GREENovation - George Mason University · currently conducting studies on conservation biology-related topics, from ex situ projects related to captive breeding of threatened species,

GREENovation GMU Department of Environmental Science & Policy

Spring 2011

GREENovation

Spring 2011

GMU Department of Environmental Science and Policy

4400 University Drive, MSN 5F2

David King Hall, Room 3043

Fairfax, VA 22030-4444

(703) 993-1043

http://esp.gmu.edu/

Cover photo:

Waterfall path in Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, Ecuador

Taken by Samantha Oester on GMU conservation biology field research trip,

January 2011

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GREENovation Spring 2011 Contributors

Editorial staff

Samantha Oester: [email protected]

Dr. Chris Parsons: [email protected]

Writers

Dr. Chris Parsons: Editorial: Conservation Biology at GMU and Defining

the Modern Conservation Biologist (Page 4)

Lorelei Crerar: Graduate Column: Manatee Teeth: Convergent

Evolution with Sharks? (Page 6)

Book Review: Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice (Page 12)

Megan Baker: Graduate Essay: The Elusive Clouded Leopard (Page 7)

Jason O’Bryhim: Photo Essay: Biodiversity of Costa Rica (Page 9)

Dr. Christine Bozarth: Research Focus: A Cross-Disciplinary Hypothesis for

Post-Pleistocene Expansion of Gray Foxes in the Eastern

United States (Page 11)

Samantha Oester: News Story: Ecuador’s President Calling for

International Funding to Protect Amazon from Oil

Expansion (Page 13)

Erica Locher: Personal Experience: Life After Graduation: Peace

Corps in Peru (Page 14)

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EDITORIAL:

Conservation Biology at GMU &

Defining the Modern Conservation Biologist

By Dr. Chris Parsons,

GREENovation Editor

George Mason University is currently one of the leading universities in the region for teaching in the field of conservation biology. Our innovative undergraduate program, taught jointly with Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, was one of the main reasons why since 2009, GMU was ranked in the top 5 “universities to watch” by the US News Best Colleges report . The “Smithsonian Semester” has undergraduate students living at GMU’s small campus in Front Royal, taking 16 credits of inter-disciplinary conservation classes from endocrinology techniques for the captive breeding of endangered species, to debates on the human dimensions of conservation. The students in this program get unique opportunities to be involved with cutting edge research and meet with key players in current conservation policy and science. The campus at Front Royal is currently expanding and will soon be able to host 120 students. The program has now also expanded to include graduate classes. Coinciding with these graduate courses, there will soon be a conservation concentration offered in the Environmental Science and Policy master’s degree program. For undergraduates, there is a conservation concentration in the new BS in Environmental Science and an environmental and conservation biology concentration in the BS in biology, as well as minors in conservation biology and applied conservation studies.

More than 50 graduate students in the PhD and MS programs in Environmental Science and Policy are currently conducting studies on conservation biology-related topics, from ex situ projects related to captive breeding of threatened species, such as clouded leopards and cheetahs, to in situ field studies on whales and dolphins, golden lion tamarins, tigers and leopards. Other students are engaged in social science research on public attitudes to threatened species and the efficacy of techniques to communicate a conservation message, whilst others are studying the politics of conserving threatened species and biodiversity. Faculty at GMU are also on the forefront of conservation in practice, with two governors of the Society for Conservation Biology, the chair of the International Marine Conservation Congress and one of the original drafters of the US Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, as well as the person who first introduced the term biodiversity to the scientific Community, Dr. Tom Lovejoy, who recently joined the faculty.

But what exactly is conservation biology? I was recently asked that in an interview for a project documenting the history of the Society for Conservation Biology. If you look at Wikipedia, it’s described as the study, and ascertaining the status, of biodiversity. Although it’s called conservation “biology,” the subject is generally considered to be interdisciplinary. In fact, the field is becoming so interdisciplinary that the Society for Conservation Biology is considering changing its name to the Society for Conservation Science, as many of its professional members and practitioners are not biologists, but social scientists, managers, geographers and, increasingly, psychology and communications specialists.

A colleague recently said to me that a conservation biologist is a biologist who studies threatened species. Perhaps this used to be the case, but I would argue that today the field of conservation biology goes beyond that. The global situation with regards to the status of the world’s biodiversity is so dire, that in addition to studying a species or threatened ecosystem, you have to go that one step further and ensure that your science gets to the right people, whether it be local communities, resource users, environmental groups or policy makers, and understood. If you do not go that extra step to make your science count, to me you are an ecologist, or plant or animal biologist -- you do not earn the moniker conservation biologist. Many scientists argue that by taking your science and presenting it to environmental groups or policy makers that you are being an advocate, as if doing this is wrong. I would counter that

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if you leave your important article, with essential data that could have major conservation impacts, in an obscure journal, do not advertise its significance and assume that by some miracle it will be seen by decision makers, it is by far a worse sin. Edmund Burke is credited with the famous saying, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing”. This could equally well apply to the type of biologist noted above: all that is necessary for *extinction+ to triumph is for good *scientists+ to do nothing.

