GTI calls - Grants obtained by RBINS promoters

GROOTAERT Patrick (RBINS)

2011-10-10T11:03:49Z

Biodiversity assessment in three protected areas in northwest Cambodia (2004 - 2007)

Promoted by: Dr. P. Grootaert (RBINS)

Local Partners: Sam Veasna Centre for Wildlife Conservation, a NGO based near the historical site of Angkor Vat (a tourist hotspot).

Identified taxonomic impediment: taxonomic and curatorial expertise for insects is missing in Cambodia leading to a noteworthy lack of understanding of the ecological roles of insects (e.g. in pollination, as vectors for diseases, etc.).

Objectives: Initiate the inventory of Cambodia’s biodiversity at three key sites in northwest Cambodia:Angkor (degraded semi-evergreen forest), Ang Tropeang Thmor (wet grasslands) and Prek Toal, Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve (freshwater swamp forest) and provide the needed biological material to set up a didactical center for the large public.

Poverty reduction components: Gained taxonomic capacity, both in terms of human capacity and collections, will arm SVC staff to better manage biodiversity at the three test sites (and beyond), but will also enable them to successfully guide visitors (scientists and the lay-man alike).

Scientific capacity building: The project delivered a preliminary species list, allowing the comparative study of biodiversity features between three distinct lowland habitats.

Human Capacity Building: several scientists aptly trained in entomology, enabling the pursuit of inventories.

Institutional Capacity Building: Sam Veasna Centre for Wildlife Conservation upgraded regarding scientific methodology and tools to collect, preserve, classify and identify invertebrate specimens with special focus on the technical capacity. Representative sample of specimens stored and displayed at the Sam Veasna Center for didactical purpose.

Flanked by the cultural heritage site of Angkor, taxonomic capacity in Cambodia is installed.

LENGLET Georges (RBINS) & KOK Philippe (RBINS)

2011-10-10T11:03:49Z

Herpetological Species Richness and Community Structure on the Kaieteur National Park Tepui, Guyana (2004-2007)

Promoted by: Dr G. Lenglet / Mr Ph. Kok (RBINS)

Local Partners: CEIBA Biological Centre, University of Guyana, Iwokrama and the Guyana National Museum.

Identified taxonomic impediment: taxonomy of the herpetofauna of the Kaieteur National Park (KNP) is very poorly known

Objectives: inventory of the ill-known herpetological fauna of the Kaieteur National Park; providing training in contemporary herpetology to local staff.

Long term vision: generate taxonomic data to support the Government of Guyana in their aim to get the Kaieteur National Park listed as a World Heritage Site.

Poverty reduction components: World Heritage Site status will increase eco-tourism whereby well-trained park-rangers will become key players; education and public awareness towards the richness of the exceptional natural resources of the KNP leads to more sustainable management.

Scientific capacity building: prior to the inventories in the Park 29 species, belonging to 21 genera and 14 families were known (note: many dubious to erroneous records!). Today, 115 species, belonging to 94 genera and 28 families (of which 8 species and 1 genus new to science), are known from the Kaieteur National Park.

Human Capacity building: several people trained in basic to advanced herpetological taxonomy and collection management; ensuring local capacity and durability in monitoring of the herpetofauna.

Institutional Capacity building: The University of Guana is now the local center of excellence for herpetological studies in Guyana. One of the trainees, Ms. M. Kalamandeen who is now Scientific Officer at the Centre for the Study of Biological Diversity at the Department of Biology of the University of Guyana, co-authored a volume of Abc Taxa on the herpetofauna of the KNP. This volume has been widely distributed, in Guyana and the world.

Kaieteur National Park, home to the spectacular Kaieteur falls but also to a rich herpetofauna (all pictures by Philippe Kok)

Jump to volume 5 of Abc Taxa to read this book or jump to the September 6 2009 issue of the 'Kaieteur News online' to read how this book came to being.

Read more on the scientific expeditions behind this capacity building project on the expedition pages of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.

Read more on a new genus and species called after the Kaieteur Park and the prime minister of Guyana by clicking here.

Read more of the Principle Investigator's research interest and scientific output by jumping to his webpage.

SEGERS Hendrik (RBINS)

2011-10-10T11:03:49Z

Towards an integrated zooplankton taxonomic resources facility in Viet Nam (2009-2010)

Promoted by: Dr Hendrik SEGERS (RBINS)

Local partner: Centre for Coastal Management and Development Studies (CMD) of Hue University of Sciences, Vietnam.

Identified taxonomic impediment: advise in support of the development of local taxonomic expertise regarding the zooplankton groups; technical support to develop reference collections on these zooplankton groups. The present project focuses on Rotifera as key zooplankton taxon.

