this project students will use small plastic cups as artificial bromeliads strategically placed in the forest to experimentally test hypotheses concerning the impact of factors such as metacommunity size (the number of bromeliads) and patch size (bromeliad size) on the aquatic invertebrate diversity. This can help us to better understand the relationships of tank bromeliads with a wide variety of other organisms. HO104 Abundance and distribution of threatened amphibian populations in Cusuco cloud forest (start dates 07 June, 14 June or 21 June; need to complete HO001) Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrate group globally and this is exacerbated for the amphibians of Cusuco National Park due to rapid, recent expansion of coffee farms and pastures for cattle ranching within the buffer zone and core zone of the park. If the amphibian populations continue to decline, decisions must be made regarding the value of ex-situ conservation of key species for subsequent release once the threats to the population have been resolved. In order to make such decisions, it is imperative that we have reliable estimates of amphibian population dynamics. Thus, data are urgently required on the population sizes and distributions of each of the cloud forest amphibian species and the catchments in which each occur. Data collection for this project involves sampling amphibians from both the forests and rivers at multiple locations in the park. These data may then be used to calculate reliable estimates of species abundance and may also be added to existing GIS maps of the park to investigate species distribution patterns. HO105 Trophic ecology of snakes in Cusuco National Park (start dates 07 June, 14 June or 21 June; need to complete HO001) Cusuco is home to a large diversity of snake species. Their distribution is often patchy and little is known about the features influencing their ecology. Indeed, the prey items taken by each species, particularly palm vipers, is unknown but some species are thought to be amphibian specialists whilst others are thought to be small mammal or even arthropod specialists. Dissertation students will be completing surveys where snakes are captured (by a trained herpetologist – students will not be able to handle snakes directly) and morphological metrics recorded. Scale samples will also be taken for genetic analysis and for Stable Isotope Analysis (SIA). The latter provides a means by which the trophic position at which the snakes have been feeding and the geographic origin of their prey (aquatic or terrestrial) can be determined. The cost of sample preparation and commercial SIA will be highly subsidised, but additional lab cost funds (which most students have access to from their university) will be required from students to complete the work. Students without access to these funds may still undertake the project but can base their research question around habitat use and niche partitioning between different snakes. Honduras HO106 Prevalence of chytrid in amphibian populations within Cusuco (start dates 07 June, 14 June or 21 June; need to complete HO001) The effective conservation of Cusuco National Park is imperative for many endemic species, none more so than cloud forest amphibians. The spread of chytrid fungus has caused severe declines in many amphibian populations and is a major concern for global amphibian conservation. Chytrid is known to have been present within the amphibian populations of Cusuco for at least 15 years, but its prevalence within specific areas of the forest and the extent to which different species are affected are not well known. Amphibian species will be encountered during diurnal and nocturnal transects and swabbed for chytrid. Swabs will be taken back to the lab at base camp and tested for the presence of chytrid using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and visualised using agarose gel electrophoresis. Individuals will also be assessed for visual signs of infection. Prevalence of chytrid will be mapped in the park using multiple years’ data to assess whether the disease is continuing to spread to previously uninfected areas to contribute to the investigation into the underlying mechanism of infectivity. HO107 Angrier in the middle? Does territorial aggression differ with elevation and competitors in tropical understorey passerines? (start dates 07 June, 14 June or 21 June; need to complete HO001) Range patterns of species on tropical mountains are generally typified by narrow elevational distributions, particularly in birds, but little consensus as to the exact causes of these distributions has been reached. Physiological stress, ecotones (e.g. habitat and temperature) and aggression between related species may restrict these distributions, but it remains unknown as to whether birds are subject to greater territorial pressures within or at the edges of these elevational ranges as a result. Several species that are suitably abundant and of which the elevational ranges are sufficiently understood, offering ideal subjects for which to study aspects of territoriality, are present in Cusuco National Park, Honduras (e.g. black-headed nightingale-thrush, Catharus mexicanus, and grey-breasted wood wren, Henicorhina leucophrys). A range of projects are possible using playback experiments to assess differences in intraspecific aggression with elevation and local climate regimes and whether interspecific differences occur in range overlaps. This project will complement work currently being undertaken on the role of physiology and aggression in defining the elevational distributions of tropical cloud forest species, focusing on Catharus nightingalethrushes. Honduras 24 25 Marine research topics are based at one or both of: Tela Marine Research Centre on the mainland and Coral View Research Centre on Utila Island. HO108 Factors affecting bird communities in the cloud forests of Cusuco (start dates 07 June, 14 June or 21 June; need to complete HO001) Birds are excellent indicators of forest ecosystem health as their abundance and diversity are closely related to habitat disturbance and they make ideal models because they are relatively easy to monitor and study. This topic takes advantage of the existing fixed point count survey work being undertaken for birds at over 130 survey sites across Cusuco, as well as the recently started mark-releaserecapture mist netting survey data. By examining species distributions and species richness across varying habitats, projects could: compare bird communities in different administrative divisions of the park (e.g. the buffer/core zones that differ in degrees of wildlife preservation and human activity); study the impact of differing disturbance levels on bird communities; investigate the impact of habitat type on bird community composition; or look at the effect of altitude on bird composition. By using covariates such as temperature, habitat structure and forest type, threshold limits for the different species could be elucidated which may have interesting implications for the impact of habitat alteration (e.g. by deforestation) in the future. HO109 Variation in cloud forest small mammal populations and their microhabitats, Honduras (start dates 07 June, 14 June or 21 June; need to complete HO001) A total of 19 small mammal species have been recorded in Cusuco National Park comprising a complex community. However, three focal species are of interest and dominate the community: 1) Desmarest’s spiny pocket mouse (Heteromys desmarestianus) which occurs on the forest floor >150m from the nearest river (terrestrial environment), 2) the Mexican deer mouse (Peromyscus mexicanus) which occurs along river corridors <3m from the water’s edge (riparian environment), and 3) a currently unidentified Rheomys spp. watermouse which is entirely aquatic and forages by diving within upland rocky streams (riverine environment). Therefore, three traplines are set at each of seven camps throughout the park, each consisting of 12 traps placed approx. 10m apart. These traplines are set up in each microhabitat targeting each of the three small mammal species for comparative and individual study. How these species share the forest and the individual specialism of each species remains largely unknown. Small mammal abundance and species composition can be related to habitat data collected from permanent plots along the transect network (for example forest structure, tree density, % fruiting, leaf litter depth etc.). Additionally, abundance and special distribution patterns may be related to predator abundance and distribution (mainly large snake species including Wilson’s pit viper, Cerrophidion wilsoni), building up a picture of the trophic relationships in the region. HO110 Using camera traps to quantify human disturbance of large mammal species, Honduras (start dates 07 June, 14 June or 21 June; need to complete HO001) Large mammals, despite their size, are rarely observed in forest habitats and are often under-represented in biodiversity studies. By using indirect survey techniques to increase detectability, a total of 23 large mammal species have been recorded in Cusuco National Park using field signs such as footprints or droppings. These include the endangered Baird’s tapir and species which are commonly hunted for bushmeat such as red brocket deer and white-collared peccaries. Camera traps are deployed throughout Cusuco National Park, placed either within 20m of the sample route network or up to 300m away from the sample routes. This enables us to examine the distribution of large mammals throughout the park with respect to distance from the park boundary, human habitation and nearby deforested patches and also distance from our transect network, focusing on the effect of human disturbance. For key target species for which there are >10 detections throughout the season, the Random Encounter Model (REM) may be employed to estimate probable abundance. Data from previous years will be available for comparison enabling temporal trends in detections to be assessed. NOTE: this project involves hiking the entire transect network and also considerable distances off transect. The park has an average slope of 30°. Thus, moderate to high levels of physical fitness are essential for students undertaking this project. HO111 Ecology and behaviour of bats in tropical cloud forests, Honduras (start dates 07 June, 14 June or 21 June; need to complete HO001) Cusuco National Park has a fantastic diversity of bats that have adapted to the incredibly complex landscape with huge variation in elevation, temperature and rainfall resulting in a wide range of habitats. Bats in the park have been monitored between June and August each year since 2006 using mist net surveys. Over 50 species of bats have been captured at Cusuco including insectivores, nectarivores, frugivores, carnivores and sanguivores. In addition to abiotic data on lunar phase, precipitation and temperature, habitat measurements are also available. Potential ecology projects include examining the effects of abiotic variables, prey abundance and/or habitat type on bat abundance or demography. Studies could also examine how ecological variables contribute to annual variation in bat abundance or diversity using Opwall’s historical data. The abundance and diversity of bats in Cusuco permits comparisons within or across species or guilds. In addition to mist netting, acoustic surveys using ultrasonic recording equipment are now being implemented. This permits projects on vocal behaviour, such as examining echolocation or social vocalisations in individual species, developing species identification using echolocation signals, or comparing mist net and acoustic survey data for species presence and abundance. HO112 Tracking the recovery of a keystone urchin species and its role in reef restoration (start dates 14 June, 21 June, or 28 June; need to complete dive training and the Caribbean reef ecology course) Under natural conditions, the sea urchin (Diadema antillarum) is the most important herbivore on Caribbean coral reefs, and is therefore considered a keystone species. However, a disease in the 1980s caused the death of an estimated 98% of individuals throughout the region. This mass mortality event had a devastating effect on reef health, driving subsequent phase shifts to algal dominated benthic communities. Recovery has been extremely limited, with populations on most reefs still severely depleted, and Utila Island is a classic example of this. Remarkably, the Banco Capiro reef system in Tela Bay has a population density of D. antillarum at astonishingly high levels. It also boasts extremely high benthic reef health, despite historical overfishing leading to a complete collapse of the fishery. Since its recent discovery, Operation Wallacea scientists began detailed population studies in 2013 and this project will continue to build on this. The primary objective is to quantify changes in the abundance, biomass and population structure of D. antillarum on the reefs of Utila and Banco Capiro. Further data will assess the potential roles of competition, predation and environmental factors in driving the recovery on Banco Capiro. HO113 Managing the Caribbean lionfish invasion (start dates 14 June, 21 June, or 28 June; need to be dive trained and to have completed the Caribbean reef ecology course) Lionfish are an invasive species in the Caribbean and are having a devastating impact on local fish communities throughout the region. Introduced in the 1980s, believed to be by accident, lionfish have spread extremely quickly and are now found as far as New York City and Brazil. Their success is down to a number of factors, including their high reproductive rate, generalism in terms of both diet and habitat, and a lack of natural predators. They are now considered to be one of the greatest threats to the future of Caribbean coral reefs and their fish communities. Management approaches to dealing with the lionfish invasion are limited, with one of the most common being direct removal via spear fishing. This relies on regular visitation to individual reef sites, as studies have shown full recovery of lionfish populations only five months after complete removal. Baseline data will be collected on population densities of lionfish at sites of varying intensities of culling. Lionfish will subsequently be removed and morphometric measurements taken along with dissections for physiological and gut content assessments, which can link fish assessments to gauge prey availability. In addition, lionfish behavioural responses to divers, such as Flight Initiation Distance (FID) and Alert Distance (AD) can be assessed, which could also be expanded to include commercially valuable fish such as grouper. Honduras Honduras marine research topics HO114 Interactions between reef health and fish communities (start dates 14 June, 21 June, or 28 June; need to be dive trained and to have completed the Caribbean reef ecology course) The ecological and economic value of coral reef fish communities makes them vital not only to ecosystem health but also to local food security and livelihoods. However, as consumers they are ultimately dependent on the abundance and composition of primary producers within the system, but also the provision of microhabitats for shelter. Competition for space on Caribbean reefs is extremely intense, with traditionally dominant hard corals increasingly being replaced in recent decades, primarily by macroalgae, but also soft corals and sponges. These phase shifts have significant impacts on benthic structure and function, with knock-on effects on dependent communities such as fish. Students on this project will conduct fish surveys on a wide range of reefs in both Utila and Tela using cutting edge stereo-video technology, which allows not only abundance and diversity measurements, but also accurate biomass estimates from published species-specific length:weight relationships. These data will be compared to benthic assessments using line intercept video transects and state of the art 3D computer modelling, to investigate how benthic health and structure impacts fish communities at the species, family and feeding guild level. With over three years of data already available, students can also incorporate a temporal component to explore long-term trends in benthic and fish community composition at key study sites. HO115 The dynamics of mutualistic cleaning interactions on Caribbean coral reefs (start dates 14 June, 21 June, or 28 June; need to be dive trained and to have completed the Caribbean reef ecology course) On coral reefs, the cleaning behaviour of certain species represents an important interspecific and mutualistic relationship that provides a vital ecological service to the wider reef fish community. In the Caribbean, cleaning is performed by both fish (primarily gobies of the genus Elacatinus) and invertebrates (primarily the Pederson cleaner shrimp, Ancylomenes pedersoni). Cleaner species occupy cleaning stations that are sought by client fish who perform set behaviours in order to initiate cleaning. The dynamics of these interactions are complex, and span the taxonomic spectrum of the reef fish community, with Pederson cleaner shrimp alone known to service over 20 families of fish. After mapping the cleaning stations present at a site, students will use remote video observations to explore patterns in cleaning behaviour involving shrimp, gobies or both. Projects could focus on drivers of clientele composition, or how cleaning frequency and duration varies between client species. Alternatively, projects could build on recent research demonstrating the impact of diver presence on the provision of cleaning behaviour through a combination of in water diver observations and remote videography. Honduras 26 27 Honduras HO116 Coral reef 3D complexity as a driver of ecosystem function and biodiversity (start dates 14 June, 21 June, or 28 June; need to be dive trained and to have completed the Caribbean reef ecology course) The structural complexity of an ecosystem is one of the primary drivers of biodiversity, and this is especially true for coral reefs. As ecosystem architects of tropical reefs, hard corals lay down structurally complex calcium carbonate skeletons, which in turn provide the range and quantity of microhabitats needed to support the staggering levels of reef biodiversity. However, recent decades have seen a significant loss of hard coral cover, particularly the more structurally complex branching growth forms, leading to a phenomenon known as reef flattening. The Caribbean has been particularly impacted, and the carrying capacity of associated fish and invertebrates has subsequently decreased. Students on this project will film areas of reef using GoPro cameras while diving, and use the footage to construct state of the art 3D computer models. These models are proportionally accurate and allow 3D complexity to be quantified like never before. Structural complexity measurements will then be linked to observational data of target species of fish and invertebrates to explore how 3D reef structure influences biodiversity and ecological processes. HO117 Designing an optimal monitoring strategy for Caribbean coral reefs using novel technological solutions (start dates 14 June, 21 June, or 28 June; need to be dive trained and to have completed the Caribbean reef ecology course) Global coral reef research and management remains heavily reliant on basic in water data collection by divers and snorkellers. However, data quality can vary enormously due to factors such as level of training, in water ability and observer bias. With the emergence of affordable underwater photography and videography, a new suite of techniques has become available to marine researchers that not only increases accuracy of data, but allows new questions to be addressed that would otherwise be impossible through traditional methods. Coral reef health can now be assessed using video transects, while cutting edge stereo-video surveys allow fish communities to be accurately assessed not only for abundance and diversity, but also the much more useful metric: biomass. Even more excitingly, a new collaboration between Opwall and Oxford University has developed a method of constructing accurate 3D computer models of areas of reef filmed using GoPro cameras. These models allow quantification of structural complexity, and have the potential to replace traditional benthic transect techniques. Students on this project will spend time carrying out each of the methods described above, conducting a thorough assessment of their strengths and weaknesses, to design an optimal approach for Caribbean reef monitoring for the modern era. HO118 Physiology and behaviour of the long-spined sea urchin, a keystone Caribbean coral reef herbivore (start dates 14 June, 21 June, or 28 June; this project is predominately laboratory based but can also include a diving element; need to complete Caribbean reef ecology course and dive training if required) The long-spined sea urchin (Diadema antillarum), is responsible for the maintenance of coral reef health throughout the Caribbean. However, in the early 1980s a region wide epidemic reduced their populations by an average of 98%, which stimulated the widespread macroalgal phase-shifts that currently plague the Caribbean. Despite the fact that restoration of D. antillarum is widely believed to be a conservation priority we know surprisingly little about their physiology and behaviour. The aim of this project is therefore to explore the innate responses of this keystone species to numerous external environmental and physical factors, such as food and habitat availability, rising sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification, which may affect the success of targeted conservation efforts. These questions will be answered through a series of laboratory manipulations on urchin specimens collected from nearby reefs. HO119 The behaviour of invasive lionfish on Caribbean reefs (start dates 14 June, 21 June, or 28 June; this project is predominately laboratory based but can also include a diving element; need to complete Caribbean reef ecology course and dive training if required) The invasion of lionfish in the Caribbean has developed into one of the greatest threats to the survival of the region’s coral reefs thanks to the devastating effect they have on native fish populations. Research has naturally focused on mapping the spread of lionfish, quantifying their ecological impacts, and exploring management interventions to reduce their numbers. However, improving our understanding of the behaviour of this species on non-native reefs is of particular interest to better grasp the underlying success of their invasion. This project will assess lionfish behaviour both on the reefs and in a small laboratory, where individuals will be captured and processed. Particular focuses of this work could include prey selectivity, and habitat preferences to investigate the cryptic nature of this species, and data can be linked to ecological characteristics of the reef itself. HO120 Behaviour and feeding ecology of Caribbean reef herbivores (start dates 14 June, 21 June, or 28 June; need to be dive trained and to have completed the Caribbean reef ecology course) Coral reefs are traditionally found in nutrient-poor (oligotrophic) water. Hard corals are very successful nutrient recyclers, which allows them to thrive in these conditions despite their extremely slow growth rates. Faster growing macroalgae are at a competitive disadvantage under these conditions, whilst any significant growth that does occur is kept in check by a large community of herbivorous fish and invertebrates. However, in recent decades organic pollution along tropical coastlines has caused widespread nutrient loading, while overfishing and other impacts has greatly reduced herbivore populations. As a result, macroalgae has begun to take over reefs in what is known as a phase shift, compromising the long-term health and resilience of these important ecosystems. This project aims to explore patterns in feeding behaviour and efficiency between different Caribbean herbivores, using a combination of in-situ observations via scuba diving and remote videography. Data will focus on feeding preferences between different types and densities of macroalgae, and on calculating feeding rates using artificial algal plates placed on the reef. Students will also conduct surveys of the herbivore communities present to gauge overall grazing pressure at study sites. Computer generated 3D model of a Honduran coral reef 28 Honduras 29 Unbelievable experience and incredible staff who are all enthusiastic about the same things as me. Jack Cunningham, University of Edinburgh