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New Publication: Socio–environmental sustainability of indigenous lands: simulating coupled human–natural systems in the Amazon

Tractor preparing soy bean field in the cerrado
Preparing field for planting soybeans near indigenous land in the Cerrado of Brazil         (Photo copyright by Jose Fragoso )

Our latest publication is out in Frontiers in Ecology and The Environment. We examine the socio-environmental sustainability of protected areas inhabited by indigenous and rural peoples and describe how socio-ecological change and development (e.g., forest clear-cutting outside indigenous areas, religious conversion, improved child mortality rates and introduction of resources from outside) outside these areas influences the sustainability of biodiversity, forest cover, and people inside. There are some surprising results so read the publication!

Read the article:

Continue reading “New Publication: Socio–environmental sustainability of indigenous lands: simulating coupled human–natural systems in the Amazon”

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Women in Science Summit 2016

Poster Announcing Women in Science Summit (Courstey of CAS)
Poster Announcing Women in Science Summit (Courstey of CAS)

Jose Fragoso was honored to serve as a panelist at the amazing Women in Science Summit at the California Academy of sciences on January 28, 2016. Amazing people described how they maintained family life, dealt with bias challenges and succeeded in their careers. Speakers included: Jane Goodall (Gombe Reserve), Sylvia Earle (National Geographic Society Explorer-in-Residence), Dawn Wright (ESRI), Pam Matson (Stanford University), Jane Lubchenco (former head of NOAA), Kathy Sullivan (the first woman to walk in space) Tom Lovejoy, Joan Roughgarden and others. Google Hangouts live streamed the event.

Watch the full event and all speakers at (Jose’s begins speaking at 7:41:15 into the recording. He recommends watching all the presenters.):  (https://plus.google.com/events/chqqlc7dt0em8j65g0nvo7o35uc).

 

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Reaching the Children

Giving a presentation on the Amazon to about 100-150 grade 4 and 5 school Kids in Atherton. Photo by George Ugras

    Jose Fragoso presents a slide lecture on the Amazon to elementary  school children at the Encinal School, Ahterton, California. Photo by George Ugras

Stressing a need for scientists to occasionally step out of university classrooms and professional meetings, Jose Fragoso gave a slide presentation on the Amazon forest, its animals, plants and people at the Encinal Elementary School in Atherton, California, USA on Jan. 28, 2016. The rapt attention and amazing questions from the children reinforced the view that scientists should reach out more to children and other members of the public. About 100 grade five students, along with parents and teachers, attended the presentation.

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New in press: “Socio–environmental Sustainability of Indigenous Lands: Simulating Human-Nature Interactions in the Amazon” in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment

Agro-industrial soy bean farm adjacent to an indigenous area in Brazil
Agro-industrial soy bean farm adjacent to forest of an indigenous area in Brazil   (photo Jose Fragoso)

Research collaborators Takuya Iwamura, Eric Lambin, Kirsten Silvius, Jeffrey B Luzar, and José Fragoso have a new paper in press. The publication examines the resiliency and sustainability of biodiversity, human livelihoods and forest cover within Amazonian indigenous lands under various future development scenarios. The paper is scheduled for publication in the February 2016 issue of the journal “Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment”. 

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Former Post-doc Takuya Iwamura takes Tenure-Track Position

Tak Iwanura 2015 (photo by Tak Iwamura)

Congratulations to Takuya (Tak) Iwamura, former post-doc with the Fragoso lab on attaining a tenure-track position as senior lecturer at the Zoology Department, Tel Aviv University (https://en-lifesci.tau.ac.il/profile/takuya).  Tak will continue his work on understanding biodiversity loss using a natural and human systems approach, spatial modelling and systematic conservation planning .

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Large numbers of white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) invade Amazonian town

WLP herd
White-lipped peccary herd in northern Brazil. Two individuals are radio-collared (Photo Jose Fragoso)

On November 10, 2015, large numbers of white-lipped peccaries moved across the town of Caracaraí in Roraima State, Brazil.  Many became trapped in yards or were killed by townspeople.  Caracaraí has a population of over 10,000 people.   Jose Fragoso (1997, 2004) described these exceptional movements as possible population level dispersal events or perhaps a herd that abandoned its usual home area after long term persecution by humans.

Newspaper story, photos and Fragoso articles here:  Continue reading “Large numbers of white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) invade Amazonian town”

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More than 170 white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) filmed crossing a 2 km wide river in Roraima, Brazil

WLP photo
White-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) in Roraima, Brazil (photo by Jose Fragoso).

More than 170 white-lipped peccaries were filmed crossing the Rio Branco River in Caracaraí County, Roraima, Brazil in the Amazon. The peccaries were filmed for over 30 minutes when  in the middle of the almost 2 km wide Rio Branco by agents of Brazil’s wildlife agency Ibama. Recording made on November 7, 2015.

View the video here: http://g1.globo.com/rr/roraima/noticia/2015/11/manada-de-mais-de-170-porcos-do-mato-atravessa-rio-de-rr-video.html  

Fragoso 2004 article:  Fragoso 2004 White-lip dissapearances

Fragoso 1997 article:  Fragoso 1997

 

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New Publication: Utilizing Amerindian Hunter’s Descriptions to Guide the Production of a Vegetation Map

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Anthony Cummings (photo from the Web)

Map Rupununi

Anthony Ravindra Cummings led the Project Fauna team in the production of a vegetation map for the Rupununi region of Guyana, with the participation of Makushi, Wapichana and other Amerindians. Cummings and co-authors Jane Read (Syracuse University, USA) and Jose Fragoso state that with hunter’s vegetation descriptions and remotely sensed imagery we produced an eleven-class vegetation map that covered the main vegetation types described by hunters. “The final map shows that indigenous hunters can be important partners in the map-making process…”.

Full article:

Continue reading “New Publication: Utilizing Amerindian Hunter’s Descriptions to Guide the Production of a Vegetation Map”

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Gathering Data on Plants and Animals in the Amazon Basin

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Spectacled Caiman (photo by Jose Fragoso)

Stanford University produced a short documentary of our monitoring of plants and animals of the Amazon. Watch amazing scenes of caimans, capybaras, tapirs, giant anteaters, giant otters, macaws and other unusual creatures filmed during our field studies. The interview focuses on the successful monitoring of these animals by indigenous people. The take home message is that indigenous people use wildlife in a sustainable fashion.

Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upmzEzuF_ls