Terrestrial Biodiversity Research in the Sulawesi Region of Indonesia. Peter Herbert ( ) ENVR 4000

Transcription

1 1 Terrestrial Biodiversity Research in the Sulawesi Region of Indonesia Peter Herbert ( ) ENVR 4000

2 2 Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION Importance of Biodiversity Operation Wallacea WALLACEA REGION OF INDONESIA Research and Operation Wallacea INVOLVEMENT AND IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES Research and Local Communities STUDENT INVOLVEMENT, EDUCATION AND TRAINING Training Courses MEGAFAUNA PROJECT Sources of Disturbance Survey Methods and Data Collection RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSIONS 18 NOTES AND REFERENCES 20

3 3 List of Figures and Tables FIGURE 1 - Wallacea region of Indonesia 6 FIGURE 2 - Common tracks found along transect 16 FIGURE 3 - Vegetation Survey and Habitat Analysis 17

4 4 1.0: Introduction In recent years, a burgeoning human population has been continually placing increased demand on the natural systems that support it. Given this increased demand, the need to preserve the integrity and biodiversity of these systems is crucial in order to maintain them so that they may continue to provide support for all populations, both human and otherwise, into the future. However, the complexity of these systems is often difficult to quantify, and more research is required to fully understand them. Through increased research, further understanding of these systems may aid in determining how best to utilize biological systems without severely impacting them to the point of collapse, which can have consequences that extend beyond simply that of species extinction. 1.1: The Importance of Biodiversity The preservation of biodiversity has far-reaching and important applications to the future of human life on the planet. Making concerted efforts to understand and preserve it may be the key to sustaining, and perhaps even repairing some of the important biological support systems that humans depend on. In anthropogenic terms, biodiversity can be thought of as an immune system for biological communities. An ecosystem with low diversity is more susceptible to disturbance, as there are only a limited number of responses that it can generate given the low number of species present. Conversely, an ecosystem with a higher biodiversity rating is stronger in the face of disturbance, as there is

5 5 a greater diversity of responses due to a higher number of different species, just as the immune system of the human body is stronger and more resistant when there are a variety of antibodies present. This essentially means that if one member of the community is severely affected by some form of disturbance, the other members of the community are not necessarily affected in the same way, thus preventing the ecosystem from collapsing. Biodiversity and associated research efforts provide more than simply knowledge about complex biological systems and communities. They are also critical for those undertaking studies in the environmental fields to participate in. First hand experience with biodiversity research provides an element for students and researchers alike that lab work and academic papers cannot; it is needed in order to gain an appreciation for the work that goes into developing theories and hypotheses by putting them into a real world and applicable context. It also affords researchers the opportunity to observe and consider first-hand the human and social elements of biodiversity research, which is often difficult to assess without direct observation and as a result is often marginalized in importance with regards to research. 1.2: Operation Wallacea The research organization Operation Wallacea was started in order to facilitate research that considers the biological, social, and economic aspects of conservation and biodiversity research and project implemenatation. Originally starting in 1996, the organization has since expanded its research programs to

6 6 biodiversity hotspots around the globe, providing functional research and education opportunities to researchers and students as well as helping to improve the local communities from which they are based. 2.0: Wallacea Region of Indonesia The forests of central Indonesia are one of the world s largest biodiversity hotspots, yet they are among the least studied areas biologically. (Opwall 2011) The Wallacea regions of Sulawesi Island and its surrounding areas are very unique, with extremely high species diversity in avian, reptile, amphibian, invertebrate, and vegetative populations, as well as a number of other species. The forests are considered to be the most endemic rich in the World, (ibid) hosting a number of species both native and otherwise that are found nowhere else on the planet. Among these species, a number are listed as critically endangered. The forests are also recognized as one of the most likely places to discover vertebrate species that are new to science, with 21 new vertebrate species having been described on Buton Island alone. (Operation Wallacea 2011) Figure 1: The Wallacea region of Indonesia (Operation Wallacea, 2011).

7 7 The high rates of biodiversity and endemism associated the Wallacea region are mainly the result of geological factors. (Opwall 2011) During the last ice age, ocean levels declined significantly, allowing for species to expand their range to areas made previously inaccessible by oceans. However, the islands comprising the Wallacea region are surrounded by deep marine trenches, (ibid) which prevented the islands from being joined to the nearby continental landmasses. As a result, a large number of unique species continued to evolve and specialize during this period of isolation. The area of operations for the terrestrial research initiatives of Operation Wallacea in Indonesia take place primarily on Buton Island, located off of the southeast coast of the larger Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The small village of Labundo-bundo serves as the main research facility on Buton, as well as the staging point for travel to the number of node camps from which research is conducted and data collected. 2.1: Research and Operation Wallacea A number of different studies under the oversight of Operation Wallacea, both long and short term are being conducted on Buton Island. They focus on a variety of species, including birds, amphibians, reptiles, civets, tarsiers, macaques, bats, megafauna species, epiphytes, and rattan. The social, cultural, and economic side of ecosystem research is also considered, with studies aiming to assess the impacts of various forms of disturbances such as habitat loss, hunting, and human-wildlife conflict. These types of studies are of particular

