Bruce W. Miller

A model biodiversity monitoring protocol for REDD projects

Emerging international standards for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) projects require a demonstrated biodiversity benefit and a biodiversity monitoring protocol. Guidance for an acceptable protocol is proposed specifically for tropical forests, focusing on technologies that are widely available, rigorous, and aimed at important indicator taxa for forest function. Two techniques, camera trapping for large and mesoscale mammals and acoustic monitoring for bats, are proposed as current technologies that meet the criteria for a model biodiversity monitoring protocol for REDD projects.

The status of the Black Catbird Melanoptila glabrirostris on Caye Caulker, Belize

An evaluation of the relative abundance of the Black Catbird Melanoptila glabrirostris was undertaken on Caye Caulker, an offshore island along the barrier reef of Belize, Central America. Although the species is locally abundant in part of the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, the species is facing habitat fragmentation and loss due to development, both along the Mexican coastal areas and on the island habitats in Belize. The Caye Caulker population appears to be the largest in Belize. Transects of fixed radius point counts resulted in 15.5% and mist-netting resulted in 22.4% of all birds recorded being Black Catbirds. The Neotropical migrant Grey Catbird Dumetella carolinensis apparently shares the same habitat on Caye Caulker and comprised 11.2% of all birds netted. The netted Black Catbirds were noted to have substantial fat deposits. The habitat on Caye Caulker is facing probable fragmentation from recent accelerated land speculation and development of an airstrip.