Indonesiaoverview Diving ✔ Forest ✔ Expedition length 2, 4, 6 & 8 week options Research Assistant options 15 set expeditions Forest Dissertation options1 Marine Dissertation options10 Key facts l In the centre of the Coral Triangle – the world’s most biodiverse reefs l Endemic-rich forests with new species described and more still to be discovered l Most published research site in the Coral Triangle and third most published terrestrial site in Sulawesi l Most developed Opwall site for conservation interventions with carbon and seaweed projects Forest research objectives The islands of the central part of the Indonesian archipelago are separated to the east (Papua) and the west (Borneo) by deep ocean channels. These deep trenches prevented the central islands of Indonesia from being joined to the main continental land masses during the lowered sea levels of the Ice Ages. As a result of the long period of isolation, a large number of unique species evolved. The whole region is now known as the Wallacea region after the famous Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, as it was he who first described the unique fauna. The forests of the Wallacea region are one of the least biologically studied areas in the world and one of the most likely places to discover vertebrate species new to science. Operation Wallacea first started surveying the forests of Buton Island in SE Sulawesi in 1995. In 2004 these surveys resulted in a US$1 million World Bank/GEF grant being obtained to establish an example of best practice conservation management for a lowland forest. This project worked only in the central part of the island and finished in 2008. An assessment of the various quantifiable conservation targets showed that 90%+ of the targets had been achieved and in many cases significantly exceeded. Since that point, Opwall has continued with monitoring the abundance and diversity of key taxa in both the central and northern forests of Buton Island. All the Opwall-gathered data on the northern and central forests of Buton is being submitted to support a REDD+ application to protect the carbon and biodiversity of the Buton forests and ensure that local communities have a financial benefit from this conservation programme. In 2017 teams will be completing surveys on the transect network at a series of camps spread across Buton Island. Marine research objectives There is a triangle of reefs in eastern Indonesia, part of which lies within the Wallacea region, that have the highest diversity of hard coral genera, the proxy commonly used to assess overall diversity, of coral reefs anywhere in the world. Both the marine research stations being used by the Opwall teams are in the centre of this triangle. The Pantai Nirwana Marine Training and Research Centre has established a series of standard monitoring sites on reefs south of Bau Bau and on adjacent islands. These are being monitored annually and it is hoped to use the data to demonstrate that a number of the reefs in this area are of equal or even higher conservation value than those within the Wakatobi Biosphere Reserve. The Hoga Island Marine Research Station is located in the heart of the Wakatobi Marine National Park. Over the last 20 years, a series of scientists have been based at this site during the Opwall survey seasons, and have built up the publications emanating from the site to a level which is unsurpassed by any other marine research site in the Coral Triangle. These data and publications have been used to promote the biodiversity value of Wakatobi, raise its profile internationally and, in particular, enable it to be designated as a biosphere reserve. For the last 12 years a series of constant monitoring sites around Hoga and eastern Kaledupa have been monitored for fish communities, coral cover and community structure, and macroinvertebrates. In addition, annual fisheries’ monitoring is being completed to assess changes in the fisheries, particularly as some of the management initiatives developed by Opwall (e.g. buy outs of fishing licences and carrageenan extraction) begin to hopefully have an impact. Travel information Forest Marine Jungle training and canopy access Hoga Island This week will be spent partly in the picturesque village of Labundo with accommodation in the local houses. Rooms will be shared and have a mandi (bathroom) shared with the host family. Meals are taken at the village hall. If you are doing the canopy access course this will be run for the part of the week you are in Labundo village. For the other part of this week the teams are based in temporary forest camps with hammocks that are set up as part of the jungle training course. Washing will be in the river and there will be forest toilets in these camps. Meals are prepared by the jungle survival team in camp. The small island Hoga, with beautiful white sand beaches, is where Opwall teams have established a leading marine training and research centre. Paved paths have been installed through the forest of this island and students stay in shared traditionally-built wooden houses spread around the island, each with their own mandis. There is electricity in most of the cabins and generator power most evenings. There is a fully equipped dive centre on the island. There is also a large dining area with bar and lecture theatre. In addition, there is a well-equipped wet lab where much of the physiological research is completed and a dry lab where the marine ecology teams are based. There is no internet access on site, but 2G signal can be gained on an unlocked smart phone with a local SIM card, though this is slow and often unreliable. Field camps These surveys will run from one of the four established forest camps, each of which has four transects radiating out from the camp. Surveys will be completed on these transects or on adjacent quadrat plots. Accommodation in most of the camps is in hammocks, although in the Ereke camp there are camp beds in shared tents. There are jungle shower facilities set up at the camps and forest toilets. Large covered areas are used for the meals and all food is prepared by the camp staff. Each camp has radio and satellite phone communication. Teams working on transects are in walkie talkie contact with the camp. There is generator power in the evenings to recharge items and provide some light. Island mobile team This team will be led by local Indonesian staff and translators supporting the academics and students and will be based for a few days at a time in different villages on the various islands. Accommodation will be in local houses with use of the local mandis. Vehicles and boats will be used to move between the sites on the islands and travel to new islands. There will be a satellite phone with this group, for much of the time there will be cellular/mobile phone signal, although rarely strong enough to allow email. Indonesia Facilities Pantai Nirwana, Bau Bau This centre is on the beautiful Nirwana beach in a bay south of Bau Bau. Accommodation is in shared rooms with their own bathroom facilities including western style toilets and showers. There is a large eating and meeting area, lab facilities for analysis of the video data, email facilities, lecture area and a fully equipped dive centre. Malaysia Malaysia Equator Equator Sumatra Kalimantan Sulawesi Buton Jakarta Java INDONESIA Makassar Wallacea Region I learnt a massive amount, gained confidence in conducting surveys and had the chance to apply my undergrad bio knowledge, while making great friends. Ed Vallis, University of Bristol Booking your international flights: Airport: Makassar/Ujung Pandang Airport (Sultan Hasanuddin International) When to arrive? On the Monday before your expedition begins When to leave? On the Monday (after 1800hrs) after your expedition ends Getting from the airport to the expedition start point can be organised by the Opwall travel team [email protected] Indonesia 30 31 Details of Projects and Expeditions Below is a brief outline of all options available to students. For specific course and project information please contact us or visit www.opwall.com Expedition 1 Set expedition length: 6 weeks Expedition 2 Expedition 3 27 June - 7 August 2017 •••27••June • - 24 July 2017 11 July - 07 August 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks You will spend your first two weeks completing jungle training and assisting with research teams (IN001 & IN002). You then choose to spend the next 2 or 4 weeks on Hoga island. Here you can learn to dive, complete the survey techniques course (IN005/07/08) and, time allowing, assist with data collection in the research assistant pool IN011. Expedition 4 18 July - 31 July 2017 •• Set expedition length: 2 weeks This expedition is designed to give you a brief overview of what a field research site is like. You will complete IN001 and IN002. Expedition 5 20 June - 17 July 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks After completing IN001 you will visit the mainland of Sulawesi, Muna Island and Wowoni Island IN003. There is no expedition similar to this project available at any other Opwall site. You will be involved with transect surveys for birds, estimating food resources for birds on different islands, mist netting and recording songscapes. Expedition 6 20 June - 17 July 2017 (Hoga or Bau Bau) 11 July - 7 August 2017 (Hoga or Bau Bau) 13 June - 7 August 2017 (Hoga) 27 June - 7 August 2017 (Hoga) •••• •• •• / / Set expedition length: 4, 6 or 8 weeks This expedition is the ideal way to achieve a high level of research experience at a marine base, giving you 4/6/8 weeks working alongside leading scientists. Giving you the opportunity to learn to dive and complete the survey techniques course (IN005/06/07/08/09/10). You can then assist the various research teams IN011/12 (4 weeks) and IN011 (4, 6 & 8 weeks). Expedition 8 Expedition 10 20 June - 3 July 2017 (Hoga Island) 11 July - 24 July 2017 (Hoga Island) •• Set expedition length: 2 weeks On this expedition you can learn to dive and complete the survey techniques (IN005/07/08). If already a qualified diver or you opt to snorkel rather than dive you will be able to assist researchers IN011. Expedition 11 20 June - 17 July 2017 (Hoga Island) Divemaster Training •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks This expedition runs at the Hoga Island Marine Research Centre and enables students already at Rescue Diver level with 60 logged dives to complete their Divemaster qualification IN013. 4 July - 31 July 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks After completing jungle training IN001, you will then move to the remote forests of north Buton Island and be working with the rapid biodiversity assessment team IN004. This expedition is for those who want a remote forest experience and offers the chance of being on a team that discovers new species to science or new records. Forest training courses IN001 Jungle survival and Wallacea wildlife course Series of lectures and practicals designed to teach you how to identify many of the unique species likely to be encountered in the forest and the survey techniques used to assess different taxa and ensure you are able to work safely in the field. Optional training courses Canopy Access - The course can be done as part of the jungle training and will show you how to ascend 40m+ into the canopy along with a qualified instructor. This optional half day course costs US$170. Optional additional dive training - If you are already dive trained, you can sign up for additional dive training in your spare time (PADI Advanced Open Water & PADI Rescue Diver with EFR). 32 Expedition 7/12 Expedition 9/13 Expedition 14 Expedition 15 Marine training courses IN005/06 PADI Open Water course - Hoga/Bau Bau This course involves a combination of theory lessons, confined water dives and open water dives to gain an official scuba diving qualification. IN007/09 Reef survey techniques on Hoga Island/Bau Bau diving IN008/10 Reef survey techniques on Hoga Island/Bau Bau snorkelling The course consists of lectures and in-water practicals and teaches identification of common genera and species of coral and other macroinvertebrates, identification of the major reef-associated fish families and common species. Designed to introduce a variety of methods and practices used for scientific research in the marine environment. IN013 Divemaster training at the Hoga Island Marine Research Centre If you are already qualified as a PADI Rescue Diver and have at least 60 logged dives you can complete the PADI Divemaster training. Divemaster training has to be done as a full time commitment so you won’t have the chance to join the research projects on this option. An advantage of completing the course with Opwall is the opportunity it gives you of joining the programme as a Divemaster staff member at any of the Opwall sites worldwide in future years. IN002 Biodiversity surveys At each of the four camps there are teams of field biologists completing standardised surveys of a series of key taxa. As a research assistant you will be able to rotate between the different teams at the start of your stay, and if you have a particular interest to then specialise working with that team. The data gathered from these standardised surveys across Buton island will help to track changes in the biodiversity of various taxa, or population levels of key species. One survey team will be quantifying forest structure and calculating carbon biomass in the forests, which is a key skill if you are interested in learning how carbon trading schemes can help with wildlife conservation. Another team will be completing pollard counts and baited traps to quantify butterfly communities. Herpetofauna can be studied from pitfall traps installed at each camp which are checked daily, as well as standardised search times and night time spotlighting for amphibians. Another team will be completing bird point count surveys, and working with this team will enable you to learn some of the calls of the highly endemic bird fauna of this island. Large mammal surveys for macaques, anoa, deer, wild pig and also large game bird surveys are completed using distance sampling for sightings, patch occupancy analysis for signs of large mammals and camera trapping. In addition, harp traps and mist nets will be run in the evenings to quantify bat communities. IN003 Island mobile team This team will be specialising in examining various evolutionary questions using changes in the bird fauna between the mainland of Sulawesi and a series of different offshore islands. The teams will be involved in transect surveys to quantify the bird communities on different islands as well as estimating the available food (i.e. flowers, fruit, arthropod abundance) for birds between those islands. In addition, a separate team will be running mist net surveys to capture as wide a range of species as possible on each island and recording morphometric measurements of captured birds to study changes between islands. Recordings of the bird calls on the different islands will be taken to determine whether there are distinct dialects. This is an excellent project for those interested in understanding evolutionary mechanisms and also potentially discovering new island bird endemic species or sub species (see expedition 5). IN004 Rapid biodiversity assessment team The forests and mountains of northwest Buton are the last unexplored area of the island. Access to these forests is very difficult – hence why this area has been unsurveyed to date and also why they may yield some exciting results. In 2016 a small team of guides, field biologists and volunteers trekked into part of this remote area and made some exciting discoveries. However, there is another major part of these forests, including some that are still to be explored. In 2017 a small team will access these areas using temporary camps, surveying for reptiles and conducting spotlight surveys at night for amphibians. There will be megafauna (large mammals and game birds) and bird surveys and also treks to as many of the habitat types as possible within the survey area of each camp. There are limited places on this option since the survey teams have to be kept small and mobile. On this project the volunteers will need to help with setting up and running temporary camps as well as cutting transects (see expedition 6). Indonesia Indonesia Research Assistant Options IN011 Marine research assistant pool on Hoga Island This option can be done for multiple weeks. Hoga Island is the most published site in the Coral Triangle and each season there are a number of different marine research projects operating. Some of these projects include routine monitoring of the reef fish communities using stereo-video, video analysis of coral intercept transects, belt transects for marine macroinvertebrates and analysis of fish landings from a series of artisanal fishing techniques being used. In addition though, there are a series of specialist research projects running each year including studies on physiological adaptations of different marine species (e.g. banded sea kraits, mudskippers), behaviour of anemone and cleaner fish, ecological studies on coral and fish associations and many other topics. A list of projects will be written up each day on the whiteboard in the research centre and you will be able to choose from the projects available and try all of them or specialise in one or more of the projects. IN012 Reef monitoring, shark & ray abundance & diversity This option can be done for multiple weeks and is based at the Bau Bau Marine Training and Research centre. The reef monitoring project is aimed at gathering data using stereo-video and coral intercept transect surveys on the reefs in the bay and surrounding islands, with a view to create an MPA to provide some protection for these spectacular reefs. The shark and ray project is in collaboration with the Global FinPrint Project which aims to document elasmobranch populations on tropical coral reefs through the use of baited remote underwater video (BRUV). The main aim of this global survey is to collect baseline data on diversity, abundance, and distribution of shark and ray populations, but it will also be documenting sea snake, sea turtle, mammal, and moray eel presences. The project will involve spending time as part of a small science team working on boats, baiting and setting the BRUV at different locations around the islands surrounding the Bau Bau Centre. Late afternoons and evenings will be spent back in the lab, watching the video footage collected and analysing the data. Research Assistants will be provided with the necessary training and will play an integral role in collecting and analysing the data for this important project. Indonesia 33 Indonesian marine research topics The only topic suitable for an undergraduate research project in the Indonesia forest is with the mobile team visiting the mainland of SE Sulawesi and the islands of Muna, Wowoni and Manui. IN122 Functional ecology of coral reefs (start dates 13 June or 27 June; need to have completed reef survey techniques course and be dive trained if incorporating a diving element into the research) IN124 Coral reefs and environmental change (start dates 13 June or 27 June; need to have completed reef survey techniques course and be dive trained if incorporating a diving element into the research) Coral reefs exist within a dynamic equilibrium, their form and function being driven by environmental conditions and interactions between the species that inhabit them. Dominance of reef building corals is diminishing across the world, whilst other taxa such as algae start to dominate. The shift from coral to algal dominance has been well documented in the Caribbean and appears common place. However, within the mega biodiverse reefs of the Wakatobi there has been no such shift. One hypothesis is that the levels of algal removal by herbivorous fish species reduce the competitive ability of algae preventing a regime change. However, as many species of larger fish herbivores are exploited it is possible that algae will increase in abundance, start to dominate benthic systems and bring about a decrease in reef biodiversity. There is thus an urgent need to quantify the amount of herbivory and to explore the relationship between herbivore biomass, rates of herbivory and habitat quality. Levels of herbivory can be estimated through examination of the biomass of herbivores present on reefs coupled with studies of feeding behaviour. It remains unknown whether different fish species exploit the same algal species and therefore it is quite possible that it is the assemblage of herbivores present that is key rather than the overall biomass of this functional group combined. Dissertations working in this area will help managers to identify the key species and critical biomass of herbivores needed to ensure reef building corals remain competitive and continue to underpin the extreme globally important biodiversity of reefs within the coral triangle. The implications of short and long-term environmental change have been widely discussed in the scientific literature and media. The sensitivity of reef building corals to environmental conditions varies greatly between species. It now appears that the most sensitive species tend to have a branching or tabulate growth form. Such species, most often belonging to the genus Acropora, greatly add to the physical complexity of the reef scape. Their loss from the system will reduce physical rugosity and most likely biological diversity, and the implications of this loss needs to be carefully considered. The 2016 thermal anomaly had a limited impact on reefs of the Wakatobi as compared to other regions, although the impact was greatest on branching and tabulate corals particularly in shallow waters. This leads to worrying uncertainty over whether fish species formally associated with these growth forms are still abundant or whether they have also been lost from the system. The ecological consequences of the loss of these fish depends on the species in question and their larger role in the ecology of these reefs. Research is required that examines the relationship between branching and tabulate corals, and the degree of fidelity that exists between these habitat types, resident fish species and the sensitive coral growth forms. Dissertations in this field could also focus on the abundance of branching and tabulate corals across reef sites and reef zones to determine the actual impact of the 2016 bleaching event on the reefs of the Wakatobi. IN121 Island birds as a method of studying evolutionary mechanisms (start date 20 June; need to have competed IN001) This is a specialised team led by academics studying how bird species and communities change in a series of offshore islands in SE Sulawesi. One student working with this team in previous years was assessed to have produced the best undergraduate dissertation in the UK from her project. The team will be visiting the mainland of SE Sulawesi, Muna, Wowoni and Manui Islands, mist netting birds and gathering detailed morphometric measurements, as well as recording the calls and how they differ between islands. Data gathered on this specialist expedition, together with that from previous similar studies by this team on other islands in the region as well as the mainland, will allow some interesting evolutionary questions to be asked. For example in sexually dimorphic species such as sunbirds and flowerpeckers, there may be some difference in diet between the sexes because of small differences in bill size and shape. If this is correct then it would be expected that at high densities where food resources are limited, that sexual dimorphism would increase the range of resources being exploited. Another study could look at how the black-naped monarch, which is a bird that lives permanently in populations on small islands, varies between islands, compared to the ‘supertramp’ Island Monarch which continually interbreed between islands. Another project could look at the possible existence of cryptic species amongst the widespread grey-capped emerald dove or amongst the abundant munias – the Wallacea version of Darwin’s finches. This team have previously described both a cryptic subspecies and a cryptic species from nearby islands, so the potential for further new species to be discovered there is very real. Given that data on the abundance of food (insects, flowers, fruit), together with density estimates of bird species exploiting those resources, has already been collected by this team from a number of islands in the region, adding similar data from these new islands would give a large data set that could be analysed to determine whether local food availability is a good predictor of bird species composition and