Essence
of the study:
The
EVCC is an index of vulnerability assigned to all of the ecosystems
in Panama. The overall objectives are to:
- Determine
how to assess ecosystem vulnerability to climate change in Panama.
- Gather,
compile, and analyze relevant GIS data, in terms of four domains
of vulnerability:
- sea
level rise: pinpointing low coastal elevations
- ecosystem
geometry: measuring potential negative "edge effects"
at the boundaries of ecosystems
- climatic
"space": quantifying projected temperature
and precipitation deviations, compared to historical averages
- species
sensitivity: calculating average habitat ranges for mammals,
birds, and amphibians
- Create
maps of overall national ecosystem vulnerability.
- Apply
the results to indicators of development and conservation:
- Degree
of human intervention
- Protected
areas
- Species
richness and endemic species
The
main conservation objective in this study is to aid in the preservation
of all of Panamanian ecosystem types in the future, both to minimize
biodiversity loss and to maintain ecosystem services to Panamanians.
Researchers:
Laura
Tremblay-Boyer
Eric Ross Anderson
Supervisors:
Emil
Cherrington
Roxana Segundo
Catherine Potvin
Pierre Dutilleul
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Made possible by
Centro
del Agua del Trópico Húmedo para América Latina y
el Caribe
Panama
Field Study Semester
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