8 8 usefulness, as they place the research being undertaken into a local context, which will hopefully strengthen and extend future conservation efforts by involving and engaging local communities in the activities, rather than removing them from them. 3.0: Involvement and Importance of Local Communities Operation Wallacea works out of the Buton Island region in cooperation with Lawana Ecotone, an Indonesian NGO. The NGO is staffed and administered by Indonesians, and is essentially in charge of all logistics and research. They work with Opwall to determine and perform research on the surrounding local forest. Whereas many rural communities (such as the village of Labundo-bundo, from which forest operations are based) are often relatively modest or dependent on the extraction of a single resource as the only source of income for the community (i.e. logging, mining, etc), the Opwall setup helps to diversify the local economy while simultaneously providing education about the area and its resources so that more informed decisions can be made by residents. Cooperation and involvement with local communities is viewed to be critical, as many locals have traditional ecological knowledge spanning decades that helps with research initiatives. The knowledge of the local populations is invaluable, and provides an array of skills and experience that is transferable to conducting research and data collection, including but not limited to guideword, jungle survival training, knowledge of animal movements and patterns, and tracking.

9 9 One specific example of this can be found with one of the camp administrators by the name of La Halliday. Along with other local members of nearby villages, he was originally a hunter of Anoa, an endemic species of dwarf buffalo that require expert skills to track and trap. With the commencement of research in the area, his skills as a tracker and hunter were extremely valuable and highly transferable to conservation efforts and he is now fiercely protective of the area and its anoa populations. 3.1: Research and Local Communities The research in the Lambusango area is not dominated by Western interests and outsiders unfamiliar with the region coming to work independently, but instead is a community effort in the conservation of the area. Among other reasons, locals see the forest as valuable simply for the fact that it exists. (Malleson 2006) People in the area are becoming more engaged in and aware of forest conservation efforts, and the importance of it to local villages, water and food supplies, and as a habitat for numerous plants and animals. (Ibid) More importantly, they are becoming aware that local communities control the forest. Research initiatives such as these, especially ones designed in such a way so as to heavily involve local residents are extremely important, as they provide a number of benefits, both educational and economical. Local communities benefit, as the research provides a source of education to locals, offering alternative perspectives regarding natural resource use other than the traditional exploitative approach, and more importantly a voice and the potential

10 10 means by which to implement and accomplish more sustainable forms of resource use. In terms of economics, it also shows that research initiatives can be profitable and contribute to the betterment of the community as well, and in a much more sustainable way than simply extracting resources. In addition, there are also more direct and immediate economic impacts on local communities as a result of research initiatives, as they create a need for support jobs such as program coordinators, drivers, medical staff, guides, and kitchen staff. Lastly, the simple fact that the research programs causes the population of the village to temporarily expand in size during the field season means that there is an additional influx of money to the local economy. 4.0: Student Involvement, Education and Training As part of the 2011 field season, I volunteered over a two-week period as a research assistant with the terrestrial Indonesian research expedition of Operation Wallacea. The aim of my involvement with the expedition was to obtain first-hand experience with research planning and execution, as well as to observe and gain an understanding regarding a number of the different components that comprise field research, from planning to execution. A variety of research is conducted by a collection of undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students based out of the base station in the village of Labundo-bundo. Topics of research for the 2011 field season included but were not limited to studies on invertebrates, herpetofauna, avian species, bats, civets, megafauna, epiphytes, rattans, and butterfly communities, as well as studies on

11 11 the effects that disturbances, both anthropogenic and otherwise are having on the forest ecosystems of the area. Prior to participating in any research activities, students must first complete courses complete with final exams in forest ecology, as well as basic jungle survival training. These courses prepared students for research assistant work so that individual species and their habitats could be readily identified while in the field. 4.1: Training Courses The forest ecology lectures consist of a number of lectures on survey techniques and procedures, ecological monitoring, census techniques, avian species, herpetofauna and mammals. Emphasis is placed on the identification and basic zoology of the various species types in the area, as well as field techniques, and types of sampling methods and their appropriate selection. Students and new arrivals to the facility are also required to undergo training in basic jungle survival skills, as a way of acclimating and familiarizing them with the environment in which they will be working, as well as with everyday tasks outside the realm of research, but essential to maintaining safety and working efficiently in the field. Jungle training was comprised of a three day camp expedition in which students were placed into groups and tasked with determining the items needed for the trip, including food and cooking supplies. Groups were required to set up individual team camps consisting of fire pits and sleeping areas, as well as prepare and cook their own meals. In addition to this,