abundance. Whether birds on these islands separate food resources temporally could be examined from assessment of abundance and feeding patterns at different points throughout the day. A further option would be to compare the dialects of birds on different islands from sonogram analysis. Indonesia Indonesian terrestrial research topics IN123 Biological agents of reef mortality (start dates 13 June or 27 June; need to have completed reef survey techniques course and be dive trained if incorporating a diving element into the research) Reef building corals are the key ecosystem architects that produce the complex physical structure that provides habitat for the many thousands of species inhabiting reefs. Numerous different species of animals, algae and microbes threaten reef building coral species. The extent of this threat is largely dictated by environmental conditions. In a healthy reef system agents causing mortality and the loss of coral cover is outweighed by the recruitment of new corals and the growth of existing colonies. However, in many reef systems environmental quality is decreasing, resulting in corals being put under increasing negative pressure and the balance starting to tip in favour of coral loss. There is a continual need to examine the key causes of coral mortality on any reef and particularly following increased environmental stress such as those caused by the 2016 global thermal anomaly. Research is required to determine the extent of threat caused by different agents of coral mortality such as corallivorous fish and invertebrates, bioeroders, actively competing benthic taxa as well as increased microbial activity resulting in coral disease. Research obtained needs to be compared between different sites and reef zones in conjunction with full environmental and biological characterisation to determine which species of coral and which systems are most greatly threatened, and what management is needed to reduce coral loss and increase coral growth. Indonesia 34 35 IN125 Behavioural adaptations of dwarf cuttlefish, Sepia bandensis (start dates 13 June or 27 June) IN127 Seagrass and patch reef ecology (start dates 13 June or 27 June; need to have completed reef survey techniques course) As a group, cephalopods display a high level of nervous integration resulting in complex behavioural responses and social interactions that rival those seen in higher vertebrates. The Wakatobi National Park is home to at least 30 cephalopod species, many of which can be found inhabiting reef and reef-associated habitats. The dwarf cuttlefish (Sepia bandensis) is the most abundant cephalopod species found in the park, occurring in large numbers near rocky shorelines, on coral rubble, in seagrass meadows and at mangrove margins. While the species has some minor commercial value in local artisanal markets, its major importance lies in their ability to shape habitat ecology by indiscriminately preying on large numbers of small to medium sized crustaceans. In spite of their ecological importance, little is known about the feeding behaviour or social interactions in this species. The primary objective of dissertation projects could include aspects of feeding behaviour, effects of competition, and social interactions between individuals of different gender and/or size. Other studies may be considered but require approval of the field supervisor. All studies would be conducted using captive animals housed in the Hoga Island Research Laboratory and proposed studies must be non-lethal. Students must also check with their university advisor regarding their universities policies and procedures for working with cephalopod animals. Students are strongly encouraged to contact their project field supervisor early in the proposal development process. Tropical seagrass beds are extremely important and provide numerous ecosystem and ecological services. The Wakatobi harbours some of the most biodiverse seagrass beds in the world. Seagrass habitat has been shown to provide refuge and nursery grounds for many economically important invertebrates as well as for fish, with some species being seagrass specialists whilst others migrate from the reef into seagrass beds daily or at specific points in their life cycle (ontogenetic migration). However, like many other important habitats in the world, seagrasses of the Wakatobi are threatened by numerous anthropogenic activities including fin-fisheries and invertebrate over-exploitation, trampling, and by the presence of intertidal seaweed farms. The implications of these activities in isolation and when combined have not been fully explored or quantified in terms of their ecological or economic costs. Research is required that examines the implications of these activities for seagrass productivity, biomass and biodiversity and resulting consequences for permanent as well as transient invertebrates and fish that depend on the system for food or refuge. Seagrasses within the Wakatobi extend from the low tide mark through to the reef flat. This transition zone is characterised by intermittent coral patch reefs. The ecological significance of these coral patches, not only in terms of total biodiversity but also through the provision of nursery areas and transient “stop-over” sites utilised by fish migrating from reef to seagrass, has not been fully explored. Therefore within this research topic the ecological services of shallow subtidal patch reefs could be explored and questions investigated regarding their conservation value. IN126 Are mutualistic relationships the norm? (start dates 13 June or 27 June; need to have completed reef survey techniques course and be dive trained if incorporating a diving element into the research) An evolutionary strategy for many species existing within mega biodiversity hotspots such as those of the coral triangle is to form mutualistic relationships with other species. Mutualistic relationships appear common and many examples have been well defined. Perhaps the clearest example of these are those that exists between anemones and their inhabiting anemonefish species and also the relationship between many species of fish and their cleaners such as the bluestreaked cleaner fish common to the Indo-Pacific. However, many other examples exist but have yet to be fully explored. Tight associations between species appear common place and inter-dependency between species is one of the main reasons relatively small areas can harbour such high levels of species richness. This research will explore the relationships between previously underexplored species by describing the interactions between different fish species inhabiting set areas of reef. For example several species of wrasse can be found to be associated with species of goatfish that feed within sandy sediments and the trumpetfish, especially at the juvenile stage, is often seen associated with other elongated fish where they seek refuge. This research is designed to highlight the commonality of mutualistic relationships and fish species interactions on reefs of different biological complexity. Research could also consider the implications of certain species loss and the interaction such loss has on ecological function. 36 IN128 Coral reef transitions: understanding regime shifts from coral to sponge dominated states (start dates 13 June or 27 June; need to have completed reef survey techniques course and be dive trained if incorporating a diving element into the research) There are reports from across the world of coral regime shifts, whereby declines in coral result in increased abundance of other benthic groups. Throughout the Caribbean these changes are typically to reefs dominated by algae, but in the IndoPacific changes to reefs dominated by other animal groups are more common. In the last few years there has been particular interest in the sponges as these are one group of organisms that have been identified as potential ‘winners’ in the face of environmental degradation and climate change. Within the Wakatobi a transition has occurred on one major reef system, Sampela, where coral abundance has declined over the last 10 years to very low levels, but sponge abundance appears to be increasing. In particular, this site is dominated by the giant barrel sponge Xestospongia spp. and the encrusting sponge Lamellodysidea herbacea; these have also been reported as increasing in abundance in other parts of the IndoPacific. In addition, recent experimental evidence has shown that sponges appear much more resilient to ocean warming and acidification than coral, so are likely to be a greater feature of coral reefs in the future. Dissertations in this area will build on long term datasets to track this shift in dominance and explore the ecosystem level effects. Projects might include examining population dynamics of key sponge taxa, exploring predator/prey interactions, competitive relationships and habitat use patterns as a result of the shift. In order to understand how reefs might function in the future there is urgent need to understand transitions to reefs that are no longer dominated by corals. Work in this area will contribute to understanding the ecosystem functions that might be expected from sponge dominated reefs, and also allow us to explore potential management interventions to prevent future regime shifts and restore existing sponge dominated reefs. Often exhibiting high levels of biodiversity and endemism, mangrove forests demonstrate a remarkable interdependence between local flora and fauna such that a loss of diversity or density in one group has marked adverse effects on the other. Declines in burrowing crustacean populations, for example, have been shown to result in reduced organic turnover, decreased nutrient and energy cycling, and diminished primary productivity in mangrove species. Fiddler crabs (Uca species) are one of several semi-terrestrial, burrowing, mangrove decapods making up a keystone group commonly referred to as engineers. Indonesia boasts the highest diversity of fiddler crab species of any country in the world with 14 total species, seven of which can be found within an area of 4-square meters within the Ambeua Mangrove near Hoga Island. Previous research at the Hoga Marine Laboratory has shown that local fiddler crab populations are relatively tolerant of high temperatures; however, with environmental temperatures across the Malay Archipelago expected to increase by up to 4°C in coming decades, it is unclear how fiddler crab populations and ultimately mangroe ecosystems, may be affected. Potential dissertation projects could evaluate differences in thermal adaptations of Uca spp. occupying different intertidal regions, or may look at acclimation responses of a single Uca species. All studies would include a field observation component, though most of the empirical work would take place in the Hoga Island Research Laboratory. Students are strongly encouraged to contact their project field supervisor early in the proposal development process. Indonesia IN129 Evaluating potential effects of rising environmental temperatures on thermal ecology of fiddler crabs, Uca spp. (start dates 13 June or 27 June) IN130 Long-term changes in the community ecology of coral reefs (start dates 13 June or 27 June; need to have completed reef survey techniques course and be dive trained) The global demise of coral reefs has been well documented in the scientific literature. The reefs of the Wakatobi have been assessed by Operation Wallacea for the past 15 years. The abundance of reef building corals has declined but other functional benthic taxa, such as soft corals, have increased. As well as an overall decrease in reef building corals, the types of corals present, both in terms of species and colony structure have also changed. Where once reefs in the region harboured a mix of different colony growth forms (including branching, table, and foliose corals), the system today is dominated by massive (boulder-like) and encrusting corals. The physical form of the reef is therefore changing which has implications for resident and transient fish communities. During 2017 the research teams would like to complete the monitoring of reefs around the Wakatobi and use previous data combined with the final year of data collection, to determine how fish communities respond to changes in biological and physical structure of reefs. The detailed data set across six sites and three reef zones will allow managers to identify the likely consequences of long term changes in habitat quality for both biodiversity and food productivity. The relationship between benthic structure and fish community is a complex one but if habitats are to be actively restored we need to know how the fish community is likely to respond. Projects here could focus on the system as a whole, or could identify particular fish taxa that have changed and examine their interaction with specific reef structures across different spatial scales. For example we would predict that larger predatory fish respond to complex reef structures over larger spatial scales than smaller residential fish but that complexity of habitat may be needed at every spatial scale to support a healthy, biodiverse and productive fish community. Projects could therefore utilise a large historical data set, further assessment of varied reef sites and could include taxa specific assessment utilising behavioural studies. Data collected will be used to define future protective and active management intervention. IN173 Fisheries research in local communities (start dates 13 June or 27 June) Opwall have been working with local fishing communities in the Wakatobi for almost 20 years, developing a deep understanding of the conservation issues associated with declining fish stocks and producing several award winning dissertations along the way. Opportunities exist for students to build on this extensive experience by completing dissertation projects focusing on artisanal fishing pressure by working alongside Opwall staff and local Indonesian partners in small fishing communities on and around Kaledupa Island. To talk about this opportunity, and how it might be suitable for your undergraduate or masters dissertation research, please email Dr Dan Exton [email protected] Indonesia 37 Madagascar Facilities Forest Mahamavo The main camp is set on the edge of Mariarano village. There is a small field laboratory with a library, computers running the biodiversity database, office, GIS and statistics software. The camp has a large covered area where meals are taken and lectures given. Accommodation is in shared tents and the camp has jungle showers and toilets. Field camps - Matsedroy & Antafiameva There are two smaller field camps. Matsedroy and Antafiameva are used as bases for the surveys in the more remote parts of the forest. Students will stay in shared tents, bucket showers and field toilets with shared dining and lecture areas. Electricity is available for a short period in the evenings and during lectures. Madagascaroverview Diving ✔ Forest ✔ Expedition length 2, 4 & 6 week options Research Assistant options 3 set expeditions Forest Dissertation options10 Key facts l 90% of all animals and plants found on Madagascar are endemic to the island l Only 10% of original Madagascan forest coverage remains so urgent need for conservation l Unstudied coral reef systems at Nosy Be l World’s fourth largest island Mahamavo research objectives Madagascar boasts some of the most spectacular biodiversity in the world: lemurs, tenrecs, baobabs and over half of all known chameleon species. Much of this biodiversity is endemic. The Operation Wallacea surveys are completing research on the dry forests and associated wetlands of Mahamavo in the north and the reefs around Nosy Be Island. The Mahamavo dry forest ecosystem and adjacent wetlands have exceptional biodiversity. Diurnal lemurs include Coquerel’s sifaka (Propithecus coquereli), and common brown lemur (Eulemur fulvus) with another 5 - 6 species of nocturnal lemurs. Madagascar is the global centre of diversity for chameleons. Two spectacular species are found in Mahamavo, Furcifer oustaleti and Furcifer angeli. The wetlands support the critically endangered Madagascan fish eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides), a flagship species for the area, and Humblot’s heron (Ardea humbloti), an endangered species. Whilst Madagascar has now declared 17% of its land area as protected areas, much of this land is already severely degraded, so the actual area of land under protection is much smaller. An alternative approach to just declaring land as protected and not allowing any usage, is to develop community managed areas such as Mahamavo, where there is a patchwork of protected and managed areas. DTZ, the German Technical Support Agency, has established a series of community managed forests in the Mahamavo area that appear to be successful and may form the basis for conservation and improving livelihoods in other parts of Madagascar. The objectives for the Opwall research programme are to monitor how the forest structure and biodiversity changes over time in the community managed forests of Mahamavo, both to document the performance of a community managed area in terms of biodiversity conservation as well as to identify additional areas where a forest replanting programme could be initiated to extend the forest coverage. In addition the Opwall teams are documenting the biodiversity value of the adjacent wetlands with a view to getting this area upgraded to a Ramsar site. Nosy Be research objectives Nosy Be is the premier dive destination for Madagascar but there are few data available on the reef fish communities or health of the reefs. In 2014 Opwall began completing surveys around the Lokobe Reserve area and anecdotal data indicated that fish stocks and reef health had improved from previous years. The team will be completing stereo-video transect surveys of the reefs Preparing for an expedition can be to collect data on the reef daunting but there is a lot of support from the staff. This was my first time travelling fish community composition without family and I absolutely loved it. and biomass, the percentage I’m really glad I did this expedition. coral cover, coral community Isobel Ullsitalo, University of East Anglia structure and levels of bleaching and disease on the reefs. Marine Nosy Be Accommodation is in tents next to the beach and there is a toilet and shower block on site. The research site has a communal eating and lecture area with a fully equipped dive centre. A truly unique experience. The biodiversity in Madagascar is something that should be witnessed by every biologist. The skills gained here I feel will be career forming. Russel Frew, University of Manchester Travel information Booking your international flights: Airport: Antananarivo (Ivato Airport) When to arrive? On the Friday before your expedition begins When to leave? On the Sunday after your expedition ends Getting from the airport to the expedition start point can be organised by the Opwall travel team [email protected] Madagascar 38 39 Forest training courses Marine training courses Below is a brief outline of all options available to students. For specific course and project information please contact us or visit www.opwall.com MA001 Madagascar wildlife and culture course - A series of lectures and practicals in the field to demonstrate different ecological survey techniques being used and how data from the surveys can be analysed. The course also introduces some of the endemic species and habitats likely to be encountered on the expedition and describes some of the conservation strategies being used in Madagascar. MA003 PADI Open Water - This course involves a combination of theory lessons, confined water dives and open water dives to gain an official scuba diving qualification. Expedition 1 18 June - 14 July 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks This expedition offers a brilliant introduction into Madagascan biodiversity. The first two weeks are spent in the dry forests of Mahamavo. After completing MA001, you will then be working with the survey teams MA002. For the last 2 weeks you will travel to the island of Nosy Be. If not already dive trained then you will be able to complete MA003 before moving on to MA004. If you are already qualified or wish only to snorkel you can spend your final week with the survey teams on MA006. Expedition 2 Expedition 3 9 July - 4 August 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks This expedition has the first 3 weeks gaining an in-depth working knowledge of the dry forests of Mahamavo (MA001 & MA002) before allowing you to experience a week on the island of Nosy Be. Here, if you are not already dive trained then you would be able to complete MA003 or if already dive trained or only wanting to snorkel then you would complete MA004/05. MA004 Reef survey techniques course - diving MA005 Reef survey techniques course - snorkelling This course consists of lectures and twice-daily practicals. Designed to train you in some of the survey techniques used in the marine environment to assess the status of reefs and their associated fish communities. Techniques covered include stereo-video and Underwater Visual Census surveys for fish communities, line intercept surveys for coral cover and analysis of these using video, belt transect surveys for macroinvertebrates and quadrat surveys. The course also teaches identification of some of the commoner species encountered. Madagascar Madagascar Research Assistant Options Optional additional dive training If you are already dive trained, you can sign up for additional dive training in your spare time. These courses include PADI Advanced Open Water (US$220) and PADI Rescue Diver with EFR (US$400). 