An editorial in the journal Conservation Biology by Kai Chan of the University of British Columbia takes the view that it’s essential for conservation biologists to take an advocacy role, and this can be done appropriately and ethically if one is careful to be aware of competing interests and the values that you are projecting (Chan KM (2008). Value and

advocacy in conservation biology: crisis discipline or discipline in crisis? Conservation Biology 22 (1): 1–3). Everyone has personal values. Most conservation biologists would admit they consider that loss of biodiversity and extinction is “a bad thing,” which is a value statement. The Society for Conservation Biology states at the beginning of its most recent strategic plan that the Society, the biggest professional society for conservation practitioners, hold the following values:

“1. There is intrinsic value in the natural diversity of organisms, the complexity of ecological systems, and the resilience created by evolutionary processes.

2. Human-caused extinctions and the destruction and loss of function of natural ecosystems are unacceptable.

3. Maintaining and restoring biological diversity are individual and collective responsibilities of humans.

4. Science is critical for understanding how the natural world operates and how human actions affect nature.

5. Collaboration among scientists, managers, and policy-makers is vital to incorporate high-quality science into policies and management decisions affecting biological diversity.”

Thus, using your science to advocate based on these values should not be controversial, and I ultimately believe that it should be standard practice for the modern conservation biologist.

Conservation practitioners are recognizing that communicating conservation science (in deed environmental science in general) is becoming more and more important. One has to just look at how scientific subjects which have an overwhelming weight of scientific evidence behind them (i.e. evolution and climate change) are portrayed in the media, to see how poor the public’s grasp of science is, especially the American public. Surveys that have been conducted at GMU are likewise showing that perception of conservation is poor even amongst our students, e.g. less than 5% of GMU students in one survey could correctly identify most endangered whale species from a list they were given (Parsons ECM, Rice JP, Sadeghi L (2010). Awareness of whale conservation status and whaling policy in the US – a preliminary study on American youth. Anthrozoös 23 (2): 119-127).

Although there are exceptions, scientists generally are not great public communicators. Graduate students studying conservation increasingly take classes from multiple disciplines and are required to take classes such as statistics and environmental law, in addition to science classes. We do not, however, require students to take classes related to effective communication techniques. You need different methods to communicate with different groups -- an indigenous community in the Amazon requires a different approach to meeting with congressional aides, a group of angry fisherman requires a different approach to a class of elementary school pupils. Perhaps an integral part of the training of a conservation biologist should be a class in communication. If you cannot expose conservation science to those parties that really need the information, in a format they can understand, biodiversity will continue to decline and we ultimately fail to be conservation biologists.

Dr. Chris Parsons is an associate professor and the undergraduate coordinator in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy. He is the marine section president and a governor of the Society for Conservation Biology, the program co-chair for the 2011 International Marine Conservation Congress and a national delegate to the Scientific and Conservation Committees of the International Whaling Commission.

Mason Center for Conservation Studies: http://mccs.gmu.edu

Society for Conservation Biology: http://www.conbio.org

Society for Conservation Biology 2011-2015 Strategic Plan: http://www.conbio.org/AboutUs/StrategicPlan/2010/2011SCBStrategicPlan_Branded_edited.pdf

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Around Campus:

Green Happenings @ Mason

The Mason Inn Hotel and Conference Center

became the first hotel in Virginia to be LEED

Gold-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The hotel received the certification for

incorporating sustainable strategies, efficient

energy, water and material use and lighting.

Famed conservationist Thomas E. Lovejoy joined

the faculty at Mason, with the Environmental

Science and Policy Department and the

Department of Public and International Affairs.

Lovejoy coined the phrase “biological diversity” in

1980 and is the former executive vice president of

the World Wildlife Fund.

Mason conservation students and faculty are

gearing up for the International Marine

Conservation Congress in Victoria, Canada, in

May. Several GMU representatives will be

presenting and working behind the scenes at the

conference by the Society for Conservation

Biology.

Deputy Director for the Mason Center for

Conservation Studies Dr. Sylvia Vitazkova received

grant money to help protect black howler

monkeys from the illegal pet trade in Belize. She

has been investigating genetic profiles of the

primates, along with Dr. Cody Edwards,

Environmental Science and Policy professor. The

Morris Animal Foundation has funded her work.

Graduate Column:

Manatee Teeth:

Convergent Evolution with

Sharks?