12 12 instruction was also provided by local guides on the construction of a number of different shelters and traps for acquiring food, as well as on sources of safe drinking water, and determining if potential food may be poisonous. Although familiar to some, training was still very useful, as each environment has its own unique features that may not be familiar even to those more experienced with wilderness camping. Lastly, students gained experience with survey and sampling practices by being given the opportunity to apply and utilize them in a first-hand setting. The skills and experience developed in this context were both general ones such as vegetation surveys and the set up and use of various types of transects and sampling methods, and project specific ones such as tracking, print and other biological indicator identification, as well as behavioral indicator identification. 5.0: Megafauna Project: As a member of the general research assistant pool, I contributed to a research project focusing on a number of the megafauna species in the Lambusango area. The megafauna study is a long term project that aims to assess the population density and distributions of selected types of megafauna, including lowland Anoa (Bubalus depressicornis), wild pigs (Sus celebensis), feral cows, hornbills, and Buton macaques (Macaca ochreata brunnescens) throughout the Lambusango Forest Reserve. Once gathered, the data and results are compared to those from previous years in order to develop a more comprehensive dataset. In conjunction with population and density surveys,

13 13 habitat analyses will also be undertaken in order to determine the effect that changing environmental conditions are having on the forest fauna. 5.1: Sources of Disturbance There are a number of different disturbances that affect the overall function of forest ecosystems in the area, among which anthropogenic disturbances are the most evident. Despite some efforts aimed at preserving the species-rich forests of Sulawesi, they are still experiencing very high rates of deforestation as a result of logging and the conversion to agricultural and residential land. (Taken from shared discussions with megafauna project dissertation student Sarah Cruickshank over the period of July 26 August 3, 2011; unreferenced, see Notes ) Habitat alteration such as this places pressure on biodiversity and as a result drives its change, which in turn affects species interactions. However, the loss of tropical forests may help to provide insight as to how species respond to habitat disturbance, and if they can maintain viable habitats. The monitoring of habitats, populations, and population densities is essential for conservation efforts, as a lack of data on species and/or the area to be managed will likely result in any conservation management attempts being ineffective. 5.2: Survey Methods and Data Collection Site occupancy surveys along predefined transects for especially cryptic species such as anoa and other mammalian species is usually the best method

14 14 of survey, as it provides information regarding the numbers and densities that is more cost-effective and generally more accurate than actually observing the animals. (This can be proven by the fact that despite there has been ample evidence in past studies to suggest multiple populations of anoa in the Sulawesi forests, no physical sightings have been made by researchers in almost ten years of research). The Anoa is an extremely cryptic, solitary and endangered species of dwarf buffalo that is endemic to the island of Sulawesi. There are two species of anoa, the upland and lowland, both of which are present on Buton. Anoas are unique in that they are a browsing species rather than a grazing species, which is typical of most bovines. (Ibid) Their diet consists mainly of leaves and fruit, (ibid) which likely serve as an important mechanism for seed dispersal within the forest. Anoa occupies a wide range of habitats (as evidenced by the presence of upland and lowland species), but they have still been shown to be declining in range due to anthropogenically caused habitat degeneration. (Ibid) Although anoa are a protected species, they are still hunted by some local peoples, and at rates higher than is possible in order to maintain sustainable levels, especially with the current rates of habitat loss. In order to collect data for the study, a series of transects were marked at various locations within the Lambusango Reserve. There were four parallel transects at each site, with each one spanning a straight-line distance of 3km, and markers every 50m. with a 1km distance between transects. Each transect

15 15 at each of the various established node camps in the region was visited twice, at two-week intervals. A patch occupancy analysis was used for surveying and collecting data on lowland anoa, wild pig, and feral cows by observing the presence or absence of tracks through every 50m sampling point along the transect during the months of July and August Physical indicators such as size and shape differentiated tracks from one another, and regular consultation was made with local guides experienced with the area. A set of tracks was recorded as one count in each 50m sampling point when they were shown to be moving parallel to or across the transect line. Events of multiple tracks falling across different 50m sections and where tracks were seen in close proximity to but crossing the transect in different directions were counted as separate individuals. For the purposes of analysis, each 3km transect was divided into 500m sections. In order to avoid errors and false data that may be a result of spatial autocorrelation, only alternating 500m sections were used in final analysis. Through site occupancy analysis, sections along a transect in study sites will be analyzed to build up spatial replicates and the proportion of the area occupied by anoa species can be estimated, along with Sulawesi wild pigs, cows, hornbills, and the Buton macaque to show how megafauna species in the Sulawesi forests are responding to habitat changes.