18 June - 30 June 2017 •• Set expedition length: 2 weeks This expedition is designed to give you a brief overview of what a field research site is like. You will complete MA001 before moving to assist researchers on MA002. Details of Projects and Expeditions: MA002 Dry forest and wetlands biodiversity assessment: This option involves helping a large team of academics and specialist field biologists completing annual surveys of a range of target taxa. The teams are based at the main camp in Mariarano or in one of the even more remote satellite camps. Activities include: •Completing herpetofauna sample routes both by day and night for snakes, chameleons, geckos and frogs. •Boat based spotlight surveys for crocodiles are also being completed and there are specialist scientists working on colour change in chameleons. •Nocturnal lemur ecology and behaviour surveys are being completed using an extensive live trapping programme. •Bird point count surveys and mist net surveys are also being undertaken as well as boat based surveys for the wetland birds. •Butterfly and damselfly surveys using pollard counts are also being completed at each of the sites. •Forest structure and composition is surveyed through a number of 20m x 20m forest plots with various indicators of forest physical parameters recorded including diameter at breast height (DBH) of each tree, canopy cover and sapling density. •Volunteers can rotate between these survey groups throughout their stay and will get to see much of the dry forest and wetland fauna of Madagascar. MA006 Reef fish and coral monitoring: The team will be gathering data on the Nosy Be reefs using a stereo-video system developed by the University of Western Australia. This system allows a surveyor to swim along transects and video the fish encountered. Then in the lab, by playing back the two video images on a single computer screen using specialist software, not only can the images be freeze-framed to accurately identify all fish encountered, but also size estimation can be done to below 5% error. Benthic communities on the island reefs will be surveyed by laying 50m tapes along depth contours. A surveyor swims along the tape holding it in their left hand and using a video under their other shoulder, filming the tape and adjacent corals. Coral cover and community structure of hard and soft corals are then assessed from lab based analysis of the video footage using the continuous method. In addition, invertebrate belt transects will be used to monitor the populations of key species including sea urchins. Volunteers on this project will be helping with laying transects, collecting data in the water, and completing the video surveys, but will also be heavily involved in the analysis of the images. Madagascar 40 41 Madagascar dissertations and research topics MA131 Spatial behavioural ecology of the Malagasy giant hognose snake (start date 18 June) The Malagasy giant hognose snake (Leioheterodon madagascariensis), is Madagascar’s largest colubrid snake, attaining sizes greater than 1.5m in length. This species has been documented engaging in ritual combat and active nest defence, and a preliminary investigation suggests that the behavioural ecology of L. madagascariensis is more complex than previously thought. For this project all sightings will be recorded using a GPS receiver and all animals encountered will be captured, measured, weighed and microchipped to allow individual identification. Other novel methods may also be employed to investigate the daily habitat usage patterns of each individual. All data collected will be visualised and analysed utilising GIS software. MA132 Ecology of amphibians in Mahamavo (start date 18 June) Amphibians play a vital role in the ecosystems where they are found. Nine species of amphibians are currently known from Mahamavo, some of which occur in relatively high abundances, even during the long dry season. Data for this project will be obtained by surveying rice paddies, ephemeral and permanent ponds and lakes; recording all encounters; noting the species, the number of individuals and the specific details of the immediate habitat where the animals are found. All data collected will be used to create a monitoring system for future studies whereby the species composition at each water body can be monitored. MA133 Thermal ecology and UVB requirements of chameleons, skinks and geckos (start date 18 June) Ultraviolet light (UVB) is an essential requirement for vitamin D synthesis in the skin of lizards, allowing the uptake of dietary calcium which is necessary for proper bone growth and neurological function. There are also thermal demands upon these animals in order for successful vitamin D production. This project aims to investigate i) the thermal and UVB preferences of some of the lizard species at Mahamavo and ii) how these species utilise their habitat to optimise their exposure to the sun, and hence UVB irradiation, while thermoregulating. Data will be collected by surveying routes for lizard species during daylight hours. Once found, UVB intensity, measured using a solarmeter, temperature and other habitat characteristics will be collected along with morphometric measurements of the individual animals. MA134 Colour variability and the ecological use of colour in the chameleons and geckos of Mahamavo (start date 18 June) There are a wide range of endemic lizards in the dry deciduous forests of northwestern Madagascar. Colour is used in fundamentally distinct ways by the different taxonomic groups of lizards found in Mahamavo. Chameleons are depicted in the media as solely using colour change for crypticity, but in reality the main role of colour change here is in communication with other chameleons. There is some interesting colour variability within Angel’s chameleon and Oustalet’s chameleon as well. There are three species of Uroplatus geckos that really do use colour and colour-change to maintain crypticity. One species is a dead-leaf mimic, a second is a twig mimic and the third is a bark mimic. Colour is variable within species and some change colour quite effectively. Phelsuma are a third group of lizards in which there is substantial colour variability within individuals. They respond to changes in lighting and temperature as well as potential threats from predators. Questions regarding variation in colour and how colour-change is being used can be addressed in all three groups of lizards. Colour can be quantified through using standardized photographs or by using a specialised reflectance spectrometer depending on the specific research question being addressed. Analyses of colour can use general linear models to examine variation in hue, saturation and value and look for statistically significant differences or by using principal components analysis to examine and compare entire reflectance spectrums. 42 MA135 Microhabitats and niche partitioning in chameleons, skinks, geckos or snakes in Madagascar (start date 18 June) The dry forests in Mahamavo support a very diverse reptile assemblage which share the same habitat. Competitive exclusion theory suggests that sympatric species must partition their niches for them to persist and the reptiles in this forest provide a great system to investigate how this occurs. In Mahamavo there are two abundant chameleon species, Furcifer oustaleti and Furcifer angeli. It is thought that Oustalet’s chameleon prefers more degraded forest to Angel’s chameleon, but additionally these species may be selecting different microhabitat niches in terms of height above the ground selected for feeding, branch thickness, ambient temperatures or structural complexity of vegetation. A similar situation exists with a pair of closely related skink species Trachylepis elegans and Trachylepis gravenhorstii which are both very abundant in the forest. It appears that T. elegans is more abundant in drier habitats than T. gravenhorstii, but the picture is probably more complicated at the microhabitat scale. There are also three species of leaf-tailed Uroplatus geckos: U. ebenaui, U. henekli and U. guntheri which share the same cryptic adaptations and feeding strategies yet differ markedly in size. With field data collected from a large number of individuals, it would be possible to compare niches and identify factors which separate species’ niches using principal component analysis, linear discriminant models or regression trees. MA136 Niche separation and the impacts of disturbance on bird communities in the dry forest (start date 18 June) Birds are often used as indicator species for overall ecosystem condition, with species from different ecological niches being impacted to varying degrees by habitat disturbance. The avifauna of the Mahamavo forests contains a number of restricted range species, and other species being restricted to particular habitats. Students choosing this subject will undertake timed species counts and mist net surveys to make comparisons between bird communities in different habitat types and between differing levels of human habitat disturbance. Species distribution models using the spatial records for a given species can then be constructed and the percentage of the variability that can be explained by various environmental covariates (e.g. elevation, climate, land cover) determined in order to construct and validate a statistical model of the probability that a given species will be found in a particular landscape unit. These models can then be expressed as a habitat suitability map and the overlap between these species used to determine the level of niche separation. These dissertation subjects will contribute to our understanding of the avian communities of Mahamavo, and in particular to determining the habitat preferences and relative impacts of habitat disturbance on the bird species from different ecological niches and of different levels of conservation priority. MA137 Regional biogeography, ecology and behaviour of nocturnal lemurs in the dry deciduous forest of northwestern Madagascar (start date 18 June) Lemurs are 100% endemic to Madagascar and are confined to the remaining forest habitats of the island. They are a highly diverse taxonomic group (>100 species) and at the same time the most threatened group of mammals with about 94% of all assessed species being categorized as either vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered (IUCN, July 2012). In this situation it is of utmost importance to understand their local and regional distribution as well as the behavioural constraints, ecological plasticity and ecological requirements of each lemur species in order to determine their vulnerability towards becoming extinct in the near future. Among the nine lemur species that have been reported from the Mariarano area, six are nocturnal (Microcebus murinus, M. ravelobensis, Cheirogaleus medius, Phaner pallescens, Lepilemur edwardsi, Avahi occidentalis). Nocturnal lemurs are generally much less studied than their diurnal cousins but face the same anthropogenic threats. They are therefore chosen as models for this project. The aim of this research is to study the abundance, spatial distribution, ecology, and behaviour of three different nocturnal lemur genera (Microcebus spp., Lepilemur edwardsi, Avahi occidentalis) in various forest fragments in the Mahamavo region, northwestern Madagascar. Madagascar MA139 Landscape ecology in Madagascar (start date 18 June) By conducting biodiversity surveys we build up a knowledge base concerning patterns in the environment. However, in order to make resilient conservation plans for a dynamic future characterised by land cover change, climate change, human population growth and infrastructure development, we need to be able to understand the processes which are affecting the distribution and density of species within the landscape. It would be possible to join the teams conducting field surveys of lemurs, forest birds or reptiles to contribute to data collection, then return to base camp and use our full database, linked to our spatial data, to infer population processes from patterns of biodiversity. In particular it would be very useful to test to what extent various species in a particular guild are affected by patch size, edge effects, isolation and compactness and therefore predict the likely consequences for biodiversity of habitat fragmentation in future environmental scenarios. MA140 Community ecology in Madagascar (start date 18 June) Which processes (including habitat and ecological interactions) structure communities of forest birds, reptiles and lemurs in Mahamavo? In terms of habitat, there is scope for comparison of primary and secondary dry forest and exploration of the effects of gradients in moisture between relatively moist and highly xeric forests. This might permit the identification of indicator species for particular forest types. A more sophisticated approach would be to use Mantel tests to test a suite of competing hypotheses about the environmental processes which explain pairwise dissimilarity in the community of reptiles/birds/lemurs. Pairs could be studied and differences investigated as a function of distance, difference in environmental variables such as moisture, and difference in habitat configuration. Additionally it would be possible to test whether ecological interactions, especially competition, within a taxonomic group may be structuring the community. This could be achieved by co-occurrence tests or generalised dissimilarity models. For some groups, development of ecological dissimilarity (ED) based monitoring indicators for environmental condition which track communities through ecological space through time would be a very promising direction to investigate. Alternative directions to take might be to make distribution models and then maps of betadiversity or to use numerical classification to make maps of community types. Finally, for individual taxonomic groups such as birds, it is possible to test for nestedness of communities among a set of sites. MA138 Species distribution modelling in Madagascar (start date 18 June) Distribution models allow a set of spatial records for a given species (from our databases) to be integrated with maps of environmental covariates (e.g. elevation, climate and land cover) in order to construct and validate a statistical model of the probability that a given species will be found in a particular landscape unit. These models can then be expressed as a habitat suitability map. It will be possible for students to join one of the science teams and contribute to collecting field data for lemurs, forest birds, wetland birds, or reptiles and amphibians and then use our entire dataset to make models for a set of species using either general linear modelling (GLM) or Maxent. Outputs from these studies would be very helpful as the maps produced can feed directly into our systematic conservation planning process and inform the management of the Mahamavo region. High quality maps are also excellent communication tools for explaining the significance of the site to decision makers. Madagascar 43 Mexico Facilities Forest Calakmul Within the Biosphere reserve we use three main field camps, they are very similar in their accommodation but their habitats are vastly different. KM20, Hormiguero and Mancalona all have communal eating areas, accommodation is in tents. In Hormiguero the field site is much smaller and so the lecture area is shared with the eating area, it makes for a very beautiful field camp though and what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in atmosphere. In Mancalona and KM20 there are designated areas for lectures and data processing. All sites have dry toilets and jungle showers, to conserve water as much as possible showers are replaced with rustic bucket showers. Mexico 2016 was an incredible adventure that I will remember for the rest of my life. I learnt so much about field biology and conservation strategies, met so many like minded and friendly people, experienced a wide range of cultures and had so much fun every day. Morganna Turner, McMaster University Dos Naciones is a little different, an extremely remote camp, which offers the most intense jungle experience. Accommodation is in hammocks with integrated tarps and mosquito nets arranged around a campfire. Marine Akumal Mexicooverview Diving ✔ Forest ✔ Expedition length 2, 4, 6 & 8 week options Research Assistant options 4 set expeditions Forest Dissertation options5 Marine dissertation options 6 Key facts lThe Selva Maya (Mayan Jungle) is the largest expanse of tropical forest outside of the Amazon lThe Calakmul Biosphere Reserve is one of the last remaining stands of virgin forest in Mexico lCalakmul is one of the two largest ancient Mayan ruined cities lBest chance of seeing endangered species like jaguar and tapir lAkumal has a huge number of nesting turtles each summer and a permanent population of green turtles Forest research objectives The Calakmul Biosphere Reserve in Mexico is a huge expanse of tropical forest that is part of the Selva Maya that encompasses Mexico, Guatemala and Belize and spans over 10.6 million hectares, making it the largest section of tropical forest north of the Amazon. This stretch of forest was also home to the Ancient Mayan civilization and the city of Calakmul was one of the largest cities during the pre-classic and classic period of the Mayans (250BC to 900AD). Today the extensive ruined cities lie sprawled through the dense jungle, with some of the taller structures towering above the canopy at 62m in height. In addition, Calakmul contains diverse and abundant wildlife with many endemic species. The forest is one of the few remaining strongholds of large mammals such as jaguar, puma, Baird’s tapir and spider monkey in addition to over 90 species of herpetofauna, 50 species of bat, and 360 resident bird species. For this reason, Calakmul is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of Culture and Nature. The Calakmul Biosphere Reserve is an extremely important wildlife corridor that ensures gene flow between animal populations, and ensures that populations can withstand natural disasters such as droughts, forest fires, hurricanes and floods. Moreover, forest corridors are crucial for animals with extensive ranging patterns such as jaguar and tapir. Although the reserve itself is very well managed, the forest surrounding the reserve that connects Calakmul to the other protected areas in the Selva Maya is disappearing at an alarming rate. The cause of the problem is increased population size combined with an unpredictable climate causing agriculture to fail. In conjunction with the reserve management team and our project partners Pronatura Peninsula de Yucatan, we have developed ecotourism and sustainable agriculture projects with local Mayan communities in the buffer zone of the reserve so that they can live in harmony with the forest ecosystem. Marine research objectives Akumal is a small coastal town located approximately 2 hours’ drive south from the major tourist destination of Cancun. The name Akumal literally means “home of the turtles” in Mayan. It earned this name due to the numerous turtle nesting sites along the beaches and the permanent presence of juvenile turtles in the seagrasses just off shore. Prior to established tourism in the Yucatan, the only real source of income was from fishing. The reefs were so heavily overfished that the entire ecosystem almost collapsed. Moreover, sea turtles and their eggs were a major food source rather than an attraction to be admired, resulting in a serious decline in the turtle population. In an attempt to save the reef ecosystem and provide alternative income for local people, dive and snorkel based tourism was actively encouraged by the Mexican government. Tourism in the area has steadily increased over the last 20 years, but now it has brought problems of its own. More hotels are being built to accommodate tourists leading to loss of important nesting habitat for turtles, loss of mangrove habitat that cleans water and prevents sediment from washing onto the reef, and too many people snorkelling with turtles. There are long-term datasets relating to coral reef diversity and turtle nesting in Akumal that are collected year-round. The Operation Wallacea research team help to collect additional data. The main research objective for the Akumal research project is to establish an annual monitoring programme for coastal ecosystem management that includes monitoring of tourist numbers and their use of the habitat, monitoring the effect of snorkel based tourism on turtle behaviour, monitoring mangrove connectivity and Diadema abundance as a symptom of reef deterioration, monitoring of seagrasses and the juvenile turtles that feed on them, and monitoring of nesting turtles and the availability of suitable nesting sites. Set away from the main town of Akumal, students stay in a newly-built, tree house-style lodge. They will sleep in bunk beds with dormitories spread across three floors. Rooms are shared with up to 14 people. Each dormitory has its own shower and toilet block. There is a communal eating and lecture area on each floor. The site has a dive training centre located at the beach. Travel information Booking your international flights: Airport: Cancun International Airport When to arrive? On the Sunday (before 1800hrs) before your expedition begins When to leave? On the Sunday (after 1600hrs) after your expedition ends at the marine site When to leave? On the Monday (after 1800hrs) after your expedition ends at the forest site Getting from the airport to the expedition start point can be organised by the Opwall travel team [email protected] There’s nowhere better to experience nesting turtle in the world, a fantastic experience. Tom Manktelow, Dissertation Student, Southampton University Mexico 44 45 Details of Projects and Expeditions: Below is a brief outline of all options available to students. For specific course and project information please contact us or visit www.opwall.com Expedition 1 12 June - 9 July 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks The ultimate option when choosing expeditions is getting a mix of both terrestrial and marine research, for those wanting to get maximum benefit from their time in the field, the 6 week expedition is the one we recommend, if you are not able to commit to 6 weeks then this 4 week expedition is the next best option. Splitting your time between Calakmul and Akumal, you will complete ME001, followed by a week working with the biodiversity survey teams ME002. Then you will travel to Akumal and spend the next 2 weeks at the marine site. If you are not already dive trained and wanting to learn you will not join the research teams and your options will be ME04/05. If snorkelling or already dive trained your first week will be ME05/06 and in your final week you will be able to assist with data collection and the researchers ME007. Expedition 2 26 June - 6 August 2017 •••••• Set expedition length: 6 weeks This 6 week expedition offers the ultimate research experience. The expedition will start in Calakmul you would then travel to the spectacular humid forest in the south of the Calakmul reserve to spend 2 weeks on remote biodiversity surveys ME001 & ME003. You then move to the marine site, here you can learn to dive, complete the reef ecology course and assist with the research efforts ME003/05/06/07. If you opt to not dive or are already qualified then you can spend an additional week with researchers. Expedition 3 10 July - 6 August 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks This is an ideal choice for those wanting to make the most of their forest time but still experience life at the marine research centre. You will complete ME001 and then join the research teams ME002 for another 2 weeks. Your final week is spent at the marine site in Akumal, in this week you can learn to dive or complete the reef ecology course. Expedition 4 12 June - 25 June 2017 •• Set expedition length: 2 weeks This 2 week expedition provides a basic introduction into a marine research base. If you are not already dive trained and wanting to learn you will not join the research teams and your options will be ME04/05. If snorkelling or already dive trained your first week will be ME05/06 and in your final week you will be able to assist with data collection and the researchers ME007. Forest training courses Marine training courses ME001 Introduction to the Ancient Maya and Mayan jungle ecology course This course involves a series of lectures relating to the conservation issues in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve and the conservation aims of the Operation Wallacea project, the concept of biodiversity hotspots and the importance of the Yucatan Peninsula, methods for biodiversity monitoring, and the ecology and conservation of key taxanomic groups that are included in the monitoring programme. Each lecture is accompanied by practical sessions in which students receive training in the biodiversity monitoring techniques they will use during surveys in subsequent weeks of the expedition. The course also provides information relating to the Ancient Maya, their relationship with nature and their impact on biodiversity in Calakmul. This information will be delivered through lectures and during a guided tour of the ruined city of Calakmul. ME004 PADI Open Water course This course involves a combination of theory lessons, confined water dives and open water dives to gain an official scuba diving qualification. ME005 Caribbean reef ecology - diving ME006 Caribbean reef ecology - snorkelling The course consists of lectures and in-water practicals and teaches identification of common genera and species of coral and other macroinvertebrates, identification of the major reef-associated fish families and common species. Designed to introduce a variety of methods and practices used for scientific research in the marine environment. ME003 Remote Biodiversity Surveys There is a rainfall gradient from the north to the south of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve resulting in notable changes to forest structure, tree species composition and fauna abundance and diversity. The remote southern section of the reserve that borders Guatemala contains humid forest with large fruiting trees and an abundant food supply resulting in a high density of wildlife. Due to the remoteness of the area, no biodiversity data existed for this part of the reserve prior to the Operation Wallacea project. Initial data indicates that these humid forests are crucial for the conservation of flagship species such as jaguar, tapir and spider monkeys and have the highest diversity of birds, bats and herpetofauna in the reserve. However, cattle farming is becoming increasingly popular in this area and deforestation is starting to approach the reserve. Data are desperately required to enable communities to apply for funding for ecosystem services provided by the forest and to enable more communities to opt out of cattle farming in favour of sustainable honey production and shade grown crops that do not require deforestation. Students working in this area will conduct surveys on forest structure and carbon biomass, birds, bats, herpetofauna, primates and large terrestrial mammals using the same methods as the standard biodiversity surveys and will experience a high number of animal sightings and captures. There are limited places on this option since the survey teams have to be kept small due to the terrain and remote location of the camp. On this project the volunteers will need to help with running the field camp as well as assisting with surveys and a good level of fitness is required due to the hilly terrain. ME007 Marine research assistant pool This option can be done for multiple weeks. The beaches and seagrasses in Akumal are a safe haven for a large sea turtle population. Tourism in the area provides important income for local people and has virtually eradicated problems with overfishing and consumption of turtle eggs. However, Akumal is becoming increasingly popular with tourists and, if not managed correctly, the increased volume of people could lead to the loss of important turtle nesting grounds and serious problems with water contamination and sedimentation that damages the reefs and seagrasses. The coral reefs in Akumal are undergoing phase shifts from healthy coral dominated to macroalgal dominated benthic communities, reducing the productivity and longterm resilience of the system. Operation Wallacea are gathering the data necessary to determine the carrying capacity of tourists in Akumal to ensure that the delicate marine ecosystem is protected and a sustainable income is generated for local people. Data collection aims to determine the impact of tourism and water quality on the seagrasses and reef system, to assess the relative importance of Akumal beaches and seagrasses for sea turtle populations, and to investigate the impact of snorkel based tourism on sea turtle behaviour. In addition, the degree of coral cover and abundance of sea urchins and key fish species on the reefs will be monitored as indicators of reef health and the health and connectivity of mangrove systems will be investigated. Students participating in this monitoring programme will have an active schedule that involves dive or snorkel based surveys to assess the health of the reefs, snorkel and kayak surveys to monitor mangroves, snorkel surveys for seagrass monitoring and green turtle identification, and beach surveys to identify nesting preferences of green and loggerhead turtles. Optional additional dive training If you are already dive trained, you can sign up for additional dive training in your spare time. These courses include PADI Advanced Open Water (US$220) and PADI Rescue Diver with EFR (US$400). 