[BERG] This week's BERG (April 4th)

Dear BERGers, This week we have Dr Joana Coleoptera (see https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/37177) giving a presentation entitled: Where to go? Impact of global environmental changes on African apes (Abstract below). **As Hannah mentioned last week, we shall be going to the Meadowpark (http://www.themeadowparkstirling.co.uk/) for supper after the seminar. Please contact Hannah A.S.A.P. if you would like to join us (h.m.buchanan-smith@stir.ac.uk<mailto:h.m.buchanan-smith@stir.ac.uk>). Abstract Recent global food crises have greatly contributed towards the intensification and major expansion of tropical agriculture. Sub-Saharan Africa is suffering from widespread food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty, and is the region expected to experience the greatest human population growth in coming decades. Moreover, it is a region with a considerable proportion of land potentially suitable for agriculture. Globally, Africa is the continent most vulnerable to the effects of climate change (CC). Here, future droughts and other extreme weather events are likely to prompt the relocation of agricultural areas into more humid areas, which are rich in biodiversity, including African ape populations (AAPs). A key question is how to mitigate the effects of future CC and land-use/cover changes (LULCC) on AAPs by maintaining connectivity across landscapes, whilst guaranteeing food security and improving livelihoods of local populations. This project will a) make a fundamental contribution to understanding the effects of future CC on AAPs, b) studies on AAPs, carbon stocks and food security employing an integrative, interdisciplinary approach so far are lacking, and c) provide compelling arguments for the relevance of aligning biodiversity conservation with sustainable intensification of agriculture and CC that can benefit biodiversity and rural populations. 5:30pm sharp! Drinks and munchies provided. ______________________________ Paxton D. Culpepper, BSc, MSc PhD Candidate | Psychology Division of Psychology Behaviour and Evolution Research Group Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, UK Office: 3B134 Cottrell Building Phone: +44 (0) 1786 466852 Fax: +44 (0) 1786 467641 Email: p.d.culpepper@stir.ac.uk<mailto:p.d.culpepper@stir.ac.uk>