By Lorelei Crerar,

GMU Ph.D. Candidate

Perhaps that manatees have evolved in a parallel fashion with sharks is a bit of a stretch. However, these two animals do share one feature in common which is relatively rare in the animal kingdom -- the regular shedding of adult teeth. Sharks do this in order to keep their teeth sharp so that they will be able to grasp, rip and shred their prey. On the other hand, manatees shed their adult teeth so that they will be able to grasp, rip and shred their prey…. Besides this tooth behavior, these animals have very little in common.

Manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) are herbivorous mammals that are fully aquatic and spend their lives eating plants. The Florida manatee, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, is the only species present in the United States. These friendly animals spend their lives in the warm waters off the coast of Florida. They migrate to warm springs in the winter and out into cooler waters in the summer. Their metabolism makes Florida manatees unable to tolerate cold water temperatures.

Female manatees will bear one, or very rarely two, calves once every four or five years. The females teach the calves where to find food and where to find warm waters in the winter. Male manatees spend their lives mostly solitary, except when they are found in mating herds or at warm springs in the winter.

Manatees are equipped with the ability to move their adult teeth forward in their mouths in order to provide a fresh chewing surface. Manatees regularly ingest sand with their prey, which are very dangerous and difficult to catch. Plants CAN be dangerous…but not to manatees, that is true. This does not change the fact that manatees DO move their teeth forward in order to deal efficiently

Continued on page 8

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Graduate Essay:

The Elusive Clouded Leopard

By Megan Baker,

GMU Graduate Student

Eleven species of wild felids inhabit Southeast Asia, in which little natural history or ecology is known or understood. The clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is one of two species in the genus Neofelis -- N. nebulosa (mainland species) and N. diardi (Sundaland species). The status of wild clouded leopard populations is unknown. The little field research that has been performed has given researchers insight into the natural history and ecology of the clouded leopard. It is estimated that no single population of clouded leopards contains more than 1,000 individuals and the entire population numbers less than 10,000 mature cats. Large cats, like the clouded leopard, have sleek body builds that are made for speed, in order to take down smaller, faster prey. The clouded leopard is a medium-sized cat weighing 11-20 kg and is the third largest wild cat in Southeast Asia, dwarfed by the tiger (Panthera tigris) and spotted leopard (Panthera pardus).

The clouded leopard’s namesake comes from the pelage pattern resembling cloud-like spots, or rosettes. Like many species of the felid family, the clouded leopard can be individually identified by their unique rosette patterns which vary in color and size. Clouded leopards have short legs and large feet and tails, allowing for a lower center of gravity and greater balance for a semi-arboreal lifestyle. Their diet consists mainly of Malayan pangolin, hog deer, primates, muntjacs and pheasant. Little is known about the reproduction of the clouded leopard in the wild. They have a gestation period of 90-95 days and give birth to two to four cubs. The clouded leopard is most closely associated with primary evergreen tropical rainforest, but can also be found in secondary logged forests, coastal hardwood forests, coniferous forests, grasslands and dipterocarp forests.

Primary clouded leopard conservation issues include deforestation and poaching. Deforestation is occurring at an alarming rate in Southeast Asia; Thailand alone has lost over 58 percent of its forest in the past 100 years. There are many reasons for deforestation, including timber harvest for market sale, agriculture, plantations, pasture

land and an expanding human population. Large spatial requirements and primary, dense forest availability limits the populations of clouded leopards, decreasing their ability to maintain a viable wild population. Increasing fragmentation and reduction in forest patch size threatens the continued existence of clouded leopard populations. Additionally, low income drives villagers into the forest to harvest and sell resources, including leopards. Illegal hunting of clouded leopards for young and pelts to sell in markets is a major threat to populations.

Clouded leopard young are believed to be birthed in hollow trees, making them easily hunted and captured for market trade. Due to the clouded leopard’s small adult size and mild temperament, there is a high market demand for cubs. In 1978, a male clouded leopard cub was sold at market for $3,000 (US), providing enough income to support a family for one year. Hunting for adult clouded leopard skins and body parts for illegal wildlife trade is on the rise. Clouded leopards are known to return to large kills, until food is exhausted, like many large cats. This

Photo of a clouded leopard taken with camera traps in the forests of Thailand. Camera trapping has provided a noninvasive means of collecting data on this elusive cat. (Photo courtesy of Megan Baker)

Continued on page 8

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Graduate Essay (continued from page 7)

habit makes them easily targeted. Five surveys of boarder market found 301 clouded leopard parts, representing a possible number of 279 individual leopards. The occurrence of clouded leopard parts in the markets is second to the Asian leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). Clouded leopards are protected under the Endangered Species Act in the United States as an endangered species. Internationally, clouded leopards are listed under CITES as appendix 1, and the International Union for Conservation for Nature lists them as vulnerable. Many, if not all, of the countries in Southeast Asia have legislature written for the conservation and protection of clouded leopards.