Objectives: The project aims to initiate and support the construction of an Integrated Plankton Taxonomic Resources Facility at the Centre for Coastal Management and Development Studies of the University of Hue, Viet Nam. It will do so by supplying taxonomic training to future staff of the facility and to interested Vietnamese students and staff, at the same time raising institutional capacity and improving the effectiveness of teaching of taxonomy. This will be done through a two-tier approach, by providing individual, high-level, specialist training to a selected Vietnamese student in Belgium, and by offering introductory and general taxonomic training to a group of participants in Viet Nam. The present proposal focuses on Rotifera, a key taxon in the functioning of aquatic ecosystems, but a broader taxonomic coverage including all major zooplankton taxa is envisaged for the future. The present approach will be evaluated and if necessary optimized for application in future projects in support of the Integrated Plankton Taxonomic Resources Facility.

The project will contribute to an improved science-based management of aquatic ecosystems, and of the goods and services these supply to local communities, by addressing the taxonomic impediment to the application of zooplankton in fundamental and applied studies in Viet Nam.

Poverty reduction components: In Central Viet Nam, and especially in the region around Hue city, local communities rely heavily on goods and services generated by freshwater and estuarine ecosystems of Perfume River and associated aquatic habitats. Especially tourism, aquaculture and fisheries critically depend on aquatic resources and biodiversity, and the Centre for Coastal Management and Development Studies has a demonstrated track record of successful engagements in optimizing the sustainable use of these ecosystem services, especially in supporting local rural communities to manage these resources and in resolving potential conflicts between different communities. The capacity of the Centre to formulate relevant science-based policy recommendations is presently limited by the lack of understanding of the functioning of the aquatic ecosystems, a consequence of a taxonomic impediment regarding zooplankton. The present project and, in the long term, of the Integrated Plankton Taxonomic Resources Facility will contribute significantly to fill this hiatus.

Scientific capacity building: Results obtained by the local scientists in the framework of this project have been disseminated through a workshop that was organized at the end of the project. Several scientific papers are also in preparation. All scientific data collected during the project have been stored in such a way that they remain accessible to all participants of the project (CD-ROM).

The project will contribute to the build-up of the integrated plankton taxonomic resources facility by focusing on dual short-term objectives:

A first, proximal objective is to improve individual capacity by training selected students in the taxonomy and curation of zooplankton.

The second, more inclusive objective, which is the subject of the present application, is to address the institutional taxonomic capacity of the CMS and the effectiveness of taxonomy teaching at the University of Hue.

A selection of pictures taken during the training: sampling on the field, microscope identification of samples at the laboratory and group pictures of the trainer and the participants.

BOEVE, Jean-Luc (RBINS) & PAULY, Alain (RBINS)

2011-12-05T16:01:55Z

Entomological fauna of Ethiopia with emphasis on bee pollinators and other Hymenoptera (2010-2012)

Promoted by: Dr Jean-Luc Boevé (RBINS) & Dr. A. Pauly (RBINS)

Local partners

Principal partner is the Zoological Natural History Museum (ZNHM) in Addis Ababa (Director Dr S. Mengistou), but students/staff of the Biology Department of the University of Addis Ababa, the Holetta Bee Research Center and the Oromia Agricultural Research Institute in Macahara (Western Harare) are also involved. Partnership will alo be set up with the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation in Addis Ababa which delivers the needed exploration permits for non-commercial biodiversity research.

Identified taxonomic impediments

Biotopes and biodiversity are as much unique as endangered in Ethiopia. But conservation measures are difficult to establish for insects, which remain underrepresented in Ethiopian national collections. Consequently, a good collection-based knowledge about current insect diversity in the field, but also about the biology and ecology of most Ethiopian species is largely missing. This is especially true for the Hymenoptera, which include (highly beneficial) bees as well as sawflies (which can be pests). Improved taxonomic data are an absolute prerequisite to get to a better understanding of their present status in threatened habitats, and for pest management.

Objectives

Objectives of the first year of the project were to:

Establish institutional contacts to determine the specific institutional needs in terms of know-how and knowledge related to local hymenopteran fauna. A privileged partnership with the ZNHM was foreseen.
Establish an insect collection framework, by training one or a few Ethiopian scientist(s)

The long-term objective (second year of project and possibly beyond) is to establish a stable basis for non-commercial research on Ethiopian bee and sawfly taxonomy and biodiversity and this by collecting and documenting the target taxa in different Ethiopian biotopes and conservation areas.

Poverty reduction components

Pollination is an essential feature for both biodiversity conservation and agriculture, and many plants including crops rely for their reproduction on pollinators such as bees. Ethiopia (besides Mexico and China) is a major producer of beeswax and it is the world’s tenth biggest honey producer. Further, biodiversity conservation can lead to the discovery of specialized natural enemies of pest insects, by which such antagonists (e.g. parasitoids) can be integrated in pest control programs. It is therefore a crucial deal for a country to take stock of its natural insect resources by conserving a high biodiversity level, which in turn can improve agricultural productivity, and consequently, ensure a better human food supply.