46 ME002 Biodiversity surveys At each of the four camps there are teams of field biologists completing standardised surveys of a series of key taxa. As a research assistant you will be able to rotate between the different teams at the start of your stay and, if you have a particular interest, to then specialise working with that team. The data gathered from these standardised surveys across Calakmul are integrated into the management plan for the reserve to assess the impact of climate change on biodiversity and to monitor the efficacy of a wide range of sustainable development projects within buffer zone communities that aim to maintain forest cover and abundance of fauna. •The habitat team quantify forest structure and carbon biomass using a range of measurement in survey plots. •Herpetofauna will be monitored using diurnal and nocturnal visual encounter surveys along forest transects, combined with pitfall and funnel trap arrays and timed searches of herpetofauna around aguadas. •Bird abundance and diversity will be assessed using point counts and mist net surveys where birds are identified in the hand and morphometric measurements are taken prior to release. •Large mammal surveys involve recording primate sightings (distance sampling) and terrestrial mammal tracks (patch occupancy sampling) encountered along forest transects during morning surveys accompanied by afternoon sessions analysing camera trap data. •Butterflies will be monitored using baited fruit traps in different forest types. •Bats will be monitored each night using mist net surveys in which bats are identified, morphometric measurements are taken and the bats are marked prior to release to enable abundance estimates using mark-recapture methods. If you wish to specialise in bats, you will need a full course of rabies vaccinations before joining the expedition. Mexico Mexico Research Assistant Options Mexico 47 Mexico forest dissertations ME142 Herpetofaunal species distribution and niche partitioning in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Mexico (start dates 12 June or 26 June; need to have completed ME001) The herpetofauna of the Yucatan Peninsula is diverse and contains a high percentage of endemic species that have evolved to adapt to the unique forest habitat. Despite this, the herpetofauna of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve is poorly studied. There is a notable rainfall gradient from the north to the south of the reserve, which significantly affects tree diversity and forest structure. The only source of water in the reserve comes from lakes known as aguadas. Some are permanent, but the majority are temporary that form on low lying ground during the rainy season. This variation in habitat is likely to have a notable effect on the abundance and distribution of herpetofauna within Calakmul. Herpetofauna surveys will be conducted at five different research locations within the reserve that have notable differences in habitat type. Within each location, herpetofauna will be surveyed using pitfall traps and diurnal and nocturnal active searching along transects. Students will also assist with habitat surveys in which tree diversity, tree DBH, understorey vegetation, leaf litter and sapling density are recorded in a selection of 20m x 20m forest plots at each survey location. Research projects could therefore investigate differences in herpetofaunal species assemblages between different sites and in relation to distance from aguadas. These projects could incorporate a wide range of species or could focus on specific groups (e.g. anurans, lizards, snakes). Alternatively, projects could focus on herpetofauna community structure in aguadas of varying sizes. These projects would involve timed searches of the aguadas for amphibian species combined with trapping surveys for lizards, snakes, turtles and crocodiles. ME141 Bird diversity & distribution in relation to forest structure in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Mexico (start dates 12 June or 26 June; need to have completed ME001) The Calakmul Biosphere Reserve has extremely high bird diversity with over 360 resident bird species, many of which are endemic. Due to the traditional farming methods of the Ancient Mayans and their direct descendants living in the buffer zone of the reserve, Calakmul contains a large expanse of old growth forest in the core zone, and old growth forest and regenerating forests of various ages in the buffer zone. In addition, there is a notable rainfall gradient from the north to the south of the reserve that results in a gradual change in forest structure and tree species composition. Diversity of forest dwelling birds generally decreases with forest disturbance, but a study from one buffer zone community in Calakmul unexpectedly found that both bird abundance and diversity remained constant across regenerating forests of various ages and old growth forest. As the first Mayan settlers arrived in the Calakmul region before the forest appeared (the climate was too dry to support forest until relatively recently), it is possible that the bird population has evolved with the Mayan farming methods and thus the birds have adapted to using all forest types. The abundance and diversity of birds in Calakmul can be monitored using point counts and mist netting at multiple research locations in the reserve. These data will be collected across a range of transects in the reserve that encompass different habitat characteristics. Each transect contains a number of 20m x 20m habitat survey plots that provide detailed information of the forest characteristics in the area. In each of these plots, tree species will be identified, tree DBH, understorey vegetation, canopy openness, and the number of saplings will be measured. Bird data from each transect can then be related to mean habitat characteristics for the transect and comparisons between bird diversity and habitat variables may be investigated. 48 Large mammal density at Calakmul Biosphere Reserve is very high and the forest is one of the last remaining strongholds of endangered mammals such as spider monkeys, jaguar and tapir. Although these species are not hunted, indigenous people are allowed to hunt other large mammals such as peccary and deer (which are the preferred prey of jaguar and puma). The tropical semi-deciduous forest in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve is unusual in that areas close to the Mayan Ruins contain unusually high densities of large fruiting trees (the result of Ancient Mayan agroforestry) in comparison to other areas. As there are no rivers or streams in the reserve, forest structure is also heavily affected by distance from the few permanent water sources in the reserve known as aguadas. The aim of the large mammal research project is to investigate the relationship between habitat characteristics and large mammal abundance and ranging, and to investigate the impact of hunting of preferred prey species on the abundance and distribution of felids. Mammal abundance data will be collected along a series of forest transects using distance sampling (based on visual sightings of more commonly encountered species such as primates) and patch occupancy sampling (based on tracks and signs of more elusive species such as tapir and jaguar). Additional data will be collected using camera traps enabling comparison of density estimates produced by the different types of surveys. The survey transects are distributed across a wide range of forest habitat types and each transect contains a number of 20m x 20m habitat survey plots. In each of these plots, tree species will be identified, and DBH and tree height will be measured. Large mammal data from each transect can then be related to mean habitat characteristics for the transect and comparisons between mammal abundance and habitat variables may be investigated. ME144 Spider monkey grouping patterns, habitat use and behaviour (start dates 12 June or 26 June; need to have completed ME001) Mexico ME143 Large mammal abundance and distribution patterns in relation to habitat characteristics and hunting in the Mayan forest (start dates 12 June or 26 June; need to have completed ME001) Spider monkeys are frugivorous primates that live in complex societies characterised by high degree fission-fusion dynamics whereby members of the same community are rarely all together and spend their time in fluid subgroups that constantly change in size and composition. Subgroup size is adjusted to food patch size and when fruit is abundant the spider monkeys can be found in large groups. Group size and composition can have a notable effect on activity budgets, ranging and social interactions, particularly as there are notable sex-differences in the quality of social relationships and the type of social interactions exchanged by males and female. A large community of spider monkeys in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve has been studied each summer since 2013. The summer months are associated with the onset of rainy season and high fruit production resulting in large subgroups of spider monkeys. However in 2014 the reserve suffered a severe drought and during this time virtually no fruit was available. Using the long-term data set students can investigate changes to ranging patterns, subgroup composition and the associated effect on rates of social interactions in relation to rainfall patterns and food availability. Another project could focus on spider monkey activity and habitat use. Spider monkeys can have large home ranges that encompass different forest types, but it is not clear if they use all forest types for food and shelter. An investigation of how spider monkeys use the different forest types will determine whether spider monkey populations could survive in disturbed areas with limited availability of high forest. Activity budget data will be recorded using instantaneous scan sampling, noting the behaviour of each individual in view, the GPS location and forest type. Subgroup composition will be recorded in real time throughout the day and all occurrences of social interactions will be recorded noting the individuals involved, behaviour and context. ME145 Bat abundance, diversity and distribution patterns in relation to habitat characteristics of the Mayan forest (start dates 12 June or 26 June; need to have completed ME001) Bat abundance in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve is very high due to the presence of multiple caves that act as roost sites. There are over 90 bat species that occur in tropical Mexico, but the presence of the majority of these species in Calakmul remains unclear due to lack of standardized studies. Moreover, bat diversity is unlikely to be uniform throughout the reserve due to changes in the habitat resulting from vicinity to ruins sites (Mayan ruins contain unusually high densities of large fruiting trees as a result of Ancient Mayan agroforestry) and the limited water supply in the reserve. Students will investigate bat abundance and diversity using mist net surveys in conjunction with bat detectors that record bat vocalizations. These combined methods will provide data on the carnivorous, frugivorous and nectivorous bats that are frequently caught in the nets and the insectivorous bats that have such fine-tuned echolocation that they can detect mist nets and are therefore virtually impossible to capture. These data will be collected across a range of transects in the reserve that encompass different habitat characteristics. Each transect contains a number of 20m x 20m habitat survey plots that provide detailed information of the forest characteristics in the area. In each of these plots, tree species will be identified, tree DBH, understorey vegetation, canopy openness, and the number of saplings will be measured. Bat data from each transect can then be related to mean habitat characteristics for the transect and comparisons between bat diversity and habitat variables may be investigated. Mexico 49 Mexico marine dissertations ME146 Sea turtle nest site preferences and hatchling sex ratios (start dates 12 June or 26 June) ME148 Immature green turtle foraging behaviour and seagrass abundance in Akumal Bay (start dates 12 June or 26 June) There are seven species of sea turtle in the world, all of which are either threatened or endangered. The beaches of Akumal (meaning “home of the turtles”) are the nesting ground for two of these species: the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and the green turtle (Chelonia mydas). One of the major aims of the ongoing turtle conservation project is to ensure that the turtles have access to suitable nesting sites on the beaches. In order to do so, it is necessary to understand the nesting site preferences of the green and loggerhead turtles and to ascertain the nest characteristics associated with successful incubation. Investigation of turtle nesting will record the number and location of green and loggerhead turtle nests, noting their distance from the shore, habitat characteristics, their depth, temperature inside the nest, number of eggs laid and number of successful hatchlings. As turtles are reptiles, the temperature inside the nest during the incubation period determines the sex ratio of hatchlings. Males are produced at lower temperatures than females and with beach temperatures on the rise due to climate change, there is major concern that sex ratios are highly female-skewed. It is not possible to determine the sex of hatchlings without dissection, but sex ratios can be inferred from mean nest temperature recorded on HOBO data loggers inserted into the nest during nesting. Variation in likely sex ratios can then be linked to nest site characteristics to determine areas of the beach that are able to produce males. In addition, the sheer number of turtles attempting to nest in the Akumal area results in turtles digging up existing nests on the beach due to a lack of space to make new nests. For this reason, it is necessary to relocate some of the nests into beach hatcheries and thus ensure careful management of the density of nests in the hatchery and the amount of shade they receive to maintain correct nest temperatures to produce balanced sex ratios of hatchlings. There are three species of seagrass present in Akumal Bay: Thallassia testudinum, Siryngodium filiforme and Halodule wrightii. Ongoing monitoring of the foraging behaviour of the turtles has indicated a clear feeding preference for T. testudinum and unsurprisingly, ongoing monitoring of the seagrasses has indicated a decline in the abundance of T. testudinum. Immature green turtles naturally form large foraging groups and once a food patch has been depleted they move to a new area. However, limited availability of seagrasses in the Akumal area means that this may not be possible for the turtles in Akumal Bay and thus steps must be taken to sustainably manage the seagrasses. S. filiforme and H. wrightii seagrass remain abundant in Akumal Bay, but as turtle foraging on these grasses has been limited, the grasses lack digestible young shoots. Investigation into the state of the seagrasses and feeding behaviour of the turtles is therefore necessary to determine whether active management of the seagrasses (e.g. trimming the S. filiforme and H. wrightii to encourage new shoots to grow) is required to maintain a viable food supply for the turtles. Moreover, existing data shows that snorkel based tourism influences the movement patterns and foraging behaviour of the turtles resulting in heavy grazing of tourist-free areas and avoidance of seagrasses in areas where snorkel tours are prevalent. As Akumal Bay is now a protected area there is the option of re-zoning the bay to ensure that snorkel tours do not prevent turtles from accessing important areas of seagrasses, but data relating to seagrass coverage and turtle foraging behaviour is required to determine the specific location of tourist-free areas. Research into green turtle behaviour will involve snorkelling with the turtles throughout the day to record their foraging patterns. Seagrass quadrats surveys will be used to determine the availability of the various species of seagrasses, which can then be compared to turtle feeding preferences obtained from behavioural observations. ME147 Effect of tourism on immature green turtle behaviour in Akumal Bay (start dates 12 June or 26 June) Year-round you can find immature green turtles (Chelonia mydas) feeding on the seagrasses in Akumal Bay. These turtles have become a popular tourist attraction and there is concern that both the number of tourists and the behaviour of tourists is affecting the behaviour and welfare of the turtles. Multiple studies of “swim with wild dolphin” based tourism has indicated that when the number of tourists gets too high, or the tourists attempt to touch them, the dolphins issue evasive responses to attempt to escape from the tourist and, if the tourism continues to maintain high numbers, the dolphins simply move their home range to areas inaccessible by tour boats. As the availability of healthy seagrasses in the Mexican Caribbean coastline is limited, the turtles in Akumal Bay may not have the option of leaving the area to avoid large numbers of tourists so the snorkel with turtle tours need to be strictly regulated. As Akumal Bay has just been declared a protected area, data is urgently required to determine the carrying capacity of snorkel based tourism. Research into green turtle behaviour will involve snorkelling with the turtles throughout the day to record their activity budgets and rates of evasive responses to tourists using focal animal sampling with continuous recording. Each turtle can be recognized individually and at the start of each focal sample the turtle will be photographed from various angles for subsequent identification from the turtle photo ID database. The number of tourists within a 5m radius of each turtle and the behaviour of these tourists (whether they abide by the rules and maintain a safe distance from the turtles or attempt to interact with them) will be recorded throughout each focal sample to determine the effect of tourism on turtle behaviour. 50 Mangrove forests are highly productive marine ecosystems that are essential for the health of adjacent ecosystems e.g. seagrass beds and coral reefs. Yet, as much as 1 - 2% of the global mangrove forests are lost per year. Mangroves draw down atmospheric CO2 sequester and trap fine sediments, facilitate vital biodiversity mechanisms (e.g. fish nurseries) and improve fishery productivity. Despite the obvious importance of mangroves, mangrove forests in the Yucatan Peninsula have been under considerable anthropogenic impact from harvesting, causing a reduction in important habitat and biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and the productivity of adjacent seagrass and coral reef ecosystems. If the ecosystem services that mangroves provide can be quantified, then there is scope to develop a mangrove equivalent of the REDD programme in which fishing communities could receive economic investment in exchange for continued protection of the mangroves. Projects could therefore focus on a comparison of the structure, function, and faunal diversity of pristine and degraded mangroves, or an investigation of wood degradation processes across mangroves of differing quality. In addition, projects could investigate health and diversity of seagrasses and coral reefs in relation to the level of degradation of adjacent mangroves. Belt transects and permanent plots will be used to record tree composition, basal areas and tree densities. Biodiversity assessments will be conducted by investigation of the available mangrove substrata. Snorkel and dive based transect and quadrat surveys may be used to assess diversity and coverage of seagrasses, hard corals and algae. ME150 Understanding the non-conventional cenotemangrove forest system (start dates 12 June or 26 June; need to have completed the Caribbean reef ecology course) The Yucatan Peninsula is formed of limestone karst substrate that was once coral reef. As limestone is porous, rainwater seeps through the rock surface to form an extensive network of underground rivers accessed from the surface by sink holes, known locally as cenotes. Mangrove forests associated with cenotes in coastal regions are not new, but research of them is. This novel project aims to investigate the driving forces behind the structure and function of these unusual mangrove ecosystems and to investigate differences of animal community structure in comparison with coastal mangrove forests. The majority of mangrove animals exploit the available hard substrata within mangrove ecosystems. Areas such as mangrove prop roots and in particular large wood detritus (LWD) are favourable for most mangrove fauna, but nothing is known about the organisms that process the fixed carbon in cenote mangrove forests. Projects may highlight new and unreported information from forest structure and function, to mangrove fauna diversity and niche separation. Continuous belt transects and plots will be used to establish the tree structure, composition and basal areas with the cenote mangrove forests. Biodiversity assessments of the fauna upon mangrove roots, substratum and LWD will be made, and animal observations will be employed. Degradation processes of LWD will be recorded in the forests and compared with those from conventional mangrove forests. Mexico ME149 A comparison of pristine and degraded mangroves in Akumal and the impact of mangrove degradation on adjacent seagrasses and coral reefs (start dates 12 June or 26 June; need to have completed the Caribbean reef ecology course) ME151 The conservation of and improvement of Caribbean coral reefs: Reef restoration through plantation of Acropora cervicornis (start dates 12 June or 26 June; need to complete dive training and the Caribbean reef ecology course) Acropora is one of the most important Caribbean corals in terms of its contribution to reef growth and fishery habitat. Acroporid species are the Caribbean’s fastest growing reef-building corals. Since the 1970s, Caribbean acroporid populations have been decimated by disease outbreak. Their recovery has been impaired by the general poor health of Caribbean coastal ecosystems. In Akumal this decline is estimated at >90%, although it is unlikely that this truly represents the loss of coral due to the lack of reliable data. Coral restoration is increasingly considered to be a viable recovery plan. In Akumal preliminary research has been conducted to trial success rates of coral nurseries where Acropora cervicornis is grown, propagated and then transplanted onto the reef. The methods used are minimally