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Developing the Tools Necessary to Systematically Quantify the Vegetative Composition of the Andean Bear Diet ( Tremarctos ornatus ). Proposal by Tara Ball Mentors: Dr. Janet Rachlow (UI) and Rodrigo Cisneros (UTPL). (Dale, 2008). Outline. Background Introduction Research Questions Goal
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Developing the Tools Necessary to Systematically Quantify the Vegetative Composition of the Andean Bear Diet (Tremarctosornatus) Proposal by Tara Ball Mentors: Dr. Janet Rachlow(UI) and Rodrigo Cisneros (UTPL) (Dale, 2008)
Outline • Background • Introduction • Research Questions • Goal • Objectives • Methods • Preliminary Analyses • Conservation Implications • Support
Dietary Analysis • One of the most important tools in conservation management • Food resources are an important parameter in: • Habitat analyses • Carrying capacity estimates • Conservation plans (Hewitt & Robbins, 1996)
The Conservation Issue (Britannica, 2011)
Current Threats (McDowell, 2011) (Black Sheep, 2011)
The Andean Bear(Tremarctosornatus) (URSA, 2011)
Overarching Research Questions • What is the relative contribution of different plant species to the diet of the Andean bear? • How does the diet of the Andean bear vary across seasons and geographic range?
Project Goal • To establish a reference collection of plants known—or—suspected to be part of the Andean bear diet.
Project Objectives To develop the following: • Voucher collections that will contribute to the ongoing growth and research of the UTPL herbarium, the National Herbarium of Ecuador, and the University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium; • Silica-gel dried tissue collections to be used for DNA extraction; • A microhistological reference collection of plant tissues; and • A DNA bank that will be housed at UTPL to be used for future genetic analyses.
Andean Bear plot Study Area (Cisneros, 2011)
Field Plant Collection Silica-gel Dried Tissue Collection (plant leaves) Fecal Collection (CeCalCULA, 2004)
Laboratory Prepare Microhistological Plant Reference Slides Prepare Plant DNA Bank (University of Miami, 2000)
Process and Analyze 5 Fecal Samples • Prepare fecal reference slides • Quantify vegetative composition using grid technique • 10X10 square grid • 25 randomly located microscope views per slide
Conservation Implications • Developing the baseline tools needed for future diet analyses • 1st step in addressing overarching research questions • Produce the information necessary to develop realistic conservation management plans for the Andean bear
Support • National Science Foundation • Mentors: Dr. Janet Rachlow (UI) and Rodrigo Cisneros (UTPL) • FieldBotanist: Nixon Cumbicus (UTPL) • Others: Bruce Davitt (WSU), DaveTank (UI) and Jorge Armijos (UTPL)
Literature Cited • Buytaert W., Célleri, R., Bièvre, B.D., Cisneros, F., Wyseure, G., Deckers, J., and Hofstede, R. 2006. Human impact on hydrology of the Andean páramos. Earth Science Reviews 79:53-72. • Cuesta, F., M.F. Peralvo, and F.T. van Manen 2003. Andean bear habitat use in the Oyacachi River Basin, Ecuador. Ursus14:198-209. • Kattan, G., O. L. Hernández, I. Goldstein, V. Rojas, O. Murillo, C. Gomez, H. Restrepo, and F. Cuesta. 2004. Range fragmentation in the spectacled bear Tremarctosornatusin the northern Andes. Oryx 38:155-163. • Mondolfi, E. 1989. Notes on the distribution, habitat, food habits, status and conservation of the spectacled bear (Tremarctosornatus) in Venezuela. Mammalia. 53:525-544. • Paisley, S., and D. L. Garshelis. 2006. Activity patterns and time budgets of Andean bears (Tremarctosornatus) in the Apolobamba Range of Bolivia. Journal of Zoology 268:25 – 34. • Peyton, B. 1980. Ecology, distribution, and food habits of spectacled bears, Tremarctosornatus, in Peru. Journal of Mammalogy61:639-652.
Peyton, B. 1999a. Spectacled bear conservation action plan. In: C. Servheen, S. Herrero, and B. Peyton (eds). Bears. Status survey and conservation action plan. pp: 158-197. IUCN/SSC Bear and Polar Bear Specialist Groups, Gland Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. • Ríos-Uzeda, B., H. Gómez, and R. Wallace. 2005. Habitat preferences of the Andean Bear (Tremarctosornatus) in the Bolivian Andes. Journal of Zoology 268:271-278. • Rodríguez, D., F. Cuesta, I. Goldstein, A.E. racho, L.G. Naranjo, and O.L. Hernandez. 2003. Ecoregional strategy for the conservation of the spectacled bear (Tremarctosornatus) in the northern Andes. WWF Colombia, FundaciónWii, EcoCiencia, Wildlife Conservation Society, and Red Tremarctos. • Troya, V., F. Cuesta, and M. Pervalo. 2004. Food Habits of Andean Bears in the Oyacachi River Basin, Ecuador. Ursus. 15:57-60. International Association of Bear Research and Management. • Wilcox, B.A. 1984. In situ conservation of genetic resources: Determinants of minimum area requirements.In National Parks, Conservation and Development, Proceedings of the World Congress on National Parks. J.A. McNeely and K.R. Miller, Smithsonian Institution Press, pp. 18-30. • Yerena, E., and D. Torres. 2004. Spectacled Bear Conservation and Dispersal Corridors in Venezuela. Bears: Their Biology and Management. 9:169-172. International Association of Bear Research and Management, Missoula, Montana, USA.