Emirates Nature-WWF’s Post

In the early mornings on Borneo's island in East Malaysia, the rainforest comes alive with a natural symphony: gibbons singing, a pygmy elephant trumpeting, and orangutans rustling in the trees. But amidst these familiar sounds, researchers sometimes catch unexpected chirps or even the unsettling buzz of chainsaws, hinting at human intrusion. Unfortunately, even the world's oldest and most biodiverse rainforests are not immune to the threats posed by climate change and human activities. So what's the solution? To better monitor and protect this rich ecosystem, scientists are turning to bioacoustics, recording the forest's sounds to track wildlife and detect disturbances. This method offers a non-intrusive way to study elusive species and gather comprehensive data over long periods. It also helps identify threats to habitats, like illegal logging, enabling timely intervention. Through holistic approaches, we can enhance conservation efforts and provide vital data that shape environmental policies for endangered species everywhere. #Biodiversity #Bioacoustics #Rainforests

Holistic solutions like #bioacoustics not only safeguard biodiversity but also bolster the resilience of these invaluable ecosystems, nurturing both the livelihoods and cultural heritage of those who live alongside them.

On March 8th, 2024, from 1:00 to 2:00 PM UTC, MARINE BIODIVERSITY NETWORKING FRIDAY WITH NECCTON we will have a special session with Dr Stefano C. and Dr Sergi Pérez-Jorge, focusing on the ongoing European project NECCTON: “New Copernicus capability for trophic ocean networks “. The ambition of NECCTON is to transform the current operational capability to predict and protect the biodiversity of marine ecosystems. NECCTON is developing a new modelling framework and novel products for fisheries, pollution and benthic habitats. This will enable the Europe-wide Copernicus Marine Service to better inform ocean policymakers, managers and publics on the sustainable management of marine resources. Two case studies will be presented showing the use of the ecological model SEAPODYM (spatially explicit prey model). The first study showing the influence of temperature and prey distribution on the movement patterns of three species of baleen whales in the mid-North Atlantic, and a second study providing novel information on the cetacean presence in the remote area of the Great Meteor seamount and the effect of regional oceanography on the predator distribution. NECCTON is a UN Ocean Decade Action associated to the Marine Life 2030 programme. More information here: https://lnkd.in/duq88CSq Register for the Zoom Webinar here: https://lnkd.in/diEUMg5Y Or watch on YouTube here: https://lnkd.in/dQYrRMh6 Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel here: https://lnkd.in/d_PJ2wkV NECCTON: https://www.neccton.eu Mercator Ocean International: https://lnkd.in/dkbwfef9 Copernicus Marine Service: https://lnkd.in/e7rQ_gCV Ocean Predict: https://oceanpredict.org/ Azores Whale Lab - Cetacean Ecology Group: https://lnkd.in/dRKXH2s6 Marine Ecosystem Modeling team at CIIMAR (MEMO): https://lnkd.in/dGXpDgze... Marine Life 2030: https://lnkd.in/dYEPeNyK UN Ocean Decade: https://oceandecade.org/ BlueMissionAA Mission Ocean #AALighthouse #marineconservation #marinebiodiversity CIIMAR Mercator Ocean International Okeanos - Institute of Marine Sciences

“… [A] report by the United States Agency for International Development’s Philippine Sustainable Interventions for Biodiversity, Oceans, and Landscapes (USAID SIBOL) project, presented to stakeholders last year, elucidates just how devastating Odette was, particularly for the forests north of Puerto Princesa. Guided by a ‘green assessment framework,’ the data they used were based initially on satellite imaging and modeling, followed by drone surveillance, rapid biodiversity field assessments, and focus group discussions.” USAID SIBOL works with the government, private sector, civil society and local communities to improve natural resources management and biodiversity conservation in key biodiversity areas in the Philippines. Link: https://lnkd.in/gVutTdGG

"Taking the pulse of the #planet" - Analysis of 742m records of nearly 375,000 species in 2021 found widespread gaps and biases: just 6.74% of the #planet has been sampled - In 2023, Kew Gardens identified 32 planet "dark spots" – including Fiji, New Guinea and Madagascar – that are known to be rich in #plant #biodiversity but have poor data records - Biodiversity Observation Networks (BONs) on a planetary level to monitor #30x30 https://lnkd.in/eSViJn6V #climatecrisis #biodiversityloss #pollution Glenn Hyman Justin Saunders Terence Mothers

