IRES Track I: International Research and Professional Development Experience for Students in Ecology and Conservation of Endangered Wildlife of Nosy Be, Madagascar

拟议的研究和专业发展计划将在马达加斯加进行，马达加斯加是世界上最优先考虑的生物多样性热点之一，其地方性程度是其他任何国家都无法比拟的。这个项目的研究目标是描述Nosy Be岛的濒危和有魅力的陆地和海洋物种的状况，并确定导致它们减少的威胁。由当地和国际研究人员组成的研究小组将训练来自美国和马达加斯加的本科生使用各种野生动物研究方法和社会科学调查。利用这些技能，学生将生成濒危海洋和陆地物种保护状况的关键数据，包括灵长类动物（狐猴）、海龟和海豚。在这个为期三年的项目中，学生将与导师一起了解野生动物减少的驱动因素，并设计可持续的项目来保护它们。基于科学的管理在马达加斯加特别重要，因为面对当地人口面临的粮食安全挑战，陆地和海洋生态系统正以惊人的速度丧失生物多样性和破坏栖息地。该项目将为来自两国的本科生和研究生创造机会，使他们能够在产生具有成本效益的数据以实现可持续保护目标的背景下，采用实地方法来研究问题。最重要的是，该项目将培养一批训练有素的保护生物学领域的科学家，他们对现实世界的挑战有着深刻的理解。生成关于稀有和有魅力的濒危物种的基线生态数据对于保护和野生动物管理至关重要，特别是在人类活动与生物多样性之间冲突严重的数据贫乏地区。所有研究项目将至少解决以下三个目标中的一个：(1)评估六种濒危旗舰物种（包括三种狐猴、一种鲸目动物和一种海龟）的关键栖息地和密度趋势；(2)调查其丰富和减少的环境驱动因素；(3)评估潜在缓解措施的影响。每一组学生（每年6名学生）将根据前一组的研究结果提出他们的研究问题，使我们能够全面了解减少的原因和保护Nosy Be野生动物的措施。这个研究和专业发展项目有四个阶段：1)在佛罗里达国际大学进行实地前培训，2)在马达加斯加进行数据收集，3)在佛罗里达国际大学进行数据分析和报告，4)在未来的队列输入和监督，学生们将分享他们的经验并支持新的队列。在野外活动中，学生将被训练：1)使用标准方法快速评估野外濒危物种的保护状况；2)使用野外和社会科学调查相结合的方法进行动物评估。在课堂活动中，学生将接受以下方面的培训：1)撰写研究建议和现场协议，2)使用先进的统计方法分析现场数据，3)撰写技术和非技术出版物，4)口头报告他们的研究，5)合作和指导其他学生。最终，该研究项目将提供马达加斯加Nosy Be濒危海洋和陆地野生动物保护状况的关键数据，并将为学生提供关键的研究和保护技能。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

International Research and Professional Development Experience for Students on the Ecology and Conservation of Wildlife in Nosy Be, MadagascarThe proposed research and professional development program will take place in Madagascar, one of the highest priority biodiversity hotspots in the world, with levels of endemism unmatched by any other country. The research goal of this program is to characterize the status of Nosy Be Island's endangered and charismatic terrestrial and marine species and identify the threats driving their declines. The research team of local and international researchers will train undergraduate students from the US and Madagascar to use a variety of wildlife research methods and social science surveys. Using these acquired skills, students will generate critical data on the conservation status of endangered marine and terrestrial species, including primates (lemurs), sea turtles, and dolphins. During this 3-year project students will, along with mentor, develop an understanding of the drivers of wildlife declines and design sustainable programs to protect them. Science-based management is particularly important in Madagascar because terrestrial and marine ecosystems are experiencing alarming rates of biodiversity loss and habitat destruction in the face of food security challenges to local human populations. This project will create opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students from both countries to adapt field methods to research questions in the context of generating cost-effective data to achieve sustainable conservation goals. Most importantly, this program will produce cohorts of highly trained scientists in the field of conservation biology with a deep understanding of real-world challenges.Generating baseline ecological data on rare and charismatic endangered species is critical for conservation and wildlife management, particularly in data-poor areas where conflicts between human activities and biodiversity are acute. All research projects will address at least one of three objectives: (1) assess the critical habitats and density trends of six endangered flagship species, including three lemurs, one species of cetacean and one species of sea turtle, (2) investigate the environmental drivers of their abundance and their decline, and (3) assess the impact of potential mitigation measures. Each cohort of students (6 students per year) will base their research questions on the findings of previous cohorts, enabling us to develop a comprehensive understanding of the causes of decline and measures to preserve Nosy Be's wildlife. This research and professional development program has four stages: 1) pre-field training at Florida International University, 2) data collection in Madagascar, 3) data-analysis and reporting at FIU and 4) future-cohort input and supervision where students will share their experiences and support new cohorts. During field activities, students will be trained to 1) use standard methods to rapidly assess the conservation status of endangered species in the field and 2) use a combination of field and social science survey methods to conduct animal assessments. During class activities students will be trained to 1) write research proposals and field protocols, 2) use advanced statistical methods to analyze field data, 3) write technical and non-technical publications, 4) do oral presentations of their research, and 5) collaborate and mentor other students. Ultimately, this research program will provide critical data on the conservation status of endangered marine and terrestrial wildlife in Nosy Be, Madagascar, and will provide students with key research and conservation skills.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.