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Can all biodiversity be saved?

October 3, 2018

Collage of words included in the articleIf not all species can be saved, how do we decide which ones to save?

This question is more relevant than ever, as we live in the Anthropocene, a geological age characterized by human activity having a dominating influence over Earth's ecosystems and living organisms.

Learn from the voice of ASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes Founding Director Leah Gerber about the various approaches to addressing endangered species protection in this Got a minute? segment.

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CBO welcomes two new postdoctoral fellows

October 3, 2018

Collage of headshots of both postdocsThe ASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes is excited to welcome Danica Shaffer-Smith, the second NatureNet Science Fellow hired in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, and Gwen Iacona who will be spearheading two conservation investment decision tools for the corporate sector.

Dr. Schaffer-Smith has technical expertise in remote sensing and geospatial analysis. Her research has spanned a variety of topics, including modeling the spread of wind-driven fires, assessing habitat connectivity for endangered species, analyzing global tropical deforestation dynamics and exploring methods to quantify linkages between coupled social-ecological systems.

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ASU-STRI partnership call for student applications

October 3, 2018

Young toucan standing on branchThe ASU-Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute partnership is currently accepting applications from graduate students interested in learning about tropical science in Panama.

Students can apply to attend the Tropical Ecology and Conservation Boot Camp, which runs January 13-February 6, 2019 or the ASU Tropical Biology Study Abroad Course, which runs June 4-21, 2019.

Courses and application details are available here.

Applications close Monday, October 15, 2018 at 5 p.m. AZ time.

New institutional models needed to close research-action gap

View Source | October 2, 2018

CBO's actionable science graph is a circular puzzle with three pieces: research, education and partnerships A new publication by ASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes Founding Director and Professor Leah Gerber and Conservation International’s Americas Field Division Senior Vice President Dr. Daniela Raik calls for cross-sector collaborations to tackle the most pressing conservation challenges of the 21st Century.

The paper, entitled “Conservation science needs new institutional models for achieving outcomes,” was published in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment – a publication of The Ecological Society of America – in October 1, 2018. (PDF)

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ASU researchers exploring how changes in snowpack impact water rights, policy

September 21, 2018

Snowy mountain with forestMountain snowpack is melting earlier, leaving water regulators searching for new approaches and farmers concerned about the risk to their crops. To help stakeholders find solutions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday awarded $4.9 million to an interdisciplinary team of researchers from five institutions in three states, including Arizona State University.

Mountain snowpack and rainfall are the primary sources of water for the arid western United States, and water allocation rules determine how that water gets distributed among competing uses. But earlier melting of mountain snowpack is altering the timing of runoff, putting additional pressure on reservoirs to meet the needs of agricultural water rights holders.

Over the next five years, scientists from ASU will join researchers from the University of Nevada, Reno; Desert Research Institute; Colorado State University and Northern Arizona University to use a new $4.97 million grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture to explore different aspects of this issue:

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Oxford Uni & IUCN Workshop

September 10, 2018

Historic building on Oxford UniversityOn September 7, 2018, Founding Director Leah Gerber represented  the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes at a workshop titled “Biodiversity and Business” at the University of Oxford’s Department of Zoology.

The goal of the workshop was to develop a proof of concept “That the wealth of academic research and practice on biodiversity indicator development is directly relevant to businesses who are seeking to identify or develop biodiversity indicators,” as stated by the organizers.

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Should it be saved?

September 6, 2018

Wolf headshot facing camera on snowy dayA Science magazine story was published today titled “Should it be saved?” It addresses the various debates surrounding approaches to endangered species protection – in particular how decisions are made regarding funds allocation for recovery efforts.

A related story, titled “How triage became a dirty word,” was also published. This story reflects on insights shared by ASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes Founding Director Leah Gerber on this topic.

Read both stories here.

Organizing for biodiversity conservation in the age of extinction

September 6, 2018

View of Earth model from space with sun rays on the rightOn January 30, 3019, ASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes Founding Director Leah Gerber will be partnering with Elliott Millinor and Greg Kaebnick to present a session on “Organizing concepts in biodiversity conservation.”

The session is the first in a series of four-presentations on organizing for biodiversity conservation in the age of extinction. These events are an initiative of the ASU Center for Biology + Society, as part of their Conservation Series. This particular segment on biodiversity conservation is also sponsored by the School of Life Sciences Ethics program.

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Casting biodiversity conservation as a budget allocation problem

September 6, 2018

Young humpback whale fully underwater close to surfaceASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes Founding Director Leah Gerber will be giving a presentation at the University of Oxford’s Interdisciplinary Center for Conservation Science in London, UK on September 10, 2018, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. (GMT+1).

The presentation is titled “Casting Biodiversity Conservation as a Budget Allocation Problem,” and will take place in the seminar room at the Zoology department.

Click here to learn more.

New grants to aid endangered species protection investments

September 6, 2018

Close up of small green grasshopper on person's handThe ASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes recently secured two grants, one with the Electric Power Research Institute and one with Monsanto, to develop respective tools that will help enable each organization to estimate the range of potential operational, reputational, legal and regulatory risks associated with compliance with the U.S. Endangered Species Act for their respective industries.

