Adrienne Chitayat led this study on chimpanzees in Mahala Mountains which provides a baseline to monitor future trends.
New paper on the ecological correlates of chimpanzee density in Mahale Mountains is out
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New temporary post for a machine learning project
For a project on automated orangutan nest detection on drone images we are looking for a machine learning expert who is interested in conservation to be part of our drone and machine learning team at Liverpool John Moores University. Please see the details here.
New paper on the global abundance of tree palms
Robert Muscarella and Thaise Emilio led a large group of researchers to study the relative abundance of tree palms at a global scale. The paper was published in Global Ecology and Abundance.
Abstract
Aim
Palms are an iconic, diverse and often abundant component of tropical ecosystems that provide many ecosystem services. Being monocots, tree palms are evolutionarily, morphologically and physiologically distinct from other trees, and these differences have important consequences for ecosystem services (e.g., carbon sequestration and storage) and in terms of responses to climate change. We quantified global patterns of tree palm relative abundance to help improve understanding of tropical forests and reduce uncertainty about these ecosystems under climate change.
Location
Tropical and subtropical moist forests.
Time period
Current.
Major taxa studied
Palms (Arecaceae).
Methods
We assembled a pantropical dataset of 2,548 forest plots (covering 1,191 ha) and quantified tree palm (i.e., ≥10 cm diameter at breast height) abundance relative to co‐occurring non‐palm trees. We compared the relative abundance of tree palms across biogeographical realms and tested for associations with palaeoclimate stability, current climate, edaphic conditions and metrics of forest structure.
Results
On average, the relative abundance of tree palms was more than five times larger between Neotropical locations and other biogeographical realms. Tree palms were absent in most locations outside the Neotropics but present in >80% of Neotropical locations. The relative abundance of tree palms was more strongly associated with local conditions (e.g., higher mean annual precipitation, lower soil fertility, shallower water table and lower plot mean wood density) than metrics of long‐term climate stability. Life‐form diversity also influenced the patterns; palm assemblages outside the Neotropics comprise many non‐tree (e.g., climbing) palms. Finally, we show that tree palms can influence estimates of above‐ground biomass, but the magnitude and direction of the effect require additional work.
Conclusions
Tree palms are not only quintessentially tropical, but they are also overwhelmingly Neotropical. Future work to understand the contributions of tree palms to biomass estimates and carbon cycling will be particularly crucial in Neotropical forests.
Tapanuli orangutan endangered by Sumatran hydropower scheme
A new correspondence in Nature Ecology and Evolution is out on the Tapanuli orangutan and a hydro-electric project threatening its feature. You can read it here.
Detecting oil palm smallholders and industrial plantations using Sentinel data
Our new paper led by Adrià Descals on detecting smallholder and industrial oil palm using Sentinel data is out: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/11/21/2590/htm
Tourist photos provide carnivore densities
Kasim Rafiq from LJMU just led an exciting new paper on the use of safari tourist photos to determine carnivore densities in Botswana.
New paper out on faunal intactness
New paper on orangutan detection with a thermal camera under a drone is out!
We just published a paper in the Journal of Unmanned Vehicle Systems on the successful detection of orangutans with a thermal imaging camera under a drone.
ABSTRACT
We investigated the efficacy of a drone equipped with a thermal camera as a potential survey tool to detect wild Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) and other tropical primates. Using the thermal camera we successfully detected 41 orangutans and a troop of proboscis monkeys, all of which were confirmed by ground observers. We discuss the potential advantages and limitations of thermal-equipped drones as a tool to complement other methods, and the potential of this technology for use as a future survey tool.
New paper on the Tapanuli orangutan is out:
Our new paper on the status and threats to the Tapanuli orangutan is out. It is open access and can be downloaded here.
Orangutan numbers are not increasing despite what the Indonesian Government claims
In a new publication in Current Biology we explain that orangutan numbers are still declining despite what the Indonesian Government suggests and that there is a strong need to collaborate to set up a solid monitoring system for orangutans.
Serge Wich's research and projects 