💵 Invasive species – or biological invasions – cost the world $423bn per year, according to a new report from the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). 📈 The report also says that invasive alien species are spreading around the world at “unprecedented and increasing rates”. The term “invasive alien species” refers to a species that  🚢 human activities have enabled to move into a region outside its native habitat  🌏 has established a self-sustaining population there 🤒 has negative impacts for local biodiversity and ecosystems. 🫱🏾🫲🏽 Curtailing the uptick of invasions is “achievable”, the IPBES report says, but will require significant investment and resources. Read more from Aruna Chandrasekhar, Daisy Dunne, Yanine Quiroz, Giuliana Viglione, and Ayesha Tandon here ⬇️

Countries must effectively develop #naturalcapital accounts by 2030 to meet the Global Biodiversity Framework (#GBF) Target 14. They are a powerful tool to help address #climatechange and reach #naturepositive. Sustain Value was therefore delighted to be represented at #cop28 to support the presentation of a 2 year project we are undertaking for MoCCaE UAE, together with 4EI and IDEEA Group to develop natural capital accounts for the UAE and each Emirate. The accounts and ecosystem services are being mapped in physical and monetary terms and made accessible through an interactive Geoportal. The ecosystem services valued and mapped so far include: carbon sequestration; coastal habitat coast protection; wild fisheries; and coastal habitat support to wild fisheries. Over the remaining 18 months of the project we will be adding many more ecosystem services. In addition, we will be undertaking scenario analysis to determine how the values will change based on a series of climate, development and resource management scenarios over time. The results will allow the UAE and each Emirate to better understand, protect and enhance the value of their valuable natural ecosystem assets and flow of benefits they provide to so many stakeholders. Through the accounts they will be able to monitor how they are doing over time, for example, in relation to becoming nature positive. Through the interactive Geoportal they will be able to see how different decisions, for example in relation to habitat restoration and fisheries and tourism management, will affect the value of associated ecosystem services and economic development through various trade-offs. Thanks in particular go to Obaid Alshamsi of MOCCAE who is leading the project, and the various organisations and individuals in the UAE providing the nature related data; Ahmed SEFI, Tanzeel Ur Rehman, Abdelghafour Benkhelifa, Adla Khalaf and Jonathan Hendry of 4EI; James Spurgeon, Robert West and Samir Fryatt of Sustain Value; and Reiss McLeod, Carl Obst, and Sam Reeves of IDEEA Group.

Can AI Help Improve Our Understanding of Life Underwater? Freshwater ecosystems are essential to our planet, teeming with an abundance of life that sustains both nature and humanity. These shimmering lakes, meandering rivers, and tranquil ponds are not just serene havens; they support biodiversity, providing a sanctuary for countless species. Yet they are fragile and under threat from pollution, overuse, and climate change. Researchers, determined to preserve them, are finding new ways to study and protect these ecosystems, and could even get some help from artificial intelligence. “There is such an alarming loss of freshwater biodiversity because most human populations around the world exist next to, and depend upon, freshwater ecosystems. This creates conflict between our interests for survival, which often involves over-exploitation, and the long-term survival of the ecosystem,” says Jack Greenhalgh, an ecologist and science communicator at the Pyrenean Institute of Ecology. “As human populations rapidly expand, there is an ever-increasing pressure placed on freshwater ecosystems.” To preserve and protect these ecosystems, ecologists need to understand the level of biodiversity that exists in that area. Simply put, abundant biodiversity signifies a healthy ecosystem. However, conventional methods used to monitor biodiversity in freshwater ecosystems are usually invasive, often resulting in researchers inadvertently disturbing or harming the habitat and organisms. Therefore, finding non-invasive methods to monitor and understand them is vital for their conservation. Greenhalgh recently investigated a novel and unique way of measuring freshwater biodiversity that mitigates the impacts from conventional methods, by simply listening. Greenhalgh published a study that investigated the daily acoustic cycles of British ponds, which used pond soundscapes. “Observing nature by simply listening offers a totally new perspective, which is revealing lots of new and interesting information that can help conservation efforts,” Greenhalgh says. “A healthy pond sounds like a rainforest, with lots of different sounds made by the frantic rattling of insects and persistent whining and popping of plants.” Full article here: https://lnkd.in/e4yqDxQj