invasive and require cheap materials. The trials have proved to be successful, with doubling of live tissue from dying rescued fragments within one year, combined with successful fusion and growth of transplanted colonies onto the reef. In order to measure the impact of coral restoration work, it is essential to develop baseline data from which to measure the successful colonies that have grown as a result of the restoration work. Using continuous belt transects on the reef, the mapping of acroporid colonies will be conducted to assess the distribution, abundance and surface area of the colonies. Coral frags will be out-planted at various distances from the mother colony to measure successful recruitment and growth at different sites from that of the mother colony. Reef fish assemblages, particularly juveniles, will be assessed on reefs with none or few acroporid colonies. Established acroporid frags will then be planted onto those reefs and re-assessed. These data will be compared to reefs with a high density of acroprids. Mexico 51 Peru Facilities Research boats The entire research expedition, including accommodation and travel to the field site, will be based aboard either of the research boats: the Rio Amazonas or the Pithecia which are restored boats from the rubber boom era. The boats have fan cooled cabins which can accommodate 4-10 participants in bunk-beds, dining areas, a snack bar, a small research library and open deck space. Water-based surveys Being a research assisant in Peru has been such a fantastic experience. Nothing compares to waking up to the sounds of the Amazon Rainforst every morning, and the wonderful local guides and Opwall staff were invaluable to making the expedition so memorable. I would not hesitate to travel with Opwall again in the future. Fiona Banham, University of St Andrews Peruoverview Diving ✘ Forest ✔ Expedition length 2, 4, 6 & 8 week options Research Assistant options 4 set expeditions Forest Dissertation options9 Key facts lThe largest protected seasonally flooded forest in South America lThe only Opwall site to find pink and grey river dolphins lTravelling and staying on historically restored Amazon rubber boom ships In addition to the research boat on which you will be living, there are small auxiliary boats (e.g. wooden and aluminium canoes) used to access the various data collection points. Land-based surveys Some survey areas are accessed on foot from the shore directly next to where the boats moor – several transects radiate into the forest from this location. annual floods, 92 - 94% of the reserve is flooded but this can be as high as 98% in extreme flooding events, confining land based mammals (agouti, deer, peccaries, armadillos) to small areas of land and thereby significantly impacting their population levels. In times of extreme low water, fish populations and their associated predators (dolphins, river birds) are under stress. The dataset managed by Fund Amazonia for this reserve, which is based on the annual surveys completed by the Opwall teams and others, is the most extensive in any of the Peruvian reserves and is showing the impact of global climate change on a range of taxa and on the livelihoods of indigenous people. This information is being used to make management decisions for the reserve and policy decisions for conserving the Peruvian Amazon. Research objectives The Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve is one of the largest protected areas in Peru spanning over 20,000 km2 of tropical rainforest and is a truly exceptional wilderness area. Situated deep in the rainforests of the western Amazon basin, at the point where the Amazon river begins its long journey to the Atlantic Ocean, the reserve teems with aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. The two major rivers that bind the reserve are the Ucayali and Marañón, and they join to form the Amazon proper right at the point where the reserve begins. The huge floodplains of these majestic rivers have produced the low-lying flooded forests (várzea) of the reserve, much of which is accessible on foot during the dry season surveys. The core areas of the reserve with no exploitation permitted are at the most upstream end. At the downstream end, there are communities of Cocama Indians who are involved in reserve management and managing resources in non-core zone areas sustainably. The Samiria River that runs through the heart of the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve has a particularly large population of river dolphins and is the last remaining refuge for the Amazonian manatee. Giant river otters are also returning and every year more are sighted in the rivers, lakes and channels. There are 12 species of primates in the reserve, many of which are commonly sighted on the terrestrial and aquatic transects. The flooded forests (várzea) of the reserve are particularly susceptible to global climate change which appears to be increasing the frequency of extreme flooding events and low water periods. During the height of the Travel information Booking your international flights: Airport: Iquitos Airport (Coronel FAP Francisco Secada Vignetta International) When to arrive? On the Saturday before your expedition begins When to leave? On the Saturday after your expedition ends Getting from the airport to the expedition start point can be organised by the Opwall travel team [email protected] I feel like I’ve learnt so much about the realities and practicalities of fieldwork. Really helped me think about the kind of career I’d like to have in Ecology. Caitlin Tarvet, University of Aberdeen Peru 52 53 Peru Peru Research Assistant Options Details of Projects and Expeditions: Below is a brief outline of all options available to students. For specific course and project information please contact us or visit www.opwall.com Expedition 1 Expedition 2 11 June - 7 July 2017 9 July - 4 August 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks This expedition is based on one of the research ships which will be moored on the edge of the flooded forest in the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve. Your first week will be completing the Amazonian wildlife and conservation course PE001, after this first week you will be part of the biodiversity research teams PE002 and will rotate between the different surveys or choose one or more on which to concentrate. Expedition 3 Expedition 4 11 June - 23 June 2017 25 June - 7 July 2017 •• Set expedition length: 2 weeks This 2 week expedition is based on the research ships but is for those who want less of an in depth knowledge of the research, but who want to get some experience of the range of surveys being completed. It starts with completion of the Amazonian wildlife and conservation course PE001 and the second week is spent working with the biodiversity research teams PE002. PE002 Biodiversity research in Pacaya-Samiria Reserve There is a large team of mainly Peruvian researchers based on the research boat and you will have the opportunity to sign up to help all of the different projects during the course of your stay or, as you get more experience, to concentrate on one or more of the projects to get a deeper level of knowledge. There is a strong research atmosphere on the boat with teams coming and going at all times of day and night on various research tasks. River based teams: •Point counts for macaws •Transect surveys for shoreline birds •River dolphin distribution and behaviour surveys •Counts of emergent turtles •Gill net surveys of fish communities •Fishing bat surveys •Nighttime caiman spotlight and capture surveys •Surveys of frog communities at night on floating vegetation mats using spotlights. Land based surveys: Other teams travel through the flooded forest on canoes and work on land based transects including: •Distance, patch occupancy and camera trap surveys of primates, large mammals and game birds •Mist netting understorey birds •Butterfly and moth surveys •Forest structure surveys •Transect search surveys for amphibians Dissertation support In addition to these main river and forest surveys there are dissertation studies where assistance may also be required – for example assisting with behavioural data observations on the primate species. Training courses PE001 Amazonian wildlife and conservation course This course has a series of lectures which cover Amazonian biogeography and biodiversity gradients, trophic structure and feeding ecology, sustainable use and community conservation strategies, and climate change. Each day there are practical sessions during morning and afternoon, where you will be joining the different research teams, learning the survey techniques being used and some of the species encountered on the surveys. Optional additional training courses Canopy Access This course can be done as part of the Amazonian wildlife and conservation course and will train you in how to use a harness and pulley system to be able to ascend 40m+ into the canopy along with a qualified instructor. This optional half day additional course costs US$170. 54 Peru 55 Peru dissertations and research topics PE152 Tropical butterfly diversity and environmental gradients (start dates 11 June or 25 June) The forest of the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve is awash with a diversity of bright and colourful butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), notably including species of the beautiful blue morpho. Lepidoptera make excellent indicators of environmental change due to their variety of life-history strategies and their rapid life cycles. The Lepidoptera of the Pacaya-Samiria are monitored using baited catch-andrelease traps containing fermenting fruit, sugar water or salt water, each attracting a different suite of species. This allows a number of research questions to be examined. Projects could investigate the niche-partitioning of butterflies and moths according to food source and food availability within forest types; alternatively the diversity and community composition changes along the natural environmental gradients from forest edge to centre could be studied; temporal niche-partitioning between butterflies and moths and whether the response to forest edges differs between day and night is also of interest; additionally, there is an opportunity to study the vertical stratification of the Lepidoptera community between the understorey and the mid-canopy. Permission is not granted to collect specimens, but as a diverse and abundant study group, the Lepidoptera project can be tailored to address any number of environmental questions, whilst also contributing to the long-term climate change data set. PE153 Potential impacts of climate change on sustainable fishing resources for the Cocama indigenous people (start dates 11 June or 25 June) The fish populations of the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve are a vital resource for the local Cocama people, making up to 70% of the protein in their diet. Fund Amazonia and Opwall have been monitoring the fish populations of the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve for eight years and have seen dramatic fluctuations in abundance and diversity in response to changing water levels. This means there is huge potential for continuing climate fluctuations to affect the fish community and hence the people who depend on them for their livelihood. This project could combine studying the fish abundance and diversity responses to climate change using the long-term datasets, coupled with the sociological impact of these changes on the local indigenous people. Fish sampling is carried out using 30m x 3m gill nets with 3 inch mesh and fished for as close to one hour as possible. The fishing locations are chosen by our local guides to imitate the genuine fishing conditions of local people. Sociological data regarding how the changing fish populations are affecting the type of fish eaten, the amount of time spent fishing and the fishing methods being used could be collected by interviewing local guides and by organised visits to nearby Cocama villages. PE154 Species assemblages and niche separation of amphibians within the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve (start dates 11 June or 25 June) Amphibians are a highly diverse class, with species specialising across all habitats (terrestrial, aquatic, arboreal and fossorial). The Pacaya-Samiria Reserve is primarily composed of seasonally flooded forests which create a number of unique habitats for amphibians resulting in very interesting species assemblages and high abundances of specialist species within the area. Climate change has been having a huge impact on the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve in recent years, resulting in extreme periods of flooding and drought. This in turn is affecting habitat availability for certain specialist species of amphibians present. Data is collected across the two main macrohabitats (terrestrial and floating meadows) using visual encounter surveys via transects on the terrestrial habitat and quadrats from a boat on the floating meadows. One project could look into how species assemblages differ across the macrohabitats and try to determine specialist and generalist species. Another project could examine niche separation within each macrohabitat. Climate change could also be linked into a project to determine whether changing habitat availabilities are having an effect on species presence or habitat choices. 56 PE155 Niche separation in caiman species (start dates 11 June or 25 June) There are three caiman species (common, black and smooth-fronted) found in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. This topic could examine the habitat usage and feeding ecology of the three species to identify how they separate their niches. Spotlight surveys are completed along the edges of the main river and in a series of oxbow lakes within the forest, some of which are still connected to the main river while others are totally separated during the dry season. The species, estimated size and habitat usage of each of the caimans observed during these surveys are recorded. Animals smaller than 2m would be captured by noose wherever possible and more detailed measurements (e.g. length, weight, sex) recorded from these captured animals. Diet of the captured caimans can be examined by flushing out the contents of the stomach, filtering the regurgitated food and classifying the main constituents. The high abundance of these species and the length of the survey season should ensure a good number of data points for this study, with the average number of stomach samples around 15. In addition there are long datasets available from previous annual surveys of the caiman against which changes in abundance of the various species could be assessed. PE156 Population structure and abundance of understorey birds (start dates 11 June or 25 June) The Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve is host to over 500 bird species, representing 64% of all the bird species found in Peru. More than 135 understorey bird species have been recorded within the reserve. On this project mist netting will be used to collect data on the tropical understorey bird assemblages within the reserve, offering valuable information on the lower and mid-storey birds not recorded by any other method. Mist nets are set for 5 days in each location and riverine habitat, open understorey flooded forests, levee forests and palm swamps are surveyed within the flooded forest. The number of repeats on each habitat type is largely influenced by the water levels experienced each year. A series of morphological measurements are recorded for each captured bird and birds are ringed before their release. The project could focus on a variety of topics and utilise the long term datasets. One project could identify the abundance of species found in different habitat types and their response to different water levels. PE157 Population trends and habitat preferences of pink and grey river dolphins in the Peruvian Amazon (start dates 11 June or 25 June) The pink dolphin Inia geoffrensis and grey dolphin Sotalia fluviatilis are endemic to the Amazon rivers and function as indicator species for the general health of aquatic habitats. Dolphins make an excellent indicator species because they rapidly move out of polluted or degraded habitats and in turn quickly indicate changes in the condition of aquatic systems. Moreover, dolphin abundance directly relates to food supply and thus dolphins can be used to monitor the sustainability of fishing by local communities. The dolphins are also easy to count and observe since they frequently surface, are large-bodied and very distinctive. The river dolphin population in the Pacaya-Samiria has been monitored for several years using fixed-width transects along rivers, lakes and channels via small boats. During these surveys, all dolphin encounters are recorded noting the species, number of individuals, habitat in which the dolphins were seen and the dolphin behaviour. Dissertation topics could examine the health of the aquatic systems in the Peruvian Amazon by evaluating population trends of the two species of river dolphin over time, or could focus on habitat, behaviour and group size differences between the two species. Dissertations could also incorporate the longterm fish monitoring dataset to investigate changes to dolphin abundance over time in relation to changing fish stocks. PE158 Population monitoring and habitat preferences of primates in the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve (start dates 11 June or 25 June) As a result of seasonal variation in rainfall in the Andean headwaters, the rivers of the Amazon basin are subject to large fluctuations in water levels throughout the year that flood the surrounding forest. The Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve is no exception, with as little as 2% of land in the reserve above water at the height of the flooded season. The forests of the National Reserve flood as the waters rise between December and June, and the onset of rainfall coincides with high fruit production that is the primary dietary component of a wide number of primate species. In recent years these normal seasonal changes in rainfall patterns have become more intense, which has been tentatively attributed to climate change. Consequently, dry and rainy seasons are more pronounced resulting in unpredictable food supply and the extent to which primate populations can adapt to these changes is not yet known. Investigation of the impact of changing rainfall patterns on the abundance, diversity and distribution of primates in the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve will involve line transect surveys across forest types that flood to varying degrees with distance sampling to calculate density of primate species. These data may be added to the long-term data set to investigate changes to primate abundance over time in relation to water levels. Forest structure and fruit availability data may be collected from a series of habitat plots spaced equidistantly along each transect. Each primate encounter can then be linked to the nearest habitat plot along the transect providing a corresponding set of habitat variables for primate record. From this, habitat preferences of each species may be calculated and the habitat variables affecting primate abundance and diversity at each plot can also be investigated. Peru PE159 Niche separation in tamarins, howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys and other primates in the Peruvian Amazon (start dates 11 June or 25 June) Multiple primate species can be found in rainforest habitats such as the Peruvian Amazon. In order to combat competition associated with several similar species living in close proximity, each species has evolved to occupy a specific niche within the habitat. These adaptations include differences in dietary requirements (frugivorous, folivorous and insectivorous primates), preference for different habitat types within the forest (e.g. seasonally flooded forest, upland forest and palm swamps) and variation in habitat use within the same forest type (e.g. occupying different heights within the forest canopy or variation in activity budgets). Twelve species of primates have been recorded in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, but four species (brown capuchins, red howler monkeys, saddleback tamarins and common squirrel monkeys) are frequently encountered along the survey transects and are therefore best suited for dissertation projects. Upon locating a troop of one of these target species, the monkeys will be followed for as long as possible, behavioural data can be collected using instantaneous scan sampling and recording troop size, position in the canopy and food preferences. Fruit samples may also be collected to investigate species preference for colour and hardness. PE160 Behavioural changes during interspecific associations of primate groups in the Peruvian Amazon (start dates 11 June or 25 June) Interspecific associations are frequently observed between the various primate species found in Pacaya-Samaria Reserve, and the most frequent of these associations is between capuchin and squirrel monkeys. Living in groups has numerous benefits for individuals, including protection from predation and access to potential mates, but also has costs such as increased competition for food resources. In species which live in groups, such as primates in the Peruvian Amazon, the benefits of group living is assumed to outweigh the costs. Whether and how these costs and benefits change when a group of primates associate with another group of primates of a different species is not well understood. This project looks at how the behaviour of capuchin and/or squirrel monkeys changes, depending on the degree of association with individuals of the other species. Various aspects of monkey behaviour can be investigated, for example, looking at whether time spent being vigilant or feeding, or the type of food consumed changes with distance from individuals of other species. Upon locating a group of either capuchin or squirrel monkeys, the monkeys will be followed for as long as possible, and behavioural data will be collected using focal samples. Additional information, such as distance to the closest individual of another species, and the direction of movement of the whole group will be recorded. Peru 57 Bush Do it! Only regret is not doing the longer expedition. Hannah Moyse, Nottingham University Pongola Jozini A small research centre has been built with twin bedded accommodation, communal shower and toilet facilities. There is a shared living area, small lecture facility with electricity. Volunteers based at Pongola need to prepare their own meals. This camp is based within the heart of the reserve. Accommodation will be in dormitory style rooms and also tents. There is electricity and shared bathroom facilities. Kitchen facilities are provided and volunteers will need to prepare their own meals. Dinokeng Gondwana Students will be staying at a small fenced camp within the reserve. There is a communal area used for lectures and dining. Accommodation is in shared dormitory style bedrooms with shared bathroom facilities. The camp students stay at is within a fenced compound. Lectures and meals are taken in the same shared communal area. Accommodation is in shared rooms with showers and shared toilet facilities. South Africa Facilities Marine South Africa & Swaziland overview Diving ✔ Forest ✔ Expedition length 2, 4, & 6 week options Research Assistant options 5 set expeditions Bush Dissertation options4 Key facts lThe Opwall site with the most abundant terrestrial megafauna lBest site for learning about wildlife management lOpportunity to work on foot in a Big 5 reserve lDiving in the UNESCO World Heritage site, iSimangaliso Wetland Park Research objectives Operation Wallacea and our partners, Wildlife and Ecological Investments (WEI), coordinate large-scale research programmes to provide an empirical backbone for key conservation projects in South Africa. From evaluating the impact of elephant range expansion back into their historical range, to assessing the roles of protected areas as sanctuaries for persecuted freeranging leopard populations, the South African research programme is designed to assist conservation managers with pressing large-scale issues that they do not necessarily have the resources to address themselves. Many of our current projects centre around the impact of expanding elephant populations on the vegetation and associated diversity of key taxa. The South Africa research programme covers a series of reserves across the country, each using slightly different