The shortcomings in clouded leopard research have sparked many felid scientists to focus their efforts on understanding these top carnivores. The knowledge gained from the field can assist in the management of captive populations, and more importantly, management of protected areas throughout Southeast Asia. Organizations like the Smithsonian National Zoo are concentrating their efforts on conserving and protecting this unique species. Within the past couple years, cooperation with Thailand’s government and universities have aided in expanding our knowledge of the clouded leopard. Studying these elusive cats is difficult, but the advancement in camera technology has helped scientists survey forests without physically being there. Camera traps allow scientists to survey many points at once, collecting large amounts of data. Clouded leopards are difficult to find in the wild, therefore trapping the animal has proved to be an unfortunate challenge. Nevertheless, camera trapping allows for data to be collected through noninvasive techniques and yields important information about the species.

There is little known about the natural history and ecology of N. nebulosa. Information comes from limited field research and captive observations. Primary rainforest is disappearing rapidly in Southeast Asia, threatening the livelihood of clouded leopards. Increasing demand for market trading of pelts, bones and live young are also threatening the existence of this top carnivore. There is a large need for more field work regarding the natural history and ecology of the clouded leopard in order to ensure its survival. Governmental interest and support is important to protect and conserve the ecosystems in which clouded leopards are found.

Megan Baker, a fellow at the Smithsonian Institution, has been working in Thailand for two years researching clouded leopards.

Graduate Column (continued from page 5)

with their prey. In addition to the sand present on aquatic plants, the plants themselves also contain a good deal of silicon, the same substance in sand, in their tissues. It is this very fact that causes the teeth of many herbivores to wear out before the animals have completed their life span, which they might be able to complete with a full set of functioning teeth.

Manatees have gotten around this problem by moving their teeth forward to the front of the mouth and dropping them out when the teeth are worn down. They are the only mammal to participate in this strange behaviour. So is it parallel evolution with sharks? Perhaps it is. Manatees are in deed one of the strangest animals on Earth, so it is not that hard to think that they might use the same solution to eating that the mightiest predators of the sea have used for millennia.

Lorelei Crerar, interested in sirenian population genetics, has been analyzing ancient bone samples of an extinct relative of the Florida manatee to learn to effectively preserve remaining numbers of extant manatees.

Check out GMU’s

conservation

study abroad

programs with the

Center for Global

Education at

globaled.gmu.edu

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Photo Essay:

Biodiversity of Costa Rica

By Jason O’Bryhim,

GMU Graduate Student

Costa Rica is a relatively small Central American country, approximately the size of West Virginia, found between Panama and Nicaragua. Despite its small size, the country hosts a vast assortment of flora and fauna. Nearly five percent of the world’s biodiversity can be found

within its borders. The abundance of diversity found there can primarily be attributed to Costa Rica’s unique geography. Its mountain ranges, tropical rainforests, dry forests and mangroves contribute to a variety of ecosystems suited to support a rich abundance of species.

The ability to experience such an array of habitats and species has resulted in Costa Rica becoming a popular tourist location for nature enthusiasts. The progressive nature of the country concerning the conservation of natural resources has allowed for protections of many

A chestnut-mandibled toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) perched on a branch near Arenal volcano. The chestnut-mandibled toucan is the largest toucan in Costa Rica. It can be found in a variety of locations throughout Costa Rica, including many lowland areas.

The bullet ant (Paraponera clavata) is the largest ant in Central America. It is characterized by an extremely painful sting, hence its common name. Bullet ants are solitary ants that forage from the ground and up into the canopy.

The green and black poison dart frog (Dendrobates auratus) has a much milder poison, pumiliotoxin-C, than its Columbian relatives. It inhabits the southern Pacific and northeastern lowlands, where it can be found among the leaf litter on the forest floor.

The white-faced capuchin (Cebus capucinus) is easily distinguished by its small size, characteristic black body and white or yellow head, throat and shoulders. It lives in groups of 5 to 36 individuals that aggressively defend their home regions.

The red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas) is characterized by bright coloration, making it one of the most popular species in Costa Rica. It is found in wet lowland forests and generally inhabits the upper canopy.

A juvenile fer-de-lance (Bothrops asper) found next to a path near La Selva Biological Station. It is a species of venomous pit viper with long fangs and a bad attitude that causes the most snakebite-related deaths in Costa Rica.

A two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) napping in the daytime. This nocturnal species is one of two sloth species found in Costa Rica. It is found at various elevations, while its three-toed counterpart is only found in lowland locations.

A spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) in Tortuguero National Park. Caimans can be found on the Pacific and Caribbean sides of Costa Rica in wetlands, rivers, marshes, ponds and drainage ditches.

