Archive for 2013

M.E. Becherucci
Undaria pinnatifida is an aggressively invasive macroalgae originating from northeast Asia. It was accidentally introduced to numerous regions worldwide including, in 2011, the coast of Mar del Plata, Argentina. U. pinnatifida has been used since ancient times where it is native, and it is currently cultivated and harvested in many countries around the Read more

R. Cajade
Paraje Tres Cerros are three rocky outcrops (maximum height 180 m above sea level) found in Corrientes Province, Argentina. The outcrops constitute true geologic “islands” immersed in the vast Corrientes plains. They also represent unique ecosystems where flora and fauna have experimented with evolution, isolated in their own singular combination of environmental conditions Read more

K. Cockle
Hundreds of species of birds in South America require tree-cavities for nesting, and many of these species are threatened by selective logging and clearing of forest for farms. Our objectives were to examine variation in cavity supply among bird species and habitats, and to encourage conservation of tree cavities for nesting birds.
Our field Read more

C.C. Ng’weno
Wildlife in human-occupied landscapes can be conserved if management is based on some understanding of mechanisms by which humans and livestock influence ecological processes. One such process critical to wildlife conservation is predator-prey dynamics. Our main management objective is geared towards maintaining diverse ungulate species populations such as hartebeest (Alcephalus busephalus jacksonii) while Read more

M.P. Porrini 
This project focused on the parasitism by Nosema ceranae on honeybees in Argentina, including an analysis of virulence and the physiological effects of different strains isolated from different regions of the country. Apiculturists have enthusiastically collaborated with the study, providing samples across wide-ranging biogeographic areas of the country. This was achieved through a “National Read more

R.D. Crego 

Invasive species are the second most significant driver of biodiversity loss. Islands are the most vulnerable regions to invasions because the evolutionary isolation generally results in a lack of behavioral responses to predation by the local biota. The American mink (Neovison vison) is a mustelid native to North America that was recently introduced in Read more

M. de las Mercedes Guerisoli
The advance of human activities is the primary cause of natural habitat destruction and fragmentation, which represent the largest threat to wildlife, in particular mammalian carnivores such as the puma. This alteration of the environment can cause contraction of the spatial distribution of animals, with local extinctions and a consequent decline Read more

C. Fernández Zamora
The Peruvian diving-petrel Pelecanoides garnotii (endangered) was once very common on the coastal islands off Peru and Chile. However, the extraction of guano and introduction of species on islands has decreased its populations throughout its former range. Today, the largest population of diving-petrels in Chile is located on Choros Island, which is also Read more

C. De Angelo
The Iberá wetlands of Argentina are the second largest wetlands in South America (1.3 million hectares) and are a heterogeneous landscape and home to a rich diversity of large vertebrates. They are protected by the Provincial Iberá Reserve, slated to be a national park, but urgently in need of planning and management tools. Read more

L. Dabek
The Woodland Park Zoo’s Tree Kangaroo Conservation Project (TKCP) has been collaborating with communities on Papua New Guinea’s Huon Peninsula since 1996. TKCP reached an important milestone in 2009 when the national government officially designated landowner-pledged plots as the Yopno-Uruwa-Som Conservation Area (YUS CA), the highest-available level of protection in PNG. With official approval Read more

G.A. Cerón
This project studies the dispersive capacity and aspects of population dynamics of the Torrent duck, a threatened species. The specific objectives include:

Determine the dispersive capacity, the incubation switching rate between mates and, long term, the longevity and population genetics of the Torrent duck, along mountainous rapids in northeastern Patagonia, Argentina.
Individually identify breeding pairs, as well Read more

R. Cajade
This project is a continuation of a previous CREOi award to assess natural resources in the Paraje Tres Cerros region. Our results will provide information on new biological attributes necessary to advance the justification and scientific resolve to create a conservation area at this site. We will generate a baseline of information for a Read more

M. Brown
This project uses a novel technique to investigate the effect of interspecific feeding competition on primate population growth; the lessons learned from this study will improve primate population assessments worldwide. Specific objectives include:

Determining whether interspecific feeding competition is the primary constraint on the growth of the blue monkey population at the Ngogo research station Read more

M.E. Becherucci
The general objective of this proposal is to advance the experimental production of a textile material with nutritive and moisturizing properties for human skin, using the invasive algae U. pinnatifida present in the coastal zone of Mar del Plata, Argentina. The project includes the following specific objectives:
1. Develop experimental bilaminate textiles that contain the algae U. pinnatifida.
2. Read more

A. Bay Gavuzzo
In grazing areas, guanacos are seen as competitors with livestock for forage. Many factors can affect the presence and habitat use of guanacos in Northern Patagonia: some pressures are environmental (e.g., forage supply, water) and others are human (e.g., hunting, disturbance, fencing). The goal of this project is to develop a participatory research Read more

Agostini, M.G.
As a foundation for amphibian conservation actions in the Pampean region of Argentina, we propose to widen surveys of amphibian assemblages that inhabit agroecosystems beyond those conducted in 2009 to include extensive coverage of Buenos Aires Province, engaging agricultural workers from rural towns through an outreach and extension program. We propose the following specific Read more

L. Dabek, Woodland Park Zoo
The Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP) has been collaborating with communities on PNG’s Huon Peninsula since 1996. TKCP reached an important milestone in 2009 when the National Government officially designated landowner-pledged plots as the Yopno-Uruwa-Som Conservation Area (YUS CA), the highest-available level of protection in PNG. With official approval achieved, TKCP Read more