management strategies to preserve diversity in their reserves. Big game areas in South Africa are fenced in order to avoid the spread of disease and conflicts between communities and dangerous animals. However, this restricts movement of species such as elephants, which can lead to excessive habitat damage within reserves where elephant feeding pressure is too high. The Walker scale of elephant browsing pressure is being used by the Opwall teams to assess the levels of damage to trees and shrubs in different reserves at differing levels of elephant feeding pressure. Data are being gathered at a range of elephant grazing pressures so that estimates of levels of damage for a reserve with differing levels of elephant populations can be predicted. This will allow reserve managers to better understand how to manage their elephant populations to maintain a healthy and diverse ecosystem. For many years, Opwall has been working with a project called Space for Elephants Foundation in KwaZulu-Natal to provide research supporting responsible elephant population management. Together we have monitored the behavioural changes of a large herd of elephants in the Pongola Reserve following the vasectomies of the adult bulls. Parts of this reserve were subjected to huge grazing pressure, leading the elephants to take the matter into their own hands by traversing around the fences at the local dam and into a neighbouring reserve – Royal Jozini in Swaziland. Behavioural data is currently being collected on the elephants in this new home, giving our researchers the unique opportunity to compare behavioural data from the same herd in two very different reserves. We are also monitoring changes in vegetation and herbivore distribution following this sudden change in grazing pressure in both Pongola and Royal Jozini. Other South African projects involve assisting with the monitoring of other endangered “Big 5” species – leopard and black rhino. In the KwaZulu-Natal region, Opwall students have the chance to collect data on the behaviour and ranging patterns of the small population of rhino to assist WWF with their Rhino Range Expansion Project. So far this project has successfully established 10 new black rhino populations across South Africa. Elsewhere, our researchers are assisting the Panthera conservation organisation with Project Pardus. This involves extensive camera trapping in reserves in the Limpopo and Gauteng regions, allowing estimations of regional population densities of this poorly understood species. Opwall students are assisting with this monitoring in Dinokeng Game Reserve, a relatively new reserve built around combining multiple smallholdings and homesteads into one large Big 5 reserve. Thus, instead of having large areas with animals fenced in, it is those living in the area of the reserve that are fenced out! Alongside the leopard monitoring, we are also assessing elephant impact and herbivore habitat utilisation to assess the successfulness of this unique reserve. A once in a lifetime opportunity that has really helped me to decide what I would like to do with my degree! Really interesting and incredibly fun. Eleanor Mason, University of York Sodwana Bay Accommodation is in tents situated in a shaded bush camp. Meals are served in a separate dining area which also serves as a lecture hall. There is a shared toilet and shower block. Travel information Booking your international flights expeditions 1, 2 or 3: Airport: Johannesburg Airport (O.R. Tambo International) When to arrive? On the Friday (before 0800hrs) before your expedition begins When to leave? On the Friday (after 2000hrs) after your expedition ends Getting from the airport to the expedition start point can be organised by the Opwall travel team [email protected] Booking your international flights expeditions 4 or 5: Airport: Cape Town International Airport When to arrive? On the Friday (before 0800hrs) before your expedition begins When to leave? On the Friday (after 2000hrs) after your expedition ends Getting from the airport to the expedition start point can be organised by the Opwall travel team [email protected] We are also monitoring the development of the first Big 5 reserve created within the world-renowned fynbos region. Gondwana Reserve is situated within the most florally diverse region in the world. While both fynbos and renosterveld are valuable vegetation types, they hold little browsing or grazing value for many of the game species commonly found in tourist reserves. The problem is particularly noticeable for elephants, who even in high-value vegetation require a huge amount of sustenance a day to support their body size. Since elephants are an important component of any tourism-driven reserve, the management have asked us to look at how they can use fire management techniques to maximise the diversity of the vegetation, whilst still providing enough browse for the large, enigmatic game species. South Africa 58 59 Bush training courses Below is a brief outline of all options available to students. For specific course and project information please contact us or visit www.opwall.com Expedition 1 Expedition 2 SO001 African conservation course - Dinokeng Reserve SO002 African conservation course - Gondwana Reserve The objective of this training course, is to orientate students in the African bush and develop the skills and confidence necessary to participate in surveys. You will be given detailed training on the data collection methods used at the site, including bird identification through sight and sound, determination of age and gender of large mammals, recognition of tracks and signs, and many more. You will also receive a series of lectures on African ecology and conservation management to show how the research they are doing forms part of a bigger picture of wildlife conservation. 17 June - 14 July 2017 8 July - 4 August 2017 •••• Set expedition itinerary: 4 weeks Dinokeng * The first 3 weeks are spent in a Big 5 reserve in the Gauteng province. After completing SO001, the following 2 weeks will be spent assisting with camera trapping, game transects, habitat assessments and bird point counts SO003. The final week is spent in Sodwana Bay undertaking one of the marine training courses (SO005/SO006/SO007). South Africa South Africa Research Assistant Options Marine training courses Expedition 3 SO005 PADI Open Water - This course involves a combination of theory lessons, confined water dives and open water dives to gain an official scuba diving qualification. SO006 Indian Ocean reef ecology course - diving SO007 Indian Ocean reef ecology course - snorkelling The course consists of lectures and in-water practicals and teaches identification of common genera and species of coral and other macroinvertebrates, identification of the major reef-associated fish families and common species. Designed to introduce a variety of methods and practices used for scientific research in the marine environment. 29 July - 11 August 2017 •• Set expedition itinerary: 2 weeks Dinokeng This 2 week expedition involves spending a week in a Big 5* reserve in the Gauteng province where you will be assisting with camera trapping, game transects, habitat assessments and bird point counts SO003. In the second week you will transfer to the marine site in Sodwana for a marine training course (SO005/SO006/SO007). Expedition 4 10 June - 23 June 2017 •• Set expedition itinerary: 2 weeks Gondwana During this 2 week expedition you will be based in a Big 5* reserve in the Western Cape region. You will be assisting botanists and large mammal specialists in assessing the capability of the hugely diverse fynbos and renosterveld vegetation to sustain herbivore populations SO004. Expedition 5 22 July - 18 August 2017 •••• Set expedition itinerary: 4 weeks Gondwana You will be based in a Big 5* reserve in the Western Cape region. The first week will consist of the African Conservation Techniques course SO002. Following this you will be assisting botanists and large mammal specialists in assessing the capability of the hugely diverse fynbos and renosterveld vegetation to sustain herbivore populations SO004. Big 5 refers to African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard and rhinoceros. * Details of Projects and Expeditions: SO003 Leopard conservation programme You will spend time assisting with four main programmes on this option. Firstly, groups will help with field checking and downloading pictures from camera traps set up within the reserve. Data will then have to be checked and processed in camp, and prepared to be sent through to the big cat conservation group Panthera. Teams will also be collecting data on large mammal distributions and habitat utilisation by driving set game transects throughout the reserve. These data will then be used to estimate population numbers and create predator/prey models for the reserve. Finally, students will also collect data on bird diversity and habitat health within the reserve, to determine any effects large herbivores such as elephants are having on the reserve. This project provides students with an amazing opportunity to work and live in a unique reserve that straddles the Gauteng and Limpopo provinces. SO004 Effects of fire management on fynbos habitat On this project you will be assessing the suitability of the florally diverse fynbos region for maintaining populations of large mammals. Regular burning of fynbos is required to allow regeneration of the habitat, and in this reserve this burning is managed and controlled. Students here will get the chance to work with botanists to assess the floral diversity of different areas of the reserve following different levels of fire management. In order to understand the knock-on effects of these regular burns, students will also assist with game transects from which population estimates and ranging habits of large mammals can be determined. This knowledge of how the various habitats are being utilised will better inform the reserve management on how productive, or otherwise, their current burning regime is and how many mammals the reserve could comfortably sustain. South Africa 60 61 South Africa and Swaziland Dissertations All South Africa dissertations will be based either in Pongola (SO) or Jozini (SW) SW161 Assessing the behavioural effects of independent translocation of African Elephants (start date 24 June) SW162 Calculating the carrying capacity of the Royal Jozini Reserve for elephant populations (start date 24 June) Elephant populations in South Africa are among the healthiest in the world. Many small, private game reserves promote high elephant densities as they are a huge draw for tourists. However, the reserves are almost always fenced, meaning the natural long migrations of elephants cannot occur. Large elephant populations in restricted areas are leading to high levels of vegetation damage in some reserves. This problem was particularly significant in Pongola Game Reserve, where the calculated carrying capacity of 37 elephants had more than doubled to over 80 elephants. Opwall and its partners have been monitoring the Pongola elephants for over seven years in order to assess the behavioural impacts of bull vasectomies, which were performed in an attempt to halt population growth. While Pongola Game Reserve was fenced, one border of the reserve was demarcated by a lake. The drought experienced by southern Africa in the summer of 2015/16 reduced the level of the lake so much that around 50 elephants were able to simply walk around the fence into the adjacent Royal Jozini Reserve in Swaziland. RJ had no elephants prior to this, and luckily welcomed the new additions to their reserve. This successful, independent translocation of elephants is incredibly rare, and gives us a unique opportunity to compare pre- and post-translocation behaviour. Our main focus will be to study the ranging patterns and dominance behaviours of the translocated elephants to investigate how this move has affected the herd. Habitat assessment data will also be collected to determine if the impact the herd are having on the new reserve is sustainable. In 2016, around 80 elephants broke free of their home and moved to the greener pastures of Royal Jozini Reserve in Swaziland. The reserve management were happy to receive the elephants, but due to the unplanned nature of this translocation were unable to properly assess the elephant carrying capacity of the reserve prior to their arrival. Determining elephant carrying capacities for small fenced reserves is difficult, and many different densities have been put forward as reasonable estimates for the number of elephants any given area of land can sustain. However, these estimates are unlikely to be transferable from one reserve to another due to differences in rainfall, water availability, vegetation etc. The nearby Pongola Game Reserve has been estimated to be capable of sustaining 0.38 elephants per square kilometre. However, research has shown that other reserves, such as Kruger National Park, should be able to sustain densities of up to 1.5 elephants / km2. The reserve management therefore needs a carrying capacity estimate based on the actual composition of the RJ reserve. Vegetation assessments will be conducted in order to quantify the amount of damage being caused by the elephants and accurately assess the available browse across the reserve. These data could then be used to help set elephant carrying capacity levels in terms of how many would be sustainable to keep levels of habitat damage below pre-determined levels (e.g. less than 20% of the area must have 40% or more trees and shrubs in the top 3 categories of the Walker damage scale). The position of the elephant herds has been noted virtually daily since 2008 in both Pongola and RJ, allowing an accurate assessment of ranging patterns and habitat preferences. This positional data could be plotted on GIS programs to calculate areas of differential elephant usage and compared between the two reserves. Until recently, Pongola Game Reserve was home to a very high density of elephants. These elephants caused a great deal of damage to the vegetation and dominated much of the landscape within this small fenced reserve. In early 2016, the elephant population dropped dramatically and suddenly when most of the herds broke free and moved into a nearby reserve. The Pongola elephants had a detrimental effect on the vegetation in the reserve, but the follow-on effects on other large mammals have not been studied. Since the elephants have translocated, the other herbivores in the reserve now have access to browse and graze that was previously dominated by the elephants. Populations of other herbivores should flourish with the reduced elephant numbers, but the damage to the vegetation they caused may have long-term effects. By assessing the populations and habitat preferences of species such as zebra, wildebeest, kudu and impala, students will be able to quantify how a reserve can recover from such massive amounts of damage. During the regular large mammal surveys, all visual encounters with the herbivores are recorded, noting the GPS location of the animal, the species, condition score, number of individuals, age-sex class of each individual and habitat type. GIS maps showing the distribution of vegetation types, habitats, water courses and man-made structures in the reserve can be produced, allowing comparison with the herbivore distribution data. South Africa SO163 Factors affecting the population size and distribution of large mammals in Kwa-Zulu Natal (start date 24 June) SO164 Monitoring the populations and ranging patterns of the critically endangered black rhino (start date 24 June) The critically endangered black rhino once ranged throughout southern Africa, but a devastating poaching wave in the early 1990s reduced their numbers to just 2000. Now, many initiatives are working towards protecting land containing good black rhino habitat, in order to increase the numbers of growth rate of this endangered species. The Black Rhino Range Expansion project, a collaboration between WWF and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, has helped create 10 new black rhino populations in South Africa. Thanks to initiatives like this, the overall population of black rhino is increasing throughout Africa. But ensuring the long-term success of this initiative requires constant monitoring and further gathering of knowledge regarding the new rhino populations. Opwall students have the rare opportunity to assist this project by collecting behavioural and ranging data on a small population of black rhinos in the Kwa-Zulu Natal region within the Pongola reserve. These rhinos were introduced into the reserve in 2006, and have been closely monitored by the onsite researcher for the majority of that time. Data collected in 2017 will be added to long-term data sets to provide further information regarding the ranging patterns and interactions of an established population of this enigmatic species. South Africa 62 63 Below is a brief outline of all options available to students. For specific course and project information please contact us or visit www.opwall.com Expedition 1 14 June - 11 July 2017 •••• Set expedition length: 4 weeks With this expedition you spend a week in each of 4 different villages and their surrounding mountains and forests in the foothills of the Carpathians. In the first week you will be completing the Transylvania ecology course RT001 but also going out with the ecology survey teams. Then you will be spending the remaining 3 weeks rotating between all the biodiversity surveys or specialising in one or more of them (RT002). This expedition gives you the best chance of seeing bears in the wild. Opwall has not only given me new knowledge and experience, but also a new appreciation for the natural world and its relationship with human activities and development. Savannah Fielder, University of Birmingham Transylvaniaoverview Travel information Diving ✘ Forest ✔ Expedition length 2, 4, & 6 week options Research Assistant options 3 set expeditions Dissertation options8 Booking your international flights: Arrival airport: Cluj-Napoca International Airport Departing airport: Cluj-Napoca International Airport When to arrive? On the Tuesday (before1800hrs) before your expedition begins When to leave? On the Tuesday (after 2000hrs) after your expedition ends Getting from the airport to the expedition start point can be organised by the Opwall travel team [email protected] Key facts lThe largest population of brown bears anywhere in Europe lUnique medieval high nature value landscape lThe most diverse wildflower meadows in lowland Europe lGreat for gaining knowledge on European species Research objectives The Tarnava Mare Natura 2000 Region in Transylvania, Romania is one of the last medieval landscapes in Europe. Sitting at the foothills of the Carpathians this stunning 85,000 ha area not only boasts picturesque remote Saxon villages surrounded by some of, if not the most, extensive flower-rich grasslands remaining in lowland Europe, but it also houses a spectacular array of fauna including the largest populations of brown bears found anywhere in Europe. The landscape still presents a medieval land-use pattern: forested ridges and gullies, pasture and hay meadows on gentler slopes and terraces, arable land and smaller meadows on Transylvania has it all – stunning landscapes, rich biodiversity, unspoilt local culture and an the flat valley bottoms near incredible team of scientists. Truly a once in a villages. lifetime experience. Hugh Delaney, TCD Inclusion of the area in the EU Natura 2000 network enables funding to be obtained to maintain the low input traditional farming that has created such a high biodiversity. The Opwall teams are completing an annual biodiversity survey of the region in order to assess the effectiveness of maintaining the traditional farming practices in protecting this outstanding area. The work is being completed with ADEPT, a Romanian based NGO, with the Opwall teams providing annual data on a series of biodiversity performance and farming criteria. Facilities This Opwall expedition gives students the chance to join a small team which will move from remote village to village across the region. Each village is nestled in one of many valleys running north to south, and so, after completing surveys for a week in each village, the team will trek up the side of the adjacent valley and down into the next one. Luggage can be transported on a 4x4 vehicle, which is a relief given the strength of the Transylvanian sun during this time of year! When in the villages, teams will usually be staying in basic campsites where they can pitch their tents under the fruit trees, and where the water in the showers is heated by the sun each day. Meals are locally prepared and the majority of the food on the expedition is baked, grown, or farmed in the same village in which it is consumed. In some villages volunteers will be able to stay in local guesthouses, which gives a fantastic insight into the Saxon culture and traditions. It should be noted that on this expedition almost all surveys are conducted on foot. Volunteers can be out in the sun surveying the remote forests, meadows and grasslands for long periods of time each day, in addition to collecting more data during the evenings where possible, so it is important to have a reasonable level of fitness. Expedition 2 Expedition 3 12 July - 25 July 2017 26 July - 8 August 2017 Transylvania Transylvania Research Assistant Options •• Set expedition length: 2 weeks This 2 week expedition involves spending a week in 2 different villages and their surrounding mountains and forests in the foothills of the Carpathians. In the first week you will be completing the Transylvania ecology course RT001 but also going out with the ecology survey teams. The remaining week rotating between all the biodiversity surveys RT002. Terrestrial training course TR001 Transylvanian ecology course The Transylvanian ecology course, which is run alongside the biodiversity surveys in one of the study villages, is designed to give volunteers an understanding of the cultural and ecological history of the region, of the overall research and survey objectives, and of the specific surveys and taxonomic groups that the teams will be focusing on. Lectures and discussion groups will be interspersed with practical survey sessions. Details of Projects and Expeditions TR002 Transylvania biodiversity survey This team completes surveys in a different village each week. Volunteers are split into groups and form a key part of the teams collecting data from the extensive woodlands, meadows and grasslands around a series of Saxon settlements across the Tarnava Mare and includes surveys on the following taxa: •Large mammals: Students will position camera traps in key locations in the forests and on the valley survey routes in order to capture sightings of large mammals such as bear, wild boar, beech/stone marten and deer. The team will also visit likely vantage points at dawn or dusk to see large mammals, and will record any prints or scat encountered. You will also have the opportunity to join a local expert for an evening at a view point to see bears and other large mammals in the wild. •Small mammals and herpetofauna: This team will set small mammal traps late at night which will be checked and emptied each morning. They will also complete standard searches around the edge of river and wetland areas for amphibians, and will walk the longer survey routes around the valleys either side of the village, recording mammal and herpetofauna sightings and signs. •Birds: The bird team will complete point count surveys at 500m intervals. In the evening call-back surveys are also completed for corn crake and owls. There will also be the opportunity to participate in the bird ringing scheme using mist netting. •Plants: The plant team will be focusing on target species which are good indicators of the different grassland types. Quadrats will be completed in low, medium and high nature value grasslands along the different survey routes where the abundance of different key species will be noted. This area contains some of the most diverse grasslands in Europe and this project will be a chance to work in a rarely seen and spectacular habitat. •Butterflies and moths: The butterfly team will be covering the same survey sites as the plant team, recording the butterflies encountered and using sweep nets to catch and identify the rarer species. Light trapping will also be completed for moths in the evenings. •Farms: The traditional farming methods used in this region play a crucial role in the maintenance of high biodiversity. Part of the monitoring effort therefore includes visiting a number of farms in