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species and habitats, increasing its value as a tourism destination. Approximately 25 percent of the country is located within national parks or other protected areas. Costa Rica has proportionally the most land under protected status in the Western Hemisphere. Through this network of protected areas, the average traveler can enjoy great access to Costa Rica’s natural wonders and it has become a prized location for student and professional ecology and biology research. Furthermore, Costa Rica’s

inimitable animal biodiversity is a reverie for conservation photography.

Jason O’Bryhim, the Outstanding MS Student of 2009, leads undergraduate students on field research trips to Costa Rica with the Center for Global Education. His master’s thesis analyzed public perception of sharks and shark conservation.

The magnificent hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens) is one of an estimated 54 species of hummingbird found in Costa Rica. A long straight bill, bright green body and white spot behind the eye are identifiable characteristics for this hummingbird species. The magnificent hummingbird aggressively defends nectar sources and can commonly be seen bullying other species away from the area.

A mantled howler monkey (Allouata palliate) using its prehensile tail, which aids in travel through the forest while belting loud roars. The roar makes the mantled howler monkey the most conspicuous of the four primate species endemic to Costa Rica. It lives in troops of two to 40 individuals in mangrove, dry and wet forests.

The crested guan (Penelope purpurascens) is a large bird commonly found looking for food among treetops. It is characterized by a crest on its head that is raised in the presence of danger or other guans. It is distinguished from other guans by the red dewlap hanging from the throat.

A female green iguana (Iguana iguana) perched in a tree during mating season. This large lizard is most often found in trees that overlook rivers, canals and wetlands. Its color generally varies from green to gray, but during the mating season, males turn bright red-orange and perform head-bobbing displays.

The tiny strawberry poison dart frog (Deondrobates pumilio) can be found in Caribbean lowland rainforests and is most active near the forest floor during morning hours. The toxin produced by this frog, like other species of poison dart frog, is believed to be derived from chemicals in ant species it consumes.

Right: A collared aracari (Pteroglossus torquatus) flipping a newly plucked berry

into his throat. Due to geographic isolation caused by mountain ranges,

aracari speciation occurred resulting in two distinct species.

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Research Focus:

A Cross-Disciplinary Hypothesis for Post-Pleistocene Expansion

of Gray Foxes in the Eastern United States

By Dr. Christine Bozarth,

GMU Adjunct Faculty

When the pilgrims established Plymouth Colony in what is now Plymouth, Mass., in 1620, they recorded observations of their new home. This included observations of local wildlife, including the familiar red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the more alien gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), which climbed trees to escape predators. This mysterious gray fox was rare in Massachusetts, and by the mid-18th century, it had vanished, only to reappear in the last century. Meanwhile, settlers radiating from another famous colony further south recorded their observations, giving us an historical record of gray foxes in the mid-Atlantic region. John Smith noted their presence along the James River in 1612, British settlers hunted them for sport in Maryland in 1650, and William Byrd, the founder of Richmond, Va., observed them in Virginia in 1730.

This pattern of abundance in the southern states and more recent colonization or population sparseness in New England has been observed for many mammal species. Colonization of New England by these mammals occurred shortly after the retreat of the Laurentide ice sheet at the end of the Pleistocene, approximately 10,000 years ago. For gray foxes, however, the time scale of northward colonization appears compressed. The oldest fossils of gray foxes in New England have been dated to between A.D. 900 and 1600. This leads us to ask whether gray foxes followed the same patterns of post-Pleistocene expansion that other species exhibit. One way to answer that question is by examining signatures of expansion evident in gray fox DNA. Once patterns of expansion have been supported by molecular data, this data can be correlated with historical, archaeological, paleoclimatological and biogeographical data to unveil the history of gray fox colonization in the eastern United States.

I, along with researchers from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and several colleges and universities, examined a variable region of the gray fox

mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) to answer these questions. (Bozarth, C.A., S.L. Lance, D.J. Civitello, J.L. Glenn, and J.E. Maldonado. 2011. Phylogeography of the gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) in the eastern United States.

Journal of Mammalogy 92(2).) The control region of the mitochondrion mutates faster and is therefore more variable than regions of the nuclear genome. This allows researchers to detect recent changes in population dynamics, such as the hypothesized recent expansion of gray foxes into New England.