The present projects will help Ethiopia in developing a scientific approach to entomology in its applications to biodiversity conservation and agriculture. As pointed out by Loader et al. [Loader S, Mengistu A, Schwaller S, Gower D, Nagel P, Getahun A, Saber S & Kassahun R (2009) Are Ethiopian highlands changing? Amphibians as ecosystem indicators. Mountain Forum Bull., 9:5-6.]: “Mountain ecosystems have recently received considerable interest based on the understanding that climate change might have particularly serious irreversible impacts on physical and biological systems in these habitats. … For Africa, few quantitative studies exist whereby conclusions can be firmly established, and this means that a fresh focus on the region is required”. These statements are appealing when considering the present project that is devoted to the Ethiopian entomofauna, a fauna for sure adversely affected in the highlands by global climatic change. But, it will be doubtful to predict any significant contribution of the project to the current debate on global change, simply because this would have required an adequate reference collection of insects managed since at least several decades ago. In other words, it seems impossible to judge the impact, hitherto, of global change on the Ethiopian entomofauna. In contrast, the present project devoted to bees and sawflies may help, as one among other indicators, to establish such an impact in the future. These considerations are also strengthening the timeliness of the project.

Scientific capacity building

Overall, build-up of know-how and knowledge on bee and sawfly taxonomy and collection management.

Expected output

Besides multi-authored scientific publications, another important output will be a freely available PDF-document where all wild bee species, collected in Ethiopia during the two GTI projects, will be illustrated and accompanied by other datasets (for instance with information on the host plants). Possibly, a dedicated and informative website that liberates the gathered results will also be set up.

Check out some of the training material used by Boevé & Pauly here.

Information on the taxonomy of the bees of subsaharan Africa as well as keys to the subsaharan bee subgenera are available in the seventh (English) and ninth (French) volume of the series Abc Taxa

Get a pictorial impression of this project below.

Top left: students in Holeta Bee Research Center; top right: mission statement of the Holeta Bee Research Center; Bottom left: Xylocopa specimens; Bottom right: Nomiinae specimens

VERHEYEN, Erik (RBINS), 2005-2006 project

2011-10-10T11:03:49Z

Taxonomical training for the study of human induced environmental changes on the biodiversity of selected terrestrial and aquatic faunas in Eastern Congo (2005-2006)

Promoted by: Dr E. Verheyen (RBINS), Dr J. Snoeks (RMCA) & Dr H.Leirs (University of Antwerp).

Local partner: University of Kisangani.

Identified taxonomic impediment: the proposed training activities targets both the traditional taxonomy and the molecular systematics of small mammals (shrews and rodents) and freshwater fishes in the Kisangani Region and provides the necessary training to support scientists of the ‘Laboratoire d’Ecologie et de Gestion des Resources Animales’ (LEGERA) to implement of new ‘integrated conservation and development’ programs currently being adopted by national governments, international agencies, NGOs and resource user communities in response to the UN Conference on Environment and Development (Rio de Janeiro, 1992). The post-Rio conservation agenda is guided by international environmental agreements, principally the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The CBD promotes a utilitarian approach to conservation through sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the study of that biodiversity.

Objectives: the overruling objective is to provide taxonomical training of two Congolese scientists (one for mammals, one for fishes) of the ‘LEGERA’ in support of a recently initiated (VLIR) project at the University of Kisangani in the Democratic Republic of Congo that is intended to assist our Congolese colleagues in rebuilding the taxonomic know-how of their team that is required to perform their main task: i.e. the ecological study of animal species and their populations in order to manage their regional animal resources.

Our proposal will assist them by providing the taxonomical expertise that is required to carry out the studies they intend to perform on (1) the diversity of small mammals of the forest region of Kisangani, one of the most species rich terrestrial habitats on the globe and (2) on the fish diversity from the Congo River. We aim to provide the necessary training and expertise to improve the capacity of this local institution and its staff to carry out correct species identifications using traditional morphology based methods, and to provide basic training that will allow them to understand how they may use recent molecular methods (mtDNA sequencing) to characterize and describe the species collected during their field studies.

Poverty reduction components: the scientific capacity of the University of Kisangani has significantly augmented, making them a key-player for inventory and monitoring in the region

Human capacity building: several researchers have been trained, in traditional (= morphology-based) and molecular (= DNA-based) taxonomy. Thanks to received training and contacts made, one of the principal trainees (S. Gambalamoke) currently carries out a PhD project, financed by an alternative sponsor.

Institutional capacity building: the University of Kisangani is emerging as a center of expertise in species identification enabling its staff to carry out monitoring and ecological studies. The University is also the first African institute to join the international Consortium for the Barcoding of Life.

