Population viability analysis, also known as PVA, is a tool used to project changes in the size, age, and sex structure of animal and plant populations, and can estimate the probability of a species going extinct and when. This tool can help experts understand the relative importance of environmental, human-related, or biological variables on changes in a species’ population. Most importantly, PVA allows conservationists to test different management strategies to reduce the chance of extinction. With parrots, for example, experts can evaluate how the use of artificial nests benefits the species’ ability to reproduce and how this might impact their recovery. PVA also helps decision makers, as the modeling outcomes can be used to help determine the conservation status of the species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
In December 2019, experts gathered in a workshop at the Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo (MZUSP) to build population viability models for five parrot species (Red-browed Amazon, A. rhodocorytha; Red-tailed Amazon, A. brasiliensis; Red-spectacled Amazon, A. pretrei; Turquoise-fronted Amazon, Amazona aestiva; and Vinaceous-breasted Amazon, A. vinacea), for the Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), and for the Black-fronted Piping-guan (Aburria jacutinga).
“The workshop will guide the strategies for reintroducing the Black-fronted Piping-guan and assessing population trends of the other bird species, as well as the effect of artificial nests on parrot populations,” said Eduardo Barbosa, representative of the National Center for Bird Conservation/Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio/CEMAVE), the Brazilian environmental agency.
Kathy Traylor-Holzer of the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG) and Taylor Callicrate of the Species Conservation Toolkit Initiative (SCTI) led the workshop, helping conservationists to better plan a future for these Brazilian birds while building PVA expertise in Brazil. Six Brazilian PVA modelers applied skills they learned in a CPSG-led PVA training course held last March.
“Empowering people to conduct these analyses in Brazil is among CPSG's work priorities. We are thrilled to improve the modelling capacity of these six Brazilian conservationists,” comments Fabiana Rocha, CPSG Brasil.
The event was organized by CEMAVE and CPSG Brasil, with support from Parque das Aves and MZUSP. The workshop brought together 20 specialists from 12 institutions: CEMAVE, CPSG, ESALQ-USP, Fundação Neotrópica do Brasil, Instituto Arara-azul, MZUSP, Parque das Aves, Projeto-Charão/AMA, SAVE Brasil, SCTI, SPVS, UNESP.
Photo Credit: Bruno Girin [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]