Researchers sequenced 411 base pairs (bp) of the mtDNA control region for 229 gray foxes sampled from 15 states in the eastern United States. At first glance, there appeared to be no phylogeographic structure across the region. This is a common observation for animals like the gray fox. Since they naturally disperse long distances and are often translocated by humans for economic or

recreational reasons, signals of genetic structure can be muddled. However, when foxes were divided into those from the northeastern states and those from the southern

states, a clear pattern emerged. Researchers found 32

Gray foxes seen in New England today are most likely descendants of a recent colonization, due in part to historic climate change (Photo by Julie Glenn, courtesy of Christine Bozarth)

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mtDNA haplotypes (family groups) in the 158 gray foxes sampled from the southern states and only four haplotypes in the 71 gray foxes sampled in the northeastern states. All four haplotypes found in northeastern foxes also occurred in southern foxes. Levels of molecular diversity can indicate the length of time a species has resided in a location. The longer a species occupies an area, the more chance for the random mutations in individual genomes that cause different haplotypes to arise. Thus, the high haplotype and sequence diversity in the south may indicate that this is the origin of gray fox range expansion. Researchers confirmed the evidence of range expansion from the southern states into the northeastern states using various models. The molecular data tells us a familiar story; other mammals also expanded northward from a southern refugium after the Laurentide ice sheet retreated. We can also use historical and archaeological records in tandem with paleoclimatological and biogeographical data to more precisely time the expansion. Paleoclimatologists have been able to reconstruct annual temperatures for the northern hemisphere over the past several centuries. They have identified a period of hemisphere-wide warming between A.D. 800 and 1300, known as the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA). This was followed by a period of global cooling, known as the Little Ice Age (LIA) from A.D. 1500 – 1850. Biogeographical research has shown that the deciduous forest of the eastern United States experienced a northward expansion into New England during the MCA and then a constriction back to the south during the LIA. The gray fox is strongly associated with this deciduous forest habitat. Their first appearance in the fossil record in the northeast coincides with the MCA, and their relative scarcity and then absence coincides with the LIA. From this, we can infer that gray foxes expanded their range into the northeastern states, along with their preferred habitat (deciduous forest), during the MCA and retracted their range during the LIA, again tracking the range of the deciduous forest. The gray foxes we observe in New England today are probably descendants of a recent colonization, caused in part by historic climate change. Using this cross-disciplinary hypothesis of gray fox range expansion, we can anticipate even further northward expansion as our climate continues to warm. Additional molecular data and a more complete fossil record in New England will allow us to elucidate these historic and ongoing patterns of colonization.

Dr. Christine Bozarth, a Smithsonian Fellow and research associate, is Mason adjunct faculty for the Environmental Science and Policy Department. She received her Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Policy in August 2010.

Book Review:

Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice

By Lorelei Crerar,

GREENovation Book Reviewer

Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice to All Creation by Olivia Judson is a delightful collection of information about the sex habits of many and varied creatures. Judson includes organisms from all kingdoms and branches out to embrace many different species. This book is not for the stuffy and straight-laced person. It is not politically correct. It IS very informative and quite fun. Judson blends a wonderful alliterative writing style with a great deal of research on her topic.

The 12 chapters of the book are organized into a series of answers to questions about sex from a variety of different creatures. Answers on several related subjects appear in each chapter. For instance, Chapter 1, titled “A Sketch of the Battlefield,” includes copulation time in stick insects, penis shape in golden pottos and the sexual antics of bees. Through these three answers, Judson displays some of the varied ways males of different species approach the battle of the sexes. She also includes in each section applicable anecdotes on each topic from other species.

The last chapter in the book is in quite a different format. Until Chapter 13, titled “Wholly Virgin,” the book was a recreation of articles Judson has written for The Economist. The last chapter deals with a fictional television program called Under the Microscope—The Deviant Lifestyle Show. This chapter explores the fact that bdelloid rotifers are asexual creatures. The amount of outrage exhibited by the organism’s audience members brings to mind the Jerry Springer Show, which I am sure is what she is modeling this retelling after. It is interesting that she brings in creatures from all walks of life to explain their views on asexual behavior. At one point, several Escherichia coli expound their views: “For us bacteria, reproduction is reproduction and sex is sex. Unlike you ‘higher’ creatures, we’re not so vulgar as to do both as once (p. 217).” Many other creatures give their views in this segment as well. The book contains information on all subjects involved in sex.

If you are in the mood for a well-written, informative book about the seamier side of life, this one’s for you. The information is not arranged in such a way as to be useful for research, but it does contain 25 pages of notes and a bibliography that is 36 pages long. Judson does not annotate the chapters in the normal scientific manner; instead she details each piece of information in her notes section.

Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice to All Creation. Olivia Judson. Owl Books, New York, NY. (ISBN 0-8050-6332-3). $14 308 pages.

