Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Exhibit Hall CD, Midwest Airlines Center
Kelli P. Moses, Sub-Antarctic Biocultural Conservation Program, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, Yanet Medina, Conservación y Manejo de Recursos Naturales en Ambientes SubaUniversidad de Magallanes, Universidad de Magallanes Programa de Conservación Biocultural Subantártica - Parque Etnobotánico Omora, Punta Arenas, Chile, Jessica Fernandoy, Universidad de Magallanes, Chile, Francisca Massardo, Universidad de Magallanes (UMAG), Punta Arenas, Chile, Bernard Goffinet, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, Leopoldo Sancho, Dept. Biología Vegetal II, Fac. Farmacia, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain., Madrid, Spain, Javier Etayo, Navarro Villoslada, Spain, Antonio Gomez Bolea, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain, Kevin Stevens, Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, James H. Kennedy, Biological Sciences & Philosophy and Religion Studies, University of North Texas (UNT), Denton, TX, Ximena Arango, Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Omora Ethnobotanical Park, and University of Magallanes, Chile, Alexandria K. Poole, Dept. of Politics, Philosophy and Legal Studies, Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA, Tamara A. Contador, University of North Texas, Sub-Antarctic Biocultural Conservation Program, Omora Ethnobotanical Park, Chile, Denton, TX, Shaun Russell, CAZS Natural Resources, University of Wales, Wales, Juan J. Armesto, Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Santiago, Chile and Ricardo Rozzi, Philosophy and Religion Studies, University of North Texas (UNT), Denton, TX
Background/Question/Methods
A historical bias toward vertebrates and vascular plants underpins global biodiversity assessments and conservation strategies in terrestrial ecosystems. Recent floristic inventories conducted in the sub-Antarctic Magellanic ecoregion challenged this bias by discovering that this area hosts more non-vascular than vascular plant species. Moreover, this austral ecoregion represents a biodiversity “hotspot” for bryophytes since it contains >5% than of the world’s non-vascular plant species in <0.01% of the Earth’s land surface. These discoveries were made by researchers associated to the Omora Ethnobotanical Park (OEP), a research and educational center located close to Puerto Williams, capital city of the Chilean Antarctic Province. Through programs on biocultural conservation, OEP researchers succeeded in communicating these floristic discoveries to Chilean and international decision makers and authorities. This provided a strong argument for the creation of the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve (CHBR) by UNESCO in 2005. However, surveys at the local school showed that children still showed had low awareness about this rich flora.
Results/Conclusions To better assess knowledge and valuation of non-vascular flora by different actors in the CHBR, we initiated in 2007 a study based on questionnaires provided to school children, Navy officers, authorities, residents, tourist operators and visitors. Concurrently, researchers and graduate students at OEP initiated a series of field workshops which led to the invention of a metaphor: “The Miniature Forests of Cape Horn.” This metaphor facilitated the incorporation of non-vascular flora into school activities and everyday conversations. Furthermore, it stimulated tourist operators and OEP researchers to invent the concept of “Tourism with a Hand Lens” to observe and explore the “miniature forests,” and scientists to initiate a study of associated lichens and invertebrate fauna. Finally, in order to consolidate a formal and informal educational program about this flora, OEP initiated the construction of “The Miniature Forests of Cape Horn” trail, which includes 19 interpretive stations. Each station consists of a metal sculptures in the shape of a hand-lens that draw visitors’ attention to particular bryophyte, lichen species, as well as to their unique microhabitats, and associated fauna. Preliminary analyses of questionnaires reveal a significantly increased awareness of and knowledge about the flora and fauna of the “miniature forests,” and the increasing incorporation of these small biotic communities into education and ecotourism activities. This program shows that inconspicuous taxonomic groups can also play important roles in promoting conservation when their ecological and aesthetic values are understood by the general public and policy makers.