each village and recording the numbers of livestock, dates of grassland cutting, types of arable crops etc. The team will also be gathering data on bear and wolf attacks on the livestock and will have a unique opportunity to experience methods of farming which were lost many years ago in most of the world. •Bats: The bat team use a combination of static recorders and hand held detectors to determine the bat species present in each village. The hand held detectors will be used on two transects near the village and will utilize call analysis from static detectors to analyse the species. There will also be an opportunity to visit potential roost sites and carry out mist netting. Transylvania 64 65 Transylvania dissertations and research topics TR165 Plant indicator species of grasslands in Transylvania (start date 28 June) Transylvania has some of the most species rich hay meadows and pastures in Europe with traditional management, low fertilizer input and low stocking rates. Fundatia ADEPT, Opwall’s partner in Romania, has with the help of some experienced botanists, identified a guide of 30 plant species indicative of high conservation dry grasslands. What is not known is whether some of the indicators are more commonly associated with the highest value meadows or pastures and so act as ‘super indicators’. This can be judged by comparing the occurrence of each species against quality of habitat i.e. the total number of indicator species at a site. An association analysis of indicator species is also needed to identify which species tend to occur together (and so can be considered to be replicates of each other) and which are more unique. This study will be conducted at at least 12 sites already identified around 8 villages across the Natura 2000 site in Transylvania. Grassland surveys using these 30 indicator species were conducted at a series of sites around 8 villages within the Tarnava Mare region in 2014, 2015, 2016 and six of those villages in 2013, so there are existing datasets to compare against the survey data in 2017. TR166 Butterfly communities as indicators of habitat changes in Tarnava Mare (start date 28 June) Pollard counts of butterfly communities in different habitats (species rich grasslands, species poor grassland, abandoned land, scrub areas and farmland) have been completed at a series of sites around eight villages across Tarnava Mare in 2014, 2015 & 2016 and at six of those same villages in 2013. These surveys are revealing interesting patterns in butterfly habitat associations and changes in the communities over time. The same sites surveyed since 2013 will be resurveyed in 2017 and these data can be used to identify habitat associations and changes between years within the butterfly communities. One useful output from these studies might be the identification of butterfly species which could be used as indicators of high nature conservation grassland. Land abandonment is one type of agricultural change in Tarnava Mare driven by membership of the EU and associated policy and socio-economic changes. This project seeks to better understand the process of abandonment and the factors behind such land use change. Fieldwork will involve mapping the location and the extent of abandoned farmland for each village. GIS-based spatial analyses can then be used to investigate distribution patterns: the degree to which abandoned land is clustered or randomly dispersed across the landscape, and whether there are characteristic field shapes and sizes. Further analysis will investigate the influence of various factors on the likelihood of abandonment, such as topography (steepness of slope and altitude), distance to the village, and soil characteristics. TR171 Mammal abundance and landscape composition (start date 28 June) TR167 Changes in bird communities in Tarnava Mare and habitat associations (start date 28 June) Point counts for 10 minutes of all birds seen or heard were completed twice at each of nearly 300 sites across the Tarnava Mare region in 2014, 2015 & 2016 and at nearly 200 of those same sites in 2013. The 300 sites are being resurveyed in 2017 and these datasets, together with those from previous years, would enable a number of different questions to be addressed. For example, what changes in the bird communities over the study period have been noted? What are the preferred habitats of the main species and how has the proportion of these habitats changed over the study period? If farming practices change how could this affect the bird communities? Are there species which could be used as indicators of habitat quality? This project is data rich and should enable some complex analyses to be performed. In 2016 the relative abundances of larger mammals, including bear, roe deer, wild boar, fox and marten, were assessed by recording signs of presence (scat and tracks) along survey routes at each of 7 villages across the Tarnava Mare region. The data suggest that the broad scale landscape composition – the mosaic of different land cover types – may influence population densities and hence the frequency with which these larger mammal signs are encountered. This project would involve repeating the larger mammal surveys and then analysing the data in conjunction with GIS-based land cover maps that are being updated each year. This could reveal whether there are particular land cover combinations which support the greatest abundance and diversity of larger mammals, and consequently suggest the potential impacts of land cover changes on future larger mammal abundance. TR172 Small mammal species distribution and abundance in relation to land composition within the Tarnava Mare (start date 28 June) The Tarnava Mare Natura 2000 area offers a unique opportunity to study the ecology of small mammals in a traditional, yet vulnerable farming system. These systems provide a mosaic of habitats for several small mammal species. The habitats include species-rich grassland, cultivated fields and woodlands. The threat of encroaching scrub has become a major concern for the conservation of the species-rich grassland and is likely to affect small mammal distribution. Several species of rodents and some shrew species utilise the species rich grassland but data are needed on utilisation of these habitat mosaics by small mammal communities or how small mammals are responding to shrub encroachment and changes in farming practices. Capture mark recapture techniques can be used to assess population size in different habitats, breeding dynamics and habitat preference. The conservation of small mammal habitats is not only important for the small mammals themselves but is important for the range of predators that rely on them for prey. Species like the lesser spotted eagle are of major conservation concern and voles are known to be an important part of their diets. Assessing mammal distribution and densities throughout the Tarnava Mare is important to help monitor the efficacy of the Natura 2000 management schemes in conserving this fragile ecosystem. Transylvania TR170 Distribution of abandoned land in the Tarnava Mare Reserve (start date 28 June) TR168 Bat species distribution and abundance in relation to land composition within the Tarnava Mare (start date 28 June) Since 2014 the species of bat present in 8 villages across the Tarnava Mare region have been assessed. A combination of static recorders and hand held detectors have been used along two transects in each village, allowing a good picture of bat species presence to be gained. A number of possible influencing factors such as light sources, roost availability and landscape composition could also be explored. This project will involve repeating the bat surveys and then analysing the data in conjunction with GIS-based land cover maps that are being updated each year. This could reveal whether there are particular land cover combinations which support the greatest abundance and diversity of bats. Similarly, this technique could be used in combination with other influencing factors. TR169 Farming changes in the Tarnava Mare region and how these are likely to impact biodiversity (start date 28 June) Since 2013 there have been detailed surveys of farming practice in a series of farms across the Tarnava Mare region. These data show differences in the types of livestock held in different villages across Tarnava Mare and the farm surveys being completed in 2017 could look at whether those differences have persisted. The project could estimate the livestock breeds (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry) owned by a series of farms across the Tarnava Mare region and attempt to identify why such differences may be occurring such as traditional usage, availability of land or economic benefits. Another project could look at grassland management and the influence of the EU payments for traditional management practices whilst another project could examine changes in crops and the likely impact on biodiversity. Transylvania 66 67 68 69 Botany • • • • • 28 34 35 35 35 36 36 36 36 37 37 37 42 42 HO120 Behaviour and feeding ecology of Caribbean reef herbivores IN121 Island birds as a method of studying evolutionary mechanisms IN122 Functional ecology of coral reefs IN123 Biological agents of reef mortality IN124 Coral reefs and environmental change IN125 Behavioural adaptations of dwarf cuttlefish, Sepia bandensis IN126 Are mutualistic relationships the norm? IN127 Seagrass and patch reef ecology IN128 Coral reef transitions: understanding regime shifts from coral to sponge dominated states Evaluating potential effects of rising environmental temperatures on thermal ecology of fiddler IN129 crabs, Uca spp. IN130 Long-term changes in the community ecology of coral reefs IN173 Fisheries research in local communities MA131 Spatial behavioural ecology of the Malagasy giant hognose snake MA132 Ecology of amphibians in Mahamavo 43 MA140 Community ecology in Madagascar 50 50 50 ME147 Effect of tourism on immature green turtle behaviour in Akumal Bay ME148 Immature green turtle foraging behaviour and seagrass abundance in Akumal Bay A comparison of pristine and degraded mangroves in Akumal and the impact of mangrove ME149 degradation on adjacent seagrasses and coral reefs ME150 Understanding the non-conventional cenote-mangrove forest system The conservation of and improvement of Caribbean coral reefs: Reef restoration through plantation ME151 of Acropora cervicornis • • 63 63 SO163 Factors affecting the population size and distribution of large mammals in Kwa-Zulu Natal SO164 Monitoring the populations and ranging patterns of the critically endangered black rhino 67 67 TR171 Mammal abundance and landscape composition Small mammal species distribution and abundance in relation to land composition within the TR172 Tarnava Mare 14 67 TR170 Distribution of abandoned land in the Tarnava Mare Reserve 7 66 TR169 Farming changes in the Tarnava Mare region and how these are likely to impact on biodiversity 5 66 TR168 Bat species distribution and abundance in relation to land composition within the Tarnava Mare 2 • 66 TR167 Changes in bird communities in Tarnava Mare and habitat associations TOTALS • 66 66 TR166 Butterfly communities as indicators of habitat changes in Tarnava Mare • • • • TR165 Plant indicator species of grasslands in Transylvania TRANSYLVANIA 62 62 SW161 Assessing the behavioural effects of independent translocation of African Elephants SW162 Calculating the carrying capacity of the Royal Jozini Reserve for elephant populations 4 57 14 57 • 57 PE158 Population monitoring and habitat preferences of primates in the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve Niche separation in tamarins, howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys and other primates in the PE159 Peruvian Amazon PE160 Behavioural changes during interspecific associations of primate groups in the Peruvian Amazon • • 57 PE157 Population trends and habitat preferences of pink and grey river dolphins in the Peruvian Amazon • • • 56 PE156 Population structure and abundance of understorey birds SOUTH AFRICA • • 56 56 56 56 24 • 51 • • • • • • • 24 • • • • 14 Marine ecology 51 • • 7 Mammals • • • • 2 • • 2 • 11 • • • 11 Genetics • 3 • 3 Fisheries 1 1 12 20 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 20 Conservation management • • • 12 Spatial ecology • • • • 17 • • • • • • • • 17 Behaviour • 17 • • 17 Dive projects • • • 13 • • • • 13 Snorkel projects • • • • • • • • • 13 Snorkel projects Dissertation Summary Table 6 6 Environmental Experimental science biology • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 14 Birds • • 17 Dive projects • • • • • • • 17 Behaviour • • • • • • 20 Conservation management • • 12 Spatial ecology • • • 1 Genetics • • 3 Fisheries • 51 49 49 5 Invertebrates Herpetofauna PE152 Tropical butterfly diversity and environmental gradients Potential impacts of climate change on sustainable fishing resources for the Cocama indigenous PE153 people Species assemblages and niche separation of amphibians within the Pacaya-Samiria National PE154 Reserve PE155 Niche separation in caiman species PERU 48 49 48 ME142 Herpetofaunal species distribution and niche partitioning in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Mexico Large mammal abundance and distribution patterns in relation to habitat characteristics and ME143 hunting in the Mayan forest ME144 Spider monkey grouping patterns, habitat use and behaviour Bat abundance, diversity and distribution patterns in relation to habitat characteristics of the ME145 Mayan forest ME146 Sea turtle nest site preferences and hatchling sex ratios Page ME141 Bird diversity & distribution in relation to forest structure in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Mexico MEXICO TOTALS Code Title 43 43 43 42 MA137 MA139 Landscape ecology in Madagascar 42 MA135 Microhabitats and niche partitioning in chameleons, skinks, geckos or snakes in Madagascar MA136 Niche separation and the impacts of disturbance on bird communities in the dry forest Regional biogeography, ecology and behaviour of nocturnal lemurs in the dry deciduous forest of northwestern Madagascar MA138 Species distribution modelling in Madagascar 42 42 MA133 Thermal ecology and UVB requirements of chameleons, skinks and geckos MA134 Colour variability and the ecological use of colour in the chameleons and geckos of Mahamavo MADAGASCAR 4 • 28 2 • 28 HO119 The behaviour of invasive lionfish on Caribbean reefs • • • 28 • • • 28 HO116 Coral reef 3D complexity as a driver of ecosystem function and biodiversity Designing an optimal monitoring strategy for Caribbean coral reefs using novel technological HO117 solutions HO118 Physiology and behaviour of the long-spined sea urchin, a keystone Caribbean coral reef herbivore • • • 27 HO115 The dynamics of mutualistic cleaning interactions on Caribbean coral reefs INDONESIA • • 27 • • HO114 Interactions between reef health and fish communities • • 27 6 HO113 Managing the Caribbean lionfish invasion • • • 11 Environmental Experimental science biology 26 Intertidal ecology 2 Intertidal ecology 27 24 Marine ecology HO111 Ecology and behaviour of bats in tropical cloud forests, Honduras Primates 4 Primates HO112 Tracking the recovery of a keystone urchin species and its role in reef restoration • • • • 25 • • • • 25 • 26 25 HO105 Trophic ecology of snakes in Cusuco National Park • 14 HO110 Using camera traps to quantify human disturbance of large mammal species, Honduras 25 HO104 Abundance and distribution of threatened amphibian populations in Cusuco cloud forest • 7 Mammals 26 24 HO103 Aquatic invertebrate communities in tank bromeliads • 14 Birds 26 24 HO102 Ecology of moths in the tropical cloud forest of Honduras • 5 Invertebrates Herpetofauna HO109 Variation in cloud forest small mammal populations and their microhabitats, Honduras 24 2 Botany HO106 Prevalence of chytrid in amphibian populations within Cusuco Angrier in the middle? Does territorial aggression differ with elevation and competitors in tropical HO107 understorey passerines? HO108 Factors affecting bird communities in the cloud forests of Cusuco 24 Page HO101 Dung beetle ecology in the Honduran cloud forest Title HO100 Epiphytic lichen community survey in Cusuco National Park HONDURAS TOTALS Code WEEK 1 CROATIA 1 15 JUNE – 21 JUNE CUBA 1 16 JUNE – 22 JUNE GUYANA 1 20 JUNE – 26 JUNE WEEK 2 22 JUNE – 28 JUNE 23 JUNE – 29 JUNE 27 JUNE – 3 JULY WEEK 3 29 JUNE – 5 JULY 30 JUNE – 6 JULY 4 JULY – 10 JULY WEEK 4 6 JULY – 12 JULY 7 JULY – 13 JULY 11 JULY – 17 JULY WEEK 5 13 JULY – 19 JULY 14 JULY – 20 JULY 20 JULY – 26 JULY 21 JULY – 27 JULY 27 JULY – 2 AUGUST 28 JULY – 3 AUGUST WEEK 6 WEEK 7 WEEK 8 WEEK 9 WEEK 10 2 2 2 18 JULY – 24 JULY 25 JULY – 31 JULY HONDURAS 1 3 1 4 4 67 1 1 1 3 5 9 11 AUGUST – 17 AUGUST 13 JUNE D – 19 JUNE 5 78 11 12 14 JUNE D – D 20 JUNE 12 6 1 5 28 JUNE D – 4 JULY 2 5 JULY – 11 JULY 1 0 91 0 1 3 12 18 JUNE D – 23 JUNE 20 JUNE D – 26 JUNE 25 JUNE – 30 JUNE 27 JUNE D – 3 JULY 2 JULY – 7 JULY 4 JULY – 10 JULY 3 MADGASCAR 3 MEXICO 1 4 12 JUNE D – D 18 JUNE PERU 1 3 11 JUNE – 16 JUNE 19 JUNE – 25 JUNE 2 4 3 JULY – 9 JULY 3 1 2 9 JULY – 14 JULY 18 JULY – 24 JULY 23 JULY – 28 JULY 17 JULY – 23 JULY 16 JULY – 21 JULY 19 JULY – 25 JULY 25 JULY – 31 JULY 30 JULY – 4 AUGUST 24 JULY – 30 JULY 23 JULY – 28 JULY 26 JULY – 1 AUGUST 1 AUGUST – 7 AUGUST 31 JULY – 6 AUGUST 30 JULY – 4 AUGUST D How to find out more Opwall’s YouTube channel has a large number of short videos. Attending a presentation is also a fast and easy way of finding out which expedition is right for you. We visit multiple universities in the UK, Ireland, US and Canada each year. Please contact your nearest office to find out when we will be visiting your university. Insurance Opwall has insurance in place to provide medical and repatriation cover up to £1million for all participants on the expedition. All participants will still need to purchase travel insurance to cover things like loss or theft of luggage, trip cancellation and travel interruption. We can point you in the direction of a suitable policy if you need any assistance. See travel advice www.opwall.com for more details about insurance. 14 JUNE – 20 JUNE 21 JUNE – 27 JUNE D 28 JUNE D – 4 JULY 1 JULY – 7 JULY 2 8 JULY – 14 JULY 5 JULY – 11 JULY 2 12 JULY – 18 JULY 15 JULY – 21 JULY 35 22 JULY – 28 JULY 19 JULY – 25 JULY 3 29 JULY – 4 AUGUST 2 AUGUST – 8 AUGUST Ready to book? You can book your expedition in a number of ways; in person at one of our presentations, over the phone or by submitting an online booking form. 1 10 JUNE – 16 JUNE 24 JUNE – 30 JUNE 26 JULY – 1 AUGUST 2 AUGUST – 8 AUGUST 5 AUGUST – 11 AUGUST 12 AUGUST – 18 AUGUST www.opwall.com Getting more information You will find much more detailed information on our website. This includes full project descriptions, details of accommodation, costs, kit lists, reading lists and our publication library, along with full details on how and where to book international flights, internal travel arrangements and costs. If you have trouble finding any information you are looking for please contact your local office. TRANSYLVANIA 17 JUNE – 23 JUNE 2 JULY – 7 JULY 16 JULY – 21 JULY 4 10 JULY – 16 JULY 25 JUNE – 30 JUNE 4 D 18 JUNE – 23 JUNE 26 JUNE D – D 2 JULY 9 JULY – 14 JULY SOUTH AFRICA 11 JULY – 17 JULY 12 JULY – 18 JULY 1 2 4 AUGUST – 10 AUGUST 1 4 7 JUNE D – 13 JUNE 21 JUNE D – D 27 JUNE 8 INDONESIA Dates, fees and how to book 2017 Expedition Fees Key 1 Set expedition number, start and end dates Green = terrestrial Blue = marine Sand = bush D Forest dissertation start date Expedition Length Price in the UK £ Price in US$ Price in Can$ 2 Weeks 1,225 1,900 2,150 D Marine dissertation start date 4 Weeks 2,250 3,375 4,100 6 Weeks 2,997 4,500 5,400 D Bush dissertation start date 8 Weeks 3,950 5,925 7,100 Dates, fees and how to book 70 71 Printed by www.cupitprint.co.uk www.opwall.com OPWALL OFFICES: UK HEAD OFFICE Wallace House Old Bolingbroke Lincs PE23 4EX UNITED KINGDOM e: [email protected] t: +44 (0)1790 763194 CANADA OFFICE US OFFICE e: [email protected] t: +1 (905) 231-2095 e: [email protected] t: +1 (973) 920-0487 PHOTO CREDITS; Many thanks to all the Opwall staff, students and partners who risk their equipment, take such fantastic photos and allow us to use them: Iwokrama Forest, Mljet National Park, Nambu Conservation Trust, TCD Bird Team, Joseph Adams, Akumal Dive Centre, Ron Allicock, Katie Amey, Caitlin Andrews, Dave Andrews, Dr Jorge Angulo, Guille Armero, Robert Arthur, Tom Avent, Eleanor Baggett, Felix Barbour, Frederico Barroso, Matt Bassett, Leonard Beck, Jacob Birkenhead, Dr Kirstin Bohn, Bob Bonney, Dr Mark Bowler, Colleen Boyce, Robin Brace, Adele Brand, Georgina Bray, Will Brinkerhoff, Hannah Bryan, Alicia Buckley, Alistair Bygrave, Emma Camp, Greta Carette-Vega, Carlos Carias, Sara Carlson, Lucia Carmona, Amy Chisnell, Ruby Chow, Bogdan Ciortan, Hrvoje Cizmek, Andy Clark, Alan Clayton, Dr James Coates, Silvia Cojocaru, Dwi Coles, Dr Tim Coles, Tim Colston, Emily Cook, Coral Divers, Amy Cote, Leana Crowley, Erin Cubitt, Lucie Cunningham, Dr Jocelyn Curtis-Quick, Rachel Daniels, Lauren Dawson, Pippa Disney-Tozer, Amy Dixon, Sarah Drabble, Dr Jen Dyer, Joanne Edge, Carys Edwards, Holly English, Xinmena Escovar-Fadul, Dr Ben Evans, Vivienne Evans, Dr Dan Exton, Nina Faure-Beaulieu, Tiana Ferenac, Dr Richard Field, Mike Flavell, Rachael Forster, Fortismere School, Harrison Frost, Marimar Garciadiego, Phoebe Gibson, Thomas Gilmour, Joe Giulian, Rebecca Grainger-Wood, Steven Greaves, Lucy Hadingham, C Hamilton, Charlotte Harper, Sarah Harper, Jack Haynes, Lauren Henley, Juan Hernandez, Matthias Herold, Danielle Hines, Dr Justin Hines, Thomas Horsley, Vivian Hughes, Christina Hunt, Eve Hunter, Samuel James, Dr Dusan Jelic, Eleanor Jenkins, Dr Eleanor Jew, Imin Kaimuddin, Leila Kazemi, Robert Kirby, Marie Kirkland, Jon Kolby, Michael Kowalski, Justin Kraus, Andreas Lange, Adam Laverty, Andrew Laverty, Hannah Lee, Damian Lettoof, Etienne Littlefair, Christi Lloyd, Annie Lo, Dan Locke-Wheaton, Freya Long, Wayne Lovell, Stevie Mac, Rory Macartur, Charlotte Magnell, Jenny Mallon, Pippa Mansell, Eduardo Marbuto, Dr Nicola Marples, Alex Marshall, Dr Tom Martin, Alice Michel, Laura Michie, Randy Morrison, James Muir, Fabien Mulhberger, Aoefe Ni-Rathaille, Matthew Norman, Natalie Novak, James O’Neill, Mattew Owen, Alexandra Paschali, Tom Peschak, Dr Roger Poland, Ben Porter, Adam Powell, Andrew Power, Dan Pupius, Marc Rabenandrasana, Adam Radage, Ashley Raymond, Dr Neil Reid, Ernesto Reyes, Amanda Richards, James Rimmer, Melissa Ruffell, Benjamin Sadd, Pelayo Salinas de Leon, Dr James Saunders, Kevin Schmidt, Johan Scholtz, Florian Schulz, Jenna Scott, Dana Settle, Emma Shalvey, Radhika Sharma, Victor Shegelski, James Shipp, Ioan Smart, Prof Dave Smith, Jennifer Smith, Andrew Snyder, Lakshya Soni, Jennifer Souder, Dr Martin Speight, Achyuthan Srikanthan, Danielle Stern, Jason Suwandy, Hugh Tam, Helen Taylor, Carl Thiele, Carl Thiele, Hannah Thomas, Reece Thornley, Alex Tozer, Colin Trainor, Prof George Turner, Blyth Walker, Sarah-Jane Walsh, Dan Ward, Lauren Warnell, Isabelle Whitehead, Dr Matthew Whiteley, Paul Williams, Laurence Willsher, Jane Wright, Chantelle Wyatt, Marine Conservation Journalist, Catherine Yates, Grace Young, Vicky Yuan, Christian Ziegler PARTNERS: We have a number of partners in each country but the principal ones for each country are listed IMPORTANT NOTE: The details of the expedition programmes described in this brochure are correct at the time of going to print. However, note that you will be joining a real scientific expedition and that on occasions the work carried out on individual projects will differ from that described in order to respond to scientific priorities. Please keep checking our website www.opwall.com for the most up-to-date information about the expeditions. ABTOT The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992 for Operation Wallacea Ltd, and in the event of their insolvency, protection is provided for the following: 1. non-flight packages commencing in and returning to the UK; 2. non-flight packages commencing and returning to a country other than the UK; and 3. flight inclusive packages that commence outside of the UK and Republic of Ireland, which are sold to customers outside of the UK and Republic of Ireland. 1, 2 and 3 provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled. 1 and 3 provides for repatriation. Please note that bookings made outside the UK and Republic of Ireland are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly with Operation Wallacea Ltd. ATOL Flight inclusive packages travelling from the UK are covered under the ATOL scheme. ATOL protection does not apply to all services listed in this brochure. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ ATOLCertificate.