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News Story:

Ecuador’s President Calling for International Funding to Protect

Amazon from Oil Expansion

By Samantha Oester, GREENovation Editor

ORELLANA, Ecuador – The Amazon Basin is rich in biodiversity, history and oil. Since the 1960s, petroleum companies have taken advantage of the Amazon’s oil abundance, with Texaco-Chevron and Repsol YPF leading the exploitation in Ecuador. Oil exploration in the rainforest has escorted widespread destruction and pollution, leading to the endangerment and extinction of plant and animal species, as well as indigenous cultures. In an unprecedented move, the Ecuadorian government entered an arrangement with the United Nations Development Fund to spare three areas of Yasuni National Park – a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve -- from oil drilling in exchange for donations from other nations. “This means very good things for the rainforest, and it’s the first time a President has taken enough care to come up with some kind of solution,” said Vinicio Ortiz, an Ecuadorian Amazon guide for Andean Discovery. “Our economy is based on money from oil, but we can’t keep taking it forever. Local people and animals pay the most for oil.” The Ishpingo, Tiputini and Tambococha (ITT) regions of Yasuni comprise the 675 square miles protected under the agreement. The government estimated the one billion barrels of oil hidden in the area to be worth more than $7 billion. President Rafael Correa signed the deal – known as the Yasuni ITT Initiative – in August with a goal of raising $3.6 billion in donations. The initiative produced significant interest around the globe, but Chile and Italy were the only governments to actually make contributions. Germany originally showed substantial support for the initiative but backed out of contributing, claiming worries that the money would not actually keep the area from being exploited. Correa asserted Ecuador would hold up to its end of the bargain with financial support, and money raised would be used to fund clean energy projects and other eco-friendly programs. Correa, with a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Illinois, took office in 2007 and suggested the Yasuni ITT Initiative five months after inauguration. Many environmental groups consider the fund a win for the rainforest, if successful, and Correa has been noted as a forward-thinking politician. Other countries joined Germany’s skepticism of Correa’s intentions, however, after he overturned some conservationist legislation. For example, Correa reversed a ban on shark finning and deported the

director of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society for stopping a large shark fin shipment. (The director was later allowed back due to evidence that he was working with Ecuador’s Environmental Police.) Many of the skeptic countries, such as the United States, do not fully ban shark finning themselves. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that Ecuador is the fifth largest oil producer in South America, producing 486,000 barrels of oil per day and exporting 185,000 barrels to the U.S. per day. According to the U.S. Department of State, oil accounts for 30 percent of Ecuador’s GDP and 40 percent of total revenue. Conserving oil-rich areas of the Ecuadorian Amazon is a daunting task in an oil-based economy. Correa announced in January, due to lack of contributions, the Yasuni ITT Initiative may not be seen to fruition. In June, if more international interest is not shown, the prospect of exploiting the ITT will be evaluated and sent to referendum. Samantha Oester is a second-degree undergraduate student at GMU, majoring in conservation biology.

The Amazon rainforest canopy in the Tiputini region of Yasuni National Park. Oil exploration threatens this area, but the Ecuadorian government’s Yasuni ITT initiative may save it from destruction by oil companies. (Photo by Samantha Oester)

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Personal Experience:

Life After Graduation: Peace Corps in Peru

By Erica Locher,

2008 GMU Graduate

What do Mason graduates do after the big day in May? Most opt for one of two options – graduate school or the so-called “real world.” I chose an alternative; I decided to join the Peace Corps. While checking out a job fair in the Johnson Center, I stumbled upon the Peace Corps table. After a lot of researching and speaking with Mason students and alumni connected to Peace Corps, I decided to apply. Fortunately I was accepted and invited to serve in Peru.

I decided to join the Peace Corps to learn a new language, experience a different culture and help a community improve the quality of life. Thanks to my major courses and Spanish classes from Mason, I was assigned to be an environmental management volunteer in northern Peru. Adapting to the new language, foods, currency and transportation was difficult but surprisingly quick. My biggest ally to adjusting and assimilating into my community and the new culture was definitely my host family.

I didn’t realize that I would consider my host family the most important part of my Peace Corps experience. They immediately accepted me and were always my biggest supporters. Without them, none of my projects would have been possible. Their insight into the community’s dynamics made all the difference. The day I left was one of the saddest days of my life. However, thanks to cell phones we are still able to keep in contact!

I mainly worked in my community’s small primary school. I assisted with daily classes and led environmental activities. With the parents association, we began organic family gardens, aimed to improve child nutrition. Once we got electricity my second year

of service, we installed an electric water pump in the school’s well, providing water for hand-washing and to maintain 80+ trees on the school grounds. The children had planted these trees with a previous volunteer and, until the irrigation system was in place, spent at least an hour a day watering during school hours.

Now that I am back in America, it’s time for me to take the lessons I learned in Peace Corps and finally enter the “real world.” I have come to value the strong family ties my host family and community possess, which seem to be lacking here in the U.S. Also, I now fully appreciate the amenities we have in this country that a large part of the world’s population does not have access to, such as electricity, hot running water, internet in the home, etc.

One of my greatest lessons has been the realization that there are so many sustainable changes we can make here in the United States which can have a huge impact environmentally on a global scale. I hope to now work contributing to these changes here, however I will never forget my two years in Peru and the impact Peace Corps has had on my life. And of course, I wouldn’t have had this experience had it not been for George Mason! GO PATRIOTS!!