From adventurous field work to group training at the University of Kisangani through training in molecular systematics at the RBINS.

Grootaert (RBINS), Constant (RBINS) & Limbourg (RBINS) (2010-2012)

2011-10-11T12:16:07Z

Promoted by: Dr Patrick Grootaert (RBINS)

Local partner

The Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Department of Insect Systematics, Hanoi, Vietnam (IEBR) is the Vietnamese partner of this project. Partner with whom the RBINS (Entomology Department) is in a MoU since 2007. This project, started in 2010 and renewed in 2011, continues and complements the collaboration between Mr. Hong Thai Pham (IEBR) and Mr. Jérôme Constant (RBINS) as initiated in 2007. Read more on Mr Pham's GTI page regarding the latter cooperation.

The involved staff of the two institutions are: Mr. J. Constant (RBINS), Mr. P. Limbourg (RBINS), Mr. J. Bresseel (collaborator, RBINS), Mr HT Pham, Mrs. Thi Quynh Nga Cao (IEBR) and Mr. Hoang Vu Tru (IEBR)

Identified taxonomic impediments

Main taxonomic needs: (1) access to documentation, (2) access to optical and imaging material (stereomicroscope and camera), (3) training on identification and dissection techniques, (4) training on collecting techniques.

Main curatorial needs: access to knowledge, equipment and supplies to render the IEBR into a state-of the art modern entomological research facility

Objectives

Collecting, identifying and inventory of several target groups (i.e.Hemiptera: Fulgoridae, Eurybrachidae & Cicadidae; Heteroptera: Pentatomidae; Coleoptera: Rutelinae; Lepidoptera: Saturniidae & Phasmoptera) in several national parks or reserves in Northern and Central Vietnam. This will also be achieved through the training of the Vietnamese members of the staff to relevant field collecting techniques and to some identification routines. All participants will be trained to general entomological collecting and to specific collecting of the groups studied by the other members of the staff in order to reach the best efficiency as a group during fieldwork.
Improvement of the entomological collections, of the collections management and of the study of the material preserved in IEBR. Environmental conditions, including insect pest management, as well as structural and staff organization, will be evaluated. If necessary, pragmatic solutions will be proposed. The objective is to develop in IEBR a modern reference collection of national, regional and international importance, using the best international standards, and to provide material allowing state-of-the-art mounting and study of the specimens.

Poverty reduction components

Three components are identified:

The development of the reference collections in IEBR, together with the improvement of the identification and taxonomic capacities of the local staff will facilitate the study of the entomofauna. Those could also be used by researchers from close third countries like Laos or Cambodia.
The studied groups contain species which are known to damage cultures. Not yet identified species are also reported as pests and it will be of critical interest to build identification capacities for those groups.
Species of the studied groups are known to damage cultivated plants and have negative effects on the crops: Fulgoridae (e.g. Pyrops candelaria on litchi), sucking the sap of the tree, Cicadidae on coffee and other cultivated trees, sucking the sap of the roots (nymphs) or of the trees (adults), Pentatomidae on cabbage, Rutelinae and Melolothinae eating roots and leaves of an important number of plants and trees, sometimes causing spectacular damage. At least 3 species of Phasmoptera are reported as serious pests in forests of southern China, sometimes defoliating several ha of forest (with reported numbers of 5000 specimens per single tree!).

Scientific capacity building

Both soft and hard capacity building is aimed at in this project

Soft capacity building is achieved by providing training in collection management of the existing collections and by providing training in sampling, preserving, mounting, dissecting, labeling and identification of specimens.

Hard capacity building is achieved by equiping the IEBR with the needed scientific literature, small entomological equipment such as insect pins of various sizes and sampling devices (nets, traps, lights) and - on the explicit demand of the IEBR - a dissecting microscope equiped with a digital camera.

Expected output

It is expected that this capacity building project will result in the production of species checklists of the studied groups for the locations investigated. The project participants also aim to produce a guide to the Lantern-flies (Fulgoridae) of Vietnam in the series Abc Taxa and will publish their findings (ao. description of several species new to science) in established scientific journals.

It is also envisaged to organize a training workshop on Homoptera in 2012.

Top row (left) Mr. Pham and Constant set up a trap; (right) light trap with a spectacular yield; Middle row (left): setting up traps sometimes requires tree climbing skills (right) a spectacular fulgorid; bottom row (left) a saturnid; (right) Hanoi market exposing remarkable biodiversity richness.

Read more on the progress of this project in the preliminary and year-1-report of Mr Constant or in the publcations of their publications:

- Constant, J. & Pham, H.T. 2011. Two new species of Hemisphaerius from Vietnam (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Issidae). Nouv. Revue Ent. (N.S.) 27 (2): 109-115. (full paper available on request)