The Endangered Species Act mandates that the US federal government take actions to conserve threatened and endangered species and their associated ecosystems. Critical the success of the ESA is engaging with the private sector to build understanding how biodiversity conservation and business practices can be complementary and synergistic.

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New guide helps assess benefits of key natural areas

View Source | August 29, 2018

Satellite view of the Caribbean Sea in early morningThe International Union for Conservation of Nature World Commission on Protected Areas (IUCN-WCPA) recently issued new guidance to help ecologists assess ecosystem services within important sites for biodiversity and nature conservation. The report — co-authored by Arizona State University’s Leah Gerber and Center for Biodiversity Outcomes Affiliate researchers Penny Langhammer and Rachel Neugarten — reviews nine assessment tools and focuses on their application in key biodiversity areas, natural World Heritage sites and protected areas.

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Improving food security in the Lower Mekong Basin

August 28, 2018

Fisherman in Mekong stands on edge of canoe to prep fishing gearOn December 2017, ASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes affiliated faculty John Sabo, in partnership with other scientists, published a Science magazine article titled “Designing river flows to improve food security futures in the Lower Mekong Basin.” [PDF]

The Greater Mekong is Southeast Asia’s longest river, supporting the livelihoods of around 300 million people across the region. Deforestation, poorly operating dams and fisheries management are some of the major threats to the river. This article studies the link between hydrology and fisheries and provides recommendations for improving fishing and dam development relations.

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ASU student leaves the classroom with Conservation International

August 28, 2018

Student Celeste sitting on branch on Peru coffee plantationWhen ASU Barrett Honors College student Celeste Delaune walked into the ASU-Conservation International joint course Conservation in Practice (BIO 412) last spring, she did not know it would take her to Peru – literally.

Under the supervision of ASU-CI Professor of Practice Percy Summers, Delaune worked in Moyobamba during the summer. Upon her return to ASU, she spoke about her experience with Amy Scoville-Weaver, ASU-CI Program Manager, ASU Corporate Engagement and Strategic Partnerships.

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New publications shed light on biodiversity conservation

August 28, 2018

Montage of hand holding light bulb with water and fish insideASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes faculty, students and partners have been busy advancing cutting-edge research that supports biodiversity conservation understanding and decision-making. We present you some of their most recent publications:

Ayers, A. L., Kittinger, J. N., and Vaughan, M. B. 2018. Whose right to manage? Distribution property rights affects equity and power dynamics in comanagement. Ecology and Society. 23(2):37. PDF.

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CI’s Moore Center welcomes new leadership

View Source | July 17, 2018

Headshot of Raik and MasciaIn September 2016, ASU partnered with Conservation International to train the next generation of conservation leaders, while protecting the nature people need to thrive. This partnership was established via the ASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes and the CI Betty and Gordon Moore Center for Science. Today, it was announced that the Moore Center’s senior vice president, Dr. Daniela Raik, would transition as the new senior vice president for the organization’s Americas Field Division. Dr. Mike Mascia who currently leads the Social Science Program, is stepping in to fulfill her previous role.

We take the opportunity to thank Dr. Raik for her vision and leadership, which were instrumental in establishing the ASU-CI partnership.

ASU welcomes Dr. Mascia and looks forward to continuing our work together to advance this very important partnership.

Now Hiring! Biodiversity in Business: Management Research Analyst, Sr.

July 17, 2018

Close up of wheat moving with the wind against sunsetThe ASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes is currently hiring a Senior Management Research Analyst – Biodiversity in Business to lead the center’s work on biodiversity in the business sector.

This individual will join a vibrant and growing interdisciplinary team of faculty and non-academic partners to develop and implement a portfolio of projects that address the multiple aspects of environmental and non-market valuation within the business landscape.

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Guyana: ASU to support ExxonMobil Foundation US$10 million sustainability investment

View Source | July 3, 2018

Waterfall in GuyanaA new collaboration established between ExxonMobil Foundation, Conservation International and the University of Guyana promises to advance sustainable employment and conservation in the region, as announced yesterday in a Houston Business Journal article.

As part of the ASU-Conservation International partnership, CI will work with Arizona State University and other key international universities to develop training on environmental innovation and sustainability and on entrepreneurship in nature-based sectors to advance this initiative.

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Nature at ASU: Undergraduate nature enthusiasts join forces

July 1, 2018

Students smiling laying on grass making a circle with their headsASU undergraduate students who have a love for nature and the environment can join Nature at ASU.  This student-led organization helps connect students with education and career opportunities in a variety of related fields.

Their mission is to build, unite and empower an inclusive community of students to study and protect Earth’s biodiversity and its wild habitats.

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Galapagos: Third Annual Symposium on Research and Conservation

June 25, 2018

Underwater view of large sea turtle in shallow waterOn June 27 and 28, 2018, the Galapagos National Park and the Galapagos Science Center will be hosting the Third Annual Symposium on Research and Conservation in San Cristobal Island, Galapagos, Ecuador.

The two-day symposium will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (7 a.m. to 5 p.m. AZ Time) at the Charles Darwin International Convention Center. Live coverage will be available via the Galapagos Science Center’s Facebook page.

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