Erica Locher graduated from Mason in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in earth science, concentration in environmental science, and a minor in biology.

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Graduate Student Publications:

Recent Publications and Presentations from Environmental

Science and Policy Graduate Students 2011

Patterson, K. 2011. Impacts of public attitudes on dolphins: a case study on Belizean tourist attitudes to cetacean conservation issues. LAP Lambert Academic Publishing. 172 pp.

Luksenburg, J.A. 2011. Three new records of cetacean species for Aruba, Leeward Antilles, southern Caribbean. Marine Biodiversity Records 4 (e4): 1-4.

Draheim, M.M., Rockwood, L.L., Guagnano, G. and Parsons E.C.M. 2011. The impact of information on students’ beliefs and attitudes toward coyotes. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 16(1): 67-72.

2010

Crerar, L. 2010. Georg Wilhelm Steller: The First North Pacific Marine Mammalogist. Presented at Ocean's Past III, HMAP Event, November 19-20 2010, Dublin, Ireland. *Spoken+.

Parsons E.C.M. and Crerar, L. 2010. On mermaids, leviathans and fishes royale – a history of marine mammals. Presented at Pennsic 39, 31 July-15 August 2010, Cooper’s Lake, PA, USA. *Spoken+.

Lin H. & Darnall N. 2010. Strategic alliances for environmental protection. Sarkis J., Cordeiro J., & Vazquez Brust D. (eds.) Facilitating Sustainable Innovation through Collaboration: A Multistakeholder Perspective. New York: Springer, pp. 233-246.

Draheim, M., Bonnelly, I., Bloom, T., Rose, N. and Parsons, E.C.M. 2010. Tourist attitudes towards marine mammal tourism: an example from the Dominican Republic. Tourism in Marine Environments 6(4): 175-183.

Parsons, E.C.M., Rice, J.P. and Sadeghi, L. 2010. Awareness of whale conservation status and whaling policy in the US – a preliminary study on American youth. Anthrozoös 23(2): 119-127.

Shafer, C.L. 2010. The unspoken option to help safeguard America’s National Parks: an examination of expanding U.S. National Park boundaries by annexing adjacent federal lands. Columbia Journal of Environmental Law 35(1): 57-125.

Biddle J. & Darnall N. 2010. Similar, but unequal: Understanding the relationship between collective action and environmental improvement. Paper accepted for presentation at The Association of Public Policy Analysis and Management, November, Boston, MA.

Biddle J. & Darnall N. 2010. Does collaborative governance lead to improvements in environmental outcomes? Assessing the Environmental Protection Agency’s watershed approach.

Paper accepted for presentation at the Southeast Conference for Public Administration, October, Wilmington, NC.

Darnall N. & Kim Y. 2010. Environmental management systems and environmental governance: which types of EMSs are associated with greater environmental improvements. Paper presented at The American Political Science Association in September, Washington, DC.

Darnall N. & Kim Y. 2010. Which types of environmental management systems are related to greater environmental improvements? Academy of Management, August, Montreal, Canada.

Kurapatski B. & Darnall N. 2010. Are some corporate sustainability activities associated with greater financial payoffs? Mason Entrepreneurship Research Conference, March, Fairfax, VA.

Kim Y. & Darnall N. 2010. Firms innovative carbon management: Promoting public climate change governance. Mason Entrepreneurship Research Conference, March, Fairfax, VA.

Ambler, J. B. and Parsons E.C.M. 2010. The unique demographics of whale watchers in Virginia and their views on anthropogenic and environmental threats to whales. South East And Mid-Atlantic Marine Mammal Symposium (SEAMAMMS) Annual Meeting, March 2010, Virginia Beach, Virginia *Spoken+.

Draheim, M., Rose, N.A., Kruse, K.A. and Parsons E.C.M. 2010. Looking a gift horse in the mouth: corporate conservation education programs. Presented at the 24th International Congress for Conservation Biology, 3-7 July 2010, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. *Poster+.

Parsons E.C.M. and Crerar, L. 2010. On mermaids, leviathans and fishes royale – a history of marine mammals. Presented at Pennsic 39, SCA Event, 31 July-15 August 2010, Cooper’s Lake, PA, USA. *Spoken+.

Patterson, K.W. and Parsons E.C.M. 2010. Conservation, captivity and whaling: a survey of Belize whale-watching tourist attitudes to cetacean conservation issues. Presented at the 24th Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology, 3-7 July 2010, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. *Spoken+.

Sitar-Gonzales, A. & Parsons E.C.M. 2010. Low public awareness of the conservation status of high profile polar species: polar bears and penguins. Presented at the 24th International

Congress for Conservation Biology, 3-7 July 2010, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. *Poster+.