Founders' Award

Founders’ Award for Best Student Paper in Conservation or Management Research

Premio de los Fundadores para el mejor artículo de estudiantes en Conservación o Manejo

Prix des fondateurs pour le Meilleur Article Etudiant en Conservation ou Recherche pour la gestion

2019 Founders' Award Recipient: Christopher Cambrone

POPULATION GENETIC STRUCTURES OF TWO CLOSELY-RELATED, CARIBBEAN-ENDEMIC COLUMBID SPECIES, THE SCALY-NAPED PIGEON, Patagioenas squamosa, AND THE WHITE-CROWNED PIGEON, P. leucocephala. Christopher Cambrone*^, Frank Cézilly^, Rémi Wattier*, Cyril Eraud†, and Etienne Bezault*. *UMR BOREA (MNHN, CNRS-7208, IRD-207, Sorbonne Université, UCN, UA), Université des Antilles, Guadeloupe, France, ^UMR Biogéosciences (CNRS-6282, UBFC, EPHE, Agro-Sup Dijon), Université de Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Dijon, France, †Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Unité Avifaune migratrice, France. E-mail: christopher.cambrone@yahoo.com.

Island-endemic Columbid species are particularly vulnerable to environmental degradation, extreme climatic events, and competition with and predation by exotic species. The situation may be even more critical in the case of game species, where legal hunting and poaching can severely affect population dynamics. Here we document for the first time the genetic structure of two closely-related, Caribbean-endemic Columbid species, of patrimonial and cynegetic interest, the Scaly-naped Pigeon and the White-crowned Pigeon, over a large part of their ranges, from Puerto-Rico to Martinique and, from Florida to Martinique, respectively. Our results, based on mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite markers, show an absence of genetic differentiation between sampling sites, suggestive of a relatively high migration rate between islands. In other words, our results highlighted there could be one large population, for both species, at the regional scale. We discuss the relevance of this finding in relation to management and conservation issues.

2019 Founders' Award Honorable Mentions:

Spencer Schubert

ARTIFICIAL PERCHES AS A TECHNIQUE FOR ENHANCING TROPICAL FOREST RESTORATION: A CASE STUDY FROM THE CENTRAL DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Spencer C. Schubert, Old Dominion University, 5115 Hampton Blvd, Norfolk, VA 23529 (USA). E-mail: sschu001@odu.edu.

Laura Fidalgo

CHARACTERISTICS OF ELFIN-WOODS WARBLER (Setophaga angelae) POST-HURRICANE HABITAT STRUCTURE. Laura L. Fidalgo-De Souza*, Alberto C. Cruz-Mendoza*, Frank F. Rivera-Milán^, Jessica Ilse†, and Joseph M. Wunderle†. *University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, ^U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, †U.S. Forest Service. E-mail: laura.fidalgo@upr.edu.

This award will be given to the student who, at a meeting of BirdsCaribbean, presents the best paper in conservation research or management research. The paper must present a scientific research project, the results from which directly apply to management of bird populations, their habitats or related critical natural resources in the Caribbean Region.

Este premio se otorgará al estudiante que, en una reunión de BirdsCaribbean, presente el mejor artículo en investigación de conservación o manejo. El documento debe presentar un proyecto de investigación científica, cuyos resultados se apliquen directamente al manejo de las poblaciones de aves, sus hábitats o los recursos naturales relacionados en la Región del Caribe.

Ce prix sera remis à l’étudiant qui, durant le congrès BirdsCaribbean, présentera le meilleur article de recherche en ce qui concerne la conservation ou encore en recherche pour la gestion. L’article devra présenter un projet de recherche scientifique, les résultats qui s’appliquent directement à la gestion des populations d’oiseaux, de leurs habitats ou encore les ressources naturelles critiques dans la région caribéenne.

Past Winners!

1st Founders' Award – Grenada (2013): Ms. Ianela García Lau

2nd Founders’ Award – Jamaica (2015): Ms. Deanna Albert

3rd Founders’ Award – Cuba (2017): Ms. Amarilys D. Irizarry

4th Founders' Award – Guadeloupe (2019): Christopher Cambrone

The award is a Lifetime Membership to BirdsCaribbean

If a student research project of sufficient scientific quality or merit is not presented, this award will be given to the student who, at a meeting of BirdsCaribbean, presents the best paper in reporting the results of a conservation project, conducted by the student, that significantly benefitted bird populations, their habitat or related critical natural resources in the Caribbean Region. *

The award is specifically not to be given for environmental or outdoor education projects as these areas are already better supported than the research and activism areas previously mentioned.

To apply:

Students must submit an abstract to the meeting by the abstract submission deadline (April 15 2019), and indicate on the online form that they are applying for consideration for the Founders’ Award for Best Student Paper. The abstract must be accepted. See more information on the Call for Papers page. Students must also submit evidence that they are currently enrolled or have graduated within the past two years (e.g., provide a letter from their advisor on institutional letterhead via email). The award is open to all students—undergrads as well as those pursuing a post-graduate degree (M.S. or Ph.D.). We especially encourage submissions from Caribbean nationals.

Funding and Sponsorship:

Funding for Founders' Award and the Life Membership given to recipients will be obtained from direct donations from BirdsCaribbean members, and others (including but not limited to other individuals, foundations, corporations) deposited into a BirdsCaribbean special fund or endowment established for this purpose.

If you would like to donate to the Founders' Award, please make your donation online by credit card here.

Choose "Founders Award" under the Gift Designation tab. Thank you!

Ianela Garcia Lau receiving the Founder's Award for best student research, 2013.

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