16 16 Figure 2: Transects were examined for signs of various types of Sulawesi megafauna. Experience in the field allowed for the development of skills to differentiate between species such as wild pigs (above left) and anoa (above right). Along the transects, encounters with macaques and hornbills and their estimated perpendicular distance to the transect line were determined via distance sampling. This is because these species may be present in areas around the transect, but may never actually leave any physical sign or sighting on the actual transect line. In addition to population and density surveys, habitat analyses were also conducted after patch occupancy and distance sampling had taken place over the length of the entire transect. Surveys were established by measuring a 10m x 10m square quadrat using a compass and 40m of rope, using a tagged tree as the centrepoint. These quadrats were set up at 500m intervals along the transect, starting at the 250m point and proceeding every 500m until the 2750m. point. A number of different elements were recorded for each habitat survey, including: The number of trees within the quadrat larger than 30cm2 in circumference or 10cm in diameter

17 17 The number, maximum, and minimum diameter of all logs and deadfall with a diameter greater than 10cm Using a 3m long pole divided into 50m sections, the number of vegetation touching each 50cm section was counted. The same vegetation was counted only once if it touched the same section more than once, and counted as separate if it was touching different sections of the pole. The gradient of the quadrat, measured using a clinometer The number of all saplings (defined as woody plants) within a small 2m x 2m quadrat, the location of which was randomly determined An estimation of canopy cover by taking photos of the above canopy, making sure that no vegetation is within 2m above the photographer s head so as not to obstruct the canopy view. Figure 3: Vegetation surveys were also performed as part of the habitat analysis. 6.0: Recommendations The research programs put into place by Operation Wallacea and Lawana Ecotone on Sulawesi are fairly well established, and as a result there is a high

18 18 degree in the efficiency and planning of research initiatives. No real major or drastic changes need to be made to the overall program that is currently in place, although there are some minor recommendations that may be useful for future research. First among them is to increase investigations into potential income sources that are alternative to resource extraction, or at the very least unsustainable forms of it. This would allow for greater economic and biological stability of local communities and surrounding environments. Secondly, greater research should be put into the development of sustainable harvest levels for various forest species, specifically rattan, which is of high economic value. Finally, as is the case with all research, funding for continuing research that can provide the basis for the formulation of various management plans (such as those listed above) should be increased so that the scope of such plans may be increased. 7.0: Conclusions As populations continue to rise, human need for resources will increasingly come into conflict with the need to preserve biodiversity. It is therefore essential to begin putting into place research and management plans aimed at addressing these inevitable conflicts before they become too severe. Organizations such as Operation Wallacea play a critical role in this, not only in terms of providing solid research in a variety of fields that help in the formulation of responsible conservation management strategies, but also in creating

19 19 awareness of these issues, and training students to continue research initiatives that are of great benefit and importance to both local and global communities.

20 20 Notes: 1. Some notes were gathered from a series of discussions spanning from July 26 August 3, 2011 with megafauna project dissertation student Sarah Cruickshank. Data used from these discussions were to be included in the final draft of her dissertation thesis. 2. Additional notes and information were acquired through a series of lectures given on forest ecology and field sampling techniques by various Operation Wallacea science staff spanning July 21 25, References/Works Cited: Dunn R Recovery of Faunal Communities During Tropical Forest Regeneration. Conservation Biology. 18(2): Dwiyahreni A Anoa Abundance in Lambusango Forests, Buton and the Influencing Factors. [Internet]. Scarborough Centre for Coastal Studies, University of Hull, (UK) [cited 2012 April 21]. 6p. Available from: mals/dwiyahreni_a_anoa_abundance IN LAMBUSANGO FORESTS BUTON.pdf Hamer K.C., Hill J.K Scale-Dependent Effects of Habitat Disturbance on Species Richness in Tropical Forests. Conservation Biology. 14(5): Malleson R Socio-Economic Baseline Surveys of Communities Bordering the Lambusango Forest, South East Sulawesi, Indonesia. Report no. 2 [Internet]. Operation Wallacea Trust [cited 2012 April 21]. 23p. Available from: library pdfs/reports/indonesia/indonesia Terrestrial/socioeconomic/2006socioeconomic reportver2.pdf [Opwall] Operation Wallacea Field Research and Information Guide. Lincolnshire (UK): Operation Wallacea. 122p. Operation Wallacea [Internet Video]. Lincolnshire (UK): Operation Wallacea [cited 2012 April 21]. Available from: Wheeler P., Dwiyahreni A Large Mammal Monitoring in Lambusango. [Internet]. University of Hull, (UK) [cited 2012 April 21]. 33p. Available from: library pdfs/reports/indonesia/indonesia Terrestrial/Mammals/Wheeler and Dwiyahreni - Large Mammal Monitoring in Lambusango.pdf